The Precor TRM 885 treadmill is one of the market leading commercial treadmills available in the UK today. It can be used for home use but the price point of this machine will mean most often this machine will be found in a commercial gym.
We took charge of a refurbished model for 30 days to find out just how good the TRM 885 is and we will provide you with our full verdict as well as suggestions for where to buy used and new models right here in this review.
Whether you are considering a new treadmill for your home or your commercial setup – don’t do anything until you have read our Precor TRM 885 review below.
Precor TRM 885 First Impressions
The model we took delivery of was one that had previously been used in a commercial gym. It had been fully serviced but we felt that reviewing a model that had been well used (especially when its prime use was intended for a commercial setting) would make for a more accurate reflection of how good (or bad) this treadmill would be in a real world setting.
The TRM 885 is not going to go light on the wallet. So you expect a certain level of quality upon first glance and to be fair, the TRM 885 did not disappoint in that respect. Our model had a couple of scratches and a scuffed looking running mat but other than that it looked brand new – and it oozed quality all over.
The large LCD touch screen dominates the eye line and is used to control most of the workout options. Everything from the running track to the frame have a feel of real solidness and the long arms are reassuringly stable.
There are plastic push control buttons to intuitively control speed and incline whilst running and these are some of the best we have seen on a treadmill such as this.
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Check Latest Price Of Brand New Precor TRM 885
TRM 885 Specifications
When it comes to specs, the TRM 885 absolutely rocks – and the newer models are even better! The treadmill weighs in at around 200kg and can hold a maximum user weight of 181kg – so there are very few people who are not going to be able to use this machine. It measures up at 224cm (l) x 179cm (h) x 89cm (w) with a very generous sized running track.
If you are planning on using this in a domestic setting then we’d suggest thinking very carefully about where you are going to put it. Size wise it is on the larger size when compared to the budget treadmills but it is the weight that is going to make it hardest to manoeuvre. That being said, it does have handy transport wheels but on carpets you have little chance of moving it.
There is a very powerful 4HP motor on board and with a top speed of 25.5km/h this is a treadmill that can challenge even the fastest runners. With decline and incline available and ranging from -3% to 15% incline there is even more challenge which can really allow users to build strength and endurance as well as providing an incredible cardiovascular experience.
Despite being a hefty machine, the power consumption is pretty efficient thanks to a ‘power factor correction’ system that reduces energy consumption by up to 30% – it is also incredibly quiet in operation compared to other models.
Check Latest Price Of Used Precor TRM 885
Check Latest Price Of Brand New Precor TRM 885
Using The Precor TRM 885 Treadmill
Even with our 5 year old TRM 885 the experience was what you would expect. This is a treadmill that is built to provide an exceptional workout time after time and that’s exactly what we got.
The TRM 885 can be used in manual mode or you choose from a wide range of pre-programmed workouts. We had concerns about how reliable the touch screen would be but it was as responsive as any modern touch screen phone and despite its years, it made it really easy to navigate around the various modes.
We are so glad that Precor chose to use physical buttons to control the speed and incline settings and these are amongst the best controls we have used on a treadmill. You simply slide the button upwards to increase the speed (or incline) and sort of pull it down to reduce it. This not only feels intuitive but it is really easy to do while running – even at high speeds – as you have something to physically grab rather than just using a standard push button that you find on most commercial treadmills. There are two of these buttons – one for incline and one for speed and they are both located beneath the screen.
The screen itself is really well positioned. It is located higher than most treadmill screens and this makes a real difference to your running form as you tend to keep your head up and in line with your spine in order to see the screen rather than more hunched over like you can sometimes experience with other treadmills.
The mechanically controlled incline is very smooth and is really challenging on the highest incline settings. The 4HP motor makes light work of giving you top speeds and it is unlikely you will max out with this treadmill.
Running on this machine feels great thanks to its integrated footplant technology which is a fancy phrase that Precor have created for saying that the treadmill recognises when your feet are hitting the deck for an even smoother feeling run. The level of suspension we found just right for a comfortable run without too much bounce and Precor design their machines so that there is more bounce at the front of the deck where your feet land compared to the back where your feet push away – and this feels so natural.
There is no bluetooth or real level of connectivity with this machine but it isn’t needed. Instead, Precor focus on giving you everything you need out of the box. When buying brand new there is a 7 year warranty on the frame and 5 years on the motor and used warranties will vary depending on where you buy the machine with 30 days being pretty standard.
We loved using this machine and found it to be incredibly challenging but also accessible for beginners or users with mobility issues. The incline allows those who want to walk or jog at very low speeds to really increase the level of challenge and the same goes for those users at the more experienced end of the scale.
Verdict
The Precor TRM 885 is an exceptional treadmill. It is not a cheap investment but for the ultimate home cardio or for a really high quality commercial investment it is hard to suggest that you shouldn’t buy this machine. It is expensive and that is going to be the main drawback – but in our opinion you really do get what you pay for and if you want a machine for your gym that is going be spending more time being used than being serviced or repaired then this is about as good as it gets.