The Quietest Walking Pads – My Recommendations From 5 Years Of Experience

Walking pads can be noisy. Still many brands and reviews claim that a certain model is very quiet.

While this may be correct at the beginning (at least to a certain degree) many walking pads become increasingly loud over time. And that’s usually not reflected in the reviews.

I know this from personal experience as I burned through 3 walking pads in 3 years. So on this page you can find my recommendations.

The quietest walking pads don’t have a motor

Many entry-level walking pads priced around $300 are designed primarily for light or occasional use.

While the listed specifications may sound promising, in practice, their motors often struggle under continuous daily loads. Over time, this can lead to increased noise levels and reduced performance – a common issue with compact electric models.

So why not remove the motor from the equation?

Manual curved treadmills provide an interesting alternative. Because they are entirely mechanical, they operate quietly and don’t suffer from the same wear patterns as motorized units.

This makes them particularly suitable for home offices where low noise levels are important.

Below is an example comparing the sound of a manual treadmill with that of a nine-month-old electric walking pad.

Among the best-known manual treadmill brands are premium models such as the Walkolution 1 and 2, which offer innovative designs but come at a significantly higher price point (around $3,900 and $2,300 before taxes).

Depending on your workspace and budget, these models may not fit every home office setup.

With the Office Walker, we’re introducing a new generation of manual walking pads – compact, affordable, and designed for quiet, everyday use.

Here are some more advantages of manual walking pads:

• They don’t consume electricity making them cheaper over the long run.
• They don’t break easily preventing you from discussions with customer service and the annoyance of packaging these big devices again to return them.
• You can stop walking when you need to focus. No need to decrease velocity via a remote control.
• You can run on manual walking pads. The speed isn’t limited.

(Somewhat) quiet electric walking pads

If you prefer an electric walking pad, here are several models that are frequently mentioned in online forums and user discussions such as Reddit.

The information below summarizes general community feedback and publicly available product details.

• Unsit: A high-quality treadmill with a strong motor, reported to operate at around 43 dB. It’s designed for professional use but comes at a premium price (around $2,500). Currently available mainly in the U.S. and Canada.
• Lifespan Walking Pads: Lifespan is considered a premium brand for electric treadmills. Prices start at around €1,200. They are built for consistent use, though some users have recently mentioned occasional delivery delays.
• Urevo 2-in-1 Treadmill: A popular budget-friendly option. Many users appreciate the value for money, though, as with most low-cost devices, long-term noise levels and durability depend on individual usage.
• A1 Pro WalkingPad: A mid-range option (around $500). Based on online discussions, it shares design similarities with other generic walking pads on the market.

Electric walking pads become louder over time

Many users notice that electric walking pads tend to get louder as they age — especially with daily use. In online communities, it’s common to find reports from people who experience increasing noise levels after several months, even when the devices are regularly maintained.

This is something I’ve also observed in my own experience. My previous walking pad worked well in the beginning and was pleasantly quiet, but after extended use it produced more noticeable mechanical noise, despite regular lubrication and care.

It’s worth noting that most online reviews are written shortly after purchase. That’s why many products receive five-star ratings before potential long-term issues appear.

Below you can hear how my once “quiet” electric walking pad sounded after nine months of daily use.

Conclusion

For beginners, the prices of high-end models like manual walking pads or the ones by Unfit and Lifespan might be shocking. But if you’re planning to use it regularly

• the higher price will pay off over the long run because they don’t consume electricity (in the case of manual walking pads) and due to avoiding annoying returns and discussions with (low-quality) customer service.
• can be a great motivational factor for sticking with the new habit.