Precor Fitness USA, originally known as “Precision Corporation,” has been in the business of building high quality fitness equipment since 1980. In more than four decades of manufacturing excellence, the company has accumulated an impressive track record of innovative accomplishments.
TRR Team Member Fred at Precor headquarters.
In fact, Precor is responsible for some noteworthy famous firsts in the fitness equipment industry:
- The world’s first ergonomically designed rowing machine was offered by Precor in 1980.
- In 1990, Precor became the first fitness equipment manufacturer to offer ellipticals to the workout world.
- The very first cushioned treadmill decks were offered by Precor, setting an industry standard.
- Precor was the first company to install electronics on fitness equipment.
Precor treadmills carry a legacy of innovation and unparalleled quality to this day. When you purchase a Precor treadmill, you know you’re getting a piece of equipment that is ideal for a serious runner.
Upon visiting Precor’s corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Woodinville, WA, our review team was thoroughly impressed. Precor is one of only a few treadmill brands that are actually built in the United States, and Precor’s manufacturing operation is state-of-the-art.
In exchange for the premium price you pay for a Precor treadmill, you get an extremely durable machine with the best ergonomic design found on any treadmill on the market. That’s because Precor’s residential or home-use treadmills are built to commercial standards.
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The Commercial Quality Advantage
Precor’s home-use treadmills are built to commercial standards and often with commercial parts. This means Precor treadmills are built to last. A machine that can withstand extensive use is ideal for the serious runner.
Precor’s high-end home-use treadmills are designed to be very similar to the company’s commercial models found in top health clubs, gyms, and hotels around the world. In fact, Precor uses many of the same components in its residential and commercial models.
It’s a huge advantage to you when your home machine uses commercial-quality parts. That’s because those parts have been extensively tested to withstand the rigors of a commercial setting.
Repair statistics for home-use treadmills support Precor’s reputation for product durability. Industry data show that roughly 3% of fitness equipment sold will have some initial service issue — that’s one out of every 33 units. Precor comes in substantially below that figure, with only 0.6% of Precor treadmills requiring service initially. If you round up, that’s only about one out of every 166 units. Impressive to say the least.
The advantage of commercial quality to you as a home user is that you’ll spend less time getting your frequently-used machine repaired or serviced… and more time working out!
Precor Treadmill Models
Precor offers several different treadmill models, which are categorized most simply into the 200 Energy series and the 400 Precision series. Precor also makes treadmill models in its 600, 700, and 800 series that are designed for commercial use.
200 Energy Series
The 200 Energy series treadmills are their entry level models. These are built in Taiwan, but the engineering and design features are of the highest quality.
The three models are the TRM 211, TRM 223, and TRM 243.
The basic product specifications for models in the Precor 200 Energy Series are essentially the same on all three models and include a 3.0 continuous duty HP motor and a 20″ x 57″ running surface.
The main differences between the 200 Series and 400 Series models are in the console, display, and interactive electronic features.
400 Precision Series
The Precor 400 Precision Series treadmills can best be described as the company’s commercial models sold for home use. These models are built in the United States.
There are two models, the TRM 425 and TRM 445, with the TRM 445 being the model that is currently available.
The basic product specifications for models in the Precor 400 Precision Series include a 3.0 continuous duty HP motor and a 20″ x 57″ running surface. The Precor TRM 445 model features Precor’s premier console. Here’s a summary of what the TRM 445 offers.
400 Precision Series Features
- Integrated Footplant Technology — Unique to Precor treadmills, this feature preserves your natural gait by adjusting the belt speed to the foot speed changes that occur with every step. It creates a more natural walking/running motion to help you stay balanced and in control of your stride by mimicking your natural walking or running motion.
- Ground Effects Impact Control System — The Ground Effect System provides one of the best shock absorption systems in the industry. It is designed to absorb shock in the front of the deck while providing a solid liftoff in the rear. The unique design provides consistent shock relief regardless of your weight the type of exercise. Research shows that this system absorbs about 38% of the shock. Bottom line – you won’t find better shock absorption on any treadmill.
- Heavy Unit Weight — Although all their treadmills are quite heavy, the precision models are commercial grade heavy. This means you get machines that are solid as a rock.
- Generous Warranties — An indication of the quality of the components is the 10-year parts warranty. Ten years is a long time to guarantee the parts of a complicated piece of machinery. It should also me noted it includes wear and tear parts.
- Running Surface — You get an extra wide 22″ x 57″ running surface.
- Decline Deck – The deck can be declined to 2% simulating going downhill.
Precor Consoles
The Precor TRM 211 comes with a very basic console without handrails. The upgraded R20 console is found on the TRM 223 and TRM 425, while the TRM 243 and the TRM 445 offer the R40 premium console. Both the R20 and R40 consoles have handrails, storage for water bottles and reading racks with clips for tablets.
