Stamina 1772 Elliptical Trainer Review

The Stamina 1772 elliptical trainer has one strong appeal, that is the price.  Beyond that I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy this cheaply built machine.  Well yes, I guess I do know.  Almost 50% of this country are overweight, and people are looking for solutions.  Besides dieting, exercise is an obvious choice.  And having some sort of fitness equipment at home is convenient for burning calories.

The problem is, there are countless uninformed consumers that think they can spend a few hundred dollars for a cardio exercise machine, and it will be adequate.  A machine like an elliptical trainer takes abuse. Not only does it need to hold up understand the weight of the user, but it has to provide a resistance training.  The price threshold for even a basic budget machine, in my opinion, should be at least $700.  At that price you are still getting a machine that compromises on the quality, but it may last for several years of constant use.

Issues with the Stamina 1772 Elliptical Trainer 

Overall Weight - I couldn't find the exact weight, but the shipping weight is 89 lbs.  That is extremely light weight and will be very stable under even an average weight individual. Especially if you crank up the speed and resistance.   Let me give you a comparison.  The Sole E35, which sells for $1,299 with shipping weighs 200 lbs.  It is a very solid and stable machine.  The Stamina 1772 is going to be very unstable.

Small Footprint - Another factor that contributes to the instability of the Stamina 1772 is the small  footprint - 55" x 20".  The 20" width does not provide adequate surface contact to prevent shifting left to right.  Especially when combined with the machines light weight.
Very Small Stride - I'm an average height individual and I prefer a 20" stride.  A 14" stride is humorous.  If you were to compare this to riding a bike, it would be like riding a tricycle for tots.  You would not a full elliptical stride, and consequently you would be lacking some of the benefits from cross training. 

Short Warranty - Not surprisingly you only get a 90 day parts warranty, according to Amazon.com.  And it appears there is no labor warranty.  Why is that not surprising.  That really is a statement on the quality. 

Our Review - Stamina 1772 Elliptical Trainer

When you read reviews for the Stamina 1772 there actually a number of people that were satisfied with their purchase , however there are a fair amount who are dissatisfied.   Enough to take notice.
Quality of construction, durability and stability are three important factors to consider when buying an elliptical trainer.  The Stamina 1772 comes up short on all three. 

Note: A popular consumer magazine rated the Stamina 1772 a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk". When they tested it bolts loosened and came off.

Also see the Stamina E1000 review.