Benefits of Battery or Plug-In for Home Exercise Equipment

If you're considering purchasing automated exercise equipment--such as a treadmill--one of the things you may want to consider is the power source it runs on. Most machines plug into a socket, but some run on battery power.

  1. Benefits of Plug-in Exercise Equipment

    • Battery-operated treadmills require more maintenance.

      If you decide to purchase a plug-in treadmill or stair-climber, you never have to worry about running out of power--unless the electricity shuts off in your home. You also don't have to charge any batteries, which means you can exercise whenever you want. Plus, with a battery-operated machine, you have to worry about battery life. Just like with a cellphone, after multiple charges, a treadmill battery will degrade; eventually it will have to be replaced.

    Benefits of Battery-Powered Exercise Equipment

    • Battery-operated exercise equipment gives you the freedom to exercise anywhere.

      If you decide to purchase battery-powered exercise equipment, one of the main benefits is that the machine doesn't need to be near an outlet. Maybe you want to exercise on your treadmill in a location without suitable outlets. In such a situation, if you had a plug-in treadmill, you'd have to run an extension cord every time you wanted to work out. You won't face that issue with a battery pack. You could even set up your machine on your lawn and exercise there.

    Manually-Operated Exercise Equipment

    • Manual exercise equipment can provide the same benefits as powered machines, and they can cost a lot less.

      If you're looking for a low-maintenance, versatile solution to the plug-in vs. battery-powered exercise equipment question, consider manually-operated machines. A number of companies produce treadmills, stair-steppers, and stationary bicycles that require no power source--other than your legs. Additionally, because these machines don't have complicated drive and computer systems, they're a lot cheaper than their automatic counterparts. You might not get a predesigned workout routine built in, but you can burn the same number of calories while saving yourself a bunch of money.