Why it's best: The Stairmaster name is pretty much synonymous with stair climbing machines, so it’s really no surprise to see one of their machines at the top of the list. Stairmaster has been producing commercial quality stair climbers for a quarter of a century and the SC916 is a great culmination of all of that experience.
The pedals move independently and the range of movement is bio-mechanically and ergonomically designed – what that means in laymen’s terms is that there is no undue stress put onto any part of your body through the course of your workout. You can get an incredibly intense workout, but you’ll be comfortable throughout.
There are ten pre-programmed workouts including fat burning and interval options and the speed is adjustable from a very light warm up all the way to a lighting fast 174 steps per minute ensuring that athletes of every level will get the workout they need. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: The ST-2200 is a rock solid machine that is practically silent during operation. The self leveling pedals that operate independently ensure that riders of all sizes performing at varying levels of intensity will find the stride that is the most comfortable for them.
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The LCD monitor is easy to read and packed with a good variety pre-programmed workouts and a number of motivational and workout tracking statistics like: calories burned, distance and heart rate. Users also have the ability to generate programs of their own to ensure that their training is focused on the results that they want. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: This is a “stair mill” machine that really mimics the actual act of climbing steps a little closer than most pedal machines. Step mills tend to be a little more costly than regular stair climbers but they do have definite benefits – the Step Right Up has very natural and comfortable feel for users of all heights and the speed is adjustable up to a very quick 120 steps per minute.
The console doesn’t have an excessive amount of features, but in terms of natural range of motion this machine is tough to match. For anyone looking to get the benefits of climbing stairs coupled with the true feeling of the actual act, the Step Right Up is the obvious choice. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: The P Series from Star Trac has a ton of innovative and interesting features to keep your workout interesting: users can choose the steps of world famous landmarks/locations for their workout like the Eiffel Tower or the Empire Sate Building. There are plenty of pre-programmed workouts to choose from like: muscle specific, fat burning and interval routines and the easy to read console has plenty of workout statistics to scroll through.
The P Series is quiet and comfortable, but the real allure is in all of the extra features that you simply won’t find on any other machine. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: Kettler makes high quality fitness equipment that is built to last and though they aren’t necessarily known for producing stair climbers, the Power Stepper could change that. The Power Stepper is small enough to fit in just about any home/apartment, but the feel is still very stable.
Industrial strength hydraulics provide 12 different very smooth levels of resistance to ensure a good workout to athletes of all levels and the single handlebar is completely padded offering any number of grip possibilities to ensure every user finds the most comfortable position. This is one of the most affordable steppers in the top five, but you won’t sacrifice any comfort or quality by choosing the Power Stepper. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Would love to have one of these...but out of my price range.
What about some of the lower priced ones? Anyone rated them lately?