NordicTrack X16 Elliptical Review: One Machine, Three Ways To Move
The NordicTrack X16 Elliptical blends stepper, elliptical, and treadmill-style motion on one frame, with a 32-inch stride and 26 resistance levels built for workout variety.
Elliptical Buying Guides
How To Choose An Elliptical For Your Home
Stride, space, or hill work? Start with how you want to train.
An elliptical buying guide is a short set of questions that match how you want to train to the features that matter. Start with stride length and where the flywheel sits, then check resistance, incline, footprint, noise, and what any membership costs after the first period. When you are ready to compare specific machines, read our elliptical reviews.
Which Elliptical Fits Your Needs?
If You Want To | Look For |
|---|---|
Fit a tall or long natural stride | A longer stride length, or an adjustable stride, so your step is not cut short |
Save space | A compact frame, plus the length and ceiling clearance in the manual, since ellipticals run long |
Keep the price down | A solid frame and smooth, quiet resistance before a large screen |
Add hill work | Incline, ideally a power incline you change from the console |
Follow guided workouts | A screen or tablet holder, included content, and the membership cost after the first period |
Share one machine | Pedals with comfortable spacing for every user, and a weight capacity that covers everyone |
How Do You Choose An Elliptical?
- Decide how long a stride feels natural to you.
- Measure the room, including the ceiling above where you will stand.
- Pick the resistance and incline features you want.
- Decide whether guided workouts matter to you, and what membership cost you would accept.
- Add up the first-year cost, including any membership, before you set a budget.
What Should You Check Before Buying An Elliptical?
Category | Weight In Our Reviews | What To Check |
|---|---|---|
Performance | 30% | Resistance range, incline if offered, and how smooth the motion stays at higher effort. |
Build Quality | 20% | Frame stability, rated user weight, and warranty terms for the frame, parts, and labor. |
Features | 15% | Console, workout library, connectivity, and which of these need a paid membership. |
Comfort | 15% | Stride length, pedal size and spacing, and handlebar reach for your height. |
Value | 10% | Price against delivery, assembly, and the first period of any membership. |
Noise | 10% | How loud the drive, flywheel, and pedals are, which matters for apartments and shared walls. |
Every review here is scored on these same 6 categories, so any two ellipticals can be compared directly.
What Should You Measure At Home?
- The length and width of the elliptical
- The ceiling height above where you will stand on the pedals
- Doorways and stairs on the delivery path
- Clear floor on both sides for stepping on and off
What Should You Compare Between Ellipticals?
- Stride length, fixed or adjustable
- Resistance levels
- Flywheel weight
- Drive position, front or rear
- Incline, none, manual, or power
- Weight capacity and warranty terms
- What works without a membership
How Can An Elliptical Fit Into Weekly Activity?
Weekly activity goals can also be met with 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. [1] On an elliptical, resistance and incline are the dials that change how hard a session feels.
What Should You Read Next Before Buying An Elliptical?
Side-by-side looks and reviews with the specs, scores, and tradeoffs for specific ellipticals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing an elliptical
Some ellipticals link their console, workouts, and automatic features to a paid membership, and others work without one. Check what runs without it, what the first period includes, and what renewal costs.
Stride length is the distance your foot travels from the back to the front of each step. Taller users often prefer a longer stride, and some ellipticals offer an adjustable one.
The drive position is where the flywheel sits, at the front or the rear of the machine. Front-drive ellipticals are usually more compact, and rear-drive ellipticals are usually longer.
Ellipticals are long machines, so check the length, the width, and the ceiling height above the pedals in the manual before you order.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview