Sole E35 Elliptical Review 2026: Worth Buying?

The Sole E35 has quietly become the elliptical that people recommend when they want a machine that lasts longer than their gym membership.

The 2026 version adds a 10.1 inch touchscreen, a 25 pound flywheel, and a power incline that most competitors skip. But a heavy machine with a big footprint is not right for everyone.

I spent time with the specs, the owner feedback, the assembly manual, and the real complaints people post after six months of use. This review covers what the E35 does well, what it does badly, and who should skip it. No fluff, no marketing copy. Just the details you need before you spend around $1,700.

In A Nutshell:

• The E35 is built like commercial equipment. A steel frame, a 25 pound flywheel, and a 350 pound user capacity give it a stable, silent stride. Owners consistently report zero wobble even at high resistance.
• The 20 inch stride fits most adults. Users from roughly 5 feet 4 inches to over 6 feet report comfortable movement. Shorter users under 5 feet 2 inches may find the stride slightly long.
• The 10.1 inch touchscreen streams your own apps. Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Spotify come preloaded. No monthly subscription is required, which separates it from iFIT and Peloton locked machines.
• Twenty resistance levels plus twenty power incline levels let you change muscle emphasis without stopping. Incline at this price point is rare.
• The footprint is the biggest drawback. At 70 by 31 by 70 inches and roughly 220 pounds assembled, this machine claims about 15 square feet. It is not apartment friendly and it is not realistically movable by one person.
• Assembly takes two people and two hours. Budget for room of choice delivery if you have stairs.

Sole E35 Elliptical: Full Overview

Last update on 2026-09-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

The Sole E35 is a front drive elliptical trainer made for home cardio that runs for years. Sole sells it as a cross trainer, and that label fits. Your feet stay planted on cushioned pedals while your arms push and pull moving handlebars.

The 2026 model runs on ECB magnetic resistance, also called eddy current braking. No pads touch the flywheel, so there is nothing to wear out and nothing to squeak. The 25 pound flywheel carries momentum through each revolution, which is why the stride feels smooth instead of choppy.

Sole prices the E35 between $1,599 and $1,799 depending on the season. That places it in the upper middle of the home elliptical market. You are paying for steel, warranty coverage, and a screen that does not lock you into a subscription.

The machine plugs into a standard 110 volt outlet. It needs power for the incline motor and the console, so battery free operation is not an option here.

Unboxing And Assembly Experience

The box arrives by LTL freight, dropped at your curb. It measures 66 by 18 by 34 inches and weighs about 239 pounds gross. You will not carry this inside alone. Plan for a second person or pay the $199 room of choice fee.

Inside, the parts come well packed in molded foam with the hardware sorted into a labeled blister card. That small touch saves real frustration. The frame and flywheel housing arrive preassembled, which is the heaviest part of the job.

Assembly runs about 90 minutes to two hours for two people. You attach the uprights, the pedal arms, the handlebars, the console mast, and the shrouds. The included wrench works, but a socket set and a power drill make the job twice as fast.

One honest warning: lifting the console mast into position is awkward. The wiring harness must be threaded through before you bolt it down. Read step four twice. If you pinch a cable, you will chase an E1 console error later.

Console, Screen, And Tech Features

The 10.1 inch color touchscreen is the headline upgrade. It comes preloaded with roughly a dozen streaming apps including Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Spotify. You sign in with your own accounts and pay nothing extra to Sole.

The screen tilts up and down to match your height. Owners report the panel stays solid during hard efforts, which is not always true of budget machines with heavy displays. Response to touch input is decent, though the interface feels a half second slower than a modern tablet.

Other console features include Bluetooth speakers, a USB Type C charging port rated at 5 volts and 1.5 amps, crossflow cooling fans, a tablet holder, and a water bottle cradle. Heart rate reads from a chest strap or an armband.

Here is the honest catch: the 2026 model drops contact pulse grips entirely. If you wanted to grab the handles and see your heart rate, you now need a separate strap. That is a downgrade for casual users.

