The BH Fitness XS1 Elliptical - Reliable Workouts on a Basic Machine

The BH Fitness XS1 elliptical is over-priced at the $1,599 retail listing, but it's usually on sale for around $999. While it's a decent machine, there's nothing outstanding that sets it apart from the crowd.

What You Get

The BH Fitness XS1 elliptical gives you 16 levels of magnetic resistance and a sturdy frame with dual aluminum tracks. There aren't a lot of extras, but the large, backlit blue display console gives you the standard speed, time, distance, calories, resistance and pulse measurements to track your workout.

The specs on the XS1 elliptical include:

• 20" stride length
• 16 levels of magnetic resistance
• 12 programs, including manual, heart rate control and pre-set
• Active Flex shock absorption system
• Movable handlebars for upper body workout
• Oversized, anti-skid foot pedals
• Front drive flywheel
• Dual aluminum guide rails for added stability
• Backlit LCD display screen
• Contact heart rate sensors
• 325 lbs. user capacity
• Dimensions/Weight: 75"L x 26.5"W x 65" H/225 lbs.
• Water bottle holder
• Reading rack
• Warranty: Lifetime frame and generator, 5 years parts, 1 year labor
  

UPDATE:  Bladez Fitness is no longer making ellipticals with the BH label.  They have switched back to using the Bladez name on all of their equipment.

Check out the new Bladez ellipticals here.

The Word on the Street

While BH Fitness is best known for offering inexpensive machines that are considered "second best," they've been improving their ellipticals lately.

The BH Fitness XS1 elliptical is one of the results. While reviews always note that this is a bare-bones model at an inflated price, they also admit that when you can purchase one on sale, you'll get a reliable workout on a basic machine that has a surprisingly good warranty.
 
Serious athletes tend to take issue with the lack of versatility with the XS1, which is part of BH Fitness' Signature Series.

With just 12 workout programs and a stride that's not adjustable, it simply isn't the best fit for serious trainers, but at-home users like the stability and simplicity of the XS1. Reviews also note that extras like iPod compatibility are missing on this stripped down machine.

Our Thoughts

BH Fitness has been improving the quality of their equipment in the past few years by offering the basics, including their XS1 elliptical, without over-investing in extras that you can find elsewhere in more expensive machines.

While the list price of $1,599 simply isn't realistic for the BH Fitness XS1 elliptical, a sale price of between $800 and $999 isn't unreasonable, particularly since the warranty is such a welcome surprise. You'll find lots of ellipticals at twice the price that don't offer five years of coverage on parts, so the company's confidence in their product is certainly showing.

It comes down to what you're really looking for. If you want a basic, reliable machine with a solid warranty, consider this model, but only when it's marked well below the original price.

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