Sole’s E25 is surprisingly robust and performance driven for such an affordable elliptical.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise though, as the Sole brand has made a name for themselves by doing this with pretty much every model they produce.
Even so, the E25 is special because it’s Sole’s most affordable elliptical.
And with a heavy flywheel, long stride length, and great warranty, the E25 might just be the best elliptical you can get for around $1k.
But there are some other great ellipticals in this price range, so before you decide, you need to know what the E25 is all about and how it stacks up against these other options.
And that’s exactly what I’m here to help with.
In this review, I’ll go over everything this elliptical machine has to offer, as well as where it has room for improvement.
I’ll also offer a side-by-side comparison with the other top ellipticals in this price range, so you can see how it holds up against the competition.
After reading, you’ll know whether or not the E25 is the right elliptical for your home gym.
Sole’s E25 is heavier-duty and backed by a better warranty than most ellipticals in its price range, but it’s got a pretty large footprint, so homes with limited floorspace may want to opt for a more compact option.
Sole’s E25 Elliptical
As I mentioned earlier, the E25 is currently Sole’s most affordable elliptical (now that they’re no longer carrying the E20).
Prices may vary a little throughout the year, but at the time of writing this, Sole is selling the E25 for around $1200.
This puts the E25 in a category above the really affordable models that fall in the $500 – $600 range, but still below the moderately-priced models in the $1500 – $2k range.
Anyway, for the price, I think you get a nice combination of specs and features here, but I’ll let you be the judge.
Let’s start things off here with a rundown on the performance specs, then we’ll go over features and comps.
FYI, you can check out my complete Sole elliptical guide to see how the E25 compares to the more expensive models.
Pros
- 20″ stride length
- 20 lb flywheel
- 20 resistance levels
- 20 levels of power incline
- Heavy frame
- 350 lb weight limit
- Articulating foot pedals for added comfort
- Bluetooth speakers
- Sole+ compatible
- USB charging port
- Cooling fan
- Built-in tablet holder
- Awesome warranty
Cons
- Basic display
- No multi-grip handles
Stride Length
I always like to start with an elliptical’s stride length because I think it’s one of the most important specs to consider when comparing machines.
Similarly, I always start with a treadmill’s running surface – the two specs are pretty much the same, as they tell us how much room we have at our disposal on each machine.
On an elliptical, the stride length is technically the distance your feet move front to back as you pedal.
And like running surface on a treadmill, larger is better because it gives you more room to stretch out.
This is especially important for the taller folks out there.
The gold standard for home ellipticals is 20″ because folks of most heights can comfortably use ellipticals with this stride length.
With this in mind, Sole’s E25 comes with a 20″ stride length.
With a stride length this large, it’ll be able to comfortably fit most users without any issues – a quality that isn’t a give in this price range.
The frame on this elliptical is built rock-solid too.
When comparing frames, I like to look for the assembled weight and max weight limit because these specs can give us a good idea as to how stable we can expect the elliptical to feel.
And in both cases, seeing higher numbers is a good thing.
A heavier elliptical is going to feel more stable than a lighter one and should be less likely to wiggle or wobble during use.
The E25 comes with an assembled weight of 209 lb, which is quite heavy for an elliptical in this price range.
The E25 also comes with a 350 lb weight limit, which again, is high for an elliptical in this price range.
Most budget-friendly ellipticals top out at around 300 lb and weigh considerably less (like Schwinn’s 430 that weighs around 169 lb).
Anyway, I really like that Sole’s machines weigh more because it makes for a more stable machine.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the step-up height on the E25 is 14″, which is pretty standard for most home ellipticals.
Overall, I like how heavy this machine is and that it comes with a spacious stride length.
Resistance
The flywheel is another important spec you’ll want to consider because this is what provides the resistance for the elliptical.
When it comes to flywheels, heavier is usually preferred because it will provide a smoother ride.
It all has to do with momentum- the heavier wheels build more momentum as they spin, thus providing for a less bumpy feel.
