Proform Performance 1800i Treadmill Review

How long will the Proform Performance 1800i last?

If you plan to run every day, then the Performance 1800i is certainly not going to last as long as your mom's margarine tub that has seen more pot roast than the crockpot. With the quality that this price tag allows, a serious exerciser should not expect much life. A light to a moderate user who enjoys walking or jogging will likely see the best results from this treadmill. As always, the biggest determinant in your treadmill's life will be the environment that it is in and the care that it is given. Please be sure to do your homework on how to care for your investment before you buy.

Brief Overview

A unique incline capability, an upgraded warranty, and more built-in workout programs help to make the Performance 1800i our 2020 Best Buy Fourth Place Winner for this price range. Proform has released two treadmills in the $1,000 to $1,299-dollar range and we have recognized both as Best Buy Winners. While this machine does not outmatch our First Place Winner, we have recognized a few features that help the Performance 1800i standout.

Let’s start with the more common features that help us understand the Performance 1800i better. You may see Proform advertising 0-12 mph Digital QuickSpeed Control. While quite a mouthful, the Digital QuickSpeed is actually quite simple. The ‘digital’ part is regarding the fact that you can see your speed on the screen in a digital format. And the ‘QuickSpeed Control’ is simply referring to the ability to change your speed at the press of a button. They also describe the incline and decline with the Quick Control as well; this is once again referring to a button on the Performance 1800i. Next is the ProShox Cushioning. Proform is not known for their shock absorbers, but they are quick to come up with marketing titles. The ProShox Cushioning is just a fancy way of saying that the Performance 1800i has shock absorbers like nearly every other treadmill on the market. And when you see the EKG Grip Pulse, that is simply talking about a few metal plates on the handlebars that can detect your heartbeat.

Next, you may see the 7” Backlit Display. Backlit may seem like it is describing a valuable screen, but, in all reality, it is Proform’s way of distracting from the Performance 1800i’s low-quality screen. Do you remember those old alarm clocks with the blue and white screens? Yeah, well, that is the same kind of screen that the Performance 1800i has. Lastly, Proform likes to over embellish their folding treadmills with fancy terms. The Performance 1800i is advertised as having a SpaceSaver Design with EasyLift Assist. SpaceSaver is Proform’s term for folding treadmills. And the EasyLift Assist is a hydraulic pump that Proform includes on their niver folding treadmills. The EasyLift Assist simply helps to slowly raise and slowly lower your treadmill’s deck in and out of folded position.

Overall Quality

Unless you’re one of the odd ice cream consumers, if someone offers you a waffle cone over a sugar cone for no extra charge, you’re more than likely going to go for the tastier cone that usually comes with more ice cream. Likewise, if you are looking for a treadmill in this price bracket, you may want to take a look at our First Place Best Buy Winner. Proform created both models to be almost identical with simply a nicer interface than what comes with the Performance 1800i.

Still, this treadmill has a few features that help set it apart. One thing that is unique among the other companies’ machines in this price range is the 3% Quick Decline Control. The Performance 1800i can actually decline three percent as well as incline up to fifteen percent. Whether or not this has as good of an impact on your workout as Proform claims is another story. But, we like to see companies equipping their machines with as many features as they can.

Like always, Proform has also included slightly more workout programs than its competitors. With 32 on-board workouts, the Performance 1800i has some of the most built-in workouts in this price range. And, to match their stylish features, Proform gave the Performance 1800i a little bit of substance with their five-year parts and one-year labor warranty. While we have seen better warranties, this is a decent backing for a machine with this price tag.

One aspect that is heavily advertised is the Performance 1800i’s iFit Ready capabilities. There are other, more expensive Icon brand treadmills that come with one-year free of the iFit Coach but the Performance 1800i is not one of them. So, before you get too excited about your Performance 1800i and its iFit capabilities, you may want to look at just how much the iFit membership costs. You may reconsider the value of the iFit capability when you realize that you have to pay even more to enjoy the program.

History

Last year was the first time we were able to review the Performance 1800i and we awarded it our 2019 Third Place Best Buy Winner for the &1,000 to $1,299 dollar range! We were pleased with the build, warranty, and features but concerned about the price tag.

Conclusion

Though the Performance 1800i is not the best treadmill in this price bracket, Proform has struck a reasonable balance between style and substance with this machine. The 2020 Fourth Place Best Buy Winner for the &1,000 to $1,299 dollar range comes equipped with an uncommon incline capability, decent warranty, and a good amount of workout programming. We do not recommend this price range for the more serious exercisers; but, Proform's Performance 1800i will hold up well for a light to moderate user.