Bowflex Reviews
Bowflex is a longtime leader within the home fitness industry, and one we’ve watched for years. Some of you might even remember that Bowflex got its start in the 1980s advertising innovative home gyms through infomercials. Since then, the Vancouver-based company has become Nautilus Inc. and expanded the Bowflex brand to include dynamic cardio trainers for people of all skill levels. They’ve gained loyal fans with the Max Trainers over the years, which are popular alternatives to standard treadmills and ellipticals. Although the TreadClimbers are no longer in production, you may find them available for sale online as used models, and there’s no question they work great.
As a rule, the Bowflex family of fitness machines are gentler on the body. But don’t let that fool you. They’re ruthlessly efficient when it comes to melting pounds and defining muscles. Bowflex Max Trainers allow higher intensity workouts which combine the movements of running with those of an elliptical and stepper. They also feature handlebars for an upper body workout. Max Trainers can deliver remarkable results with just 14 minutes of exercise per day.
Since so many people are busier than ever, these timesaving Bowflex trainers have enjoyed impressive sales and earned overwhelmingly positive customer reviews. It hasn’t been difficult for Nautilus to include actual customers in its motivating ads. These machines get the job done and their recently toned customers are more than happy to talk about it. Here are the options available to anyone hoping to join the Bowflex revolution…
Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The Bowflex Lineup
At EllipticalReviews.com, we bring you comprehensive reviews of exercise equipment so you can decide which one is right for you. Our staff thoroughly test all the ellipticals we review. We install them, ride them, and try out all of the features. We get to know each and every elliptical we review extremely well. Our reviewers log miles riding. We listen and record the sound of the machine, try out all aspects of the console and try the machine’s features.
Every elliptical we review undergoes the same rigorous process. That way we can compare and contrast them and give you an honest review of what we think.
Our reviewers are fitness experts. Brian Boyce, the author of this review, is a competitive bodybuilder, and is a 7-time national qualifier in both men’s bodybuilding and classic physique within the NPC competitions. He has coached and been coached on cardiovascular training, HIIT, and nutrition, particularly as it pertains to weight loss for competitions. He is an expert when it comes to ellipticals, has been on this elliptical, and you can trust his opinion on all of the machines he reviews.
Bowflex Max Trainers 2024
Max Trainer SE: An entry-level model of the Bowflex lineup, the Max SE is priced online at $999, with a suggested MSRP of $1,499. Purchase comes with a two-month trial subscription to the Bowflex JRNY Fitness App.
A terrific entry-level unit, there’s no question you can earn the burn on this machine, which combines the movements of an elliptical and stepper. Equipped with a 7″ LCD screen, this isn’t a machine for those wanting big and splashy high-definition television sets. That said, it’s Bluetooth-enabled and comes with a terrific media rack for tablets or smartphones. With 16 levels of magnetic resistance, users can see their heart rate, calories, calorie burn rate, target burn rate, interval count, interval time, total workout time, RPM, and resistance time. Engineered with four-grip handlebars, users get both upper- and lower-body exercise with this machine.
Measuring 46.9″ x 30.5″ x 65.2″ with a machine weight of 163.8 pounds, the SE can support up to 300 pounds in user weight. To estimate the ceiling needs of the room in which it will go, add 15″ to the user’s own height. The machine’s warranty is 10 years for the frame, two years for parts, one year for electronics, and one year for labor.
Max Trainer M9: A mid-level model, the M9 comes equipped with a built-in 10″ screen, and is priced at $1,499 online, with an MSRP of $1,999. Purchase includes a two-month free trial of JRNY. The 10″ screen is built to work in conjunct with the JRNY program but does work in a manual mode if you opt against continuing that program. It also contains four other built-in programs. In addition to 20 levels of magnetic resistance, the machine includes integrated contact grips for heart rate as well as an Bluetooth-enabled armband monitor.
Measuring 49.2″ x 30.5″ x 65.1 and a machine weight of 148.8 pounds, the unit has a maximum user weight capacity of 300 pounds. Estimating the ceiling height requires adding 15″ to the user’s own height. The machine’s warranty is three years for the frame and mechanical parts, one year for the electronics, and 90 days for labor.
