Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer

by Horizon Fitness

Product Features

• Compact elliptical trainer for working both legs and upper body
• 8 levels of manual resistance; smooth 10-pound flywheel
• 2 LCD windows show time, distance, speed, and calories burned
• 275-pound weight capacity; thumb pulse EKG monitor
• Integrated calorie converter; 5 year warranty on frame

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Bring the gym into your home and enjoy an efficient, affordable workout with the Merit 715E elliptical trainer. The 715E boasts a 10-pound flywheel and eight levels of manual resistance, along with an easy-to-operate computer console that shows your workout time, speed, calories burned, and distance. The trainer also makes it easy to check your heart rate, with an integrated thumb pulse EKG monitor. Finally, the trainer's pivoting footpads boast a textured surface that provides a firm grip for your feet. Other details include two LCD windows, a 16-inch stride length, an integrated calorie converter, and a 275-pound weight capacity.

Treadmill Features:

• Resistance: Manual, with 1 to 8 range
• Flywheel: 10 pounds
• Step-on height: 9 inches
• Stride length: 16 inches
• Crank arm length: 8 inches
• Pivoting footpads
• Pedal spacing: 6.9 inches
• Weight capacity: 275 pounds
• Warranties: 5 years on the frame, 3 years on the brake, 90 days on parts and labor

About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.

Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Many elliptical trainers include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.

About Merit Fitness
Merit Fitness is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. The company is committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Johnson's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing undergoes a testing phase, and 10 percent of Merit's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.

Product Description

Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer with Heart Rate Monitor and EZ-For-One Assembly

Product Details

Product Manual [PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 57 x 24 x 66 inches ; 103 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 116.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B001DEV3I0
• Item model number: HEP0240-00
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,851 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent, well priced elliptical, September 24, 2009

By 

A. Boston (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer (Sports)

I am quite erratic when it comes to working out. I'll admit it. I've had gym memberships since I was a kid, and I have a hard time sticking to it. Right before I bought this merit elliptical, I had a $750 per year gym membership, and I hated going. I hated multiple things: the tvs attached to each machine, always broken. The idea of the germs, creeped me out. Also thinking I was being watched and judged..(and I can assure you, the boys were watching the girls in the hot pants and sports bra, not me, who was in an old band T-shirt and work out pants)well, its just not my bag of fun. So I figured I could get a few key pieces and make myself a little home gym. Then really, what excuse is there?(yes, I can still come up with some, but they tend to be a lot more ridiculous).

So I poked around and found this model in the 300 dollars price range. I went to a sporting equipment store to try a few out. I picked this one because it felt sturdy, smooth and comfortable for my 5'4 height, and I liked the price. I supervised my boyfriend putting it together -- ok, so I helped a couple times. It took under 2 hours. Now, I can hop on, watch my own tv, sweat to my hearts desire, and don't have to worry about my appearance or who's around me. If I'm thirsty -- I get a drink at my own fridge instead of paying a machine. Wanna wipe your face off? the bathroom is a hop and a jump down the hall. No more public ladies locker room with scary naked old women prancing around. To be honest, if you have at least a 5x5 space available to make a little work out area(this and a yoga mat and a few weights are all you need!), totally go for it. You feel a lot better when you're done, and this is 1/2 the price of a year at the gym. I've had my merit elliptical about 3 years now.

Some nice things about this model, I like the different tensions to choose from, and you just turn the knob. It takes batteries to run the little mile/time monitor. Easy as pie to understand. The only thing, the heart rate monitor doesn't give an accurate reading for me. So I just picked up an inexpensive heart rate monitor watch here on amazon. One small tip: keep the tracks clean, and you'll be smooth sailing. Sometimes dust or random stuff can end up there and trip up the smooth factor a bit.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good value, but assy could have gone smoother, October 13, 2009

By 

C. Festavan (Birmingham, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer (Sports)

This is for my wife to rehab her surgically repaired knee. She is happy with it so far. It's seems sturdy and smooth, especially considering how cheap, er... cost-effective it is. We just got it, so I can't comment on the durability.
Assembly should take 30 minutes; however, I had to brake out some extra tools. The control wire was cut; it looked like it had been pinched and cut during packaging. The holes on the bottom of the frame in the rear didn't line up, so I little brute force, prying and a hammer was needed. Other than that, some of the fasteners could have been located a few cm's further away from other members to allow a socket. Hey, what do expect froma a cheap machine designed and built in China.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm happy with it, January 31, 2010

By 

E. L. Re - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Merit Fitness 715E Elliptical Trainer (Sports)

For the money, i think its great. its quiet & steady. i'm 5'3 & i can exercise comfortably. here are my only minor drawbacks: (1)the first time the machine was tested my dad, who is not very coordinated, made the wheel go off the track & the plastic covering broke off, but that has never happened to me (2) there are no stationary handles to hold on to (3)no room for water bottle or ipod. but those things didn't really matter to me & i would recommend this elliptical