Top 3 Alternative for Sole E35 Elliptical

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Sole E95 Elliptical

Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

Schwinn 470 Elliptical Machine

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NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical

Stride Length And Pedal Comfort

The E35 uses a fixed 20 inch stride. That number matters more than almost any other spec on an elliptical. Too short and your legs shuffle. Too long and your hips rock side to side.

Twenty inches suits users roughly 5 feet 4 inches through 6 feet 4 inches. Testers as short as 5 feet 3 inches still report a natural feel. Users under 5 feet tall will likely overreach at the back of the stroke.

The oversized pedals slope inward slightly. That ergonomic angle reduces knee and ankle strain during long sessions. Sole calls this a two degree inward tilt, and joint sensitive users notice the difference.

You also get three position adjustable pedals and articulating footplates. The pins let you shift the pedal angle to suit your gait. The articulating design means your heel lifts naturally instead of staying locked flat.

One limitation: the stride length itself does not adjust. If you need a variable stride for multiple family members of very different heights, look at the E95S instead.

Resistance And Power Incline Explained

The E35 offers 20 resistance levels and 20 power incline levels. Multiply those and you get a wide matrix of workout intensities from one machine.

Resistance comes from the ECB magnetic system. Changes happen instantly and silently. Testers note that you feel the resistance shift in your legs before you hear anything, because there is nothing to hear.

The power incline is the feature that justifies the price. Raising the ramp shifts load from your quads toward your glutes and hamstrings. Lowering it emphasizes the fronts of your thighs. This is the closest an elliptical gets to hill training.

You adjust both settings from buttons on the moving handlebars or from the touchscreen. The handlebar buttons work fine.

Now the negative. Some owners report that level 20 resistance feels too easy if they are already fit. Trained athletes who want to grind at maximum effort may find the ceiling low. Casual and intermediate users will never touch that limit.

Build Quality And Long Term Stability

This is where the E35 earns its reputation. The frame is welded steel, the assembled weight sits around 220 pounds, and the flywheel adds 25 pounds of spinning mass low in the chassis.

The result is a machine that does not shake, creak, or walk across the floor. Testers running full effort intervals report no lateral movement at all. That stability directly affects how confident you feel pushing hard.

Sole uses a dual short track wheel system. Two wheels ride two rails under each pedal arm instead of one wheel on one rail. Budget ellipticals use the single rail design, and that is where the wobble comes from.

The warranty backs up the hardware. You get a lifetime frame warranty, two years on parts, one year on labor, and 90 days on cosmetic items. Sole also includes a 30 day money back guarantee.

Long term owner reports on older Sole ellipticals commonly pass the five year mark with only light maintenance.

Footprint, Weight, And Room Planning

Measure your space before you order. The E35 occupies 70 inches long by 31 inches wide by 70 inches tall. That is roughly 15 square feet of floor, about the size of a loveseat.

You also need clearance. Add a foot behind for the pedal arms and enough overhead room that your head clears the 70 inch frame plus your own height while striding.

Transport wheels exist on the front. They are almost decorative. Tilting 220 pounds onto those wheels is a serious deadlift, and testers rate portability as the machine’s worst attribute.

Place it once and leave it. Treat the E35 as furniture, not as equipment you tuck away after workouts.

Ceiling height deserves a mention too. The pedals sit about 14 inches off the floor. A 6 foot user stands at roughly 7 feet 2 inches at the top of the stride. Basements with low joists become a problem fast.

Workout Programs And The Sole Plus App

The console carries preset programs including Fat Burn, Interval, Hill, and two heart rate control programs. Heart rate control adjusts resistance automatically to hold you in a target zone.

You can also build custom workouts directly on the screen. Set your duration, your resistance profile, and your incline profile, then save it. Owners rate this as one of the console’s genuinely useful features.

The free Sole Plus app adds over 3,000 guided workouts at no cost. Classes stream to the touchscreen. Quality varies, but free content that does not expire has obvious value compared with $40 monthly subscriptions.

