Nautilus T616 Treadmill Review 2024

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Last Updated: April 2, 2023

The Nautilus T616 treadmill is an affordable folding treadmill priced around $1000 that has cushioning in the deck and syncs via Bluetooth with any number of 3rd party apps. This is the sister machine to the Nautilus T618 with a slightly lower price tag and lighter deck. You get a lot of features for the price with the T616 which is why it is one of Nautilus’s best selling machines. The Strike Zone cushioning reduces joint impact and the upgraded console has two LCD screens with multiple displays. There are 26 preloaded programs (the same as on the T618)and the deck inclines to 15% and provides a 12mph max speed. As you can see, this is a great treadmill for the price!

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Who It’s For: Users who want an affordable treadmill with an LCD console that folds up and locks in place

The Nautilus T616 is an excellent choice for users who:

• Plan to walk, jog or lightly run a few times per week
• Have one or maybe two intermediate users in their home
• Plan to workout at home for safety and convenience
• Appreciate the locking deck for security
• Are budget conscious and looking for quality and functionality
• Are under the 300lb weight capacity
• Don’t need extra tech or a color touchscreen

In-depth Review of Nautilus T616 Treadmill

Construction

Frame

The Nautilus Fitness T616 folding treadmill has structural beams that support the frame to reduce vibrations and wobble underfoot. The 3.0 horsepower motor is quiet and sits under the motor hood on the front end of the deck so it can be folded vertically. The motor is smooth for both speed and incline adjustments. A locking mechanism holds the deck securely when vertical so it won’t accidentally open. Even though this is more of a budget priced treadmill, Nautilus still provides a full 10 year warranty on frame and motor.

Handrails

There are two handlebars on either side of the deck. These have a coating for protection which is sweat and moisture resistant. You can easily wipe down the handrails with a wet cloth to sanitize. There is also a curved horizontal support bar that spans the base of the console. This bar has heart rate sensors that will transmit your HR to the console screen for real time HR training. The horizontal bar is slightly narrower and easier to grip while the parallel handrails that float above the deck are wider and provide a solid hand hold for getting on or off the machine.

Deck

• Cushioning
  • Nautilus equips the T616 with Strike Zone cushioning which allows the deck to flex slightly underfoot. The Strike Zone system absorbs impact and reduces joint compression and fatigue. You can actually see the deck flex when someone is running on it. We recommend this machine for walking, jogging or light running.
• Length/Width
  • The 60” long and 20” wide deck is roughly on par with other folding treadmills and should provide enough stride length for jogging. This deck size may be slightly compact for users over 6 feet tall. Also, runners who plan to do sprints or run long distances at a fast pace, may benefit from a slightly more powered machine with a larger motor.
• Belt and Rollers
  • The 2-ply, 2mm belt and 2.5” rollers reduce friction under foot so you can walk comfortably. The belt is gently textured to provide a nice mid foot strike and toe off without slipping.

Motor

• The 3.0 horsepower motor will support walking and jogging. As mentioned, this may not be powered enough to handle long sprint sessions or extended training at high speeds. The motor also controls speed and incline adjustments. Speed can be adjusted at .5 increments up to 12mph. Incline training burns significantly more calories than walking on a flat plane so you can kick up the intensity but stay low impact.
• Since this is a folding treadmill, the motor is housed at the top of the deck under the motor cover. Sometimes, when the motor is at the front of the deck it can get in the way of your forward foot stride. Nautilus has limited the size of the motor hood on the T616 so it doesn’t stick up above the deck like others we’ve seen and you don’t have the problem of your foot grazing the hood as you run.

Console/Controls

Screen

The Nautilus T616 has two LCD screens which display different metrics. The smaller top screen shows distance and your fitness score which is determined by your personal metrics and your workout exertion. It will also display your heart rate if you are wearing a monitor or if you place your hands on the sensors on the horizontal handlebar. The larger lower screen has readouts for time, distance, heart rate, speed, incline, and your current program. Both screens are backlit blue with white digital numbers that are large and easy to read.

