The Sole E55 Elliptical Review -Our Best Overall Value Choice

The Sole E55 elliptical takes the best features from the other popular models in the series and combines them into one machine, giving users a little bit of everything.  

It's their mid-price offering with a compact design and a great warranty, and is our Best Overall Value Elliptical.

If you're looking for something space-friendly with the features and capabilities of a much larger elliptical, this one might just be the perfect cardio machine for you.

Let's jump into our review and see what this one is all about...

Sole E55 - What You Get

The elliptical comes with a large blue backlit LCD console giving you feedback on speed, incline, heart rate, calories, distance and more.  

It has a heavy flywheel for smooth, quiet motion, incline capability and power adjustable stride to match your desired length.

Let's take a look at the Sole E55 elliptical features:

• Eddy current brake resistance
  
• Forward/Reverse motion
• Dual wheel rollers
• 9" LCD screen
• 20" Power Adjustable Stride
• 10 Programs
• 2% inward slope on foot pedals
• 20° adjustable incline
• Chest Strap and Wireless Heart Rate
• MP3 jack + speakers
• Cooling Fan/Water Bottle Holder
• Cushioned, Slip-Resistant Pedals
• 375 lb. user weight capacity
• Dimensions/Weight: 64"H x 71"L x 27"W - 214 lbs.
• Warranty – Lifetime frame, 5 yrs parts & electronics, 2 yrs labor

What's Word on the Street?

Most expert Sole E55 elliptical reviews are positive, as are those from users, which is not surprising as all of the company's machines have been well received over the years.  The company has received many Best Buy awards.

Experts like the solid, heavy-steel construction that gives the feel of an elliptical you'd find at the gym. The drive system is extremely quiet and allows you to work out in both a forward and reverse motion.  It has a very heavy 25 lb flywheel and a high gear ratio, typically found on more expensive models.

The E55 offers most of the same features as the up-level E95 model, in a more compact design. (71" long vs 83")  That's a big difference and a real space saver.

Sole also has a unique pedal design with a 2 degree inward slope which helps to reduce impact on your joints, thus allowing you to work out longer.  The pedals are adjustable, unlike on the E35 model and base E25 model, so you can find the perfect fit.

Users like the oversized pedals, the ability to ramp up the incline and resistance levels right on the handlebars, and the additional comfort features like the cooling fan, the water bottle holder and the music player hookup.

They also appreciate the new Bluetooth wireless capability that allows you to track your workouts via the Sole app and a few other popular fitness apps.

How Does the E55 Compare to the Other Sole Elliptical Machines?

The Sole E55 is in the middle of the pack, with two Sole elliptical models under it and three above it.  All of them are very well made and designed to put you in the ideal position, but you get more features and capabilities as you move up in the lineup.

Let's take a look at all of the models so you can see how the E55 compares to the rest...

The base model in the series is the E25, with a 20" stride, 20 degrees of incline, 20 lb. flywheel, 6.5" LCD display and 350 lb. max weight capacity.  You also get a free wireless chest strap, cooling fans and a sound system.

Moving up you have the E35, which gives you all of the features of the E25 plus a 25 lb. flywheel, 7.5" LCD display and a 375 lb. max weight capacity, as well as 3 position adjustable pedals.

The mid-level E55 is more compact than the rest of the Sole ellipticals, with everything the E35 offers plus a larger 9.0" LCD.  It has the lighter flywheel of the E25 however.

The most popular model, the E95, gives you a 27 lb. flywheel, a 400 lb. max weight capacity, a 10.1" TFT LCD display, as well as 10 position adjustable foot pedals.

One of the newest models, the E95S is essentially the same as the E95, except you get an adjustable 18" to 24" stride instead of the fixed 20" stride of all of the other models.

The top of the line light-commercial E98 improves upon the E95 with a heavy 32 lb. flywheel, additional programming and even more durable, club-quality construction.

So the Sole E55 is the most space friendly elliptical trainer in the lineup, at around 71" in length as opposed to 80" + on all of the other Sole elliptical machines.  yet you still get the heavy max weight capacity and large display of the more advanced models.

The Sole E55 Review - Bottom Line

The E55 is a great elliptical for those who want a quality machine that is built well and won't break the bank.  

At around $1,499 on sale, it has a generous amount of features and capabilities, and will provide years of use with minimal maintenance required.

If you are on the taller side, you might want to look at the E95S model which offers up to a 24" stride.  But keep in mind as we mention above that model is substantially longer, so if space is a concern that might not work for you.

All in all, the Sole E55 elliptical is a Great Buy in the price range.