When I started working out in college to try and lose some weight, all the options in the school’s gym felt scary.
I didn’t know what machines were going to help me the most.
I pushed on because becoming healthier was important to me, but I do wish there had been something like the Nautilus E618 Elliptical to help me get started.
Is an Elliptical Right for You?
Ellipticals are great for a variety of training and fitness needs.
They burn a ton of calories while being easier on the joints, so they’re ideal for older people trying to stay fit, younger people taking it easy on an injury, or anyone who thinks ‘no pain, no gain’ is an overrated statement.
These machines are for cardio workouts, so if you’re looking to build stamina, endurance, and your cardiovascular system, this is a great choice.
You can do both interval and steady cardio workouts on an elliptical.
Again, these machines are designed for lower impact workouts, so if aching joints are an issue after your run or other cardio exercise, this may be the better option for you.
They also allow you to exercise a huge variety of muscles with one machine. Changing incline, resistance, or moving backwards lets you easily switch between muscle groups.
In addition, any elliptical with handles gives you a full body workout on one machine. Let go of the handles and use just your legs to engage your core and improve balance.
If you’re looking to bulk up on the other hand, this machine may not be for you.
Because it decreases weight bearing (how much you are working against gravity), an elliptical does less to improve bone density than other exercises like weightlifting or regular running.
It’s also a different movement than simply running or jogging, so if your body can’t adjust to the different way the elliptical activates your muscles, it can lead to injury.
Essential Questions to Ask
So before you get an elliptical, there are a few questions to ask yourself.
- Is this the right machine for the kind of exercise I want to do?
- Am I going to use it often enough to have one in my home?
- Where am I going to put a large exercise machine?
Introducing the Nautilus E618 Elliptical
The Nautilus E618 Elliptical is part of the Nautilus Performance Series from the company by the same name.
It markets itself as being for serious competitors and claims that the included tech can help to maximize motivation. In addition to pre-programmed workouts, it connects to the free Explore the World app so you can run with people all over the world from the comfort of your home.
When compared to the E616 model from Nautilus, it feels like the deluxe model.
While both models have the same amount of settings, the same drive system, and LCD displays, the Nautilus E618 Elliptical has a 2″ bigger stride, a performance cushioning system, and can hold up to 350lbs, 50 more than the E616.
Looking at the Nautilus E618 Elliptical next to the top seller on Amazon, this elliptical is a behemoth, but for good reason.
While the top seller (see ‘other options’ section for more) is great for small spaces, that compactness comes at the price of stride length, fewer settings and a lower weight capacity.
Pros
- Lots of Settings
- Built-In Tech
- Performance Cushioning System
Cons
- Large
- Some people find changing settings mid-workout awkward
- Vague Assembly Instructions
Nautilus E618 Elliptical Features
Display and Console
The Nautilus E618 Elliptical has two blue backlit LCD screens to show you work out metrics.
The screens are adjustable so you can make them easy to see for however you work out, which I would have loved to have when I first started on ellipticals.
Neck strain is not part of my workout plan.
Built into the console is a three-speed fan, water bottle holder, and media tray to hold your phone.
Up to four users can have separate profiles if this is a shared machine.
Training Programs
Twenty-Nine pre-made training programs come included with the Nautilus E618 Elliptical.
Heart rate training, meant to keep you at a specific effort level instead of a regular pace, as well as interval training, which is short bursts of high intensity followed by a lower intensity rest period, are both available.
There are also workouts specifically meant to assist with weight loss, which is great for people who can’t afford a personal trainer and aren’t sure where to start with their weight loss journey.
Bluetooth
If you’re tracking your workout data on your phone, the Bluetooth connection the Nautilus E618 Elliptical offers will be a huge timesaver as it connects to smart devices.
Many fitness apps are partnered with Nautilus so you can transfer metrics with ease.
Explore the World™ App
Some people like their work outs to be completely solitary, and some like to exercise with other people.
The Explore the World™ app lets you have the best of both worlds.
Pick from 27 routes in 19 locations and exercise with people in real time all over the world. The app adjusts the camera feed to your speed, as well.
Handlebars With Controls
Like many ellipticals, there are two sets of handles on the Nautilus E618 Elliptical.
Two fixed handles for those who want to focus on their lower body are attached right underneath the console, and the other set gives you a full body workout by moving with the foot pedals.
The movable handles also have built in controls for both incline and resistance while being shaped so you can put your hands wherever you feel most comfortable having them.
Optimized Drive Train
One of the most important features on an elliptical is the drive train.
The high speed and high inertia drive system on the Nautilus E618 Elliptical pairs with a perimeter weighted flywheel to keep workouts easy to start and smooth to run, workout after workout.
The old elliptical at my school was always hard to get going, tiring me out before I even started, so I wish the school had had one of these instead.
This feature and the dual stride rails are a big reason this machine is sturdy enough to hold 350lbs.
Dual Stride Rails
I always get nervous when exercise equipment starts rocking, so stability is a big factor when I’m looking at equipment.
Another feature meant to keep things smooth on the Nautilus E618 Elliptical, the 22″ dual stride rails mean that there’s equal distribution of the weight of each stride.
