Best leg press machine is an alternative to squats, lunges and other lower body exercises. Depending on which muscles you want to work on, you can choose various types of leg press machines.
There are different types of exercise for various requirements. Not every fitness freak has the same exact condition but when you are planning to make your life better than working out every day is important.
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Leg press machines help you get a great lower body workout as an alternative to the more traditional squats, lunges, and other bodyweight exercises. When used correctly, they can offer unique advantages from a safety and injury prevention perspective as well as help you reach new heights of strength gains.
The guided movements take everything else out of the equation, allowing you to focus on the muscle groups you wish to induce hypertrophy in.
Best Leg Press Machine Top-Picks 2023
Leg Press Machine Reviews 2023 – Top Recommendations
Here are some of the leg press machines reviewed by Fitensity expert’s team. Let’s take a look at the review of individual leg press machine now.
#1 Powertec Fitness Leg Press
If you’re looking for a great leg press machine to use at home, you probably think that you’d have to compromise on weight capacity, durability or size considering that most of us don’t have an unlimited amount of space at home. The Powertec Fitness press fits the capacity and capability of a full-size gym-grade press machine in a very small footprint. Set one of these bad boys up at home and you get a top-shelf leg press workout without having to sacrifice too much space or spending too much money. These are big reasons for it earning out #1 spot.
The Powertec Fitness press bears an attractive matte black finish. Despite the reduced size, it has a max. load capacity of 1000 pounds! This is a very stable machine, exactly what you’d want. The foot plate has a high tensile strength and is driven smoothly by nylon reinforced wheel bearings.
This thing comes with some really nice safety levers, four weight horns to support that 1000-pound payload and a large, strong foot plate to provide a wide base of support. The Powertec Fitness leg press looks great, is reasonably sized and priced for what it offers and makes no compromises on its core purpose. Needless to say, it comes highly recommended.
Specifications & Warranty:
- Dimensions: 79L x 36.6W x 54H in inches
- Maximum resistance/load: 1000 pounds
- Warranty: 5 years on frame, 2 years on components, 1 year on wear parts
#2 Powerline PVLP156X Vertical Press
This vertical press machine is easily the highest value leg press machine available anywhere. For less than $300, you get a very effective and capable machine that, in the right hands (or should we say legs), can provide a workout that is just as safe and effective as those that cost 3 times as much.
The really cool thing about vertical press machines, apart from the reduced cost and space is that they’re pretty effective at isolating the lower body muscles, particularly the quads. This vertical press comes with dual-adjustable ½ inch locking pins for safety and 3 starting and stopping positions so that you are in complete control of your range of motion.
The motion itself is smooth and consistent thanks to the use of nylon bushings. Extra wide foot plates ensure that your foot doesn’t slip and has a stable platform at all times.
A durable alloy construction and heavy-duty powder coating translate into a machine that’s built to last and unlikely to give up on you, so long as you stick to the very reasonable 400-pound weight limit. That weight is split across 3 one-inch weight posts for stability. Overall, this is a great piece of equipment for the money and is backed by a class-leading 10-year warranty.
Specifications & Warranty:
- Dimensions: 46L x 48W x 60H in inches
- Maximum resistance/load: 400 pounds
- Warranty: 10 years on frame, one year on parts
#3 Body-Solid GLPH1100 Leg Press & Hack Squat
This is a heavy-duty machine that should be able to challenge you regardless of your level. This commercial-rated leg press is built to withstand any routine you can throw at it.
Everything about the Body-Solid Leg press can be summed up in 3 words; Powerful, Comfortable, Safe;
Power: A lot of work has gone into making sure that the operation of the machine is nice and smooth. This ensures that your leg muscles take as much load as possible and your bones and joints are spared of any unnecessary wear. The quad-track roller system makes it happen and lets your power through your workouts
Comfort: This machine uses ultra-tough, double stitched back and shoulder pads that are 4 inches thick. They are also contoured for maximum support of the lower back and shoulders.
Safety: 3 lockable positions keep the user safe at all times. This also gives you’re the convenience and flexibility to adjust your workout to your preferred range. The extra heavy gauge diamond-plate foot platform ensures equal weight distribution and keeps your legs in place so you can focus on the task at hand.
