Nordictrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical Review

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Last Updated: May 2, 2023

The Nordictrack Commercial 14.9 is NordicTrack’s top-of-the-line elliptical with a 14” touchscreen. The Commercial 14.9 has a 17.5” – 18.7” stride length, 26 levels of digital resistance and inclines to a 20% grade. Ellipticals are a good way to get a low-impact workout that targets all your major muscle groups in your legs, chest, back, and arms. The smooth forward/back motion of the pedals reduces joint impact and the fluid motion of the synchronized handles and pedals reduces strain on the elbows, shoulders, knees, and hips. The Nordictrack 14.9 also has an impressive 350-pound weight capacity, making it a good option for users of all sizes. While it offers an exceptional home workout, Nordictrack has it reasonably priced at under $2000. In this review of the NordicTrack 14.9 Elliptical, I’ll go over how this premium machine performed for us.

The front-drive design is solid and makes for a very stable and smooth workout experience.

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Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The NordicTrack 14.9 Elliptical

It is our goal to test out equipment that comes into our studio so that we can create thorough reviews for you at home. We want you to make informed buying decisions and we know that with large equipment like ellipticals, it is next to impossible to try them out before you buy them. In our reviews like this one, you can trust that we’ve put time on the elliptical machine so we can share our experience using it with you.

We also compare a new piece of fitness equipment to comparable models. During our testing of the NordicTrack 14.9 Elliptical, we compared it to the NordicTrack FS14i, and Sole E95 Elliptical, as well as other similar machines like the ProForm HIIT H14.

Our NordicTrack 14.9 Elliptical Review Video

In-depth Review of Nordictrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical

iFit

The Commercial 14.9 elliptical includes a full free month of iFit when you purchase the machine. iFit is constantly being updated and expanded. iFit is a subscription program that can be used to replace your gym membership. iFit also works as a total body workout program.

Of course, on the 14.9 you’ll be able to access elliptical workouts with an iFit membership, but you can also take walking, hiking, running, and even ice skating and cross-country skiing classes on the 14.9. Plus, there are strength training, yoga, and meditation classes available to take on a mat. Biking and rowing classes are available on other iFit-enabled equipment as well.

All of iFit’s classes are on-demand to take whenever you want.

The classes are filmed indoors and outdoors with over 16,000 to choose from. The indoor classes feature the instructor facing the camera in a professional studio. The outdoor classes follow the instructor as they guide you through various locations and landscapes all over the world. The outdoor classes are our favorites and we love taking hiking classes on the NordicTrack 14.9 Elliptical.

With a subscription to iFit, the 14.9 will automatically adjust when you take a class, too. So, if you’re following a trainer up a mountain, the elliptical will incline to match the landscape. The same goes for indoor classes. When the instructor cues for you to add resistance, the 14.9 will add resistance on its own. You can adjust the elliptical whenever you want to bypass this SmartAdjust feature, too.

When you want to do some exploring on your own, you can create your own routes. The Google Map feature on iFit lets you draw a route in any place on Earth. Google Earth images of the location pop up of the route to be viewed during your workout.

Preprogrammed workouts

You don’t have to have an iFit subscription to use the 14.9 elliptical. There are preloaded workouts on the machine. However, these tend to be simpler and not video-based (except for a promotional workout of the day that shows up temporarily). These are good options for users who don’t want to pay for a subscription.

Manual mode is also available with and without a subscription to iFit. You cannot watch Netflix or access other programming or features beyond iFit on the 14.9 though.

Console

The Commercial 14.9 Elliptical has a 14” touchscreen. For viewing iFit’s classes, this screen is optimal. Any larger, and it would get in the way of the moving handles. The screen has a very limited amount of adjustability. It can be slightly tilted up and down. This helps position the screen for better visibility depending on your height. It doesn’t pivot to either side, so it might be a little challenging to see mat classes from when you’re off the elliptical. We did notice that the screen is positioned pretty low. All of our reviewers could see but we have to look down, especially our taller reviewers. On most fitness equipment, we have to look slightly down to see the screens, but this one is, unfortunately, a little low for our liking.

Most of the functionality is in the touch screen.

