ProForm Pro HIIT H14 Elliptical Cross Trainer Review

Without doubt, when we’re talking about home fitness equipment, Proform is one of a handful of manufacturers that has the knowledge, the scale and the skill to produce and deliver high-end elliptical cross trainers for the home, at sensible prices. Proform is not perfect of course, nothing is, and it doesn’t always get it right. But, we’ve seen that over the years it has a track record and consistency that other manufacturers must quietly be envious of. With its most recent catalogue filled with models that are designed to take on rivals such as Peleton, adidas and Reebok, we got hold of a Proform Pro HIIT H14 to take a close up look and see just what’s on offer.

Unsurprisingly the HIIT H14, like 99% of elliptical trainers out there, comes flat-packed and needs to be assembled. Thankfully, in this instance, assembly is just about as simple as it gets for a cardio machine that is not fully pre-assembled. With the main body of the machine already being in one piece, it’s a case of simply attaching the stabilisers, pedals, console, and handlebars, and then some plastic covers, and you’re done. It’s really as easy as it can be and while we’d always recommend using two people to assemble the machine, the truth is that this could quite easily be a 1-person job once the main body of the machine is in the room you wish to build it. Well done to Proform on this point as the designers there have really thought this through and minimised inconvenience to the end-user.

Unlike many other high-end ellipticals, this one has a relatively compact footprint when compared with most of its rivals. At 170cm x 76cm (67” x 30”) it takes up considerably less space than most of it’s competitors, and thanks to it’s design, unlike most other home ellipticals, you don’t need to allow extra room at the front to allow the pedals to complete their motion. So in this case, what you see is what you get, making it easy to size up accurately when deciding where you’d like it to live. With that being said, this is by no means a ligthweight model. It’s every bit as sturdy as you’d expect of a premium cardio machine.

This sturdiness makes for easy mounting and dismounting as well as a stable action. With oversized pedals that feel like a sort of platform under each foot and a set of fixed handlebars, getting on and off the HIIT H14 is safe and easy. The machine stays stock still when you step up onto it, with the fixed handlebars providing a solid anchor point, and the same goes for the dismount. You can really lean on these fixed bars and it feels rock-solid when you do, so we’d say this makes this model suitable for those with more limited mobility as well as more athletic users. The overall solidity here is everything a home cardio machine needs to offer, though that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given the manufacturer. The action is smooth and as claimed by Proform, nearly silent. All machines make a noise when in operation and in a quiet room with background noise removed during testing, we were able to agree that the user essentially makes more noise than this machine does. No problem with 5am workouts without disturbing the household here.

Like its smaller sibling, this model is a hybrid between a front-drive elliptical and a stepper, and the action feels exactly like that. Not as steep as a stepper, not as flat as a classic elliptical. This setup is excellent for burning calories and really lets you target the legs, back, glutes, and shoulders as well as providing an effective cardio workout. High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a way of working out where you put 100% effort in at the fastest speed you can manage for a preset period, say 25 seconds. That’s then followed immediately by a short recovery period, say 15 seconds, and then back to the high-intensity burst, and so on. It’s highly intense, just as the name suggests and it does a great job of improving strength and cardio fitness. The HIIT H14 has been built to facilitate this kind of exercise and performs really well in this regard. You can, of course, also go easy, but if you want to turn on the afterburners, this is a great way to do it without putting strain on your joints.

In terms of stride length, it’s officially a 10″ vertical stride, but the nature of the movement as you ‘stride/step’ on this machine means this is an irrelevant point. The setup makes this machine suitable for multiple users without worrying about whether it’ll be suitable for different sized people. When it comes to the ergonomics of this machine, Proform, as usual, has done a really good job and the HIIT H14 delivers a smooth and comfortable workout. The 14kg (31lbs)  flywheel ensures smooth transitions on every step and there are 26 resistance levels that are widely varied with the easiest being good for even complete beginners while the high end is good enough to get already-fit users puffing and panting.

To access a selection of video workouts there’s a slick 14″ full-colour HD touch screen that also gives you access to a daily updated map-based workout. The video workouts are desired-outcome based so there are cardio workouts, endurance workouts, and weight loss workouts, just like on a traditional fitness machine, but instead of looking at boring bars, you’re being directed and encouraged by a personal trainer. The videos are very well-produced and are engaging and definitely offer a very different exercise experience compared with standard cardio machines. It’s not for everyone, for sure, but they’re definitely effective and definitely less boring than the old way! It’s worth noting that all the videos are streamed and require a WIFI internet connection in order to function, though it’s still possible to use the manual mode without an internet connection. All training data is also displayed including distance, pace, calories, resistance, pulse, RPM, time, speed and vertical distance. It’s possible to choose what data is displayed which means you only see the information you want to see which is a feature that’s likely to appeal to anyone who has a fixed fitness target in mind.

If you like the videos but want more, then that’s easy, just sign up to the iFit service and you’ll get more. Subscribers to iFit get access to an exhaustive library of more high-definition workout videos. When we say exhaustive, we mean it. There are literally thousands to choose from. All are led by professional personal trainers. In addition to the training videos, iFit also features Google Maps workouts which means you can map out your own routes on Google Maps. If you want to know more, visit the iFit website for full details. A free 30-day subscription to iFit is included so you do get to try before you buy.

Other features include a Bluetooth heart rate receiver and units of measurement adjustment. There’s also a water bottle holder and music playback capability with built-in speakers, and a cooling fan. The HIIT H14 is covered by Proform’s 2-year on-site parts and labour warranty.