This increases the balance of the ride, as well as adding to the stability of your workout.
Motorized Incline
One button on the Nautilus E618 Elliptical quickly changes the incline from 0-10°. This feature is perfect for interval training, especially if you don’t feel like using a preset workout.
I love interval training because sustained effort isn’t a typical behavior of mine, so the ability to quickly raise and lower incline is important to keep me going instead of just stoping when it gets too hard.
Suspension Adjust™ Performance Cushioning System
We went over earlier how you can focus on lots of different muscle groups while exercising on an elliptical by changing settings or going backwards, and this feature on the Nautilus E618 Elliptical is meant to help you make the most of that ability.
Heel support is maintained through all levels of incline thanks to this system, and it helps enhance the big reason some people choose ellipticals- it’s a lower impact workout so you don’t ache as much later.
Chest Strap
It can be annoying trying to keep your hands in exactly the right place for the heart rate monitor to catch your pulse.
At least that’s been my experience, so something like the wireless chest strap that comes with the Nautilus E618 Elliptical would be great to have because I do like to see what my heart is doing while I exercise.
Warranty
Nautilus is willing to stand by their products long-term, which is always a green flag for me. It indicates the machine is up for the wear and tear of being used for years and years.
The frame of the elliptical is under warranty for 15 years, the parts for 5 years, and labor is covered for 2 years.
What Others Think
People on the internet seem to have good things to say about the Nautilus E618 Elliptical. I’ve grabbed some reviews to show what real-life users have to say.
Review #1
One happy customer comments that this machine both works for them as a 5’3 person, while also working for their 6’5 husband!
Review #2
David G. got the E618 after a bad experience with another company’s equipment and customer service. He had a bit of trouble with delivery, but once it arrived, he was very happy with the way the machine went easy on his joints.
Review #3
Morgan gives an in-depth review, talking about how they feel some of the console design is awkward but giving the E618 a glowing review overall.
Alternatives
ProForm Endurance 920 E Elliptical
The ProForm Endurance 920 E Elliptical is meant for people a little more tech-oriented than the E618’s ideal customer, with a built-in tablet holder and touch screen controls.
Like the Nautilus E618 Elliptical, it comes with a heart rate monitor, though the 920 E specifically states that theirs is Bluetooth compatible.
The description mentions the machine comes with 32 workout apps, but it’s unclear if those are preset workouts like the Nautilus E618 or if you need internet access.
There are several differences in the physical parts of the ellipticals as well. The ProForm Endurance 920 E Elliptical goes to a whopping 20° of incline, double what the Nautilus E618 can do.
The Nautilus E618 just barely beats the ProForm for the number of resistance levels, 25 to 24. In addition, the ProForm Endurance 920 E doesn’t have the dual rail system of the Nautilus E618, possibly making it slightly less sturdy.
Quick Comparison
- ProForm Endurance 920 E has more levels of incline
- Nautilus E618 has more levels of resistance
- Nautilus E618 has dual rail system, ProForm Endurance 920 E has a single rail system
- ProForm Endurance 920 E is for more tech-loving fitness enthusiasts
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E905 Elliptical Machine Cross Trainer
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E905 Elliptical Machine Cross Trainer is a top seller, and it’s simple and effective from start to finish.
It’s considerably cheaper than the Nautilus E618, but there are tradeoffs. This machine is small to fit into compact spaces, with an 11-inch stride and a height of only 57″.
It has no incline settings and only 8 different levels of resistance.
Gripping the sensors on the handles will show your heart rate on this machine, but it doesn’t come with a chest strap.
There are also no preset workouts and it has a lower max weight than the Nautilus E618 at 220lbs.
The console and display are a single digital monitor as opposed to all the information the Nautilus E618 provides.
Quick Comparison
- Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E905 is smaller, good for compact spaces
- Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E905 is cheaper
- No incline levels, only 8 levels of resistance
- Lower max weight- 220lbs vs. 350lbs for the Nautilus E618
Exerpeutic Heavy Duty Magnetic Elliptical
The Exerpeutic Heavy Duty Magnetic Elliptical is a utilitarian workhorse for someone who wants to get on, do their workout and get on with their day.
If you want tech, you can choose to get this machine with Bluetooth, or get it without it if you don’t.
Compared to the dual LCDs of the Nautilus E618, the monitor is tiny, but it does monitor distance, heart rate, calories burned, time, and speed.
Again, no chest strap, but there are sensors to measure heart rate on the handles. There are 8 levels of resistance to play with, but this machine does not incline.
The Exerpeutic Heavy Duty Magnetic Elliptical comes close to the max weight of the Nautilus E618, only 50lbs less. Almost half the ratings are 5 stars.
Quick Comparison
- Much smaller console/display than the Nautilus E618
- No incline
- Optional Bluetooth connection
- Lots of positive reviews
Final Thoughts
Ellipticals are a great choice for people who want to improve their cardio while going easy on their body.
The Nautilus E618 Elliptical especially is great for people who want lots of variety in one machine, who want easy access to premade workouts, and who want the very best in stability/cushioning for their workout.
