The best treadmill reviews you can trust
What if you could have a quality treadmill and a great subscription service all for one reasonable price? Our ProForm Trainer 12.0 Treadmill Review tells you just how that’s possible.
Updated: December 14, 2023
ProForm gives budget shoppers a more reasonably priced treadmill and subscription with the ProForm+ program. The program offers one piece of equipment free when new iFIT subscribers sign up for three years of the program. The cost of the ProForm+ program is only a little more than what the brand could charge for the equipment alone, so it is a great deal. In addition to being a part of a great deal, the Trainer 12.0 is powerful enough to support running, has a compact folding deck, and a built-in HD smart tablet. The Trainer 12.0 offers many of the smart features found on pricier treadmills and makes the iFIT training platform more accessible to a wider range of exercisers.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 has a steel frame. The uprights are reinforced with a crossbar, which I like to see because it typically creates a very sturdy console. This treadmill is very similar to the discontinued ProForm Carbon T10. I was a little disappointed with how shaky that treadmill’s console was, but the new reinforcement on the Trainer 12.0 seems very promising. I will update this review when I get the chance to test this treadmill out!
A 3.0 HP motor has long been our standard for running. While there are treadmills that appear to be the exception to this rule, we are happy that the Trainer 12.0 has a 3.0 CHP motor. This motor size should support daily use by one runner. It may not be ideal if you are logging enough mileage to train for a marathon. It should also serve a walking routine easily.
I can’t do more than speculate on the Trainer 12.0’s cushioning since I haven’t tried the treadmill in person. Given my experience with the Carbon T10 and ProForm’s other budget treadmills, I expect that it will be considerably firmer than their Pro series treadmills. However, I am open to being wrong. The Carbon TLX, which was released around the same time as the Trainer 12.0, is a firm treadmill. While it may not be the best for runners and walkers who need a lot of shock absorption, I like ProForm’s firm treadmill decks. They feel stable and smooth underfoot. If you are a road runner or preparing for a road race, they may be a good fit for you, because your training paces will translate to outdoor running better.
While it won’t be a big deal to walkers, runners should notice that the Trainer 12.0 only has a 55-inch long deck. Some runners may not have enough room to lengthen their stride on a treadmill like this. The ProForm Carbon TLX may be the better option if you have long legs because it has a 60-inch running deck. However, if you focus on running with a higher cadence (around 180 steps per minute), this can help you become a more efficient runner and feel more comfortable on a shorter running deck.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 improves upon the former Carbon series treadmills by offering hydraulic folding. Hydraulic folding makes unfolding and folding your treadmill much easier compared to manual models. Just use the kick release bar to softly lower the deck to the ground, and don’t worry about dropping the treadmill deck when you lift it back to its folded position.
The Trainer 12.0 has a 0 to 12% incline. There is no decline option. iFIT follows the real-life terrain as closely as possible, so I do miss the decline feature whenever it is not included on an iFIT treadmill. However, a maximum incline level of 12% is on par with other home treadmill brands and should be challenging enough for most users.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 Treadmill has many of the same features found on other iFIT treadmills. The Trainer 12.0 is set apart from the ProForm Carbon TLX by its touchscreen display. The features are very similar to the ProForm Pro series, so don’t feel like you are missing out much for opting for this budget-friendly treadmill.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0’s layout is very similar to other treadmills that ProForm offers. The buttons show every incline and speed level. I can’t tell if the tablet rack blocks these buttons from being easily pressed. That would be my only concern about this console layout. Some users may not prefer its more maximalist, dated appearance, but I like its functionality.
There are also arrow buttons the incline, plus and minus buttons for the speed, start and stop buttons, and volume buttons. While you can control a lot of this from the touchscreen, these physical buttons make it a lot easier to make your desired changes while running.
There are two large and shallow cup holders. I like the size of the cup holders, because you can fit a large water bottle and any other necessary belongings within them. I will need to test the treadmill before I can comment on their stability, but my previous experience suggests that the console should be plenty stable to prevent your items from shaking around.
The fan is a two-speed fan–not the automatic adjusting fan that some of the other ProForm treadmills have. In my experience ProForm fans are effective, and I was content with the cooling ability of the similar ProForm TLX.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 has a device rack that can hold your phone or tablet while you are training. The screen only shows iFIT content, so I am really thankful that ProForm included another option for viewing content.
When I am able to test the ProForm Trainer 12.0 treadmill for myself, I will update the review to reflect their performance. Based on my experience with the ProForm Carbon TLX, I expect that the Trainer 12.0’s speakers will be more than sufficient.
I am disappointed by the lack of Bluetooth audio. I don’t understand why the treadmill does not allow you to connect headphones to listen quietly via Bluetooth. You can use the auxiliary port to connect headphones. With aux ports becoming increasingly obscure on phones, this seems like a very strange decision on ProForm’s part. Every other iFIT treadmill I have reviewed that has a touchscreen has Bluetooth audio, so I’m curious to confirm that it does not if I get the chance.
The Trainer 12.0 should support most Bluetooth heart rate monitors. I will update this review when I can confirm.
There are a few things I have come to expect out of a ProForm treadmill–timely speed transitions, hands-free training, and a stable running deck. I don’t think the Trainer 12.0 will be as soft as the Pro series, but I really enjoyed my experience running on the Carbon TLX. I expect that I will be equally impressed with the Trainer 12.0.
The speed transitions should be timely and smooth, but the incline may be a little slower and noisier given the weaker motor. I like that the iFIT programming automatically controls your speed and incline. iFIT will really improve your experience training on this treadmill.
iFIT is one of the most impressive training platforms. There are thousands of classes to choose from. They are filmed all over the world, and they update routinely so the content is always exciting and new. The classes adapt over time to be more appropriate to your training level, so they fit you regardless of your ability. If you override the preset levels, iFIT adapts to your suggestion.
Beyond treadmill classes, there are iFIT classes for strength training, yoga, and other iFIT-enabled cardio equipment. iFIT can replace your gym membership, making the ProForm Trainer 12.0 an exciting opportunity to snag 3 years of the service and the treadmill for the price of only one of them!
iFIT requires a WiFi connection to operate. You can create up to 5 unique profiles with the iFIT family membership.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 can be used without WiFi or an iFIT subscription. If you decide to cancel after 3 years, you can still use the manual training mode. With WiFi, you should be able to test out at least one featured iFIT treadmill class. I wish there were a few other iFIT classes or onboard workouts available. Overall, iFIT really improves the training experience on the Trainer 12.0. I suggest this treadmill for users who plan to subscribe.
The ProForm Trainer 12.0 Treadmill is a great addition to the Carbon line. As the new treadmill is offered as a part of the ProForm+ program, it is a spectacular deal. This compact treadmill should not take up too much space in your home given its smaller footprint and is an excellent option for saving space. However, the smaller running deck, lack of decline, and questionable audio connectivity may push some users toward the ProForm Pro 2000. Many runners and walkers will find that the Trainer 12.0 provides plenty of smart features from iFIT to make their indoor workouts more engaging.
