Stamina Inmotion Compact Strider Foot Exercise Machine – Under Desk Elliptical – Standing or Seated Elliptical Fitness Equipment

7 reviews for Stamina Inmotion Compact Strider Foot Exercise Machine – Under Desk Elliptical – Standing or Seated Elliptical Fitness Equipment

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   John D. – July 24, 2024

   Great quality, works really well and is much cheaper than its more advertised competitor.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   PJ – August 9, 2024

   Update (Mar 10, 2021): Still a good machine, no cranking sound, running smooth. Just a quick note if you consider adding a cadence sensor. I installed a Magene S3+ sensor to pair with my Oculus Quest for VzFit. The Magene is quite low profile, but since the clearance is narrow, it barely fits. You need to find a good spot for it so it does not rub as much AND to be detected properly. So at the end it works with the sensor but it makes a rubbing sound. That’s one thing to consider if you are thinking of installing a sensor)

   If you are younger and very active, you probably will find this boring and useless. This equipment is good for:
   – older folks
   – people with temporary or permanently limited range of movement
   – people who work at desk a lot

   I bought it for my parents in their 70s to keep them moving. They recently retired, and with the pandemic + winter weather, they tend to sit a lot playing games on the tablet (yes as we get older we turn back into kids again!). They do play VR games (!) which work on their upper body. This machine on the other hand will work on their lower body and core.

   It is rather heavy when fully assembled, so pick a place to put it together and leave it there. Carrying it around is possible but not fun. Assembly manual is reasonably easy and understandable. I put it together myself in less than 30 mins. All parts including screws and L-wrench are included. One thing I have not figured out yet is the counter seems to be upside down. There must be a way to turn it? lol (Update: Oh! You just pulled it out, rotate it, and put it back)

   The counter shows exercise duration, calories, steps per minute, and total steps. One press to cycle, long press to reset.

   It is very quiet when in use. You can hear the whirling, but very minimal and not distracting. We can watch TV and have conversation normally and can hear each other. No squeaking sound at all that was mentioned by some reviewers.

   Movement is very smooth. Find the right chair with the right height or you might move awkwardly.

   The resistance can be adjusted with a dial. It is non-digital but I don’t find it an issue.

   I tried standing on it. While it works, I don’t recommend it to older people. Unless there is something secure to hold onto, it could be dangerous.

   My husband and I are enjoying it as well. I find it really works on my thighs, and if I sit right it works on the core too.

   After using it a while (especially after my husband as he uses a high resistance level), I do smell a bit of burning smell. Time to get some lubricant spray. Maintenance is important to keep it working.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Nikki K. – August 23, 2024

   I bought this mini-elliptical after reading all the reviews on this and other similar products. I bought this item for three main reasons:
   1 – Low price
   2 – Small size
   3 – Portability
   I like the elliptical movement because I have bad ankles, and treadmills and steppers hurt me after a short time working out. I don’t have room for a full-size elliptical machine in my house, and this turned out to be the perfect size. Plus, it’s small size made it easy to move around the house to be where I wanted to use it. I like to work out while watching TV to keep my mind elsewhere and work out longer, and I can pull this machine (about 25lbs) in front of the TV in the living room to watch TV with family (yes, they laugh at me, but it’s worth it), and then pull in front of my bed in the bedroom to watch a chick flick that no one else wants to watch. I even put my elliptical in front of my computer to watch Netflix movies online! It’s easy to carry around.
   Another great thing is that, because it’s small, it is MUCH cheaper than a regular elliptical machine so, even it it only lasts a year or two, I can buy another one and still have not even come close to half the money I would have spent on a regular machine.
   Sure, it doesn’t have the arm movement, but I find that no handles makes me work my core by staying balanced (really not very difficult, haven’t ever fallen in the 2 months I’ve had it), and I can even carry small weights to really work my arms while I’m doing the cardio workout of the elliptical.
   I like the computer that tells you how long you’ve worked out, how many steps you’ve taken, and how many calories you’ve burned. Simple and straightforward. Another great feature: it’s incredibly quiet to use!
   The best thing about this is that it is easy to stay motivated, because I can watch TV anywhere and still use it, and I don’t have to go outside in the hot California sun to work out! It’s really a great machine, and a real value for the money. I used Super Saver Shipping to get mine, so I get a great workout several times a week for the price of a couple of months at the gym and without the hassle of driving somewhere just to work out. I love it, and recommend it to anyone that wants to get in shape!

