Sole’s E35 and E95 are both two of the best ellipticals $2000 can get ya.
With heavy flywheels, spacious stride lengths, and heavy-duty frames, both models are designed for optimal performance.
So, if you’re looking for an elite elliptical in this price range, either model is a pretty safe bet.
But which is the better bet?
With such similar specs and features, does it make sense to pay a little more for the E95 or is it smarter to save a few hundred bucks and go with the E35?
Well, these are the questions I’m here to help you answer.
In this head-to-head comparison, I’ll go over how these 2 ellipticals stack up to each other with regards to all the key specs and features they have to offer.
I’ll also point out all the differences between them and throw in my 2 cents regarding which is the better buy.
After reading, you’ll know which elliptical makes more sense for your home gym.
Sole’s E95 is a larger, heavier elliptical and it comes with a larger console, upgraded pedals, and a longer parts warranty, but the E35 is very similar in terms of performance and console features. The E35 is likely a better choice for smaller home gyms and the E95 is likely a better choice for larger users and homes with multiple users.
| Sole E35 | Sole E95 | |
|---|---|---|
| Stride length | 20″ | 20″ |
| Flywheel | 25 lb | 27 lb |
| Frame | 211 lb assembled weight 350 lb weight capacity | 242 lb assembled weight 400 lb weight capacity |
| Warranty | Lifetime frame 2 year parts/electronics 1 year labor | Lifetime frame 3 year parts/electronics 1 year labor |
| Features | 10″ touchscreen 3 position adjustable pedals 20 resistance levels 20 power incline levels Entertainment apps Sole+ Bluetooth speakers Wireless charging Fan Water bottle holder | 13″ touchscreen 10 position adjustable pedals 20 resistance levels 20 power incline levels Entertainment apps Sole+ Bluetooth speakers Wireless charging Fan Water bottle holder |
| Footpring | 70″ x 31″ | 83″ x 34″ |
| Price | ~$1500 | ~$2000 |
Sole’s E35 vs Sole’s E95
It’s no secret I’m a fan of the Sole and if you’re familiar with my site, you may know that they’re one of my favorite home fitness brands.
You might also notice that Sole machines are almost always at the top of my “best of” lists for pretty much any category.
I’m not a secret employee for the company or anything, I just think they offer a great product for the money.
And I really like the generous warranties they offer.
I’ve received several questions from readers regarding the differences between these 2 ellipticals, so I figured it was time for an article to formally address it.
(I’d like to thank my readers for the motivation behind this one, it’s a great topic and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention).
I think it makes sense to compare these 2 ellipticals based on the key specs you should be considering for any elliptical, so that’s how I’m going to organize this post.
I also included a section going over the differences in console features, and of course a discussion on price.
At the end, I’ll bring it all together and discuss which model I think is best for who and whatnot.
Let’s start with the performance side of things though first.
Stride Lengths
Regardless of whether you decide to go with one of these Sole ellipticals or one from another brand, I highly encourage you to consider the stride length of your chosen elliptical before you purchase.
This simple spec will tell you how much room you have during your workouts.
It’s defined as the distance the pedals move apart from each other every time you take a step and it’s an important spec to consider.
Taller and shorter individuals probably need to pay more attention than your average height folks, but everyone should at least be aware of what an elliptical’s stride length is.
(For more info on finding the right stride length based on your height, check out my stride length guide).
The takeaway here is that both models come with a great stride length that will allow folks of most heights to use either comfortably.
As my gross anatomy professor used to say during our dissections- “let’s appreciate and move on”.
Flywheels
You hear a lot of talk about flywheel weights when talking about indoor cycles, but it’s an important spec to consider with ellipticals too.
And for the same reason- heavier flywheels create more momentum as they spin, which makes for a smoother feel during workouts.
With this in mind, the E35 comes with a 25 lb flywheel, which is impressive by any means (I consider any flywheel over 20 lb to by “heavy”).
And the E95 comes with a slightly heavier, 27 lb flywheel.
I just said heavier is better when it comes to flywheels, so technically, the E95 comes with an upgrade in this department.
But a 2 lb difference is pretty small.
In other words, I’m not sure most users would be able to tell much of a difference between a 25 lb and a 27 lb flywheel.
And when it comes to resistance and incline levels, there aren’t any other differences between the E35 and E95 either.
Both come with 20 levels of magnetic resistance and 20 power incline levels.
So, even though the E95’s flywheel is a bit heavier, I don’t think it’s enough of a difference to make any significant difference.
Frames And Weight Capacities
The resistance systems on these ellipticals are very similar, but let’s take a look at how the frames of each model stack up to each other.
I’m a proponent that when it comes to home fitness equipment, heavier is better (usually).
Even though heavier machines are more of a hassle to move, they’ll feel more stable while you’re using them (because they’re harder to move).
I like to look at the assembled weight and the weight capacity of an elliptical to get an idea as to how “heavy-duty” it is.