Well the E25 comes with a 20 lb flywheel, which is very respectable for a budget elliptical.
And 20 lbs should be plenty to provide a smooth, comfortable ride regardless of your fitness level.
For comparison’s sake, many budget ellipticals come with flywheels in the 13-18 lb range.
To give you control over that flywheel, the E25 comes with 20 different levels of resistance and 20 different power incline settings.
This gives you a lot of options when it comes to controlling the intensity of your workouts.
And power incline isn’t a give in this price range either, so this is a nice feature to see.
Personally, I’m a big fan of using incline on ellipticals for the added intensity and for the sake of variety.
Playing with the incline also gives you the ability to emphasize different muscles in your legs (higher incline usually hits the glutes and hamstrings more).
Overall, the E25 scores highly with its heavy flywheel and generous number of resistance/incline levels.
Features
Sole’s E25 comes standard with the following features:
7.5″ LCD screen- the screen isn’t that sophisticated, but it’s large enough so you can see all your workout stats at the same time. This is to be expected in this price range. Sole’s updated the consoles on all their other models, giving them touchscreens with entertainment apps, etc.
10 workout programs- this isn’t a ton of workouts like some ellipticals offer, but it should be plenty to keep you busy. These include 7 standard programs (distance, calorie, fat burn, etc), 2 custom workouts, and a manual mode.
Bluetooth speakers- you listen to your playlists wirelessly through the built-in speakers.
Sole+ – the E25 is bluetooth compatible with Sole+, Sole’s free streaming fitness app that gives you access to thousands of free instructor-led workouts. You have to use your own phone/tablet to see the workouts (but did I mention that they’re free??)
Double rail design- each pedal glides over two rails, giving a smooth and more durable action during workouts.
USB charging- the built-in USB port allows you to charge your devices while you workout. This is great because it ensures you don’t drain your battery while listening to music or watching a movie.
Heart rate monitoring- the included grip handles allow you to get an idea of what your heart rate is as you workout (but these are known for being less than accurate). The E25 is also compatible with strap monitors, but one isn’t included.
Tablet holder- the tablet holder is conveniently located at the top of the console so it doesn’t block your view of the workout screen.
Fan- nothing too fancy here, but the fan will help cool ya off during your workouts.
Water bottle holder- yup, this is where your water bottle goes.
Assembly
Putting the E25 together isn’t awful, but there have been some users complaints about it being a little confusing.
And I will say, the assembly instructions could be a little better.
Sole does a good job of presenting large illustrations of the hardware required for each step, but the actual image of where everything goes is on a separate page.
There are written descriptions for each step too, but again, they’re on a different page than the actual image showing where everything is going.
There’s only a few steps in the instructions (technically speaking), but some of them have a lot going on and could’ve easily been broken down into several more steps.
I think it would a little more sense to have the image of where the parts are going and the written instructions all together on the same page.
Even so, I think most fairly handy people will be able to get the E25 together by themselves with little problem. It might just take a little longer than it needs to.
I’d expect to spend at least 1-2 hrs putting it together.
Warranty
The Sole E25 Elliptical comes with the following warranty:
- Lifetime frame
- 2 year parts
- 1 year labor
- 90 day cosmetic items
This is a fabulous warranty for an elliptical in this price range.
You can’t beat a lifetime guarantee on the frame and this certainly isn’t a given in this price range.
And 2 years on parts is as good as what most brands offer in this price range as well (matching NordicTrack, but Horizon does offer a 3 year parts warranty on their 7.0 AE).
One year on labor is pretty standard across all price ranges, so nothing too crazy there.
Overall, Sole’s reputation for offering great warranties stands true here. I doubt you’re going to find a better guarantee for $1k.
