Customer Reviews

Phoenix 99120 Mini Stepper Plus

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have always wanted an elliptical trainer. But with limited space, I found a mini-stepper to be a good alternative. I have done a lot of research and read reviews from Amazon, and seems that this is a more reliable stepper. After 1 day of use, here are my findings:

Pros:
-It arrived pre-assembled. All you need is to remove the plastic, put together the resistance knob (see Cons below), cord, and meter.
-Some mentioned the paddles being too small. I wear 7 1/2 and the paddles are more than I need.
-Space-saving
-Good resistance for a starter for low-impact workout. I want to focus on my tummy, hip, and thighs, and this stepper provides what I need.
-Meter is simple to use, I know when I can have my next cookie

Cons:
-The knob that is supposed to tighten the resistance cord gets loosen up fairly quickly. I haven't used it long enough to tell, but it seems to work best if you were to stay on it consecutively. This is my biggest disappointment.
-It's squeaky (just a little)

For under $70, I can avoid the rain and sweaty equipment in gym. Good low-impact workout.

I have had this stepper for several years now. And i love it. You can really feel the burn in your legs and butt. the faster and harder you work it, the more tension you build up on the machine, and the better work out. It is very portable.put it in front of the TV, or pop a dvd in the player and start your work out...easy. I don't use the stretch bands any more...i actually took them off and just pump my arms or use free weights for my upper body.

This is a very small and won't take up a lot of room. The tension in the steps is pretty good. The arm bands are not adjustable but are rather stiff. I haven't had this device long enough to comment on the sturdiness. However, it seems to be well made. I think it was worth the price.

The first day I had this product, I used it for about 20 min. when I had to stop due to the smell of burning rubber. This is the smell of the internal seals of the pneumatic tubes beginning to melt. The device simply cannot withstand 20 minutes of use due to heating of the tubes. After that I kept my workouts to only 15 minutes. This is not enough for a cardio workout, but as part of bigger routine it's ok. After 2 weeks of using it 2-3 times each week for 15 minutes, the step counter/timer broke. So I began timing my workout with the clock. Now after less than 3 months of use, the cable is so stretched out and the resistance so low that it is ready for the dumpster. I weight 155 lbs, so I'm well below the maximum weight for this unit. Denise should be ashamed of herself!

My wife and I used this stepper for about six weeks before it broke. The unit has a steel cable that controls tension--the cable snapped. We had used it for about twenty minutes every other day, and we both weigh under 200 pounds. To make matters worse, there are apparently no replacement parts available for the unit. In light of that, I would rate the durability and value of this stepper as poor, and I would not recommend it to others.

I have only had this item for a few weeks and have not used it as much as I intended yet. I gave it four stars only because I can not yet comment on whether it is durable or gets results. I can say that after just ten minutes, my heartrate is up and I have a pretty good sweat going. I can definitely feel the burn in my legs and butt. Definitely much more of a workout than the four flights of stairs at work that I traverse about six times per day. Its seems like a pretty sturdy device, and contrary to what others have said, I find the resistance cords to add a significant strain to the workout. In any event, they are easily removed if one prefers to use handweights or just shadowbox or play with your Nintendo Wii instead. It is definitely quiet enough to watch TV while using. It doesn't squeak like some others are faulted for doing, though mine does seem to make some kind of swooshing sound when it gets hot. This could be some air movement as the seals heat up. It doesn't seem to affect the resistance or if it does, I seem to automatically compensate for the minute change. All in all, seems like a good value, but that fifth star is going to have to wait for ten pounds and better endurance.

I ordered this to replace a similar version made by Sharper Image that I used to own, but this bears little resemblance other than the motion of stepping up and down. The tension control continuously needs tightening, which disrupts my "workout". As well, if you want some serious stepping action, this just doesn't offer enough resistance...no matter how much you tighten the knob. This is probably best suited for someone who only wants light aerobic exercise and doesn't like a hard and heavy workout, who also doesn't mind stopping every 5 to 10 minutes to adjust the knob...being careful not to touch the assembly underneath that gets hot from use. Wouldn't buy again, but can't afford to replace it and it's to heavy to return, so I'm keeping it.

I thought this was a great little stepper for about 2 months and then it began to make a little snapping sound. Tonight it made a big snapping sound and crashed. It lasted a total of about 3 months which makes it not worth the money.

I purchased this stepper for my small home gym I am in the process of putting together; I have no problem with the stepper, but it comes with a VCR tape not a DVD. Like most people, I no longer own a VCR player. I contacted the maker of the stepper via e-mail, (after going through many channels to get the address); they where friendly and helpful, but no dvd at this time. So, you may want to wait until a dvd is available before purchasing this item.

I've had this thing for a couple of weeks now, and i really like it. It seems really well made. I I really like the adjustable tension.
The arm bands are kind of hard for me to use right now, but maybe in time.
the only complaint: the hidraulycs start to make noise after I've been on it for about 30 min.