Also known as elliptical bikes or elliptical trainers, cross trainers have been increasingly popular over the last few years.
They are popular because they provide a good cardio workout, they are easy to use and they allow a cardio activity without impact as opposed to running on a treadmill.
Even the best treadmills featuring the most ingenious cushioning system will not be able to fully absorb the impact on your knees.
With a cross trainer machine, there is no impact. And that’s great for you knees! 🙂We have selected 3 cross trainer machines from £500 to £1,000 that we think are really worth considering.
Our Selection
The NordicTrack SE5i is a very good elliptical bike, probably the best they’ve ever manufactured from our opinion.
Like his big brother the SE7i, the SE5i let you select what workout you want using the 24 built-in workouts designed by certified personal trainers.
The Se5i is also a beast of a machine though, and like for pretty much all elliptical bikes (like with the Se7i) you’ll need to make sure that you have sufficient space around the machine.
Currently at £699.00 from the official NordicTrack online store, it makes it a strong cross trainer option for this budget. In fact, it’s exceptional value for money!
Key Specs
The JTX TRI-FIT packs a gym quality workout into an outstanding incline cross trainer.
JTX has well established fitness equipment brand and has been on the market for almost 10 years.
The 16 to 20” adjustable stride length, independently adjustable incline, smooth drive resistance and advanced computer will deliver outstanding fitness results. By training on an incline you will engage your core and glutes as well as increase the calorie burn and cardio benefit. Very easy to adjust the stride of this machine.
Crucially the incline adjustment is independent of the stride length. This means you can increase the incline on your cross trainer without reducing stride length. Combining the incline, resistance and long stride length makes this the ideal cross trainer for weight-loss and improving fitness.
This compact crosstrainer features 18 decent programs and a heavy enough flywheel (17kg), this makes the JTX TRI-FIT an excellent choice for less than £700.
Key Specs
The NordicTrack SE7i is a very good elliptical bike, probably the best they’ve ever manufactured from our opinion.
Whether it’s weight loss or high-intensity incline, you are able to select what workout you want using the 24 built-in workouts designed by certified personal trainers.
This crosstrainer from Nordictrack even features a 0 to 10% incline to target your quads, calves, glutes and intensifying your training for better results. Being able to incline your elliptical can be handy when it comes to ‘feel the burn’. And you’ll feel it for sure!
The Se7i is a beast of a machine though, and like for pretty much all elliptical bikes (especially with the Se7i) you’ll need to make sure that you have sufficient space around the machine.
currently at £899.00 from the official NordicTrack online store, it makes it a strong cross trainer option for this budget. In fact, it’s exceptional value for money!
Key Specs
The versatility of the ProForm 695 CSE cross trainer makes it a strong option to consider.
Indeed, this cross trainer is packed with goodies: Foldable, CoolAire fans, a good stride length (18″), 24 workout apps, 20 digital resistance levels and features a 0 to 10% power adjustable incline.
With a quick adjustment, its ramp adjusts your incline, allowing you to focus on specific muscle groups.
The transport wheels are good enough and you will be able to store it easily wherever you want to.
It is actually the same cross trainer as the NordicTrack Se7i that we also included in our top 3, but the price tag (£100 cheaper than the Se7i) makes the ProForm 695 CSE our favourite choice.
The only negative: its lack of a wireless heart rate monitor and sometimes, it can make it inconvenient. Not a big deal as the contact grip sensors do the job correctly.
A part from that, it’s a fantastic cross trainer we recommend for its price!
Key Specs
The JTX Zenith is a brilliant cross trainer, you could almost compare it to a gym cross trainer.
JTX has well established fitness equipment brand and has been on the market for almost 10 years.
This machine comes with 12 pre-programmed workouts such as heart rate training programs including the proven HIIT technique (interval intensity).
Although this cross trainer features less digital resistance than the 2 other cross trainers we have selected (Proform 695 CSE and the NordicTrack Se7i), it remains acceptable as the 19 digital level of resistance are more than enough to work out your calves and tights muscles.
The built-in workouts are great for beginners also, very easy to use. This is a great cross trainer for both beginners and experimented cross trainer users.
It features ergonomic hand grips including heart rate sensors to pick up your pulse while excising.
Finally, we like the 3 year guarantee as that tells you a lot about the confidence of JTX towards their Zenith cross trainer.
It’s worth noting that the Zenith can accommodate up to 165 Kg (26 stones).
The only downside (if you can call it a ‘downside’), you won’t be able to find a bottle holder which is a bit silly, but a part from that, the CrossTech XTR is a brilliant elliptical bike.
If you have a budget of under £1,000 and are looking for a gym quality-like cross trainer for home, you are definitely making the right choice with the JTX Zenith Cross Trainer.
Key Specs
Our Verdict
The below home crosstrainers have been reviewed further down, but if you want to skip the review bit, here is our top 3 and our favourite:
JTX TRI-FIT CROSSTRAINER

NordicTrack SpaceSaver SE5i

ProForm Smart Strider 695 CSE

How to choose an elliptical bike or crosstrainer