Sole’s E25 vs The Competition
| Sole E25 | NordicTrack AirGlide 7i | Schwinn 490 | Horizon 7.0 AE | |
| Stride | 20″ | ~18″ | 20″ | 20″ |
| Flywheel | 20 lb | 25 lb | 11 lb | 23 lb |
| Resistance/Incline | 20 levels | 22 resistance -5 – 15% | 25 resistance -5 – 15% | 20 levels |
| Console | 7.5″ LCD | 7″ HD touchscreen | 7″ LCD | 7″ LCD |
| Warranty | Lifetime frame 2 year parts 1 year labor | 10 year frame 2 year parts 1 year labor | 10 year frame 2 year parts 90 day labor | Lifetime frame 3 year parts 1 year flywheel/labor |
| Footprint | 70″ x 24″ | 69″ x 25″ | 58″ x 34″ | 76″ x 24″ |
| Price | ~$1200 | ~$1500 | ~$1200 | ~$1000 |
That does it for everything the E25 has to offer, so let’s take a look at some of the other top ellipticals in the ~$1200 price range to see what else is out there.
The first one that comes to mind is NordicTrack’s New AirGlide 7i, which is going for around $1500.
The 7i comes with a shorter 18″ stride length, but it’s equipped with a 25 lb flywheel, 22 resistance levels, and an incline range of -5 – 15% (yes, it does decline).
And at around 200 lb, it’s pretty heavy-duty as well.
The 7i also comes with a more sophisticated 7″ HD touchscreen for iFit streaming workouts, but of course you have to pay the ongoing membership fee to access those features.
Overall though, a tough competitor for the price.
There’s also Schwinn’s 490 elliptical, which goes for around $1200.
The 490 is about a foot shorter than the E25, making it quite a bit more compact, and it too comes with a spacious 20″ stride.
That said, it’s only packing an 11 lb flywheel and weighs about 20 lb less than the E25.
It also comes with 25 resistance levels, an incline up to 15%, and pretty similar console features.
Finally, I want to bring up Horizon’s 7.0 AE, which is a bit cheaper at around $1k.
The 7.0 AE comes with a 20″ stride, a 23 lb flywheel, 20 resistance levels, and 20 levels of incline.
It’s not quite as heavy-duty as the E25, but Horizon offers an extra year on parts and its console is pretty comparable.
The 7.0 AE is a good 6″ longer than the E25 though, so definitely not a compact option.
Overall though, it’s another tough competitor for the E25 and a top contender for best in class elliptical (in the ~$1k range).
Sole’s E25 vs Sole’s E35
| Sole E25 | Sole E35 | |
| Stride length | 20″ | 20″ |
| Flywheel | 20 lb | 25 lb |
| Resistance/Incline | 20 levels | 20 levels |
| Console | 7.5″ LCD | 10″ touchscreen |
| Price | ~$1200 | ~$1600 |
Finally, I want to offer a quick comparison to Sole’s E35, which costs about about $400 more.
For the additional cost, you get a lot of upgrades, including a heavier flywheel (25 lb) and adjustable pedals.
But the biggest upgrades are found with the console.
The E35 comes with a 10″ touchscreen console loaded with entertainment apps (Netflix, Hulu, and more), more built-in workout programs, and direct access to Sole+.
The E35 also comes with wireless charging, saving you the need to plug in a USB cord.
In terms of footprint, assembled weight, and warranty, the E25 and E35 are pretty identical.
So, if you’re interested in the upgraded console, the E35 could be worth the extra cash.
For a more detailed comparison, check out my full article on Sole’s E25 vs Sole’s E35.
Final Thoughts
For a budget elliptical, the E25 has a lot going for it.
I like that it comes with a heavy, 20 lb flywheel and the 20″ stride length is right where most folks are going to want it to be.
The heavy-duty frame and generous weight limit are always good to see as well.
And again, the warranty is awesome.
The included features are pretty standard, so there’s nothing too special going on in the console department and it would be nice to see some multi-grip handles.
But otherwise, there’s not much to complain about here.
That said, there’s some tough competition in this price range, as the above table shows.
But I think the E25 holds its own with all of ’em.
If you’re looking for touchscreens or a more compact model, one of the other ellipticals mentioned would make more sense.
Otherwise, if you’re looking for a durable, high-performing elliptical in the ~$1k price range, Sole’s E25 is highly recommended.
