Precor EFX 863 Elliptical Review, Pros, Cons, & Comparison
Precor EFX 863 Overview
Keeping fit can be a challenge at the best of times. However, during a global pandemic it becomes even more of a challenge. Gyms are often shut down or extremely risky due to the amount of bacteria flying around. As winter approaches, it also means that outdoor exercise becomes more challenging as well. Health and exercise look increasingly likely to take a break for a while.
At least, they did until indoor exercise equipment came to the rescue. Ellipticals have made their march in order to save those who are looking for some way to exercise during these trying times. Precor in particular have a nice look about their 800 series of ellipticals. That’s why we’re going to take a look at their Precor EFX 863 elliptical machine today. It’s one of their middle of the pack models in the specific 800 series, though it’s still considered an upper-tier elliptical.
We’re going to examine the individual elements that make up the EFX 863 and see just how well it holds up. These will be parts like the monitor, the stride length and any sort of accessories that come with the EFX 863. Then we’ll compare it to the value it offers and see if it is worth what Precor thinks it is. Finally, we’ll offer our final verdict and then let you decide whether or not you would prefer to invest in such a high quality (and high price) machine. With all of that out of the way, let’s hop into our review of the Precor EFX 863 elliptical!
Precor EFX 863 Review and Specs:
To start, we feel that it makes sense to see just what the Precor EFX 863 cross trainer is made of. Specifically, we’re going to start with how much it weighs. Spoiler: it’s a lot. The weight of the EFX 863 is 340 lbs (154 kg). Meanwhile, the max user weight isn’t far behind, sitting at 350 lbs (159 kg). This is somewhat surprising, as you normally see the max user weight almost multiplied by the weight of the machine itself. Yet, here the two are extremely close together.
The EFX 863 isn’t just a heavy machine. It’s also a rather large one. It measures out to be 80 inches (203 cm) long, 30 inches (76 cm) wide and 72 inches (183 cm) tall. It cannot be folded, so you won’t really be able to find any way to make the dimensions more compact unless you get really creative. While it is large and heavy, the EFX 863 can be moved around on a pair of transportation wheels. It’s still not a mobile elliptical, but it can be put elsewhere.
The EFX 863 is powered by a cord. The cord that it comes with is 12 feet (3.7 meters) long and is about the maximum length away from an outlet that you can expect to put the machine without some sort of extension cable. It has a 240 VAC for country-specific cords, as well as 120 VACs for those particular sets in the U.S and Canada. So you’ll want to keep the outlet placement in mind when thinking about where you’d put the EFX 863 in your home.
Precor EFX 863 Elliptical Monitor
Considering this is one of the upper class elliptical machines, the Precor EFX 863 elliptical naturally comes with a monitor on the console. This is a pretty high quality monitor, as it offers plenty of options to whoever happens to be using it. People of various nationalities can switch the language of the console to their choice. This includes Iberian Portuguese, English, Korean, Italian, Japanese and 12 others. The statistics that the monitor displays can also show them in both metric and U.S standard measurements.
Speaking of those statistics, there are plenty of them to show. The EFX 863’s monitor can show 14 different workout stats, including the total distance, calories per hour, time elapsed and total calories burned. Not only can statistics be tracked, but the monitor can also help people set their own fitness routine. There are 27 different preset exercise routines available with the EFX 863 monitor. Included in there is the manual mode, various interval modes, a 5K mode and many, many more. It’s quite an impressive selection.
In those preset programs and statistics tracking lurks modes that have to do with your heart rate. Unfortunately, not everyone has a natural ability to track their heart rate, nor do they have a chest strap to track it while they work out. That’s why the EFX 863 has implemented heart rate sensors on the handlebars, allowing anyone to see their heart rate while they exercise. While not as accurate as a chest strap (which the 863 is compatible with), these sensors are a nice addition that can be ignored if you so choose.
Precor 863 Elliptical Stride and Incline
Now we’re going to look at the stride lengths of the Precor EFX 863 home elliptical. This is important to know for people of different heights, as it can play a part for how comfortable they are while working out. The stride length of the EFX 863 is 21 inches (54 cm) at the minimum incline, which is 10 degrees. At maximum incline (35 degrees), the stride length is 25 inches (63 cm). This should be a good range for people of varying heights and leg lengths.
Precor uses a technology for their incline called “CrossRamp® Technology”. There are 20 different settings to change the natural incline of the elliptical. The lowest setting sits at 10 degrees, while the maximum incline the elliptical can reach is 35 degrees. On account of these settings and technology, people of many different ages and fitness levels should be able to work out different muscle groups. This only adds more variety to those already available on the EFX 863.
The incline technology is not one of those fancy smart systems that will automatically adjust based on what it senses your workout needs. It will automatically adjust if you pick one of the programs that seeks to simulate climbing hills or mountains, Otherwise you’ll have to manually set the incline to your desired point. We should mention that the Converging CrossRamp® technology that’s on display here is unlike anything else you can get at the moment. Just keep that in mind when looking at it.
Precor EFX 863 Handlebar and Pedals
Considering the pedals and handlebars are what you’ll be interacting the most with on most ellipticals, we felt it relevant to cover just how they both work and feel. We’ll start with the handlebars. Unlike what most people picture when they think of an elliptical, the EFX 863 does not have moving arms. Instead there are only a pair of stationary handlebars. The outer one is the one you can hold onto while you exercise, while the inner one is where the heart rate sensors are located. They’re comfortable enough, but do not allow for full body workouts like moving arms can.
