Buying guide
If you want a treadmill but live in a flat, a terraced house or anywhere short on floor space, a small, compact or portable treadmill is the answer: a machine with a tiny footprint that folds away, tucks against a wall or under a bed, and is light enough to move when you need the room back. This guide ranks the best small and compact treadmills in the UK by how little space they take, from the cheapest folders to the smallest models you can still run on. If you only ever want to walk, a slim handrail-free pad may suit you better, see our walking pads guide. Every pick here is scored on our RunRank system and prices are checked regularly.
British brand- Speed 9.9 mph
- Folds Flat, under bed
- Weight 43 kg
- Speed 9 mph
- Folds To 31 cm
- Incline 12 levels
- Speed 10 mph
- Incline 12 levels
- App Echelon Fit
- Speed 11.2 mph
- Incline 12%
- Deck 45 x 130 cm
- Speed 6 mph
- Incline 10 levels
- App Zwift, Kinomap
- Speed 6 mph
- Incline 3 manual
- Programmes 13
- Speed 7.5 mph
- Incline 15 levels
- App FitShow
- Speed 10 mph
- Incline 12 levels
- Motor 1.25 HP
How small is small? What counts as a compact treadmill
Small treadmill is a loose term, and the right one depends on what you mean by small. There are really three things people weigh up: how little space the machine takes when you are using it, how flat and out of the way it packs when you are not, and how easily you can move it.
The labels are used loosely and interchangeably. A mini or small treadmill usually means any machine with a reduced footprint, a compact treadmill tends to mean a small folding treadmill you can still jog on, and a portable treadmill emphasises light weight and wheels so you can move it from room to room. A treadmill for small spaces is simply whichever of these fits the room you have.
This guide covers compact treadmills, machines with a frame and console that you can walk and, on most, jog or run, but that fold down to a small footprint. They are ranked by how space-saving they are rather than by brand or price. If you want to walk only and need the very slimmest profile, a handrail-free walking pad is smaller still, our best walking pads guide covers those, and our walking treadmills guide compares the wider walking options. For larger machines that happen to fold, see best folding treadmills.
Best small and compact treadmills compared
| Treadmill | Best for | Top speed | Incline | Folds | RunRank | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JTX Slimline | Smallest you can jog on | 9.9 mph | None | Flat, under bed | 3.6 / 5 | £599 |
| Reebok i-Run 5.0 | Most space-saving | 9 mph | 12 levels | To 31 cm | 4.3 / 5 | £499 £699 |
| Echelon Stride 30 Sport | Best connected | 10 mph | 12 levels | Upright | 4.1 / 5 | £499 £899 |
| Reebok GT40z | Best for running | 11.2 mph | 12% | Upright | 4.1 / 5 | £549 |
| Xterra TR260 | Compact, with incline | 6 mph | 10 levels | Upright | 4.1 / 5 | £499 £699 |
| Xterra TR150 | Cheapest | 6 mph | 3 manual | Upright | 4.0 / 5 | £399 £599 |
| Viavito Praia | Most incline | 7.5 mph | 15 levels | Upright | 3.9 / 5 | £499 £699 |
| Viavito ST1 | Budget incline | 10 mph | 12 levels | Upright | 3.9 / 5 | £499 £699 |
Our top small, compact and portable treadmills
Eight machines that prove a small footprint does not mean a poor treadmill. They are ranked by how little space they need, balanced against what you can actually do on them, from the flat-folding Slimline through budget and incline options to the faster compact machines you can genuinely run on.
