The Best Stair Climbers for Budget, Small Spaces, And More

Though many groan when faced with climbing an extra flight of stairs, the act of trudging upwards step by step is a great workout for your legs and glutes. Stair climbing machines mimic this workout (or chore) in the form of moving stairs, foot pedals that move up and down, or even vertical climbers that throw some upper body movement in with your lower body climbing. Stair climbing is one of the best low-impact exercises you can do both in the gym and at home, so purchasing a stair climber for yourself can be a great way to build lower body muscle (and upper body muscle, depending on the climber you get) and torch calories without grueling through those high-impact jump squats. 

There is a wide variety of stair climbers out there — from ones that provide basic stair stepping motions to ones that combine stair climbing with treadmill and elliptical motions. With so many forms and functionalities to choose from, you’re sure to find a stair climber that can fit almost any budget or squeeze into any size space. To help get an idea of the landscape, we’ve evaluated several of our favorites, and picked out some of the best for you to consider for yourself. 

Best Stair Climber

• Best Stair Climber Overall: NordicTrack FS10i
• Best Runner Up: Jacobs The Stairway
• Best Stair Climber On a Budget: Maxi Climber
• Best Stair Climber, Treadmill, and Elliptical: NordicTrack FS10i
• Best Portable Stair Climber: Sunny Health & Fitness Stair Stepper Machine
• Best Bowflex Stair Climber: Bowflex TreadClimber TC200
• Best Full Stair Climber for Small Spaces: Xebex Vertical Climber

Best Stair Climber Overall

Our top stair climber is not only a climber — it’s a 3-in-1 stair climber, elliptical, and treadmill. Just by changing your stride, you can mimic the movements of all three of these machines for a versatile workout. 

NordicTrack FS10i

The NordicTrack FS10i is a stair climber, elliptical and treadmill all in one. This stair climber appears more like an elliptical, but by changing your stride, you can use the 24 levels of digital resistance to shift your workout from elliptical mode to work as a stair climber or treadmill. Your purchase comes with a free year of iFit, and the machine has a 10-inch touchscreen display where you can choose from the 16,000+ live and on-demand classes. While you can take cardio classes on your machine through iFit, you can also opt for yoga, strength, recovery, and more if you want to mix it up. Since this stair climber is one of the most versatile you will find, it does cost a decent amount more than other stair climbers on the market. 

Who Should Buy The NordicTrack FS10i

• Anyone who likes using an elliptical and treadmill in addition to their stair climber — this machine provides a similar feeling to all three motions.
• Athletes who like taking coached fitness classes through virtual platforms. 
• Folks who want a large number of resistance levels on their machine. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The NordicTrack FS10i

• Those on a budget looking for a cost-effective stair climber.
• Climbers who just want a stair climber, not a machine that doubles as an elliptical or treadmill. 
• Anyone who won’t make use of a free year of virtual fitness classes through iFit. 

This pick is a strong contender not only in the stair climber category, but it also replicates the feeling of being on both an elliptical and treadmill. If you like to keep your workouts ever-changing, the NordicTrack FS10i will ensure you won’t have to do the same workout twice.

Best Runner Up

For a pretty penny, you can obtain one of the most durable stair climbers on the market. Featuring an actual moving stairway, you can’t replicate the feeling of climbing stairs any better than this pick does. 

Jacobs The Stairway

This stair climber has a 30.5-inch wide design that will fit through most doorways, yet it still feels wide enough to steady you as you climb. The Stairway is self-powered, which means you need only start stepping for the machine to power up. You can control the speed of the steps yourself on the display with up and down buttons, and the machine’s closed loop control keeps the speed level even when exhaustion sets in and you start leaning on the handles. The bottom step is only 11” off the ground, so virtually everyone can utilize this machine. Though it does fit through most doorways, The Stairway is not a small machine — it takes up a lot of space vertically, so make sure your ceilings are high enough to accommodate 75.5 inches (plus a portion of your own height that will tack onto that once you board).

