Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let me just say that whomever it was that "wrote" the instructions for this machine should have his brain donated to science. The fact that this "person" can breathe and write at the same time is an amazing accomplishment! The second person that should win 'drunkest employee of the year', is the genius that came up with the "all-in-one" tools that you use to put the machine together. They are neat looking, yes, but functional? NO. If and when you buy this machine, remember to have a socket set handy, or a sledge hammer. The reason you ask? The center of the "all-in-one" tool-set is a hole that is supposed (in theory) to tighten bolts on the bottom of the foot-pedals. Problem is, there are a bunch of metal posts that stick up beside the bolt head, thus making the tightening of the bolt head next to impossible (you can get it to turn, but only in 1/8th of an inch, turns). The machine itself: The machine is expertly packed and it got here in two days...it looks sharp and expensive, which is odd considering it costs less than machines sold at wal-mart. If you have read any of the reviews of other "cheap" model ellipticals, you will know that most, if not all, do more harm than good. They often-times injure folks with back or joint problems, as they do not produce a low-impact workout. Some fall apart after a few sessions and some never worked properly in the first place. None of this is true with the Exerpeutic 1000Xl. It is an amazing elliptical (this coming from someone who has done over 2 years collectively of OT with ellipticals), in that it's as smooth as a Nordic Track model priced 3X as high. It produces a smooth and consistent motion, making it super easy on my bad joints. It's tension settings really works well, making each consecutive level seem like a consistent progression in resistance. And when it says that it can handle heavy-set folks, it means it. It feels very sturdy and safe, so much so, that I found my kids hanging off one side, after I unpacked it, but it never even tilted. The computer interface works very well, with a scrolling read-out of the amount of time spent on the machine, the amount of calories burned, speed and distance...not to mention the really cool heart-rate monitor that is accurate to +-1 (I checked it against my hospital grade monitor) - plus it only activates when you get on the machine and has an auto-shutdown. All in all, this is a great machine, with no faults sans the "drunk engineers" that put together the directions and the multi-tool. Having a pair of pliers or a socket set will definitely help you with the installation...and some patience with the directions, might not hurt.