REVIEW – I started an exercise-while-working habit over a decade ago with a cheap plastic table, custom wooden risers, and a cheap exercise bike. Many years and iterations later, and here I am reviewing a treadmill from a brand I’ve never heard of before: TODO. I’ve already burned out two cheaper treadmills now with my 1-2 hours of walking per day while remote working, so it was opportune timing when the review offer came in for the new TODO Under Desk Treadmill. This should pair nicely with my dedicated treadmill desk station (a desk surface mounted to a wall in my office), but will it be yet another short-lived treadmill or can it hold up under pressure?
What is it?
The TODO Under Desk Treadmill is a treadmill specifically designed for walking or light jogging and to be used with a desk. It doesn’t have any arm grips like traditional treadmills, so you really need to pair it with a standing desk or something similar for balance while using it.
What’s in the box?
- TODO Under Desk Treadmill
- IR Remote and desk caddy
- Lubricant
- Adjustment combination hex wrench and Phillips screwdriver
- Manual
Hardware specs
- Dimensions: 4.9″D x 20″W x 48.6″H
- Weight: 40 Pounds
- Speed range: 0.5 – 5.0 MPH
- Max Horsepower: 0.75
- 4.9″ LCD Display
- Max weight: 242 pounds
- Deck dimensions: 41 inches x 15.3 inches
- Motor noise: <55 dB
Design and features
The TODO Under Desk Treadmill is a fairly standard belt treadmill. An electric motor spins the belt along the deck, and you get exercise while you walk in place, not unlike a hamster wheel. The frame is metal, exterior top bits plastic, and there’s an easy to read LCD display that shows distance, time, calories, and speed while you’re working out.
The company slogan “Just to do” is proudly emblazoned under the panel. I’m not sure how to do that, but I’ll just try anyways.
The entire treadmill is under 5 inches tall at the thickest point, making it feasible to slide under a couch or lay against a wall for storage. At 40 pounds, it’s not super light, but it’s much easier to move or pick up than my previous treadmills, while simultaneously feeling better-built and more rigid.
Setup
Instructions for setup for the TODO Under Desk Treadmill call for placing a bead of lubricant under the belt (you can pull this up and get a hand to the mid-way point from each side fairly easily).
The included tool can be used to adjust the belt from side to side or to tighten it. I didn’t have to make any adjustments, but took the picture anyway so you can see how it would be done. The entire manual is (poorly) translated from Chinese to English, but I could understand all of it.
And finally, you plug in the cord, flip the on/off switch, and you’re ready to go! Honestly, it is probably a 2 minute job start to finish, easy setup.
Performance
The video above shows me using the TODO Under Desk Treadmill from start to finish while increasing speed. The first thing I noticed with the TODO Under Desk Treadmill is that the belt is tight with very little play. The previous two treadmills I’ve destroyed started loose and then got looser. The 2nd one in particular would jerk when speeding up and slowing down, and I’m pretty sure it caused some knee pain from the loosey-goosey belt movements. The TODO Under Desk Treadmill feels tight and controlled. The deck surface is just large enough for my 6’4″ frame: I never felt like I was going off either side or falling off the back, unless I stopped paying attention and drifted while walking.
I put on at least a mile a day, and by the end of the review (30 days), it still feels like new with no issues at all. This bodes well for long term reliability and functionality, but I’ll be sure to update this review as I continue to use it on a daily basis.
The remote works fine, with controls to start/stop, adjust speed, and change the display. It is an infrared remote, so you have to point it at the treadmill to give commands, which can be a bit annoying if you’re working on a desk and have to point the remote under the desk for any changes. Also don’t lose this remote, there’s no physical buttons on the treadmill itself, so if the remote is lost you’ll need to source a replacement from TODO.
The TODO Under Desk Treadmill can go faster than I’m comfortable on a treadmill with no attached arm supports (I only trust my homemade wall mounted desk station so far). You could get a decent light jog at 5 mph, but I usually used it at 2.5 to 3.0 mph for extended periods. Speaking of, it seems to have a shutoff at 30 minutes, so if you’re going for longer walks, you have to keep restarting it. Sound while in use is really quiet, my gaming computer nearby was often more noisy when being used.
What I like
- Price – feels like a midrange treadmill at a budget price
- Slim and light enough to move around
- Motor feels powerful and my legs feel good after many miles on it
What I’d change
- Eliminate the 30 minute shutoff
- Use an RF remote instead of IR
Final thoughts
The TODO Under Desk Treadmill has earned a permanent spot on my treadmill desk station. This is a perfectly competent and compact treadmill that seems like it’ll work well for a long time. I’ll likely put hundreds of miles on this unit in the coming months, so stay tuned for updates as I test TODO’s reliability over time.
Price: $249.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by TODO
