Sole E95 Elliptical Review 2023

In-depth Review of Sole E95 Elliptical

Preprogrammed Workouts, Apps, and Features

One aspect that I like to see on an elliptical is training content and features. The elliptical is the perfect machine to zone out on and watch a show or read a book. On the updated Sole E95 Elliptical, you have practically unlimited content options.

For starters, there are onboard workout programs to choose from for structured training.

These remind me of ellipticals in the gym. They’re straightforward but provide enough variety to vary your training. These include a manual mode to hop on and do your own thing, as well as hill, fat burn, cardio, strength, and HIIT modes. There is also a heart rate mode, fitness test, and custom settings to create your own workouts. You can even draw chart patterns for your resistance and incline level settings to create workouts. The pyramid workouts that were my favorites back in the day on equipment in the gym come to mind with this feature. This makes creating a workout really easy and convenient.

Along with some other equipment from Sole that went through updates like the F80 Treadmill, the E95 Elliptical has the same screen features and content. There are 12 preloaded streaming apps available to access without an additional subscription fee. All you have to do is log into your preexisting account for each of these apps and start streaming. These apps include Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Peacock, Spotify, ESPN, CNN, Audible, and Kinomap.

Having all of these apps to choose from is really awesome and we appreciate Sole for this.

Screen mirroring is also available on the touch screen. You can pair your phone and mirror content through the screen and speakers. I’m able to do this with my iPhone, but it doesn’t seem to be available for Android devices yet, unfortunately.

The E95 pairs with the Sole+ App. This app is free and simple to use, but I recommend downloading it on your phone and using it to create a profile to pair with the E95 Elliptical. There is the option to have multiple profiles on the E95, in addition to using the guest profile. I suggest creating your own profile so your workout history and login information for the apps is saved so you don’t have to re-login every time you use the elliptical. Using the Sole+ App makes this very simple.

Console

The console now has a 13.3” touch screen. This size is great for accessing workout programs and streaming from the apps. Our team found that reaching and seeing the screen is really easy and convenient. The screen and console it is fixed on, adjust slightly to angle up and down depending on your height. Taller users will have to look down a little bit at the screen, but this is pretty typical for ellipticals.

The Sole E95 doesn’t have many adjustment buttons. There are arrowed buttons on the right and left moving handles for adjusting the resistance and incline. They’re well within reach, even for me who is only 5’1”. Some quick-adjusting numbered buttons surrounding the screen would be nice, but it isn’t a huge deal that they’re missing. The E95 is functional to use without them. Plus, you can adjust the resistance and incline on the screen during workouts, too.

The console has nice features while still being streamlined.

It has a fan up top, but it isn’t very powerful, unfortunately. The speakers have a good volume range. There isn’t a button to adjust the volume on the console, but it is easy enough to adjust it on the touch screen while using the elliptical. This is much easier than on Sole’s Treadmills with this similar console layout because navigating a screen while running is challenging. It isn’t as difficult on an elliptical.

A really nice addition to the console is the wireless charging pad. This works with compatible phones. I have to take my iPhone out of its case to charge it because my case isn’t compatible. I like that there is a ledge at the bottom to hold my phone in place, too. This doubles as a device rack for when I want my phone nearby. There’s also an adjustable device rack above the screen. It has a top clip that extends to hold larger tablets.

The E95 has a large singular cupholder for a water bottle below the console, too. Everything is well within reach.

The front stationary handles also have pulse grips built in to read your heart rate on the screen when you hold them. This is nice, but if you have a Garmin watch, I recommend connecting it to the E95 for a more accurate reading.

Construction

Like other equipment we’ve tested from Sole, the Sole E95 Elliptical is a stable machine that is heavy-duty with nice construction components. It is the step-up model from the Sole E25 and E35 Ellipticals. The frame and flywheel are backed by lifetime warranties which we love to see. This helps to instill confidence in the construction for lasting durability.

The E95 is a large machine that weighs 242 lbs. It also is capable of handling users up to 400 lbs. The previous model was rated for 375 lbs, so we’re happy to see this new model holds up to 400. This is a large limit and means most people will be able to use the E95 Elliptical.

Frame

The heavy weight is in large part due to the steel frame.

The steel frame supports the base and helps prevent the E95 from rocking. There are also 3 floor stabilizers instead of 2, so this helps provide even more stability on the floor. The E95 has 6 leveling feet, 2 under each stabilizer. The rear feet adjust by twisting them, while the center feet adjust with a wrench. The front 2 feet aren’t adjustable, unfortunately. The rear 4 leveling feet along with the stabilizers help to plant the E95 to the floor and keep it from rocking.

This is a large machine that requires a significant amount of space to use, so keep this in mind. Most heavy-duty home ellipticals are large, but this one is larger than the others we’ve tested. It also doesn’t fold up and it’s heavy to move so it’s a good idea to keep it in a spot where it can stay in your home.

Pedals

The pedals are oversized and large enough to work for most people. They’re 15” long and 8” wide. They have a ridge that wraps around the front to keep your feet from sliding off. The back is flat so you can step on the more easily. The pedals are also textured to help keep your feet in place. They work best with most athletic shoes.

