NordicTrack Elite 9500 PRO Treadmill Review
Recently NordicTrack released a new version of the Elite 9500 PRO model, which is very much appreciated.
NordicTrack Elite 9500 PRO is designed to be a gym machine. This means that theoretically it’s built to resist intensive usage, which makes it perfect to buy and install in your own home gym.
In this updated review we list the new specs compared to the old ones. Read until the end and you will see why this model has gained so many fans in such little time.
NordicTrack Elite 9500 PRO Specifications
Speed: 0-12 MPH 1-Touch
To change speed you have a button on the console for each of the values from 1 to 12 mph or 2 up/down arrows.
Inclination: 0-15% 1-Touch
To change incline you have a button on the console for each of the next values: 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15. You can also change incline with the up/down arrows located on the console by 0.5 increments.
NEW DECLINE FEATURE: -3% – 0%
NEW Motor: 3.8 HP DURX Motor
This is also one of the quietest motors you can find today on a treadmill. The first version had a 4.0 HP motor.
All you need to know is that the current version performs very well.
NEW Belt: 22″ x 60″ (55.9 cm x 152.4 cm)
The old belt was 20” wide.
The belt is backed by a NEW Adjustable cushion system. You still control the firmness of the belt, but in a different way.
You need a hex key to change the 4 cushion adjustors. The level number will appear on the cussion adjustment. Make sure you have the same level for the 2 front cushions, and the same level for the 2 rear cushions.
Treadmill’s Dimensions: 79.5″ L X 37.75″ W X 71.5″ H
Frame: metal
Supported user weight: 350 lbs
Warranty:
You receive a lifetime warranty for frame and motor, 5 years for parts and electronics and 2 years for in home labor.
NordicTrack Elite 9500 PRO Special Features
NEW: Touch Screen Display
During workout you get the same basic feedback, but in a much more cooler display. Information shown:
* The Matrix is the symbol of a track and represents ¼ mile (400 meters)
* Time
* Distance or Incline
* Calories burned or Heart Rate display
* Speed
NEW Fan:
The fan button is located on the console. If previously you had only 2 options (high and low speed) you now have 8 options.
Heart Rate Readings: through Contact Handles and Chest Strap
To read more about how heart rate is calculate on a treadmill, go to this review: Nautilus T514 Treadmill Review.
NEW Workouts:
- 8 preset workouts: 7 calorie workouts, 7 intensity workouts, 7 speed workouts and 7 incline workouts.
The previous model had also 28 workouts, but they were built differently and dedicated to different goals.
The model is optimized for iFIT live module workouts, instead of iFIT SD cards workouts (as the predecessor model).
Once you set-up your wireless connection and you open your iFIT.com account, you can use this option. When accessing this option you are requested to login, then you can download the workout you’re interested in from the iFiT website.
The module is already integrated in the console and there are Quick Workouts buttons at hand (My Trainer, My maps, World Tour, Event training). Workouts are downloaded from your iFIT account so make sure you have the subscription activated and your wireless on so you can use it.
- New iFIT buttons are available on the console: ‘Back’, ‘Menu’ and ‘Home’. The ‘Menu’ These are meant to help you browse through your iFIT account without needing a computer. This option is powered by Android. Excellent innovation!
NO MORE TV Screen:
We are very happy this option was removed 
Information Mode:
This is where you see the total distance ran and total hours spent on the treadmill.
From this menu you change if the speed is shown in km or mph.
Sound System:
You can insert your MP3, Ipod or CD player in a special jack.
NO MORE User Setup: You now use the iFIT LIVE module to create your personalized account and track your workouts details. This is an extra cost (for the subscription) but it’ worth the money.
Folding Treadmill: This treadmill can be folded and moved around with the aid of its wheels.
Treadmill Assembly Video from NordicTrack
The NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro Assembly Video
Conclusions
Wow. This new Elite 9500 PRO model is actually a new treadmill, much more competitive and interesting. It has everything you need to run, jog, train for competitions and have fun.
The most difficult part if to set-up the wireless. But after that, it’s easy and pleasant.
As we had posted before, we enjoyed the old model very much as well. The model’s quality wasn’t changed in this transformation (it was only improved with new iFIT live module system incorporated in the console).
The big change is that they removed the TV console, but honestly that was a bad point from the beginning. So we like this change a lot.
We really enjoyed training on the Elite 9500 PRO treadmill (old and new). Both versions are robust, quiet, have powerful motors, they allow to adjust the cushion of the belt and it gives the space needed to train. This is a machine we recommend to anyone interested in having a home gym or a real gym. It works perfectly for both scenarios. And you get a very good warranty.
