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When it’s ridiculously wet and cold outside, or you’re unable to get out of the door for whatever reason, a treadmill is a convenient way to tick off your training session. But with most of the best treadmills on the market retailing for over £1,000, suddenly the convenience of these running machines comes with an almighty price tag. Not to mention, we're not all fortunate enough to have an extra room or a garage (Londoner over here) in which to house a treadmill or turn into a home gym.
Enter then, the JTX Slimline treadmill for just £599. This affordable tread can fold down almost completely flat and be stood up against a wall using the foldable stands. So, if you’re short on space, look this way, because the JTX Slimline could be the best folding treadmill you've been looking for.
As a 12-time marathoner who runs five times a week, I've been putting the JTX Slimline through its paces (quite literally) to help you decide if it's the right machine for you. Here's the lowdown.
What everyone's reading
Product specs
| Dimensions | 158(l) x 73(w) x 26.5(h)cm |
|---|---|
| Belt size | 122cm x 45cm |
| Maximum speed | 16kph |
| Maximum user weight | 100kg |
| Warranty | 2-years |
JTX Slimline Treadmill: Set-up and key features
While the JTX Slimline comes ready-assembled in the box, setting it up is almost a workout in itself, involving unfolding the treadmill and loosening and tightening several screws. It's surprisingly heavy to lift and maneuverer, too, so you'll definitely want to rope in a friend or a partner to help you. A word of advice: read the instruction manual. Simply plugging the machine in won't turn it on – you'll need to insert a key into the front of the motor and flick a switch to power it up.
Size wise, the JTX Slimline has a 122 x 45cm running deck, which makes it one of the smallest treadmills I’ve tested – convenient if you live in a small house or flat and are limited on space. For taller runners, though, the belt is noticeably shorter and may not be sufficient for longer strides.
The JTX Slimline has a top speed of 16kph – that's roughly a 3:45 min/km pace or 6:03 min/mile. While this will be more than fast enough for beginner to intermediate runners, for advanced athletes, or anyone looking to run short, rapid intervals, you're probably going to need a machine with a slightly higher top speed (ideally around 19kph). Plus, there is no incline feature.
The treadmill comes with 40 pre-set workout programs, which will automatically adjust your pace based on your chosen workout. If you want to up the duration of each pre-set workout, you can do this easily by pressing the speed +/- buttons. Again, pre-set workouts wouldn't be suitable for advanced athletes as they're basic and relatively low level.
If you're not a fan of any of the pre-set workouts, creating your own is simple and you're able to customise the speed during each segment. However, you can't save any workouts you've created, so you'll have to start from scratch each time – this is quite frustrating, but at under £600, can you really expect the world from the JTX Slimline?
Silver linings, though: it does have the ability to connect your to phone and interact with the machine through different running apps. What's more, it comes with a two-year In Home Repair Warranty.
JTX Slimline Treadmill: Performance
Generally, the cheaper the machine, the more flimsy you'd expect the belt to be, and the faster and nosier the motor. But that's simply not the case here. In fact, the JTX Slimline is probably one of the quietest treadmills I've tested. The exception is if you're using a device in the tablet/phone holder – here, there were some rattling noises, since the device isn't held in that securely. The belt isn't the most sturdy I've ran on, either — especially at top speeds where the machine does rattle slightly — but it's by no means flimsy or unstable.
The water bottle holder is located on the left hand side of the machine. It's easy to reach, but not so easy to put back in the holder as the frame obstructs its view. If you're running at speed, you'll need to jump onto the sides of the treadmill to put your bottle back in the holder.
Onto the screen: it's bright and easy to read. The speed buttons are located on the right handle which makes them easy to adjust. However, it can take a while to get to the speed you want as the machine only goes up in 0.1 increments, and the belt also takes a few seconds to catch up with the speed shown on the screen. There are also no quick-access buttons, so if you were hoping to smash out a rapid interval session (think Barry's Bootcamp-style), you may be disappointed.
On the left handle, there's a start and stop button. I personally didn't find these any easier to use than the on-screen start/stop.
Heart rate sensors displayed on the screen are also clear and easy to read, as are the display switches from calories to heart rate and distance to time.
Unlike the Domyos Run500 (which retails for £100 more than the JTX Slimline), the screen doesn't displace your pace in min/km or min/miles – it only displays the speed you're running in km/hour. This means you'll need a treadmill pace conversion chart if you're looking to hit specific splits. Another thing to note is that if you're just pressing 'Go' and running, I didn't find the distance the treadmill suggested I'd covered particularly accurate in relation to the speed I was actually running at or the distance clocked on my Garmin Fenix 7. If you don't have a GPS running watch, or you haven't consulted a pace conversion chart, this may be an issue.
Finally, once you've reached the end of your run, the only way to see your workout summary screen is to pause the workout just before it ends, as a summary screen isn't shown once your workout has ended. This is a pretty annoying feature, especially if you've got your head down for one final push.
RW verdict
With its slim, compact design and foldability, the JTX Slimline Treadmill is definitely an ideal option for smaller spaces. However, it's worth noting that its manual process to fold down means it might not be accessible for everyone.
If you're a beginner to intermediate runner, the JTX Slimline will fit the bill for you, reaching speeds of 3:45 min/km or 6:03 min/mile. And at £599, it's an absolute steal — just don't expect all the extra bells and whistles that come with higher end machines, as well as the on-screen analytics or sturdiness of the frame.
Advanced athletes looking for a wider range of workout programs or a machine with incline options would benefit from spending slightly more.
Shop the JTX Slimline treadmill
Alternatives
Training for a trail race? For £100 more than the JTX Slimline, Decathlon's Domyos Run500 treadmill can go up to a 10% incline. The display screen is better, too, showing time, distance, speed, pace, incline, calories and BPM all at once. It's also only marginally bigger than the JTX Slimline and folds down for easy storage.
> Read our full Domyos Run500 review <
Or, for around the £1,000 mark, the Echelon Stride has an impressive top speed of 19.3 km/hour, despite its motor being on the smaller side when compared to the other treadmills we've tested.
Jodie is our Health and Fitness product tester. She runs tests on a wide variety of products, including gym leggings, walking boots, fitness trackers and more. Jodie has managed the testing for 577 products to date, including working with over 600 panellists.
