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The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical makes your workout smooth and challenging with a 32-lb flywheel and 26 levels of magnetic resistance. Read this review of the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical to learn more.
Updated: September 9, 2023
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 banishes sore and numb feet–the plague of elliptical users everywhere. The pedals are cushioned and adjustable to three positions, eliminating discomfort. All that is left for the elliptical-ers is to enjoy their workout. This NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical review takes a close look at all the machine’s tech and features. I also recount my time actually spent working out on the elliptical and testing the onscreen content. Spoiler alert: the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 delivers an effective workout that taught me to slow down and up my resistance.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 has a steel frame. The metal and plastic components are colored light and dark gray with blue accents. This color scheme makes the machine look dated, despite its smart features. Ellipticals are harder to find space for compared to treadmills, as they often do not fold. Their irregular shape sticks out more, so I think the color scheme NordicTrack has chosen for the 14.9 attempts to be more incognito than the sharp black of the Commerical treadmill series. The blue is the worst part of the 14.9’s appearance, I say as a person who likes blue a lot.
Aside from my complaints about the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9’s appearance, the frame is very sturdy. It creates a base that is supportive and comfortable to use. As with any elliptical, there are a lot of moving parts. Exercisers should be careful to keep pets and children away from the machine, especially while it is in use. I felt confident while using the elliptical and had no issues with the rollers coming off the tracks.
The weight capacity is 350 lbs. For reference, we have seen a range of 250 to 400 lbs, placing the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 on the higher end. The footprint is 67” L x 29” W x 69” H. This is a typical elliptical size–neither compact nor bulky comparatively. The height is the most demanding dimension. The user is elevated by around 26” when the pedals are at the highest point during the 20% incline, requiring considerable ceiling clearance, particularly for users near 6 feet or taller. Fortunately, you maintain contact with the pedals, so you don’t have to account for vertical bounce like on an inclined treadmill.
The 14.9 has a front drive, seating the flywheel beneath the console. Its movement will feel very similar to other front drive ellipticals users may be familiar with from their local gym. The flywheel is 32 lbs, which is quite a high weight for an elliptical. It creates a smooth stride. Even the lowest resistance level does not feel jerky or too easy.
I am chronically burdened by elliptical foot numbness. In high school, it came to the point that I had designated elliptical shoes, the only shoes that saved my feet from the awful sensation. I was downright ecstatic to be relieved of all such afflictions with the inclusion of adjustable pedals. There are three settings, and I found the highest to be most comfortable for my feet. This helped me maintain contact with the pedals with a larger portion of my foot, whereas the lowest pedal setting kept me on my toes.
The cushioning is very nice. It also went a long way in preserving the comfort of my feet. The only downside is the grooved edge separating the outer blue cushion from the inner black cushion. I preferred to narrow my stance to keep it closer to my natural running stride, but the groove encouraged me to move my feet back to the center of the pedals.
The handles are comfortable to grip. The texture does not become too slippery if you sweat heavily, allowing you to maintain a good hold on the handles for the entirety of your workout. The handles are looped for more grip positions. Depending on your height and broadness of chest, you may find the outer, inner, or top grip the most comfortable. At 5’4”, I preferred to grip the handles on the inside near the bottom of the loop. This grip gave me plenty of leverage to pull those handles and work my arms.
There are two stationary arms in front of the console. These are great for exercisers who want to isolate their legs or find the large moving handles too much for their shoulders. These stationary handles are also great for exercisers with back pain, as eliminating the arm movement of the elliptical can reduce spinal rotation.
The stride length is 17.5” to 18.7”, though I cannot account for that supposed inch of variability. I could not feel a difference while I was using the elliptical. Yet, the stride length was very comfortable. Taller reviewers here at Treadmill Reviews reported that the stride was also comfortable for them.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 does not fold. It has a rear bar for lifting it onto its two front transport wheels. It has limited storability, which is standard for an elliptical. It could be wheeled in and out of a corner, but I would advise against planning to move it any great distance regularly. It is heavy, weighing nearly 200 lbs. Its size and shape make it quite cumbersome to transport.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical has 26 digital magnetic resistance levels. The digital aspect allows the elliptical to be adjusted from the touchscreen or buttons on the elliptical handles. Magnetic resistance is nearly silent. The twenty-sixth resistance level creates a muddy, strong resistance. It should be sufficiently challenging for most elliptical users. The light to moderate levels are appropriate for a sustained effort.
The incline range is 0 to 20%. The incline works by raising the roller track located beneath the pedals. It does not add very much resistance. The incline challenged my hamstrings and glutes more than the neutral grade. The incline is not as important as the resistance level, in my experience, but it is a fun feature to have.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical focuses on the smart features accessed from its 14” smart touchscreen display. It is sparse on low-tech features, but you will hardly notice their absence if you have an iFIT subscription. The smart features transform the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical from the least exciting cardio equipment into a machine worth more consideration. Ellipticals have not developed the hype or community earned by running, indoor cycling, and rowing. Yet, the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 had me considering an alternate universe where we have elliptical studios instead of spinning and rowing studios.
The console is dominated by the 14” touchscreen display. Fortunately, some of the console’s real estate is doled out to other necessities like speakers, a fan, and a few membrane buttons. The buttons control the incline, fan, volume, and resistance (from left to right). The incline and resistance buttons are convenient if you prefer stationary handles over the large moving handles. The fan and volume controls are great, as the onscreen controls can be a little finicky to navigate while in an activity.