You’re able to browse iFit, view your workout metrics, change the music station, and adjust the elliptical from the screen. On the screen, you can easily adjust to specific resistance and incline levels. I like these buttons for making quick adjustments. Below the screen are additional buttons for adjusting the fan, speakers, incline level, and resistance.

Large clear speakers at the top of the console project clear sound back toward you. There is also the option of using Bluetooth headphones with the 14.9 elliptical. The 14.9 will sync with Bluetooth headphones. Unfortunately, you can’t play your own music through the speakers.

Below the touchscreen is a fan that is actually pretty powerful. I’m 5’1” and it points at my face. It hits our 6’5” reviewer at his chest. It has multiple settings to control the level of airflow. I really like this fan.

From previous models, the tablet holder has been removed from this console. There really isn’t a lip or ledge to place your tablet on the console. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult/impossible to use your own device for streaming.

As far as storage, there is a large cupholder below the console.

My phone or water bottle can fit in it. It is a little low to reach, especially when the 14.9 is fully inclined and for taller users, but it is handy for having your water nearby.

Construction

The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical is a front-drive elliptical that’s sturdy, heavy, and large. It handles users up to 350 lbs which is a nice weight capacity that means it can handle users up to this size. This also indicates that this is a well-built machine.

Frame

From using the 14.9, it is indeed a well-built machine.

The steel frame is hearty and the 14.9 feels very stable when you are on it. Sometimes ellipticals can rock or shift a little when you use them – mostly because these particular machines have more of an upright design. However, the 14.9 has a steel frame that holds the machine securely on the floor so it doesn’t shift side to side when you pedal hard or fast. The frame has a protective coating to resist dents and rust. There are also rear adjustable leveling feet to help plant it to the floor.

The 14.9 is a larger machine, as most ellipticals are. The total footprint is 67″ Long x 29″ Wide x 69″ High so it takes up a bit of space and doesn’t fold up. It is more compact than the Sole E95 Elliptical, but the size may be a factor for some users. If you have limited space, the length could be an issue. You also need to leave room for the pedals to rotate forward and back as well. The elliptical is quite heavy, but a steel handle on the base of the pedal track allows the elliptical to be lifted and rolled gently. However, we recommend placing the 14.9 where you plan to use it. A flat carpeted or hard floor with a mat underneath is recommended.

Pedals

The foot pedals are cushioned and oversized to be very comfortable.

These pedals are 15” long and 8” wide. There is a contoured ridge around the inside of each pedal, but it is open along the outer perimeter so you can get your foot on and off easier. The 14.9 pedals have a “Pedal Adjust” feature that allows you to angle the pedal up slightly at the heel to reduce foot numbness. This “Pedal Adjust” feature is very handy and easy to adjust using a retractable lever at the base of each pedal. There are three notches for different pedal angles. I personally prefer the middle setting and find it to be the most comfortable for me. Numb toes are a frequent problem with ellipticals due to the position of your foot on the pedal and the fact that your foot doesn’t lift up off the pedal at any point.

The 14.9 pedals also have corrugated foam cushioning which reduces ankle and knee stress common on other ellipticals. Nordictrack calls this the “Body Fit Cushion” since it supports proper posture and increases overall comfort. These pedals will work with any athletic shoe.

The padding is impressive and gives you a lot of cushion under your feet.

The 17.5” – 18.7” adjustable stride length is plenty of length for great low-impact movement. This range of adjustability isn’t as noticeable as in previous models. It is only about an inch of difference. Regardless of this small range, there is room for plenty of kickback and a nice forward stride. The pedal stride is like a typical elliptical and has very limited adjustability compared to the FS14i FreeStride Trainer from NordicTrack which can be used as an elliptical and a stair-stepper. This is great if you’re looking for a standard elliptical, if you want more of a hybrid machine then check out the FS14i.

Since I’m on the shorter side, this stride length feels comfortable and not too long, unlike other ellipticals. For example, the 32” length on the FS14i is too long for me. For taller users, this stride length felt nice and comparable to other ellipticals for our tallest reviewer who is 6’5”. One of the nice things about ellipticals is rather than just moving your feet forward in a straight line, the pedals lift and lower with each step. This further engages both the knee and hip joints but does not cause undue tension in either one. You can pedal backward to target your muscles differently, too.

