NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Review 2023

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Last Updated: December 5, 2023

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NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill

Your workout is tailored to your training level with the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 with iFIT features–ActivePulse and Smart Adjust.

The soft and bouncy cushioning of the running deck makes hitting your mileage and pace goals smoother than ever.

NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Review: Bottom Line

The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 treadmill has a 3.0 CHP motor, a folding deck, incline, and decline, as well as a 10” touch screen for streaming iFIT. iFIT offers thousands of workouts that are filmed all over the world. We highly recommend checking it out. The 1250 will automatically adjust throughout your workout with iFIT, too.

The 1250 is the most affordable model in NordicTrack’s popular Commercial Series of home treadmills. Being in this series, the NordicTrack 1250 has a lot of similarities with the popular NordicTrack 2450 and 1750 Treadmills. The 1250 has the same design and features that we love on these other models but it’s available at a cheaper price.

The 1250’s deck features soft cushioning. So if you have joint issues, this is a good model to consider. Runners and walkers can escape the pounding of training on the road with this treadmill.

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179+ Treadmills Reviewed and an Uncountable Number of Miles..

Our experience ranges from hobby jogging all the way up to exercise science lab research. We’ve worked in gyms, coached athletes, trained at a collegiate level, and finally became treadmill review experts. Together, we have reviewed nearly 200 treadmills. We know what walkers and runners need at every fitness level, because we have been where you are. But, we also know treadmills from an expert standpoint as we conduct tests and review all of a treadmill’s components. From the construction to the workout programs, we spend hours in our rigorous review process looking at it all!

NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Treadmill Review Video

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NordicTrack Commercial 1250 vs Similar Treadmills

The NordicTrack 1250 is a great treadmill that holds its own against competitors. See how it stacks up in our comparison chart of comparable treadmills.

In-depth Testing & Analysis of NordicTrack Commercial 1250

Dimensions/Storability

As far as moving and storage, the 1250 is pretty easy to maneuver around.

The NordicTrack Commercial 1250’s dimensions are 78.5” L x 35.6” W x 64.7” H. The deck folds up and locks into place with a hydraulic assist mechanism so you don’t have to physically lift a lot of weight. The deck slowly unfolds once unlocked, too. Like many other folding treadmills, it does require you to tilt it back to engage the transportation wheels on the front part of the machine, but it’s easy to do so. It’s definitely easier to move around than Bowflex treadmills.

At 281.6 lbs (in the shipping box), the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 is a considerably sized treadmill. For many users, it may be best to keep the 1250 in a dedicated space rather than moving it around. Though, as I mentioned before, it’s not too hard to move it short distances. Wherever you decide to keep this treadmill, ensure that you have adequate clearance around it and a suitable ceiling height. Standard 9’ ceilings should be more than enough room for a 6’0” runner to train at an incline comfortably.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

iFIT Overview

iFIT is an interactive training program that comes enabled on equipment from NordicTrack. It’s one of the best online training platforms on the market, in our opinion. I’m going to give you a little overview of what to expect with an iFIT subscription, but you can check out our full review to learn more. Here are some things we like and what we think can be improved.

Something to be aware of is that iFIT requires a monthly subscription to access the full library of content. It’s an additional price on top of the treadmill. Considering the amount of content iFIT offers and that it is a complete training program, it’s worth it. But if you’re not interested in taking fitness classes, you can still use the 1250. I’ll get into this in a moment. Here’s what you get with a subscription to iFIT.

iFIT has over 16,000 trainer-led classes that are available on-demand to take whenever you want.

On the 1250, it’s programmed on the screen so once you log into your membership you can scroll through the library and take your pick.

The classes are filmed in professional studios where an instructor guides you through a workout. These are designed to resemble in-person spin classes, however, they’re available on treadmills, exercise bikes, rowers, and ellipticals. There are also mat classes for strength training with free weights, as well as yoga and guided meditations available.

