The Sole E55 Elliptical Machine is a refreshing change from other Elliptical machine as it has a built in cooling fan. It doesn't take long to overheat when you are getting in a good workout and this feature helps you keep cool so you can make your workout last longer at more intense levels. Any exercise machine I own has to have a cup holder as it is necessary to keep hydrated during any workout. Without a cup holder, I would not have purchased this item. This machine is very quiet and comes with built in speakers. It has hook ups for an MP3 or I pod so you can enjoy your favorite workout music without disturbing other members of your family with loud music.
The Sole E55 has an easy touch control panel where you can set the incline to lesser or greater resistance. For muscle building, higher incline is best. For myself, I use only a slight incline to tighten and tone muscles rather than building bulging muscles with a higher resistance. The ramp angle is adjustable from a fifteen to forty degree angle. The handle bars have a built in pulse sensor for heart rate monitoring although I find it is not very accurate. I prefer to use the chest belt that it comes with. The heart rate chest strap seems to give a more accurate reading. The foot pedals on the Sole E55, unlike most elliptical machines, have a two degree inward slope to make it easier on your knees and ankles. This is a very important feature for those with bad knees or weak ankles.
I fully recommend this product although I do not recommend use of the pulse sensor handle bars as they do not seem to give an accurate enough reading. The Sole E55 Elliptical Machine is a very comfortable machine that makes your workout as easy as possible.

Xenia Headley