There are lots of reasons why you might want to buy a treadmill to use at home. Monthly gym fees can be expensive, and you might not get a chance to visit all the time, so a home gym of your own really makes sense. Treadmills can be used for running or jogging as well as walking, and that should be the first piece you buy for your home gym. Before you decide which treadmill to buy, you should have a vague idea of what kind of treadmill you'd like, and how much you want to spend.

If you want a basic walking treadmill, you don't need to spend a lot to get one that will work for you. Walking on treadmills doesn't cause the same wear and tear as running or jogging, so you can make do with a much cheaper treadmill. But if you plan to jog or run extensively on your treadmill, you'll probably want to spend a bit more on a higher quality treadmill with a bigger price tag.

Treadmills have numerous components that can run the gamut from expensive and high quality, to inferior and inexpensive. The motor is a very important part of any treadmill. That's the part that gets used the most, so it's worth it to get a high quality, powerful electric motor when treadmill shopping. A treadmill motor without enough power is the one main reason that treadmills wear out before their time, so be sure to buy the best motor you can afford. The motors in treadmills are rated by two measurements: continuous duty horsepower and peak horsepower. Lots of treadmills might quote the peak horsepower ratings because it makes them look good, but it's actually the rating of the continuous duty horsepower that's more important. More continuous horsepower means your machine has the power it needs to last a lot longer.

Also be sure to look at the belt. That's the piece of rubber tread that you actually walk on, so it's important that it be of high quality. Often treadmills look good, but they're poor quality and inexpensive, so it soon becomes apparent that the belt is too thin. To get the longest life from your treadmill, be sure to get a belt that's 2 ply at least; the thicker the better. A good quality thick belt means it won't wear out or need replacing for a much longer time, which is good because the belts are pretty expensive to replace.

It's not necessary to spend a lot to get a good quality treadmill, but just a few hundred more dollars spent might mean a much higher quality machine. Always have your budget set before you go, although it's important to know that if you have a low budget, you might end up with a poor quality machine that will wear out quickly.