- Commercial Mini Stairmaster, Black

Despite reading some negative reviews about "squeaking" with this machine I took the plunge and purchased it. I needed an alternative cross-training HIIT training routine/workout to replace my hill running because of a nagging injury. I came across this well built, serious unit.I have been HIIT ( HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training ) for many years now and this complements my Matrix upright indoor bike with another form of exercise until my injury heals so that I can run again. And what a great exercise routine it is! This strengthens all your core muscles, similar to stair climbing while building your cardio quickly. Once you train yourself the proper technique of using this machine your are set. The hardest part is teaching yourself the exercise technique so that you get a good HIIT session. At first, until your core muscles are strengthened and you get the proper balance your workouts will not be as intense but once you establish your technique the workouts become harder and there are plenty of videos to help you along. If you are not getting a hard enough workout at first be patient, when you get better at the technique you will gain speed for those HIIT bursts and even add to your routine intensity by using dumbbells. To do the workout all you need is a HIIT timer and you are ready to go.The machine is silent and incredibly well built and strong, not a knock-off. About the only thing you need to do for maintenance is wipe the sweat off to prevent any oxidation. It is easy to carry around and takes up no space at all. I can't believe I only heard of this machine now.There are a couple of people complaining about noise and that is most assuredly coming from improper technique. When using the wrong technique, the bottoms of the pedals bump against the base making loud noise. Once your technique is established that will stop. This is definitely not a poor quality product as some reviewers say and will probably last a life time. A great investment in your health and highly recommended with the build quality being likened to club machines like my Matrix U3X upright.

It works, it’s not a gimmick. Sturdy and well made, using this device provides an excellent cardio workout!

Initially I was skeptical whether or not this small piece of stair-climbing equipment could really be effective enough to justify its $400+ price tag. It does seem a bit on the high side, so it was a little while before I took the plunge. Now that I've had the Xiser for a few months and have had a chance to run it through its paces, I recommend it without reservations.First, this small gem is solidly constructed. It's a cast aluminum alloy that reminds me very much of airplane aluminum. Unless you happen to get a unit that has a structural defect, this thing isn't going to break on you! The height of the step is about 8 to 10 inches at the rear of the pedals, so overall it feels somewhat comparable to going up actual stairs. It does not, however, have the same gargantuan step as the powered stair machines at your local health club. Then again, if you know the secret to using this machine properly, it doesn't need that kind of range of motion. Watch most people on a stair machine and you see their heads flopping up and down and their shoulders rising and falling with each step... That's exactly what you don't want to happen, but that's how most people use a stepper. To really get a workout on any sort of stair machine, imagine you have a book balanced on your head and you need to step in such a way so that the book remains balanced there. Or imagine you are carrying a cup of scalding hot coffee filled right up to the top of the rim in your hand held out in front of you, and you need to step so that you don't spill that scalding liquid all over yourself. What this imaginary scenario does is forces you to do all the work of stepping with your legs, primarily your gluts, your quads, your hams, and your calves. Then do this at a relatively quick pace, not racing by any means, but not just strolling along like you were walking up some stairs and holding a casual conversation with a friend, either. Get your legs moving. And keep that book/coffee from going wonky on you.I guarantee you that if you do this, in 30 seconds or less, you're going to start feeling those quad muscles start the burn, and with a few seconds more you'll start to feel it in the other muscle groups as well. If you monitor your heart rate, even though you're not really "racing" along, you're going to find that your heart starts cranking itself up to compensate for the greater oxygen demand your muscles place on you. You'll burn out those quick reserves of glycogen in the muscle tissue, and you'll force your body into replacing them and spending a tremendous amount of energy in the form of burning fat as fuel to do it. This after-workout fuel resupply can go on for as much as 24 to 48 hours continuously, after your workout is over, depending on how long your push yourself and to what degree of intensity during the workout. If you use some sort of interval training, like Tabata intervals (20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of less intense recovery work, repeated for a total of 8 to 10 minutes) and you keep it up for 10 to 20 minutes, you're setting yourself up for a lot of improvement to your cardiovascular system not to mention the improvements to your waistline, if that is one of your goals.In my opinion, the price for this device could probably come down a little. I'm not entirely convinced that for the amount of metal and the casting process, there is $400 worth of work and materials here, but then again, I could be wrong. I have tested out other mini-stepper machines, and most of them quickly develop metal fatigue at this, that, or the other spot and break. That's not going to happen with the solid construction of this unit, and if by chance you got one with a structural defect and it did break, it's got a 5 year manufacturer's warranty, so it can be easily replaced. On cheaper equipment, their hydraulic cylinders start leaking, or squeaking so loudly that you can only use them when there's no one else in the house to bother with the loud sound. And, while I haven't yet encountered any squeaks or creaks with the Xiser's hydraulics, others who have noted a little noise creaking in have said all you need to do is spray a little graphite or other lubricant under the caps of the cylinders and they go right back to being silent. I do know that $400 is still cheaper than a $50/mo membership to a health club for a year, and you're a lot more likely to use this device in your own home regularly, and for more than just a couple of weeks, as is the way with most health club memberships.The unit is small, and will easily fit beside your shoes in the front hall closet or other small space. It is not heavy; only about 14lbs., which means most of us can pick it up with one hand and move it around wherever we need to use or store it.Out of all the health machines I've tested and evaluated over the years, this one gets marks as high as any. I highly recommend it.