The step-up height on the 14.9 elliptical is 12” off the floor. This is the height of the lower pedal when it is as low as it will go. When at a full level 20 incline, the lower pedal raises to 19” inches off the floor at the lowest point. Make sure to allow for necessary head clearance when using the 14.9 elliptical at its full incline.

Handles

There are two sets of handles on the 14.9 elliptical: the rotating upright handlebars and a pair of stationary handles that are attached to the machine.

The stationary handlebars provide a solid hand-hold so you can safely step on and off the machine.

It can be difficult to get on and off an elliptical, since the pedals do not lock into place, so they shift when you stand on them. Having stationary handles to hold onto makes getting on the 14.9 easier (and safer). We recommend holding these handles each time you plan to step on or off since these are attached firmly to the frame and do not move. The stationary bars are set lower so they are also easier to grab from the floor. These are also great for lower-body targeted training.

The rotating handlebars move in line with the pedals and allow for a full-body workout on the 14.9. These bars have multiple hand positions since they are an elongated rectangle at the top and they feature a textured grip so your hands don’t slip. You can place your hands in any number of places to engage the arm, chest, and back muscles. Also, the different hand positions provide different options for users of all sizes. Larger users will appreciate the higher grips while smaller users can grab the lower end of the handlebar.

Again, I’m 5’1” so the lower handles work best for me, while the upper part of the handles work best for our taller reviewers. They remind me of the handles on the ProForm HIIT H14. It is most comfortable for me to use the lower portion of those handles as well. The inclusion of upper body exercise provides a full body workout on the 14.9. The moving handlebars also include adjustment buttons so you can control your resistance and incline without having to remove your hands from the handlebars. These are placed near the top of the handles.

Flywheel

This is a front-drive elliptical so the flywheel is at the front of the machine under the handlebars. This keeps the weight directly under the console which reduces movement.

The flywheel is 32 pounds which also helps keep the machine securely on the floor. The movement between the pedals and handlebars is fluid which is in large part due to the weight of the flywheel.

We are glad to see this heavy flywheel on the 14.9.

Incline

The 14.9 elliptical has 20 levels of incline along with 26 levels of digital resistance. The combination of incline and resistance provides plenty of training options while you stay low-impact. Also, when you change the incline, you are able to target different muscle groups for more specified training. Inclining targets the posterior muscle groups that include the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and inner thighs. Bringing the 14.9 to a level plane without incline targets the anterior muscles of the quadriceps, tibialis anterior, and the supportive network of muscles and tendons that encloses the knee. Having different inclines is a great way to target different muscles on different days to vary your workout.

The large range of incline does position users pretty high up on the 14.9. Our tallest reviewer who is 6’5” felt like his knees were going to hit the stationary handles when he had the elliptical fully inclined. This made him a little apprehensive to use the machine at its highest level of incline.

I’m 5’1” and don’t have problems with my knees getting too close to the stationary handles when fully inclined.

Resistance

The 14.9 uses magnetic resistance that is virtually silent so you can use this machine in a family room or other shared space. Magnetic resistance is created by magnets that oppose the motion of the flywheel. This makes the pedals harder to push and the handles harder to pull. There are no contact points with magnetic resistance, which allows it to be silent regardless of what level of incline you are on. When moving the pedals forward and back, that resistance gets heavy quickly! For most, the 26 levels of resistance will provide plenty of tension to get in a challenging workout.

Performance & Functionality

Since the Nordictrack 14.9 uses silent magnetic resistance, the machine is very quiet when you are using it. The pedals glide and handles are attached in such a way that you can exercise without disturbing those around you. The incline motor makes some noise though. The noise is only heard when the incline is being adjusted. In general, this is a machine you can use in shared spaces. Just take note that the incline function generates sound.

Like most ellipticals, the 14.9 does require a bit of space, so make sure you have enough room before purchasing this machine. The 14.9 does not fold and the pedals extend back behind the flywheel so make sure you have enough space when getting on and off the machine. There are wheels on the front stabilizer and a steel handlebar at the base so it can be lifted and rolled when needed.

This handle is really helpful for moving the elliptical when needed.

Warranty

When purchasing the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical, it comes with a standard 10-year frame warranty, 2-year parts warranty, and 1-year labor warranty. This warranty is pretty consistent with other equipment from NordicTrack. For a smooth set-up, we recommend having at least 2 people assemble the 14.9.