Who Should Buy The Jacobs The Stairway

• Athletes who want to climb actual stairs on their stair climbing machine. 
• Anyone who wants a self-powered machine that doesn’t need a plug. 
• Users who want a narrow machine that can fit through a doorway. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The Jacobs The Stairway

• Customers who are keeping to a budget and aren’t willing to drop a huge chunk of change on their stair climber. 
• Anyone who wants a stair climber that mimics the feeling of climbing stairs without using actual steps. 
• Folks who don’t have a lot of vertical space in their home gym. 

The Stairway is a sturdy pick that brings you as close to the feeling of climbing actual stairs as you can get on a machine — all you need to do is use the arrows on the display to speed up or slow down, mimicking either walking or running these stairs. 

Best Stair Climber On a Budget

Though not a traditional stair climber, this pick provides the ultimate full-body burn at a very reasonable cost. Different from many stair climbers, this machine works both your lower and upper body in one workout. 

Maxi Climber

Mimicking more of a rock-climbing motion than a stair-climbing motion, the Maxi Climber has handles and pedals for both your hands and feet that move with one another to create a full-body motion that torches calories and builds muscle in your lower body, upper body, and core. The machine itself is super lightweight, adjustable to accommodate different heights, and narrow enough to squeeze into small spaces. What’s most admirable about the Maxi Climber is that it’s a fraction of the cost of more traditional stair climbers. While many other more expensive options feature advanced touchscreen displays, this stair climber hones in on the burn and ditches the technology to keep the price very reasonable. 

Who Should Buy The Maxi Climber

• Athletes who are looking to work their whole body in one workout. 
• Anyone who wants a workout more similar to rock-climbing than stair-climbing. 
• Folks who want something light weight and less expensive than most options on the market. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The Maxi Climber

• Those who are looking for a machine that provides a traditional stair climbing workout. 
• Anyone who wants the latest and greatest in technology. 

While this machine may not be what you first expect when you think of a “stair climber,” the workout it provides your upper body, lower body, and core all in one go is the ultimate full-body sweat session. 

Best Stair Climber, Treadmill, and Elliptical 

For a machine that can do it all, this pick takes the top slot. By switching between different strides, you can mimic a stair climber workout, a treadmill workout, and an elliptical workout. 

NordicTrack FS10i

Though this pick appears most like an elliptical, it can act as a stair climber, treadmill, and elliptical — if you can’t find the room for all three separate machines in your space but you love all three workouts, this machine is a great solution. In the treadmill stride, the pedals move straight forward and backward; in the elliptical stride, the pedals also move forward and back, but their path takes on a slight curve in comparison to the treadmill stride; and in the stepper stride, the pedals move vertically. No matter which mode you pick, you’ll be able to find a class to take on iFit — and lucky for you, your purchase comes with a one-year membership free, so you’ll have access to their over 16,000 live and on-demand classes. Though it is worth noting that this machine’s versatility does come with a hefty price tag.

Who Should Buy The NordicTrack FS10i

• Athletes who enjoy stair climbers, treadmills, and ellipticals, and want an all-in-one machine.
• Anyone who wants a touchscreen display to follow along with their stats throughout their workouts.
• Folks who like streaming fitness classes while they exercise.

Who Shouldn’t Buy The NordicTrack FS10i

• Those who aren’t looking to drop a huge sum of money on a new piece of equipment. 
• Anyone who just wants a machine that will accommodate a traditional stair climber workout. 
• Those who don’t like streaming classes as they sweat, and prefer to just do their own thing. 

The NordicTrack FS10i is one of the most versatile options when it comes to stair climbers. Not only are you purchasing a stair climber, but you’re purchasing a machine that can replicate a treadmill workout, and provide an elliptical workout, as well. 

Best Portable Stair Climber

If you’re building out a home gym that doesn’t have a whole lot of open space, you may want something you can move around or store easily to make room for other equipment. This pick is small, lightweight, and won’t break the bank. 

Sunny Health & Fitness Stair Stepper Machine

Two non-slip adjustable foot pedals connected to a single rod with adjustable handlebars to accommodate height, the Sunny Health & Fitness Stair Stepper is a simple option with a lot of mobility. Since this machine is so light and narrow, it’s easy to pick up and move into tight corners to make room for other equipment. Though narrow, the stabilizing ring at the base keeps the machine from wobbling as you pedal. With quick, shallow steps you can up your cardio work, and with higher steps, the machine generates more resistance to replicate a steep climb. Though the small display shows step count, time, and calories, it’s not as advanced as some other climbers on the market, keeping this price point ultra-low. 

