The best under-desk treadmills are a great way to keep moving while working. These walking pads often don't have handlebars, so they can slide out of the way when not in use, and you can take a stroll at your desk to keep your legs moving.
They're similar to the best treadmills, but reach lower top speeds (often around 3 miles per hour) and aren't designed for intense workouts. Instead, they're a good way to get some steps in and keep blood flowing to avoid hours of sitting.
Although you can place them anywhere in your home, they work best when pared with one of the best standing desks. That way, you can raise your work devices to eye level, avoiding stooping when walking.
To help you find the right model for your home, we put the best under-desk treadmills to the test, seeing how easy they were to set up and store away, and whether they're durable enough for every day use.
Our top pick is the Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 which we offered the best blend of features and comfort for your money. But that's not your only option, as we've rounded up our favorite under-desk treadmills worthy of a spot in your office.
Quick list
The Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 is affordable, easy to install, and comes with a foldable handlebar for stability. It has a high top speed of 5mph, a built-in LCD screen for workout metrics, and a companion smartphone app for recording your sessions.
The WalkingPad P1 doesn’t have a screen to show you your pace, distance, and time on the treadmill itself, but still delivers a great experience at a lower price than most rivals.
The WalkingPad A1 Pro can be folded in half and easily stowed away. It comes with a in-built display for metrics, and also works in manual and automatic modes and there's companion app for tracking your stats.
The GoPlus 1HP Walking Treadmill offers impressive specs for its low price, and it has 12 built-in workout programs that automatically change the speed of the treadmill as you walk, pushing you to pick up the pace as you work.
The WalkingPad C2 blends the integrated display from the A1 Pro with the compact, foldable design found on the P1. It doesn't feel as premium as the A1 Pro, with a more plastic feeling body, but a reasonable 3.7mph top speed.
Best under-desk treadmill overall
The Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 under-desk treadmill is affordable, easy to install (you just need to plug it in), and has a small handlebar for when you pick up the speed. It has a top speed of 5mph, making it one of the fastest under-desk treadmills we've tested, so it's ideal if you're into brisk indoor walks.
We found it was pretty easy to use — there’s an LCD screen at the top of the treadmill that shows you your pace, calories, distance walked, and time, plus you can connect the treadmill to the Kinomapp app on your phone via Bluetooth.
And because it has that Bluetooth connection, you can stream music from your phone to the treadmill's built-in speakers, so you can listen to music, podcasts or meetings as you take an indoor stroll, either with your arms by your side or you can unfold the handlebar for something to hold on to.
You can adjust the speed using the included remote control, which comes on a wristband that you can wear as you walk, or by the phone app. There are also six pre-set programs you can choose to follow, but we found these a little confusing, and all very similar.
The downside with this treadmill is the smaller belt, which might not be suitable for taller users. Our tester was 5'2" and found that when she wasn’t concentrating on walking, she tripped on the side panels once or twice, so taller users might need to look at something like the WalkingPad A1 Pro or WalkingPad C2.
- Read our full Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0 Treadmill review
Best value under-desk treadmill
WalkingPad makes several great under-desk treadmills, but the P1 is the most budget-friendly option in its range. It doesn't have a display for your workout metrics, and the motor is a little less powerful than others in the lineup, but it's a great option for the price.
It can be folded in half for easy storage, but since it has a fairly short power cord (six feet), you'll need to position it somewhere near an electrical outlet. And, despite the lack of a built-in display, you can adjust the settings with the remote, which has a small screen.
In theory, the motor is a little louder than on other WalkingPad models, but we couldn't notice the difference, and it's not noisy enough to disturb others. The companion smartphone app was a little buggy, although an update appeared to resolve most of our issues during testing.
It's actually surprisingly similar to WalkingPad A1 Pro, our favorite foldable under-desk treadmill, but this model is $200 cheaper. Of course, you do miss out on a few things — the A1 Pro has a quieter, more powerful motor and it comes with a display — but performance-wise, they're a pretty close match.
- Read our full WalkingPad P1 review
Best folding under-desk treadmill
The WalkingPad A1 Pro has a foldable design, so you can easily store it away between uses, making it a great option if you're tight on space or need it out of sight when not in use. But that's not all it has going for it, as the higher maximum weight limit (300 lbs) means its also the best under-desk treadmill for heavy users.
The machine is fast to set up, has a remote control, and a screen on the front for workout metrics like distance walked, time, and speed. There are two modes; manual and automatic. In manual mode, you change the speed using the remote or KS Fit app on your smartphone.