My favorite part of iFIT is the outdoor classes. These are available for all the different types of activities I mentioned, and they’re filmed in locations all around the world. The instructor guides you through locations like Egypt and Thailand. Often throughout the workout, the instructor will tell you about the location and act as a tour guide. Trust me, you’ll never feel bored on a treadmill again with iFIT.

The Google Map feature in iFIT is also a great way to explore areas all over the world on your own. You can literally draw a route on a Google map and then Google images of the area will appear as you follow the route.

There is music available to listen to as well as the instructor’s voice. You can mute one or both, too. The music plays in the background and consists of preselected playlists of different genres to choose from. You can change the station at any time during your workout. This is the main area in which we would like to see some improvement. I think music should be incorporated into some of the classes, mainly the indoor studio classes. Music helps add energy to workouts, so it would be nice to hear music the instructor has selected for the class to listen to. This way, when we’re running through a sprint interval, it could be during an intense part of a song to help get us pumped to finish.

Overall though, we highly recommend checking out iFIT. It comes free for the first month when you purchase the NordicTrack 1250.

OnBoard Workouts

For those who aren’t interested in paying an additional monthly fee for training content, don’t worry, you can use manual mode for free. When you bypass the login page, you can access manual mode. Usually, a featured iFIT class is available to take for free as well. The iFIT featured class requires connecting wifi to use, but the manual mode does not.

Console

The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 features a 10” touch screen. This is where you access iFIT’s classes and the onboard workouts. It’s also where you get a lot of the functionality of the treadmill and where you see things like your speed, pace, and time. Obviously, the screen isn’t as large as the NordicTrack 2450’s 22” screen, but it’s a good size to be able to see everything you need.

Navigation on the console is straightforward and easy, too.

The piece that the screen is mounted into is very adjustable. It can be tilted up and down and pivoted to either side. This way, if you’re taking a treadmill boot camp class or a mat class after your run, you can see the screen from off the treadmill’s deck.

With this feature, you get even more out of iFIT and the 1250’s screen.

NordicTrack’s treadmills have some of our favorite console layouts and adjustment buttons. On either side of the 10” screen, there are numbered quick-touch buttons for adjusting the treadmill. The numbers on the left reflect the incline and decline range, while the numbers on the right reflect the speed in mph. What’s nice about these adjustment buttons is that you can press a number and the speed/grade will change to whichever level you selected. For instance, if I press 6 on the right side the belt will adjust to 6 mph.

If I press 6 and then 7 back-to-back, the speed will adjust to 6.7 mph.

I use these buttons by far the most when I’m using treadmills that have them. Other brands like Sole, Bowflex, ProForm, and Horizon, include them on their machines, too. The layout of them on NordicTrack’s machines is one of our favorites though. It makes sense and it’s easy to use.

There are other adjustment buttons below the screen. These include the start/stop buttons, arrow buttons for speed and incline, and buttons to adjust the fan’s airflow and the speaker’s sound.

The speaker is a soundbar mounted below the screen. It points at you and is plenty loud and clear. What’s nice about its positioning is that when you want to swivel the screen to face the side of the 1250, the speaker is mounted to the piece that moves. So, if you’re streaming an iFIT class from your mat, the speaker faces you to be heard well. The speaker is loud and clear, too.

The fan is pretty effective. It points at my face and neck. I’m about 5’1”. Taller users like Matt, who is 6’5”, should point at your chest. It has multiple settings for the airflow.

There isn’t much storage on the 1250, however, there are 2 places to put your water and/or phone. There isn’t a place to put your phone or tablet so you can stream content from it, though.
This keeps you locked into using the screen and iFIT if you choose to subscribe. Keep in mind, streaming Netflix or watching TV isn’t an option with iFIT or available on the 1250’s screen.

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Build Quality

Being in the Commercial Series lineup from NordicTrack, we have certain expectations for the 1250. High-quality construction and well-designed functionality as well as quiet performance are the big aspects we expect.