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Diana Inukai – September 13, 2024

   El producto es excelente con la relación calidad precio, material resistente, fácil de armar y utilizar, cómodo para utilizar y guardar en cualquier espacio de la casa

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   MB – September 13, 2024

   [EDITED] re music license in the UK – see cons
   I will note both Pros and Cons
   First of all, Why did I want a compact elliptical trainer? in 2023 I had a ‘knee replacement’ due to arthritis. I had to wait 2 years for the operation (yeah I know NHS is fabulous but one does have to wait if going private is not an option). During my wait my doctor recommended I use a pedal exerciser (I wondered why given I was already bone-on-bone so thought this would aggravate the issue; but it did not as it kept the knee from seizing up so much – I have since learnt that for early onset of knee arthritis [which I now have in my other knee) pedal type exercisers help the existing cartilage to not wear so quickly due to encouraging cartilage molecules to the top layer [or something very similar]. So this time around my doctor gave me exercises and recommended a pedal exerciser. I did not want another that kept moving during use so something a bit more substantial was my choice; hence the stamina in motion e1000 compact elliptical.

   Pros
   A) Having researched compact elliptical exercisers on the internet for some time I noted this particular one was recommended by physiotherapists as being well made and lasting for years in a professional setting. Having arrived at my door it most certainly looked and feelt very well made
   B) At 25lbs weight and having both a metal pad with a softer non slip pad and two sturdy pads on the other end means the unit does not keep sliding away during use – something I had to contend with for 2 years before finishing with a compact pedal exerciser costing about a fifth of the price of this unit. The unit does not have a handle on the top but the long bar at the front is used to lift and move the unit. Carrying the unit upstairs was, I have to admit, a bit of a work out in itself (mind you, I am 70 and have Knee Arthritis – which is why I have purchased this unit in the first place)
   C) The unit can be used in both sitting and standing positions – I will not be using this in the standing position very much but I have the option whenever the mood takes me (being a compact elliptical it means the stride length is short and at 1m94cm[6ft4in] I found standing was not for me yet – maybe when I have toned the legs a bit I may give it another shot.
   D) The upper weight limit is a max of 250 pounds which is a little above 17st or 110 kilos approx – great for, I expect, the majority of senior aged people
   E) The MUUV app is somewhat helpful – see cons below or further clarification. In addition you can link MUUV to some smart watches, it sends data to my health area which is very helpful for me to monitor what is going on
   E) Easy to put together (back plate 2 bolts, front bar 2 bolts, 2 foot plates 2 screws on each). The unit comes complete with necessary tools too (thumbs up for that). It took approximately 8 mins to put together, check and slap my feet on the pedals for my first sitting work out
   F) The display can be turned so it can be read whilst sitting and perhaps whilst standing (since one has to ‘turn around’ to use the unit when standing on it; but I personally have no wish to look down whilst trying to keep my balance and would not recommend anyone else to do so).

   Cons
   A) I wanted an elliptical with an App to help with exercise routines. This unit boasts free access to muuv (which appears to be free anyway). However, the unit does NOT have bluetooth so one has to set the unit up manually on the app (it is listed so no problem there – of note so are the other coloured ones which do not show muuv on the amazon advert). HOWEVER once selected and using the default workout routine showed that they do not ‘talk’ to each other. This caused an issue for me in that when the coach says increase to, say, 100 steps per minute I have no way of knowing if I am actually pedaling at 100 cycles per minute unless I count for myself: OK I managed that one BUT when increasing to 140 steps per minute with a very short cycle step it was impossible to count accurately. The app also boasts playlists and radio music to choose to listen to whilst exercising – this did let me choose what I wanted to listen to but did not actually play anything – possibly this is only available in USA and not in the UK (which would have been nice to know to start with).