Max Trainer 16: The top-level trainer in the Bowflex lineup is the Max Trainer 16 priced at $1,799 with an MSRP of $2,499. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the large 16″ high-definition touchscreen that is designed to work with JRNY. In addition to that app, the machine comes with built-in programs. With 20 levels of magnetic resistance, this unit is also Bluetooth-enabled and includes integrated handlebar heart rate sensors as well as an armband heart rate monitor. An upper-level model, this one comes with six-grip handlebars for more upper body options.
Measuring 49.3″ x 30.8″ x 65.7″ at a machine weight of 155.4 pounds, the unit holds up to 300 pounds. Bowflex offers a warranty of three years on the frame and mechanical parts, as well as one-year for electronics and 90 days for labor.
Bowflex JRNY Fitness App
Most Bowflex Max Trainers have built-in programs, and all can work with or without the JRNY Fitness App. That said, the bigger the screen you get with the machine, the more value you lose without JRNY. Purchase comes with a two-month trial subscription and it’s certainly worth the try. With JRNY Radio as well as AI-coaching, on-demand programs, and customized workouts to booth, it also brings workouts from around the world to your screen. Priced at $14 per month or $149 per year, the app can be downloaded onto smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
What We Like About Bowflex Cardio Trainers
What’s so great about Bowflex Cardio Trainers? For everyone here at Elliptical Reviews, these are quite often the products that we recommend. Not only to owners get more bang for their buck, but we find that people who purchase these machines rarely ever return them. Whereas the return rates are slightly higher with other machines.
Here are a few of the key features we really enjoy with the Bowflex Max Trainer models.
- Compact And Sturdy: When you’re hunting for a machine to use at home, you want them to be as compact and sturdy as possible. The last thing you want is a shaky machine that feels like it could topple over while using it. These machines are designed to hold up to 300 pounds, despite the fact that they are smaller than most ellipticals and take up less space in your house. For those training in a very small home gym, this is a key advantage. Usually the smaller you go, the less stable the machine tends to feel.
- Versatile: One great thing about the Bowflex Max Trainers is that they work you on multiple levels. You’ll receive excellent cardiovascular benefits using this machine and work towards strengthening your muscles through resistance training. If you aren’t a fan of doing separate weight lifting but know how important it is, this machine helps you do both at once. This said, the machine is still very low impact so it’s perfect for those in a rehab situation who are looking for something easy on their joints.
- Low Impact: Which brings us to the next benefit, these machines are exceptionally low impact. They won’t tax your knees, ankles, hips, or lower back so you can exercise in peace and without pain. For any runners out there, this is the benefit you’ll most appreciate. You’ll have up to 200% less impact on your joints using one of these machines compared to running on the road.
- Great Consoles. When searching for a cardio workout machine, don’t overlook the consoles. Bowflex really shines in this area. All of their consoles are touch screens that are easy to read as well as navigate and can be integrated with your mobile apps. It’ll make your life that much easier when you have this in place. The consoles also make it possible to save different users as well. The M7 Max Trainer, Bowflex Results Ellipticals and TC200 TreadClimber each save up to four user profiles while all other machines only save two.
What We Don’t Like About The Bowflex Cardio Trainers
Like most things in life, there are always drawbacks. While it’s hard to pick flaws in the Bowflex Treadclimbers, there are a few things that we need to mention.
- Warranties. Compared to other machines on the market, the Bowflex lineup warranties are average at best.
- Affordability. While the original Bowflex comes in at $999, which is still within most budgets for home cardio equipment, their other models are quite expensive. You’ll jump to $1499 and $1799 for others.
Bottom Line
No matter what your fitness level happens to be, Bowflex Max Trainers are an excellent choice. Their machines are a great alternative for low-impact exercise that help you get in shape quickly, not to mention torching calories faster than most other machines on the market. The high-end models are quite costly, but the cost is justified when you see all the great features they have to offer. Most people are very satisfied when they choose to purchase Bowflex. You will be too.
All Bowflex Ellipticals
| Image | Model | Rating | Estimated Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Bowflex Max Trainer M6 | 5-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex Max Trainer M8 | 5-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex Max Trainer M9 | 5-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex LateralX LX5 | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex BXE216 Elliptical | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex Max Trainer M3 | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex BXE116 Elliptical | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex Treadclimber TC100 | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex HVT | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex LateralX LX3 | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex TreadClimber TC200 | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
 |
Bowflex Max Trainer M9 (2024) | 4-Stars | See Best Price |
