Level up your home gym with these cardio machines.

There's a lot to factor into finding the best elliptical under 500 dollars or pounds, especially as it can be difficult figuring out exactly what kind of quality you're getting for your cash.

Fortunately, that's where our list of some of the best cross trainers on the market comes in. We've selected our top picks based on features, price, and reviews to kick off your search in the best way possible.

Whether you're after something compact, like this Schwinn Fitness 411, or you're searching for something packed with technology, like this Exerpeutic 6000 QF, we've got you covered right here.

When it comes to manufacturing great fitness gear for less, Sunny Health & Fitness, as shown by our list of the best treadmills under 500, is one of the best at doing it.

Its elliptical is no different thanks to its heavy internal flywheel, belt-driven mechanism, and adjustable levels of resistance, designed to keep your workouts challenging as you progress.

Moreover, it comes with an onboard display to track your speed, time, distance, calories burned, RPM, and watt generations, plus 24 unique workout modes to keep your fitness regime varied.

Ultimately, we feel this Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical is a great option to consider if you're looking to upgrade your home gym on a budget.

If you're limited to space and in need of something slightly more compact and streamlined, then this Schwinn Fitness 411 elliptical might be your answer.

Even though it features a space-saving design, you still get an 18” stride length which should be more than suitable for even the tallest of individuals.

In terms of difficulty, it comes with 16 levels of resistance you can dial up or down depending on how challenging you want your workout to be, which is great as it allows for heaps of progression.

It's also worth noting that you get what Schwinn calls a built-in media rack to hold your tablet, so you can watch your favourite TV shows whilst you exercise.

The Exerpeutic 6000 QF looks to be a smart cross trainer in terms of technology and design.

Firstly, it features an LCD display which you can connect to via the free MyCloudFitness app to track your workouts via your mobile devices.

On the design front, Exerpeutic state the distance between the two pedals (Q Factor) is only 6” to minimise the strain on the joints due to a wide workout stance.

It also comes with a Double Transmission, designed to reduce the overall length and size of the machine, and is another reason why we feel it deserves a place on our list.

We've previously featured Stamina before in our list of the best rowing machines under 500 as they seem to be excellent manufacturers of relatively inexpensive cardio machines.

Its Stamina 55-1602, for example, looks to be a great bit of kit that differs from your typical cross trainer in the sense that it is compact, portable, and features no handlebars.

In fact, Stamina market this machine as a 'mini strider', designed to be taken with you and placed under your feet whilst sitting down to ensure you keep moving throughout the day.

With that being said, you can also use the Stamina 55-1602 standing up, and it even comes with a monitor to display your stats whilst your exercising.

On the whole, if you work in an office or simply find yourself sitting at a desk for extended periods of time, then this Stamina 55-1602 could be the machine for you.

If you're just starting your fitness journey or perhaps recovering from injury, then a low-impact machine like this Gazelle GEDGECAT Edge Glider could be most beneficial for you.

It works using a dual-action suspension system that moves with your body through a complete range of motion, so you can speed up or slow down at your own pace.

Moreover, it comes with a 5 function computer that will keep track of your speed, distance, time, and calories burnt, so you can follow your progression through the statistics.

Ultimately, a manual device such as the Gazelle GEDGECAT Edge Glider could be a great option to consider if you're after something low-stress and impact to kick off your workout regime.

When it comes to picking the best elliptical, you may have a few questions. Don't worry though, as we're here to clear up some of the most common queries.

Ultimately, this will depend on your budget and what you're looking to get out of the exercise machine, however, this list shows that you don't have to spend loads to get a good quality bit of kit.

Generally speaking, using an elliptical is a good way of improving your cardio and incorporating your whole body into one workout, which is key for burning calories and improving mobility.

If you're looking for a way to build muscle though, even the most intense elliptical workout won't compare to weight training, but, for improving cardio, an elliptical is right up there as one of the best, even when compared to some of the best spin bikes.

Picking an elliptical with a good stride length is key, particularly if you're a taller individual, as a shorter stride can be uncomfortable and feel more like climbing stairs for longer legs.

You can sometimes find cross trainers will adjustable stride lengths which is useful for ensuring the machine you buy works for your height.

A good rule to follow is any machine with around an 18" stride length should be good, regardless of your height.

The weight of the flywheel will directly impact the smoothness and sound of the elliptical.

Having a heavier wheel means you'll likely get a smoother and quieter ride as the higher inertia makes it easier to keep the drive system turning.

A heavier flywheel can also improve the stability of the machine as you ride, however, heavy flywheels usually come with an increase in cost.

Fortunately, ellipticals are relatively simple machines to maintain, and, ensuring you keep on top of things, they should last.

After each workout, we'd recommend wiping down your machine with a towel to rid the console and handles, in particular, of any sweat and dirt that's built up during your workout.

We'd also suggest carefully cleaning the inner components maybe once every year or half a year to ensure you remove any build-up of dust, and then lubricating the moving parts as per the manufacturer's instructions so it can deliver a frictionless ride.

Read More: Best Cross Trainers Available Right Now