Screen mirroring from compatible iOS devices opens everything else. Mirror iFIT, Peloton, Apple Fitness Plus, or anything in your app store. You still pay those services separately.

The honest limitation: Sole Plus is not Peloton. The production values, instructor roster, and community features do not compare. Treat it as a bonus, not a reason to buy.

Noise Levels And Apartment Suitability

The E35 is remarkably quiet. Magnetic resistance produces no friction noise, and the belt drive runs smooth. Testers describe it as ultra silent even during incline changes.

That said, noise is not the same as impact. Every pedal stroke transmits some vibration into the floor. On a second story or in an upstairs apartment, downstairs neighbors will feel the rhythm even if they hear nothing.

A dense rubber mat under the frame solves most of this. It also protects your flooring and catches sweat. Budget about $50 for a good mat and treat it as required, not optional.

The cooling fans make the most sound on the machine. They run on a single speed and produce a steady hum comparable to a desk fan.

Apartment verdict: the E35 works in a ground floor apartment with a mat and a dedicated corner. It does not work in a small upstairs unit. The footprint alone rules out most studios.

What The Sole E35 Does Not Do Well

An honest review lists the failures. Here are the real ones.

It is genuinely immovable. The transport wheels do not change that. If you need to store your machine between sessions, buy something else entirely.

Mid workout adjustments are clumsy. Testers report that changing resistance while striding at speed takes concentration. The handlebar buttons require you to look down.

The water bottle holder is too shallow. It behaves more like a cup holder. Tall bottles tip out during vigorous sessions. This is a small design miss that annoys owners daily.

No contact heart rate grips on the 2026 model. You must buy a chest strap or armband separately to use the heart rate programs.

Maximum resistance may underwhelm strong users. Multiple owners describe level 20 as manageable rather than punishing.

The console software is not premium. It works, but it is slower and less polished than the tablet you already own.

Freight delivery is curbside by default. Stairs and narrow doorways become your problem unless you pay extra.

Pros And Cons Of The Sole E35 Elliptical

Pros

• Exceptional stability. The steel frame, 25 pound flywheel, and dual rail wheel system eliminate wobble even during hard intervals.
• Twenty levels of power incline. Very few ellipticals near this price offer motorized incline, and it meaningfully changes which muscles work.
• No subscription required. Preloaded streaming apps, free Sole Plus workouts, and iOS screen mirroring mean zero forced monthly fees.
• 350 pound user capacity. That is 50 pounds above the industry standard, which makes low impact cardio accessible to heavier users.
• Lifetime frame warranty plus two years of parts coverage signals real confidence in the build.
• Near silent magnetic resistance with nothing to wear out or replace.
• Comfortable 20 inch stride with three position adjustable and articulating pedals.

Cons

• Very large footprint at roughly 15 square feet, larger than most ellipticals on the market.
• Practically impossible to move alone at about 220 pounds assembled.
• No contact pulse grips on the 2026 model, so a chest strap is now mandatory for heart rate features.
• Shallow bottle holder that drops normal sized water bottles.
• Top resistance level feels light to already fit users.
• Curbside freight delivery unless you pay $199 or $350 for upgraded service.
• Console software feels dated next to the touchscreens on competing machines.

Sole E35 Versus E25 And E95

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Sole sells three ellipticals that shoppers compare constantly. Here is the plain difference.

The E25 costs roughly $300 less. It keeps the same 20 inch stride and 20 resistance levels but drops to a 20 pound flywheel and a smaller screen. Choose the E25 if you want Sole durability on a tighter budget and you do not care about a large display.

The E35 sits in the middle with a 25 pound flywheel, a 10.1 inch touchscreen, and a 350 pound capacity. It is the value sweet spot for most households.

The E95 runs about $500 more. You get a 27 pound flywheel, a 13.3 inch swivel touchscreen, and a 400 pound capacity. Buy the E95 if a bigger screen and a higher weight rating matter to you.

The E95S adds an adjustable 18 to 24 inch stride. That version makes sense for households where users differ dramatically in height.

