NordicTrack T Series 5 Treadmill Review

NordicTrack Treadmill Review

The NordicTrack T Series 5 is the entry point to the entire NordicTrack range, and right now it is £200 cheaper than usual: £499 at Amazon against the £699 you will pay elsewhere. That buys genuine NordicTrack build quality, a 2.7 CHP motor, adjustable SelectFlex cushioning and iFIT compatibility through your own device. Here is our full assessment of who it suits, where it falls short, and when the T Series 6.5S is worth the step up.

By Chris Linford  |  Updated August 2026  |  Researched and compared, prices checked regularly

What is the NordicTrack T Series 5?

The T Series 5 is the cheapest NordicTrack treadmill sold in the UK and the natural first rung of the range that climbs through the T Series 6.5S and T Series 8 to the Commercial machines. A 2.7 CHP motor drives speeds up to 10 mph (16 km/h) with powered incline to 10%, on a 130 x 46 cm deck with NordicTrack’s SelectFlex two-stage cushioning. A 5-inch LCD console runs 20 built-in programmes, and a device shelf plus Bluetooth turn your own phone or tablet into an iFIT screen, with the treadmill adjusting speed and incline automatically to match the workout.

At its usual £699 the T5 competed on build quality against cheaper machines from JLL, Reebok and ProForm. At the current £499 Amazon price it lands almost on top of them, which changes the conversation entirely: this is a £699-grade machine competing at budget money, and it slots straight into our best treadmills under £500 bracket while the price holds.

Who should buy the T Series 5?

The T5 works best for a specific buyer: someone under about 100 kg and under 5 ft 10 who primarily walks or jogs at moderate speeds. Within that profile it is the best value NordicTrack you can buy, and at £499 it is arguably the best value treadmill in its entire bracket. It also makes sense as a first treadmill for anyone testing whether they will actually use one consistently: the entry cost is now genuinely low, the build quality means it holds resale value well, and the 20 onboard programmes mean it works fully without any subscription.

Outside that profile, the maths changes. Taller and heavier users should read the 6.5S comparison below before buying, because the T5’s deck and weight limit are hard constraints that no discount fixes. And regular runners should look further up the range from the start.

Motor and speed

The 2.7 CHP motor is, curiously, slightly more powerful on paper than the 2.6 CHP unit in the T Series 6.5S above it, though in practice the two feel identical: same 10 mph top speed, same 10% incline range, same smooth behaviour under load. At walking speeds of 2 to 4 mph the motor is near-silent. At jogging pace, 5 to 7 mph, motor noise stays low and the belt and your footfall become the dominant sounds. It handles sustained sessions at moderate speeds without strain or overheating.

The 10 mph ceiling is the T5’s most obvious limitation. If you run regularly at 8 mph or faster, there is very little headroom here, and the T Series 8 at £1,164, with its 12.5 mph top speed and 3.0 CHP motor, is the next meaningful step for runners. But for the majority of home users who walk or jog between 4 and 7 mph, 10 mph is more speed than they will ever use.

The deck: the T5’s weakest point

At 130 x 46 cm, the T5 has the smallest running surface in the NordicTrack range, and the 46 cm width is the number to pay attention to. The 6.5S and everything above it run a 51 cm wide belt, and the Commercial range goes to 55 cm. Five centimetres sounds trivial; at pace, with tired legs and a naturally widening gait, it is not.

The 130 cm length is fine for walking and jogging, but taller users, roughly 5 ft 10 and above, may feel their stride constrained during faster running. For its target user, lighter, shorter and walking-focused, the deck is perfectly serviceable, and the SelectFlex cushioning helps the smaller surface feel more forgiving underfoot than the dimensions suggest.

SelectFlex cushioning

Every T Series model includes SelectFlex adjustable cushioning, and it remains a genuine advantage at this price, all the more so at £499. A physical lever under the deck switches between two modes: soft, for maximum joint protection during walking and recovery sessions, and firm, a road-like feel for runners preparing for outdoor training.

Most budget treadmills offer fixed cushioning with no adjustment at all. Rivals like the Reebok GT40z and JLL Pegasus have nothing comparable. The soft setting is particularly valuable for older users or anyone with joint concerns who wants the lowest possible impact from daily walks.

Console and iFIT

The T5 uses a basic 5-inch LCD console with a device shelf above it. There is no built-in touchscreen. The display covers speed, distance, time, calories and incline clearly, and 20 built-in programmes run entirely from the console with automatic speed and incline changes, no subscription required.

For iFIT, you place your own phone or tablet on the shelf and connect over Bluetooth; the treadmill then responds to iFIT workouts automatically, adjusting speed and incline to match the session or virtual route. It works well in practice, but it is obviously less immersive than the integrated touchscreens further up the range. If you already know you want the full iFIT screen experience, the T5 is the wrong starting point: the T Series 8 is the cheapest NordicTrack with one built in. If you are happy with your own device, or do not care about iFIT at all, this console does everything you need.