   [EDITED] Muuv did clarify that it does not hold a license to play music and podcasts in the UK, so if you like this type of think you need to set it up independently.

   However I can still use the coaching app to some extent which is helpful overall. This also means that muuv can be used with any compact elliptical if you wish, if your unit is not listed choose the stamina e1000 🙂
   B) The calorie count on the stamina e1000 unit does not agree with the calorie count on the muuv app. Which is the more accurate? Anyone can take a guess on that one. The calorie counter is actually important to me since I want to blow 400 calories a day using this device. It may not be accurate on either the unit or the app but it is a measure I want to use as a baseline for my exercising.

   One slight disappointment I have to note is that the price dropped by nearly £20 a day or two after purchase (literally just after the unit was dispatched so I could not cancel then). I know I can send this unit back and order another at the new lower price but I will not since this was shipped directly from America and I honour my purchases as it were.

   All in all I am pleased with this unit and look forward to using it daily to help with not only my arthritic condition but a little bit of cardiovascular exercise as well (after a 26 minute workout going from 100 to 140 and back to 100 every minute my thighs were burning slightly, my brow was moist and my heart was exercised gently and I blew more than 400 calories according to the unit – all positives 🙂

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Rachel – October 1, 2024

   I had tried a Cubii but was not satisifed by the motion or the inability to stand. I spend much of my day at a standing desk and so wanted the option to have primarily a standing, with occasional seated option. There are only a couple of these little compact models on the market that allow that flexibility, and I narrowed it down to the Stamina based on overall feedback and appearance.

   I am very impressed! I do really like the motion of this versus the Cubii. Yes, the strides are short. I am 5’4″ and have been using commercial ellipticals a long time and there is definitely a marked difference from a full-sized elliptical. However, I do find more of an elliptical motion compared to the Cubii both seated and standing.

   It is not whisper quiet. It does sound a little like, well, an elliptical. But it’s not an issue in my closed office. If you have cubicle mates probably better to look at Cubii or a desk cycle.

   Personally, I have not had an issue balancing while standing during use, however, for those with poor balance or new to machines in general, be wise to have a tall chair or bar or something nearby to hold onto at least initially.

   I already do workouts in the morning so this is just a nice way to get a bit of movement for 15 minutes or so a handful of times during long workday while I am doing certain activities – phone calls, virtual meetings, etc. According to my Apple Watch and Garmin, 15 minutes either seated or standing seems to burn about 50 active calories. I definitely feel it more in my legs than standing though, but may be as I am more used to a standing motion than a seated one for this.

   I also recently had surgery and had to restrict exercise/do low impact for a while and this was a great way to get some movement in and keep blood flowing when I was otherwise a bit limited. Recommend this for situations where perhaps cannot participate in traditional exercise or are limited.

   As a tip, I placed it on one of those plastic chair mats so it is easy to slide and turn around from standing to seated position, despite its weight. It is definitely not a light machine to be moving around, if you have upper body limitations.

   Overall, super pleased with this machine! I did read the reviews to keep some silicone handy so have a bottle stashed at my desk for that purpose too.

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   aimesq – October 8, 2024

   WOW. Where to begin? First things first: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PRODUCT. You need to know, right up front, that I’m unapologetic in my enthusiasm for the Stamina InMotion E-1000 Elliptical. I know my review is also pretty long, but you have GOT to hear about this!!

   I stumbled upon this item after an ad for a similar product (the “cubii” brand under-desk elliptical) came across my Facebook feed. I work in an office environment. I am sitting in meetings and at my desk for around 40 hours a week at the office (and that’s not even including the sitting I’m doing during after-work tv watching or computer time at home, commuting time in my car, etc.).