Backed by a lifetime warranty, this machine is an absolute beast and very much worth the investment under the legs of a dedicated user(s).
Specifications & Warranty:
- Dimensions: 56L x 83W x 34H in inches
- Maximum resistance/load: 1000 pounds
- Warranty: Lifetime warranty on frame, 3 years on parts, 1 year on wear items = For light-commercial use
- For home use: Lifetime on everything, forever
#4 Powerline Home Gym with Leg Press
For about the same price as the Body-Solid Leg press we looked at earlier, you can get yourself a single stack home gym with the optional leg press attachment included. How’s that for value?
Understandably, we’re going slightly off topic with this choice but the leg press abilities of this home gym are more than sufficient for most people. What you lose in a purpose-built leg pressing machine (not much), you gain in being able to work on a number of different body parts.
The combination of press arms and functional pulleys gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to traditional exercise versus functional training. The comfortable, multi-position handgrips make it easy to focus on the chest and triceps. The adjustable seat ensures a perfect fit.
As far as leg pressing is concerned, the only caveat is that if you’re over 6 feet, you might have to create a bit of space for your shoulder when using the machine. Otherwise, this does the job just fine. The maximum resistance is 210 pounds (160 pounds weight stack included).
Specifications & Warranty:
- Dimensions (w/ leg press): 83 x 66 x 71 in inches
- Maximum resistance/load: 210 pounds
- Warranty: 10 years on frame, 1 year on parts
#5 Weider Ultimate Body Works
While not strictly limited to leg press(just like our previous pick), there’s a reason why the Weider Ultimate is a best-selling piece of fitness equipment. This versatile kit offers 50 types of body shaping exercises and tons of workout options. Leg press is amongst the 12 main illustrated examples that come on the box.
While advanced practitioners might find the resistance… a bit limiting, we think this thing offers so much to so many people that we ought to bring it to your attention. A lot of the machine’s resistance is created by combining body weight with resistance bands and varying angles of incline. There are 7 incline options and the effort level can be managed by cycling between them.
This thing is made of durable steel tubing and is built to last a long time. It features a pulley system, squat stand, nylon strap handles, padded glide board and 4 power/resistance bands.
An unconventional choice, but one worth considering if you like the idea of a high-value full-body workout system to go along with a light leg press routine.
Specifications & Warranty:
- Dimensions (w/ leg press): 71 x 26 x 49 in inches
- Maximum resistance/load: High Pulley (uses body weight), Additional Resistance via bands
- Warranty: 90 Days
That’s our list of the top leg press machines available, although as you can see, some of these are capable of more than just that. We believe in a holistic approach to exercise and aren’t fans of isolating certain body parts or too many accessory movements. Use the leg press as part of a well-rounded workout routine and pick the machine that appeals to you with confidence.
What Are The Different Types Of Leg Press Machines?
The most common types are sled-type and vertical-type. Sled type machines are most commonly used in gyms and other commercial spaces, they usually offer more control and a higher weight capacity. They’re also often a lot smoother and easier to use. The downsides are that they are usually more expensive and often take up a lot of space.
Vertical leg press machines fit in a smaller footprint for obvious reasons. They’re simpler, cheaper and are more likely to be used at home gyms for these reasons. Due to the angle of effort, using them incorrectly can sometimes cause the user to round their back, which can cause issues if done repeatedly or done with a high amount of resistance (weight). That being said, if used properly they can often be just as effective as sled-type machines.
What Should One Look For Before Buying a Leg Press Machine?
Checking the dimensions of the machine and comparing it to the amount of free space you have available is a good start. It’s also important to check the total weight that can be loaded on the machine as this will give you an idea of whether it is suitable for your level of not. Most people that are really into using leg presses use them to train with very heavy weights without having to worry about balancing the weight or getting squashed when failing to complete a rep. (this is achieved by the use of limiters, which are always nice to have).
Another thing you should check for is if the machine is adjustable and can accommodate your height. The user weight limit won’t be an issue for most people but users that are really tall might find that they don’t have enough room. It’s always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s website to make sure that the machine will fit you right.
Conclusion
Hope this guide is useful while selecting the best leg press machine which will help you while setting up your home gym. Feel free to contact us if you have any queries.