Everything You Should Know About NordicTrack’s New Commercial 1250 Treadmill [A Review]

The New Commercial 1250 is one NordicTrack’s newer treadmills and it’s the most affordable of the ‘Commercial’ Series treadmills.

Of course, NordicTrack updates their lineups regularly, so this could change at any moment.

But regardless, the New Commercial 1250 has a lot of familiar looking traits and features, so I think it’ll fit nicely into NordicTrack’s current treadmill lineup.

Highlights of this treadmill include a 3.0 CHP motor, a 20″ x 60″ running surface, -3 – 12% incline capabilities, and a 10″ tilting/pivoting, HD touchscreen console.

Which of course gives you access to iFit and all the cool stuff that streaming service has to offer.

All things considered, if you’re looking for a solid streaming treadmill, I think the New Commercial 1250 is a pretty good choice, but it’s a pretty tough call  given some of the other options in this price range.

In this review, I’ll be going over all the specs and features this treadmill has to offer, but I’ll also be comparing it to some of the other top competitors to see how it stacks up.

After reading, you’ll know whether or not the New Commercial 1250 is the right option for your home gym.

With an HD touchscreen and solid performance specs, the New Commercial 1250 could be a great choice for folks looking for a powerful streaming treadmill that won’t break their budget.

NordicTrack’s New Commercial 1250 Treadmill

NordicTrack’s been a leader in the home fitness game for a few decades now and I get the impression they’re going stronger than ever.

What with iFit and all the streaming that’s going on nowadays.

Yup, I think it’s safe to say that NordicTrack won’t be going anywhere any time soon, but their lineups have been changing quite a bit lately.

Looks like they’ve been updating some models and getting others ready to closeout to make room for newer models.

Case in point, the New Commercial 1250 we’re here to discuss now.

This treadmill is joining the “Commercial” Series, which consists of NordicTrack’s highest-end and most popular treadmills (well, highest-end if you don’t count their Incline Trainers).

And it looks like the 1250 took the place of the older Commercial 1750, which has now been replaced by the New Commercial 1750.

Moving on, let’s start things off with a rundown of the Commercial 1250’s performance specs.

Oh, and NordicTrack usually has this treadmill listed somewhere around $1800, give or take a couple hundred from ongoing promotions and whatnot.

Pros

• 20″ x 60″ running surface
• 3.0 CHP motor
• -3 – 12% incline
• 10″ HD touchscreen, rotating console
• iFit ready
• Folding frame
• AutoAdjust technology (iFit)
• ActivePulse technology (iFit)
• AutoBreeze cooling fan
• Quick-touch speed/incline buttons
• Bluetooth compatible
• Reasonable price

Cons

• Small rollers
• Weight limit only 300 lb
• Warranty could be longer

Running Surface

A treadmill’s running surface is an important spec to pay attention to because this stat tells you how much real estate you’ll have at your disposal during workouts.

More specifically, this spec gives you the physical dimensions of the treadmill’s belt, which is measured in inches and written as “width x length”.

Having a larger running surface is always a good thing in my book, but the amount of room you really need depends on how tall you are and how fast you plan on going.

Taller users and folks who will be running at faster speeds should look for a longer belt; shorter folks and walkers can usually get away with shorter belts.

For frame of reference, most higher-end treadmills come with a running surface in the 20″ x 60″ range because this size can comfortably fit most folks regardless of how tall or fast they’re running.

With that in mind, the Commercial 1250 comes with a running surface that measures in at 20″ x 60″.

This is good because it means pretty much everyone should be able to use this treadmill without fear of running out of space.

Although, I should mention that there are plenty of treadmills in this price range that come with even more spacious, 22″ widths.

But again, 20″ x 60″ will easily get the job done.

Frame

The New Commercial 1250 comes with a footprint of 78.5″ x 35.6″, which is pretty average for a full size home treadmill.

It’s not compact by any means, but it’s not really any larger than other treadmill in its class either.

When looking at frames and whatnot, I also like to consider a treadmill’s assembled weight because this spec gives us a good idea as to how stable or “heavy-duty” the machine should feel.

And for me, seeing higher assembled weights is a good thing because it means the treadmill should feel more secure (and less shaky or wobbly).

The Commercial 1250 comes with an “in box” weight of roughly 282 lb.

NordicTrack likes to provide this spec instead of a true assembled weight (I’m not sure why), but it makes our job a little harder because we have to estimate and subtract the weight of the packaging to get at the true weight of the treadmill.

I don’t know how much the packaging on this treadmill weighs, but if we subtract a conservative 30 – 40 lb, that would put this treadmill weighing somewhere in the 240 – 250 lb range.

