Get Your Steps in With These 10 Under-Desk Treadmills

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Living a healthy lifestyle and having a stable 9-5: Who would have thought these things would be at odds? It makes sense though. Even though you're not a gamer who needs a chair for sitting down for 15 hours at a time, you still spend most of your day on your ass. An ergonomic office chair is a work from home essential, whether you scored it on Amazon or the sidewalk outside a liquidated office building. A nice chair will at least protect your posture. Working from your couch or bed (please don't) is a mental and physical health risk.

The human body is funny. We're not like sharks that die if they stop moving. A lot of stuff can go sideways if we're in a sedentary state for too long. Sitting for long periods tenses your lower back, joints, and hips. It can lead to herniated disks, and (most painfully) issues with sciatica. Standing desks are one great fix that gently works your muscles. But, a nice work from desk plus walking treadmills? The only thing that'll beat that is a home gym where you can strengthen and stretch it all out.

To help you be your most productive, pain-free self, we put a bunch of under-desk treadmills to the test. After years of WFH-ing we've determined what models are trustworthy enough to be worth your money, and we've compiled them here. Shop the 10 absolute best under-desk walking treadmills on the market.

Superfit Fordable Under-Desk Electric Treadmill

This electric treadmill is compact, quiet, and ideal for work-from-home environments. It has two modes, one for walking and one for jogging. We rarely found the jogging mode to be of much WFH use, but it's nice to have.

On top of that, it has an ultra-quiet 2.25HP motor with shock-absorbing and noise-reducing capabilities. It has an LED display that clearly shows the time, speed, distance, and calories you burn during your workout. Plus, it has handrails that you can use if you want to go fast without tripping or falling.

Omni Console Under Desk Walking Pad

If there's any issue with LifeSpan, it's that the brand makes treadmills too well. So well, in fact, that it's tough to find them in stock. If you click through this link and see a treadmill available for purchase, but it immediately. If it's out of stock, keep that tab open.

As for specifics, if you want something that's a bit of an upgrade—meaning a bit more powerful than some might need—this LifeSpan is what you want. We loved the easy to use LED display can stay on your desk, giving you an easy way to increase or decrease your tempo.

Plus, since it's a bit beefier than other walking treadmills, it feels more comfortable when you're walking on it. We got a sensation similar to a springy running treadmill. It's the closest thing to taking a treadmill from the gym and sticking it under your desk.

Walking Pad

As with most tech and fitness gear, a lot of walking treadmills are ugly. They're modern monstrosities devoid of any natural look. The walking was great for our mental health, but looking at all that plastic just cancelled out the benefits.

This walking treadmill, however, surprised us in that department. Something as simple as adding cheap wood panelling to the treadmill makes an incredible difference. Instead of being something you feel the need to hide away, we wanted this treadmill can stay out with our desk setups.

Another plus we have to talk about is the incline. The five percent slope (around 2.5°) is just the right amount. It doesn't drastically increase the difficulty of walking, but over time it adds up and gives you a much better workout.

Walkstation Flat Treadmill

You don't need an under desk treadmill to do a lot... It really just needs to fit under your desk and move at a gentle pace. This ultra slim walking mat does exactly that.

We love the a monitor that can show your speed, distance, and calories burned. It's remote controlled, and on top of that, it has smart power-saving technology that will shut your machine off if it has been idle for more than 10 minutes. Our favorite feature is that it has built-in shock absorbers, which means it is safe for your knees, feet, and joints.

C2

When you're the one walking, the treadmill becomes white noise. When someone is walking in the room while you work, the treadmill might as well be a jet engine. The treadmill that kept coworkers and life partners from hating us was this WalkingPad C2. It's basically soundless.

This super-slim device has a soft, padded belt that absorbs sound and shock, meaning it's not only quiet but it's also safe for joints and ankles. On top of that, it's got a compatible app for all your tracking needs, and it has a nice and reliable step-sensing function, which will automatically match your pace.

Walker Pro M1 Under-Desk Treadmill

Even a slight incline will burn crazy calories over the course of an eight-hour workday. If you want real bang for your buck, a walking treadmill with incline is the way to go, and we loved this one from EGOFIT.