The R20 console has fairly standard features and comes with 5″ high contrast blue-white LCD display. It has 9 preset workouts, including manual pre-sets, and allows for 2 user IDs. There is also wireless heart rate monitoring and SmartRate® target heart zone feature, which shows you what zone your heart rate is in so you’ll know you’re getting the most out of your workout.
The R40 console, found on the Precor TRM 243 and TRM 445, is designed to maximize and personalized your workout. Here are a few of the features…
- 7″ full color liquid crystal display
- Lever style motion control for easy adjustment
- 4 user IDs
- Suggested workouts based on your fitness goals
- 23 preset workouts
- 27 feedback metrics, includes 5 graphs
- Touch or wireless heart rate monitoring
- Heart rate target zone monitoring
- Ability to save your workout for future use (16 total)
- USB port for smartphones or tablets with plugin for headphones
- Ability to download future software updates
- Reading racks with clips for tablet
In addition, the R40 console is Preva compatible. Preva is Precor’s mobile app. You can save your workout through the USB port to a mobile device and download it to your online account. Through your account you can store workouts, get training recommendations, and record and review your stats.
Preva is also available on Precor’s commercial models so whether you’re using your residential treadmill at home or a commercial model at the gym, all your workout data can be downloaded to your online account.
Which Precor Treadmill Model is Best?
For those who want a superior deck and cushioning, like what you’d find on commercial models, you’ll want the 400 series. However, for many users the deck and cushioning on the 200 series is more than adequate.
And for those who want the best interactive experience your choice would be either the Precor 243 or 445.
Are Precor Treadmills Worth It?
Often, our review team receives feedback from readers who decide to give up their gym membership and purchase a treadmill for the home.
Once they get the treadmill home, many are disappointed because the moderately- priced machine they just bought simply does not have the solid, reassuring feel of the commercial models they grew accustomed to at the gym.
It comes down to this: If you want a treadmill for the home that feels like a commercial Precor treadmill, you need to buy a residential Precor Precision treadmill.
As a company, Precor focuses on providing you with one of the lowest maintenance machines on the market. Both the Precor residential and commercial treadmills are extremely durable and designed to withstand abuse. That’s why their Precision series comes with a 10-year parts warranty.
Furthermore, the company is keenly focused on providing you with the most satisfying running experience in the industry. Their philosophy is making the product move the way you move. As a result, they’re able to build residential treadmills that bring you as close to the commercial treadmill experience as possible.
Precor invests considerable money into research and development for the expressed purpose of offering products that surpass your expectations. You’ll find other treadmills that match or exceed the specs found on Precor machines for less money, but those machines can’t match the experience. For serious runners looking for a durable treadmill to use at home, it just doesn’t get any better than Precor.
And yet…
There are a couple more things to consider.
What Can I Buy Instead of a Precor Treadmill?
While Precor offers incredibly durable machines, they come without a lot of electronic bells and whistles. In other words, you won’t find a full-color HD touchscreen on a Precor treadmill.
The Sole F85 Treadmill offers commercial grade features at a residential price point.
So, if your budget is in the same price range as Precor, but you find you just can’t do without the latest electronics built in, you might be interested in treadmills from LifeFitness.
The bottom line is, these are great treadmills made with top-notch specs that are built to last. They are top-of-the-line, and their price tags reflect it…
But what if the durability is what you absolutely must have, but your budget makes the Precor or LifeFitness machines a little out of your price range?
In that case, we recommend you consider a treadmill from Sole.
Sole strives to make treadmills that are well-designed, durable, and constructed with quality components that will outlast competing brands.
Sole also offers some of the best warranties in the industry. And warranties speak volumes about the quality construction– the better the warranty, the better the machine.
To learn more about Sole, click here to read our full review on each model or click here to shop directly on the Sole website.
This article was written by Lane Therrell and published on Monday, 14 March 2022.
Precor FAQs
Does Peloton own Precor?
Yes. Peloton acquired Precor for over $400 million in 2021. Precor still operates as it’s own brand and business within Peloton.
Is Precor a good brand?
Precor has consistently been one of the most trusted brand names in the fitness equipment industry for decades.
How long does a Precor treadmill last?
Treadmills made by Precor can be expected to last upwards of 10 years with proper maintenance.
How do I maintain my Precor treadmill?
According to Precor’s website, after each use the display should be cleaned with a damp cloth to prevent dust accumulation. Every two weeks, the wheels and ramp should be cleaned with water. Once a month, vacuum underneath the front hood. Four times a year, do a thorough clean underneath both the front and the rear hoods.
