Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
Bodycraft Blu 400M Review
The 400M is a durable home treadmill in Bodycraft’s Blu Series. With a well-cushioned 58″ track and a top speed of 11 mph, it’s equipped to train most walkers, joggers and runners. This model shares features with the light commercial Blu 800M and is a big step up from the entry level Blu Series treadmill, the 200M. The 400M has an excellent warranty, with the motor protected lifelong and the parts covered for 12 years.
Track cushioning on the 400M is advanced; with six settings, it can be adjusted for each user’s preferred mix of support and impact deflection. Workout guidance is above average too. Including manual mode, there are 16 diverse workout programs and four of them use heart rate control. Other highlights include a 12% automated incline, a water bottle holder and a rack for a magazine or tablet computer.
This unit is priced at $2,499 but sells for $2,299 during a launch special. For a limited time the purchase price includes a belt for wireless heart rate monitoring.
What We Like:
- Warranty: This is by far what we like the best. The new Bodycraft treadmills have excellent warranties. The residential warranty for the Bodycraft 400M provides lifetime coverage on the motor and frame. Parts are protected for 12 years and labor is provided for two.
- Assembly: Assembling this treadmill is relatively easy. The Bodycraft manual provides clear instructions divided into seven steps.
- High Quality Track: The Blu Series 400M has a 58″ x 20″ track. The two-ply track belt is infused with silicone to promote longevity and avoid the need for lubrication. All Blue Series treadmill tracks have 2.5″ rollers with sealed bearings to minimize maintenance needs.
- Cushioning: The 400M, just like the pricier 800M, has a variable cushioning system. The trainee chooses from six levels of impact deflection for the best balance of support and cushioning.
- Incline: The track can incline automatically by up to 12% in increments of 0.5%.
- High Speed: The 400M treadmill has a top speed of 11 mph. (Top speeds for treadmills are usually 10 to 12 mph.) The slowest workout speed is .5 mph, and speed can be set in .1 mph increments. Data can be shown in miles or kilometers.
- Console Extras: The Blu 400M treadmill has a water bottle holder, an accessory tray and a reading rack that can support a tablet computer.
- Workouts: A blue dot matrix screen gives quick access to 16 preset workout programs such as Manual, Hill Walk, Interval and Thigh Burner. Four of the programs are heart rate controlled for especially efficient cardio training. (These work with a contact monitor or wireless belt.) A custom program can be saved too. In case a person needs to pause a workout, the console will save data for up to 30 minutes.
- Data: Seven data points are provided: Time, Distance, Pace, Calories, Cal/Min, Heart Rate and % Max Heart Rate.
- Heart Rate Monitoring: The Bodycraft 400M Treadmill is sold with a contact heart rate monitor and can be used with Polar compatible wireless chest straps. The contact heart rate monitor is more useful than those from some other brands; a person can comfortably make contact with the receiver during workouts. At product launch a wireless strap is included with purchase of the treadmill ($49 value).
- Motor: The 3.0 HP continuous duty motor is designed to endure, and each unit is tested at the factory to help ensure quiet operation. The motor is under lifetime warranty for home use.
- High Capacity: The Blu 400M Treadmill has a maximum capacity of 350 pounds.
- Transport Wheels: This fitness machine weighs more than 250 pounds, yet it’s easy to reposition with help from its transport wheels
- Quality Control: Bodycraft’s quality control procedures are impressive. Each 400M is fully assembled at the factory and tested for belt alignment, quiet operation and other important criteria. The treadmill is then taken apart and the parts are cleaned. Before the box is shipped, it is weighed to help ensure that all parts are included.
What We Don’t Like:
- Machine Size: This treadmill is rather large and does not fold for storage. Its footprint is 83″ long and 33″ wide.
Our Verdict
The Bodycraft 400M is an appealing choice for a family’s workout room. Best of all perhaps, it is designed for durability and has a fantastic warranty. We do feel that it does lack a little on the bells and whistles that other treadmills in this price range offer, but for some people that is not a big deal. Bodycraft’s simple addition of a tablet computer rack helps ensure that this trainer will get regular use. The 400M is a very good home treadmill in the $2,000 – $2,500 price range.