Why we like it: As a Peloton loyalist, being able to take walking, running and hiking classes on the 23.8-inch screen with my favorite instructors at home was great. Power walking and interval training let you take advantage of the Plus’ steepest 15% incline (up to 12.5% on the regular Tread), which is ideal for strengthening your posterior chain (the muscles along the back of your body) if you have knee or joint issues.
The touchscreen layout, familiar to anyone who has used the Peloton Bike, offers clear metrics and data. I loved being able to set my pace targets ahead of time, allowing me to define “brisk” and “recovery” speeds for each workout. The variety of classes is a huge plus, and the filters let you select a workout based on instructor, length, class type, music, difficulty level and pace targets. The bootcamp classes combine running and strength training for additional options.
The volume is great, and the custom control music-to-voice ratio is an added bonus. Stability feels solid, and the 37-inch tread width is nice, especially for larger athletes (the Tread Plus has more room to run than the standard Tread). The large accessories tray on the Plus is great for holding a phone, water bottle and anything else.
The Peloton IQ movement tracker and hands-free voice commands in the Plus could be beneficial for those who want a camera-based monitoring system for strength training, although the program can be a bit glitchy. Keep in mind that Peloton instructors already do an excellent job correcting form, giving tips and helping with exercises, even when they can’t see you. Because the swivel screen is available on both machines, you can easily follow a workout without the camera watching you.
Who it’s best for: The Tread Plus is best for an active and devoted Peloton member who runs, walks, hikes or does race training (or all of them) regularly, and is also committed to strength training and other fitness. It’s great for households with a significant amount of space (a basement, a garage or an extra room) dedicated to working out.
It’s a perfect machine for busy, goal-oriented, competitive types who want motivation at home, enjoy variety and also seek the simplicity of one machine for a variety of fitness options and classes. You can also use Peloton Entertainment to stream from providers like Disney Plus, YouTube and Kindle.
Although the Peloton IQ function isn’t set up to track form while running or walking on the Tread Plus itself, it would be a bonus for anyone who wants automated form correction, rep counting and suggested weights for other fitness classes using the screen.
Who shouldn’t get it: The Tread Plus isn’t ideal for anyone who enjoys non-guided fitness or prefers to be self-paced with their own listening entertainment (music, audiobooks, etc). Athletes who prefer running outside or at the gym, or who don’t want to pay extra membership fees ($50 per month) for an all-access fitness app, would be better off with a standard piece of equipment.
The Tread Plus wouldn’t work for households with limited space or that require compact or folding exercise equipment. The machine is heavy (the Tread Plus weighs 460 pounds, compared to the regular Tread at 286 pounds) and can’t be easily moved to accommodate more space. To benefit from using the Peloton IQ for tracking movement, there needs to be ample space around the machine.
Runners who prefer touch buttons for speed and incline might have difficulty adjusting to the turning knobs. It’s hard to remember which way to roll them (forward or backward) to increase or decrease the speed or incline. The knobs are fine when making a huge jump (like from 12% to 1% incline), but it felt like a subtle art to master the 0.5 increments by just moving them a notch.
— Laura Michelle Davis, senior editor