We especially like it can take intensive training. This is a professional’s machine. If you start to run, then you don’t stop till the finish line. You can do a full marathon at once. It’s great!
The cushion system helps to recreate the marathon experience. This is because you always need an adjustable cushion on a treadmill. The faster you run or the more you weigh the firmer the cushion must be.
There are a few remarks we would like to make.
NordicTrack Elite 9500 PRO is a heavy machine. This is why assembly and moving needs 2 persons.
Also, the right price for this new model is maximum $2,000. The previous model (with the iFIT SD cards compatibility and the TV console) is still available on the market. The below price is for the old model.
For those who are interested the new model can be bought from the NordicTrack website.
What People say
Ron Miller’s review
I ordered a Nordictrack Elite 9500 Pro treadmill from Sears on Jan 25, 2012 and it was delivered sometime around Feb 2nd. This treadmill is incredibly heavy, and it had some very minor damage to the box when it was delivered. When I opened the box, I noticed that the plastic panels (top and bottom) of the treadmill at the front had some minor damage (holes, cracks, and they were out of alignment).
on the nordic track website the nordic track elite 9500 pro has a 22 x 60 belt and 3.8 hp. you list it as 20 x 60 and 4.0 hp. both say nordic track elite 9500 pro. which is it?
@Ellen – I checked and NordicTrack changed this model specs since we reviewed it. We will try to get our hands on the new model to see what differences they added. Thanks for the comment.
The specs quoted in the comment (22″x60″ and 3.8 CHP) are indeed the ones applicable to this superb treadmill. These numbers are reflected not only at the NordicTrack web site, but also in the web site advertising of other retailers that sell it (e.g., Sears).
This should be corrected; the difference between 22″ and 20″ is rather important.
@David. Thank you for the reminder. We recently received the new model and we updated the review with the new features and specs today. We like this new model as well
I purchased the updated version of this treadmill and it was delivered yesterday. It’s quite spectacular actually. I run about 20K a week on treadmills almost year round. The features on this are quite good. The motor is quiet, the elevation mechanism is smooth and quiet. The multimedia features are very well executed, though I’m not sure who can operate a touch screen while they are running. However, if you spend the time to prepare your run, it’s very good. The screen size if very good. I thought it would be small, but it’s not. The fan is actually useable which was a nice surprise. The speakers aren’t bad.
Fit and finish is 4.5/5 for sure. The box, as you would expect, was heavy and awkward. We decided to unpack it in pieces and carry them to the basement gym in doable loads. The main deck, itself, can be carried by 2 adults, but not if you have to maneuver or walk long. We had three very fit men struggle to make corners in a house and stairwell to finally get it into place.
Assembly is easy, but slow. Read the instructions. The folding mechanism works very well. Moving the treadmill, once assembled, is not difficult on a hard floor. On carpet? Make sure it’s where you want it before your help heads home.
All in all, I’m very please with this new treadmill.
Thanks for your review. It was helpful in making my purchase decision.
@Tom –
This is great news. Thank you for follow up and for the feedback. Happy running 
We recently purchased this treadmill for a small office gym. Right out of the box we had problems with it. The belt stops all by itself while in use but the screen stays illuminated and the timer keeps rolling. After 2-3 seconds, it starts back up but it’s really annoying especially when you’re running and then all of a sudden you’re not. It stops at random times at high speeds and low, incline or not. And just today, I discovered that the belt had no speed control! On a 13% incline I was fine walking it while holding on to the side rails, but when I let go, I had to run to keep up! We purchased from Sears so I called for support and was referred to a small local operation that took more than a week to come visit. She ordered “new computers” for the screen and the base of the unit after a 5 minute inspection. Surely that will help but I’m so dissappointed that we haven’t even had this thing a month and are already having problems with it.
@E – this is a surprise, and not a pleasant one. I understand your point of view. I would be disappointed too if this would happen with any of my new treadmills. Thanks for posting here. And keep us updated.
E should not be suprised. Our 9500 has been doing this for 4 months. Local tech has been out 4 times, still not fixed. Replaced motor, circuit board twice, and lubricted. They are just guessing. Machine is definately not rated for 350 lbs. I weigh 225, and it just won’t work. Works fine for wife and daughter. Very unhappy with Nordic Trac. Technicians take to long to make visit, and same one every time.
@ Chaz. That is not good news. Thank you for the follow up. I hope they find a solution so you can use the treadmill.