Build quality and folding

NordicTrack’s build advantage is evident even at the bottom of the range. The T5 feels more substantial and stable than similarly priced machines, with minimal lateral wobble under load, and that solidity is the core reason to choose a budget NordicTrack over a budget no-name brand, particularly now the price difference has nearly vanished.

The SpaceSaver folding design with EasyLift Assist is shared across the whole T Series: a hydraulic ram helps lift the deck and holds it securely upright, roughly halving the floor space when folded. As one of the lighter NordicTrack models, the T5 is easier to fold and unfold than the heavier Commercial units. Unfolded footprint is approximately 170 x 80 cm, front transport wheels allow repositioning on hard floors, and assembly is a two-person job of roughly 45 to 60 minutes with clear instructions.

Noise levels

The T5 is quiet at walking speeds and reasonably quiet during jogging, a direct benefit of the motor quality. Above 6 mph, belt noise and foot strikes take over as the main sound sources, and the soft SelectFlex setting noticeably dampens impact noise. For ground-floor use in a house it is fine at any time; in a flat or upstairs room it is suitable during reasonable hours, ideally over a treadmill mat (£30 to £40) to cut vibration through the floor.

Weight capacity: the other limitation

The 113 kg (17 st 11 lb) maximum user weight is the lowest in the NordicTrack range. If you weigh over 100 kg, the T5 leaves too little margin and will wear its belt, motor and cushioning faster. The 6.5S supports 136 kg, and for heavier users that machine is the right answer regardless of the T5’s price advantage.

T5 vs T6.5S: does the £499 price settle it?

At list prices the gap was £100 and the 6.5S was an easy recommendation for anyone tall or heavy: a 10 cm longer deck, 5 cm wider belt and 23 kg more capacity for £100 is excellent value. At the current Amazon price the gap stretches to £300, and the decision sharpens. If you are under 5 ft 10 and under 100 kg, the T5 at £499 is now the clear buy; the 6.5S’s advantages are ones your body does not need. If you are taller or heavier, the 6.5S is still the right machine, because a deck you have outgrown is a £499 mistake rather than a £499 bargain. Speed, incline, console and cushioning are effectively identical, so the whole decision comes down to your height and weight.

How does it compare beyond NordicTrack?

This is where the £499 price does its real damage. At £699 the T5 asked for a £250 to £300 premium over the budget field and justified it on build quality. At £499 the premium is £50 over the Reebok GT40z and £100 over the JLL Pegasus and ProForm Sport, for a visibly stronger motor, a bigger deck than the Reebok and JLL, adjustable cushioning none of them offer and clearly superior build quality. The GT40z answers with more incline (12% against 10%) and a simpler warranty, the ProForm with a higher 135 kg weight limit. But as an overall package at the current price, the T5 is the strongest machine in this table and it is not especially close.

Warranty: register within 28 days

NordicTrack backs the T5 with a lifetime frame warranty, 10 years on the motor and 2 years parts and labour, but only if you register within 28 days of purchase at ifitsupport.eu. Miss the window and you drop to a basic 12-month manufacturer warranty. The same registration requirement applies across the whole NordicTrack range: set a reminder for delivery day. Reebok’s warranty, by comparison, has no registration deadline, which is worth something if simplicity matters to you.

Who should NOT buy the T5

Skip it if you weigh over 100 kg; the 113 kg limit leaves too little margin, and the 6.5S (£799, 136 kg) is the right machine even at the wider price gap. Skip it if you are taller than about 5 ft 10, for the same reason: the 6.5S’s 140 cm deck is the fix. Skip it if you run regularly at 8 mph or more; the T Series 8 at £1,164 is the entry point for runners. And skip it if you want a built-in touchscreen for iFIT, which also starts at the T8.

Full specifications

Frequently asked questions

The verdict

At £699 the T Series 5 was a good treadmill with an honest asterisk: you paid a premium for the NordicTrack badge and build, and the small deck meant that premium only made sense for smaller, lighter users. At £499 the asterisk mostly disappears. This is the cheapest NordicTrack in the UK selling at barely more than budget-brand money, with a stronger motor, better build and adjustable cushioning that nothing at the price can match. For walkers, beginners and lighter users it is now the obvious pick in its bracket, and its 4.8 RunRank reflects that value.

The limits have not moved, though, and they are physical ones. Over 100 kg or over 5 ft 10, buy the T Series 6.5S even at the wider £300 gap. Running at pace, start at the T Series 8. Everyone else: the T5 at £499 is the best entry ticket to the NordicTrack ecosystem there has been all year, and if the price has moved by the time you read this, our best treadmills under £500 guide has the alternatives.

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 are checked regularly and change with sales and discount codes, so always confirm the current price on the retailer’s site.