I can almost guarantee you’re sitting down right now.
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you → guarantee → ?
Most of us spend way too much time doing it even though we know our mobility, heart health, circulation, digestion, sleep quality and energy levels would benefit from getting more steps in.
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mobility → spend → steps
One of the easiest, most convenient ways to fix this problem is to invest in a walking pad.
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One → fix → pad
It’s essentially a mini treadmill that lets you stroll while you’re working, watching TV or talking on the phone, and since models are typically compact and lightweight, you can hide them when not in use.
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you → ’ → use
Plus, these pads let you walk any time of day without the weather getting in the way, removing almost all obstacles that might be getting in your way of more daily movement.
uncertain
that → let → movement
I talked to three fitness experts about how to shop for a walking pad if you’re in the market for one.
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you → talk → one
They also shared how to use one properly, explained whether it’s an effective form of exercise and broke down why the 10,000 steps-a-day rule is kind of a myth.
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rule → share → myth
To recommend the best walking pads, I curated a list of options that align with expert guidance (read more here), as well as gathered recommendations from fitness trainers and the NBC Selected staff.
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that → recommend → trainers
Every walking pad below comes with a remote control and has built-in wheels.
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pad → come → wheels
Pacerocket’s Walking Pad is the best overall option on this list because it checks the most boxes in terms of ideal features: lots of speed and incline levels, a high weight capacity, an average size and an LED display.
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it → check → levels
There’s also a built-in Bluetooth speaker that you can pair with your phone to play music, podcasts or other audio while you’re walking.
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you → ’ → music
You get access to the FitYo app with your purchase, which has coach-led training courses, training modes and videos of scenic routes to play while you’re walking.
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you → get → routes
The walking pad’s display shows you elapsed time, calories, steps, distance, speed and incline.
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display → show → time
At less than $200, DeerRun’s walking pad costs less than most of the other options on this list, but it doesn’t compromise on quality or performance, says NBC Selected associate social media editor Caitlin Cusack.
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Cusack → cost → quality
She uses it while working from home with her standing desk, as well as to get extra steps in while watching TV or scrolling through TikTok.
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She → use → TikTok
“It was easy to set up and easily rolls under my bed to store,” says Cusack.
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Cusack → set → bed
“Plus, it’s super quiet — I never have to blast my TV or worry about disturbing my downstairs neighbors while I’m walking.”
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I → ’ → neighbors
The walking pad has six incline levels and its LED display shows you calories burned, distance, speed and elapsed time.
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display → have → calories
It also connects to an app that lets you track your workout data and do training programs.
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you → connect → programs
I didn’t think having a walking pad with smart capabilities was important to me until I used this one from Urevo (the brand sent me it to test).
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brand → think → it
It connects to an app via Bluetooth, letting me exclusively control it from my phone.
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me → connect → phone
I can start and stop a walk, set the speed and adjust the incline, as well as do training programs.
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I → start → programs
Once I’m done using the walking pad, its app gives me data about how many steps I took, miles I walked, calories I burned and time I spent moving.
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I → do → steps
Urevo’s app let me pair it with my iPhone’s Apple Health app when I set it up, so all of my workout data is reflected there, too.
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all → let → data
The walking pad’s LED screen displays metrics as I walk, and Romney, who also recommends it, noted that while it doesn’t have built-in handles, the brand sells a standalone handle attachment separately.
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brand → display → attachment
We can help you find
Best foldable walking pad
If you have limited space to store a walking pad, this is your ideal model.
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this → help → pad
The pad itself folds in half when you’re not using it, going from 56.1 inches long to 31.8 inches long in seconds, so it takes up less room under beds or couches and in closets.
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it → fold → closets
It connects to an app that logs your workouts, tracks data and lets you adjust settings from your phone.
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you → connect → phone
The pad’s LED screen shows elapsed time, distance, calories burned, speed and steps.
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screen → show → time
“If you’re looking for a walking pad with handles, I recommend this one from TheRun,” says McKay Romney, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach.
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Romney → look → TheRun
“Even with the handles, it’s still one of the lightest pads I’ve seen, and its price is on the low end which is one of its best upsides.”
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which → ’ → upsides
The walking pad’s handle bar is foldable, and whether it’s up or down changes the speed levels you can choose from: When the handle bar is up, the maximum speed level is 6.2 mph., and when the handle bar is down, the maximum speed level is 3 mph.
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level → ’ → levels
The handle bar has a safety clip and a touchscreen, as well as manual buttons that let you adjust the pad’s settings.
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you → have → settings
There’s also a LED screen on the pad’s base so you can track elapsed time, speed, distance and calories burned.
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you → ’ → time
Best basic walking pad
The Finehorse Walking Pad also comes recommended by Romney.
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Pad → recommend → Romney
It’s a very basic, compact model whose motor folds up to make it slightly shorter in storage.
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it → ’ → storage
The pad has an LED display that shows incline level, speed, elapsed time, distance and calories burned, plus there’s manual buttons on it.
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that → have → it
How I picked the best walking pads
Experts suggest thinking about the following factors while shopping for a walking pad, all of which I took into consideration while curating my recommendations.
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I → pick → recommendations
If you have long legs and/or are tall, your stride (the distance you cover while taking a step with each foot) is likely longer than average, so go with the larger overall walking pad to avoid feeling like your feet are falling off the back, says Romney.
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Romney → have → back
All of the walking pads I recommend above are at least 39 inches long by 15 inches wide.
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I → recommend → pads
…and 72 more, not listed.
The Aporia
