Exerpeutic Aero Air Elliptical Review

The Exerpeutic Aero Air Elliptical is one of the world’s cheapest elliptical trainers. It’s a very small fitness machine, being lightweight and taking up little space. It can hold up to 220 pounds but owners advise that about 150 pounds is a better limit. The Aero Air elliptical has moving arm bars and is designed for total body training with eight resistance settings.

“Cheap” describes not only the $99 sale price but also the overall quality. The Aero Air Elliptical weighs just 55 pounds, so it’s about 75% lighter than a standard home elliptical trainer. The light weight is partly achieved with the use of plastic instead of metal parts. In comparison with typical elliptical trainers, the whole machine is stripped-down too. For example, the flywheel is relatively light, the stride is very short and the console is extremely basic. The compromises made in designing this machine can result in discomfort; a trainee might hunch over, for instance, because the machine isn’t sized appropriately for their height. A cheap elliptical trainer can cause injury through repetitive motion and also if it suddenly breaks during use.

The sale price for this Exerpeutic elliptical machine is hard to beat, but owners tend not to describe the machine as “comfortable” and trainees may be risking their safety. We strongly suggest spending the $99 on a gym membership instead, or saving up for a safer and more durable option for at-home crosstraining.

Our Favorite Features

• Compact size makes the Aero Air elliptical conveniently sized for smaller homes
• Adjustable tension has eight manual settings
• Moving handlebars contribute to a full-body workout
• Discount pricing makes this elliptical fit almost anyone’s budget

Our Least Favorite Features

• Low quality construction with plastic parts can pose a danger if the machine breaks during use
• Very short and non-adjustable stride only supports the natural gait length of a small percentage of US adults; people of average and taller heights especially report discomfort
• Bare-bones monitor does not have an adjustable calorie counter (it assumes a default body weight) nor workout programming
• No console for holding a book, tablet computer, phone or water bottle
• Maintenance required regularly; need to tighten the bolts to prevent/reduce wobbling and squeakiness
• Quality control is poor with many customer reviews of the Exerpeutic elliptical reporting that the wrong pieces were shipped or that pieces do not fit together as intended
• Customer service is not always readily available during normal business hours

The Bottom Line

The Exerpeutic Aero Air Elliptical is extremely cheap in both price and quality. Judging from customer reviews and industry standards, the machine’s low quality in terms of biomechanics and construction might pose a danger to trainees.
For an idea of what’s low-priced but kinder to the body, see our lists of elliptical best buys.