Smooth Ce Elliptical Trainer

Pros: SILENT, heavy duty and stable, pre-set programs, not a space hog
Cons: The assembly and computer instructions could have been clearer

I purchased the Smooth CE Eliptical Trainer when my husband and I decided that we wanted something low impact for a cardio workout at home. We first bought the Bowflex Treadclimber TC3000 and ended up sending it back because it seemed cheaply built and ...

Pros: Very competitive price, sturdy construction, easy assembly, smooth operation.
Cons: Somewhat difficult to unpack from it's shipping crate... but that's ALL!

This elliptical trainer from Smooth Fitness is the product that first led me here to epinions.com! I had typed the keywords, "elliptical trainer" into Google.com and found this excellent comparison chart for the top rated models. The only real...

Pros: None - cannot hold a candle to better products at comparable price.
Cons: Very short stride, expensive for the number of features.

I am not a conspiracy theorist, but the story of this product makes me very suspicious of the origin ...

Pros: Smooth, stable, quiet
Cons: None really

I had been using a department store elliptical for about 3 months (broke the flywheel axel) and looked at the reviews on this site prior to purchasing the Smooth CE. I have been using this machine for 60-90 minutes per day for about 60 days now, so here...

Pros: Requires little space, great features, good quality, not too costly!
Cons: It's a bit difficult to carry upstairs!

Having been athletic most of my life, working out is a vital part of my daily life! I’ve spent a great deal of money over the years maintaining a membership at a local gym. Then, a few months ago, I decided that it might be more economical to buy...

Pros: For the price, this machine is the best in its class!
Cons: Measures kilojoules instead of calories.

I had the pleasure of coming across all the wonderful reviews of other users here regarding this great machine. I took a chance too, and I am happily surprised. Three months ago, I purchased a Nordic Track CXT 910, which broke under normal usage, due...

Pros: good workout, for now
Cons: NOT sturdy, NOT that easy to assemble, kilojoules (!!), horrible assembly and operating instructions

My experience with the CE is quite the opposite of everyone else's. Take these comments with a grain of salt if you will. I bought the machine solely based on the reviews here and did not compare it to any other machines on the market. Foolish...

Pros: Quiet, compact, easy to use, great motion, plenty of resistance
Cons: For shorter women, feet are *slightly* far apart--takes some getting used to.

We've had our CE about three weeks.

I wanted to wait before writing. So far, we are very pleased and feel confident that this is the best value out there. Others on this list have eloquently spoken about how this machine compares to other,...

Pros: Well-built, inexpensive, provides no-impact and efficient workout
Cons: ear clip electronic heart-rate control, instead of belt type HRC

Hi, everyone! I don’t normally go out of my way to praise the products that I purchase! After all, I expect those products to meet certain standards! However, I am so grateful for the results I’ve received from my Smooth CE Elliptical Trainer that I...

Pros: Sturdy, smooth action, nice display, easy assembly
Cons: Fixed time programs, operating instructions complex, kilojoules instead of calories, no book rack

I have been using Epinions reviews for a while now to help in my purchases and thought it was time to give something back.

I bought this elliptical trainer based on the Epinions reviews, especially Heidi's. I agree with their high praise in...

Pros: Good price, High quality construction, nice features.
Cons: User manual could be better.

I decided on this Elliptical Trainer at least partially on the reputation of company that sells it. I bought a Smooth 5.5 treadmill 5 years ago and between my wife and I we've put thousands of miles on it and are well pleased with it, and the service we ...

Pros: Footprint: small. Price: pretty good. Flywheel gives a very smooth feel when working out.
Cons: Frame design is horrible!!! Unbearable to use unless maintenance is constantly done.

When I bought the Smooth Fitness CE elliptical trainer approximately 3 years ago, there were about 3 reviews here on epinions.com. All of them praised the machine, and touted its "Porsche" engineering, among other things. While the machine was ...

Pros: Affordable, solid, great engineering, smooth, quiet, attractive.
Cons: Stride could be short for taller people. Some screws for the cosmetic parts didn't fit.

