Sole E25 Elliptical Review: A Budget-Friendly Fitness Companion

The Sole E25 elliptical is a budget-friendly home fitness machine that offers an impressive combination of features and functionality. As a part of the renowned Sole brand, known for producing high-quality fitness equipment, the E25 lives up to the expectations set by its predecessors. With a heavy flywheel, comfortable stride length, and an outstanding warranty, the E25 stands out as one of the best ellipticals in its price range.

Getting to Know Sole

Before we dive into the review, let's take a quick look at the brand behind the Sole E25 elliptical. Sole has built a stellar reputation for manufacturing top-notch fitness equipment over the past few decades. Originally providing treadmills to hotel chains, Sole's success in the light-commercial category led them to venture into the residential market.

Sole's commitment to using high-quality materials, offering great warranties, delivering excellent customer service, and producing affordable home fitness equipment has made them a favorite among fitness enthusiasts. Their product range has expanded to include ellipticals, bikes, and rowers, with a focus on budget and moderately priced machines. Sole's consistent presence on "best of" lists speaks volumes about the quality of their products.

An Overview of the Sole E25 Elliptical

The Sole E25 elliptical stands out as one of the most affordable options in Sole's lineup, making it an attractive choice for those on a budget. Retailing at $1199, the E25 offers a compelling combination of specifications and features. Let's take a closer look at what it has to offer.

Pros of the Sole E25 Elliptical

• 20" stride length: The E25 provides a comfortable and spacious stride length, accommodating users of various heights.
• Strong frame: With a weight limit of 350 lbs, the E25 boasts a sturdy frame that ensures stability during workouts.
• 20 lb flywheel: The heavy flywheel provides a smooth and consistent riding experience.
• 20 resistance levels: The E25 offers a wide range of resistance options, allowing users to customize their workouts.
• 20 levels of power incline: The power incline feature adds variety and challenge to workouts, targeting different muscle groups.
• Articulating foot pedals: Designed in collaboration with a physical therapist, these foot pedals reduce stress on ankles and feet, enhancing comfort and reducing the risk of injury.
• Bluetooth speakers: The E25 comes equipped with built-in Bluetooth speakers, enabling users to wirelessly connect their devices for entertainment during workouts.
• Access to free Sole fitness app: The E25 can sync with the Sole fitness app via Bluetooth, allowing users to track and record their workout data.
• USB charging port: With a built-in USB port, the E25 enables users to conveniently charge their devices while exercising.
• Built-in tablet holder: The tablet holder is strategically placed on the console, ensuring an unobstructed view of the workout screen.
• Awesome warranty: The E25 comes with a lifetime frame warranty, a 2-year parts warranty, a 1-year labor warranty, and a 90-day warranty for cosmetic items.

Cons of the Sole E25 Elliptical

• Basic display screen: The console on the E25 is relatively simple, lacking the sophistication of more advanced touchscreen consoles.
• Assembly can be confusing: Some users have reported difficulty in understanding the assembly instructions, which could be improved for a smoother assembly process.

Stride Length for Optimal Comfort

One of the key factors to consider when choosing an elliptical machine is the stride length. The stride length determines the distance your feet move front to back as you pedal, and a longer stride length provides more room for stretching out during workouts. The Sole E25 elliptical offers a generous 20" stride length, making it suitable for users of various heights. This stride length meets the gold standard for home ellipticals and ensures a comfortable experience for most individuals.

The E25's frame is built with stability in mind. The assembled weight of 209 lbs and the 350 lb weight limit illustrate the machine's robust construction. A heavier elliptical typically feels more stable during use, minimizing any wobbling or shaking. Additionally, the step-up height of 14" is consistent with most home ellipticals, allowing for easy mounting and dismounting.

Smooth Performance with the Flywheel

The flywheel plays a crucial role in an elliptical's performance as it provides resistance and contributes to a smooth ride. Heavier flywheels are generally preferred as they generate more momentum, resulting in a smoother and more comfortable workout experience. The Sole E25 elliptical features a 20 lb flywheel, which is impressive for a budget-friendly machine. This substantial flywheel weight ensures that users can enjoy a consistent and smooth pedaling motion, regardless of their fitness level.

To provide users with control over their workout intensity, the E25 offers 20 different resistance levels and 20 levels of power incline. This extensive range of options allows individuals to fine-tune their workouts according to their preferences and fitness goals. The inclusion of power incline is particularly noteworthy, as it adds variety and challenge to training sessions. By adjusting the incline, users can target different muscles in their legs, with higher inclines placing more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings.

