7 Best under

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This pandemic phenomenon is worth the hype, according to hundreds of 5-star reviews!

Is anyone else developing crippling back pain from two-plus years of working from home? Hi, me too! Taking meetings from bed sounded like a dream back in March 2020, but it's really just not the vibe anymore—and ergonomic office chairs can only help so much! Luckily, there's another solution for workday woes that can help improve your physical and mental health while keeping you motivated from 9 to 5. Please allow me to introduce you to the genius invention that is under-desk treadmills (so if you were about to guess "continue going on hot girl walks," you were on the right track...pun intended).

Megan Roup, CEO and founder of popular fitness app The Sculpt Society, tells Cosmo that like any form of movement, it has physical and mental health benefits such as "improved sleep, stress relief, improved mood, increased energy, and more!" Like many of us, the health and wellness expert says that going on walks during the pandemic became part of her daily routine and something she truly looked forward to. Although life has returned to normal for the most part, Roup says she still incorporates walking into her daily routine to help keep her mind and body strong.

"I think most people realized during the pandemic that you can still get in a great sweat at home," Roup—whose app features community-driven "quickie workouts" that are specifically designed for people who have a tough time incorporating exercise into their busy work-from-home schedules—says. "With treadmill desks, you can incorporate movement without missing a Zoom. The benefit is that you will probably add more steps to your day, which could increase your productivity and balance your mood."

Whether you’re most productive when you’re multitasking or you’re someone who likes to take little breaks throughout the day, I promise this roundup of the seven best under-desk treadmills will take your work-from-home routine to the next level.

Walking pads and treadmill desks make it easy to get your blood flowing and increase your step count while sending emails and taking calls. So what are you waiting for? Shop these genius work-from-home accessories now!

This compact and space-efficient option is lightweight and whisper-quiet plus it features a five-layer anti-slip running belt with shock absorption to protect your joints. It also comes with a digital monitor and a smart remote with speed adjustment capabilities!

THE REVIEWS: "I love this treadmill! It's perfect for under my standing desk to walk while I work! I keep it between 1-2.5 mph depending on what I’m doing and helps me get so many more steps in each day," writes one reviewer. "It helps me focus and stay at my desk and not fidget as much because I’m moving consistently. When I need to sit, I can super easily unplug it and move it out of the way because it's super light and has wheels on it. This is a great personal purchase or a gift for the work-from-home friend in your life!"

If you want an ultra-thin walking pad that doesn't have a handle or bar attachment (perhaps you’re too tall for average treadmill desks or you already have a standing desk you love and just want something that slides underneath it) add this one to your cart. It's equipped with dual LED displays, a remote control, and Bluetooth speakers. It's also super quiet, so your coworkers will never be able to hear the motor belt during your Zoom calls, lol.

THE REVIEWS: "Exactly what I expected it to be and more. Plays music via Bluetooth from your device, which is awesome. Don't have to wear headphones while working out! It is quiet, so I am able to work out while the kiddos are sleeping. I absolutely love this thing and totally worth every penny spent."

Fast walker? Constantly passing people in big cities and shopping malls? Well, then this foldable baby is for you! It has a maximum speed of 7.5 miles per hour, which is pretty damn quick (especially compared to the alternative of sitting at your desk all day). You can connect this treadmill to your phone through Bluetooth to play music while you’re walking plus it's extremely quiet, easy to move, and easy to store (despite its powerful motor).

THE REVIEWS: "I’ve had this treadmill for a few days now and it is exactly what I wanted. It doesn't take up much room, and it's quiet so I don't have any problem watching TV while I’m walking on it. With the handlebar up, it works fine without the remote," writes one reviewer. "The little bit that needed put together was very easily done. I wanted this because I’m 70 years old, I live in an apartment, and I don't get a lot of exercise. I thought this would be a good way to get some, and it's working very well for me. I walk on it twice a day. I can set it at the speed I want and walk as long as I want to. In just the few days I’ve had it, it has proved to be a great investment. It does everything it's advertised to do. Highly recommend it."

If you like a challenge—or ya just need a healthy way to blow off some steam—during your workday, this walking pad is calling your name. Why? It features an ergonomic 5 percent incline and an innovative under-sink motor design that allows you to deliver big and powerful strides while typing away at your desk.