I wanted to write this review because all the drastically varying ones on this site are from years ago (though I see there's a new 2007 one now!), and it confused me in my decision to buy one. Well, I did buy one, and I have owned the CE 2.1 for 3 ...

Pros: Sturdy,Quiet, Stable Smooth and built to last. On time delivery, great customer service.
Cons: My 2 daughters used to go to the gym now they use my elliptical

Sturdy, Stable, Smooth and Quiet are under statements. This machine is built better than anything on the market at any price. I've tried them all, starting with the department stores, the larger Sporting Good chains and finally our local Fitness ...

Pros: Great construction, smooth operation,free shipping, excellent support (so far)
Cons: Takes up big space (worthwhile though) Manual is slightly cryptic.

This product was received yesterday (3/5/07) and we assembled it in about an hour with no major errors. As usual, reading and understanding the assembly instructions are always the most critical aspect of assembling something with more than 2 parts. We ...

Pros: Heavy construction and quiet
Cons: Bolts snapped after 6 wks. Wireless heart monitor did not work. Support is lousy.

I've purchased the Smooth CE about 2 months ago. I thought it was very well built. It's a very heavy piece of equipment and quiet. I noticed that the wireless heart monitor worked sporadically at best and called the support number, left a message. My ...

Pros: Built to last; sturdy and stable.
Cons: Questionable accuracy of calorie and mileage counters.

In my lifetime, I've spent well over 1,000 hours on commercial quality elliptical machines(mostly Precors and Life Fitness)at the local health club. When I decided to purchase an elliptical for our ever-growing home gym, I did some extensive research. ...

Pros: Good build quality. Relatively small elliptical.
Cons: Not commercial product quality, but close.

I am writing this review in hopes that someone looking for an ellipitical, can try and make sense of all these reviews on the Smooth CE. First off, I do not have a Smooth CE, but a Kettler Cosmos, but they are the same thing. Secondly, a lot of the ...

Pros: Good price, solid construction, good electronics
Cons: Instructions on setting up the computer are hard to understand and inadequate in their description

I bought the Kettler CTR1 from efitnessdirect.com. As others have pointed out, Kettler is the manufacturer of the Smooth CE, so it's the same machine. I paid $1275 including freight for mine including the wireless heart monitor, which they threw in for ...

Pros: Provides no impact workout...Safe for joints! Space-saver! Economical to use!
Cons: Still relatively new...Haven't found any, yet.

Hello, everybody! If you’re reading this, there’s a chance that you are in the market for an elliptical trainer! I’d like to tell you about one that is worth checking out! The Smooth CE Elliptical Trainer!

A little over a year ago, I...

Pros: Well made
Cons: Poor manuals Poor motion Uncomfortable Squeaks

After several months of research I settled on this model due to the positive reviews for Smooth products sprinkled around the Internet. My hope in writing this review is to save you the disappointment I experienced with this model.

The unit...

Pros: Excellent Quality/Very sturdy and sleek
Cons: none

For all of you who have been trying to find a quality elliptical to use at home without paying over $3000.00 this is it! After researching ellipticals for several months I couldn't believe how poor most of the machines on the market were. Once I...

Pros: At least I don't have to go to the gym anymore.
Cons: Took 2 hours to get it up the stairs and two days to recover.

After reading all the wonderful reviews on this site, I was lulled into thinking that I could get this in, up and running with no problem. Boy was I wrong. First off, the shipping company refused to deliver the equipment inside even though I had paid...

Pros: Very Compact and Sturdy machine. This is smooth and completely silent. What a surprise!
Cons: The CE has to be plugged into the wall outlet.

A friend of mine told me about a website selling treadmills and ellipticals over the Internet. So I checked out Smoothfitness.com and I was looking for an elliptical like I used in the gym. Smooth was advertising a unit that they make in Germany and it...

Pros: Price, Stability, Functionality.
Cons: poorly lit LCD screen. Needed service twice.

