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Looking to get toned for your summer holidays but don’t have the time to go to the gym every day? Well a mini stepper machine may be the perfect gadget for you. They are compact little pieces of kit that make it possible to workout when you have 5 minutes to kill. They may be small but they pack a punch and will help you to get you beach body ready.
You can think of them as a much smaller and compact version of the machines in our cross trainer reviews & recommendations guide.
Top 3 Mini Stepper Reviews
1. Ultrasport Swing Stepper
Specification
- Low noise damper
- Adjustable resistance level
- Display: steps per minute, time, scan and calories
- Max user weight: 100 kg
The first point I would like to make about this model is about the extra features that have been incorporated into the design such as the resistance bands and the twist in the stepping motion.
The resistance bands allow you to add an extra dimension to you work out and engage your upper body slightly and can perform a range of upper body exercises from bicep curl to shoulder press. Therefore you can tone your upper body along with your lower body.
The twisting motion of the stepper targets the leg muscles differently and helps to tone the inside of your thighs helping to slim down your legs and give them the shape everyone desires.
It is very comfortable to use and definitely does what it says on the tin and provides a good workout.
The only problem I can see with this stepper is that some people found after a year or so they had some issues with the design not lasting. However, it only costs approximately £35 and you do tend to get what you pay for and you can’t expect a bomb proof design that will last forever at this kind of price.
2. MiraFit Aerobic Mini Stepper
Specification
- Display: Calories, Time, Steps, Scan and Steps per minute.
- Maximum user weight: 100 kg
- Not adjustable resistance
This stepper is very sturdy and you don’t get the feeling you are going to topple over at any given moment. The only downside I can think of with this model is that it doesn’t have adjustable resistance. However, it still manages to make my thighs burn slightly over the course of a 20 minute workout.
This mini stepper is perfect for someone who is looking to keep in shape with some gentle workouts, however, if you are looking for a more testing workout you may wish to look at a model with the adjustable resistance to see if this type of machine suits your needs.
3. Confidence Twist Stepper with Ropes
Specification
- Resistance Ropes
- Variable Resistance
- Display: Time, Step Count, Steps per minute, Calories and Scan
- Maximum user weight 100kg
The Confidence mini stepper has a twisting motion like the Ultrasport model, however, the twist isn’t quite as fierce. The twist with this model is just enough to engage in the inner and outer thigh and reduce the pressure on your joints.
Confidence makes a wide range of fitness equipment and their equipment tends to be to a high standard and this is true for this product. You get excellent value for money along with great customer service in case anything was to, unfortunately, go wrong with the product.
We hope this will help you to find the best mini stepper that meets your needs. Every step you take will get you closer to your toned summer body goals!
This model is also featured in our best stair climber reviews page.
What are the benefits of a mini stepper machine?
These little contraptions are a great way of doing an aerobic workout in the comfort of your own home or just about anywhere for that matter. By performing regular exercise there are a number of health benefits that you are likely to experience such as weight loss, boosts your metabolism, help tone/ strengthen your muscles (a 2015 research found that the stepper exercise can strengthen the hip and knee extensor) and improve cardiovascular fitness. That is provided the intensity/ duration of your workouts are appropriate and you perform the workouts frequently.
Muscle Tone
The main appeal of a stepper machine is that it targets your lower body and is very effective at toning your legs. It targets the glutes, calves, hips, quadriceps and hamstrings. Pretty much all of the muscles in your legs! You can get a step machine with a handlebar attached to it, however, the majority don’t have one which means you have to balance and engage your core which helps to define your abs!
One point to make note of is that the full scale stepper machine or “stair climber machine” is better at toning your legs as you get a longer range of motion, however, they are often very expensive and huge so would take up a lot of room at home!
Whenever I tell people how this simple but effective machine can tone your legs a comment I often hear is that they don’t want bulky legs. In order to build “bulky legs” you need to use intense weight training while eating a mountain of food to help build muscle. If it was that easy to build bulky muscles you would see all the guys down the gym pounding away on the stepper machines instead of being in the squat rack.
Calorie Burn and Weight Loss
As this machine targets so many of the muscles in your legs and your core it burns a lot of calories! It is said that a 155 lbs individual can burn 450 calories per hour. This figure will obviously increase if you way more than 155 lbs. You can also burn more calories by ramping up the intensity of your workout, for example by combining your stepper workout with an upper body workout using dumbbells. Both of which you can do at the same time.
Low Impact
One of the major benefits of the exercise equipment is that it is very low impact and you won’t experience any jarring shocks which you can get when running, helping to preserve your joints. However, climbing stairs can put pressure on your knees, so if you do have had any knee problems in the past it may be worth consulting your doctor first. In order to try and resolve this slight issue some models have been adapted to try and relieve some of the stress by incorporating a gentle twisting motion into each step. This helps to remove some of the pressure and also target your inner and outer thigh to give you some extra shape to your legs.
If you own a stepper or plan on buying one, have a look at our maintenance guide.
Take a look at our home gym picks top 5 list or vibration plate reviews UK page. If size is a consideration, an alternative to a stepper would be a compact elliptical.