Review for Fold-A-Way Cardio Stepper Exercise Machine

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Just got home with a two year old unit I bought [...] I bought it from a skinny woman who had used it for two years. I set it up home and adjusted the step height under it. After a few minutes I noticed that it had gone down to very short steps again...hmmm. Ah well.. I adjusted it to max and started again, it felt good to start with but the again it went back to short steps. I looked under it and noticed that one of the shocks were leaking. They were also very warm... so I would rate this to "go and find something better,you are wasting your $" category.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

This is an excellent small machine to use in an apartment. Easy to use and works well and quietly.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I find this easy to use and something you can set up in front of the TV so you don't 'forget' to use it. It get the heart rate up for the occassional exerciser. The only thing that is an issue is the display does not shut off without removing batteries, but I think that is a defect on my unit.. but too minor to return.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

It has been working the way I expected so far. According the manual, the display is supposed to go off automatically after a timeout. But it does not happen sometimes. And there is no switch to turn off the display either.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

This stepper was easy enough to assemble, and for its size-very sturdy. I like that is not very wide, so I can easily use it in my small living room and watch TV at the same time. I have gotten some very good workouts using this machine. The unit has wheels on one side, that do not compromse the balance os the base, so it can also be moved without much difficulty unless you are on a thick carpet. It is fairly quiet during operation, unless you step all the way down each time and then the bumper underneath each pedal is heard hitting the metal support.

The height and resistance can be controlled pretty easily too. I like a higher resistance, although for the first minute or so the steps are a little more difficult until the pumps under the pedals have loosened some from the friction. And do not touch them right after the workout as they will be HOT!

I bought this particular stepper because of the interactive display and pulse monitor. These are nice in that you can see your progress. However, the display is supposed to shut off after 4 minutes of non-use. I have not found that to be true on my unit and have resorted to disconnecting the sensor wire from the base after use. (Otherwise I will go through batteries very quickly).

I would recommend this stepper for in-home use.
It can easilly be folded down with the center bar and handles on top of the pedals to store under a bed, or standing up in a closet. However, your bed needs to have a bit of clearance underneath.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Junk!!At first it seems solid. However with a little use it becomes wobbly. The welds break and the anchor points for the gas spring tubes just rip out of the metal tube. Before spending [$] on this find a better quality stepper.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I love this stepper. I use it while watching television. I am very arthritic and find I can use this stepper with very little discomfort. Setup was very easy.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I've had the stepper 2-3 years and I used it fairly often, for 20-45 minutes at a time. Just the other day the piston broke off from the pedal. The metal actually bent and broke so I can't do anything to fix it. I am only 120 lbs and use it for moderate exercise, nothing too strenuous. I will also say that it is a little noisy and not too long after I got it started making a clicking noise when I stepped which I have read in reviews of similar steppers means the shocks wore off. When I lived in a apartment, the people below me complained that they could hear it, so there was a period of time when I couldn't use it at all even with a gym quality mat underneath. It offered a good workout, but it isn't very sturdy and I wish it lasted longer than it did. It is only covered by a one year warranty [...]

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Use the stepper daily while watching TV. This stepper augments other exercise activity but could be a nice stand alone exercise activity for those wanting to maintain or begin. This stepper is studier than I anticipated for the price I paid and storage is also a plus.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Very effective machine to use in a place too small for large exercise equipment.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Can't beat it for the tiny footprint!

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

This product is supposed to turn itself off autonaticaly, but my model does it only occasionally.
I have an instruction book plus an instructional leaflet. Although written in English, I suspect they were written by a foreigner with only a basic knowledge the language. Difficult and contradictory.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I purchased the stepper after reading good reviews about it. I used it at least 3/4 times a week, for about 15/20 minutes at a time between workouts at the gym. Although I found it difficult to get a good cardio workout, I felt my legs were benefiting. However, 3 months after purchasing it, the welded areas began to separate and the bottom eventually snapped off. I was able to return the stepper for a new one (but had to pay for shipping). Hopefully this one will hold up because I like the stepper and its convenience!

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Good machine, good for losing weight, good for the heart, to expensive, sorry.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I used this product to rehab from a leg injury and for a low impact, strength training it was really useful.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

N/A

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I use this in my office to burn calories when I otherwise would be sitting on long phone calls.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Good for anyone who can establish a daily routine.
I started with 50 steps then added 25 every other day, until I felt I had a good number, at this point 250 which I am staying with for a while.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

This is great for a quick workout. I use this when the weather is bad to get some low impact exercise in. Perfect for stress reduction exercise.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I've used this stepper for years, and actually bought a second for "back up", in case it's discontinued some day. It's the best home cardio system I've ever used.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I thoroughly enjoy my new fold away stepper. I prop it up in front of the television and spend the time working out instead of being a couch potato.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

So far, so good! It's easy to use, and very convenient! Now just have to get motivated to use it more often than I am (so far, only a few times since I set it up 2 weeks ago).

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Very easy to use; very easy to put away. Saves a lot of time. I like the strengthening and aerobic workout.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

We keep it at our office and can use it several times a day between clients. Perfect for a small space.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I use this almost on a nightly basis now when I am watching TV. Small profile, yet is great at working my legs! Would recommend this product to anyone looking for something compact, while not compromising on quality.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I use the Fold-A-Way Cardio Stepper 3 times a week for additional cardio workouts to supplement workouts at the gym on strengthening equipment. It's lightweight and easy to move in and out of storage (closet).

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Great aerobic workout when watching TV instead of being a couch potatoe!

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

It is so small that we leave it out all the time. No one can pass by without jumping on and stepping away!