I am updating my review that I wrote in April when I first purchased this thing. Me and the Elliptical have been through a lot together so make sure you read this, even though it gets long. I bought the elliptical machine in April and I really ...

Pros: smooth just like its name, quiet, well built and designed, easy to use and assemble
Cons: Short stride--only 16" would take some getting used to if used ellipticals in gym

I purchased my Smooth Elliptical CE 3.2 after returning two Nordictrack CX 1055 ellipticals which never functioned properly from day one. I read many reviews recommending the Smooth ellipticals so decided to give them a try. I am amazed at how quiet and ...

Pros: Very quiet Better quality then Dept. Store ellipticals, but cheaper then Precor and Life Fitness.
Cons: LCD is hard to read in dim light, no backlight. Manual is poorly translated english.

I just purchased this elliptical after looking at units at Department stores (Nordictrack, Healthrider, Reebok, etc) for under $1000. Then looking at club type units from Precor and Life Fitness.

I've only had the unit a few days. The...

Pros: Well built! Quiet! Smooth arm/leg motion! Good programs! provides excellent cardio workout!
Cons: Ear probe HR monitor doesn't work.

Thanks to bobroberts review, I also found a Kettler CTR1, which is the same machine as the Smooth CE. I found my Kettler at a local exercise store, Fitness Experience, who built and delivered it into my condo on the second floor at no extra charge. I was...

Pros: Great value. Easy assembly.
Cons: Heart rate monitor (ear clip) is annoying and sometimes inaccurate

This elliptical trainer is the closest you'll be to gym-quality without spending several thousand bucks. I used a Life Cycle brand commercial-quality machine before and this Smooth CE is very similar in quality and features. Nice heavy flywheel for...

Pros: None
Cons: Not built for a regular exercise regime.

We bought one of these machines about 2 years ago. The shaft holding the pedal to the flywheel, continually breaks off. This requires ordering a new wheel. Between the time it takes to order the new wheel, and, the time for the service work, we usually ...

Pros: Effortless inch-eraser, quiet, quick, efficient; moves rather well on its wheels.
Cons: Footprint is large (but airy); cannot be relocated easily due to size and weight.

I had the typical weight gain associated with the middle-aging process as well as another 10 pounds gained while taking a professional baking course. It took over three years to put on about 20 pounds and I was looking for a way to get rid of it quickly ...

Pros: Sturdy, versatile, smooth, quiet (once treated right), easy assembly, non-impact, fun
Cons: clip heartrate monitor doesn't work, have to fix the squeak, heavy when unpacking

I read many of the reviews on this site before I purchased the Smooth CE, so I feel that I went in with my eyes open--you should, too. I love this machine for it's sturdiness, it's smoothness, its versatility (adjustable workouts, foot placement, ...

Pros: Silent Smooth in operation. Well built. Excellent customer service.
Cons: Actual stride length only 16".

Approximately one month ago I ordered CE 3.2. Two days later it was delivered to the door. Assembling the device was not difficult at all, approx 1.5 – 2 hrs all by myself. Before ordering it I was not sure what will suit me better CE2.1 or 3.2. ...

Pros: I'm hoping for 10 year plus durability.
Cons: Expensive, short stride length, heavy, big, no book rack, pulse monitor incorrect

I've had it about a month, but have only used it 3 or 4 hours. It's quiet now, except for some mild noises once in a while. Sometimes it makes a little tick every revolution which I associate with a developing problem with the connection from the ...

Pros: Pretty pictures
Cons: Scam? Phantom companies?

This is part one of my adventures buying and (hopefully someday) using the SmoothCE. This part will address the often overlooked "customer service" aspect; subsequent updates will hopefully reflect actual use.

Because of clever marketing,...

Pros: Well-built, easy to use, quiet. Good price.
Cons: Delivery policy stinks; not sure heart rate monitor works.

We've had the 3.2 for a week and so far I am very happy with it. It was easy for my husband to assemble - boys with toys - it kept him happily occupied for a couple of hours. The machine is solid and works quite well. So far, it is VERY quiet. I had ...

