One of the first things people look for when buying an elliptical trainer is price. When shopping, it helps to know the 3 main price categories of elliptical machines and what you can expect to find in each price range.

This will help you decide exactly what you need to spend (and it may just save you some money!) So here's the lowdown on elliptical trainer prices:

Economy:

Economy elliptical trainers usually range from $300 to $1000. These kind of trainers are not usually suited for heavier persons or frequent use. They also may not be too stable if you decide to pick up your pace while working out.

The quality of economy ellipticals does vary across the board. Some economy machines offer higher quality construction. Others well, break down or emit an annoyingly high pitched squeak after a week of use - don't laugh, it happened to me.

Economy ellipticals usually offer very short warranties (i.e. 90 days) if they offer a warranty at all. The warranty tells you something about the quality of parts.

Economy trainers tend to last from 6 months to 5 years depending on frequency of use, quality of parts and how the machine is cared for.

Mid-Priced:

Mid-priced crosstrainers usually range from $1000 - $2000 and are in a much higher quality class than economy units. Mid-priced elliptical trainers could also be viewed as 'high quality home machines' and are more than adequate for most home users.

Many mid-priced models also offer higher user weight capacities and a highly stable base so they would suit a heavier user or more frequent use. Most of them will also not let you down if you really want to push your workout and pick up the pace.

Mid-priced machines are also usually covered by much more extensive warranties which again, tells you about the quality of parts. Their consoles are more advanced compared to economy units and they tend to offer more built-in exercise programs and workout monitoring information.

Mid-priced ellipticals tend to last from 2 to 12 years depending on a number of factors including frequency of use, quality of parts and how the machine is cared for.

High-End Home or Commercial:

The last price category is commercial or high-end home elliptical trainers. High-end models range from $2000 up to $6000. These are the best of the best in elliptical exercise equipment - often the kind of machines you find in a gym or health club.

They usually offer high user weight capacities, extremely stable bases and other premium features like incline and personal trainer programs. They're also larger and heavier than other ellipticals (which contributes to the stability).

High-end models are built to last 10 years or more and can easily withstand frequent use or heavier users. They are especially suited for the advanced athlete who wants to push their training farther or for the commercial gym.

So those are the 3 main elliptical price classes. Each one suits a different type of user and fitness level. Once you know what price range you need, you're well on your way to choosing the best elliptical machine for you.

For a list of Best Elliptical Machines in each of the 3 price categories above, check out our Best Elliptical Buys http://www.EllipticalTrainerReview.com