Potential buyers of this machine should be aware that you cannot enter your weight with this machine. Calories burned are calculated with a standard 180lb default user and can’t be changed. Wish I would have known this before I purchased… Would like to have seen this in your review.
@Bill – thank you for the follow up. We mentioned above that there is no more user set-up on the treadmill’s console (you only have the iFIT LIVE Module incorporated). Have you tried it yet?
Pros: Sturdy, ifit, color screen, tons of programs even if you don’t have an internet connection.
Cons: The WORST customer service I have experienced in my 42 years on this earth, quality control, squeaks, pulse monitor randomly comes on.
I have owned the machine for almost 4 months, so it is time to give it a review. I purchased the machine at the end of March. Assembly took about 1.5 hours with 2 people. The machine is very heavy and seems sturdy. ift (requires a wifi connection) is very good. The machine comes with a 1 year membership. There are endless programs you can choose based on your fitness level. The screen is very good as well as the interface. I was a bit concerned since I read some other reviews that if you are under 5’7″ or so, the screen starts to wash out. I am 5’6″ and this is not the case….very clear.
After about 2 weeks of ownership, the front of the unit began to squeak. I am only 155 LBS and use it 6 days per week for an hour a day. Nobody else uses the machine. I called ICON fitness (makes several brands, including NordicTrack) and they sent a tech a week later to fix the machine. The tech was sent a “Deck fix kit”. He immediately told me this won’t fix the problem but installed it anyway. Since than (first week of April) I have called 6 more times to try to get the issue resolved. Each time I was told it is being escalated to a manager and I would hear back within 2 days. It is now July 14th and still nothing. The squeaking is so loud it totally drowns out my TV on 45 volume (it is loud).
This machine has the potential to be good, however ICON fitness has demonstrated they could care less about taking care of the customer. Don’t waste your time with their product, especially in a $2,000+ price range. There are other better choices.
@Eric – thank you for taking the time to post your comment. Your problem seems easy to fix, and yet you still don’t have a solution. I have to agree with you. This is a proof or terrible customer support. Hopefully someone from Icon Fitness will read these comments and will take some action. I really hope your problem is solved soon so you can enjoy your workouts completely.
the machine tons of problems with the android computer. Stops, freezes and is very unsafe. Dont buy it!
@Robert – can you give more details about the problems you have with the machine? Does the console freeze? Or the treadmill while you run?
Good morning,
Before i order the NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro (NTL17010), i have a few questions please :
1. Is the Screen Tiltable ( up / down ) for shorter persons ( my wife is 5.1 foot only ) ?
2. Can we do firmware updates ? and how ?
3. For the calorie calculation, can we enter our Age, Sex, Height and Weight ? or is a standard of 180 lbs used ?
4. Can we plug a HDMI cable in the treadmill screen to be viewed on my Flat Del TV screen 55 inch ?
5. Is the subscription to IFIT LIVE FREE for life ? If not, what’s the FREE period ? How much does it cost after the free period ( i.e. per month )?
6. Does the NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro need any maintenance ( lubrification of the belt ) ? If so, what’s the frequency since i run 60 miles per week ?
7. Is the guarantee transferable ?
Reference number: LTK5480678255X Please use this ticket number in any correspondence with us.
Subject: NordicTrack Elite 9500 Pro (NTL17010)
Dear Customer,
Thank you for contacting us.
1. No you can not tilt the screen.
2. Yes you can do firmware updates. There is instructions in the manual on how to do this. Also you will need to be connected through a wifi router to do the updates.
3. You can not enter in your information to change the calories, but this machine is compatible with the Ifit Live. If you decide to use that program it will ask you for your information and give you more accurate calorie burn reading.
4. No the machine does not have a hook up to connect to a TV.
5. The Ifit live when you first purchase the machine it comes with a One year free subscription. As of right now they have not charged anyone for the Ifit Live. They are still trying to determine a price. Right now for members that purchase the machine secondhand they are charging $80 for a year. But again, at this point in time they are still trying to determine a price.
6. Yes the belt does need to be lubricated, generally it is about every year. The belt will come prelubricated. To check this you will need to rub your hand on the underneath side of the belt. If it feels oily and greasy like you just ate a bowl of buttered popcorn, then there is enough lube and you do not need to lube the belt. If the belt is dry, then it will need to be lubricated.
7. I am not sure what you are asking for the gaurentee. Which gaurentee are you referring to?
@Pierre – Thank you for sending us this email.