   About a year ago, I heard an NPR interview with Dr. James Levine, who has done extensive research on the negative effects of sustained sitting and lowered levels of physical movement; he has written books on the topic (also available on Amazon). I read one of his books and I started trying to get more of what he calls “NEAT” (“non-exercise activity thermogenesis” — i.e., deliberately trying to burn more calories each day just by consciously & intentionally moving more, but not necessarily by adding in “vigorous exercise minutes”) into my daily routine. I also investigated the possibility of getting a “standing desk,” which my work, unfortunately, would not provide for me absent a “medical reason,” but which they were happy to let me purchase on my own dime. I priced them and, as a government employee, standing desks (especially mechanical “fancy” ones) were too rich for my blood. When the ad for the “cubii” elliptical caught my attention, I thought that an under-the-desk, constantly accessible mechanism for easily adding movement into one’s daily routine — while multitasking! — might be just the ticket to help me improve my health with Dr. Levine’s “NEAT” formula. Unfortunately, with the cubii’s $349 price tag (BEFORE shipping!), it just wasn’t in my budget. I was frustrated at the cost, and thought there surely had to be some similar alternative out there? Well, one Amazon search and some consumer reviews later, the Stamina InMotion E1000 Elliptical seemed to be the machine that was destined for my needs. At an $80 price point (with Amazon prime free shipping!), I realized I could, theoretically, buy FOUR of Stamina’s under-desk ellipticals and still not spend as much as the cubbi’s asking price! (OK — I get the appeal: cubii is the newest hottest thing — they reviewed it on NPR, for heaven’s sake! — and it’s pretty cool if you’re a gadget/tech/gear head (which I’m not), and you want your elliptical to be able to talk to your fitbit and connect to apps on your phone which, for example, will sound an alarm when you haven’t put in enough miles that day, etc. — BUT: if all you want is a simple way to add movement and burn extra calories while you’re sitting at your desk — the sitting at which, by the way, is something you’d ALREADY BE DOING ANYWAY — then “low-tech” (and low-cost, relatively speaking) is the very reasonable and affordable way to go, says I). I was very excited by the positive feedback from customers that the Stamina InMotion E-1000 had gotten, and the weight-loss stories I had read on the Amazon reviews by those who have used it were very inspiring — so I couldn’t wait to try it out. I had a hard time waiting even the two days I get with Amazon prime shipping!

   My Stamina In-Motion E1000 elliptical arrived two weeks ago today. Note: this product arrives in a box but is “un-assembled.” Now, the kind folks at Amazon will — for a fee of $189!! — assemble it for you, if you wish. However, it’s really basic assembly and even I could do it with no trouble. My advice: Don’t spend your money on the assembly charge, unless you’ve got Oprah’s money and you don’t mind wasting it. Once the machine was assembled, it was a simple matter of skimming the instruction booklet (a quick read), setting the elliptical in front of my couch, and giving it a (literal!) whirl. It took me less than half an hour to get used to the motion such that it became second nature and didn’t distract me while I tried to do other things that required more concentration than just sitting and watching t.v. does (e.g., it took a little bit of coordination, at first, to keep the Stamina InMotion elliptical “in motion” while I attempted to write, read, or play sudoku). Once I got used to the motion, though, it ceased to be a problem and I now can do it without thinking, while attending to any other tasks — even at work.

   I read a review here on Amazon where the reviewer suggested aiming for 20-30 miles per day to help with calorie burn (“NEAT,” if you will) over the course of an entire day. Although it sounded like a lot of miles to me at first, I found that this was a very easy goal to meet, and on my very first day, I was able to surpass it and go 50 total miles without really having to work too hard at it — I did all of it while sitting on my couch in my living room, doing leisure activities, watching t.v., writing emails, reading, etc. I did break up the time into small 10-15 mile sessions, with some leg stretches in between sessions to keep from getting too tired or tight in my muscles, and to avoid any potential “overuse” issues. If you use this equipment and go at only a VERY VERY slow 5 mph, it will take you a great deal of time to get in 20-30 miles per day, but I believe the speed you personally will be able to maintain on the Stamina InMotion E1000 will very much depend on your own personal current fitness level and/or on whether you’re recovering from an injury or from surgery, or if you have any other health issues like chronic joint pain, inflamation, arthritis, etc.– even asthma might affect that and limit it — and you probably ought to talk to a doctor or other health-care professional about it if you’ve got any misgivings or concerns about your fitness level or personal ability to use this machine. I don’t know. Just be aware that your own personal number of total miles you’re able to achieve daily will absolutely depend on your current personal situation.

