ProForm 490 LE Elliptical Review

There are two features that make the ProForm 490 LE elliptical trainer appealing. The price and the incline feature. However, at this price range you are going to get a machine that compromises on a lot of featurese that make an elliptical trainer attractive.

The Proform 490 LE has the ability to incline the elliptical motion. The benefits are that you can get a more intense workout, and you can target additional lower body muscles as you raise the incline. Now if you have tried a Precor elliptical in a health club, you know what a superior workout the incline can provide. But with the 490 LE you are not going to have that fluid and smooth elliptical motion you experience on higher priced machines.

Note: The ProForm 490 was selling for $549 with shipping. Go to the www.ProForm.com for the latest deal.

There are a couple of features worth noting. You get speaker in the console and MP3 plug-in. The ProForm 490 LE is iFit Card compatible. You can buy workout cards that provide a progressive 8-week workout routine. The workouts control the resistance and include audio coaching. There are different cards that focus on different fitness goals. Some are designed by Jillian Michaels.

In addition, you get a 1-year parts and labor warranty, which is above average at this price range.

The ProForm 490 LE Quality!!!

But what about the quality. The fact is, this is a budget elliptical machine. At around $500, which includes shipping, there is not a great deal of money that is spent on quality components. Do the math. There is the cost to build the elliptical, the shipping costs and of course a profit. So this machine may cost a few hundred dollars in labor and parts to build.

Now I realize not everyone has a few thousand dollars to spend on a commercial grade elliptical trainer, and that is why ProForm builds an elliptical like the 490 LE. There is a great demand for budget models from people who want to get back into shape, but have limited resources, and in that case the 850 makes sense.

Just realize the ProForm 490 LE is a budget machine made with budget components. It is not designed for strenuous use. It is also not the best choice for people over 200 lbs. The elliptical is lightweight and will not be that stable.

In conclusion, if you have a very limited budget and want to burn those unwanted calories, this is a reasonable choice. But be aware of the limitations of the elliptical.

I would recommend you upgrade to the ProForm 10.0 CE or better yet the NordicTrack E7.1.

The ProForm 490 LE review is based on personal testing, third party reviews and customer testimonials. The prices and the features can be changed without notice or they may vary with different retailers.