Customer Reviews

Eclipse 1100 HR/A Elliptical Trainer

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

If you want a good Elliptical machine without paying over $1,000 (like the ones in the gym). This is a good choice.
It was painless putting it together. It has a digital display with optional modes. You can increase your speed and check our heartrate.
This is a very good value!

For the money...approx $300, you get a very reliable elliptical in the 1100HRA.

I took my time putting the thing together correctly, and as tight as I could get everything when I bought it a year and a half ago, and the thing is still tight as a drum.

A little squeaking developed recently and I was worried....greased the inner parts, to no avail....Then I discovered it was simply the foot platforms that were rubbing. A little white lithium under those platforms and presto, like new again.

Every time I've gotten into a steady 5x per week or so routine, I've been able to drop significant weight in no time.

It works. The trick is staying focused and motivated.

I take Amazon ratings into account when deciding to make a big purchase. After seeing a 4.5 star rating I felt pretty confident with this purchase.

The first one I received broke after 2 months of occasional usage by my wife and I. (Both moderately fit). I went through the hassle of disassembling the first one and sending it back. Got the second one in the mail and it broke the same way within 3 weeks.

I got the impression from Eclipse that this is a fairly common issue. The customer service rep knew exactly what I was talking about when I said "The linkage below the foot platform has come loose". Apparently there is no way to fix it and it requires a replacement by mail every time.

Eclipse is happy to send me a third replacement machine. Fortunately Amazon has decided to offer me a refund as an alternative.

If you buy this, keep the box because you'll probably have to send it back!

Amazon - good
Eclipse - bad

We needed something more than our treadmill and Gazelle. My wife saw this unit at an open house so we did some research on-line. It received high marks so we ordered it on-line. It was easy to put together but it does have some mass to it which is a good thing. We have been using it for 2 months and it is almost everything you could want in a home ellipse trainer without breaking the bank. My only wish is the electronics could be powered from the wall versus batteries (4C). We have since looked at many units costing more (~$200+) and they were cheap, flimsy and light. This unit is solid and really gives you a great workout. I have lost 10 lbs so far. I would highly recommend it.

I've had my trainer for almost three weeks now and I love it. I used to walk but my ankles, knees and shins would ache on the third day and I would have to take a break, then I would fall out of the routine. This machine offers a smooth workout that really is no-impact yet works up quite a sweat. It is easy to do and the built in programs are great. It is a little wobbly, but not enough to make me feel unsafe. I would have given 5 stars, but I cannot get the heart monitor to work (haven't tried to re-assemble yet.) Putting it together took about an hour, and I am pretty handy with tools, but it wasn't difficult (getting it out of the box was the hardest part!) It's a little noisy sometimes, but not loud enough to be bothersome. The manual does say to tighten up the screws and bolts every now and then. The website I purchased from offered an extended warranty, which made me feel much better about buying this model. For the money, this is probably one of the best you could get.

DO NOT BUY THIS MACHINE UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR WIFE TO HIT YOUR UPS DELIVERY GUY WITH A BROOM.

I purchased the Eclipse because of the reviews on Amazon - mostly they indicated that the machine worked great, but would break after two years of daily use. This I can live with. Heck, if an exercise machine isn't a rack for partially-dirty clothing at this point and I've put in 800 hours of sweat and blood into it, it's still far cheaper than joining an exercise club.

So, I put it together. Assembly was easy. My eight year old and I slapped the thing together with a minimum amount of cussing. He knows I don't like him cussing.

My son was particularly happy about the included water bottle. For some reason he has a minor obsession with them. Hydration is his mantra.

I put my exercise togs on and started ellipticising, or whatever you call it. I set the timer for 40 minutes, and made it through 35 minutes of silent sweeaty cardio. The silent part is nice, because my wife is a writer and comes out and hits me with a broom if I make too much noise.

5 minutes left, right? Then the thing started making a horrendous clunking on the downstep on the right side. My thoughts? Maybe it's left handed. In order to avoid making my wife angry and getting her broom out, I stopped.

The next day, I called customer service. They indicated that the part to replace was a little bearing. They'd ship it out in 7-10 days. Hmm, I get to pay to repair the thing on the first go 'round, after one excercise session?

So, I waited.

Bearing shows up. I don't know what they feed the people who tighten the bolts on these things in China, but they must have bulging arms and tendons of rippling steel. I finally got the bearing off, and replaced it.

The thunking stayed, and my wife re-emerged with her broom. I hit the Amazon website, furiously re-packed the Eclipse in the original shipping container, and *poof* a UPS man appeared immediately to whisk it away, muttering that he hated lifting three hundred pound boxes. My wife hit him with the broom and he stopped whining.

No, I'm not getting another Eclipse, but whatever I do buy will be from Amazon.

Jeff Bezos, you still rock.

I researched elliptical machines for two months. I've tried every model sold in stores and was disappointed by the quality in the under $500 price range. Most cheap ones make you feel like you're always falling forward. The Eclipse 1100 HRA is wonderful! I've been so happy with it. It feels solid, has great programs and gives a challenging workout. I'm glad that I did my research-it's worth every penny.

I love this elliptical machine. I did a lot of research before I bought one and for the price you just can't beat it. It's very sturdy, has several different programs, it also has wheels so that it can be easily moved. I only gave it 4 stars because the computer stopped working after 2 months, so I contacted the company and a new computer is on it's way. Will give an updated post on whether the new computer fixed the problem. Otherwise, great machine and I am still using it just without the computer programs at the moment...


**UPDATE**
As I mentioned earlier I had a problem with the computer so I emailed the company and they sent a new one right out. Unfortunately, it was the wrong one. They quickly sent me a new one out right after I contacted them and they didn't even have me deal with the hassle of sending the wrong one back. Excellent customer service, fixed the problem, back on my elliptical!

Been using this now for 2 years and a half. Recommended by a personal trainer as a great value for this price range.

Electronic monochrome LCD panel to show distance, calories burn, time, pulse rate and built-in exercise programs
Need some assembly - around 20 minutes
Price when bought - less than 400$

Pros:
-Fantastic customer service. I had a chance to call customer service (Fitness Quest) when the LCD computer panel broke. There was no hassle during the call. They sent me another panel quick and at no cost to me.
-Why spend 500$ or even 1000$ for ellipticals? This do the job for us as the expensive ones.
-Easy to move. It has wheels and you do not need another person's help to move it around the house.
-Not too bulky. Does not occupy a lot of footprint.
-12 levels of resistance.

Cons:
-A bit squeaky
-Does not feel as solid and heavy as the expensive brands.

This is a great value for appx $300 which includes shipping. I am in pretty good shape and workout in the gym regularly. I feel that I get a harder workout on this machine then the elliptical I use at the gym. Even at the lowest level of resistance you will get a good sweat and burn lots of calories. Highly recommended.