Advantages: Low impact cardiovascular workout
Disadvantages: Expensive

...In a bid to lose a few pounds after uni (too much alcohol & too many takeaways) I was looking for a good all round exercise machine, and elliptical trainers were recommended by some friends. "Why?" I enquired. "The answer is simple" came the reply, "they are a great cardiovascular work out and the pedals mimic the body's natural movements when running, so essentially you are running, but there is no impact - saving your joints and bones!" "Genius!" I replied. And so my quest to buy a machine began. After looking at a variety of makes and models, I decided upon the York 3100 Elliptical Trainer & Cycle. It looked the sturdiest, could handle the most maximum weight (16 stone - not that I was this large, but obviously the larger the maximum weight, the stronger the machine), was from a brand that I had heard of and trusted... Read review

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Advantages: Very easy to use, move around and store.
Disadvantages: I'm sure there are better steppers but for a higher price.

...Before I start describing the wonders and blunders of the v fit mini stepper I'd like to explain why I opted for this style of home gym equipment. I read a bit on the internet about steppers and how people lose 2-3 inches just using the stepper every day, although this would be a nice bonus I wasn't focusing on losing weight so much as getting fitter and healthier. I live in a large block of flats in London, on the 7th floor with other people living below, above, each side and across the hall. Purely because of this I gave up on my collection of fitness DVDs as I didn't want to be banging about jumping and running every day to the tune of "Lift 2,3,4 and Down 2,3,4, Slide 2,3,4 and Back 2,3,4, and Starjumps...". So basically I believed the quietest exercise equipment I could buy would be a mini stepper. So off to Argos to get... Read review

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Advantages: Great fat burning exerciser. Automatic magnetic resistence.
Disadvantages: Poor quality.

...PRODUCT ************ Eclipse Cyclone 2 programmable eliptical cross trainer. Eliptical cross trainers are a low impact exerciser that burn 5 times more calories than walking. There are two ways of exercising, holding onto the static handles for a lower body work out. Or using the long moving handles for a full body work out. You place your feet on large foot plates and can either go forward or backward to exercise differant parts of the legs. No instructions are giving on what parts of the body you are working out or placing feet on differant parts of the foot plates to increase difficulty. PRICE ******** £139.99 and £29.99 p&p this included insurance. The MRP was £455 but looking at the quality i don't know where they get this from. ASSEMBLEY ************** Basic tools are supplied if you have none. It is a two man job... Read review

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Advantages: Burns fat fast, heart rate monitor
Disadvantages: Takes up alot of space

...... Read review

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Advantages: Needs very little space, targets thigh muscles and REALLY WORKS
Disadvantages: Some may find it very boring

...I happened to come across a T.V advert advertisting what seemed to be another very expensive, yet interesting peice of excercise equipment. So as usual in amazement I sat and watched the advert. It was for the Lateral Thigh Trainer. After having two children, my body never returned to its old self again, so I have been loooking around to try and find a cheap enough but effective excercise tool. So when the advert came on I was hooked and decided I had to get one and try it out. It was being advertised for 89.99 plus p&p, although it sounded goo, too good to be true infact i still thought it was very pricey. So I decided to go about getting one the "new fashion way as some would say" and look on the fabulous Ebay. Wow, there were so many, and I eventually brought myself a pink one for 19.99. Since buying the Lateral Thigh trainer I... Read review

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Advantages: Can exercise while watching baby.
Disadvantages: Too big.

...I have just managed to get rid of my Cross trainer. Well, when I say get rid of, I mean sell. Yes I did actually manage to sell it and get some money back on it. OK, so it may have been to my sister who`s other half is into fitness and has a whole room as an indoor gym, but so what! It is out of my house. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + I bought the Cross Trainer afew years ago when I had a child at home. The idea was to exercise while watching him, a lot of mothers know how difficult it is to get much exercise with toddlers at home. What is a Cross Trainer? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Healthrider E330 Cross Trainer is an exercise machine that burns calories very quickly. It is quick at burning calories in comparison to exercise bikes or even steppers (which are better than... Read review

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Advantages: Burns loads of calories, easy to use
Disadvantages: long programs, not portable so needs space

...We purchased (Me and Hubby) this exercise machine about a month ago. We are both into keeping fit and run and cycle 3 or 4 times a week. You may think why buy a exercise machine then? Simple, rain and lots of it. It can make you very lazy. I dont go to the gym but on my weekend breaks I use the gyms at the hotels. At easter, I first tried an elliptical trainer in a hotel gym. I thought it was great. It was a better model than this one, but I should imagine cost twice as much. Really the difference was better computor programs. Right, I should really tell you what the heck a Healthrider Ellipitical trainer is. It's a kind of ski machine. It has to big pads to put your feet on and you stand up on it. You have 2 handle bars which you push backward and forwards. Ok, you have to push your feet around on the pads in a clockwise... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to assemble, simple to use
Disadvantages: Unreliable, doesn't live up to some of its claims

...I was lured into buying the Lateral Thigh Trainer with the promise that it was the only exercise machine I would ever need. As well as being able to vary the resistance (from slow to fast) for a cardio or toning workout, it also claimed to be able to tone up your thighs, bottoms, hips and tums. How it works: Unlike traditional steppers which just move up and down, the Lateral Thigh Trainer adds a twisting motion which means you also move from side to side. In this way, you are able to target more muscle groups for an efficient workout. Additionally, there is a resistance bar at the front which goes from numbers 1-7. Number one has the most resistance giving an intense toning workout, and number seven has very little resistance. This means you can step faster for a cardio-vascular workout. A calorie counter is included and has... Read review

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Advantages: Great For Aerobic Work
Disadvantages: Misleading Adverts

...Being a dedicated and hard working househusband to a wife 5 kid's and 3 cats as well as numerous fish I was looking for a way to work out as it is very hard for me to take time out and go down the gym or out for a run as I used to do on a regular basis whilst I was out working. Sitting at home as any Housewife or Husband can tell you doe's get a little boring after you have cleaned up and sorted the babies out so I find myself occasionally watching the QVC channels and those like it on the telly. I noticed the Lateral Thigh Trainer on an advert where you were getting the usual stories of I lost 14 stone in a week and I used to look like this but now I am as slim as a supermodel but even though I know this is a load of rubbish I was still very interested so I got onto my usual shopping channel good old EBay lol and found one... Read review

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Advantages: Great all round exerciser
Disadvantages: Slightly pricey!

...Assembly: The lateral thigh trainer come nearly fully assembled, the only things that need attaching are the non-slip covers for the legs and the stick that adjusts the resistance. I managed to fit it and I'm not that DIY competent! Ease of Use: It is very easy to use once you're on it, I found it a bit daunting getting on at first as my balance was a bit off but I soon got used to getting on and off. Workout: It gives a great cardio-vascular workout and after 20 min I was definitely feeling the benefits. It also comes with a great range of toning workouts in the manual, these focus on toning the bottom, thighs and calves. There are also some exercises that incorporate the arms but u mite feel more benefit from these if you use arm weights or dumbbells. The exercise I found most useful was the exercise for toning... Read review

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