The Horizon 7.0 Treadmill is a high-end treadmill for a budget price | CNN Underscored

Tired of the same treadmill workout day after day? The Horizon 7.0 AT treadmill offers an instant boost to your home gym with a hydraulic folding deck and a simple, built-in compatibility to sync with a handful of popular training apps like Peloton, Nike Run Club, Studio, Zwift and Apple Fitness+.

At $999, the Horizon 7.0 happens to be one of the lowest cost treadmills on the market, yet still offers plenty of the same upscale features as more expensive machines like the NordicTrack EXP 7i ($1,199) or ProForm Carbon T7 ($1,403). These include a roomy belt, quick-touch speed and incline buttons, dual docking stations to stream classes on your phone or tablet and Bluetooth speakers to play music and your favorite instructor-led workouts.

Despite these premium features, the Horizon 7.0 is still an investment for many consumers. I spent a few weeks testing this treadmill out to find out if it’s worthy of a place in your humble abode. Here’s everything you need to know.

If you’re looking for a lower cost option for your home gym, the Horizon 7.0 rings in at just under $1000. And though that’s quite a bargain when it comes to treadmills, it still offers upscale options like a foldable, 60-inch deck, dual docking stations, and super simple QuickDial controls to easily change speed and incline. But our favorite feature is its ability to connect to over 50 outside apps (like Peloton, Apple Fitness+ and Zwift) to keep your exercise routine fun and interesting.

The Horizon 7.0 also comes with two cup holders and a USB charging station (so you don’t have to worry about your phone dying mid-workout), plus quick-touch buttons just below the docking station to change your speed and incline.

And, because of its hydraulic assist feature, it was nearly effortless for me to fold the 20 x 60 deck vertically up and out of the way by kicking a lever at the bottom of the treadmill to make more floor space in my living room. A real space saving assist.

But, hands down, what really sets the Horizon 7.0 apart is its handy QuickDial controls. These built-in dials allow you to change speed and incline by easily rolling forward and backward without breaking your stride — and for me, these were a total game-changer, especially for keeping up with those fast-paced HIIT and interval runs.

Horizon Treads are engineered to work with over 50 popular fitness apps, including Peloton, Nike Run Club, Studio, Zwift, Barry’s Bootcamp and more. And it’s easy to incorporate your favorite into your workout routine on the Horizon 7.0. Simply choose the apps you’d like to download from the list of 50-plus options on Horizon’s official website, download onto your phone or tablet and stream a class on your device using the treadmill’s built-in Bluetooth.

Once you start streaming, that same Bluetooth connection will also let you follow along with all the metrics from your workout on the attached 7-inch LCD screen. This includes calories, pace, time, distance, incline, speed and heart rate (though you’ll have to connect to either the free, included monitor from Horizon or one of your own devices like an Apple Watch), so you can track your progress. If you decide to use manual mode or one of the seven pre-programmed training programs, including 5K, Calorie, Distance, Fat Burn, Hill Climb, Manual and Max Heart Rate, you’ll instantly get these metrics as well.

I personally loved having the option to pick and choose from a large menu of compatible apps rather than being tied to a single streaming subscription service. It kept things fun and fresh and my workouts never got boring — and I especially enjoyed seeing my metrics appear on the Horizon dashboard when I tried the Peloton running and hiking classes. As a bike owner, I’ve never had a chance to ride a Peloton Tread, so this was something new. And, those handy QuickDial controls were a breeze to use during those tough hikes, while also allowing me to easily control my speed for all-out sprinting during interval runs.

Built for comfort and runners of all sizes

The Horizon 7.0 has a spacious belt that’s 60 inches long and 22 inches wide, about 5 inches longer than the ProForm Carbon T7 and the NordicTrack EXP7i. Plus, it uses two docking stations of different heights to cater to runners of all sizes (though it tops out at 325 pounds) — which helped both myself and my husband watch our streaming classes at eye level.

At 5’2”, it was just as comfortable for me as it was for my husband, who is 5’10”, and my teenage son who is 5’ 5”. There’s also strategic cushioning placed throughout the belt to help protect your joints and the 3.0 CHP motor is surprisingly quiet and quick to adjust for speed and incline changes.

And, unlike many budget treadmills, like the Treadly, it can reach speeds as low as 0.5 mph and as high as 12 mph, and has an incline of up to 15 percent — perfect for runners, walkers and hill climbers.

Though I appreciated having the freedom to pick and choose my workout apps, rather than being tied to one subscription, I missed having a large, built-in touchscreen attached to my treadmill. Yes, yes, I could attach my iPad, but despite the fact that the Horizon 7.0 has plenty of impressive features (and a much lower price tag), there’s something to be said for the immersive experience that comes from taking a class with an even larger monitor which I don’t have to add everytime I hop on, which is available on more expensive machines like Peloton Tread ($3,495) and NordicTrack 2450 ($2,999).

Though we appreciate the fact that we CAN use multiple apps to stream different workouts via Bluetooth, it’s also something to consider in terms of usage and price. If you aren’t the most tech savvy, and have a hard time figuring out how to manage downloading and using apps on your phone, this may not be the best solution. In addition, most of these training apps carry a subscription fee — which can add up in monthly expenses.

The idea of a built-in fan to cool me down during tough workouts was promising, but this feature wound up being a huge letdown. Not only did it only have one setting, but I could barely feel the air when I turned it on.

Though the Horizon 7.0 is a lower cost option than many popular competitors, The Treadly is a bargain at just $750. Of course, you get what you pay for and this no-frills, foldable treadmill only goes up to 5 mph — which may be good for walking and easy running, but not great for more experienced runners.

On the luxe side, there’s no denying that the Peloton Tread ($3,495) is an impressive machine. This high-tech treadmill is one of the most coveted pieces of home gym equipment on the fitness market with a 23.8-inch touchscreen, control knobs for speed and incline and a spacious 68 x 33 inch belt. However, you can only stream classes from Peloton, so you won’t get the same wide variety of content as with the 7.0.

The ProForm Carbon T7 rings in at a more mid-range $1400 and comes with a built-in, 7-inch high definition touchscreen — though you’ll be stuck using the iFit library of streaming fitness classes rather than your favorite apps. However, with a smaller 20 x 55 inch belt size, it may not be great for taller runners.

If you like what Horizon has to offer, the Horizon 7.4 ($1,599) is an upgraded version of the 7.0. Yes, it includes the same game-changing features, like QuickDial controls, Bluetooth speakers and compatibility with outside apps but adds extras like 10 built-in running programs and a slightly larger user weight of 350 instead of 325 maximum pounds. And, you get a larger built-in screen as well as a few more years on your home parts and service warranty. Is it worth the extra $500? We’d say not so much.

The Horizon 7.0 is a great value for anyone looking to add onto their home gym without spending a small fortune. The sizable, sturdy deck comes with dual device holders and a hefty 3.0 horsepower — making it perfect for runners of all sizes and abilities, regardless of whether you’re just starting out on your fitness journey or training for a marathon.

And, having the ability to sync multiple fitness apps to the treadmill  — without tying yourself to one subscription service — is a great way to keep your runs and walks fun and interesting. And let’s face it, when it comes to a home gym, we can use all the help we can get.