8 Best Mini Steppers Review: Effective Home Workouts

Let’s be honest, we don’t always have the time to hit the gym for getting a workout in, which causes it to slowly chip away at our fitness~ this is where the mini stepper shines

Due to It being small and compact, you can fit them in any area such as your office space. Therefore by just setting aside 5-10 minutes, you can get a tiring cardiovascular and lower body workout.

In this article, I will uncover the best mini steppers while going over their pros and cons.

What Are The Best Mini Steppers?

1. Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Stepper
2. Nordic Lifting Mini Stepper
3. Domyos Stepper MS500
4. Xiser Pro Trainer
5. Homecom Step Machine
6. Stamina Inmotion
7. Sportsroyals Stair Stepper
8. SportPlus Mini Stepper

Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Stepper- Best Budget Friendly

If you are looking for a low price but high quality mini stepper then this fits the mark.

A great upside of the product is that you also receive a pair of resistant bands that you can easily clip on the front and use it to target your upper body while stepping on the pedal~ allowing you to achieve a full body workout.

It features 2 large non-slip pedals that include toe caps at the front. This design ensures you’re able to stand on the pedal comfortably and don’t slip off during the exercise.

There’s an option to adjust the height of the pedals, by twisting the knob. In doing so you can change the intensity of the workouts, from long strides to short fast steps.

You can track your progress from their LED screen which displays speed, time, and calories burned. However, as the screen is small, it’s hard to see the figures when you’re on the machine.

One problem you may face is the overheating of the hydraulic cylinders. There’s a warning on the manual that says don’t use the stepper for more than 15 minutes to prevent the cylinder from overheating, which can be annoying.

Nordic Lifting Mini Stepper- Best Durable For The Price

If you know you’re going to be using the stepper a lot, one concern you have is the durability of the product. If that’s the case then the Nordic lifting mini stepper might be the one for you.

Even with the cheaper price, it’s built using high-grade steel that can withstand the punishment from your workouts and support individuals up to 330 lbs. Therefore you can be assured that nothing is going to break apart easily. 

For people who are interested in the color of their products~ there are four options to pick from: black, white, pink, and red.

As the Nordic lifting company is generous, you don’t get one but three pairs of resistance bands (15lbs, 20lbs, and 25lbs). Having three pairs allows you to have more freedom in customizing the intensity of your upper body exercises.

For extra stability, you’ll receive a non-slip dotted rubber mat which you will place below the stepper.

Additionally, there’s a mini data screen that displays the basic metrics.

Domyos Stepper MS500- Best Core Workouts

The Domyos mini stepper provides a unique function that most of the others don’t, which is you’re able to twist from side to side on the machine. The twisting motion lets you target both your mid and side abs~ giving you additional workout options to add to your routine.

It includes a set of resistance bands that can be clipped on the front by a metal D-ring.

Twisting to hit the abs, resistance bands to target the upper body, and stepping to hit the lower body~ you can get in an amazing workout right at home.

On the bottom of the MS500, there are anti-slip grips that hold the machine in place, providing you with extra stability.

Same as the sunny health mini stepper, the MS500 also includes a display screen that tracks your calories burnt, reps, and length of the session.

A common issue people face is having to constantly lubricate the machine, otherwise, it would make a loud squeaky noise.

Xiser Pro Trainer- Best For Fitness

This is the only machine on the list that is mainly advertised towards athletes and people who are serious about their fitness. 

It’s constructed by using aircraft-grade aluminum, making it extremely tough. But surprisingly, even with the heavy-duty metal, the mini stepper is very light~ having a weight of only 13.5 lbs.

It was designed for individuals to perform high-intensity workouts known as HIIT and withstand pressure without breaking.

One of the factors that truly sets the Xiser Pro Trainer apart is its unique ability to provide customizable resistance levels. You can change the resistance level depending on the goal of the session or to fit your current fitness level.

With the confidence they have in their product, it comes with 5 years of warranty~ giving you free repairs if anything breaks down.

Now you might have guessed, but all this doesn’t come cheap. Its total price comes to $399.00, which is above most of the mini steppers out in the market.

HOMCOM Step Machine- Best For Balance Support

Homecom mini stepper include handles in their design. As you need to balance your body when working out on the stepper, some individuals might find it helpful to have something to hold on to, for added support. 

The height of the handle can be adjusted, in which there are 5 levels to choose from.

Even though the step machine can be folded up, its size is still bigger than the others on the list. If you’re always on the move, it can be more of a hassle to carry it with you.

Their extra wide pedals are layered with anti-skid rubber material, to stabilize your feet and prevent them from slipping.

Their display screen is positioned slightly on the side, rather than straight down the middle like most mini steppers~ this makes it slightly easier to see the metrics.

Overall, it’s a great choice for beginners who may have trouble balancing on the steppers. However, for people who want an intense workout, this may not be right for you as you cannot change the resistance or work out your upper body at the same time.

Stamina Inmotion- Best All-round

Stamina Inmotion is an elliptical type machine, meaning that the motion of the pedal is different, rather than going up and down, you pedal it round like in a cycle.

