The Spirit Esprit ET488 Folding Treadmill – Solid But No Outstanding Features

The Spirit Esprit ET488 folding treadmill is nearly identical to the ET588 but with a slightly less powerful motor, and a 10% incline/10 mph speed versus 12% and 12 mph. The ET488 is also $200 cheaper, but it isn’t necessarily a better buy.

The Machine

The Esprit’s red backlit LED display shows distance, speed, incline, and more. It has speed controls and HR monitors mounted on the handlebars, 6 preset workouts, plus 2 User memory modes, and 2 heart rate control features.

The full specs on the Spirit Esprit ET488 folding treadmill are:

• 2.5 HP continuous drive Motor
• 0-10 mph Speed
• 0-10% Incline
• 20" x 55" Tread Belt
• 6 programs
• Pulse Grip Sensors
• Cooling Fan
• MP3 plug-in & speakers
• 325 lbs User Weight Capacity
• Folding Design with Soft-Drop Assist
• 4-wheel carriage for mobility
• Warranty: Lifetime motor & frame, 1 yr deck, parts, & labor

The Buzz

UPDATE:  The Spirit ET488 has been discontinued. You can compare popular Spirit Treadmills at Amazon to find one of the current models that suits your needs.

The Spirit Esprit ET488 folding treadmill features a 2.25 HP Continuous Duty Motor, 2.5" rollers, steel frame, and a 2-ply Duraweave belt on a 20" x 55" running deck.

Its standard features include a folding design, 4-wheel mobile carriage, mp3 port and speakers, a cooling fan, and a 0% to 10% incline.

Owners of the Spirit Esprit ET488 caution potential buyers that this heavy folding treadmill (224 lbs) ships free through both Amazon.com and the company website, but it is curbside delivery only.

Inside delivery for an additional fee is not an option, and that is unusual since many online treadmill retailers try to make the purchase and delivery experience as stress-free as possible.

Another odd fact: you cannot purchase an extended warranty at checkout. The one-year warranty on the deck, parts, and labor is a weakness as well. Those issues, plus the lack of quality customer service, are showing up in treadmill review comments written by Esprit owners.

What We Say

The $1200 to $1700 price level is a competitive and crowded field of residential treadmills.

Despite its solid features, there are no outstanding features, no bells and whistles, no single component that separates the $1499 Spirit Esprit ET488 from the pack. These folding treadmills primarily sell through brick and mortar fitness equipment stores.

While you can order directly from Spiritfitness.com, it isn’t advisable since you will pay full retail price; there are no discounts or sales offered to online customers.

Amazon.com sells the ET588 model for $1,199, and the Spirit Esprit ET488 folding treadmill at $1,099, but we suggest you skip the Esprits and check out the great prices and reviews on better quality Sole treadmills.

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