NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Review

Finding a solid treadmill can be an extremely difficult task since you need to find the right balance between all the features you need and a price you can afford. If you’re searching for a high-tech, luxury model for a reasonable price, the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 might be your answer. This is one of our favorite NordicTrack treadmills, highlighted by its moderate $1,800 price tag and automatic adjustments that occur during the trainer-led classes from iFit.

In addition to the 3.0 CHP motor, this treadmill offers plenty of training options with a top speed of 12 miles per hour, a -3 percent decline, and a 12 percent incline. The integration of Google Maps™ allows you to partake in virtual runs around the world on the 10-inch touchscreen monitor, and the hydraulic lift system makes folding the deck feel effortless. While the 1.9-inch rollers may be a bit undersized for those training for a marathon, the 1250 cracked our best treadmills for walking list, and we think it offers excellent value for those building a home gym. 

About Our Tester

Jake Herod is BarBend’s main product tester, and he’s reviewed countless treadmills in both written and video formats. He put together this review using a combination of his past experiences as well as those of our other product testers.

Main Takeaways

NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Highlights

• Price: $1,800
• Max Incline and Decline: 12 percent incline, -3 percent decline
• Max Speed: 12 mph
• Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
• Roller Size: 1.9 inches
• Dimensions: 64.7” H x 78.5” L x 35.6” W

Not everyone wants to spend over $2,000 on one piece of equipment, and while the 1250 is close to that, this is a solid value due to the sheer amount of luxury features. The 3.0 CHP motor can support up to 300 pounds of weight and is plenty strong for most athletes. CHP stands for continuous horsepower, which means the motor can run for an extended period without fearing overheating or wearing out rapidly. 

We love that the 1250 offers plenty of workout options thanks to its -3 percent decline, 12 percent incline, and a top speed of 12 miles per hour. The 1.9-inch rollers are best suited for shorter-distance running and walking, as the rollers on a treadmill are directly responsible for turning the belt, and the smaller they are, the harder they have to work at faster speeds leading to wear and tear. If you’re a dedicated runner, you’re probably better off targeting a treadmill with rollers that are 2.25 to 2.5 inches in diameter. That said, the average cardio lover can still find solid usage from this treadmill. At 64.7 inches high, 78.5 inches long, and 35.6 inches wide, the dimensions are pretty average compared to similar treadmills, but the ability to fold the deck makes it ideal for those tight on space. 

Pros

• The Commercial 1250 offers automatic adjustments through iFit and the ActivePulse™ Technology, allowing you to focus on your workout.
• The 10-inch touchscreen monitor rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to participate in various off-treadmill iFit workouts from the floor.
• The $1,800 price tag is a great price for a treadmill with the 1250’s features.

Cons

• While the 1250 features a low price tag for a treadmill of its caliber, $1,800 still might be too expensive for some folks. 
• You must pay a subscription fee to iFit to get the most out of this treadmill.
• The 1.9-inch rollers, we think, won’t hold up to more intense running regimens. 

Training With the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill

While it’s available at a lower price tag, the Commercial 1250 has the same luxurious feel that we’ve experienced from NordicTrack’s higher-end models like the Commercial 2450 and Commercial 1750. The 10-inch touchscreen monitor is perfect for those who want to stream a workout class, and it rotates 360 degrees so you can stream a strength training or even a yoga class from iFit without needing to use your phone or tablet. While we typically recommend targeting a treadmill with at least 2.25-inch rollers for dedicated runners, the 1250 has everything you need for a grueling workout with three decline, 12 incline, and 12 speed settings. 

Display

The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 is about as tech-savvy as it gets, partly due to its 10-inch touchscreen monitor. Similar to other treadmills with monitors, you’ll experience a little shakiness when running, but not enough to ruin your workout. The interface is easy to navigate, and it tracks your metrics like incline, distance, speed, time, and if you connect a heart rate monitor, your calories burned. 