The pedals aren’t very padded.

They don’t feel uncomfortable, they just aren’t as plush to stand on as other ellipticals like the AirGlide 14i from NordicTrack. The pedals are adjustable to adjust the angle of them between 0-10 degrees. This raises the heels of the pedals to a higher or lower degree by using a twisting handle at the back of each pedal. This feature helps to prevent your toes from going numb while using the E95. Toe numbness can be a problem on ellipticals because your feet don’t lift off the pedals with each stroke. Being able to adjust the angle of each pedal helps more users get a custom, comfortable fit on the elliptical so it is a position that is best suited for them. This 10-degree range is a large amount to work with, too. I will admit that I’m more comfortable at a 0-2 degree angle, rather than at the higher degrees, but everyone is different and it is nice to have the option to adjust the pedals however they’re most comfortable for you.

Many ellipticals just offer 2-3 notches to choose from, being able to adjust between the degrees is helpful for a really custom fit. The handles twist and they can be a little sticky.

Ours came pregreased, but we still found one of the handles to be a little sticky to turn, so keep this in mind.

Each pedal stride is very smooth and consistent. We like the dual-track system under each pedal. Instead of one roller, there are 2 that glide over the rails under each pedal. This provides added stability and support to the E95. The stride length is 20”. It doesn’t seem to be adjustable. As I mentioned earlier, I’m about 5’1”. This stride length works ok for me. It is a little longer than I prefer, but this length works well for people of most heights.

Handles

I really like the handles.

The upper moving handles work in conjunction with the pedals to provide a total-body workout in a traditional elliptical motion of primarily forward and backward while moving slightly up and down with each stroke, just like the pedals. These handles are like the ProForm Pro HIIT H14, but the pedal motion is more vertical on this machine than the E95.

The top handles offer different areas to grip depending on your height and how you want to target your muscles. Being pretty short, I prefer the lower half of these handles, while our taller reviews over 6’0” prefer the upper handles. I can still reach the adjustment buttons just fine though. I really like the texture coating on them. It feels nice without feeling slippery or sticky.

The stationary handles are good for lower-body targeted training.

You can hold them and really focus on working your legs and glutes. They’re also beneficial for getting on and off the E95. The pedals don’t lock when the elliptical is off and unplugged, so they’ll still move when you step on them. That is why these handles come in handy (pun intended) for stepping on and off. It makes the E95 a little safer because of this, too.

Flywheel

The Sole E95 Elliptical is a front-drive elliptical. This means that the flywheel is located in front of the pedals below the console and handles. This design helps to provide extra support to the overall elliptical, too. I prefer front-drive ellipticals because of this. The flywheel is also a nice weight of 27 lbs, so it helps to create a smooth movement and adds stability to the construction.

The movement is very fluid and this weight is what we look for in most ellipticals. It helps indicate a durable design.

Incline

The E95 offers an incline of 20 levels along with 20 levels of magnetic resistance. The incline lets you get more variety out of your workouts on the E95 Elliptical. The incline repositions your body in a way that helps target more of your posterior muscles, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

The pedal rails lift up to raise the pedals and you therefore, you’ll need to make sure you have a tall enough ceiling to factor in this feature.

I measured the step-up height of the lowest pedal with the incline lowered all the way down to level 1. It is about 14” high. The step-up height increases to 16” when fully inclined to the 20th level.

Resistance

The magnetic resistance is adjustable like the incline levels. Both features are quiet, which makes the E95 suitable for most homes. The resistance offers 20 levels that vary pretty well in the amount of tension that is provided. The incline and resistance are so quiet in fact, that I often don’t hear them adjusting over my Netflix show. We’ve definitely used louder ellipticals.

The resistance feels smooth and consistent to adjust. It also adjusts at a good rate that doesn’t feel too slow. The amount of resistance should be enough for most people, too. If you’re used to commercial ellipticals that can provide a lot of resistance, you might prefer more, but for aerobic workouts, the Sole E95 does a great job.

Performance & Functionality

Overall, the Sole E95 Elliptical is a great low-impact cardio machine for most homes. It is remarkably quiet, smooth, and stable to use. While it does require significant space, it is worth it if you have room and budget.

We recommend the E95 for people looking for a standard well-constructed elliptical for themselves and/or to use with others in their household. This elliptical is built to handle a lot of use, so we see it as being perfect to share with family members. The E95 is also ideal if you’re looking for a smooth, quiet elliptical with nice content options. On a machine that people can often zone out on, Sole has provided plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained. What better way to work up a sweat than to watch your favorite show while doing it?

The Sole E95 is movable when you need to.

There are 2 front transportation wheels under the front floor stabilizer. These engage when you tip up the back end of the elliptical using the metal built-in handle. So, you can wheel it around. It’s heavy though, as I said, so you won’t want to have to move it around consistently.

Warranty

The Sole E95 comes with a lifetime frame and flywheel warranty, as well as a 3-year electronics/parts, 1-year labor, and a 90-day cosmetic items warranty. We love Sole’s warranties. We recommend at least 2+ people for set up because of the size and weight of this elliptical.