As stated before, the screen is 14 inches. It has clear graphics and excellent responsiveness. I rarely have to tap more than once to access what I need. The one area that could be improved is the height of the screen. It is low for me at 5’4”, and this issue is only worsened for taller users or while exercising at an incline. The screen can be tilted up and down, but this cannot remedy its unfortunate height. The height does make the screen more accessible while standing off of the elliptical, but as the screen does not pivot, controlling it while off the machine has limited utility.
There is only one cup holder below the console. It can accommodate a large water bottle. There is no phone or tablet holder, so I used it to store my phone. This bottle holder is the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9’s only storage. I would prefer additional storage to keep both my water and device close while exercising. The bottle holder is hard to reach while at an incline. I could not even see it from the top of the incline. This is okay for interval training, but it may not work for users planning to do sustained efforts at an incline.
The 14.9’s fan is effective. It is noisy but very strong. I rarely needed it on anything but the lowest setting. It has three speeds and an auto setting. The AutoBreeze setting allows the fan to speed up as your intensity increases.
Two front-facing speakers sit over the touchscreen. These are powerful speakers, and I did not need to turn them up to full strength to hear the trainer or music during iFIT workouts. The volume of the onscreen coach and the music can be adjusted separately. Thus, you can listen to only music if you prefer. I like that iFIT allows you to find the right audio mix. The volume controls on the console will adjust the master volume.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 elliptical is equipped with Bluetooth. I paired my headphones for quiet listening. Without the fan on, the elliptical is very silent, making this machine a great option for shared living spaces. Bluetooth also allows users to pair a compatible heart rate monitor for heart rate zone training.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical provides a pleasant exercise experience. Before getting on the elliptical, I position the pedals to my preferred setting, the highest of the three positions. This position lifts the heels the highest. I felt no tingling, burning, or numbness during my workouts on the 14.9, which was great and surprising. I found a comfortable hand position, whereas some ellipticals position my arms too high and too wide for my frame.
If you are a runner or cyclist, adopting an RPM similar to your stride rate or cycling RPM can be tempting. For the best experience on the 14.9, I recommend slowing down and upping the resistance. It is not the best for going fast, but few ellipticals will be. Avoid bouncing up and down, using your weight to overcome the resistance.
The incline takes a while to get used to if you have not used an elliptical with an incline before. Once you get the right position, being careful not to lean too far forward, the incline adds an interesting element to your training. I would not consider it more challenging than moving at a flat grade, but it felt like it was working my glutes and hamstrings more. I was surprised by how high it lifted me off the ground. Two considerations for taller users: the stationary handles may impede your stride at the top of the incline, and having appropriate ceiling clearance is important. Our reviewers did not hit the stationary handles with their knees, but they came closer than was comfortable. The 14.9 may not be the best fit (while inclined) for users over 6 feet tall.
The elliptical automatically pauses the workout if no movement is detected. I am not sure what to think about this feature. It does not provide increased safety beyond pausing incline adjustments. Stopping resistance adjustments is inconsequential. This feature does not prevent a child from resuming activity and activating the automatic incline and resistance functions. There are iFIT workouts that require the user to leave the elliptical for mat exercises. This feature is disabled in these circumstances.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 is ergonomic, allowing exercisers to use the machine for their longest efforts without discomfort. My testing included workouts of over an hour, so I felt I got a good idea of how the 14.9 performs over time. I have experienced ellipticals that were far too easy and others that were disastrously heavy and hard to work. The 14.9’s resistance range is effective for providing hard intervals or long, sustained efforts. The onscreen content kept me entertained for the duration of every workout.
iFIT provides the onscreen content for the 14.9 elliptical. The subscription platform is free for the first 30 days for new customers. Afterward, users can subscribe monthly or annually. The subscription improves the elliptical with its content and smart features. The subscription gives the user access to more than elliptical content. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the elliptical specific content. iFIT is known for its outdoor content. Rather than putting their athletes on ElliptiGos, iFIT has adapted hiking and skiing content for the elliptical. There are also elliptical studio classes. I thought these were interesting and fun. The studio classes often include off-elliptical segments, so make sure you have adequate room for an exercise mat and performing these exercises.
iFIT workouts automatically adjust your incline to match the real-life or trainer-designated grade unless this feature is disabled. The trainer sets your resistance. As you improve your fitness and increase the resistance, iFIT learns your abilities and adjusts your current and future workouts accordingly.
The non-elliptical content is suitable for other cardio machines like treadmills, rowers, and exercise bikes. If you have other iFIT equipment, you can log into the same account to access content there. There are also non-equipment workouts like yoga, meditation, and strength training. iFIT can guide your entire workout regimen.
If you decide not to subscribe to iFIT, you can still use the NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical. The functionality will be limited. There are a limited number of onboard workouts that include featured iFIT content and a few preset workouts. You can always train in manual mode, which is the only option available without a WiFi connection.
The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 is a smart elliptical with onscreen content. It requires a monthly subscription from iFIT to access all of its capabilities, but it is worth it. iFIT transforms the elliptical experience. The NordicTrack Commercial 14.9 Elliptical highlights what is best about training on the cardio underdog! iFIT provides studio and outdoor classes for constant sources of entertainment. The resistance and incline provide great training variation sure to tax all elliptical-ers!