In automatic mode, the belt speeds up or slows down depending on where you position yourself. Walk closer to the front, it speeds up; walk closer to the back, it slows down. Whichever mode you use, the treadmill is fairly quiet too.
During testing, we found the sound of the plastic end of our shoelaces hitting the belt during a walk was louder than the belt and motor in operation. While we’d still recommend a set of workout headphones if you plan to walk while you’re on a call, the noise won’t disturb people in other rooms of the house.
Overall, this is a great option, although during testing we did find that the KS Fit app was a little glitchy, which was irritating. If you’re not all that bothered about recording your work walks, however, don’t let this put you off.
- Read our full WalkingPad A1 Pro review
Best budget under-desk treadmill
The GoPlus 1HP Walking Treadmill is the most affordable under-desk treadmill we've tested, but you wouldn't guess that from its performance, which matches far more expensive machines like those from WalkingPad.
It's great if you're looking to push a little harder when walking, as there are 12 built-in programs. These automatically change the speed of the treadmill as you walk across 30 minutes, helping you pick up the pace as you work.
The treadmill also comes ready assembled, and located at the front of the treadmill is an easy-to-read LED touchscreen that displays time, speed, distance, and calories burned when using the tread. Plus, it has speed controls if you don't have the remote control nearby.
The downside here is that both the treadmill and the belt are pretty noisy. We found during testing that the belt was one of the loudest, and that the treadmill emitted a loud beep every time it turned on, or changed speed (we couldn’t find a way to turn this beep down).
If you’re working alone, this might not bother you too much, but if you’re planning on walking in an apartment block, or while other people are sleeping, you might want to look at some of the other options on this list.
- Read our full GoPlus 1HP Walking Treadmill review
Best compact under-desk treadmill
The WalkingPad C2 is one of the most compact under-desk treadmills we've tested. At just 32.5 x 21.5 x 5 inches, it's the smallest in our round up, but that doesn't make it any less effective for your walking workouts.
However, it does mean that the weight of the motor, platform, and other components are less distributed, so the treadmill feels heavier than others, even though it's actually lighter than the Bluefin Fitness Task 2.0, so unpack with care.
But once it's out of the packaging, you just need to plug it in to get going. You can reach up to 3.7 miles per hour, which is a fairly brisk walk, but you'd need a full size treadmill for a run. The belt was comfortable and you can't even notice the join in the middle of the platform where the machine folds.
There's support for WalkingPad's smartphone app too, although our thoughts on that remain the same here: it's fun to join challenges and track your progress, but it doesn't feel like a premium, well-thought out experience and can be buggy at times.
Still, that minor drawback aside, the WalkingPad C2 is an excellent option if you need something a little smaller for your space without compromising on the performance. And although it doesn't have the extras you'd find on the A1 Pro, if you just want to stretch your legs at work, this is a great machine.
Though if you're not sure on which of brand's machines would suit you best, we've put together a comparison between the WalkingPad P1, C2 and A1 Pro.
- Read our full WalkingPad C2 review
Also tested
How we test the best under-desk treadmills
Each of our testers used the treadmills in their homes, walking on them during work. We used the treadmills with a standing desk, to see how easy it was to walk when typing, as well as during phone calls and meetings, to see how disruptive it was for our coworkers.
As these walking treadmills are designed for your home, we checked how easy they were to assemble, and if they even needed it. Plus, we tried wheeling, folding and moving them out of the way between sessions to see if it was practical, comfortable and safe.
Several under-desk treadmills also come with Bluetooth, so we connected our phones, played music through built-in speakers and synced our workouts to available companion apps. Importantly, we tried using the remote controls and on-device controls to see how easily you can change the speed.
How to choose the best under-desk treadmill
The best under-desk treadmill for your home needs to fit into your space and either be fast or quiet enough (or both) for you to use regularly. If you work from home regularly and juggle office and living space, you'll need a machine that'll move out of the way easily.
Under-desk treadmills are a lot better for this than the larger standard treadmills, but it's still important to find one that you can move safely when you're done. Some models fold, most have wheels, and others (like the WalkingPad C2) are designed to fold into smaller packages for storage.
If you plan to take work calls while walking, then you'll need to make sure the motor doesn't generate too much noise and that the belt itself isn't too loud. The models we've included were all pretty quiet and wouldn't make themselves known, but if you're worried, most noise canceling headphones can block background noises on calls as well.
The majority of under-desk treadmills only reach brisk walking speeds, generally up to around 4 miles per hour. If you want to get a jog on, you'll need a full-sized treadmill (although comact models are available). If you're not sure on what it'll be like to switch your set up, here are the things our fitness editor wished she'd known before adding a walking treadmill to her office.
