Talk to any doctor and ask them what the best way to get in shape or start to shed some weight would be and they would all tell you that walking every day is a perfect place to start. Why do you think the advice around is just to start going on more walks while watching what you eat? Getting active is very important if you want to lose weight.
Not everyone will have the time or the space to go on a long walk though. For this reason, mini steppers have become very popular among people looking to get in a workout around their busy schedules. Package that with the price of these things, and you get a great value for your money!
Mini stepper machines are not the typical stepper you will find in any gym. These are a smaller version meant to take up less space and cost a lot less.
If you do not want to waste your time getting a gym membership, or do not have the time to go outside your home every day, then that is when mini steppers start to make sense. They are the perfect ally for any weight loss program because you use your machine with activities you do every day like watching television, or even browsing your computer.
Click here to check out the large selection of mini steppers
What Should I Look For?
So you have decided that you want to consider getting a mini stepper for your home, great! Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for the best mini stepper out there.
- The first thing you will want to look for is how easy you can use the machine. Some mini steppers do not sit very sturdy on the ground and some will not even have handles. If you do not have great balance, check out a unit that has something for you to hold on to. You do not want to hurt yourself as that would not help you reach your fitness goals!
- You need to remember that you get what you pay for. Do not get a cheap unit and expect it to last forever. Quality machines may come in at a higher price point but in the long run, their durability will far surpass the cheaper prices you were considering at the beginning.
- With every workout program, you are going to get better! This is the same thing when using your new mini machine. Since your legs are going to get stronger, you need to be able to make the workout harder. This is why I recommend that you get a unit that you can change the resistance so you can keep getting the maximum benefit from your home workout.
- If you are overweight by a lot, you need to look for a unit that can handle you. There is nothing worse than buying a brand new piece of equipment and breaking it on your first try. For this reason, read if there is a weight limit. If there is not, you are good to go!
- Think about if you want to incorporate arm training at the same time you are stepping. Some machines will come with arm bands and some will not. You may not want to start using them, but as you progress, it may be in your best interest to start using them so you need to think big picture while figuring out your purchase.
Now that you know what you should be looking for, we are going to go over our most popular choices. You will notice that most of these are Sunny Health $ Fitness products. This is not a mistake, as this company makes excellent quality products and has some of the best customer support I have seen. I have even reviewed several of their spin bikes and have enjoyed each and everyone one. So without further adieu, here are the top mini stepper machines.
Sunny Twister Stepper (With Handle)
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If you are new to stepping, never stepped on a similar machine before, or just have bad balance, then this is the mini stepper you need. It is very lightweight, sturdy, and comes with handlebars, unlike some of the other units. This is perfect for people who want to open the box, put it together, and immediately just get up and go!
It comes with an LCD computer that is very basic showing calories, the time, and how many steps you have taken. The stepping area was not slippery at all and the rest of the unit is made of steel. The dimensions are as follows, 19 X 17 X 48 inches.
If you are overweight by a little bit, then this is the perfect solution. You will notice if you check it out that there is a weight limit on this Sunny Twister Stepper. That limit is 250 pounds. Almost everyone will be able to get on and use this machine so you will not need to worry about it breaking. Use it to get back in shape, tone your legs, or my favorite, lose some weight!
When using this mini stepper, the noise it makes comes from the stepping mechanism and is extremely quiet. I actually did not notice any sound at all while I was watching my favorite television show stepping away until I turned off the TV to specifically listen for any noise.
Why A Twisting Motion?
So this is called the Sunny Twister Stepper, so why does it twist? Well, when you are normally stepping, you are using just your leg muscles and building those up. When you add in a twist, you start to use different muscles, especially the obliques which are the side of your abs. More muscle activation just means more calories burnt and a better workout over all!
Real User Reviews of the Sunny Twister Stepper With Handle
I always like the give the reviews on Amazon a read through and see what other people are saying about this product. What I found was that one guy bought this and started using it for just 20 minutes every day. He started at 320 pounds (which is over the limit, but did not break the machine), and in 6 weeks got down in the upper 200s, and that is only with 20 minutes a day.
There are also plenty of people saying that it is an excellent quality purchase and that for the value of their money, they are very pleased. I mean, who wouldn’t want to bet 63 dollars on their health? At that price, it is a no brainer!
