Compact ellipticals for small spaces
Floor area in square metres, not marketing words: what each elliptical takes in a bedroom or a corner of the living room.
2 great fits and 1 good ones, out of 5 models.
"Compact" means nothing on an elliptical's listing: there are "compact" ones 1.80 m long. Here we count square metres of floor (length × width) and nothing else.
For reference: a large bath mat is 0.5 m²; a single bed, 1.7 m². Under 0.8 m² an elliptical fits in a bedroom corner; up to 1 m² it fits in a living room without being in the way.
Watch what the footprint leaves out: you need about 50 cm clear behind (or in front, depending on the drive) to get on and off, and ceiling height, which eats far more than it seems. If you are over 1.80 m, see the tall users page too.
The ones we recommend for this
Derived from the data- + Floor mat:BalanceFrom mat 76 × 152 cmcovers it fully
- + Floor mat:BalanceFrom mat 76 × 152 cmcovers it fully
- + Floor mat:BalanceFrom mat 76 × 152 cmcovers it fully
The verdict for each model
Derived from the data| Model | Verdict | In uselength × width × height | Floor area | Foldedlength × width × height | Max user weight | Cushioning | Stride | Ceiling needed | Resistance | Machine weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BowFlex Max Trainer M6 | Great fit | 117 × 66 × 163 cm | 0.77 m² | Does not fold | 136 kg | Not needed: no impact, feet stay on the pedals | Vertical (no stride) | Your height + 52 cm | Air and magnetic · 16 levels | 61.7 kg | $999 |
| Sportstech CX608 | Great fit | 122 × 62 × 164 cm | 0.76 m² | Does not fold | 120 kg | Not needed: no impact, feet stay on the pedals | 35 cm | Not published | Magnetic · 8 levels | 39 kg | — |
| Schwinn 411 | Good | 136.6 × 61 × 158.8 cm | 0.83 m² | Does not fold | 136 kg | Not needed: no impact, feet stay on the pedals | 45.7 cm | Not published | Magnetic · 16 levels | 45.4 kg | — |
| Sole E25 | Limited | 177.8 × 61 × 177.8 cm | 1.08 m² | Does not fold | 159 kg | Not needed: no impact, feet stay on the pedals | 50.8 cm | Pedal 35.6 cm off the floor | Magnetic · 20 levels | Not published | — |
| Cecotec Elliptical 9000 EIR Pro | Limited | 165 × 62 × ? cm | 1.02 m² | Does not fold | 130 kg | Not needed: no impact, feet stay on the pedals | 38 cm | Not published | Motorised magnetic | 50.8 kg | — |
- BowFlex Max Trainer M6Great fit
- 0.77 m² of floor (117 cm × 66 cm)
- Front wheels to move it
- Sportstech CX608Great fit
- 0.76 m² of floor (122 cm × 62 cm)
- Schwinn 411Good
- 0.83 m² of floor (136.6 cm × 61 cm)
- Sole E25Limited
- 1.08 m² of floor (177.8 cm × 61 cm)
- 1.02 m² of floor (165 cm × 62 cm)
Frequently asked questions
How much space does an elliptical take?
The compact ones in this guide, between 0.76 and 1.08 m², plus about 50 cm clear to get on and off.
Are there folding ellipticals?
A few, and they usually have short strides. None in this guide folds.