We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

If your job requires a lot of time sitting at a desk, there’s a good chance you have difficulty reaching your daily step goal. Fortunately, using a walking pad is an easy way to increase your movement during a workday. It can also help with weight loss efforts, since it bumps up your daily activity level and calorie burn.However, it should still be accompanied by moderate to vigorous physical activity. Quieter and more compact than fitness treadmills, the best walking pads should still deliver similar sturdiness and ease of use to let you walk confidently and safely.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

To find the best walking pads and under-desk treadmills on the market, we consulted an athletic trainer and personal trainer on which key features to look for. We then tested ten of the most popular picks at home over the span of four weeks, by completing a minimum of four walks per week. When creating our final list of recommendations, we considered the assembly process, ease of use, foldability, special features, comfort, and overall value. A certified personal trainer from our Review Board also assessed this article for accuracy.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

 Egofit Walker Pro-M1 Treadmill at Amazon ($400)

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Best Walking Pad:

 WalkingPad C2 Folding Treadmill at Amazon (See Price)

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Most Affordable:

 GOPLUS Under Desk Treadmill at Amazon ($280)

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Best for Petite Users:

 Sunny Health & Fitness Under Desk Treadmill at Amazon ($242)

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Best Foldable:

 WalkingPad P1 Foldable Walking Treadmill at Amazon ($399)

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Best for Small Spaces:

 WalkingPad A1 Pro Foldable Under Desk Treadmill at Amazon ($599)

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Best Portable:

 LifePro PacerMini Pro Treadmill at Amazon (See Price)

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In This Article

• Our Picks
• We Also Tested
• Where We Stand
• What to Look for
• How We Tested
• Our Experts
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Why Trust Verywell Fit

Best Overall

Egofit Walker Pro-M1 Treadmill

Egofit

View On Amazon$400View On Walmart$399View On Egofitwalker.com$399

Who It’s For

Great for walking while taking calls and when working from a standing desk.

Why We Love It

Egofit’s Walker Pro-M1 Under Desk Treadmill’s compact design, quiet and easy operation, and extra features make it an easy pick for our best overall spot. It comes pre-assembled and ready to use right out of the box. When testing, we found the treadmill to be extremely quiet—we’ve even been able to take work calls while getting our steps in. We also like that the LCD display lets us track our steps, distance, speed, time, and calories burned.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

Unlike other models, the Walker Pro-M1 has a 5% incline option, which helps crank up the calorie burn during your walking workouts. Remember that this is a fixed (non-adjustable) incline, so you can only set the incline to zero percent (i.e., flat) or 5%—nothing in between. We also appreciate that the treadmill’s wheels allow us to easily move it to our preferred storage spot once the workout’s over.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

Potential Flaws

• With a maximum speed of 3.1 miles per hour, you won’t be able to walk as fast on this option compared to others on our list.
• The treadmill doesn’t have handrails, so it may not be the best option for those with balance issues who need something to hold onto while they walk.
• The Egofit Walker Pro-M1 Treadmill is very quiet, offers two incline options, and has a speed range of up to 3.1 miles per hour.

Verywell Fit / Michael Navarro

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This handrail-free treadmill has a clear LCD display, making it easy to track metrics like speed, time, distance, and more.

Verywell Fit / Michael Navarro

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This compact treadmill can easily be moved, thanks to its lighter weight and convenient wheels.

Verywell Fit / Michael Navarro

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This treadmill arrives pre-assembled and comes with lubricant for the belt and a small remote control, allowing the user to make adjustments easily.

Verywell Fit / Michael Navarro

Best Walking Pad

WalkingPad C2 Folding Treadmill

Amazon

View On AmazonView On Walkingpad.com

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for shorter users who have limited storage space.

Why We Love It

For a basic, space-saving walking pad that’s easy to use, it’s tough to beat WalkingPad’s C2 Foldable Walking Treadmill. Setting up the treadmill is simple and straightforward since it comes pre-assembled—we just had to unfold it and plug it in to get started. For people with limited room, this treadmill is a great option because of its foldable form and small size.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

We can easily adjust the treadmill’s pace using the remote, and the LCD monitor lets us view our steps, speed, time, and distance in real time from the device. Effective noise reduction and stress absorption are made possible by the four-layer running belt. We also adore how easy it is to fold in half and store it beneath a desk, couch, or bed when we’re done using it. It is easy to move from one place to another because to the two rollers on the bottom.

Potential Flaws

• We feel this treadmill would be more stable and safe to use if it had a handrail.
• The walking surface felt a bit narrow to us and may not be comfortable for those with large feet or longer legs.
• The WalkingPad C2 Folding Treadmill provides good shock absorption during use, however, it doesn’t offer any incline range and may feel too narrow for certain individuals.

Verywell Fit / Nick Kova

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This foldable treadmill comes pre-assembled and is a breeze to begin using right away.

Verywell Fit / Nick Kova

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This quiet treadmill goes up to 3.72 miles per hour and can be easily moved, thanks to its rollers and lighter weight.

Verywell Fit / Nick Kova

Most Affordable

GOPLUS Under Desk Treadmill

Amazon

View On Amazon$280View On Walmart$280View On Goplusus.com$290

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for users looking for a budget-friendly option and who don’t mind a little noise.

Why We Love It

The GOPLUS Under Desk Treadmill is the most budget-friendly model we tested, making it a great option for those who just want a basic walking pad for getting their daily steps in. It’s easy to set up and use, and while it’s not feature-packed, it includes a remote and an LED screen that displays speed, distance, time, and calories burned.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

All we had to do to get started was unpack the treadmill, fasten the power cord, and connect it into the wall because it comes completely constructed. With just a button push, you can easily turn on the treadmill and change the speed thanks to the provided remote.