Who Should Buy The Sole E35 Elliptical

Buy the E35 if you have a dedicated workout space and you want equipment that outlives several phones. It suits joint sensitive users, heavier users, and people recovering from running injuries who need real cardio without impact.

It also suits anyone tired of subscription traps. You own the machine and you choose the content. That freedom is worth real money over five years.

Skip the E35 if you live in a small apartment, share space that must be cleared daily, or need to move your equipment. The footprint and weight are not negotiable.

Skip it also if you are an elite athlete chasing maximum resistance, or if you want a premium tablet style console with polished software. NordicTrack builds better screens. Sole builds better frames.

Budget shoppers spending under $1,000 should look at the Horizon EX 59 or the Schwinn 470 instead. Both give you a solid stride with fewer features.

Maintenance Tips For Years Of Use

The E35 needs very little care, but a few habits extend its life considerably.

Wipe sweat off the frame and console after every session. Salt corrodes metal and clouds screens. A microfiber cloth takes 20 seconds.

Check the pedal arm bolts monthly for the first six months. New machines settle, and a quarter turn prevents the clicking noise owners sometimes report at the 90 day mark.

Vacuum around the flywheel shroud quarterly. Dust buildup near the magnets and the drive belt is the most common cause of new noises.

Keep the machine on a level surface. Adjust the rear levelers if you feel any rock. An unlevel frame stresses the rails and shortens wheel life.

Unplug during storms. The incline motor and console board are the expensive parts. Surge damage is the failure mode that voids nobody’s warranty but costs you anyway.

If your console shows an E1 error, that means a communication fault. Check the wiring connection at the mast before calling support. Loose harnesses cause most of these reports.

Final Verdict

The Sole E35 is a buy for anyone with the floor space. You get commercial grade stability, a rare power incline, a lifetime frame warranty, and a screen that does not demand a monthly payment. Those four things together are hard to find near $1,700.

The compromises are real and worth repeating. The machine is huge, it is immovable, the bottle holder is poor, and the console software trails NordicTrack. The missing pulse grips on the 2026 model are an unforced error.

If your priority is a machine that still works perfectly in 2034, the E35 is the smarter purchase. If your priority is a slick screen and a compact footprint, shop elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Sole E35 elliptical cost in 2026?

Sole lists the 2026 E35 at $1,799.99 on its own site, and it often sells between $1,599 and $1,699 during sales. Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods both carry it. Sole offers four interest free installments and accepts HSA and FSA payment.

What is the stride length on the Sole E35?

The stride length is a fixed 20 inches. That fits users from roughly 5 feet 4 inches to 6 feet 4 inches comfortably, and many shorter users report no issues. The stride does not adjust. If you need a variable stride, the E95S offers 18 to 24 inches.

Does the Sole E35 require a subscription?

No. The 10.1 inch touchscreen comes with preloaded streaming apps that use your own accounts, and the Sole Plus app provides over 3,000 workouts for free. You can mirror an iOS device to stream paid services like iFIT or Peloton, but those subscriptions are optional.

How much space does the Sole E35 need?

The machine measures 70 inches long, 31 inches wide, and 70 inches tall, claiming about 15 square feet of floor. Add a foot of clearance behind it and make sure your ceiling accommodates your height plus the 14 inch pedal elevation.

Is the Sole E35 hard to assemble?

Two people need about 90 minutes to two hours. The frame arrives mostly preassembled and the hardware comes sorted. Threading the console wiring through the mast is the trickiest step. Sole offers room of choice delivery with assembly for $350 if you prefer to skip it.

How long do Sole ellipticals last?

Sole covers the frame for life, parts for two years, and labor for one year. Owners of older Sole ellipticals routinely report five to ten years of reliable use with basic cleaning and occasional bolt checks. The magnetic resistance system has no friction parts to replace.

Can the Sole E35 support heavy users?

Yes. The rated capacity is 350 pounds, which sits 50 pounds above the typical 300 pound elliptical standard. The steel frame and wide footprint keep the machine stable at that weight.