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Sole’s E95 vs The E95S – Everything You Need To Know

sole e95 vs e95s

The E95 and E95S are two of Sole’s higher-end ellipticals and as such, they have a lot in common (besides the almost identical model number).

Both ellipticals come with impressive performance specs and plenty of higher-tech features, and both ellipticals are backed by great warranties.

The biggest difference is the power adjustable stride length found on the E95S, however this elliptical gives up the ability to adjust the incline in order to provide this function.

In other words, choosing between these 2 elite machines can be difficult, but rest assured- I’ve got your back.

In this article I’ll provide a head-to-head comparison of the E95 and the E95S.

I’ll discuss all the key performance specs and features each elliptical comes with as well as the biggest differences between them- and don’t worry, I’m not shy about including my thoughts about which elliptical is best for whom either.

After reading, you’ll be well-equipped to choose the right option for your home gym.

Sole E95Sole E95S
Stride Length20″Power adjustable: 18″ – 24″
Flywheel27 lb30 lb
Resistance/incline20 resistance levels
20 incline levels
20 resistance levels
n/a
Frame242 lb assembled weight
400 lb weight capacity
265 lb assembled weight
400 lb weight capacity
Features13.3″ touchscreen
Entertainment apps
Sole+
Bluetooth speakers
Wireless charging
Multi-grip handles
Handle bar controls
Cooling fan
Water bottle holder
Adjustable pedals
13.3″ touchscreen
Entertainment apps
Sole+
Bluetooth speakers
Wireless charging
Multi-grip handles
Handle bar controls
Cooling fan
Water bottle holder
WarrantyLifetime frame
3 year parts/electronics
1 year labor
Lifetime frame
3 year parts/electronics
1 year labor
Price~$2000~$2,700

Sole’s E95 vs The E95S

Sole gets a lot of publicity for their treadmills (and rightfully so, they’re awesome), but their other cardio machines are just as impressive.

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of this brand.

I often find myself praising them and their bikes, treadmills, and ellipticals always find their ways onto my “best of” lists year in and year out.

I promise they aren’t paying me off or anything, it’s just that Sole machines are built to last and backed by great warranties. It doesn’t hurt that they’re priced fairly either.

When it comes to ellipticals, Sole has several models to choose from in their lineup.

The E95 falls in the middle of the pack, in terms of price and features, and the E95S is one rung higher.

The only elliptical more expensive than the E95S is the E98, which comes with a light commercial warranty too.

(If you’re interested in learning more about the other models, check out my complete Sole Elliptical Guide for more info).

But back to the E95 and E95S.

Let’s start this discussion by going over the performance side of things and then we’ll switch over to the features.

Stride Lengths

I always like to start my elliptical discussions with the stride length, but in this case it’s especially convenient because the biggest difference between these 2 models has to do with this key spec.

If you’re new to ellipticals, the stride length refers to how far apart the pedals move during use.

This is an important spec to consider before purchasing, because if you get an elliptical with a stride length that’s too small for ya, you might feel like you’re jogging in place during your workouts.

And I don’t think that’s something many of us are going for.

Generally speaking, taller individuals do better with longer stride lengths and shorter folks do better with shorter stride lengths.

That said, the gold standard for home ellipticals is a stride length of 20″ because at this length, most people will be able to comfortably operate it.

With this in mind, the E95 comes with a 20″ stride length. This is great, because most people can hop on and comfortably work out. It’s also expected from a nice elliptical in this price range.

The E95S, however, comes with a power adjustable stride length.

This means you can push a button and change the stride length between 18″ – 24″, depending on whatever feels comfortable.

The ability to reach a 24″ stride is great for taller people, but this is also a nice feature for homes with multiple users that aren’t all the same size.

And the ability to decrease to an 18″ stride on the lower end will accommodate most shorter individuals too.

So, if you are tall or have multiple family members that plan on using your elliptical, this adjustable stride length feature might be appealing.

Something else worth mentioning is that you can adjust the stride to change up your workout too- it doesn’t all have to be about height.

You can stretch out your stride to mimic running at faster paces or shorten your stride to mimic jogging at slower paces.

The adjustable stride length on the E95S is where the “S” part comes from and it’s the most notable difference between these 2 ellipticals.

Resistances

Like indoor cycles, flywheel weights are an important consideration for ellipticals too.

And just like bikes, when it comes to elliptical flywheels, heavier is usually better because they tend to provide a smoother, more substantial feel during your workouts.