Pros: electronic programs
Cons: Quality, structure, dependability. What else is imortant?

I too used it for about 2-3 months and experienced squeeking and the traditional loosening of the bolts, and low and behold on my machine as well, the bolts were c hopped in half. So i went to home depot myself to replace it. Besides the crappy way ...

Pros: Professional Grade Construction,Variety of Programs,Whisper Quiet,Pulse and Heart Monitoring,Superb Customer Support.
Cons: Measures Kilojoules instead of Calories,Slightly short in the stride department.

Purchased a CE 7.4 about 7 months ago.
I am fairly muscular and weigh in at about 250lbs.I purchased this to increase my cardio as well as for my wife.I was very surprised at the construction and how solid it felt under my weight.The stride is just a little short of dead on,but feels incredibly accurate.The machine has many programs,as well as many monitoring tools.It even comes with a wireless heart monitor(which I rarely use).I had a small issue with the fly wheel last month that created a small " clunk " and " wobble " upon rotation.After one phone call,Smooth not only sent me the part in question overnight,but sent the whole assembly just " to make sure " !You just don't see that too often.The machine has been perfect,and has become a regular part of my day.
To Smooth: "A job well done " !!!

Pros: The machine was quiet. The only positive thing we have to say.
Cons: Don't believe the testimonials they quote

We had the worst experience with this company. I would not recommend them to anyone. There customer service does not return calls or respond to emails. They then try to get out of the 30 day return policy. They also don't mention that they do not assist in the return. It cost us $160 to receive the machine but our quotes to return it have been $205 to $400. I would recommend buying from a local store. Although we will have wasted over $350 in shipping we find the machine unacceptable.

Pros: Solid construction, smooth elliptical motion performance
Cons: Very heavy- you need assistance to hold some parts when you attach them in assembly

The unit is very solid, quite heavy, yet has a small footprint, so can be placed anywhere. What I appreciate is the craftmanship- solid German engineering, with Siemens Electronics. The elliptical motion is smooth- no "jerky" movements as you experience with most other machines. I have used LifeFitness and Precor machines- they do not compare to this unit on price and performance

Pros: Siemans quality. Well built. Great workouts
Cons: Instructions could be clearer for the assembly challenged

I've had the Smooth CE Elliptical Trainer for over 7 days. It took about an hour to assemble. There were some substitute screws in the assembly, but it wasn't hard to complete the job; just commonsense.

I an a physician and I am familiar with Siemans products in the Medical field. The electronics are from Siemans; this is quality hardware. I would say the data from the readout when the initial parameters are inserted are fairly accurate. It is true I had to refer back to my physiology texts to review kjoule and watts, but the interface is quite elegant. The workout is indeed a smooth experience, smoother than the gym precors I use in 24 hour fitness. The Smooth CE is quite heavy and doesn't budge easily, making for a stable, solid workout. The magnetic braking principle for the massive flywheel is silent.

This quality German built machine is a bargain and will only get more expensive as the Euro increases too; buy it now before the euro affects the price.

Pros: Quiet when new
Cons: Cheap and inclined toward breakdown

I had to replace my first Smooth CE elliptical machine when its flywheel broke down after just 4 months. After much back and forth with customer service (who was mildly helpful) and multiple visits by repairmen, my machine was replaced. But it took 2 months before this happened! My current elliptical machine (6 months old) now has broken bolts in the shaft. So - it can't be used, as I await the arrival of new bolts that seemed to break much like described in a previous review.

So, since I initially bought my Smooth one year ago, it has been out of commission and waiting for repair for 10 weeks. Honestly, I wish I had bought a better, probably more expensive machine.