THE REVIEWS: "So far, it's awesome! The app Fitshow is the one that works for me on my Android. The other apps didn't seem to give me what I needed as they were running apps and couldn't connect. Very very easy to set up," one reviewer writes. "It didn't work at first but once we put in newer batteries in the remote, it was fine. Love the fact that it is on an incline and weighs a ton less than others out there. I didn't get the one with the bar so the max is five, which is fine since I use it while I work."

This versatile, three-in-one treadmill is ideal for walking, running, working, or a combination of all three! It has a removable desk, a powerful motor, and a maximum speed of 8.6 miles per hour.

THE REVIEWS: "This treadmill has all the features you’d look for in an under-desk treadmill...It's high-powered," writes one reviewer. "It's been running smoothly since it was first unpacked. It's not overly loud. It's not dead quiet, per se. But it's a standard sound one would expect to receive out of a treadmill. And considering that it's a lot more powerful, that's a plus."

Who knew a treadmill could be so pretty? This sleek and modern-looking walking pad has a 180-degree folding design for convenient and easy storing. The comfortable belt protects your ankles during workouts plus intelligent speed control technology adjusts the treadmill to the perfect pace, just by sensing your steps.

THE REVIEWS: "This has been a great addition to my home office. Easy to fold out or fold in and move out of the way! I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy it was since it has the ability to fold," one reviewer writes.

Hoping to use your walking pad during breaks as a midday reset, instead of something you use while working? You’ll love this one! It's got 12 preset programs that simulate real motion scenes, so you can give your mind a rest and escape to...well, wherever you want! Plus, it is sturdy, slim, quiet, and has a foldable handrail.

THE REVIEWS: "This treadmill is absolutely perfect. I almost didn't buy it because I also wanted a full-size one that I could run on, but I don't have the space for a full-size one right now and this is amazing. It fits perfectly under my desk AND it's completely flat for storage plus easy to move back and forth, or out of the way completely....It goes up to 4 mph max, which is nice when I want to push myself a little more," writes one reviewer. "Love that the handle can go up or stay down while walking, and the remote is awesome."

Short answer: Yes, treadmill desks are absolutely worth it. Sometimes it feels like there's not enough time in the day to prioritize your work responsibilities and your health, so the fact that treadmill desks allow you to do both at the same time is huge. "Everyone loves efficiency and multitasking," Roup says. And that's the tea!

Great question! Research shows that walking just 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of sitting time is enough to improve your physical and mental health significantly. So basically, a little goes a long way when it comes to using a treadmill desk!

Like any form of physical activity, I suggest starting slow and building your way up (in terms of how much and how fast you walk) because an hour or two per day might feel strenuous at first. Everybody is different, of course, and you might not be able to find time to walk during busy workdays. But you’ll never know how much you’re capable of until you try! So go ahead, add that handy-dandy treadmill desk to your cart—and watch that step count skyrocket.

Keep in mind that you’ll need anywhere from four to six feet of space or your treadmill desk plus a few feet of clearance so you can step on and off of it). If you’re tight on space, a compact folding treadmill desk is ideal. You should also pay close attention to the product weight and whether or not it has built-in wheels for easy movement because you’ll probably be storing it when you’re not walking.

On the contrary, if you have more room—maybe you already have a sitting desk or a large at-home office—you might want to leave your walking pad under your standing desk rather than storing it away when you’re not using it. In that case, size, weight, and foldability won't be too much of a concern, so prioritize features like speed, horsepower, and belt comfortability when shopping instead.

As you might have noticed, there are two main types of walking pads on this list: treadmills with desks (which are often foldable or removable) and treadmills without desks. If you don't know which one to buy, think about how you want to use it, as well as your day-to-day workflow.

If you have a complicated job that requires you to zero in on the task at hand, I suggest purchasing a treadmill without a desk. It’ll encourage you to *actually* step away from your computer, clear your head, and get in some steps during little breaks throughout the day. A walking pad sans desk is also a great option for people who already own a standing desk—just slide your treadmill underneath it and voilà!

If you’re a great multitasker—or someone who has to sit through boring presentations and back-to-back meetings—you might prefer a treadmill with a desk, so you can walk while working and stay focused throughout the day.

Hanna Flanagan is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, sharing her recommendations for everything from denim and eye creams to coffee mugs and silk sheets. Before joining Cosmopolitan, she wrote fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content at People (so, yes, she's basically a professional product tester at this point). Follow her on Instagram for photos of Timothée Chalamet and #OOTD mirror pics.

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