Bigzzia Treadmill Review: A Flat, Foldaway Walking Pad

The Bigzzia treadmill is one of the best-selling truly flat treadmills on the market, and after 12 weeks of testing it's easy to see the appeal. It's a stripped-back, barebones machine built around three things buyers actually want: affordability, speed and portability. The question is whether it delivers, or whether there's a better option out there. Here's where it earns its place and where it cuts corners.

Inside the treadmill

The Bigzzia running machine is equipped with a handful of genuinely useful features. The headline, and probably why you're reading this, is its size and portability. It's lightweight, easy to move thanks to built-in transport wheels, and flat enough to store underneath furniture.

Speeds range from 1 to 10km/h, all adjusted via the supplied remote control. On top of that you get a quiet motor, a running belt with decent shock absorption, and a durable steel frame. But are they any good? After 12 weeks of testing, here are the best and worst features of this machine.

Compact design

The biggest selling point of the Bigzzia is its size and portability. This is a treadmill built for people who don't have much floor space, or who simply want to tuck the machine out of sight when it's not in use.

I'm one of those people, which is exactly why I bought and tested this machine over 12 weeks, to see whether it really works as a treadmill you can store away without any hassle.

It measures 120cm x 50cm x 14cm, making it one of the slimmest treadmills you can buy. That's slim enough to slide underneath or behind most sofas, and at 23.5kg it's light enough to make doing so painless. My biggest concern was whether dragging it out from under the sofa every day would become a chore. I can say with some certainty that, while it's not feather-light, it's easy enough that it never feels like it's getting in the way of a run.

Desk treadmill

With the rise in home working, the desk treadmill has quickly become a staple of the home office. For office exercise equipment, the Bigzzia gets the fundamentals right.

Being a slim, portable walking machine, the Bigzzia can be placed in front of or underneath your desk so you can get your steps in while working. Thanks to its noise-reduction system, it handles slow walking, a light jog or even a decent run while staying quiet. The only real noise comes from your feet striking the running surface.

10km/h maximum speed

This feature genuinely surprised us. 10km/h (just over 6mph) is a strong top speed for a flat treadmill in this price range. Only a handful of machines manage higher speeds while still slipping under a sofa, such as the Gearstone.

The drawback of higher top speeds is portability, as machines tend to get heavier as the top speed climbs. The Bigzzia strikes a sensible balance rather than trying to be best at everything. Most people will find 10km/h is plenty; if you regularly need to go faster, you'd be looking at a mid-range machine, and those typically can't be stored away easily.

Quiet motor

Noise is an important factor with any home treadmill, as you don't want to wake half the street for an early-morning jog. The motor here delivers a quieter workout than most home treadmills, and at top speed the majority of the sound comes from your feet hitting the belt. It's quiet enough to watch TV or listen to music at a reasonable volume without straining to hear.

Sturdy steel frame

Don't be fooled by the lightweight, sleek design. This is a sturdy machine that handles workouts without hiccups. With any low-cost treadmill there's the worry it'll fall apart after a few weeks, but after 12 weeks of consistent use the Bigzzia held up well. It has a maximum weight capacity of 110kg (17.3 stone).

We had to re-centre the running deck a couple of times, but that's to be expected from most machines. The frame doesn't rock or bend while running, though it feels noticeably more secure on a flat, uniform surface such as a hardwood floor or a mat.

Cushioned running pad

A space-saving design has one main drawback: not everyone will be comfortable on a more restricted running surface. Even so, I'm 6ft 3in and had no problem running at full speed. My stride felt comfortable and I never felt like I'd hit anything other than the running deck.

The shock-absorbing belt feels genuinely comfortable underfoot, too. After an hour of running my joints don't feel battered the way they do after running outdoors. The cushioning provides a softer landing for each step, which makes the Bigzzia a great at-home option for anyone looking to improve their fitness.

Remote control and LCD display

This is a slim machine controlled entirely by remote, so you can change your walking or running speed without fiddling with on-board buttons. The included remote switches the machine on and off and adjusts the speed.

The LCD display sits at the front and gives you live feedback on speed, distance, time and calories burned. It's bright and clear, but it doesn't do anything clever like tracking your data over weeks and months. If you want to monitor progress, you'll need to jot your metrics down manually.

Verdict: should you buy one?

If you're debating a motorised under-desk treadmill and you're unsure which machine is right for you, you can't go far wrong with the Bigzzia. Its biggest strength is its size. It tucks easily under furniture when not in use and doubles as a desk treadmill while working from home. It's light enough to move around without it feeling like a chore.

The Bigzzia is a well-priced, slim machine with a remote control, an LCD display and a top speed of just over 6mph. It's stripped back, but that's the whole point.

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