Which seems pretty realistic for a NordicTrack treadmill.

At this weight, the 1250 should feel pretty stable, but there are plenty of much heavier-duty treadmills in this price range.

For example, Horizon’s 7.8 AT weighs in at 330 lb and Sole’s F85 weighs in at around 319 lb – so both are much heavier.

But again, you shouldn’t have to worry about the 1250 wobbling around or feeling lightweight during use.

This treadmill comes with a weight limit of 300 lb, which is pretty average for any treadmill (the 2 treadmills just mentioned come with limits of 375 lb and 400 lb, respectively).

So, there are certainly heavier-duty treadmills in this price range, but neither of those treadmills come with HD consoles or iFit streaming capabilities.

Overall though, the Commercial 1250 scores just fine when it comes to its running surface and frame.

Motor

Ok, moving on, let’s talk motors.

Having a stronger motor is a good thing because stronger motors should (theoretically) perform more smoothly than weaker ones.

Most home treadmills more or less come with the same max speed (12 mph), but the treadmills with stronger motors can reach that top speed faster and easier than the weaker ones.

And since they don’t have to work as hard to get there, they usually sound better too (no one wants to hear their treadmill struggling to keep up).

Most home treadmills come with a motor somewhere in the 2 – 4 HP range and if you plan on doing some serious running, you should go with one that’s packing at least 3 horses under the hood.

With all of this in mind, the Commercial 1250 comes with a 3.0 CHP motor.

This is enough muscle to support walkers and runners and with a top speed of 12 mph and a top incline of 12%, this treadmill should be able to challenge users of all fitness levels.

Now 12% is pretty average when it comes to power incline and many treadmills in this price range can go all the way up to 15%.

But the Commercial 1250 can also decline down to -3%, which is something few treadmills can do.

Declining lets you train downhill for even more variety and it’s something you won’t find on many treadmills outside of NordicTrack and ProForm.

So, that’s pretty cool, but I also want to mention roller size.

The rollers are what make contact with the belt and allow it to glide over the deck and having larger rollers is aways a good thing.

Basically, larger rollers make more surface contact with the belt, making for a smoother feel, but they also put less stress on the belt.

Treadmill rollers come in a variety of sizes, but most treadmills come with rollers somewhere in the 1.9″ – 3″ range.

With this in mind, the Commercial 1250 comes with 1.9″ rollers, putting it on the low-end of that expected range.

This is a little disappointing, but NordicTrack is using these same rollers with most of their treadmills now, so it’s just the way it goes.

Now these smaller rollers aren’t necessarily a dealbreaker, especially if you’re looking for a streaming treadmill, but it would still be nice to see larger rollers here.

You know, for the sake of heavy-dutiness and whatnot.

That said, the Commercial 1250 still scores pretty well in the motor department – it’s strong enough to support regular running and the fact that it can decline adds an extra layer of variety that most treadmills can’t offer.

Features

NordicTrack’s New Commercial 1250 Treadmill comes with the following features:

10″ HD touchscreen console- at only 10″, the HD touchscreen on this treadmill is pretty modest for NordicTrack, but it’s still big enough to see clearly during workouts. This console also swivels and tilts, so you’ll be able to see it with any off the treadmill workouts as well.

iFit- that touchscreen is there because this treadmill is designed to pair with iFit, NordicTrack’s streaming platform that gives you access to all the instructor-led workouts, scenic routes, metric tracking, and whatnot. NordicTrack includes a free month trial with purchase and then it’ll cost ya around $39/month to keep your membership going.

AutoAdjust technology- you need iFit to take advantage of this feature, but it’s a pretty cool one. This lets the instructors control your speed and incline during your workouts, so all you have to do is hop on and keep up.

ActivePulse technology- if you have a compatible heart rate monitor, you can also let the treadmill automatically adjust its speed/incline to keep your heart rate in the correct heart rate zone for your workout.

Bluetooth- the 1250 is compatible with bluetooth headphones and heart rate monitors, so you’ll be able to hear all the instructors’ instructions without bothering any other family members.

Speakers- but there are also built-in speakers, so you don’t have to use headphones if you don’t want to.

Fan- there’s also a nice cooling fan to help keep you comfortable during those more strenuous workouts.

Folding frame- I think I forgot to mention this earlier, but the Commercial 1250 is a folding treadmill, so you can easily fold the deck vertically after workouts to save a little floor space.

Tray- and finally, there’s a little tray with storage areas that can easily hold a water bottle on each side.

Warranty

NordicTrack backs their New Commercial 1250 with the following home warranty:

• 10 year frame
• 2 year parts
• 1 year labor

So, this is the same warranty NordicTrack offers on pretty much all their products and I’d say it works better with some than others.

