Nautilus E514c Elliptical Review

Get motivated with a huge variety of pre-programmed fitness sets, along with a summary of your results that leaves you encouraged and ready to push forward the next day. Add in bi-directional pedaling to target various muscle groups and you have a winning elliptical machine the whole family will love. The Nautilus E514c features 16 levels of resistance with heart rate sensors and an LCD monitor. While this machine is considered to be a lower-end model, sometimes a reduction in features is actually a bonus – it can keep you focused, challenged and ready to hit realistic goals.

Enjoy reading a magazine or catching up on some work with the retractable reading rack that can hold a variety of items include books and tablets. Purchase a chest strap to take advantage of the telemetric heart rate, or utilize the ready-to-use handlebar heart rate grips for a quick read. Choose from static or moving handlebars to determine which portions of the body will receive the biggest workout challenge, and of course enjoy various programs and resistance levels to fit any range of elliptical expertise.

Nautilus has been a well-known home gym brand for years, and now they’ve taken it to the next level by doing something that doesn’t seem very remarkable at first glance – they’ve created a basic, no-frills machine that costs a reasonable amount and cleanly gets you fit and focused on optimal health.

Our Favorite Features

Some of our favorite parts of the Nautilus E514c elliptical:

• Articulating foot plates with large foot pads
• 16 levels of magnetic resistance
• 21 built in workout programs
• Heart rate capabilities
• Reading rack
• Water bottle holder
• Cooling fan
• Large LCD window
• Both static and moving handlebars
• Transport wheels ideal for home gym use

Our Least Favorite Features

A few downsides to the Nautilus E514c elliptical machine:

• Frame warranty is only 10 years, as opposed to many machines that offer a lifetime warranty
• 300 lb weight maximum is low compared to ellipticals boasting up to 400 lb nowadays
• Light flywheel of 17.6 lb can cause a shaky, flimsy-feeling ride with some users.
• Fixed 18” stride makes the machine unrealistic for taller, larger users.

The Bottom Line 

The Nautilus E514c is leading the way in an often overlooked category of under $500 ellipticals. These machines are fairly durable, yield results and are affordable – and yet they are often discredited due to their lack of full-color consoles, jam-packed features or a reputation for being the most impressive. If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward elliptical that will get you in shape without a lot of complicated software or expensive parts that will need to be replaced, then the E514c is a great choice for you.