A good salesperson can also suggest items you may not be familiar with, but that may be just right for your exercise needs. Once you have an idea of what you want, it's time to compare models. But that can be difficult to do without actually trying them out. The way a treadmill's suspension feels under your feet, for example, has a lot to do with your stride, foot strike and weight. What feels right for one user may not for another.
Quality is another issue.
Things like construction, materials, stability, the way a cable runs through a pulley, the feel of the hand grips or the ease with which a seat adjusts vary from machine to machine, even when made by the same manufacturer. There's no substitute for putting a machine through its paces before it's bought, delivered and set up in your home. When you finally decide on a model, don't forget to figure set-up and delivery into the total price. It can take experienced technicians hours to put some machines together. In addition, machines are usually heavy, so make sure delivery includes placement in your home.