Precor EFX 781 Elliptical Review, Pros, Cons, & Comparison
Precor EFX 781 Overview
Looking for ways to get and stay fit can be hard, especially when you are trying to remain at your home while doing so. After all, in the midst of a global pandemic, public gyms are not exactly the most popular location. Thus, at-home exercise equipment has been looked at rather pleasantly by many people thanks to such circumstances. Elliptical machines are just one of the more popular options that people are taking from the gyms to their homes.
The downside of this is that there’s a whole host of different exercise equipment options on the market, which can be overwhelming even for those who are more experienced in such deals. Precor is one of the companies putting out these (many) elliptical machines and other forms of equipment, so we’ve decided to go through and look at some of them.
In this case, we’re going to be looking at the top of the 700 series: the Precor EFX 781 elliptical. This is the model that comes with their “best” features (and the highest price tag). It’s our goal to see whether or not those features warrant such a price. We’ll look at the build, monitor and other elements of the elliptical before comparing it to the price. Then we’ll give you our final verdict on the machine. So with all of that out of the way, let’s hop into our review of the Precor EFX 781 home elliptical!
Precor EFX 781 Review and Specs:
It only makes sense to start with what the elliptical looks like, how big it is and how much it weighs. In other words, the specifications of the Precor EFX 781 elliptical trainer. Starting off with how large the elliptical is, it’ll take up a decent chunk of space. It’s dimensions are 80 inches (203 cm) long, 28 inches (71 cm) wide and 72 inches (183 cm) tall. None of these elements are foldable, so you won’t be able to reduce this size at all. Normally, there are optional Personal Viewing Screens (PVS) that come with Precor ellipticals. However, the EFX 781 comes with a 15 inch P82 touch screen monitor whether you like it or not (we’re not sure why you wouldn’t, but you never know).
The weight of the EFX 781 is decent, though nowhere near as heavy as those in the 800 series. It weighs 286 lbs (130 kg), while it can hold a maximum weight of 350 lbs (159 kg). Now, this won’t mean that it will instantly shatter if 10 more lbs are put on board. It’s just the safe limit to keep the machine running for a long time without any problems. If all of this is sounding like too immobile of a machine, there are transportation wheels on the front in order to allow you some sort of mobility.
The Precor EFX 781 cross trainer is not one of those models that are self-powered. It needs an outlet near it in order to get the benefits of the monitor and other powered elements. In international countries that use the 240 VAC, Precor sends you a model that is compatible with such formats. In the United States and Canada, where there are 120 VACs, models are also available to be used with these.
Precor EFX 781 Monitor
Like we mentioned earlier, the P82 monitor that comes with the Precor EFX 781 elliptical is a rather large one. It also offers plenty of features that you’ll be able to use. First up is the customization effort. You will be able to set up the monitor to display in 17 different languages, with English, Finnish, Norweigan, Japanese and Korean just some of the options available. On top of that, you can switch between metric and U.S standard measurements for the statistical tracking that the monitor can do.
Speaking of such statistics, there are plenty to track when working out on the EFX 781. There are 18 different statistics that you’ll be able to track by default through the monitor. These can be things such as the total distance, time remaining, heart rate and calories per hour. You can also see the resistance level, of which there are 20 different ones for a challenge.
Such challenges are not in shortage around this machine. In addition to the default manual mode with all of its resistance settings, there are also a bunch of different preset workout programs to spice it up. Specifically, there are 16 different programs available. These can be such things as hill climbs, intervals or even a 5K mode. If you don’t feel like going through manual mode, you can just pick from one of these and start running without any thought. You can most certainly be pleased with the amount of work this monitor does for you.
EFX 781 Stride and Incline
The stride length is an important aspect to consider when looking at various elliptical machines. Whereas those in the 800 series of ellipticals do have adjustable stride lengths, this is not particularly common. The Precor EFX 781 elliptical cross trainer does not have adjustable stride lengths, as it sits solely at 22.5 inches (57 cm). This should work for the majority of people, though it’s unfortunate that it doesn’t share the adjustment of it’s other series.
Similarly, the incline on the EFX 781 is fixed in place, though this should not be a large issue for the vast majority of users. It is fixed right at 20 degrees, the same as others (like the EFX 761). Again, while it would be nice to have an adjustable incline for different challenges, you shouldn’t notice it if you haven’t used another elliptical with such features.
The biggest issue that we have with the Precor EFX 781 elliptical is the lack of the CrossRamp technology that is present on the 800 series. Such technology allows movement on the elliptical to seem much more like regular walking than anything else. The fact that it works so well on those 800 ellipticals and is lacking at the series just under it is rather disappointing. Having such a feature would drastically increase the value that the EFX 781 offers to those who exercise on it.
