Fuel EL335

I decided to purchase an elliptical cross trainer following ankle surgery as I needed to keep fit but not have an impact sport. Having done hours and hours of research I decided upon a Fuel EL335, having read the reviews of cheaper cross trainers it comes across very clearly - you get what you pay for. The next research was from whom to order it from as reading on the forums there are some horror stories out there. I rang around and the general level of knowledge was exceptionally poor until I rang Orbus Leisure who not only returned my emails very promptly, had excellent product knowledge but were selling it cheaper than anyone else.

The cross trainer was delivered on time. The first thing that I noticed was the excellent build quality and the overall superb finish although I did think that the connecting plastic arm covers for the joints looked cheap but they do the job. I assembled it by myself in just under 3 hours and it was fairly easy to do so. The instructions were very clear and set out in 4 stages and it was great that they pack the nuts, bolts, washers and screws in 4 separate stages so there it no confusion. The toolkit provided is adequate but I would recommend using a socket spanner set in Imperial measurements as it comes from the USA. I noticed that one of the connecting arms needed slight adjustment and it was simple to do. If you are not a practical person then possibly the install service would be a very good idea.

It is a very easy machine to use. The control panel is simple and you can add your own program and it saves this when you power off the machine but it doesn't save the date and time which is not a problem but you think why? The Fuel Chest Heart Rate Monitor is very comfortable but doesn't come as standard - costs about £20.

It is very quiet and seems to suit all our family (height range 5'2" up to 5'8") as the oversized articulating footplate means there is no need to adjust anything, you just put your feet where it is comfortable.

I would recommend this machine and the supplier.