The Sunny Twister with Handle Bar is considered a budget priced stepper. It is a more compact version of the stair stepper that you find at many gyms. It is different to many home compact steppers in that it includes a handle which will help your balance while you exercise. The construction of it seems fairly solid and provides a stable base for exercising. But is it a machine that is worth spending even a small amount on or should you look elsewhere for a stepping machine for your home?

Specifications

• Average Price: $79
• Size: 19 by 17 by 48 inches
• Recommended Space: 3′ x 4′
• Maximum User Weight 250 lbs
• Machine Weight: 28 lbs
• Adjustable Handles: Yes
• Adjustable Resistance: Yes
• LCD Display: Yes
• Warranty: 90 Days Limited

The Pros

Handle Bar: As the name tells you, this stepper includes a handle bar for added stability and balance while you are exercising. This is unusual at this price range and is a great added benefit of this stepper. When you don’t have a handle you can lose your balance as you shift your weight from one foot to the other. It is easy adjust the height of handle bar and it can accommodate the height of most people. This makes it suitable for the whole family to use, if you can convince them of the benefits of this type of exercise.
Robust construction: Most pieces of exercise equipment you buy in this price range are not as well made as this stepper. It has a tough steel frame and non-slip rubber grips to give a more comfortable workout. You adjust the height of the handle bars by simply turning the height adjustment knob.

Workout Is Low Impact: If you suffer from any joint pain or injury this piece of equipment may be ideal (but do check with your doctor). Stepping machines provide a low impact exercise. And with this machine you can add a little twist to the normal stepping motion to work the muscles in your thighs and buttocks that little bit harder. If these areas have been a problem for you this stepper can help to get them in better shape. With each step you are able to build these muscle areas along with you are getting a low impact cardio workout.

LCD Display: You can monitor your progress towards some of your fitness goals with the monitor included. It measures calories burnt, the number of steps taken and time you have spent working out. It requires two AA batteries to power it, so doesn’t cost that much to run. It is always handy to have goals to achieve when exercising to add some interest into the activity.

Twisting Exercise: You can set up this stepper to have either a twisting side to side motion or a parallel stepping motion. The twisting motion can have the advantage of not putting as much pressure on your knees and hips while working your buttocks more. It just makes the workout that little bit more harder. But, if you don’t want this feature it is possible to set the machine up so it doesn’t twist by setting the steps to be parallel to one another.

The Cons

Minimal Features: You get just the basics with this machine. There are no bells and whistles included. You can set the steps to various levels of resistance to adjust the intensity of the workout but you can’t change the stepping height. The handle bar height can be adjusted to accommodate a number of different sizes but you are stuck with just one setting for the steps, this is something you get with more expensive stepping machines.

The LCD display is also pretty basic too. You can track time on the machine, calories burnt and the number of steps taken. It doesn’t monitor your heart rate at all. If you want to keep your heart rate in the most effective zone for you, this machine does not cater for this. You are going to have to buy a separate heart rate monitor to be able to do that. Some more expensive machines have this ability built in but many people find that they aren’t that accurate anyway.

Bolt Breakage: Some people who have used this machine have found that after a number of months of use one of the bolts can break from the use. The bolt is not that difficult to replace and it does not appear to affect many users overall satisfaction with the machine from the research we have performed.

Should You Buy The Sunny Twister Stepper with Handle Bar?

This is a good buy for anyone who is on a tight budget. For its price it gives a good cardio workout and tones and slims the buttocks and legs. It is also very compact needing only 3 by 4 feet making it ideal for small apartments and houses. The Sunny Twister Stepper with Handle Bar is light enough so one person can move it easily and it can fit into a closet for storage when not in use.