Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill

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Get in shape with the Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill!

A great choice for both walkers and recreational runners, the 725T offers a quiet, yet powerful 2.5 horsepower continuous-duty motor, with a walking or running speed range of 1 to 10 miles per hour and an incline (elevation) range of 0 to 10 percent.

The computerized electronic display, meanwhile, includes one center and two side LED windows that track your resistance level, speed, time, and distance, along with five quick keys and five quick interval keys for instant adjustments.

Other details include two cup holders, a thumb pulse heart rate monitor, a fold-up frame, and five preset programs.

Electronic Display:

The two window LED electronic display on the Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill is easy to operate, yet provides accurate, detailed information to assist you with your workout, including:

Speed – displays current miles per hour you are walking/running
Distance – distance (in miles) you have walked/ran
Time – length of time that you have been walking/running
Calories – average calories burned (based on 150 lb. person)
Resistance Level – percentage of incline that you are using for walking/running
Pulse Monitor – displays the pulse reading from the handgrips located on the front just below the display

There are also an array of buttons on the electronic display that allow you to quickly and easily change the settings:

Speed Controls – Up/Down Arrow buttons on the bottom right adjust your speed from 0 up to 10 mph
Incline Controls – The incline can be set two different ways, using up/down arrow buttons or quick set buttons 1-10 for a seamless incline change, even during a heavy workout
Programs – Seven total programs are available, to ensure just the right workout, including Manual, Intervals, Mountain Walk, Weight Loss Walk, Hill Walk, Cardio Challenge, and Endurance Challenge
Time Settings – Quick set buttons allow you to set the time of your workout (15/20/30/45/60 minutes).
Start Button – Starts and pauses the treadmill
Stop Button – Stops and resets the treadmill

Pros:

The Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill is actually a great treadmill for the price, especially when you consider the following (in addition to the features that are already mentioned):

Operation/Use is relatively quiet, even when running.
The Merit Fitness 725T is sturdy and well made, built to last.
The Merit Fitness 725T is easy to assemble, all tools are provided, and it takes most people less than an hour.
The Merit Fitness 725T has the safety key feature to stop the treadmill in the event that you slip or fall.
Speed and incline changes during your workout are seamless with easy one touch selection of many features.

Cons:

We did notice a couple of things about the Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill that you’ll definitely want to remember when yours arrives:

There were a few reports of the box being damaged during shipment due to the weight of the treadmill, but this seemed to be limited to the packaging and not the treadmill itself.
The water bottle holders appear to be a little smaller than the average cup holder, but this didn’t pose a problem during a workout.
The caloric burn is based on a 150 lb. person, therefore, those who weigh more may find that they burn more calories than the display shows…which means you’ll also lose weight faster!
Like most exercise equipment, to use the heart rate monitor, you’ll need to be still to get an accurate measurement, so taking your heart rate while walking/running may not give you an accurate reading.

Assembly:

The Merit Fitness 725T Plus Treadmill arrives in a box that weighs approximately 149 pounds, so you will need help to move it to the location where you’ll want to assemble and use it. There are only three basic steps to assembling your treadmill, and all tools that you need are included in the packaging. Depending on your mechanical ability, you’ll find that it takes 30 minutes to a little over an hour to assemble.

One tip that we’d like to give that’s not included in the manual, though, is to count the number of turns as you loosen the belt to lube it, to make tightening it back into place much easier with less guesswork!