Our favorite things about this monitor are the HD quality and the ability to rotate it 360 degrees. This makes the treadmill more like a smart gym rather than just a treadmill, as you can simply turn it and bust out the dumbbells to get a quick pump or your exercise mat for some stretching.

Max Speed and Incline Range

Thanks to the variety of speed, incline, and decline settings on the 1250, there will be no complacency with your cardio workouts. Once again, you have three decline settings to go along with 12 incline and 12 speed settings. The beauty of this treadmill, though, is that during any of the iFit classes, there will be automatic adjustments that occur mid-workout. For example, if you’re running through the Balkans, the incline will adjust accordingly to the trial you’re on. 

This is one of our favorite things about this treadmill and is part of what sets it apart from similar competition, as it allows you to keep your head down and train. But if you need to, you can always override those adjustments manually. We also love the ability to double-tap a speed setting for .5 increments. For example, if you press the five twice, the speed will adjust to 5.5 miles per hour rather than only adjusting by .1 increments or jumping up a full mile per hour. 

Cushioning and Running Area

NordicTrack’s treadmills are known for their stellar cushioning, and that’s not any different with the 1250. While there isn’t a numerical value of how much stress is being reduced on your joints, the cushioning will soften the blow compared to running on pavement. The 20” x 60” deck may feel narrow compared to a 22-inch wide deck at first, but this isn’t that far off, and it’s something we’ve gotten used to. 

Heart Rate Monitoring

The 1250 doesn’t offer built-in pulse sensors on the handlebar. But since you have Bluetooth capabilities, you can pair an existing heart rate monitor to read your heart rate and burned calories accurately. Plus, with the unique ActivePulse™ Technology, if you purchase NordicTrack’s SmartBeat™ Heart Rate Monitor, the treadmill will adjust the difficulty to keep your heart rate in the optimal training zone.

Included Workouts 

Like the rest of Nordictrack’s gear, the Commercial 1250 does not feature programmed workouts, but you do receive a 30-day trial to iFit if you’re a first-time buyer. However, you can always utilize the manual mode if you don’t want to pay that membership fee.

iFit Membership and Subscription Options

While first-time NordicTrack buyers receive a free 30-day trial to iFit, you must sign up for a membership when that trial period runs out. You can always pay $40 a month if you don’t want to commit long-term, or you can sign up for one of the three yearly plans to save some money, but it’ll cost you more upfront. 

The one-year plan is about $400, while the two-year plan will cost you around $700, and the three-year plan is roughly $900. You can also have up to five profiles tied to one account. This is ideal for anyone whose family members want to take advantage of iFit, as you’ll each have your own specific profile and workout history. Additionally, this means you can split the membership with a friend or family member.

Not everyone is into online workout programs, but iFit is one of the most impressive options available, and we thoroughly enjoy the wide range of classes. You can join various fitness challenges that can consist of up to 30 individual workouts, or you can just join a singular class in both a studio or outdoor setting. 

What to Consider Before Buying the NordicTrack Commercial 2450 Treadmill

Similar to any other home gym essential, there are some important factors to consider with the Commercial 1250. While it’s cheaper than some other high-tech treadmills, you still need to stay within your budget, make sure it fits in your available space, and then coincide your workout style with the size of the motor and rollers.

Price

The base price tag of the Commercial 1250 is $1,800, but the final price tag is determined by your iFit membership and whether you want to add any additional warranties or white glove assembly. Remember, the one, two, and three-year plans to iFit are $400, $700, and $900, respectively, but let’s expand on the other add-ons. The tread comes with a 10-year warranty on the frame, but the three-year extended warranty plan bumps the parts warranty up to five years and the labor warranty to four years, and this will cost you about $180.

The three-year maintenance plan will cost you $340, and while you only receive one extra year on parts and labor, you’ll have someone from NordicTrack conduct a 15-point inspection on your treadmill once a year to ensure it’s running properly. So, while the most you could spend on this treadmill is $3,240, that is still cheaper than some other treads on the market, and that’s including the “unnecessary” add-ons. NordicTrack also allows you to finance this treadmill directly through them over 39 months if that’s your preferred payment method.

