NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Running feels like a treat, not a chore

Folding treadmills may have once been viewed as a slightly less capable alternative to a regular treadmill, but the Nordictrack Commercial 2450 Treadmill puts that to bed, once and for all.

Aside from delivering a sturdy construction and advanced features, all in a folding design, it’s also the brand’s fastest treadmill to date, which they claim can help people achieve a sub-two-hour marathon time, thanks to its high speeds.

After a long sabbatical from running, I decided it was time to get back to it. The first run is always the worst, but hopping on the NordicTrack Commercial 2450 (which I will refer to as the C2450) actually made it enjoyable, rather than a chore, thanks to its smooth performance and extensive iFit workout library.

It’s definitely up there as one of the best treadmills I’ve tested to date. Here’s how I got on with it…

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Price and availability

The NordicTrack Commercial 2450 is available to buy now from NordicTrack UK and NordicTrack US for the recommended retail price of £3,299/ $2,999. The price also includes installation from the NordicTrack team and a one-year manufacturer's warranty, which can be extended for free if you register your equipment within 28 days of purchase.

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Specifications

• Dimensions: 196.3 cm (L) x 94 cm (W) x 161.0 cm (H)
• Weight: 135.10kg (unboxed)
• Max user weight: 182kg
• Speed range: 0-22km/h
• Incline: 12%
• Decline: -3%
• Display size: 22-inches
• Bluetooth compatibility: Yes

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Set up and build quality

The treadmill was delivered to our testing HQ in a massive box on a palette and was then unpacked and set up by two people from the NordicTrack team – so there’s no need to worry if you’re not the strongest person on earth, or the best at DIY.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there on the day it arrived, however, I was told by our studio team that it took the guys about an hour to set up and then walk our Art Director through how to use it.

The C2450 is heavy, however, it’s a sturdy piece of kit with a very high weight capacity, so I think this reflects its quality – after all, no one wants a light, flimsy treadmill if you're planning on clocking up lots of miles. It has a set of wheels underneath and you have to tilt the treadmill up to engage them to the ground so that you can manoeuvre it.

While it’s definitely achievable for one person to move it, at 135kg, it is heavy, so you wouldn’t want to be doing this too often. I’d advise picking a spot and sticking to it, if possible. It’s super easy to unfold too, you simply lift the deck up slightly, push in the pole with your foot and it lowers to the ground in about 10 seconds. Folding it back up is even more straightforward; you just lift the deck up and it locks into place.

The treadmill itself has a clean, simplistic design that hasn’t been overcrowded with lots of buttons – just a stop/start, incline and speed selection on the control panel. It has a big bright 24-inch LCD touchscreen display that you can swivel from side to side and tilt. The running deck is also generously sized (152cm) and features RunFlex cushioning to absorb the impact of each step, providing a more comfortable run.

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Features

The C2450 is packed with standout features, with two of the most impressive being its speed and incline capabilities. As I mentioned earlier, it’s NordicTrack’s fastest treadmill, reaching speeds of up to 12 mph (approximately 22 km/h), which translates to a swift 2:45 per kilometre or 4:40 per mile pace – fast enough to surpass the threshold needed for a sub-2-hour marathon. It also offers a 12% maximum incline and a rare -3% decline, allowing you to better replicate real-world running conditions while adding variety and challenge to your training.

To use the C2450, an iFit account is required. While you’ll get access to a selection of workouts (or can use the manual mode), I’d highly recommend upgrading to an iFit Pro membership. This unlocks access to over 10,000 workouts across a wide variety of training styles, including running, walking, hiking, strength training, Pilates, and cross-training. According to NordicTrack, new workouts are added regularly, so you'll always have fresh content to keep your training varied and engaging (despite there already being plenty).

Other cool iFit features include SmartAdjust and ActivePulse. The former automatically adjusts the workout to suit your fitness level. For example, if you decrease the speed of a workout, it will adjust the rest of the workout to suit your needs, based on the adjustments you made – so you can feel confident doing any workout.

ActivePulse, on the other hand, does the same thing, but using your heart rate to keep it in the right zone. For this, you’d need to purchase NordicTrack’s Smartbeat Heart Rate Monitor, the iFit Heart Rate Monitor, or pair the treadmill with a compatible device.

On the C2450 you’ll also find two large bottle holders, a built-in fan (which automatically adjusts its breeze to the intensity of your workouts) and an emergency cord. There’s also built-in Bluetooth, so that you can connect your headphones, and the option to log in to your Netflix and Amazon Prime account to stream your favourite shows – just in case you fancy a break from the iFit instructors.

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: performance

I only spent a few hours with the C2450, but even during this short amount of time, I was highly impressed by its features and performance.

It was straightforward to use and self-intuitive thanks to its clearly laid out display screen, which was very fast and responsive. I thought the variety of workouts was excellent and loved that you could filter them via intensity, duration, activity and trainer, as it made it easy to find what I was looking for.

I settled on a beginner walk-run, an intermediate hike, and an advanced endurance run. The treadmill handled the automated incline, decline, and speed transitions very smoothly, which helped my workouts flow seamlessly without any interruptions. I didn’t find the deck super bouncy, which I think is a good thing, as it has a more realistic road feel to it. However, it’s by no means hard and still gives a nice amount of feedback.

The deck length and width are also very generous (152cm long and 56cm wide), especially for a folding treadmill. I’m 5 ft 5, with very short legs, and found that I had tons of room behind me on the deck, and I think there would be plenty for longer-limbed folk too.

I found the iFit instructors were fantastic, always offering words of encouragement, facts about where I was, or tips. I don’t usually like training without my music, but I found I was able to do this quite happily with the instructors' (actually useful) chit-chat.

The runs are also set in some wicked locations – I ran through an elephant sanctuary, hiked up Lava Tower in Tanzania, and jogged along a beach in South Lisbon. Despite doing these sessions back-to-back, each one felt genuinely enjoyable – more like a treat rather than a chore. The built-in fan was a welcome feature, with three settings (though not particularly powerful), but it definitely helped take the edge off as I started to break a sweat.

If I had to pick any downfalls for the C2450, it would be that it’s rather noisy. It makes that typical ‘vroom’ sound and then when you put the fan on, things get even noisier. I definitely feel like I’ve run on much quieter ones, like the Technogym Run.

The second thing would be the fact that the quick adjustment buttons for speed and incline are on the screen, rather than on the handlebars. I wasn’t running at any impressively high speeds, but even during my endurance run, I found it quite challenging to reduce the speed quickly. It’s fine if you’re coasting, but I think with any sort of speed work, this will be difficult.

NordicTrack Commercial 2450 review: Verdict

The C2450 is an all-around fantastic treadmill for advanced and recreational runners. It has a rock-solid construction, feels great underfoot, has a brilliant selection of trainer-led workouts, wide incline and decline capabilities, and (most importantly) it’s very speedy. It most definitely provides everything you could need to improve running performance, even for seasoned runners.

To get the most out of this treadmill, though, I do think you need to purchase an iFit membership, as it opens up so many more training possibilities. This then becomes an extra on top of the C2450’s already expensive price tag but if you can afford it, then I think it’s 100% worth it.

If, however, you’re a recreational runner whose budget won’t stretch this far, then there are still plenty of other capable treadmills out there, like the JTX Sprint 5 – if you want matched incline capabilities, but slightly lower speeds – or the Domyos Run500 if you’re looking for something less than £1,000.

As I say, though, if budget allows it, then the C2450 is hard to beat.