What is reassuring about Reebok treadmills in general is that the motor is about as good as you can possibly expect for the home market and the Reebok ZR8 gives the impression of being a machine, which can stand up to a long period of reliable service. The console will help you keep track of how you are progressing by providing detailed feedback on your calories burned, duration of the run, distance travelled, current speed, elevation and heart rate – using the integrated hand pulse sensor built into the hand rests. The setup was really went smoothly, I always set up test treadmills with my partner as moving the treadmill into position is never easy by yourself (plus he still hasn’t forgiven me after the scratched floor incident).

As we’ve mentioned, you can choose your own speed and incline or opt for one of 24 pre-set programmes which cover all kinds of muscle groups and workout aims, along with 3 “target” programmes (time, distance and calories), 3 user-defined programs and a body fat tester. Although I wasn’t able to raise the volume as loud as my headphones I thought the sound quality overall was excellent. motor, the ZR8 has a maximum speed of 16kph (10mph), which makes it ideal for both short, high-intensity sprints and long endurance runs. The unique ZigTech cushioning system will take care of dispersing the impact energy across the length of the running deck, helping to protect your joints.Reebok have made cushioning a major selling point for all their treadmills and while ZigTech is somewhat lower down the scale than the “Air Motion Technology” cushioning they use once you start going towards the premium end of their range, it is the difference between “running on air” and running on a very comfortable, shock-absorbing surface. The ZR8 comes equipped with MP3 input, I can confirm that it works with both an MP3 player and mobile phone.

More than that, however, it comes with Reebok build quality and the guarantees to support it (2 years overall, 10 years on the motor and a lifetime on the frame), which gives us confidence that this is a treadmill which is built to last. We tested the incline and it has to be one of the better treadmills for its solid feeling while in use. Although the Reebok ZR8 is at the more affordable end of Reebok treadmills, it’s fair to say that there are cheaper treadmills out there. In other words, if you want a simple and convenient home-exercise solution, with a decent level of functionality and are happy to live without the extra bells and whistles on upper-end models, then the Reebok ZR8 could well make you very happy and will quickly pay for itself in terms of removing the need to pay gym fees and, of course, relieving you of the need to travel to the gym.

I have seen better displays on other treadmills even when taking into account we paid less than half the RRP. To help you reach your fitness goal you can plug your mobile phone into the integrated speakers and blast out your favourite motivational tracks. Funky graphics surround the main LCD displays give you an idea of what to expect from your chosen fitness program and I put the ZR8 through its paces with a 45 minute hill climb and decent. Although similar systems can be found on other treadmills Reebok have done a great job of impact reduction with this system.

Also included is a heart rate monitor that works by gripping the handles to give an accurate reading of your pulse. Hence, your average Reebok treadmill console may be a love-or-hate affair, although we generally get on OK with them regardless of which model we’ve tested. To ensure you are kept motivated and challenged, the treadmill console can deliver up to 24 varied fitness programs designed by our master trainers to take you from a gentle jog to a mountainous hill climb, depending on how far you want to take it. The ZigTech system built in to the ZR8 to help reduce the stress in your legs by holding the shockwaves whilst running. The Reebok ZR8 has unique ZigTech cushioning technology which means that when your foot hits the running track a force of energy is transmitted back up to your lower body.The treadmill comes with easy to follow assembly instructions and a dedicated Reebok UK freephone helpline and online chat, should you require any assistance.