Doing this, we see that the E35 weighs 211 lb assembled and has a weight limit of 350 lb- both of which are awesome for an elliptical in this price range.
However, the E95 weighs 242 lb and comes with a weight limit of 400 lb.
Comparing these numbers, we see that the E95 is quite a bit heavier than the E35 and comes with a slightly higher weight limit.
Larger folks may want to consider this, but I don’t think the smaller folks out there will notice any difference.
The E95 is heavier, but it’s also much longer. With a footprint of 83″ x 34″, the E95 is about a foot longer than the compact E35, which has a footprint of 70″ x 31″.
When considering which elliptical is better suited for your home, you’ll certainly want to think about this size difference.
And homes with limited floor space may want to choose the E35 for this size difference along.
Overall, both ellipticals come with heavy-duty frames, but the E95 is much longer and heavier than the E35.
Features
So far, there aren’t that many differences between the E95 and the E35- certainly not enough to warrant the extra cost in my book.
When it comes to the features each elliptical has to offer though, there are a couple of differences.
The most notable is the console screen- the E35 comes with a 10.1″ touchscreen while the E95 comes with a 13.3″ touchscreen.
You’ll notice that both are touchscreens, but the E95’s is just a few inches larger.
The larger screen on the E95 improves visibility, but both consoles come loaded with the same entertainment apps, same workout programs, and both are Sole+ ready.
Speaking of which, Sole+ is Sole’s free streaming app and through it, you can access thousands of free instructor-led workouts.
And one more time for the record, it’s free.
Both ellipticals come with Sole+ loaded, making it easy to access the streaming workouts.
Another difference is seen in the pedals- both models come with cushioned pedals with an adjustable angle, however the E95 offers more positions to choose from (10 vs 3).
The E95 comes with Sole’s “worm drive”, allowing you to fine tune the angle of the pedals, while the E35 comes with only 3 pedal positions.
Not a huge deal, but having more customizable options is never a bad thing.
As far as I can tell, those are the only differences in features between these 2 ellipticals. Both ellipticals share the following features:
| Sole E35 | Sole E95 | |
| Entertainment apps | Yes | Yes |
| Sole+ | Yes | Yes |
| Screen mirroring | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-grip handles | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling fan | Yes | Yes |
| Tablet holder | Yes | Yes |
| Water bottle holder | Yes | Yes |
Warranties
| Sole E35 | Sole E95 | |
| Frame | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Parts | 2 years | 3 years |
| Labor | 1 year | 1 year |
| Cosmetic | 90 days | 90 days |
I mentioned earlier that one of my favorite things about Sole is how awesome their warranties are- it’s true, they have some of the best guarantees on the market.
And I don’t have any complaints about either of these warranties.
You can’t beat a lifetime guarantee on the frame and 2-3 years is better than what most are offering on parts (Spirit is one of the only brands that tops Sole with their 10 year parts warranties).
A year on labor is standard stuff, so nothing interesting going on there.
Overall, the E95 comes with an extra year of coverage under parts, but otherwise these two warranties are the same.
Price
Ok, time to talk money.
We’ve taken a quick look at all the key specs and features each model has to offer and there are a few small differences between the E35 and E95.
The prices on these ellipticals will vary a little throughout the year, but generally speaking, they cost the following:
- Sole’s E35: ~$1500
- Sole’s E95: ~$2000
So, the E95 basically costs $500 more than the E35, give or take.
Given the performance specs and features of each, I would argue that both of these ellipticals are priced fairly (especially considering the generous warranties).
But with the differences in performance and features being subtle, is the E95 really worth an extra $500?
Ultimately that’s a personal question, but if you’re interested in my 2 cents, keep reading.
Final Thoughts
The differences between the E35 and E95 are subtle, but there are differences. If you don’t stop and look at every little spec, you might not catch them at first glance.
To sum things up, the E95 comes with:
- A flywheel that’s 2 lb heavier
- A frame that’s 30 lb heavier and a foot longer
- A weight capacity that’s 50 lb higher
- A console screen that’s 3″ larger
- Pedals that are more adjustable (10 positions vs 3)
That’s really it.
Otherwise, these 2 ellipticals are pretty identical.
I know the real question is whether or not these differences are worth the extra $500 and that’s a tough one.
For most people, my short answer would be no, probably not.
I think the E35 would suffice just fine for most home-gymers looking for a nice elliptical with great features.
Now here’s my longer answer.
That said, I don’t think Sole is trying to trick us here either- the E95 does come with upgrades over the E35, so the additional cost is warranted.
Even though the E95 is a few hundred bucks more than the E35, I would consider both models to be in the same price range.
And if you’re looking for the best elliptical in this price range (under $2000), technically speaking, the E95 is a nicer elliptical (especially if you’d prefer a larger screen).
Homes with smaller workout areas should definitely go with the E35 because it takes up a lot less floor space.
Overall, if you don’t really care about the bigger screen, I’d say save yourself some money and go with the E35, but if you really want the best this price range has to offer, the E95 is your best bet.
