All the top manufacturers produce models at a variety of price points. Look to the major health clubs to determine which brands and specific models lead the industry. Those that dominate in health clubs will be likely to create a positive impression on prospective tenants. Chances are that the upscale rental tenant either belongs to a major health club or did at one time. Another reason for selecting the leading brands is reliability.
Broken equipment can be costly for a health club in terms of customer satisfaction and repair costs.
Accordingly, large clubs tend to purchase equipment with very high reliability rates. The same issues apply even more critically to the resident services departments at apartment complexes. Three objective sources of information can provide information about leading brands of treadmills, exercise bicycles, stair climbers and elliptical cross trainers - the products most commonly placed in apartment complexes. Only multi-station gyms, which also commonly appear in apartment complexes, do not have a strong presence in health clubs. Conduct a visual inspection or phone survey of a few clubs.