FAQs
Are under-desk treadmills effective?
Like any piece of fitness equipment, an under-desk treadmill is only effective if you use it, but research has shown that they work in helping people to burn more calories as well as producing other positive mental and physical health outcomes.
A systematic review of 13 studies undertaken in 2021, published in the journal BMC Public Health, looked at the effectiveness of under-desk treadmills found that they increased energy expenditure and reduced sitting time compared with conventional desks.
Having such easy access to a treadmill removes one of the main barriers to being more active each day. While under-desk treadmills are not the best machine to buy if you’re looking to get really fit — you can burn more calories and increase your fitness more effectively with a traditional treadmill or an exercise bike — they are an effective way to increase your activity levels.
Are under-desk treadmills worth it?
Under-desk treadmills are best-suited to low-impact, low-intensity activities, like gentle walks and uphill strolls. They're a great way to move your body throughout the day, especially if you have a desk-based job.
To get the most benefit, you'd need to pair the under-desk treadmills with one of the best standing desks, as you can adjust your workstation to the correct height so that you don't have to slouch or bend over.
They're not very versatile machines, though. Unlike regular treadmills, they can't pull double-duty for high-intensity runs, although they do store away easier since they don't have large displays or handlebars.
Should I buy an under-desk treadmill or a treadmill?
Whether you opt for a walking pad or a treadmill depends on your use case. Treadmills, like you'd find at the gym, are larger, more expensive, and much more feature-rich.
hey have handles and often built-in screens that show exercise classes you can follow, and treadmills have a much higher top speed (usually 8-12mph) than under-desk treadmills, along with a large incline range to simulate uphill and even downhill running. Treadmills also have bigger motors to power all these features.
If you’re a keen runner looking to do your training at home, a treadmill is the better buy, but you will have to spend more and think about where you’re going to put it — even a folding treadmill is not as compact as an under-desk treadmill that lies completely flat.
Under-desk treadmills are more convenient and cheaper, and if you’re aiming to rack up some steps through brisk walks they are a great option. They also run more quietly than treadmills, so you can use them for walking during meetings — in general under-desk treadmills are better for multitasking during your walk.
Then once you’re done an under-desk treadmill is thinner, lighter and much easier to tuck away somewhere than a full home treadmill.
How long should you walk on an under-desk treadmill?
Walking on an under-desk treadmill is a moderate-intensity activity that shouldn’t make you too tired or sweaty, so you can use it for long stretches each day to help hit your overall activity targets. The US Department of Health recommends that adults do 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week, and you could certainly use an under-desk treadmill to help hit that goal.
If you’re looking to hit 10,000 steps a day, that’s usually about 90 to 120 minutes of walking depending on your speed, and using an under-desk treadmill is a great way to get extra steps done during the day even if you don’t do all 10,000 on the machine.
How long you spend on the treadmill will also depend on your current fitness, and if you are very active already you could spend most of your working day walking, while those who are newer to fitness might be better off limiting their use to 30-minute spells.
Can you lose weight using an under-desk treadmill?
You can use an under-desk treadmill to lose weight. Just like any activity, walking on an under-desk treadmill burns calories and if you adjust your lifestyle so that you consistently end up in a calorie deficit — where you’re burning more than you consume — then you will probably start to lose weight over time.
However, if weight loss is your main aim, bear in mind that walking on an under-desk treadmill is not going to burn as many calories as higher-intensity activities like running, cycling or playing sports.
The amount of calories you burn while walking depends on your own physiology and the speed you’re walking — if you wear one of the best smartwatches with a heart-rate monitor you can get more accurate info on the calories you’re burning during an activity.
To lose weight you also need to consider your diet and other lifestyle factors, but walking on an under-desk treadmill is certainly a good way to add extra activity into periods of the day when most people are usually sedentary, and that will support your weight loss efforts.
What is the weight limit on an under-desk treadmill?
You can see in our round-up that under-desk treadmills will usually have a max user weight of at least 220lbs, with some machines having a higher limit of 300lbs. Generally the more you pay the sturdier the machine you get, and a higher weight limit as a result.
If you need a higher max weight then it might be worth looking at one of the best treadmills instead, because they are larger and more robust machines that often have weight limits of 300-400lbs.
Can you put an under-desk treadmill on carpet?
Unlike full-size treadmills, under-desk models are a lot lighter and so shouldn't have any issues on carpet. Most also have rubberized feet to distribute the weight and improve stability. However, these can leave indentations in your carpet, so if you want to protect your flooring, you can roll out an exercise mat or yoga mat.