Potential Flaws

• We noticed a humming sound while using the treadmill, which could distract some, especially during work calls.
• A folding handlebar would make the treadmill more stable during use.

Most Valuable Insight

“This under-desk treadmill is extremely comfortable under my feet. It is thick and bouncy, and I feel completely supported using it.” — Lauren Coughlin, Verywell Fit product tester

Best for Petite Users

Sunny Health & Fitness Under Desk Treadmill

Amazon

View On Amazon$242View On Walmart$242View On Dick’s$400

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for shorter users with a small stride length.

Why We Love It

Sunny Health & Fitness’s Under Desk Treadmill Workstation is another affordable option that’s comfortable and easy to use. It’s a bit shorter than some of the other ones we tested, but it’s a great option for petite users who want a treadmill with a small footprint. The machine comes pre-assembled—all we needed to do after unboxing it was use the included lubricant on the belt and plug it in.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

During testing, the treadmill felt sturdy and fairly quiet. We like that the display screen lets us easily track our speed, steps, distance, calories burned, and time elapsed. With wheels on the bottom, it’s easy to move and store away once we’re finished.

Potential Flaws

• Like some other options on our list, this one also doesn’t have handrails, so it may not be suited to those who need help balancing while walking.
• The walking surface is on the shorter side, so taller users may have difficulty walking on it comfortably.
• The Sunny Health & Fitness Under Desk Treadmill feels sturdy and comfortable to walk on, however, it may be too small for some to use.

Verywell Fit / Taylor Calta

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This high-quality treadmill comes pre-assembled and easily fits under a small desk.

Verywell Fit / Taylor Calta

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This treadmill is easy to move when not in use, thanks to its lighter weight and attached wheels.

Verywell Fit / Taylor Calta

 The 9 Best Treadmills

Best Foldable

WalkingPad P1 Foldable Walking Treadmill

WalkingPad

View On Amazon$399View On Walkingpad.comView On Newegg.com$798

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for users looking for a no-frills, compact walking pad to increase their step count.

Why We Love It

WalkingPad’s P1 Foldable Walking Treadmill is super easy to set up and use, but the folding design is what makes it truly stand out from the rest. When folded, its footprint is only 32.5 x 21.5 inches, making it easy to store under a desk or tuck away in another part of the room. At 62 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than some others we tested, but the foldable design and wheels on the bottom make it easy to move.

We also like that stats—including speed, steps, and distance—are displayed on the remote rather than on the treadmill’s display, which keeps us from craning our necks to see the data. We love that this pick is quiet and low-profile, allowing us to take work calls without distraction.

Potential Flaws

• During testing, we noticed that the belt jerked a little when we changed the treadmill’s speed, so it’s essential to steady yourself before reducing or increasing it.
• The treadmill isn’t compatible with third-party apps, so you won’t be able to track your stats via fitness apps like Apple Health.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It
• The WalkingPad Foldable Treadmill has a very small footprint, thanks to its unique foldable design, which allows it to be easily stored when not in use.

Verywell Fit / Michelle Parente

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This low-profile treadmill goes up to 3.75 miles per hour, however, the belt tends to jerk when making speed adjustments.

Verywell Fit / Michelle Parente

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This compact treadmill has a streamlined appearance and displays the stats on the included remote, not the treadmill.

Verywell Fit / Michelle Parente

Best for Small Spaces

WalkingPad A1 Pro Foldable Under Desk Treadmill

WalkingPad

View On Amazon$599View On Walkingpad.comView On Hsn.com$600

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for those with limited storage space.

Why We Love It

When you have smaller living quarters, choosing a walking pad that folds and fits under beds, dressers, or desks is imperative for efficient use of space. We love WalkingPad’s A1 Pro Foldable Under Desk Treadmill because of its unique design that folds over 180 degrees down to a thickness of only 4.7 inches and fits readily under furniture or in narrow spaces. Thanks to the wheels, it’s also super easy to transport.

We found this walking pad very easy to set up: After unboxing, we downloaded the app, registered our information, and were ready to go within five minutes.The pad is pleasant to walk on, and we appreciate that it employs an algorithm to choose a pace that fits your gait. We were also able to choose our own pace fast and effectively with the help of the convenient remote.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

Potential Flaws

• While this machine folds up compactly, it’s pretty heavy (over 60 pounds), making it difficult to move.
• We struggled to automatically connect our iPhone to the treadmill via Bluetooth, but we were able to connect to it manually through the accompanying app.

Best Portable

LifePro PacerMini Pro Treadmill

LifePro

View On AmazonView On Lifeprofitness.com$340

Our Ratings

Who It’s For

Best for those who need to move their under-desk treadmill frequently.

Why We Love It

The compact design and 40-pound weight of Lifepro’s PacerMini Portable Treadmill make it an easy choice for our best portable pick. It’s lighter than the other walking pads we tested and has built-in wheels for easy moving. It’s only 7 inches high when the handlebar is folded down, so it’s easy to slide under a couch or desk when not in use.

It took less than five minutes to set up when it arrived, and the instruction manual was easy to understand. The treadmill tracks time, speed, calories, and steps. You can use it completely flat, or you can crank it up to a 7% incline for more of a challenge.We like that the height-adjustable handlebar folded down for storage, and we found the remote to be user-friendly.We Tested the Best Walking Pads and Under-Desk Treadmills—These 7 Are Worth It

Potential Flaws

• If you want to add an incline to your walk, you can only choose the fixed 7% incline setting because no other incline options are available.
• The belt length is relatively short, so it may not work for taller people or those with a longer stride.