Controls

The T616 uses button controls that flank the screen on either side. There are black buttons to toggle through and select a workout program. There are also preset buttons for speed and incline. Like many treadmills, there is not a single button for each metric. Instead speed buttons move by 2’s from 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12mph. Incline buttons are: 0, 2, 5, 8, 10, 13, and 15% grade. The console is Bluetooth enabled and will sync with Nautilus’s Explore the World™ App which allows users to walk through 19 locations with 27 routes. In these routes, you run alongside people from all over the world in real time.

Layout

Just below the main console is a smaller panel that has a large green Start and a large red Stop button. The safety key sits on the bottom of this lower panel and the fan is centered here and blows about chest height. Smaller up/down buttons for smaller increment adjustments of speed (right) and incline (left) are easy to reach. A digital Bluetooth display at the very top of the console indicates which devices are connected to the treadmill. There are two speakers at the top that flank the Bluetooth display.

Tablet Holder

At the top of the console just in front of the Bluetooth display is a tablet shelf that will hold most devices securely. There is also a USB port so you can plug in and charge your device while in use. From here, you can view any number of fitness apps, watch Netflix, or even just read a book. All app services require their own subscription. A tablet is not included.

Storage

The T616 has good storage. There are two large cups on either side of the console. There is also a large storage tray that spans the width of the deck just below the console. This storage tray has three large cups and a narrow slot along the back. It sits up above the deck sufficiently so it is not in your way when running.

Functionality

Performance

The T616 is ideal for walking and jogging. It has a 300lb weight capacity, which may be an issue for some users, but the 3.0hp motor is quiet and still provides a 12mph max speed. The deck will incline to 15% for hill and incline training. The Bluetooth function on the console makes it so users can sync with any number of external 3rd party apps to view on your personal tablet. The tablet holder and USB port provides a great place to set and charge your device when in use.

Incline / Decline range

The Nautilus T616 inclines to 15%. There are several benefits to working on an incline. A steeper incline more directly engages your posterior muscle chain which consequently burns more calories than running on a flat road. It also adds different challenges when you combine various speeds with various inclines. It’s hard to get bored on a machine with this many training options. The incline feature makes it so you can really kick up that heart rate but stay low-impact for a challenging workout that burns more calories and recruits more of the powerhouse lower-body muscles.

26 Preloaded Routines

There are 26 preloaded programs on the T616 which can be selected on the console. These are simple, easy to use, and provide excellent training options for users who want functionality without all the extra bells and whistles. There are programs for calorie burn, hill work, distance, speed, intervals and fat burn. You can use the arrow buttons on the console to toggle through and select your program of choice. Also, the T616 will sync via Bluetooth with external fitness apps for additional training content. For all external apps, you must use your personal tablet which is not included. The console is not video enabled, but the T616 will keep track of your metrics while you use your phone or personal tablet.

Subscription Options

Nautilus includes a free version of their Explore the World app which allows users to walk or jog through any of 29 locations throughout the world in real time with other runners. This is similar to Zwift except for runners. The graphics are crisp and this adds additional training options on top of the 26 preloaded programs. The Explore the World app must be downloaded on your smartphone or tablet and placed on the console tablet shelf. In addition, users can subscribe to any number of external 3rd party apps.

Noise Level

The T616 is relatively quiet for a budget treadmill. Of course, there is a bit of noise from foot impact which is typical of treadmill use. The belt slides smoothly across the deck with minimal friction due to the large 2.5” rollers and the 2-ply belt surface is gently textured for improved foot grip. Like its sister machine the T618, this treadmill inclines to 15% and is slightly noisier when inclined, probably because the deck pivots up so the noise isn’t trapped underneath. But again, it isn’t anything more than we notice on comparable treadmills.

Storage / Folding

The T616 folds in half when you are finished. The deck will pivot up to lock vertically against the console. This makes it so you can open the deck to use when needed, but fold it up to reduce floor space when your workout is over. Also, the locking mechanism is secure so children or pets shouldn’t be able to unlatch it when locked. A soft drop hydraulic system controls the motion of the deck as it descends back to the floor so it doesn’t hit the ground with a thud.