PaceMaster treadmills reviews give them a high rating. Having gone out and tested the Pacemaster myself I can understand why. PaceMaster treadmills are well built, sturdy pieces of equipment that can offer a great workout for even a serious runner. But my review of this machine did find one or two criticisms.

PaceMaster treadmills are built by Aerobics Inc, which has been making running machines since the 1960s. The company has set out to make treadmills using only the best components it can find. This commitment is obvious when you look at the PaceMaster. Very few treadmills are made in America; the PaceMaster is one of them.

PaceMaster treadmills are only ever sold in specialist fitness stores - these can be located on the web.

PaceMaster currently makes four home models; the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. All models come with a reasonable warranty that includes 12 year motor, 5 year parts and 1 year labor. Each comes with a 3 hp continuous duty McMillan motor that can deliver an elevation of 1000 lbs of thrust. You also get the same inclination on each model of PaceMaster treadmill; 0% to 15% adjustable in 0.5% increments.

The treadbelt dimensions are 20" x 54" on both the Bronze and Silver PaceMaster Treadmills, while the dimensions on the Gold and Platinum are 20" x 60". If you have the budget, you should definitely buy either the Gold or Platinum PaceMaster as the extra length of the treadbelt is important if you sprint or you're trying to lengthen your stride.

With a PaceMaster treadmill you get three custom programs, 5 heart rate programs and 7 others to help you keep in shape.

One final point I like about the PaceMaster treadmill is that it can handle a user weight of up to 400 lbs. The norm for mid-range machines is 300 lbs. Being able to handle this extra weight is a good selling point; the majority of people who go out and buy a treadmill are overweight, so they should be designed to cope with big pay loads.

When testing PaceMaster treadmills I did find a couple of things I thought could be improved on. The first is that the Bronze, Silver and Platinum models can't be folded away. This, combined with the somewhat large footprint of the PaceMaster doesn't make it an ideal option if you're home space is limited. Even the standard Gold version is non-foldable; you can get a foldable version but you'll have to pay extra.

Another criticism of the PaceMaster, though not by me, is that they are very Spartan. The console is somewhat basic and is lacking in fancy, motivational features. However, the emphasis for PaceMaster has always been about engineering.

For the price of the PaceMaster you can find other brands that offer more user features in the console, but you won't find one that's as well built. In summary, my review of PaceMaster treadmills gives them a high rating. If you're serious about your running, then you can't go wrong in using one of its machines.