Under Desk Treadmill Vs Desk Elliptical + Which Is Better!

In this article, learn about under desk treadmill vs desk elliptical and which of these 2 popular pieces of active office furniture would be the best option for you to introduce a much-needed health boost by providing movement in your home or office.

Both desk treadmills and desk ellipticals offer some phenomenal health benefits, both direct and indirect.

Plus, they are 2 very different pieces of equipment. So, this article breaks them down into easy tables and guides so you can effortlessly make a decision on their suitability.

This includes a comparison table of desk treadmills and desk ellipticals along with tips and tricks that you won’t find anywhere else on the web.

Physical inactivity contributes to over 3 million deaths globally each year. That equates to 6% of all deaths which could have been prevented. Source

Under Desk Treadmill Vs Desk Elliptical

	Under Desk Treadmill	Desk Elliptical
Cost	$217.99 – $1999	$97.99 – $369
Size	177 – 980.20 in2	173.46 – 434 in2
Portability	Limited	Good
Heights suitable for	Based on standing desk height range	Based on desk height having adequate knee clearance
Average calories burned	150 per hour	160 + per hour
Noise levels	Low – moderate (6 – 70 dB)	Low
Weight	40 – 162 pounds	7.71 – 37 pounds
Weight capacity	200 – 400 pounds	220 – 350 pounds
Maintenance levels	Moderate	Minimal
Requires electricity	Yes	No
Workout intensity	Low – high	Low – moderate
Can be used without a desk	Yes, if not a treadmill workstation	Yes
Can be stood on	Yes	Yes
Warranty	Minimum 1-year	Minimum 1-year

If you are familiar with my content, you’ll see that I completed a series of comprehensive posts discussing everything related to under desk ellipticals.

I then followed it up with another series of articles evaluating if under desk treadmills are really worth it.

What are the similarities between under desk treadmills vs desk ellipticals?

There are 4 primary similarities between desk treadmills and under desk ellipticals:

Purpose: Both enable body movement while indoors which helps to burn calories and increase activity and circulation of blood around your body.

While both treadmill desks and under desk ellipticals are targeted at office and desk users, they can be used without a desk at home or at work.

Intensity: Both allow adjustment of intensity levels. For treadmill bases, this is by means of speed adjustment as few under desk treadmills feature an incline function.

The resistance levels of compact ellipticals can be adjusted to increase the difficulty of the pedaling motion.

Monitoring: Both units include a display for tracking activity, including exercise time, calories burned, speed and strides per minute.

Durability: Both should last years, and many have a minimum 1-year warranty.

You will need to provide sufficient clearance for your knees when using a desk elliptical.

If you need some inspiration or advice on the best tasks to complete while walking v sitting, I would recommend reading activities that you can perform while walking on an office treadmill.

The speed that you are using a treadmill desk at will also influence what tasks you can perform best while walking.

On average, people including beginner treadmillers will walk at a speed of under 2 mph on a treadmill workstation.

What are the differences between under desk treadmills vs desk ellipticals?

Size of equipment: Treadmills bases are far bigger and consume more space than a desk elliptical. Treadmill desks consume an average footprint of 269.95in2 whereas a treadmill base takes up on average 358.83in2 of space.

Weight of equipment: It may come as a surprise to you when you learn just how heavy desk ellipticals are.

Under treadmill desks weigh on average 66.83 pounds which is significantly less than a desk elliptical which weighs an average of 253.93 pounds.

Portability: Since the size and weight of the under desk treadmill is larger, it means that they are less portable. They are usually fitted with caster wheels to allow them to be wheeled around. However, if they need to be moved between floors are up and down steps or stairs, you’re more than likely going to need help.

Under desk ellipticals are smaller in footprint and weight, therefore they are generally easier to move from one area to another.

They often come equipped with a handle designed to allow for easier movement.

This means that they can only be moved between rooms and floors, but they could also be transported easily in a car if you wanted to move it between houses or your home and office.

However, if you have the luxury of a portable under desk treadmill, such as the compact and lightweight Sunny Portable Stand Up Treadmill, then you can simply remove the treadmill by wheeling it out of the way and moving your chair into position.

Standing vs sitting posture: A standing posture must be used while using a treadmill desk, however, some desk ellipticals can be used both in a seated and standing position.

This could ultimately mean that you expend more energy and calories and get tired faster from walking and standing compared to sitting and pedaling.

Plus, if you want to sit at your standing desk, you’ll either need to move the treadmill out of the way and slide in your chair, have a separate area of the desk for sitting or have a separate desk altogether for sitting.

Muscles used: An under desk elliptical primarily targets hamstrings, quadriceps and calve muscles in the legs. You could also target core muscles in your stomach if you avoid using a backrest or armrests on your chair.

The muscles engaged while walking on a treadmill desk primarily include the quad muscles. The hamstrings, glutes, calves and ankles are also activated to a lesser degree. You may also be working the upper body, since your torso and core are supporting your body in an upright position. This is especially true if your arms are moving.

Movement type: The type of movement that both pieces of equipment place on your body are extremely different from each other. With the desk elliptical, you are using a forward and back pedaling motion.

With an under desk treadmill, it is a striding motion that move the whole leg.

If you are in the process of purchasing standing desk, knowing the best type of height adjustable desk for you along with the key criteria to look for when choosing the perfect desk will prevent issues arising and promote a better workflow that suits your needs and desires.

Following the checklist for a perfect home office will catapult your office, your comfort and productivity to new heights of success.

