Precor EFX 761 Elliptical Review, Pros, Cons, & Comparison
Precor EFX 761 Overview
When people want to get fit, they are sure to find a way to do so. Gyms, exercise trainers, cycling areas and other methods are just a few of the ways that humanity has made sure they can stay fit in the modern era. Yet, one of the most interesting ways that we have gone about it is the rise of at-home exercise equipment. Whether that’s treadmills, rowing machines or ellipticals, such equipment can really make a difference in our lives.
It is the latter category that we shall be taking a look at today. Specifically, the ellipticals that are manufactured by the folk over at Precor. Even more specifically, one of the machines in the 700 series after the EFX 781 that they offer: the Precor EFX 761 home elliptical. We want to see how it holds up compared to other ellipticals being offered on the market, as well as if it is worth the price.
We’ll be taking a look at a variety of features that come with the EFX 761, like the monitor, handlebars, stride length and so on. Then we’ll put all of these features up against the price that Precor wants for it before giving our final verdict on whether or not we think the elliptical is worth it. Then it is up to you to decide if our assessment is fair or if we are spewing utter nonsense (hopefully it’s the former). So with all of that out of the way, let’s hop right into our review of the Precor EFX 761 elliptical!
Precor EFX 761 Review And Specs:
First up, we are going to look at what exactly the Precor EFX 761 cross trainer looks like and how much it weighs. The specifications, if you will. As probably won’t be moving it around that much, as it weighs a nice 280 lbs (127 kg). While not the heaviest around, you won’t exactly be bringing it around to show your friends. As for how much weight the EFX 761 can hold, the given number is 350 lbs (159 kg). It can still hold more than that number, but you just don’t want to make it consistently carry like 500 lbs for every session.
As for how large the elliptical is, it is an appropriate size to make up the weight. It’s dimensions are 80 inches (203 cm) long, 28 inches (71 cm) wide and 72 inches (183 cm) tall. Whereas many other Precor ellipticals have optional Personal Viewing Screens (PVS’), the EFX 761 does not. This is because the P62 monitor that it comes with (more on that in a bit) is there by default. There are no folding capabilities, so you won’t be able to make it any smaller. If all of this is sounding like a bit too much, you will still be able to move the elliptical around thanks to the transportation wheels on the front.
The EFX 761 is powered by outlets, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when planning where you’re going to put it. For international countries that use the 240 VAC system, there are models of the EFX 761 (that cost the same) that can be suited to them. It is a similar case to those 120 VACs that appear in the United States and Canada. The PVS is already integrated into the power system, so you don’t need to worry about powering that separately.
Precor EFX 761 Monitor
Now we get to the 10″ touchscreen P62 monitor that comes with the Precor EFX 761 elliptical trainer. Fortunately, there’s a whole lot to praise about this monitor. First among these praises is the customization the P62 allows for. You have 15 different languages to pick from, with English, Turkish, Japanese and Korean being just just some of the options that are available to you. They even have Swedish and Danish in there, which are certainly nice options. The statistics that the monitor tracks can also be seen in either metric or U.S standard measurements.
That’s right, these statistics can be seen in two different ways. And there are plenty of statistics to be seen. There are 16 different ways to see the various measures of your workout. You can see the total distance, distance remaining, time elapsed, stride per minute and so on. You’ll also be able to track the average heart rate, current heart rate and so on through a couple different methods (more on that in a bit).
But that’s not all the options here. Other than the basic manual mode that everyone would expect on a piece of equipment like this, there are 15 other preset programs. You can simulate climbing hills and mountains, running a 5k or do interval runs. Basically, you’ll have an entire collection of workouts already there to plug and go in case you don’t feel like making it up as you go along. All in all, there’s plenty to enjoy about the P62 monitor that comes with the EFX 761.
Precor EFX 761 Stride and Incline
One of the key elements about ellipticals is how their stride lengths feel. The ellipticals in the Precor 800 series all have stride lengths that can be adjusted, which is normally reserved for the highest tier of ellipticals. The Precor EFX 761 elliptical machine has a fixed stride length of 21 inches (54 cm). While having an adjustable stride length would be great, the one already in place should do for a majority of users. It just won’t be as comfortable as being able to set it to match your exact stride.
Just like the stride length, the incline of the EFX 761 is fixed. Though this is no real surprise, as the incline is adjustable on even fewer machines than the stride length. Once again, this is a common feature in the 800 series of Precor’s machines. The incline of the EFX 761 is fixed at 20 degrees. Again, while it would be nice to change, it isn’t a feature that the majority of elliptical users are searching for.
One of the more disappointing absences of the Precor EFX 761 elliptical is that of the CrossRamp system that you can find on some of the 800 series. Basically, this tech allows the user to make the movement of the pedals to feel more akin to natural walking than being on a machine. Would you have noticed its absence if we didn’t tell you about it? Probably not. But the fact that it is on other ellipticals from the same manufacturer means that it could have been here, and it is a little unfortunate that it’s not.
