Last Updated on May 24, 2021 by Jeff
Treadmill Overview:
The the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill is the runner up for the Treadmill Doctor Best Buy designation in its price range – but it could easily have taken first place. At this price point, you are getting a strong, durable, and affordable treadmill with some great features. This Merit treadmill has a strong steel frame with an unmatchable lifetime warranty.
The motors provides running speeds from 0-10 mph and the AEROsoft cushioning system allows you to exercise without hip, knee and ankle pain. The large LED display provides readouts of exercise data like time, distance, speed, calories burned and heart rate. Additionally, it also provides four great fat burning programs to break up the monotony of your workout. When you’re all done exercising, the foldable design allows you to easily store the 715T Plus Treadmill nearly anywhere.
Click here to see the price of the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill on Amazon.
Technical Info:
Dimensions:
- Height: 52”
- Width: 29”
- Length: 61”
- Running surface: 18”x47”
- Item weight: 132 lbs
- Max user weight: 250 lbs
Features:
- Durable steel frame with 250 lb weight capacity and a lifetime warranty.
- 2.5 HP motor provides smooth power at all speeds so even heavy walkers can enjoy steady belt motion underfoot.
- AEROsoftTM cushioning system below the belt isolates feet and legs from shock and provides a comfortable, healthy run every day.
- Speed from 0 to 10 mph and incline up to 5% so that you can customize your workout intensity.
- Space saving, easy-fold design won’t take up space when not in use.
Computer Features:
- 3 window LED display.
- 4 built-in programs.
- Manual
- Intervals
- Rolling Hills
- Weight Loss
- Display readouts include:
- Time
- Distance
- Speed
- Calories
- Pulse
Warranty:
- Frame: Lifetime
- Motor: 1 yr
- Electronics & Parts: 90 days
- Labor: 90 days
Shipping and Assembly:
Shipping costs will vary for the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill depending on where you purchase from and what type of delivery you prefer. However, some retailers, such as Amazon.com, will provide free shipping.
The 715T Plus Treadmill does not come assembled, but the process is very easy. There are basically only four steps and the treadmill comes with a useful instruction manual to walk you through the process. Total assembly should only take about 45 minutes.
What We Love About the 715T Plus Treadmill:
Durability & Warranty
The Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill is a strong, durable, well-built treadmill that is going to take a beating. Just looking at this treadmill, you can tell that its steel frame is strong and the machine itself is well put together. It has a weight capacity of 250 lbs, which is typical of other treadmills in this price range. What isn’t typical, however, is the lifetime frame warranty. You’ll be lucky to get a frame warranty over a year at this price point. It shows us that Merit Fitness stands behind their construction of the 715T Plus Treadmill. Compare this treadmill to the ProForm ZT4 Treadmill.
Other Considerations:
Incline
Honestly, it’s hard to find things we don’t like about the Merit 715T Plus Treadmill. But if we’re going to nitpick, we’ll start with the incline. It does have the capability to incline up to 5%, but the incline must be set manually. Merit Fitness provides three manual incline settings on 715 T Plus Treadmill. While have automatic controls is definitely preferable, we don’t you will be able to find a treadmill in this price range that provides it. This is a drawback of probably all treadmills you can compare to the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill.
Workout Programs
Another slightly negative feature of the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill is the number of workout programs that are on the computer. Again, this treadmill does have four programs that simulate rolling hills and intervals, as well as programs for weight loss and a program to manually customize settings. While this is nice, it’s a little less than what competitors provide. For example, check out our review of the Confidence Fitness GTR Power Pro which provides 12 workout programs.
Final Word on the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill:
In the $400 price range, the Merit Fitness 715T Plus Treadmill is an excellent buy. For the solid construction and lifetime frame warranty alone, it’s a great buy. You also get a good top speed of 10 mph and the ability to incline to intensify your workouts. While you do have to deal with a manual incline and only four workout programs, this is a common drawback to most treadmills in this price range.