In this case, I think the warranty is a bit short, given the price range.

Ten years on the frame is ok, but the problem is that most of the top notch brands in this price range are offering lifetime frame guarantees.

And the same goes for parts – 2 years isn’t bad, but brands like Sole and Horizon are offering 3- 5 year part warranties (and Spirit offers 10 years on parts).

And you might notice there’s no mention of a motor warranty.

The above brands come with lifetime motor warranties too, but based on this, I would have to assume the 1250’s motor is covered under the 2 year parts warranty.

A year on labor is fine, that’s standard protocol.

Overall, I think NordicTrack’s warranty is a bit short for a treadmill in this price range.

NordicTrack’s Commercial 1250 vs The Competition

	NordicTrack’s Commercial 1250	Horizon’s 7.4 AT	Sole’s F80
Running surface	20″ x 60″	22″ x 60″	22″ x 60″
Motor	3.0 CHP 0 – 12 mph -3 – 12% incline	3.5 CHP 0 – 12 mph 0 – 15% incline	3.5 HP 0 – 12 mph 0 – 15% incline
Frame	~250 lb weight 300 lb weight limit	318 lb weight 350 lb weight limit	274 lb weight 350 lb weight limit
Console	10″ HD touchscreen	8.25″ LCD	10″ touchscreen
Warranty	10 year frame 2 year parts 1 year labor	Lifetime frame 5 year parts 2 year labor	Lifetime frame/motor 3 year parts 1 year labor
Price	~$1800	~$1600	~$1900

At roughly $1800, the Commercial 1250 finds itself in a rather competitive price range.

I mean there are some great treadmills in this price range.

It’s also backed by a much better warranty.

However, the 7.4 AT’s console is rather basic compared to the 1250’s touchscreen – so the 1250 certainly wins the features war here.

Another great treadmill in this price range is Sole’s F80, which usually costs ~$1900.

Like the 7.4 AT, the F80 is bigger, stronger, and heavier-duty, and it also reaches a higher incline setting (but no decline).

And even though it’s not iFit compatible, it does come loaded with entertainment apps and Sole’s own free workout streaming app (Sole+).

Now it doesn’t come with the ability to decline or the automatic trainer control iFit offers, but entertainment apps and free streaming workouts is a pretty sweet deal.

Again, this is a very competitive price range.

NordicTrack’s Commercial 1250 vs The EXP 10i

	NordicTrack’s Commercial 1250	NordicTrack’s EXP 10i
Running surface	20″ x 60″	20″ x 55″
Motor	3.0 CHP 0 – 12 mph -3 – 12% incline	2.75 CHP 0 – 10 mph 0 – 12% incline
Frame	~250 lb weight 300 lb weight limit	~200 lb weight 300 lb weight limit
Console	10″ HD touchscreen	10″ HD touchscreen
Warranty	10 year frame 2 year parts 1 year labor	10 year frame 2 year parts 1 year labor
Price	~$1800	~$1600

The last treadmill I want to mention is NordicTrack’s own New EXP 10i, which also comes with a 10″ HD touchscreen.

The EXP 10i costs about $200 less and it does come with a few key performance downgrades, but it does offer the same streaming experience.

Right off the bat, the 10i comes with a smaller running surface (20″ x 55″) and a weaker motor (2.75 CHP).

The 10i also can’t decline and tops out with a max speed of 10 mph and when you compare weights, it’s obvious the 10i is a lighter-weight machine.

But it does come with the same weight limit and warranty and again, offers all the same iFit streaming features found on the Commercial 1250.

Personally, I think the upgrades the 1250 offers are well worth the extra $200, but smaller users or folks who don’t plan on running at faster speeds might want to save the money and go with the EXP 10i.

Final Thoughts

Alright, that about does it for everything the Commercial 1250 has to offer.

Based on all the stuff we just went over, I think it’s fair to say this treadmill has a lot going for it, especially for people looking for a streaming treadmill that won’t completely destroy their budget.

In terms of performance, the 1250 comes with a nice-sized running surface, an adequately strong motor, and a fairly heavy-duty frame.

This is all fine, but I think it’s the touchscreen console and all the streaming features that steal the show here.

Sure, the warranty is kinda short, but as streaming treadmills go, NordicTrack’s definitely the top name in the game.

That said, there are certainly higher-performing treadmills in this price range.

Horizon and Sole both have stronger, more robust treadmills, but neither offer direct iFit streaming access like the Commercial 1250.

Again, Sole does have their own free streaming service now, but it’s not nearly as immense as iFit is yet.

Overall though, I think the New Commercial 1250 is a solid streaming treadmill for the price and a good buy for people looking to get their iFit on.