Best Mini Stepper to Buy in 2024 – Guide & Review of Our Top 5

Updated on

Many of us have been forced to do our workouts at home these days. However, fitness equipment can be pricey and usually takes a lot of space. Well, mini steppers can provide a decent workout and they are – mini. 

We are here to help you choose the best mini stepper to match your needs and preferences. We’ll dig deep to unveil the upsides and downsides of some of the best options out there.

This article includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products we have discussed in this article, we may receive a small commission.

Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster tops our list, but it was a tight race – all products on our list are excellent and useful.

Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster
Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands
Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Cardio Stair Stepper
Stamina InMotion Compact Strider
Gold’s Gym Mini Stepper

The Best Mini Stepper Reviews

Xiser Mini Stairmaster – Best Overall

Our top choice is the most expensive one for a good reason. It’s made of aluminum alloy, typically used in the aircraft industry. As a result, the item is the strongest and one of the lightest out there.

It can withstand 400lbs which is the highest weight capacity by far.

This device combines top-quality and simplicity. It also offers an unmatched versatility when it comes to training. Different intensity levels, including sprinting, will allow you to have a serious workout.

Why I think the Xiser machine is the best mini stepper available is this ability to actually sprint. Although it does take a bit of getting practice to get up to speed.

Start off slow to get your form right as there is a good deal of balance required. The anterior muscles throughout your body get tested as you continually adjust your position.

It might be worth starting off next to a wall or something as a precaution whilst getting used to balancing.

This beast is 100% made in America and it should last forever.

Dimensions: L 21” W 14” H 4” (folded)
Weight: 13.5 lbs
Capacity: 400 lbs

Pros:

  • Heavy duty construction.
  • Adjustable resistance.
  • Very stable.
  • It allows sprinting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
  • Lightweight, foldable, and portable.
  • Extremely durable.
  • Quiet.

Cons:

  • Rather expensive.
  • No resistance bands

Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper – Best Value

Our runner-up is the best value for money. Sunny Health & Fitness is renowned for producing high-quality equipment at reasonable prices. 

The Mini Stepper is made of steel which makes it sturdy and durable. It’s a great machine for a low-impact workout.

Resistance bands will provide toning your chest, shoulders, and back along with your hips, thighs, and obliques. Anti-skid footplates are wide and long to provide stability and prevent injuries.

Dimensions: L 16” W 12.5” H 13.5”
Weight: 14.5 lbs
Capacity: 220 lbs

Pros:

  • Great value for money.
  • Oversized non-slip footplates.
  • Resistance bands.
  • Digital monitor.

Cons:

  • Low maximum weight capacity (220lbs).
  • Limited intensity.

Women’s & Men’s Health Bluetooth Cardio Stair Stepper

Would you like to monitor and track your workouts? This device comes with Bluetooth Smart Technology and a free MyCloudFitness app.

There’s also an LCD display to count steps, steps per minute, calories burned, and more.

Apart from modern additions, it’s a sturdy and solid machine. Adjustable footplate height will allow you to choose different intensities while resistance bands will add up for a total body workout.

Dimensions: L23” W 16” H 19”
Weight: 30 lbs
Capacity: 250 lbs

Pros:

  • Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Actual step motion.
  • Adjustable intensity.
  • Resistance bands.

Cons:

  • It’s on a heavier side.
  • The resistance decreases slightly as the machine heats up after 15-20 minutes of workout.

Stamina InMotion Compact Strider

It’s another great mini stepper to get an effective workout. It’s a sort of crossover between the stepper and elliptical. It comes with resistance bands to include arms exercises. An LCD monitor will help you track your progress.

Tension control allows you to choose the optimal resistant level. I like the fact that pedals can move in a forward or reverse direction. It looks the same but it targets different muscle groups.

Dimensions: L “24 W 12” H 18”
Weight: 24 lbs
Capacity: 250 lbs

Pros:

  • Sturdy steel construction.
  • Compact design and a handle for portability.
  • Workout DVD 
  • Pedals can move forward or backward to activate different muscles.

Cons:

  • Occasional monitor issues.
  • Can become noisy over time.

