XTerra FS 1.5 Elliptical Review 2024

How long will the Xterra FS 1.5 last?

Longevity If you are above average height or weight and like to workout intensely we foresee a disappointing, untimely demise of this entry-level Xterra FS 1.5. If you are below average height and weight this Xterra may be a good fit. The build on this Xterra is cheap and underbuilt. You don’t see too many Yugo’s driving around anymore and they were cheap and underbuilt. Now they have become collectibles but we don’t foresee this Xterra becoming more desirable with age. Xterra claims this elliptical machine has a weight capacity of 250 LBS and we find that to be a little outrageous. The Xterra FS 1.5 is a plug-in elliptical which at this price point is standard. This will allow the user to keep the 5-inch console lit throughout the workout no matter how slow they pedal. This being a plugin elliptical can make lower electronics extra susceptible to power surges. The warranty on this Xterra FS 1.5 is 5 years Frame and 1 Year Parts, as listed by Amazon, so that gives you an idea of the number of years Xterra feels comfortable supporting this elliptical.

Brief Overview

Let me guess, you are on a budget or you don’t have much space for a larger sized elliptical which would explain why you are considering the FS 1.5. This elliptical machine is for home use only, and will not have the same quality build as the elliptical machines you use at your gym or favorite health club. But we have heard it said that every tool has a purpose, so maybe this Xterra FS 1.5 does as well. Subsequently, this treadmill has squeezed into our Fourth Place 2021 Best Buy slot for the $399 and Under category.

Overall Quality

There are a few redeemable features for the FS1.5, but the main one is the total body workout that you receive. This Xterra is beyond entry-level, but this elliptical will have a similar motion to what you might be used to using at your favorite health club, assuming it was a total body rear-drive elliptical. Simply put, a total body rear-drive elliptical means the power comes from the rear of the elliptical and your arms can play a part with your feet in moving the flywheel. 

We also like that Xterra included thirteen preprogrammed workouts which aren’t much but at least they are there. This Xterra also has a decent-sized flywheel as for its price range and offers a magnetic resistance that achieves sixteen levels of resistance. You can think of the flywheel like the crank on your bike that attaches to the chain and pedals and the magnetic resistance as your brake. At this price point, that’s not a bad combo of flywheel and resistance levels. Now all resistance is not equal, but this should be fine for the Xterra FS 1.5’s intended market.

But, of course, there are a lot of mediocre features in this cheap elliptical. The overall quality of the Xterra FS 1.5 is about what you would expect to find in this price range. This Xterra is not built with the best parts but that is common in this price range. The FS 1.5 has a better than average size display for its price range and the folks at Xterra say that this console is fairly easy to read…as long as your home-gym is well-lit. The stride on this elliptical is fourteen inches which is very slight but on par with its competition.

Specifications

History

We have not reviewed the Xterra FS 1.5 in past years but we invite you to check out our hundreds of other best elliptical machine reviews.

Conclusion

The Xterra FS 1.5 is a basic, entry-level, total body rear-drive elliptical. This elliptical is designed for shorter and lighter individuals, who do not have much space and who are not going to work out extremely hard. The price is cheap, but so is the build. You can certainly do worse in this price range and that’s why we at Treadmill Doctor place the Xterra FS 1.5 in our Fourth Place 2021 Best Buy spot for the $399 and Under price range.