JTX SlimlineFlat fold British brand
£599- Folds dead flat and slides under a bed, the smallest storage footprint here
- Light at 43 kg, easy to stand on its end and move
- Arrives fully assembled, a British brand bought direct
- You can jog as well as walk, up to 9.9 mph
- 2-year in-home engineer warranty
- No incline
- 100 kg maximum user weight
- No native app, Zwift only via a Runpod foot sensor
Reebok i-Run 5.0Folds to 31 cm
£699 £499- Folds to just 31 cm high and rolls away on transport wheels
- Arrives fully built, no assembly
- Quiet 2.0 HP brushless motor with 12 levels of powered incline
- A roomy 46 cm wide deck for such a small footprint
- Highest RunRank of the compact treadmills here
- Folds low rather than flat, so it stands against a wall rather than under a bed
- Bluetooth heart rate but no full app ecosystem
- Sweatband stock only
Echelon Stride 30 SportFolds upright
£899 £499- Connected Echelon app plus 19 onboard programmes
- Twelve powered incline levels for hill and 12-3-30 sessions
- Folds away with the biggest saving on this list
- Walk through to steady running
- Narrow 40 cm deck
- Membership is pushed, though optional
- Folds upright rather than flat
Reebok GT40zFolds upright
£549- Fastest here at 11.2 mph, genuinely runnable
- Wider 45 cm deck with ZigTech cushioning
- Strong 12 percent incline
- Soft-drop fold, Zwift and Kinomap support
- Larger footprint than the most compact models here
- Heavier to move
- A standard folding treadmill rather than ultra-compact
Xterra TR260Folds upright
£699 £499- Powered 10-level incline at a budget price
- Bluetooth with Zwift, Kinomap and the Xterra app
- Cushioned deck and a strong 2.25 HP motor
- Folds with a soft-drop mechanism
- 6 mph top speed, walking and light jogging only
- Folds upright, not flat
- No flat-fold storage
Xterra TR150Folds upright
£599 £399- The cheapest treadmill here at £399
- Lifetime frame warranty
- Simple, reliable, no subscriptions
- Folds down with an easy-pull knob
- Manual incline only
- 6 mph top speed, walking and light jogging
- No app connectivity
Viavito PraiaFolds upright
£699 £499- Fifteen levels of powered incline, the most here
- 7 inch LCD and built-in Bluetooth speakers
- FitShow app on board with no subscription
- Cushioned deck, walking and gentle jogging
- Modest 1.5 HP motor
- 7.5 mph ceiling
- Folds upright only
Viavito ST1Folds upright
£699 £499- Twelve powered incline levels and app support at a budget price
- Cushioned 130 cm deck, longer than most here
- Bluetooth, tablet holder, Zwift and Kinomap
- Small 1.25 HP motor, happiest at walking and jogging
- Not built for sustained running
- Folds upright only
Can you run on a small treadmill?
On a compact treadmill, yes, within reason. The fastest here, the Reebok GT40z, reaches 11.2 mph (18 km/h), and the JTX Slimline, Echelon Stride 30 and Viavito ST1 all hit 9 to 10 mph (15 to 16 km/h), fast enough for jogging and intervals. The budget Xterra models cap at 6 mph (10 km/h), which keeps them to walking and light jogging.
The limit on a small treadmill is usually the deck rather than the motor. A compact deck of around 40 to 46 cm wide and 120 to 130 cm long is fine for walking and comfortable jogging, but it feels tight for fast running, where your stride lengthens and your arms swing wider. If you are taller than about 5 ft 10 or you want to sprint, a compact machine will feel cramped and a full-size treadmill is the better buy. Walking pads, covered in our pads guide, are for walking only and cannot be run on at all.
How to measure your space before you buy
The most common mistake with a small treadmill is buying on price and finding it does not fit the way you hoped. A few measurements save that disappointment.
In-use footprint. Measure the floor area where the machine will sit when unfolded, and add room to step on and off safely at the back. A compact treadmill like the Echelon Stride 30 needs roughly 152 by 74 cm in use, plus clearance behind it.
Folded size and where it goes. Decide the storage spot first, then check the folded dimensions against it. A flat fold like the JTX Slimline slides under a bed, the Reebok i-Run folds to just 31 cm high to stand against a wall, while most others fold upright and need floor space against a wall and some ceiling height.
Ceiling height, if you want incline. Incline raises you off the floor, and so does standing on the deck to begin with. In a room with low ceilings or sloping eaves, check you have headroom at the highest incline setting before choosing a machine with one.
Doorways and stairs. If the treadmill has to travel through a narrow hall, up stairs or into a loft room, measure the route and check the boxed dimensions and weight. This is where a lighter machine with transport wheels earns its place.
Small treadmills for flats and apartments
Flats and apartments bring two constraints beyond floor space: noise and getting the machine indoors. For noise, a quiet compact treadmill on a dense mat stops impact and motor sound carrying to neighbours below, and walking rather than running keeps things quietest of all. For access, check your lift dimensions or stairwell before you order, since a boxed treadmill is heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, and favour a model that arrives assembled, like the JTX Slimline or Reebok i-Run, so you are not building it in a narrow hallway.