Gold’s Gym Mini Stepper

Gold’s Gym is a big name in the fitness industry. Their mini stepper is simple but effective. It provides a pretty decent workout for a mini stepper. Maybe it’s even too challenging for some beginners.

While it’s reliable and efficient, this item stands out for its lightweight and compact size. You can easily store it away almost anywhere. 

Dimensions: 16” x 13” x 7”
Weight: 13.1 lbs
Capacity: 250 lbs

Pros:

  • Very lightweight.
  • The smallest on the list, hence the most portable model.
  • Long stride.
  • Extra large footplates.

Cons:

  • Deep steps make it hard to keep balance.
  • Not the best customer support.

Benefits of a Mini Stepper – Is It Really Worth It?

The answer is simple – yes, it is worthed. While a mini stepper isn’t the most effective piece of fitness equipment it offers very convenient ways to get a decent lower body workout.

Mini steppers are lightweight and compact machines. You can use them at your leisure practically whenever and wherever you want. You can even use them while you’re sitting at your desk. Truth be told, the standing position provides maximum efficiency.

A mini stepper works your quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves. Mini steppers emulate stair-climbing motion, but they are gentle on your joints as your feet are always on the footplates. Models with resistance bands will also work your upper body. 

So, it’s a great and convenient way to tone your muscles and get a decent cardio exercise.

Things to Look for When Buying a Mini Stepper

Durability

Mini steppers provide lots of benefits only if they work properly. Every stepper will work well when it’s brand new. But, low-quality items will start producing squeaky or clunky sounds quite soon or even worse, break apart.

Therefore, choose high-quality and durable steppers. Aluminum construction is the best choice, high-quality steel is also fine, but you should probably avoid plastic no matter how hard it appears.

Size

While most mini steppers are small and compact, if you live in a small or cramped apartment a few inches can make a difference. It shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but it’s worth paying attention to.

Intensity

All mini steppers offer a low-impact workout. However, they differ when it comes to intensity levels. Some of them offer very little resistance, while others can give you a solid sweat.

Machines with an adjustable intensity usually provide a decent range of intensity to fit anybody’s needs.

Weight Capacity

If you’re lightweight it’s not an issue. Still, machines with higher weight capacity are usually sturdier and more durable. If you want your machine to work for years, make sure you buy one that easily exceeds your body weight.

Extra Features

Once you’ve narrowed down your choice, checking all the essentials, you can look for some extra features to find a model that fits you perfectly.

 There are models with handlebars if you want to include your upper body.

Models with monitors will allow you to track your progress and calorie burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use a mini stepper while sitting?

A: Sure you can. These machines are designed to be convenient. While standing position provides a little bit better workout, if you can’t find the time, you can do your workout in a sitting position.

Q: Can I tone and build muscles using a mini stepper only?

A: Yes and no. Some models offer more resistance to give you a more intense workout. However, mini steppers are great for toning and not so great for muscle building. It is possible, but it would take long, long sessions.

Q: Why should I use a mini stepper over a regular one?

A: It’s simple – mini steppers are more convenient. In all honesty, regular stepping machines are better. But they are much larger, more expensive, and you can’t really carry them around.

Mini steppers are designed to provide for people who can’t afford or don’t have enough space for a regular stepper.

Final Thoughts

Mini steppers are great because they provide an excellent low-impact workout while being very compact and convenient. We’ve gone into details about many other choices of compact equipment you might be interested in.

While every person has different preferences and desires, the best mini stepper overall for me was the Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster.

It just beats the competition in almost every segment apart from the price. It has an exceptional build and durability, offers versatile intensity levels including sprinting, it comes with the longest warranty.

Moreover, it is lightweight, small, and has a whopping weight capacity of 400 lbs. Case closed.

So, waste no time and step up (pun intended)!

Photo of author

AUTHOR

Jenny Churchill

Always being a fitness fanatic saw Jenny become a Level 2 Certified Personal Trainer. She was able to maintain her enthusiasm for her own fitness after the arrival of 2 more mouths to feed. And now it's more about helping others through her writing, something she can do from home.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.