Precor EFX 761 Handlebar and Pedals
The handlebars of the Precor EFX 761 elliptical offer a nice little variety for just being something to hold onto. There are two pairs of handlebars to hold onto: one of the outside and a smaller pair right underneath the console. The stationary handlebars have heart rate sensors on them in order to give you the statistics that we mentioned earlier. The outer arms are the moving kind that you would normally expect to find on ellipticals. This is a definite plus, as it allows you to get upper body exercises alongside the workout that your lower body is getting.
As for the pedals on the EFX 761, the vast majority of people should find that they will do the job to help with workouts as well. Unless you have absolutely massive feet, you should be able to fit comfortably in them, as their dimensions are 16 inches (40.6 cm) long and 8 inches (20.3 cm) wide. If you want to clean the pedals after a long while or if you just like to wipe them down after a session, the polypropylene material that they are made of should make that process a lot easier.
In terms of the highlights from the pedals and handlebars, it has to be the moving arms. Stationary handlebars with heart rate sensors are all nice and whatnot, but they don’t deliver the same sort of benefit as getting in a more complete exercise that the outer handlebars offer. The pedals might not be the most brilliant piece of technology to ever exist, but they will certainly do the job they are there to do.
EFX 761 Assembly and Accessories
Some people dread the assembly of machines like these almost more than they do getting on and using it. Often, these fears are completely justified thanks to how little support the company offers in terms of the assembly process. Fortunately, there’s no need to fear the assembly of the Precor EFX 761. The manual that comes with the package should make it clear for just about anybody reading, even if they aren’t naturally handy.
There’s less good news on the front of the accessories that come with the EFX 761. The only thing that comes close to such a category on the elliptical is the accessory holder that sits underneath the console. Which… if we’re counting the accessory holder as the accessory itself, it shows you how low the bar is. You can store a phone or water bottle in there, but that’s about it.
It’s a little bit unfortunate that there’s no bonus accessories or features that come with the EFX 761. However, in the grand scheme of things, this shouldn’t matter too much. The core features make up for this lack of little additions. The great assembly manual most certainly makes more sense than the vast majority of manuals out there and Precor should be praised for such.
Price, Warranty and Shipping
Of course, one of the key factors that anyone will want to know about whether or not to buy the elliptical is how much it costs. The Precor EFX 761 elliptical costs right around $8,145 at the retail price. Now, this is quite a bit of money, especially for a piece of exercise equipment. In fact, it is actually rather close to the price of some of the 800 series of machines. This doesn’t help in our evaluation, especially when looking at the features it is missing compared to some of these more advanced ellipticals.
The warranty, on the other hand, does not disappoint. The EFX 761 has a lifetime warranty on the frame, a 10 year warranty on the parts and wear items, a 3 year warranty on the console and a 1 year warranty on the labour. It’s a rather brilliant guarantee that Precor gave this machine and they most certainly deserve praise for it.
The shipping process should not take particularly long. Maybe a week in many places, depending on your location and the type of services available. Just keep in mind that certain events (like a global pandemic) might happen and slow down such a process. It comes in one large package, which measures out to be 85 inches (216 cm) long, 29 inches (78 cm) wide and 28 inches (71 cm) tall. That package weighs 356 lbs (161 kg).
Precor EFX 761 Elliptical Pros:
- Brilliant Warranty: If something breaks on this machine, you’ll be sure to get it fixed with no problems. If all pieces of exercise equipment had such good warranties, we’d never complain again.
- Flexible Monitor: The monitor gives you all sorts of value. Whether it is the language customization options, the preset workouts or the statistic tracking, you just get so much value out of this one little piece of technology.
- Whole Workouts: The moving arms give you the benefit of getting a full body workout in. Since exercise is the point of this machine, it’s a definite bonus.
Precor EFX 761 Elliptical Cons:
- Value for Money: This is a rather pricey elliptical. You will want to make sure that you’ve got plenty of cash hanging around and ready to invest in this machine if you want it.
- Inflexible Stride and Incline: The lack of CrossRamp technology and fixed stride/incline just makes it feel like this elliptical is missing something.
Final Verdict
Our final verdict for the Precor EFX 761 elliptical is that it is good, but not good enough to justify such a large price. If it were to go on sale and drop a couple of thousand dollars, then sure, go for it. However, the (admittedly high quality) core features just don’t offer enough for the $8,000 you would be spending to get such benefits.
| Review | Image | C.C.R | Price | Capacity | Display | Stride | Programs | Incline | Charger | Metrics | Handlebars | Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precor EFX 781 |  | No Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 350 lbs / 159 kg | P82 - 15" Touch Screen | 22.5 in (57 cm) Fixed | 22 | 20° Fixed | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 761 | | No Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 350 lbs / 159 kg | P62 - 10" Touch Screen | 22.5 in (57 cm) Fixed | 22 | 20° Fixed | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 731 |  | No Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 350 lbs / 159 kg | P31 - LED Display | 22.5 in (57 cm) Fixed | 22 | 20° Fixed | No | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