Pros: sturdy, quiet, well-built
Cons: spacing between pedals

I bought the 7.4 model. After using it a few times I noticed that I had some back pain as well as knee pain-- a lot of knee pain. I've never had any sort of knee or back problems in the past. I think it is because the foot pedals on this model are at least 6 inches apart. This forces my legs into an unnatural position, causing stress on my lower back and knees. Just imagine jogging with your feet that far apart-- think about the injury that would ultimately cause! Most elliptical models advertise the spacing between the foot pedals as about two inches. There is a very good reason why you want your feet close together-- it's to avoid strain and stress on joints. Do your homework on this-- I didn't, but I can let others know...

Even though I spent close to $2000 on this item, I am better off just letting it gather dust.

Pros: Good workout options.
Cons: Bad frame design and shoddy workmanship.

I bought the Smooth CE Elliptical Trainer because I wanted a sturdy, good quality elliptical machine that did not shake or squeak. I found the CE on www.smoothfitness.com and bought it. I had to wait something like 2 months to receive the machine.

Now, 10 months later the screws in the frame have broken off and part of the screws are stuck in the frame. The machine shakes and squeaks like crazy. I have put in a service request and am having to wait 2 weeks for the parts to arrive from smoothfitness. They couldn't even send me the parts priority, but chose to send it to me the slowest possible (cheapest) method. The company who is contracted to fix the machine cannot make an appointment with me to come out and fix it until the parts arrive and I am still waiting for the parts. I cannot use the machine in the meantime.

I am extremely disappointed in this machine. Not only was it expensive, but it also broke within the first year. The repair service department at smoothfitness is appalling and after you have purchased the machine, the customer service is sub-standard.

Pros: Great scripted reviews from the manufacturer.
Cons: Exactly. This is an e-con.

Don't all those 5 star ratings sound oh so Chipper and bright and somehow similar? The Smooth CE website states they are web professionals...professionals at hyping their products through places like epinions. Many of these shill pieces say...."I took a chance based on the reviews and boy am I glad I did!" Pretty easy to understand why after the fact....but DON'T LET THESE SHILLS ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THE MISTAKE I DID! The machine was hard to assemble, wobbly, noisy, and uncomfortable. Durability uncertain but I am returning this at a loss....Buyers Beware. Design by Porsche my rear end!

Pros: Nothing yet.
Cons: Very heavy to carry upstairs, hard getting it out of the box, can't put together!

Ok, well I haven't used it yet. I would love to try it out, but I can't get it put together! I know I'm only 16, but my parents have tried putting it together and were unsuccessful and I'm totally upset about it. I should have just stuck to my membership at the Y. The instruction manual is very difficult to understand and they write actual size everywhere and nothing fits the picture so that's not true.

Pros: Rock solid, well engineered, easy to use and assemble.
Cons: No book rack, bought small TV with DVD player instead.

Delivered 2 weeks ago by LTL Carrier. Driver assisted my wife placing the large, heavy crate in garage. Took about an hour to haul upstairs and assemble. Rock solid and easy to put together even with lousy instructions.

After assembly, noticed a loud irritating squeak somewhere. Called Service next day and after removing top handle, wrapping with electrical tape, re-assembling (four bolts), the squeaks were gone.

The computer display is by Siemens and is programmed for Kettler. The only preset that I am using now is the HRC and it works great.

Overall impressions are very positive. Solid, well built, easy to assemble, very comfortable and just could not be happier about this purchase.

Pros: Smooth action, small footprint
Cons: Bad design location for bolts which cause the squeaking - customer service very slow

I purchased this machine based on the good reviews I read on the Internet. Although the exercise motion is smooth, as advertised, the machine has loud squeaks which come from four bolts attaching the handles to the main frame. After complaining about this to Smooth, a representative was sent to my home to service the machine. His solution was to wrap some tape around the stem then tighten down the bolts again. This "fix" did not last! Next I asked how I should return the machine because I did not think it was worth the money and I can not stand the constant squeaking even on low levels of exercise - that was on September 16. Today is September 29 and I have still not heard from Smooth. The rep sent out to service the machine told me that many people are complaining about the squeaking and that more tests should have been performed before it was marketed on the Internet. In addition, the assembly instructions were incomplete as were the parts necessary to assemble.