Probably the best way to decide on a specific treadmill model to purchase it to read treadmill reviews and ratings. They can be obtained from a variety of different sources, including magazines, online, and trade reports.
When reading reviews, the first thing to consider is the legitimacy of the review. Beware of companies or individuals producing and posting bogus reviews that do nothing more than pump up a specific treadmill that they are trying to sell. ALL LEGITIMATE TREADMILL REVIEWS SHOULD CONTAIN NEGATIVES. There is no perfect workout machine out there so there should be some negatives to any given machine.
If you are looking for legitimate reports on treadmills online, stay away from smaller sites. Visit large, reputable ecommerce sites like Amazon and Buy. Also, Epinions is a great online source for product reviews of all kinds.
Look for reviews on the top selling brands like Precor, Woodway, Smooth, Proform, and LifeFitness. best treadmill under 1000 come from the best known brands. Purchasing an expensive piece of workout equipment from a lesser known manufacturer is not a good idea. Often, these units are produced overseas and do not adhere to the same standards of quality that the top selling brands do.
Lastly, look for reviews done specifically by fitness experts or professional athletes. Many customer reviews are great, but they can also be somewhat short sighted because the individual does not have anything to compare to. Experts and athletes have used many pieces of equipment and are better suited to be able to compare and contrast effectively.