This offers you two advantages:

Firstly you can perform the exercise while sitting down~ giving you an option to exercise while doing work on your laptop or it’s great for people who have complications that make them unable to stand for too long.

Secondly, you can pedal not only forward but backward as well~ pedaling in different directions slightly incorporates different muscles.

The resistance of the pedal can be increased by simply twisting the knob at the front, allowing you to have control over the intensity of your workouts.

It also comes with a display screen that shows the number of strides per minute, exercise time, total strides, and calories burned.

However, there have been complaints about the machine being slightly squeaky from the start and getting worse over time.

Furthermore, for taller individuals, you may find the stride to be too small, which can feel restricting.

Sportsroyals Stair Stepper- Best Design

The manufacturer of Sportsroyals definitely put extra thought into their product.

So first of all, its display screen is near to double in size compared to the other mini steppers. Most consumers have complained about not seeing the metrics on the screen while being on the stepper, but with Sportsroyals, you can be assured this won’t be the problem.

It uses unique V-shaped bearings. What this does is, it adds a little side-to-side twisting motion while stepping on the pedal, which engages your core and hips.

It combines the use of a hydraulic cylinder, super-energy spring, and silent cushion pads to protect your joints by absorbing access shock and providing a quiet piece machine.

Sortsroyals pedal is made using anti-skid silicone pads to help you balance and stabilize your body. You also get a pair of resistance bands for incorporating upper-body workouts.

But best of all, you don’t need to join any parts, it comes in your post fully assembled. This means you can get started on your workouts without any delays.

One thing you need to be wary of is the duration of your workouts. The reason being is that the hydraulic cylinder can overheat and get damaged if you use the mini stepper for longer than 20 minutes.

SportPlus Mini Stepper- Best 2 in 1

Sportplus offers you both twisting motion and the normal up & down stepping movement, giving you a 2-in-1 package. You can easily switch between them by adjusting the pin at the back~ if pushed upwards you get into the side-to-side motion and vice versa.

Its four legs are covered with soft non-slip surfaces. This not only provides additional stability to your workouts but also protects your floor from any scratches & damages.

To give a smooth and comfortable feeling when stepping on the pedals, sportplus has high-quality hydraulic cylinders.

The pedals have soft non-stick padding, that’s sure to feel comfortable on your feet with or without shoes on.It includes a small display screen, that shows three metrics: Calories, No of steps, and Time

What Is a Mini Stepper

The mini steppers are a group of machines that are compact and portable, designed to provide a cardiovascular workout.

It stimulates the motion of climbing up the stairs, therefore the primary target of the exercise are your lower body muscles such as calves, glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

However, you can incorporate resistance bands or dumbbells during the workout to simultaneously strengthen your upper body as well.

A mini stepper typically consists of two-foot pedals that move up and down as you step on them, thus mimicking the stair-climbing motion. But there are designs that add a slight side-to-side twist, which engages your core and hips more.

Not all but some allow you to adjust the resistance levels to cater to different fitness levels and intensity. Some also include a display screen that tracks metrics like time, total steps, and calories burned.

Due to its small size and lightweight nature, it’s an ideal piece of equipment for home use especially in limited spaces such as apartments or offices. Furthermore, they offer you to bring the ‘gym’ with you, wherever you go, and get in a great workout.

Overall, mini steppers are popular choices for individuals seeking an efficient and low-impact cardiovascular and lower-body workout that can be easily integrated into their daily routines.

FAQ

Can You Build Muscle By Using a Mini Stepper?

The mini stepper’s primary benefits lie in improving cardiovascular fitness and toning muscles. It can also help you build muscles in your lower body, but this is limited.

The reason being is that muscle growth occurs when you gradually increase the resistance, which challenges them to adapt and grow stronger.

You will gain some muscles in the beginning, however as you get used to the resistance level, you will hit a plateau where you stop building more muscles.

Are Mini Steppers Safe For The Knees?

Mini steppers are low-impact exercise equipment that put less strain on the joints, especially for the knees.

This makes it a great option for individuals who have joint issues, are recovering from injuries, or simply want to reduce the risk of joint discomfort.

But make sure you have the correct form:

Ensure your feet are positioned squarely on the pedals, and your weight is evenly distributed. Avoid locking your knees or overextending your legs during each step.

Can You Lose Weight With a Mini Stepper?

Mini steppers provide a great cardio workout that can help you burn 100-120 calories per 20 minutes of exercise.

By burning additional calories it supports you in reaching the caloric deficit state, where your body starts using your stored fats as energy, thus achieving a steady weight loss.

Due to their small size, you can work out right from home. This saves you time from having to go to the gym so it makes it easier to stay consistent.

Conclusion

Mini steppers are a great tool that lets you have an exhausting workout right at home, without taking up much space.

Due to it being lightweight, you’re able to easily carry it around to different locations if needed, so essentially you bring the gym wherever you go.

I have listed a range of mini steppers in this article with each having its own pros and cons.

When deciding on which product to buy you should consider, price point, additional features you are interested in, specs, and design.

Hope this article was able to deliver you with information about the best mini steppers and may you conquer your fitness goals one step at a time with the help of the stepper. .