Renting adds one more consideration: a treadmill that needs no fixing to the wall or floor and leaves no trace is ideal, which is exactly what a freestanding compact treadmill gives you. None of our picks require any installation. A flat-folding machine that lives under the bed is usually the most practical choice in a one or two-bed flat.
What to look for in a small treadmill
Beyond the footprint, a few specifications decide whether a compact machine actually suits you.
Fold type
A flat fold gives the smallest hidden footprint and is ideal if you store it under furniture. A low upright fold, like the Reebok i-Run’s 31 cm, stands neatly against a wall. A standard upright fold takes less floor area but needs height. Match the fold to your storage spot, not the other way around.
Weight and portability
If the machine will move between rooms or be lifted for storage, weight matters as much as size. Look for transport wheels and a manageable weight, the JTX Slimline at 43 kg can be moved by one person, and machines like the i-Run that arrive built and roll away are the easiest to live with.
Walk or run
Be honest about what you will do. If you only need a brisk walk, a 6 mph machine like the Xterra TR150 is cheaper and does the job. If you want to jog or run, choose one of the faster compact treadmills with a 9 to 11 mph top speed and a slightly wider deck.
Incline
Powered incline raises the intensity of a walk far more than speed alone, and most compact treadmills here include it, up to fifteen levels on the Viavito Praia. Only the cheapest, the Xterra TR150, restricts you to manual incline you set before you start.
Warranty and support
Compact machines are often built to a budget, so a solid warranty matters. In-home repair rather than parts-only cover, and buying from a UK brand that sells direct such as JTX, makes ownership simpler if anything goes wrong.
Portability tip. A genuinely portable treadmill is about weight and wheels as much as folded size. Before you buy, picture the actual job: lifting it onto its end, rolling it over a carpet lip, or carrying it upstairs. A machine that arrives assembled and rolls away on wheels is far easier to live with than a smaller but heavier one without them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest treadmill you can buy?
If you want a treadmill you can jog on rather than just walk, the most space-saving options are a flat-folding compact treadmill such as the JTX Slimline, which packs flat enough to go under a bed, or the Reebok i-Run 5.0, which folds to just 31 cm high. Slimmer still are handrail-free walking pads, but those are for walking only.
Can you run on a compact treadmill?
On a compact treadmill, yes, within reason. Models like the Reebok GT40z (11.2 mph), JTX Slimline and Echelon Stride 30 are fine for jogging and intervals. The narrow deck makes fast running feel tight, so for serious running a full-size treadmill is better. The budget Xterra models cap at 6 mph, for walking and light jogging.
Are small treadmills any good?
Yes, for the right user. A small or compact treadmill is ideal for walking, jogging and incline sessions in a home with limited space, and the best of them score well on our RunRank. The compromises are deck size and, on some, top speed, so they suit casual runners and walkers more than dedicated distance runners.
What is the smallest treadmill when folded?
Among treadmills you can jog on, a flat fold like the JTX Slimline gives the smallest hidden footprint because it slides flat under a bed. The Reebok i-Run folds to just 31 cm high to stand against a wall. Most other compact treadmills fold upright and need floor space against a wall plus some ceiling height.
Can you move a portable treadmill easily?
Compact treadmills are heavier than walking pads, but transport wheels let one person tilt and roll them between rooms, and the lightest here, the JTX Slimline at 43 kg, is manageable solo. If you will move it often or up stairs, prioritise weight, wheels and assembled delivery over outright size.
Is a mini treadmill good for running?
A mini or compact treadmill is good for walking and steady jogging, but the short, narrow deck limits fast running, where your stride lengthens and your feet land further apart. If you mainly want to run, a full-size treadmill with a longer deck is the safer choice. For walking and gentle jogging in a small space, a compact treadmill does the job well.
Will a treadmill fit in a small flat?
Yes, with the right type. A flat-folding model such as the JTX Slimline slides under a bed when it is not in use, and the Reebok i-Run folds low against a wall. Measure both the in-use footprint and the folded size against your room, and check the machine can be carried in through your door or lift before you buy.
Our pick: the JTX Slimline
The smallest treadmill here you can still jog on. It folds dead flat under a bed, arrives fully assembled, and is backed by a British 2-year in-home warranty. For the smallest fold on a faster machine, the Reebok i-Run 5.0 packs to just 31 cm.
We research and compare products independently using our RunRank system. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices and stock are checked regularly and change with sales and discount codes, so always confirm the current price on the retailer’s site.