Best for	Product choice
Lower budgets	Desk elliptical
Lighter in weight	Under desk treadmill
Least maintenance	Desk elliptical
Lower in noise	Desk elliptical
Small areas	Desk elliptical
Portability	Desk elliptical
Versatility between postures	Desk elliptical
Leg muscle targeting	Desk elliptical
Lower & upper muscle targeting	Desk elliptical
Greater calorie burning	Under desk treadmill
Cardio	Under desk treadmill
Movement while sitting	Desk elliptical
Movement while standing	Under desk treadmill
Minimizing time spent sitting	Under desk treadmill

If there are any items touching off the treadmill desk, it can cause noise and vibrations. If you think noise will be a concern for you, check out this treadmill desk noise comparison list.

I’ve previously highlighted the pros and cons of walking workstation of a treadmill desk, and if you haven’t yet read these, they are worth even a few minutes of your time, even if all you read are the expert tips.

Tip: To prevent knees hitting off the desk while peddling, users should leave a minimum of 2 – 3 inches of clearance between their desk and knees while using a desk elliptical.

Under Desk Treadmill Vs Desk Elliptical Sunny Portable Stand-up Elliptical woman standing on elliptical

Should I choose an under desk treadmill or a desk elliptical?

If you already own or are open to the idea of purchasing a standing desk, treadmill bases are an excellent solution. Treadmill desks are a level up from standing desks; they allow you to not only stand up from your chair, but they also introduce movement to a static position. They do cost more though and may not suit all budgets. Be prepared to have a budget of at least $217.99, that is, if you already on a height adjustable desk and only need to purchase the treadmill base.

However, if space is at a premium, you are looking for equipment that is easily portable and compact, a desk strider is probably more suitable.

Plus, with a lower minimum starting price of $97.99, they are also more cost efficient than an under desk treadmill.

Desk peddlers are also more versatile as they can be used at practically any desk, whether it’s a kitchen table, study desk, office desk or even at a chair or couch.

If you are looking for an active workstation that allows you to stand up from your desk and you have adequate space for one, an under desk treadmill may be the better option for you.

Whichever option you go for, you’re bound to increase energy expenditure and movement
which will go a long way to reducing the risks of sitting disease while also improving your overall health, energy and well-being.

Under Desk Treadmill Vs Desk Elliptical - Man using treadmill desk

Who should get an under desk elliptical?

Under desk ellipticals are ideal for people who want to introduce low impact movement into their home or office, particularly while sitting at a desk or on a chair. Some under desk ellipticals can also be used while standing, however, the majority are designed for use in a seated position. Desk ellipticals can also allow users to complete a workout, although it is unlikely to be as intense as on a full-sized elliptical trainer.

If the ultimate goal is an intense workout, toning and burning high calories, then an elliptical trainer may be more suitable.

People who should buy an under desk elliptical include those with limited space for equipment and people who have a budget of at least $97.99.

However, if you are looking to increase movement while you sit at a chair, are relatively unfit or new to exercise and you are seeking a low intensity, low impact exercise, then an under desk elliptical will more than likely be perfectly fine for your needs!

Plus, they’re also compact and relatively portable.

Who should get an under desk treadmill?

If you are looking to increase movement at your sit-stand desk and also have a treadmill for workouts, then an under desk treadmill may be an excellent solution. An under desk treadmill will need to be used in conjunction with a standing desk, so if you don’t already own a height-adjustable desk, you’ll need to invest in one.

People who should buy an under desk elliptical include those with adequate space for a treadmill and a budget of at least $217.99.

If you are already used to a sit-stand desk and you are seeking increased movement at your standing desk, you’ll be more likely to find the transition easier compared to a user who has never used a standing desk. You’ll also have a higher guarantee of making use of the treadmill base.

Under desk treadmills do generate between 6 – 70dB noise, so the environment that you’ll be using the treadmill desk in will need to be accommodating to this.

However, if space is limited, and you’re looking for a treadmill with incline or that goes greater than 8 mph, a running treadmill probably would be more suited.

If you already own a treadmill, then a treadmill desk attachment may be an option to convert your treadmill to a treadmill workstation.

If you’re still not sure about a treadmill desk, go check out these treadmill desk FAQs!

Conclusion

If you’re keen to get out of your death chair and introduce movement into your workday, study, gaming or whatever static activity you complete, then treadmill workstations are only one of the most effective units to get you moving.

Desk ellipticals also offer the ability to move while you sit or stand, while also being more compact and lower in price too.

Between the above pros and cons of both units, you should be able to gauge which, if any, of the active workstation machines are suitable or even desirable for you!

Before ever buying an under desk treadmill or elliptical for your desk, you should know what to look for when choosing a treadmill desk as well as how to choose a desk elliptical – ultimate buying tips!

If the mind-blowing of health benefits of getting up and walking by using a treadmill desk sound attractive to you, then check out my personal favourite products listed below for the under desk treadmill and under desk elliptical that I would recommend.

However, treadmill desks and desk ellipticals won’t suit everyone.

Fortunately for you, I have been looking into the many other ways which can be employed to introduce movement into your workstation.

Recommended reading:

How To Choose A Treadmill Desk – 21 Easy Expert Buying Tips

Are Treadmill Desks Expensive? 20 + Popular Price Comparisons!

Treadmill Desk Pros & Cons – Plus Amazing Health Benefits!

How To Choose A Desk Elliptical – Ultimate Buying Tips!

Are Desk Ellipticals Expensive? + Price Comparison Tables

27 Desk Elliptical FAQs – Must Know Expert Tips & Tricks!

The below items are what I’ve looked into so far in order of preference:

My personal favorite products so far are the:

My aim with this website is to help you on all matters related to your home office and your work area. With that in mind, if you have any questions or comments on the above, please drop them in the box below. I’d love to hear them!