   The really great thing about this type of machine, in my opinion, is that it is easily adaptable to all levels of fitness and physique types. Even if you’re severely overweight and cannot walk around the block or make it up a flight of stairs without oxygen, this machine is so low-impact (and remember: you’re sitting down while using it), I truly believe that if you’re able to move your legs — even in a limited range of motion — you should be able to use this machine to some degree and receive some level of positive benefit from it. You can raise or lower the resistance level; you can prop up the front end of the machine to change the angle and work different muscles more intensely; you can add ankle weights; you can use just one leg (think of a spinning class where you’re instructed at one point to use just one leg to do all the work and the other one is just kind of hanging there, as dead weight, and “going along for the ride” — it’s like that, only in this case you can take the non-working leg completely off the machine and work just one leg, then the other — then go the reverse direction on one leg, then the other, turn up the resistance, etc.). The possibilities for “shaking up” your routine are probably only limited by your ingenuity and imagination (while taking safety into account, obviously!). Of course – you don’t have to do anything fancy or unique, either — you can just do plain old round-and-round motion the whole time — and it just stands to reason that it will still benefit you just from getting some movement in, right? My point was — you can be as boring or as unique as you want with this exercise equipment. It seems that flexible!

   I googled some youtube videos and saw reviews/tutorials of the Stamina InMotion E1000 that were done by a pair of physical therapists. They own several of these machines and use them daily for several hours in all their PT clinics. They enthusiastically recommend this product, as they attest that it wears well over the long-term, with little to no external noise and very little maintenance needed, for a long period of time (e.g., several years). Since I’ve had mine for only 2 weeks, I can’t testify to its longevity, but I will accept their word that having several patients use it for several hours per day, it still required very little maintenance and was very durable over a period of years. They also point out that it can be adapted (they show some modifications) to different fitness levels, but they also discuss how this is a perfect product for those recovering from surgery or injury, or — for example — ALSO ideal for elderly people who may be home-bound and not able to get much other exercise due to balance issues, recovering from illness or injury or the like — but who are still capable of sitting on a chair or couch and pedalling the Stamina InMotion elliptical while watching t.v., or doing other light (seated) activity.

   *OK, people — *DISCLAIMER:* I am not, nor do I claim to be, a physician or a physical therapist or any other “health professional,” so my suggestions/observations/opinions, such as they are, are only that — just suggestions/observations/opinions. I’m not personally “recommending” you use this product, nor am I making any sort of promise, express or implied, or any claim that to do so would treat any disease, condition, injury, or illness you (or your child/parent/spouse/hamster) might happen to have. You use the product at your own risk, no warranties. (Ridiculous that I should need to say this AT ALL — these seem like “common sense” things to me, but the lawyer in me thinks I probably better write the disclaimer language here, just to be safe. . . . so — now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. . . let’s keep going).

   In short, the Stamina InMotion E-1000 elliptical is amazing. It is easy to use, easy to set up, easy to clean and maintain, and it slides under a desk or table to stay out of the way (Obviously, use your best judgment when using it around or leaving it accessible to young (crawling) infants or young/small animals that might get injured from the moving parts). It is quiet/low-noise — I can talk on the phone while using it and nobody has once asked, “What’s that sound?” It doesn’t require me to turn up the volume on the radio in my office or my tv at home while using it. It does not bother people out in the hallway if passing my office, nor has it affected/bothered anyone in the offices next to mine — they are not even aware that I’m using it while I’m working, unless they walk in to my office and physically observe me doing so. In that sense, the Stamina InMotion E1000 is perfect for use in an office environment where noise might be an issue and sensitivity to potential sensory impact on others around you is of concern.