Who Should Buy The Sunny Health & Fitness Stair Stepper Machine

• Anyone who wants a machine they can easily move around their space. 
• Customers looking for a machine that can squeeze into tight corners and won’t take up a lot of room. 
• Users who want a simple machine that doesn’t try to flex with extra technology. 
• Folks who don’t want to drop a lot of money on new equipment. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The Sunny Health & Fitness Stair Stepper Machine

• Athletes who want a more intense stair climbing workout. 
• Anyone who values advanced technology in their fitness equipment. 

While this isn’t the most advanced stair climber on the market, it can squeeze into tight spaces, it will move around your home gym with ease, and it allows for a solid sweat despite its simplicity. 

Best Bowflex Stair Climber

This machine’s unique 3-in-1 motion can burn twice as many calories as a treadmill at the same speed — it combines stair, treadmill, and elliptical movements all in one for a complete low impact workout.

Bowflex TreadClimber TC200

This machine looks most like a treadmill but its dual-treadles feature allows it to act as a combined treadmill, elliptical, and stair climber. With two separate treadmills, called “treadles,” for each foot that move in the forward motion of the treadmill, the stepping motion of a climber, and the fluid motion of the elliptical all at once, this machine burns more calories, works more muscles, and provides an overall better workout than using just one of the three machines separately. However, it’s worth noting that the warranty on this machine is surprisingly short at just three-years, which implies that it may need to be replaced sooner than most other pieces of fitness equipment.

Who Should Buy The Bowflex TreadClimber TC200

• Anyone who wants a unique workout that combines the movements from three separate machines into one motion. 
• Users who want a high-tech, advanced piece of equipment. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The Bowflex TreadClimber TC200

• Folks who aren’t looking to spend a lot of money on their stair climber. 
• Athletes who want a traditional stair climbing workout. 
• Customers who don’t want to have to replace their machine in just a few short years. 

The Bowflex TreadClimber TC200 is unique in form and functionality. Its treadles allow for a 3-in-1 motion that torches calories, but with all of the movements the treadles make, this piece of equipment is not expected to last as long as other stair climbers on the market. 

Best Full Stair Climber for Small Spaces

With a narrow form and a small footprint, this pick can squeeze into tight spaces and still give you a full-body workout. Plus, its transport wheels make it easy to move and store if you want to take it out of your space when it’s not in use. 

Xebex Vertical Climber

This machine is not your typical stair climber, but rather, it’s a total-body vertical climber that works your arms, legs, and core throughout HIIT sessions. With more of a rock-climbing motion than a stair-climbing motion, to climb, you must move both your arms and legs rather than just your legs as you would with a more traditional stepper or stair climber. With self-generating power and 16 levels of resistance, this machine will challenge users of all heights — just adjust the handlebars to one of the four positions to cater to your size. Since this machine is so narrow, it’s easy to slide into a small space, and if you don’t want it out once you’re done using it, its transport wheels make sliding it into a closet or garage just as easy. 

Who Should Buy The Xebex Vertical Climber

• Athletes who want a total body workout with their stair climbing machine. 
• Users who need a narrow machine that can fit into tight spaces. 
• Anyone who wants transport wheels to help with maneuvering their stair climber. 

Who Shouldn’t Buy The Xebex Vertical Climber

• Anyone looking for a cost-effective stair climber.
• Folks who want a traditional stair-stepper workout.

Since this machine has a narrow form and wheels for portability, it makes for a great addition to small home gym spaces — plus, it provides a total-body workout versus the solely lower-body workouts many stair climbers provide. 

Before Buying a Stair Climber Consider

Picking out the right stair climber takes a combination of research and knowing what you are looking for. Since there are so many different kinds of stair climbers on the market, it’s important to consider both your space and the type of workout you want in addition to price before you make your decision. 

