November 21, 2009
- Pasco, Washington
Infomercial Exercisers: Which Ones Work?
By Heather Reese
Infomercials pitch all kinds of products. You can't miss ones for exercise equipment that promises to get you looking great in no time. Consumer Reports just put nine to the test. Some promise a cardiovascular workout. Others claim to strengthen your abs.
While panelists worked out, Consumer Reports testers measured their muscle activity and the number of calories burned. And they compared the workout the panelists got on a standard treadmill with that of using nothing more than a floor mat. The $100 Ab Rocket proved slightly less effective than traditional ab exercises. Even less effective—the $230 Rock 'n Go. None of the panelists who tried it said they'd buy it. Two of the cardiovascular exercisers gave a pretty good workout. The $200 CardioTwister and the $80 Rock 'n Roll Stepper burned about the same number of calories as walking briskly on a flat treadmill. The Bowflex TreadClimber turned out to be even more effective. Consumer Reports found walking on the TreadClimber at the highest speed burns about the same amount of calories as running on a treadmill at six miles per hour. But the panelists had to really concentrate to stay on the belts. And the Bowflex TreadClimber is also the most expensive machine in the tests—$2,500. Consumer Reports says that before you buy any exercise equipment, ask about return policies and be wary of promises such as a 30-day money-back guarantee. That sounds good, but returning the product won't be easy if it's heavy or bulky. |
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