I'm going to try to organize this review so I don't ramble. Apologize in advance if I fail. First: I received my elliptical quickly, exactly as stated. I wasn't feeling great the day it arrived, so I asked hubby to put it together while I read the instructions. It was very easy/straightforward. You might initially think you're missing hardware, but this is because the nuts, bolts and washers are mostly in the holes of the base where they will end up later anyway (you remove them and put them back on with the component you install there). This is a very good thing because you don't have to distinguish between the several similar looking bolts, nuts, and washers. I'm going to guess assembly took no more than 30 minutes, but I didn't time it. While I'm on assembly, I'll say that the next day I disassembled it with similar ease. Putting it back in the box properly was a challenge (though we were told for returns that we could just put it in any box that fit it, we decided to disassemble and return in the original). The next day I assembled the new one and the second time was even easier. Now you're probably wondering why I returned the first one. Actually you probably read the title of my review and know. The internal mechanism of the elliptical machine made a notable grating noise. Loud enough that it *clearly* would not work for my "TV room" purposes. It was not the wheels, as they first suggest you check. In fact, it had zero to do with the assembly. (Advice, try to turn the pedals at modest speed pre-assembly. It might save you some trouble.) I contacted Amazon, they worked with me for a reasonable amount of time to try to find a solution, and when there was none, they immediately processed the return, asking if I wanted a replacement. The replacement was on the way immediately, even before I disassembled this one. The device: I bought this one for my rec room. My teens spend a fair bit of time in there, and one of them values movement stimulus. I bought this particular device because I thought the kids might like the option to stand up sometimes, rather than just a sitting one. No one in my house is doing hard core exercise on this, so if that's the feedback you need... It's not here. But for a "get a little movement in while watching TV or playing Animal Crossing is up your alley, this review works. This elliptical works great in the sit-down position and is easily quiet enough for using while watching TV. The whole family can be in the room watching, and no one is bothered by me or my kiddo using it (and honestly, my husband can be a bit of a curmudgeon about these things). The tension goes from mild+ to moderate. It's not a big range. But when we're using it sitting, it's really not meant for muscle or aerobic exercise (both of which feel moderate at most), it's meant more for general movement and avoiding stiffness. It helps keep my teen focused and me out of pain (which too much stillness can cause in my poor joints and stiff muscles). Also, it's easy to reposition in the room for uses in different locations because if the repositioning wheels. It's a but bulky for some locations I'd like to use it though. The one teen has only used it standing once or twice. I tried it for about 30 seconds, but I never intended to use it that way. Here's my not super informed feedback. Once you get your rhythm and balance, this would be an excellent workout. The tension seems higher, I suppose because your body weight is on there. It felt like it would be comfortable for a moderately fit person to use. If you have knee or back issues, maybe not. HOWEVER, one thing they don't show you in the video or specify in the description is that it's actually non-trivial to switch modes. They make it look like you just turn it around and use it the other direction. Nope. You have to unscrew the "pin" that holds each step in place and put it into a new position. This is not super hard, but it's not a spring-loaded pull out pin or something. You actually have to unscrew the pin a centimeter or two, adjust the step, then screw it back in at the new position. Repeat for other step. Also understanding the positions is for some reason not intuitive, and there are 3 positions total, one standing and two sitting. Given that we're getting our main need met in the sitting position, we just haven't switched it back since we first had it there for a day it two. Ymmv, but I'd say if you think you want to use both functions on a regular basis, you might see if another device has an easier transition. Bulk: I have a very hard time seeing using this under a desk while sitting and working. It's big (front to back), you have to have it pretty far in front of you to keep your knees low. You'd need a lot of clearance either in height or to the back of your desk. But if it fits for you, it'd be great. I want to mention here that if you're looking for an under-desk only option, I also got a cubii for that purpose, and I love it. It's got a smoother turn, it's almost completely silent (I haven't done a side by side noise comparison, but I think the cubii has to be quieter. I did have my husband zoom call me to test. He couldn't hear it all, though he could see the slight movement in my shoulders, so it's not completely stealthy.) It's got a smaller profile, so it fits under the desk easier. It's somewhat lighter so you can move it easily even between rooms. As for general elliptical use under the desk... I've been loving having some movement during long zoom days, reading on the computer, and casual keyboard use. When I have to type a lot, I'm unable to sit back the way I need to for the elliptical. This may be setup dependent. I'll admit, I didn't buy an under-desk elliptical for the purpose of "getting fit" or "losing weight". For me, it's about stiffness and joint pain and just generally getting the blood flowing. It's been great for that. I've kept the tension low so far. My understanding is that in the cubii the tension doesn't go super high. I haven't experimented much. The max tension on this one is probably higher than my cubii. But I'm not sure how easy it is to get work done while doing this at a higher tension. In otherwords, I don't think an under-desk option is going to get anyone a bunch of muscles built or heart condition improved, but the consistent movement could add to your general feeling of health and well being. Update: I changed my review to 4 stars because the bulk and difficulty adjusting the stand/sit option has just made continued use of this hard. It's mostly just sitting there now.