Your Space

The size range of stair climbers is vast — you have some that are over 6 feet tall and take up 5- x 3-feet of space on the floor, and on the other hand you have some that are half that height and take up half that floor space. 

In addition to the actual space a piece of equipment covers, you also have to consider how durable your floors are and the effect the stair climber is going to have on them. Bigger and heavier equipment is obviously going to be harsher on your floors, while lighter equipment won’t have as much of an impact. 

Before choosing your climber, take measurements of your space, gauge how durable your floor is, and decide if you want an exercise mat to put beneath your climber and how big it needs to be.

Type of Workout

While the most traditional stair climbers (ones with moving stairs or foot pedals only) focus solely on the lower body, just as it would if you were climbing actual stairs, there are some vertical climbers that have incorporated arm movement into the stair climbing for a total-body, rock-climbing-like workout. 

While the vertical climbers offer a very challenging workout, for those who are looking for something more leisurely — or a form of exercise where you can read or watch
TV while you work — you’ll want a more traditional stair stepper machine.

If you’re looking for a machine that provides the most sweat-drenching workout, go with the total-body vertical climbers. They’re great for HIIT work, cardio endurance, and targeting lower body, upper body, and core muscles. But if you just want a lower body workout at a leisurely pace, opt for the traditional stair stepper. Stair steppers are great to build lower body muscle while increasing your heart rate — you just won’t be working quite as hard as you will with a verical climber.

Price

The range of prices for stair climbers is also quite large — just the ones on this list go from $100 all the way up to nearly $5,000. With the less expensive options, you’re obviously going to be receiving less advanced equipment that’s often smaller or less durable, while the more expensive pieces are going to have high-tech touchscreen displays, possibly offering compound stair climbing movements, and high stability and durability.

Before you just snag the cheapest option, consider where you are putting your money and if it is going to be worth it for you. If you just want a small stair stepper you can squeeze in a corner and use from time to time, the $100 option will probably be just fine. However, if this is a machine you’re going to be using everyday as your main form of exercise, dishing out a little more money for something more durable or high-quality may be worth your while.

How We Decided

With so many stair climbers of different forms and functionality on the market, we had to do some thorough digging to come up with this list. Here are the aspects we looked at when choosing some of our favorites. 

Size

Stair climbers are great for home use, as they are low-impact, sometimes fairly narrow, and often will allow for those exercising to read a book, watch TV, or converse with family while they work. That being said, not all homes are alike. The biggest factor when picking out a stair climber may be its size and how it fits in the home.

Some stair climbers may have larger bases, while others may be taller. Some may be extremely narrow or even small enough to throw in a closet. We’ve included high-quality options of all sizes on this list to make sure we are catering to spaces of all capacities. 

Adjustability

Most stair climbers have some degree of customization available. Several different factors can be manipulated to suit the needs of whoever is using it. Perhaps the most important aspect to control is height; using a machine that is set for the wrong height can be inefficient and even dangerous.

Aside from being able to adjust a stair climber to the right height, some machines also have a variable level of difficulty. Being able to adjust the level of resistance and the incline of the stairs is great for those trying to ramp up training or those that just enjoy an intense workout. 

If the form of the stair climber calls for it, we have ensured that the options on this list are adjustable to height. And separately, all of the options on this list have adjustable resistance, whether you adjust it on the display, or simply by upping the intensity of your movement. 

Durability

While there are some pieces of equipment on this list that will outlast others, rest assured that you are getting the proper durability for the price point you are paying for each of the climbers on this list. Naturally, if you are paying less, the item will not last as long, and if you are paying more, the item should last longer. All of the picks on this list will last enough time to make your purchase worthwhile, so long as you take good care of them, and keep them clean of sweat. 

Final Word

Stair climbers don’t fit a certain bill like many other fitness machines do. They come in various forms with many different functions — all built around the base exercise of climbing. From climbers that double as a treadmill and elliptical to small stair steppers you can fit into almost any space, you may feel overwhelmed with options. And though most options offer similar cardio and muscle-building benefits, there are still quite a few differentiating factors to consider before buying. 

When you’re deciding which direction you want to go, consider your space, workout style, and budget first. Then let this list feed you the hard facts while you take your search one step at a time. 

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