Very disappointed with the 9500. The treadmill is well constructed and solid. However the Android powered system is terrible. It does not work well – seldom connects to the internet – and this “tablet” feature is a key reason we purchsed the product. Nordic Track has zero customer support. Its response is “it’s not a computer”. Promised to call back to diagnose the electronics – but ever did. Nordic Track says the treadmill is located too far from the router, but it’s located only five (5) feet away. Yes – there is a 30 day return policy – but you pay freight both ways – and there’s the 10% restocking fee. We’re not pleased with Nordic Track and are very disappointed by its lack of a resonable response.
@Jon – this is terrible news. We have a suggestion to help confirm if it’s your wireless router that has a signal problem (it can happen, no matter the distance between devices). Connect to your WI FI another device (laptop or smart phone) and see if you have a strong internet connection from the same distance. Let us know the results. Good luck.
I have been looking at purchasing some of these treadmills as a trial for commercial fitness centre use. The price is more than half of other commercial suppliers and has almost exactly the same specs. Would you recommend this model for commercial use? If not can you provide me with some other models/suppliers that are less than $4000 for their top of the line treadmill.
@Enes – thank you for the comment. You will receive an email from one of our editors with the details you asked. If you need more help, don’t hesitate to write us.
This may be a nice treadmill, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever find out. I ordered this unit over a month ago. It arrived damaged in shipment. I originally thought it was just cosmetic damage, but when a technician arrived and looked inside, he said it was a mess. It took a week to get the original parts sent, and then when those arrived, two weeks for the technician to show up. The technician ordered new parts 8 days ago, and I’m still waiting for those to ship. It will probably be another 2 weeks at least before I see a technician, and who knows if this thing will ever get fixed! The IconFitness support people are nice, competent, and helpful, but the “loop” for getting anything fixed is WAAAAY too long.
@Ron – thank you so much for the comment. It is a shame that ICON FITNESS hasn’t sent you a working treadmill from the beginning. If they do fix it, let us know how long it takes. If they don’t, we are ready to publish a new post with your experience. Maybe this will get their attention and make them aware that such delays are unacceptable for a brand with their name. Let us know how we can help and we will!
Just an update on my Treadmill. It has now been 7 weeks since I ordered the treadmill, and it still isn’t working. Icon Fitness shipped me some parts that *maybe* can fix it, but I can’t get an appointment with the technician. The repair company won’t even give me an appointment date. I talked with the technician who came last time (I believe from LAPD engineering), and he says he is booked 2 weeks out (and that he can’t schedule visits .. and his boss is “looking into scheduling”), so it will be at least another two weeks until I am able to get a technician to look at the unit. And even then, there is no guarantee that it will even work! Its been 2 weeks since the last visit from the technician and I am absolutely furious. One of the advantages of this particular treadmill is the warranty, but if it takes 2 months for them to fix something, what is the point. At this point, I may just send it back if Sears will take it back.
p.s. On a side note, I was curious why the Icon Fitness website has glowing reviews, while other sites seem to have less than glowing reviews. I now know why. I have been trying to submit a negative review to their website. I submitted it a week ago, and it has not shown up which leads me to believe that they are cherry picking the reviews they allow on their site (either that or they are extremely slow in updating their databases).
I’ve had this treadmill for 3 months now. Just wanted to discuss my dealings with the company, and my review of the treadmill. First, I paid for the type of delivery where they put it in the room in the house, and remove all packaging. They put it in the room, but refused to remove packaging. Called Nordictrack, and they credited my back $50. So that was nice. This thing is soooo frickin heavy. Unless you have body-builder freinds, pay extra to get it where you want it!!!
I built this unit myself, and some screw holes were missing from the frame. Nordictrack sent me a new frame ASAP within a few days. So that was good and bad.
I noted some folks complaining about the Android software. There have been 3 updates to the android software already this year. Kinks have been worked out. You have to manually check for updates yourself, so make sure you are doing that.
I am very happy with the treadmill, and my dealings with Nordictrack (so far). The google maps feature is fun. I’ve run around the Vatican, up Crooked Street in San Francisco, through Washington DC, down Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and through Times Square in NYC. It’s a silly, yet very fun feature to do this.
The treadmill itself is wonderful, and works as advertised for me. I know I was researching treadmills like crazy before I bought, and figured I’d give back to the community to help others. Good Luck!
@Ron – Thank you for the update. It is unprofessional to have such service from NordicTrack. This hasn’t happened to us, but we’ve heard other acquaintances complain of similar situations. We will keep count of this for the future reviews.
@Joe – Thank you for the comment! Your help is appreciated. Enjoy your treadmill and keep us posted on your progress. Happy running!