Finally, one of the reviews that I thought was awesome was that one man bought this mini stepper for his 80 year old dad who had had numerous knee replacements and did not move much at all. Guess what, he loved it! Even if you are not very mobile, the handlebars will help you out and get you walking again.
Sunny Health Twister Stepper
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If you want to get the same benefits of the Sunny Twister Stepper With Handle but want to save a few dollars then we would like you introduce the Twister Stepper. This one does not come with handlebars but it really does get you into shape. Why you may ask? Well, I am glad you asked. This one includes resistance bands instead of handlebars which makes the exercise that much harder! If I were to make a comparison, I would say they are similar to doing dumbbell exercises on a stepping machine.
Just like the previous product, you get to change the resistance, it is made out of steel, and you get a nice LCD small monitor for the essentials.
No Handlebar
You may be thinking why would you ever want to get this stepper without a handlebar? Well, for the same amount of time you put in to your workouts, you will end up burning more calories and get in some upper body work at the same time you are getting your cardio in. If you just want to work on your legs and cardio endurance, you can always just take the resistance bands off.
Let me be honest here. If you have terrible balance or are not very mobile to begin with, then you may not want to get this model. You will still have the non slip foot placement pads but if you do not have anything to hold and do not have good balance, you may fall. What I like is that it allows me to get a deep workout of my muscles while remaining low impact for my joins.
This mini stepper seems to be more popular than the one with handlebars. I think this is because it is a bit cheaper but also because it comes with the resistance bands.
User Reviews
People are saying that this mini stepper is so small that is is easily put in storage and that the customer service was there for them if they need it. Others have said that it is very easy to put together (only takes a few minutes) and that the resistance bands helped them achieve a much higher quality workout than if they did not have them.
The only negative I have seen is that a few have mentioned that they wanted the stride height to be a big larger so they could work out their legs a little harder. I think that this is mostly a cardiovascular machine so this should not be a problem.
If the unit ever starts squeaking on you, that just means that the lubricant has worn out. All you need to do is get some silicone lubricant and put it on the parts that are squeaking and it will go away. This is normal wear and tear and there is nothing to worry about.
Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands
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Last but not least, we have the Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Stepper with bands. This is a great machine because it has an extremely high 4+ star rating on amazon and is made of a quality steel to ensure a sturdy product.
It comes with resistance bands that can be removed if you do not like them and a simple computer screen. This model also allows you change the resistance and has a max weight of 250 pounds.
The reviews of this product have said that this is one of the most simple step machines out there. If all you want to do is just do steps without anything else, then this is a good starter unit.
This really is a basic mini stepper. There is no twisting motion and nothing on it that you may use but end up not using. If you are in the market for a very first time purchase in the stepper category, with no handlebars, and are not sure if you want resistance bands or not, I would look into this model.
Honorary Mention Mini Steppers
If you want more of an upper body workout, then the Stamina in Stride Pro Electronic Stepper may be for you. It offers multiple resistance bands for higher intensity training. It also comes with different band grips that helps work on your upper body including biceps, chest, back and shoulders while burning calories from stepping.
This unit comes with great pads for your feet to make sure that you are not slipping at all. The entire unit is about a foot wide and can literally be stored anywhere you need it. If you want to use the LCD monitor, you will need to get some batteries. If you do get batteries, it will display simple things like how many steps you have taken, how many strides per minute, and what your time is.
Check the current price of the Stride Pro Electronic Stepper Here
Now if you are looking for the most simple stepper you can get, this is the one for you. The Duro Med Mini Stepper does not come with any accessories like the other brands. You will not get any twisting movement, and you will not get any resistant bands. This is for people who simply want to step up and down.
These have been used for rehab and for people who want to hit a specific heart rate for an exercise. This is perfect for those looking for low impact exercising at any age.
The one thing that this unit does allow is you to change the resistance or tension. Inside the sides of the machine you can set the resistance to what you think is best for you.
Can you PLEASE tell me of anyone (private service repair contractor) or any company
that services or repairs these types of steppers? I’ve got one that was damaged during shipment, so now the resistance of the pistons beneath the steps has gone completely..
*Some one or some place reputable and reliable and not unreasonably costly, please.
Thank you!
Did you purchase it from Amazon? If you did, I would highly suggest you contact their customer support as they are one of the best and will replace your unit free of charge. If not, I would take it into a local gym and see if their repairman could take a look at it! Best of luck.