The pedals should also serve rather whoever is using the EFX 863 rather well. They are made of polypropylene, making them extremely easy to clean. As for how they will fit your feet, most people should not have to worry about that. Their dimensions measure to be 16 inches (40.6) long and 8 inches (20.3 cm) wide. The pedals can also get close together if you want, getting as narrow as 1.5 inches (3.8 cm).
Both the pedals and handlebars of the Precor EFX 863 cross trainer should fit most everyone rather well. However, there is most certainly some disappointment that there are no moving arms to help with upper body fitness alongside the plentiful lower body features. But if that’s not an issue for you, then both of these elements should do nicely.
Precor EFX 863 Accessories and Assembly
There really aren’t any additional accessories that come with the Precor EFX 863 elliptical. No optional add-ons, no fancy pieces of equipment that can change how it works and so on. The closest you can get is a little pocket that sits right beneath the monitor and heart rate handlebars that can hold a phone or tablet for entertainment. It can also hold a water bottle for hydration during the workout.
Other elliptical machines can be absolutely attacked and torn apart for their assembly process. Whether it’s the poor manual or convoluted process that it takes, sometimes it seems just not worth it to even see it through to the end. The EFX 863 does not face this problem thanks to the complete assembly manual and straightforward process. Even if you aren’t particularly handy, it shouldn’t take too long to put together.
If you were expecting a lot of little bonus features on the EFX 863, prepare to be disappointed. You’ve got a water bottle (or electronics) holder and that’s pretty much it. Fortunately, the rest of the features should make up for the lack of these additions. The assembly process is also a nice and well-directed process, especially compared to some others on the market.
EFX 863 Warranty, Price, and Shipping
Now we get to the fun part: the price. Unfortunately, this is also where things start to go downhill a little bit. The base price of the Precor EFX 863 elliptical trainer is just about $8,900. That’s quite a chunk of money. You could pay it in monthly payments, as low as $286 a month. However, that’s still just a lot of money for a lot of people.
If you do decide to drop the money on the EFX 863, then you’ll find that Precor will make sure that it is guaranteed to work. The Residential Warranty that comes with the elliptical is has a 10 year warranty on the parts, 1 year on the labour and a lifetime guarantee on the frame. For those looking at it for a gym or other business, the Commercial Warranty has 2 years on the parts, 1 year on the labour and 7 years on the frame. If you do have further questions or want to know more about Precor’s customer support, you can find more information here.
In terms of shipping, you’ll receive the EFX 863 in one giant package. The dimensions of said package measure out to 85 inches (216 cm) long, 30.75 inches (78 cm) wide and 28.125 inches (71.4 cm) tall. You will find that it is even heavier than the already massive machine, weighing 396 lbs (180 kg). The shipping process shouldn’t take too long so long as there’s not some global event that might interfere.
Precor EFX 863 Elliptical Pros:
- Advanced Monitor: You’ll find that the monitor that comes with the Precor EFX 863 does a whole host of different features. You can change the settings that come with it to different languages and measurements. It gives a variety of preset workout programs and statistic tracking that all can appreciate. You might never even get around to using all the options it offers.
- Varied Stride Lengths: Regardless of how tall or short you are, you should be able to find a stride length setting that suits you. That way you can be comfortable while you workout and nothing gets injured.
- Plenty of Challenges: In addition to the aforementioned preprogrammed workouts, there are also 20 different resistance levels and a “Workout of the day” feature. It will most certainly help everyone get as fit as possible.
Precor EFX 863 Elliptical Cons:
- The Pricing: This is an extremely expensive machine. You’ll really need to make sure you can afford it before looking to invest in it.
- Extremely Heavy: Once you set the EFX 863 up, you won’t really have much incentive to move it. It’s simply too bulky and too heavy, which also makes it inconvenient for smaller homes.
- Stationary Handlebar: This is more of an optional con, but it should be acknowledged. Moving arms can really help get a total body exercise in, and that is missing on the EFX 863.
Final Verdict
If the Precor EFX 863 elliptical trainer was cheaper, then it would be one of the highest recommendations we could ever give. However, it carries that (standard) high price of the 800 series and has some downsides like the extreme weight and stationary handlebar. However, if the price, weight and handlebars don’t bother you, this is still an extremely well made elliptical that would be spectacular for anyone who decides to invest in it.
| Review | Image | C.C.R | Price | Capacity | Display | Stride | Programs | Incline | Charger | Metrics | Handlebars | Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precor EFX 885 |  | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 340 lb / 154 kg | P82 - 15" Touch Screen | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 22 | 10-35° Motorized | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 883 |  | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 340 lb / 154 kg | P82 - 15" Touch Screen | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 22 | 10-35° Motorized | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Only Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 865 |  | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 340 lb / 154 kg | P62 - 10" Touch Screen | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 22 | 10-35° Motorized | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 863 | | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 340 lb / 154 kg | P62 - 10" Touch Screen | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 22 | 10-35° Motorized | Yes | Workout Metrics 18 | Only Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 835 |  | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 330 lb / 150 kg | P31 - LED Display | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 15 | 10-35° Motorized | No | Workout Metrics 18 | Moving & Fixed | 720 Watts |
| Precor EFX 833 |  | Yes, With Converging Cross Ramp | Check on Amazon | 330 lb / 150 kg | P31 - LED Display | 21-25 in (54-63 cm) | 15 | 10-35° Motorized | No | Workout Metrics 18 | Only 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.
