Reebok ZJET 460 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review

One of the most popular manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world, Reebok knows what it takes to make ellipticals that people want. Generally, their ellipticals tend to be relatively inexpensive while still looking stylish and they certainly get the job done. We took a look at the Reebok ZJet 460 elliptical to see exactly what you get for your money and what you can expect in terms of performance.

Putting the ZJet 460 together is a simple enough thing to do, though it no doubt helps if you build these machines as part of your living! The instruction manual is clear enough and it’s just a case of taking your time, especially if you’ve never built something similar before. It’ll take most people about 40 – 60 minutes to assemble this machine, though we had ours up and running in about half an hour thanks to a set of power tools and a lot of experience in building ellipticals.

Once built, this is quite a good looking machine. The colourway, while essentially black and white, looks good thanks to the 3D lattice pattern on the sides of the body of the machine and this splash of colour is also bought to the console too, brightening things up in a way you don’t often see on these machines. The buttons on the console are few and logically laid out on a raised plinth that doubles as a tablet holder so you can watch shows while you’re exercising or connect to the Reebok fitness app and run routes on Google maps.

With a 15″ (38cm) stride, ZJet 460 will be suited to most people 6ft or under though any more than 6ft would stretch the limits of what’s comfortable. The cycle is smooth and quiet and with 9kg flywheel, it’s consistent all the way through too. There’s only a little lateral movement of the frame when in use, which for a cross-trainer of this size isn’t bad at all. It has a reasonably compact footprint of 134cm x 66.5cm (52.8″ x 26.2”) making it suitable for sharing a room with other furniture and not requiring a dedicated room, or a sacrifice of precious living space.

There are 24 resistance levels which is less than you’ll find on many other models, though the maximum resistance setting should provide enough of a challenge to most people considering this model. Feedback is displayed on a 5.5″ backlit LCD display and lets you monitor your speed, time, distance, calories, pulse, heart rate, RPM in real-time so you can make adjustments to your effort to ensure you’re getting the workout you want. The characters are easy to see and the console is as simple to use as it gets.

There are 12 preset workouts, all of which are scalable meaning you can control the difficulty settings within each workout to suit your specific needs. In addition to the onboard programmes, there’s an option to perform target based workouts so if you prefer to exercise for a specific length of time, or prefer to keep going until you’ve burned the calories you wanted to burn you can set targets for that and keep going until they’re met. There’s also a target for distance but given this is a completely arbitrary figure on a cross-trainer (treadmills you can measure distance actually run, exercise bikes are loosely based on a road bike when determining how far you’ve cycled with each turn of the pedals, but what is an elliptical based on?) the true value of that is questionable. As are the heart rate control workouts which really only work properly when they can be performed while you’re using a compatible chest belt. And the problem here is that this model doesn’t have a wireless receiver so is not compatible with a chest belt. So while you can use the heart rate control workouts, they’re never going to be quite right as handgrip sensors are simply not very accurate. For us, that’s a no, no as you really don’t want to be playing around when it comes to your heart rate, especially when you’re trying to push yourself. This is a glaring omission given the price of this elliptical and one that materially impacts on functionality and performance which is a stain on an otherwise really nice bit of kit.

Just to try to help motivate you that little bit more there’s also a fitness recovery test which monitors how quickly your heartbeat returns to resting rate after exercise. The faster it recovers, the better your fitness and you’re giving a rating at the end of the test between poor and excellent. Motivating if you’re doing well, less so if you’re not! 🙂

Other features include handgrip sensors (standard fare and avoid using them if you can), water bottle holder, transport wheels and Reebok’s 2-year on-site parts and labour warranty.

The overall feel of this machine is generally good. The build quality is what we’ve come to expect from Reebok. It’s quiet and it’s smooth and there’s’ not too much unwanted movement of the frame during a workout. There are also plenty of onboard programmes to keep you entertained and it looks good enough to sit in a room without looking like an ugly, unwanted bit of furniture. As a typical, relatively inexpensive elliptical this machine does a job, but in truth not really any more than that, and it does lack a heart rate receiver which is definitely disappointing.

Best Price

The Reebok ZJET 460 is not currently available from any retailers we're aware of in the UK.
It may be worth looking for a used machine on ebay

Review Summary - In Brief

The Reebok ZJet 460 is a compact, well-built elliptical with a decent range of workouts. One that's a solid choice for those who are starting out to get fit. It's not without its flaws, however. Most disappointingly, it lacks a heart rate receiver, when it really should have one. This makes it less value for money than it otherwise would be because this omission in particular has a material impact on functionality and performance. For us that rules out being able to rely on the data for the heart rate control workouts. This is a decent elliptical but it's a bit pricey compared with some other models out there. For example, if it's heart rate control you're looking for, or monitoring your pulse accurately is important to you, we'd recommend looking elsewhere in the form of the Viavito Sina which matches the 460 for build quality, has an almost identical spec, but crucially you get a wireless receiver meaning you can get an accurate reading, as well as user profiles for more accurate data. The Sina also costs quite a bit less thanks to the current offer making it easy to recommend over the ZJet 460 right now.

Reebok ZJET 460 Specifications

  • 38.1cm (15”) stride length
  • 24 levels of electronically controlled resistance
  • 9kg flywheel
  • 5.5” LCD monitor
  • Feedback: speed, time, distance, calories burnt, pulse, HR, and RPM
  • 19 workout programmes
  • Pulse measurement via handgrip sensors
  • Conveniences: system planning road via Google Maps, connectivity with Bluetooth, Reebok Fitness App, transportation wheels
  • Dimensions (L x W x H): 134cm (52.8″) x 66.5cm (26.2”) x 171cm (67.3″)
  • Maximum User Weight: 120kg (265lbs)
  • Product Weight: 54.5kg (120.2lbs)
  • Mains powered
  • Guarantee: 2 years parts and labour

Reebok ZJET 460 Elliptical Cross Trainer - Console / Display Unit

Reebok ZJET 460 Elliptical Cross Trainer - User Reviews

The Pros

  • Smooth action
  • Compact footprint

The Cons

  • No wireless receiver
Reebok ZJET 460 Elliptical Cross Trainer Reviewer Ratings

Ease Of Installation - 8
Appearance - 8.5
Smoothness - 8
Comfort - 8.5
Reliability - 8.5
Noise - 8
Ease Of Use - 7.5
Controls - 7.5
Warranty - 8.5
Value for Money - 8
Best Price

The Reebok ZJET 460 is not currently available from any retailers we're aware of in the UK.
It may be worth looking for a used machine on ebay

Also see our Elliptical Cross Trainer Comparison Table

Whilst every effort is made to give you accurate information we cannot guarantee the technical specification. Models change on a regular basis and may differ slightly from the above review. We recommend you contact the retailer if you have a question regarding technical data. Please read our Legal Disclaimer

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