As with all great models, this treadmill has an app where you can track how long you've been walking, how far you've gone, and how many calories you've burned. Plus, it comes with a remote control so you can switch up your speed while you stroll.

Strol Lite 2-in-1 Foldable Under-Desk Treadmill

Under-desk treadmills aren't just made for walking. This two-in-one device allows you to even hit a jog. It has a 2.5-horsepower motor that will allow you to run up to 7.6 miles per hour or walk up to 3.8 miles per hour. It's the only affordable walk-run model we found to be sufficient in the run category.

Plus, it has a handy LED screen that makes it easy for you to track your speed, distance, time, and calories. It also has a remote control that can change the speed or stop the treadmill while you walk.

3-in-1 Under-Desk Treadmill with Training Programs

Need a treadmill that can do it all? This three-in-one device can be slid under your desk so you can walk while you work as well as transformed into a treadmill so you can jog, aannndd it can even turn into a full-blown standing desk where you can walk and jog, if you so please.

It can also connect to your phone via Bluetooth so you can enjoy entertainment while you exercise. Plus, there are Bluetooth speakers that you can crank so you can listen to meetings, play music, and more. What's really nice about this device is that it has 12 preset training programs that will meet your different needs, whether that's getting more steps in, targeting certain body parts, or sticking to a regimen.

We found some features to be a bit overkill, but the price isn't crazy, and they're nice to have. If you want an all-in-one deal, this is the treadmill.

Portable Electric Under-Desk Walking Treadmill

This Judvx under-desk treadmill is more affordable than most devices of its kind, but that doesn't mean it lacks any of the important features.

First, there's practically no assembly; it's stupid easy. Second, it has an easy-to-see LED screen that will show you how long you've been walking, how far you've gone, how many calories you've burned, and how fast you're going. Plus, it's slim enough to fit under the couch or bed when it's not in use. The cherry on top: It has an ultra-quiet motor that you can barely hear.

Treadmill Desk

Why not go big? Instead of just getting a treadmill to go under your desk, how about you get a double whammy: A treadmill with a removable desk. It makes this option ultra-versatile and great for small spaces.

On top of being compact, this treadmill features a quiet 2.25 horsepower motor that can hit a speed of 7.5 miles per hour. Plus, it has an LCD display that shows you distance, time, and calories, as well as built-in Bluetooth speakers so you can listen to your favorite tunes while you walk.

What's the Difference Between a Regular Treadmill and an Under-Desk Treadmill?

Well... it goes "under" your "desk" so you can walk while you work. Sorry for that, but it's actually that simple!

To be fair, though, most of these models are limited to a walking pace, so better name for under-desk treadmills is actually "walking pads." Unlike big, bulky gym treadmills, these are only a few inches tall, and none of them are capable of going full running speed. Most models have a range of 1mph to about 7.5mph.

That means they're perfectly set up for a leisurely walking speed. And since they are so slim, they can live under a standing desk and help you burn a few calories while you work.

How We Picked The Best Under-Desk Treadmills

We put our feet on the rubber and got to walking. These were the criteria we looked for:

Compact - They all fit under a desk, but we wanted models that were lightweight and easy to move.

Cushiony - If you're going to be walking for a few hours every workday, you want the treadmill to have a comfortable belt. Otherwise you're just harming your joints.

Speed - We really love models that can get up to a 7.5mph speed, which equals a fast jog, bordering on a run. You'd never run that fast and work at the same time, but after a long day or a particularly aggravating team call... hauling ass can be cathartic.

Incline - We also love an incline on an under-desk treadmill. Five percent is the sweet spot: It doesn't make walking that much harder, but it burns a lot more calories over the course of the day.

Why Trust Esquire?

Specific to this story, we all work from desks. Our editors spend eight hours a day sat in front of a computer. We hope our testers and writers get outside more, but they probably don't. So, we used all that work time to try a bunch of walking pads and under desk treadmills. That's how we found these picks for you.

More generally, though, we've testing products for years—or decades, collectively—and it allows us to recommend the best tech worth your hard-earned money. Simply, we what works. More complicatedly, we know all the weird jargon and tech that you don't need to worry about. We compile our guides by performing heavy research and testing, and the gadgets we choose to award are what we'd spend our own money on.

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