To give you a quick preview, the 1250 has a nice build and checks a lot of boxes.

As far as weight limit, the NordicTrack 1250 has a 300 lb capacity that we see on other models from NordicTrack. This isn’t the lightest or heaviest limit, but it’s good for folks up to that weight. If you need a heavier weight capacity I recommend checking out the Sole F80 and Bowflex Treadmill 10.

Frame

The frame is made out of steel and supports the base of the treadmill. The frame makes the treadmill feel sturdy and solid. Fastened into the frame are steel uprights that extend on either side of the deck to hold the console and screen in place. This is the same as the other treadmills in this series. It’s also similar to the new design of the Sole F80, as well as the Peloton Tread.

The 1250 looks sleek but is still functional and stable.

The side handles are coated in textured plastic. They don’t feel exactly high-end, but they’re appropriate for balance and don’t get slippery when you’re sweaty which is most important.

Motor

The NordicTrack 1250 has a 3.0 CHP motor. In our testing, we’ve found that this is typically the smallest motor size we recommend for running. It handles use really well though and performs comparably to the 1750. For longevity, we recommend using the 1250 for lighter to moderate amounts of work like casual running, and distances of up to around 5-7 miles a day. For heavier use, check out the 1750 and 2450 models in the Commercial Series.

Overall, the motor is fairly quiet, and responsive, and adjusts evenly and consistently. The incline/decline is especially quiet and only makes a slight noise on top of the drive motor when the deck is adjusting the grade. We measured the noise of the motor at 3 mph, 6 mph, 9 mph, and 12 mph and found that the noise level ranged from 51.5 dB to 70 dB. For reference, this is about the same as a washing machine.

While the incline was adjusting, the treadmill noise was 53.3 dB and 60 dB for 3 mph and 6 mph respectively. These measurements were taken without anyone walking or running on the treadmill, because foot noise can vary greatly between users. The incline adjustment from 0 to 12% took about 17 seconds. It took only 6 seconds for the treadmill to fully decline.

The belt moves up to 12 mph, inclines up to 12%, and declines to -3%.

This speed is pretty standard and is usually the fastest we see home treadmills go up to, so it works for most. We timed the speed adjustment of the 1250 from 1 mph to 12 mph. It took 23.5 seconds to adjust, which is good for runners and walkers who want to do some interval training.

We love that it inclines and declines. The decline might not seem like much but it really helps add variety to your training by giving you the option to work downhill. The 12% incline range is nice and definitely gets my posterior muscles activated and burning within a few minutes, but it is lower than other models like the Sole F80 and the Bowflex T10. We would like to see it increased in future models.

We measured the 1250’s incline grade when inclined fully, “flat,” and fully declined. The results were 12.6%, 1.4%, and -1.4%. While these numbers may not seem like they match NordicTrack’s claimed incline grades of 12%, 0%, and -3%, they actually are very comparable to every other treadmill model we have measured. These measurements were also taken without anyone using the treadmill. The deck will move down as you run, making these numbers align even more accurately with the claimed incline grades.

Deck

This is my favorite-sized deck.

The deck is 20” wide and 60” long. The length accommodates most running strides and fitness levels. You should have enough room for hiking on an incline and sprinting. This isn’t the widest running surface out there, but all of our reviewers feel like we have plenty of room. If you like more room to move on, then check out other models like the Sole F80 and Horizon 7.8 AT. However, know that the 1250 takes up a little less space because of the narrower deck. I think this makes the 1250 even more friendly for home use since most people probably don’t have a ton of room to designate for their treadmill. So, it’s great to see that it’s functional and a little space-saving.

The cushioning is soft and helps lessen the impact that running involves. It feels comfortable and for that, treadmills from NordicTrack are some of my favorites to run on. I get discomfort when I run outside on concrete, and even on other treadmills with firm cushioning, but I don’t when I run on a NordicTrack. The 1250 has the same shock absorption as the other models in the Commercial Series, and we’re thankful for that. So, if you have joint issues, this is a model to check out.

