Commercial Vs Residential Grade Exercise Equipment – A Guide to Choosing Which is Right For You
When shopping for exercise equipment you will be confronted with a slew of technical specifications, features and warranty statements. It can be overwhelming. You may have noticed that some products are advertised as commercial grade and some as residential/home grade. You may ask yourself, what type is going to best meet my needs? Following is a general overview of the major differences between the two grades of products. This will hopefully get you going in the right direction.
The difference lies in construction, durability and price
Generally speaking, commercial grade products are manufactured using stronger materials than residential grade products and can accept heavier weight and more aggressive use. This normally means a significantly higher price tag for commercial items. The adage “you get what you pay for” is as true in the exercise equipment market as anywhere else.
Construction – what it’s made of
Commercial grade exercise equipment will generally contain more steel and heavier grade plastic, bolts, connectors, and welding than residential grade items. To be considered commercial, steel parts are generally made of 12 gauge or stronger material. You will also see a difference in other parts, such as levers, pedals, upholstery, cables and the like – commercial will be heavier and more durable. For reference, a typical home treadmill may weigh 150 lbs, while a commercial treadmill will weigh over 300 lbs. – that is a big difference.
Durability – what it can endure
Residential exercise equipment is designed for constant use for up to 3 hours a day in a home environment by individuals under 275 lbs. Note that there is a wide range of quality for residential products, from entry level to high end. For weight lifting products you will normally see weight limit ranges in the 400-700 lb range (this typically includes the user).
Commercial exercise equipment is designed for 6 or more hours a day of constant use in an institutional/commercial environment (public gyms, hospitals, universities, for example). Products designed for up to 6 hours of daily use are termed Light Commercial or Light Institutional. Products designed for over 6 hours of daily use are termed Full Commercial. For weight lifting products you will generally see weight limit ranges in the 1,000lb plus range (this also includes the user).
Price – what you pay for it
Generally speaking, the more you are willing to pay the higher the quality will be. Because higher quality materials are used in manufacturing commercial products, you should expect to pay more. As a rule of thumb, commercial products can be priced 2-3 times higher (or more) than their average quality residential counterparts.
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