Dimensions and Foldability

While the hydraulic lift system allows you to effortlessly fold the deck with one hand, this still isn’t the most compact it treadmill in the world, measuring roughly 65 inches tall, 78.5 inches long, and 35.6 inches wide. So those tight on space will still want to map out their home gym to ensure it’ll fit. 

Motor and Roller Size

If you didn’t already know, a treadmill motor and roller size directly impact its overall performance and determine what it’s best suited for. While the 3.0 CHP motor is strong enough to run for an extended period of time, the 1.9-inch rollers are a bit undersized for those training for marathons. So, based on our experience, the 1250 is best suited for some casual running, jogging, and walking. 

NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Vs. The Competition

It’s always a good idea to compare any home gym equipment, like barbells and adjustable dumbbells, to the rest of the market, so we decided to do that for you by having the 1250 square up with some other popular treadmills.

	NordicTrack Commercial 1250	NordicTrack Commercial 1750	Horizon 7.0 AT	Horizon T101
Price	$1,800	$2,500	$1,000	$650
Max Incline	12 percent	12 percent	15 percent	10 percent
Max Speed	12 mph	12 mph	12 mph	10 mph
Folding Deck?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Roller Size	1.9 inches	1.9 inches	2.36 inches	1.8 inches

As you can see, these treadmills are pretty similar regarding the specs, but the prices vary across the board. If you’re looking to save as much as possible, then the Horizon T101 is hands down your best bet with its $650 price tag. However, you don’t have as steep of an incline or as fast of a top speed, and the 2.5 HP motor is the weakest of the bunch. 

Now, if you have extra cash to spend and want the best value on this chart, you should take a hard look at the Horizon 7.0 AT. It’s cheaper than the Commercial 1250 and 1750, with its $1,000 price tag, plus it has a 15 percent incline, the same top speed as those aforementioned treads, and the 2.36-inch rollers are perfect for runners. 

The two main reasons someone would want to buy the Commercial 1750 are the 3.5 CHP motor and the 14-inch touchscreen monitor. But we included it on this list to point out that not everyone necessarily needs a stronger motor or a larger touchscreen monitor. The Commercial 1250 features the same-sized rollers, speed, and incline settings. So, if you want to stick to the NordicTrack brand and aren’t training for a marathon, that’s likely your best bet. 

We’re big on all of these treadmills and don’t think you can necessarily go wrong with any of them, but we wanted to highlight the specific reasons why one might be better than the others for your specific goals. 

Places to Buy

You can purchase the Commercial 1250 directly from the NordicTrack website.

Warranties

Your purchase comes with a 10-year warranty on the frame of the 1250, a two-year warranty on parts, and one year for labor. You also have the option to purchase the extended warranty plan for $180 to receive an extra three years on parts and labor. Or, you can purchase the three-year maintenance plan to get an extra two years on parts and labor and have someone conduct a 15-point inspection on the tread once a year for three years. 

Company Information

NordicTrack offers an extensive line of cardio equipment, from treadmills to ellipticals, rowers, and exercise bikes. Your purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you aren’t satisfied with your product, you’re eligible for a full refund. To contact their support team, you can call them at 1-888-308-9616.

In Conclusion

The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill is an excellent option for those who want a luxury treadmill without really paying a luxury price tag since it’ll only cost you $1,800. This treadmill offers automatic adjustments during your trainer-led workouts and with the SmartBeat™ Heart Rate Monitor, allowing you to focus on the task at hand — your workout. The impressive range of decline and incline settings paired with 12 speed settings allow you to have plenty of variety during your training. 

The 10-inch touchscreen monitor also rotates 360 degrees so that you can participate in the numerous off-treadmill workouts from iFit. While the 1.9-inch rollers might be a tad bit undersized for marathon runners, we think the tech-savvy nature of the 1250 makes it a solid option for those who want to improve their cardiovascular health.

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