Keys Treadmill Review

I know Keys treadmills quite well, since I use to work for a company that private labeled their treadmills. Matter of fact, I've been out to their corporate office in Texas, and met the owner.

In the late 90's they became a major player in the treadmill industry by being the first to offer quality machines under $2,000. In fact, their durable and reliable treadmills flooded the market in a short period of time.

They build a solid machine, with their focus on value. There is nothing exceptional about a Keys treadmill, other than you are getting your money's worth. Which is not generally the case in the treadmill industry. They are particularly strong in the $900 - $1,500 price range. Their philosophy is to build budget treadmills with quality components.

In the past, Keys manufacturered all their treadmills in the U.S. Now a good portion of their treadmills are built overseas. In the process there's been some quality control issues. This is not unusual. Many companies have moved their manufacturing overseas, and in general have experience some quality control problems. This is to be expected.

If you are considering buying Keys we recommend that you stay with the models built in the U.S., or purchase models that have been out for a couple of years. Better chance that the bugs are worked out. For example, the Keys 8800 has been around for a number of years.

Keys and various brand names are sold through fitness specialty stores and Play It Again Sports stores. You will find their Ironman treadmills sold at some large sporting goods stores like Sports Authority.

First, these machines hold up well. From my experience of selling Keys treadmill, there were few service calls. Of course, that dates back from the days they manufactured all their models in the U.S.

Second, Keys has a good reputation for customer service. They have a competent staff devoted to handling service calls. Although, like any treadmill company, expect some delays and problems during the Winter season.

Keys Builds Under Multiple Brand Names

You will find that Keys has several different brand names, including Alliance, Healthrider, Discovery and Ironman. Several of the brands offer basically the same models. They use different brand names so different resellers, online and off, can sell at different price ranges. For example, you may find a fitness equipment dealer selling the same treadmill for a few hundred dollars more under one name, while an online store is selling the same model for less under a different name. Sounds confusing, it is. I know, the company I worked for played the same games. Shop different brand names and different models to make sure you are getting the best value.

Also be aware that the brand name CardioZone is a private label of Keys treadmills. If you are considering buying one, you may want to compare the price to the similar Keys models. For example, the Keys 800HR is basically the same machine as the CardioZone Club HR T. Notice how they use the term "Club" in the name, as if it is commercial quality.

Our Review

We agree that compared to many budget treadmills (like Icon treadmills), Keys surpasses them in quality. They use better components that result in fewer service issues.

Customer Review

Ironman Inspire - I bought this at Costco and in 8 months the deck broke. Call the support line was a nightmare, they are actually rude. Luckily I bought from Costco, no questions asked and they returned it.