ProForm Premier 900 review: an excellent value folding treadmill for workout fans

Could the ProForm Premier 900 Treadmill be the running machine you’ve been looking for? If it's great value, superb design and a ton of features you're after, then the search is over!

In this ProForm Premier 900 Treadmill review, we’ll cover more about why it deserves a spot on any best treadmills list, as well as any cons that this running machine has. If this treadmill is a little out of your price range, check out our article on the best cheap treadmills or the best folding treadmills.

ProForm Premier 900 treadmill review: Price and availability

The ProForm Premier 900 treadmill is available to buy now at ProForm UK, ProForm US and ProForm AUS for a recommended retail price of $1999 / £1488 / AU$2766. 

ProForm Premier 900 treadmill review: Set up and build quality

We love that the ProForm Premier 900 treadmill is really easy and fast to assemble, with clear instructions. Because of the size (64” x 73.5” x 35”) and weight (194lbs / 88kg) of the machine, however, you’ll need to rope a pal in to help set it up.

The treadmill is well-designed and sturdy, with a modern ergonomic design that looks smart, if a little retro. The main console has a small 7” color touchscreen with an inbuilt fan and speakers.

The ProForm Premier 900 treadmill comes with a ton of safety features including a 4-digit passcode (helpful for preventing children or pets from accidentally starting the machine). It also has a safety screen timeout, which automatically resets the display if no commands are received or the belt isn’t moving for a certain amount of time. There’s a safety key, too, in case of an emergency. 

ProForm Premier 900 treadmill review: Design and display

The ProForm Premier 900 treadmill is nice and compact with a simple design. It has a crisp 7” color screen – a little small compared with some of the mega touchscreens we’ve come to expect from treadmills – but it does the job. It also has a minimalist console with multi-speed fan, which is very welcome during longer or high-speed runs.

It’s really easy to navigate through your workout stats at the touch of a button, and all the core metrics are there: speed, time, distance, calories burned, heart rate and incline/decline. Either side of the console you’ll find two big water bottle holders, which can also be used for your smartphone.

We love how the quick-speed and quick-incline controls make it easy to switch between different settings, and there are EKG touch sensors built into the handles for heart rate monitoring. These are compatible with Bluetooth wireless chest straps (not included with the treadmill).

The ProForm Premier 900 treadmill comes with a decent Intermix Acoustics 2.0 sound system, two 2” speakers and an MP3/iPod compatible music port. Disappointingly,, this won’t actually charge your device, and the treadmill doesn’t come with a separate USB charging port.

You can fold the ProForm Premier 900 treadmill and it has a shock assisted lift mechanism to help with the process. The ProShox cushioning system built into the 55” x 20” running deck is there to reduce the impact on joints, and we have to admit, it feels springy and light to run on. We also like the anti-slip grip on the side of the deck, which is a nice touch and makes it easier to get on the belt without slipping.

ProForm Premier 900 Treadmill review: Features

Probably our favorite thing about the ProForm 900 Treadmill is the huge variety of workouts available via the iFit app (subscription needed, from $39 / £29 / $53 AUD). You can just hit Manual and start your own walk or run, but it’s the 30 pre-set workouts categorized by incline, speed, intensity and calorie expenditure, as well as the ease of customizing goals for time, pace, distance and number of calories burned that we really love.

And that’s before you try out the iFit classes, which are similar to Peloton workouts in that they have motivating and informative instructors who push you to train harder. You can use the ProForm Premier 900 treadmill without iFit, but you won’t have access to any of the live or on-demand classes. 

Download programs straight to the console, customize actual ‘real life’ runs with Google Maps, share your stats and compete with other iFit members to keep that competitive edge going. The iFit profile keeps tabs on all your workouts so you can track your progress over time.

Core metrics tracked include time, distance, speed, incline, heart rate, calories burned. The ProForm Premier 900 treadmill provides a challenging workout as it is able to reach speeds of up to 12mph, a 12% incline, and -3% decline.

ProForm Premier 900 treadmill review: Performance

Running on the ProForm Premier 900 treadmill feels smooth thanks to the 3.0 continuous horsepower (CHP) motor, which is built to withstand light to intense training.

We love that the treadmill is really quiet, with a noise level of just 60 dB during a one-mile walk (about the same as a conversation). We hit the incline-decline and tried various speeds on a 2.5-mile jog and it went up to 75 dB – the same as a vacuum cleaner. We found that even running at max speed for 2.5 miles the noise was 80 dB – the same as a blender.

This makes this running machine really appealing for people who live in an apartment block or shared house, as well as those with young children and grumpy neighbors.

The emergency stop button worked well and reduced the belt speed quickly but not abruptly.

We tried one of the hiking classes too, for noise levels. The incline and speed on the Zion hiking class in Zion National Park was automatically controlled to copy the instructor’s effort level, and we measured 75 dB (same as a vacuum cleaner) on this workout. The tread belt is springy and supportive to walk and run on, and the two-speed fan is efficient and much appreciated.

ProForm Premier 900 treadmill review: Verdict

Is the ProForm Premier 900 treadmill worth it? If you want to know how to buy a treadmill and are looking for a great value and high performing running machine with a ton of features and a color screen (albeit rather small), then this is a solid investment.

With its quiet and powerful motor, great incline and decline range and springy belt, this running machine won’t disappoint.

Word to the wise though, while the belt size is standard at 55” x 20”, if you’re tall, say over 6ft 2”, then you might want to look for a treadmill with a longer tread like the Viavito LunaRun, which has a longer running space compared with its competitors. 

It feels like a bit of an oversight that there’s no USB charging point, and the heart rate chest strap doesn’t come with the ProForm 900 Treadmill, so if you want to use the wireless monitor you have to factor that in as an extra cost.

But for the price and quality, this treadmill provides a satisfying and immersive running experience for all fitness levels.

ProForm Premier 900 Treadmill review: Also consider

The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is an elite folding treadmill that will help any user in reaching their personal fitness goals. It’s built to last with endless workouts to choose from the iFit Coach workout library. An easy machine to use and recommended for both beginners and the experienced embarking on their fitness journeys.

The Echelon Stride is a great option for runners on the market for a straightforward, easy-to-use treadmill that won’t monopolize too much space. While the Echelon Stride is a more basic model, it has everything you need to get in a solid workout – and has even more to offer with a subscription to Echelon Fit and their library of treadmill workouts.