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Small takes up very little space in the room. Seems to be sturdy build and stable to use. When you back off the tension the step peddles do not come up as high.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I put this together by myself and I'm not mechanically inclined.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I bought this for winter exercise. I like to hike, but not in northeastern cold & snow. I also wanted something I could put in my living room, where I can watch the good TV, whilke exercising.

Since a treadmill is not something I want in my living room, this was the next best thing. It feels sturdy (and I am not light) and has a relatively small footprint. I like the feel of resistance without impact, as I have had a serious back injury, It can be rolled on the front end with ease, if you need to move it. I also like the fact that the display is where it can be seen. Models lacking a support post have a display near your feet, which is useless.

At first, it was squeaking very loudly. There is a solution to this. Turn it upside down and you will see a pulley & cable. This is the source of the noise. After lubricating it with white lithium grease, the squeak disappeared.

So, on the whole, I like it and enjoy the workout it provides.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

The equipment is difficult to assemble. After two uses, the computer display quit working. One has to get off the equipment every few minutes to pull the pedals back up enough to be able to keep using it. Not a great piece of workout quipment.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I used this product 2-3 times a week for an average of 30 minutes at a time as part of my plan to get back into shape. At first it worked great, providing a good amount of resistance and I liked the timer display. I saw, however, that the calorie counter/heart rate monitor was off. I have a personal heart rate monitor that I've used for over a year and it is a much more precise tool for the job.So, the electronics on this machine are not tuned correctly, at least on my unit.My girlfriend, weighing in at 108lbs, found that she couldn't use this machine because she herself was too light to be able to get up to pace in order to get a good workout. I didn't have this problem being 215lbs. My problem came when the pedals started to swivel for no reason (it seems the frame was not solid enough to support my weight or the intensity with which I was working out). I figured, since I only paid [$] for it I would just keep using it until it gave.Well, this evening it finally did, but not in the way I expected. There is a "steel" truss that enables the pedals to alternate. It snapped!!! Not at a point of connection, but in a random spot! The hydrolics let me down nice and easy so thankfully I didn't injure myself.All-in-all, I got about 3 or 4 months of use out of it so I don't feel to bad about the money I spent on it. I don't believe that I got a faulty unit, it worked just fine at first. Poor design and shotty manufacturing are responsible in my mind. This product is geared toward people who either work out regularly or are getting back into shape, it should be able to handle the workload.Best use for this product? A prop for someone who wants their friends and family to think they work out. It is very compact, the only positive thing about it. But I don't mean it in a sense that it easily stowes under a bed, just that it doesn't take up a lot of room on the floor.In the future, I will think twice before I buy something from [...]. Very disappointed in this product.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

The product is easy to install. When I want to do some exercise but do not want to waste time driving to the gym, I always turn to the stepper. It works well, and moreover, I do lose weight after only 2 weeks. I really like it! The only problem is that it is somehow a little noisy, but I can bear that.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I researched lots of other pieces of equipment (steppers) and found this one to be the safest and easiest to use. I especially love that you can easily fold it and hide it under a bed and yet it's so quick to just pull it out when you want to workout!

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

We both use this product and find it very useful and easy to store in our basement. We had some trouble balancing the stairs upon setup but besides that it was easy to put together and start using immediatley.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I use the product to exercise for 2 hours while watching a DVD movie. Things great about this machine is it is a space-saving device and gives me my daily dose of exercise. Things that aren't so great was when my visiting health buff bro came noted it steps are slightly not full range of motion. I like the cardio workout I get anyway.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I try to use stepper every day

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

This equipment is compact and looks discreet in the home. Unfortunately, it is difficult to assemble, the computer display quit working after the second use, and it's too difficult to send back. The foot pedals are flat on the ground after a few minutes' use, and one has to get off and pull them back up again to be able to use the equipment. Definitely far, far inferior to gym equipment and inadequate even for home use. It only worked once and was a complete waste of money.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I use this product everyday. It's quick but the steps are hard to get up and down, but it's not a work out at all. I would invest in something else

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

Great for recovery , while not being able to walk
well yet .

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I wanted a stepper to lose weight because I have had much success from using one in the past but I didn't want one that took up a lot of space. My sister purchased a portable stepper that simply has the pedals to stand on, which I thought was a great idea until I tried to use it. Call me a klutz but I couldn't keep my balance on it. When I found this foldable stepper [...]I was extremely excited. It was the same as my sister's except it has handles and I didn't have to strain to see the screen. It's great[...] Here are the problems, though. It's heavy, it doesn't fold up small enough to slide under a normal bed, and you have to wait until the shocks cool after use or else you will get burned trying to fold it. Still, it fits the closet just fine or is small enough to leave out in a room without looking bad. Plus, it works great and I haven't had anything break on it.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

wonderful piece of equipment - compact, easy, effective

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I really like this machine. It is the perfect size to set up in any room; I keep it out all the time.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I love the small footprint of this stepper. It takes such little space, that I never even have to fold it up. I leave it in a corner set up all the time.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

I bought this after reading the reviews. I really needed something small for my small apartment in the winter. It was real easy to put together, but the display was twisted a bit to the left and the bottom hinge to lower the unit up and down left a gap that when the stepper was being used, caused the unit to shake. I put a rolled towel in the gap and that stabilized the unit. I used it a couple of times but it wasn't really what I was looking for (I needed something a bit more sturdy, I put my machines through their paces) heavier use. I ended up giving it away.

Great if you want very light use and something small, not good if you plan on heavy use.

Comments about FOLD AWAY CARDIO STEPPER:

After one month of use, my friends noticed a difference in the shape of my legs. They were trim and slender which I could never achieve by going to the gym