   In using this product, with a personal goal of pedaling about 50 miles each day (some days more, some days less), I was able to put 330 miles in during the first week alone! This was easily done each day within about 3 to 4 hours max (I’m not going breakneck speed, either — but have figured out that I average between 15 and 18 MPH — on about a medium resistance level). I don’t know how many calories I’m burning (I don’t think the counter is very accurate in that regard on ANY “health equipment,” so I just ignore that). HOWEVER — if I am constantly moving my lower body for several hours, and I’m getting in 3 to 4 hours per day of additional NEAT movement (i.e., this is not “high-impact” or highly aerobic activity — I notice that I usually break a very light sweat after about 20 minutes at the 15-18 MPH rate, and I am able to do all my 50 miles per day in my regular office/professional attire, without feeling like I’m going home drenched in sweat or looking like I just took a steam bath), then I figure I MUST be burning some decent calories over the course of each day. I’d love to know exactly how many, but I just don’t. Sorry.

   Before my Stamina InMotion elliptical arrived, I took my hip and waist measurements, and weighed myself. In less than two weeks — having used the machine every day now for 13 days, at an average of roughly 45 miles per day over that time, I have already lost TWO INCHES off my waist and ONE INCH off my hips, and have dropped two lbs! My clothes (especially my pants/skirts) are fitting better already, and I notice I have more stamina in general and am not exhausted at the end of the day like I used to be when finished with work and sitting at a desk for 8-10 hours a day! I am also requiring less sleep overall — waking up earlier and not nearly as tired as I was before I started using the product. I was so pleased with this little beauty, in fact, that I ordered another one as a gift for my 24-year-old daughter, who also works a desk job — and she is thrilled. She will text me at the end of the day with an excited “53 miles today, mom! Woo-hoo!” or the like. She loves to play video games in her “down time,” and she says she can get in her 50 miles/day in the evening in front of the tv, and hasn’t even bothered to take hers to work yet, since she’s easily doing several hours each evening while doing something she already does anyway. . . man, multitasking is awesome!

   I was getting so addicted to using this machine for several hours a day that I seriously started to worry I would go through withdrawals and get cranky over a weekend if I didn’t have it to “work out my frustrations” and get a few hours of movement in. Although the Stamina InMotion E1000 IS portable, it is nevertheless about 30 pounds and it doesn’t “fold down” or become more compact, so it is a bit bulky and — though I’m no shrinking violet and have plenty of upper body strength, this still would not be something I could easily move back and forth from my car to my 8th floor office (although I would do that if it were my only option). (NOTE: This issue — size/weight/portability — is also something users should be aware of and take into account when thinking how easily an elderly person might be able to use the product or move it around their space, for example). Well — my husband also works a desk job all day long, and works from his home office between 3 and 5 days a week. He needs more exercise, too – don’t we all? — so I then ordered ANOTHER Stamina InMotion E1000 for our home so no matter where I am and no matter what my day brings I can “get in my miles.”

   In just 2 short weeks’ time, this product has become such an integral part of my day that I can’t imagine not using it every single day I’m able! I’m very excited to see what the future brings in terms of my physical health — it has already started improving my muscle tone and stamina, as well as my mood and mental health, so I can’t help but think that’s just going to improve as time goes on!

   One caveat: although the machine is meant to fit under a “typical” desk, I am 5’9″ tall so I have had to modify my office set-up slightly to keep my knees from hitting the underside of my desk (I think the desk is low and my chair was fairly high, though). One of the modifications I’ve had to make was to move my wheeled desk chair away from my desk (because the moment I tried to use the elliptical while sitting in my regular desk chair, I “pushed” the pedals and my chair shot back away from the machine! Whoops!!). Now I just use a stationary high-backed chair, with a cushion propped behind my low back for support and comfort, set back slightly from the edge of the desk to keep my knees from hitting underneath it. I’ve relocated my mouse and my keyboard, and now I write on the desk surface to my right instead of in front of me, while I’m using the machine. Easy-peasy, and worth it (in my opinion) for the benefits. My husband, an engineer, has also suggested ways to raise my desk height up safely — so I will be exploring some of those in the future, but for now, this setup works just fine and I’m able to type, read, write, etc., just fine while using the elliptical.

   I love this machine. I think you will, too! Let me know!!
   P.S. All opinions and assertions herein are my own and I have received no consideration, incentive, or compensation by Stamina InMotion or affiliated companies for writing this review.