The ProForm 600 ZNE Elliptical Trainer – Good for Moderate Use

New for 2011, the ProForm 600 ZNE elliptical trainer features a 3-Position Stride Adjust Incline Ramp to alter the shape of the stride and target different muscle groups. It is also iFit® Live compatible which lets you customize your own fitness program.

What You Get

The Grafixx™ display tracks time, distance, speed, calories, and pulse. The ProForm 600 ZNE elliptical trainer has 18 pre-set programs including 8 Timed workouts with a variety of time lengths, and 10 Weight Loss workouts designed to help you burn maximum calories.

The list of the specs:

SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance

14 Digital Resistance Levels

18" Stride Length

10°, 20°, 30° Adjust Incline Ramp

18 Programs

Upper body workout handlebars

EKG™ Heart Rate Monitor

Oversized Cushioned Pedals

MP3 Music Port & Intermix Acoustics™ 2.0

275 lb. user weight capacity

Coolaire™ Fan

SpaceSaver® Design

iFit® Live Compatible*

Dimensions: 73.8"L x 24.6"W x 64.2"H

Warranty – lifetime frame, 1-year parts & labor

*Requires iFit® Live wireless adapter (sold separately).

UPDATE: The 600 ZNE elliptical is no longer being sold. You can check out all of the current ProForm models reviewed here.

The Word on the Street

The ProForm 600 ZNE elliptical trainer features iFit® Live compatibility, which features workouts designed by Certified Personal Trainers including Jillian Michaels, plus Google Maps™ trails, and more. The drawback is that access to iFit® Live website downloads will set you back about $129 a year.

You don’t need to purchase the iFit access to use this trainer, of course, since the 18 programs are enough to keep you challenged and motivated.

Other features include a music plug-in port and speakers, oversized pedals, cooling fan, water bottle holder, and transport wheels. The ProForm 600 ZNE also has an adjustable incline ramp, but it is manual so you will have to dismount to change the setting.

There aren’t many elliptical trainer reviews on this model from users, but equipment pros give the 600 ZNE a nod for being one of the better ProForm designs.

However, ProForm has some quality control issues with many machines regarding cheap components, bolts that loosen, wobbly frames, digital resistance that sticks, and other problems. They also have small flywheels so it won’t be as smooth and ergonomic as some competitor models.

Our Thoughts

With moderate use, a lightweight person might have good luck with this model, since the ProForm 600 ZNE is probably ProForm’s best elliptical if you can find it for $649 or less. That isn’t an endorsement; you can buy better quality machines from Schwinn, Horizon, Livestrong, and Yowza for about $100-$150 more.

The Proform 600 ZNE elliptical trainer is okay if you are going to buy it at your local sporting goods store and do not have alternatives, but if you are internet shopping, you can buy at least a dozen models that offer better quality and even come with free shipping.