Well, the E95 comes with a 27 lb flywheel, which is impressive for an elliptical in any price range (fyi, I consider any flywheel weighing over 20 lb to be considered “heavy”).

The E95S comes with an even heavier one though – at 30 lb, the flywheel on the E95S is one of the heaviest you’ll find on a home model.

Honestly, the 3 lb difference in flywheel weight isn’t a huge difference by itself, but it’s something to consider along with everything else these 2 ellipticals have to offer.

Both of these ellipticals use smooth, magnetic resistance systems and both come with 20 levels to use during workouts.

The E95 comes with 20 levels of power adjustable incline as well, something the E95S is missing (it must’ve been too difficult to have an adjustable stride and incline).

So, something else worth considering is whether you’d rather have the incline function or the adjustable stride function.

Overall, the E95S comes with a heavier flywheel, but the difference isn’t very significant. What is significant is the fact that the E95 comes with a power incline function, while the E95S comes with the adjustable stride mentioned above.

Frames and Weight Capacities

This section doesn’t have the most interesting stuff to talk about, but it’s still important info.

Having a heavier-duty machine is beneficial because it’s going to feel more stable during use and be less likely to wobble or shake during your workouts.

I like to look at 2 key specs when trying to figure out how heavy-duty an elliptical is: the assembled weight and the weight capacity.

And seeing higher numbers in both is a good thing.

The E95 comes with an assembled weight of 236 lb and a weight limit of 400 lb, both of which are spectacular for a home model.

The E95S comes with an assembled weight of 265 lb and the same 400 lb weight limit.

Both models come with the same weight capacity, although the E95S is roughly 30 lb heavier. Again, I see the extra weight as a good thing.

Looking at the assembled dimensions, these two ellipticals are virtually identical in size:

  • E95: 83″ x 34″ x 70″ (L x W x H)
  • E95S: 84″ x 32″ x 71″ (L x W x H)

Overall, both ellipticals come with very heavy-duty frames and impressive weight limits, but the E95S is quite a bit heavier-duty.

Additional Features

That about does it for the performance side of things, so let’s switch over and take a look at the features each elliptical has to offer.

In terms of differences, there aren’t really that many to speak of.

Sole E95Sole E95S
Console13.3″ touchscreen13.3″ touchscreen
Entertainment appsYesYes
Sole+YesYes
Classic workoutsYesYes
Bluetooth speakersYesYes
Multi-grip handlesYesYes
Wireless chargingYesYes
Cooling fanYesYes
Tablet holderYesYes
Adjustable pedalsYesNo
The only difference between these ellipticals when it comes to consoles/features is that the E95 comes with adjustable pedals and the E95S doesn’t.

Both models come with the same 13.3″ touchscreen console that comes pre-loaded with all the most popular entertainment apps (Netflix, Prime, Disney+, etc).

These consoles also come with 10 or so classic workout profiles, tons of custom workout options, and screen mirroring which allows you to connect your phone up and view anything on your phone through the larger console screen.

Each console also comes with Sole+, Sole’s free streaming app that gives you access to thousands of on-demand instructor-led workouts.

That’s right, it’s free.

Both ellipticals also come with multi-grip handles, handle bar controls, bluetooth speakers, wireless charging pads, cooling fans, tablet holders, and water bottle holders.

The only real difference is that the E95 comes with adjustable angle pedals (Sole’s “Worm Drive” that allows you to choose between 10 different pedal angles) and the E95S doesn’t.

Otherwise, the features found on the E95 and E95S are identical.

Warranties

I mentioned earlier that I like how generous Sole is with their warranties. Well, time to be a little more specific.

Sole’s E95 and E95 come with the following home warranties:

Sole E95Sole E95S
FrameLifetimeLifetime
Parts3 years3 years
Labor1 year1 year
Sole’s E95 and E95S come with the same great warranty.

See, told ya these warranties are awesome.

You can’t beat a lifetime frame guarantee, that’s as long as it gets.

And 3 years on parts is good considering most in this price range offer somewhere between 2 – 5 years.

A year on labor is standard across the board, so nothing too special there.

Overall, both ellipticals come with the same great warranty, so this spec won’t have to play a part in your decision process.

Price

Time to talk dineros.

Price is always an important consideration, so let’s go over the numbers here.

