The ST Fitness 4820 Total Body Trainer

The ST Fitness 4820 Total Body Trainer is from Star Trac, a company that has produced quality commercial ellipticals since 1987. The company recently began developing a budget line of residential machines, but they have a ways to go before they can successfully match cutting costs issues while delivering a reliable product.

What You Get

The console on the ST Fitness 4820 Total Body Trainer features a multi-color LCD display with readouts for Speed, RPM, Distance, Elapsed Time, Calories, Watts, and Heart Rate. The workout programs include 6 Program Profiles, 3 Heart Rate Programs, Constant Watt, 2 Custom Profiles, and a recovery function.

The features of the 4820 TBT include:

• 19.5" Stride Length
• 20 Resistance Levels
• Contact Heart Rate Sensors
• 4.5" Pedal Spacing
• Upper Body Workout Arms
• Front Transport Wheels
• Wt / dimensions: 177 lbs / 62"L x 22"W x 68"H
• 300-lb. User Capacity
• Self-contained Power Supply
• Warranty: lifetime frame, 2 yrs parts, 1 yr wear items & labor

The Word on the Street

UPDATE: As of 2016, it looks like Star Trac is no longer distributing the ST Fitness brand ellipticals.  

For comparable models, take a look at our top picks in the $500-$1000 range as well as the $2000-$3000 range to find a model similarly priced to the whole ST Fitness lineup.

The ST Fitness 4820 features a large 19.5" stride length, telemetric and contact heart rate system, articulating foot pedals, front transportation wheels, and a self-contained power supply.

The double wheels gliding on chrome rails is a plus as that type of drive system makes the unit more stable and ride more smoothly. One bit of advice though, you will need to buy a tube of lubricant along with the machine, and expect to do some frequent maintenance to keep the wheels running quiet.

Users are indicating in elliptical reviews that the self-generating power feature of the 4820 Total Body Trainer does not always keep the LCD display console lit up after pedaling is stopped.

The display should stay on for up to 4 minutes but the screen goes blank immediately. Aside with that glitch in the console power design, owners seem somewhat satisfied with their purchases.

Our Thoughts

Sale priced at $999, the ST Fitness 4820 Total Body Trainer is a beautiful trainer that gets only passable elliptical reviews.

Aside from the console issue and some problems with cheap parts breaking, the stride length at 19.5" will be too long and uncomfortable for smaller women. For a $1,000, we think you can do better than the unproven 4820 TBT.

Check out the Sole E25 or the Spirit EL-5 for a better warranty, console, ergonomics, and foot pedal design.

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