Handlebar and Pedals
Handlebars of various ellipticals can offer different experiences depending on how they are designed. Stationary ones just offer a firm place to hold onto, while moving ones can help you get a more well-rounded workout in. Fortunately, the Precor EFX 781 elliptical trainer has the latter on the outside. This will be sure to give you a better workout that will benefit even more parts of your body. The inside handlebars are where the heart rate sensors that we mentioned in the section on the monitor. These two handlebars will allow you to get the heart rate up with upper body actions and then see just how high it can go on the inner ones.
As for where you will put your feet on the EFX 781, we have some good news. They are rather large, allowing many different people to fit on board comfortably. Specifically, they measure at 16 inches (40.6 cm) long and 8 inches (20.3 cm) wide. If you feel the need to clean such pedals in order to prepare them for the next round, they are made of polypropylene in order to do so.
You can’t really have too many qualms with the arms and pedals of the EFX 781. The outer handlebars are probably the best bit about them, as they allow for a better total workout. Otherwise, they should suit many different people. Only those with absurdly massive feet could think that they might have some issues here.
Assembly and Accessories
In terms of the accessories that come with the Precor EFX 781 elliptical, you won’t really find much. There’s an item holder that sits right beneath the monitor/console, so you can put some stuff in there. Whether it is a phone, tablet or water bottle, that’s up to you. Otherwise there aren’t a whole lot of accessories that come with the machine. Disappointing? Yes. Does it destroy all value of the elliptical and mean that it should be shunned for all time as an abomination? Probably not.
As for the assembly process of the EFX 781, you’ll find that there’s nothing to really fear. While other companies send you the box and maybe a picture before saying “Good luck with that”, you get rather more help here. Precor’s manual on assembly does a whole lot more, giving you step-by-step instructions on how to get it up and moving. Even those who aren’t particularly handy will find the process relatively simple.
Some might be disappointed with the lack of accessories that comes with the EFX 781, and we can’t really blame them that much. However, bonus accessories are not what makes this a good machine to exercise on. Like we said, there’s better news on the assembly front. You’ll get the instructions that tell you exactly how to make the EFX 781 work and it will be done in a short period of time. So there’s one positive and one negative here.
Price, Warranty and Shipping
Finally, we arrive at the part where people might make their decisions. The Precor EFX 781 home elliptical costs a hefty $9,145. Payments can be made in batches as low as $295 a month, but that’s still a rather large amount for most people. Especially for a piece of exercise equipment. Even some of the 800 series come into this type of price range. You had better be extremely sure that this would be the preferred machine on account of this sort of high price.
On the other hand, we’re sure some of this price comes from the quality warranty that comes with the EFX 781. It 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. These are all pretty good, and Precor should be praised for backing up their product with guarantees that it will work. Any more customer service can be found here in order to see what’s up.
The shipping process shouldn’t cause too many headaches. Perhaps a week or two depending on where you are and if there is a worldwide pandemic slowing everything down. It comes in one large package that measures out to be 85 inches (216 cm) long, 29 inches (78 cm) wide and 28 inches (71 cm) tall. It weighs 362 lbs (164 kg). A chunky package for a fairly large machine.
Precor EFX 781 Elliptical Pros:
- Fabulous Warranty: The fact that you really don’t need to worry about aspects of this machine breaking will take a great weight off of many people’s shoulders. Especially when considering the price they paid.
- Monitor That Treats You Right: The P82 touchscreen allows you to do so much more than you’d think on this elliptical. The preset workouts, resistance settings and customization are all brilliant and should be praised.
- Total Workouts: With the moving arms, you’ll be able to exercise more of your body. Always a plus for an exercise machine.
Precor EFX 781 Elliptical Cons:
- Mind-Boggling Price: The fact that this elliptical could easily fit into the 800 series with its price is disappointing. Considering the lack of CrossRamp technology that makes those so good is absent here.
- Less Customization In Actual Build: The fact that you can’t adjust the incline or stride, in addition to the lack of CrossRamp options, simply means that you don’t have as much choice in how comfortable this piece of equipment is when working out.
Final Verdict
It’s really hard to recommend the Precor EFX 781. Not because it is a bad machine, but because it costs so much more than we believe it should. It has many of the same elements that the EFX 731 does, yet it costs nearly $4,000 more. Yes, the core elements are good, but they just don’t offer good value for what you are paying. Unless you can get one of these babies for an absurd discount, we generally think that you’d be better off looking somewhere else.
| 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 |
Hi, my name is Sayed Hamed Hosseiny. I am a professional health and fitness trainer with nearly 20 years of experience using ellipticals, rowing machines, and spin bikes. I also have my own EU-based Rock Fitness Pro fitness brand where I design, import and sell exercise equipment such as rowing machines and spin bikes. I and writers on my team also often receive fitness equipment to review and evaluate their functionalities and performance from tens of different exercise machines manufacturers. Fitness equipment tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on this website are my opinion (and opinions of my fitness expert colleagues) based on tens of criteria. I never accept payment to write reviews of products or say positive things about fitness equipment products. If brands are interested to have me review their rowers, ellipticals, or spin bikes, they can get in touch with me via email provided on the contact page and send a sample of their product.