At the time of writing this, these ellipticals cost the following (keep in mind prices can change, so don’t hate me if these numbers aren’t perfectly accurate):

  • E95: ~$2000
  • E95S: ~$2,700

So, there’s about a $700 difference between these 2 models, give or take a few hundred bucks depending on ongoing promotions.

I’d like to point out that I think both of these ellipticals are priced pretty fairly, considering the quality and the features each comes with (not to mention the great warranties).

But the real question is whether or not it makes sense to cough up the extra dough for the E95S…

Final Thoughts

Of course this question is only applicable if you have the budget for the E95S- if you don’t, of course it makes sense to go with the E95.

That said, these 2 ellipticals are very similar when it comes to the flywheels, resistance systems, and frames. And there’s almost no difference in terms of the consoles and other features.

When trying to decide between the E95 and the E95S, I think it all comes down to whether you want incline or an adjustable stride length.

If you ask me (and if you’re still reading this, I’ll assume you are), I think it makes sense to invest the extra cash into the E95S for 1 of 2 reasons:

  1. You or any user is well over 6′ tall
  2. There’s a significant height difference between users

Honestly, these are the only 2 situations I think it makes sense to really go all in for the E95S.

If you aren’t really tall or you’ll be the only user, I think the E95 makes more sense because you probably won’t be using the adjustable stride that much anyway.

In that case, I think you’d likely benefit more from the power adjustable incline function found on the E95.

Long-story-short: I think the E95 is the better buy for most individuals, but it really comes down to personal preference.

Author

Will's a licensed physical therapist (DPT) with over 15 years of experience treating patients from all backgrounds. He's been lifting weights and exercising in one form or another since middle school and has been working out in his own home gym for over a decade. When it comes to fitness equipment, there isn't much he hasn't tried. In his spare time, if he isn't writing or working out, he's likely playing basketball, watching movies, or hanging with his family.

6 thoughts on “Sole’s E95 vs The E95S – Everything You Need To Know”

  1. Excellent review but I have never seen an elliptical review that talks about overhead clearance. Information on how far off the floor the pedals are would be helpful. I’m a 6 foot tall man who lives in an apartment that doesn’t have the tallest ceiling. How can I find out how far off the floor my head will be if I can’t determine how far off the floor the pedals are at their highest point?

    1. Hey, great question. Some brands will provide the “step up height” spec, which tells you how far off the ground the pedals are. Sole does provide this spec and the step up height for the E95 is 14″, which is pretty average for most home ellipticals. So, if you take your height and add 14″ to it, that should tell you how far off the ground your head is at the highest point. Of course, it’s a good idea to include a couple of extra inches for good measure. When in doubt, I say add 18″ and you should be safe.

  2. Excellent review. Was wondering the following: I’m really keen on combining my new aspired cross-trainer with a virtual training app like Kinomap or alike. What I’m looking for is a crosstrainer that obviously follows the terrain (so when going uphill/downhill, the machine’s resistance increases/decreases), but also that the incline/decline of the machine automatically follows. From your review I can’t make out if the E95 actually does that. If not, maybe you know of another high-end crosstrainer. Hope you can enlighten me. Thx pim

    1. That’s a great question. The E95 is bluetooth compatible with fitness apps for metric tracking and whatnot, but I don’t think it can automatically change the incline/decline settings to match an app’s terrain. If you’re looking for this feature specifically, you might want to check out iFit compatible ellipticals because I know iFit machines do automatically adjust the resistance and incline. These brands include NordicTrack, ProForm, and Matrix. Matrix offers the highest-end products of this group and ProForm is the most affordable. NordicTrack falls right in the middle and their Commercial 14.9 would be the closest thing they have to the E95. Of course to take advantage of this feature, you have to maintain an iFit subscription, that does require a monthly membership fee. I hope that helps and thanks for reading!

  3. My husband is 6’8″ and I’m 5’6″ so we’re looking into the e95s, but some reviews I’ve read say that the e95s is hard to use for people under 5’10” due to difficulty with grabbing the handles comfortably, is this accurate?

    1. I’ve seen a few similar comments complaining of the same thing, although I’ve seen other comments from users in the 5’4″ – 5’7″ height range who apparently don’t have any issues. So, I guess it depends on the person. If you’re not comfortable with the possibility of having to lean forward a little while using it, you might want to check to see if there are any Dick’s Sporting Goods or any other sporting good stores in your area that might have a floor model you could try out before deciding.

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