Features for Enhanced Workout Experience

The Sole E25 elliptical comes equipped with a range of features designed to enhance the user's workout experience. These include:

• 10workout programs: While not as extensive as some other ellipticals on the market, the E25's 10 workout programs offer enough variety to keep users engaged. These programs include standard options such as distance, calorie, and fat burn, as well as heart rate workouts and customizable options.
• Bluetooth speakers: The E25 features built-in Bluetooth speakers, allowing users to wirelessly connect their devices and enjoy music or streaming content while exercising.
• Articulating foot pedals: Sole collaborated with a physical therapist to design the E25's foot pedals, ensuring optimal comfort and reduced stress on the ankles and feet.
• 7.5" LCD screen: Although not the most advanced console, the E25's LCD screen is sufficiently large to display all workout stats simultaneously. Sole has recently introduced touchscreen consoles to their lineup, but the E25 features a more traditional interface.
• USB port: With a built-in USB port, the E25 enables users to conveniently charge their devices while working out, ensuring they don't run out of battery during their sessions.
• Free fitness app:Sole offers a free fitness app that can be synced with the E25 via Bluetooth. This app allows users to track their workout data and can also integrate with other popular fitness apps like FitBit and iHealth.
• Grip heart rate monitor: The E25 includes grip handles that provide users with an estimate of their heart rate during workouts. While these are known to be less accurate than chest strap monitors, they still offer a general idea of heart rate levels. The E25 is also compatible with chest strap monitors, although one is not included.
• Tablet holder: Positioned conveniently on the top of the console, the tablet holder allows users to keep their devices within reach without obstructing their view of the workout screen.
• Fan: The E25 is equipped with a fan to provide a cooling breeze during workouts, ensuring users stay comfortable even during intense sessions.
• Water bottle holder: The machine includes a water bottle holder, ensuring users can stay hydrated throughout their workouts.

Assembly Made Accessible

Assembling the Sole E25 elliptical is generally straightforward, although some users have reported finding it slightly confusing. The assembly instructions could be improved to provide clearer guidance. While the illustrations of the hardware required for each step are adequately presented, the images showing where each part should go are on separate pages from the written instructions. Consolidating the instructions and images on the same page would make the process more intuitive.

Despite these minor challenges, most individuals with basic handyman skills should be able to assemble the E25 without significant difficulty. It may take slightly longer than expected due to the slightly confusing instructions, but spending 1-2 hours on assembly should be sufficient.

An Outstanding Warranty

The Sole E25 elliptical comes with an exceptional warranty that provides peace of mind to users. The warranty covers the following:

• Lifetime frame warranty: Sole's commitment to durability is evident in the lifetime guarantee it offers for the E25's frame. This level of coverage is not typically expected in this price range.
• 2-year parts warranty: The E25's parts are covered for a period of 2 years, which is comparable to what other brands in this price range offer. This warranty ensures that any necessary repairs or replacements can be made without incurring additional costs.
• 1-year labor warranty: Sole provides a 1-year warranty for labor, which is a standard offering across all price ranges.
• 90-day warranty for cosmetic items: Cosmetic items, such as the machine's appearance or finish, are covered for 90 days

Sole's reputation for excellent warranties is upheld with the E25 elliptical. The lifetime frame warranty, in particular, sets it apart from many competitors in its price range.

Final Thoughts on the Sole E25 Elliptical

The Sole E25 elliptical exemplifies the brand's commitment to delivering high-quality fitness equipment with outstanding warranties. As a budget-friendly machine, the E25 offers impressive specifications and features that rival more expensive options. The heavy 20 lb flywheel ensures a smooth and consistent riding experience, while the 20" stride length accommodates users of varying heights comfortably.

The E25's additional features, such as Bluetooth speakers, a USB charging port, and power incline, elevate its value and provide added convenience and versatility. The machine's robust frame, with a weight limit of 350 lbs, guarantees stability and durability during workouts. The warranty package, including a lifetime frame warranty, further solidifies Sole's commitment to customer satisfaction.

While the console may lack some advanced features found in higher-end models, the Sole E25 elliptical remains an excellent choice for those seeking a budget-friendly and reliable machine. With its combination of performance, comfort, and warranty coverage, the E25 stands as a top contender in its class. If you're in the market for an elliptical that offers great value for money, the Sole E25 is highly recommended.