The step-up height is pretty slim at about 9” off the ground. This is when the deck is measured from the floor to the top of the side rails at a 0% grade. This means it can work in some spaces with lower ceiling heights, however, it’s important to factor in the step-up height, as well as your height, when determining an appropriate ceiling height to use your treadmill.

Warranty

When you purchase the NordicTrack 1250 it comes with the brand’s standard warranty: 10 years for the frame, 2 years for parts, and 1 year for labor. Assembling is pretty straightforward but having at least 2 people for set up is a good idea.

Should You Buy the NordicTrack Commercial 1250

Overall, the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 is a great addition to an already solid lineup of treadmills. The 1750 and 2450 are consistently among the top models that we recommend to users because they’re quiet, comfortable, functional, interactive, and easy to use. The 1250 is all of this at a more affordable price, so what’s not to like?

The soft cushioning makes the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 an excellent choice for walkers or runners who need to recover from training outdoors on the road or sidewalk. The softer landing also makes it great for runners who are building up their running mileage and trying to hit faster paces.

If you’re looking for a treadmill with really thoughtful features and innovation that makes it as enjoyable as it is convenient to use, then we recommend looking into this model.

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NordicTrack Commercial 1250 Q&A / FAQ

Is the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 worth it?

The NordicTrack 1250 is the most affordable model in NordicTrack’s very popular commercial line. If you want a great treadmill but need to stay under a certain budget, the 1250 is a great choice. It has all of the same features as the popular 1750 and 2450. The main differences are the smaller motor and touchscreen. Still, the 1250 supports both walking and running.

How long will the NordicTrack 1250 last?

There are many factors that determine a treadmill’s longevity. With proper use and care, most treadmill should last 10 years or more, as we have seen many times. Unfortunately, home treadmill owners rarely follow the instructions indicated by the user manual to care for their treadmill. The most frequent mistakes include not lubricating the belt as directed by the manufacturer and placing the treadmill in a garage without climate control. Avoid these mistakes to ensure your treadmill lasts as long as possible.

Can the NordicTrack 1250 be used without iFIT?

Yes! Though iFIT improves the workout experience on the NordicTrack 1250, you can use it without iFIT. Without a WiFi connection, the treadmill allows you to work out in manual mode, which shows a ¼ mile track. With WiFi, you can still use manual mode or try out the featured iFIT treadmill class. These featured workout changes once per month from what we have seen.

Is your review of the NordicTrack Commercial 1250 a paid review?

We are not paid to review treadmills. We do, however, receive the treadmills we test from the brands for free in most cases. When we are unable to work directly with brands, we occasionally purchase treadmills ourselves. We work with all major home fitness brands like NordicTrack, ProForm, Sole, Horizon, and more. Brands do not influence our review process beyond sending us the equipment to review. This relationship with brands keeps our reviews honest and beneficial to you!

If you are wondering how we make money–we earn a commission from affiliate links! When you use the links on this page and others to purchase a treadmill or other home fitness equipment, we may earn a commission that does NOT increase your cost of purchasing the machine. Your support is much appreciated, and we hope you find our reviews helpful!

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About the Author

Sydney Kaiser, ISSA-CPT, ISSA Nutritionist Certification
Sydney is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer, and sports nutritionist who combines her passion for fitness, health, and wellness with her passion for writing. After graduating from UC Riverside with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, she began teaching indoor cycling and Lagree Fitness group fitness classes to people of all ages and abilities. Raised in Central Michigan, Sydney grew up training and competing on the Arabian Horse Association circuit through both Regional and National levels in Dressage and Sport Horse classes. In college, Sydney went on to compete at the collegiate level as a Division 1 equestrian athlete. Here at TRG, Sydney relies on her extensive background in fitness when reviewing and recommending all kinds of fitness, recovery, and health-related products.