10,000 has become the magical number for some years: according to some studies it would represent the minimum goal of steps that an adult should take every day to consider himself in order with his conscience (and especially with health) in terms of daily physical activity.
For someone in sedentary work and too lazy or busy to go to the gym, 10,000 steps is not an easy number to reach. To help you comes Xiaomi with its A1 treadmill, an exceptional device that allows you to keep fit directly from your living room.
Cyberlayman tried the device, here's how it went.
How it's done
The Xiaomi A1 is basically a handlebarless treadmill designed not for running but for walking. Made with a plastic body and aluminum finishes, it appears sturdy and very resistant thanks to its 28 kg of weight.
Despite some difficulties in unpacking, mostly due to the weight, transport is then very simple thanks to the two wheels on the lower front, which allow you to fold and tilt the A1 and slide it on the floor without great effort.
The two front wheels that make transport easy
The dimensions are very small for a product of this kind: the A1 measures only 143.20 cm (extended) x 54.70 cm x 12.90 cm and can be further folded on itself for a total thickness of 12.9 cm.
You can conveniently store it for example under the bed, under a sofa or in a corner of the house, to use it only when necessary: since it is a compact product you will not need additional space to enjoy the benefits.
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Once fully extended you are faced with a treadmill with a length of 1200mm, width of 415mm and height of 5.7mm, enough to be able to walk comfortably; the knurled plastic mat guarantees maximum grip when walking and a surface that is flexible enough to make every stride pleasant.
On the front there is a LED display hidden under the body that displays all the necessary information; three different lights are clearly visible below, the power light, the M light and the A light, which respectively indicate the manual and automatic operating modes.
The Allen key insertion hole to adjust the sliding of the carpet. There is one for each side
The package also includes an Allen key, useful for adjusting the sliding of the mat, a small remote control for control on the platform and a bottle of silicone oil for lubrication.
How are you doing
As said Xiaomi A1 is designed for walking, not for running: the speed of the carpet in fact does not go beyond 6 km / h, perfect speed for an intense walk but certainly insufficient for a run. There are therefore no side or front handlebars, which are indispensable in the more classic treadmills.
The operation of the A1 is characterized by simplicity, just connect it to the electrical socket to start immediately: with the remote control included in the package (or using the less comfortable side button on the head) you can select the walking mode, manual or automatic and you start walking immediately.
The convenient remote control, powered by a button battery (included in the package)
The learning curve on operation will be particularly sweet and progressive thanks to a convenient tutorial that will help the user to become familiar with the functions and understand how to use them.
The manual mode is quite intuitive: using the + and – buttons on the remote control you manually increase or decrease the speed of the walking belt according to your preferences, while the information regarding the walking speed, the kilometers traveled and the number scrolls on the screen. of steps performed.
The automatic mode is certainly the most interesting: the carpet is in fact equipped with two different sensitivity areas on which to walk through which it determines whether to increase the speed or decrease it.
By walking as close as possible to the head of the A1, the device will gradually increase the walking speed; if you walk further back, the speed will decrease.
The system is particularly convenient, works very well and allows you to change your walking intensity during the walk without having to manually intervene via the remote control. The only imperfection that can be found concerns the speed reduction function, which is less progressive than the increase one.
In fact, if you find yourself walking in a more rearward position it could happen to trigger a slightly too rapid decrease in the running speed of the carpet.
Basically it is much easier to gradually and accurately increase the speed, for example from 4 to 5 km / h, rather than reducing it from 5 to 4 km / h; very easily you will go from 5 to 3 or 2 km / h without being able to modulate the braking with the same precision.
However, this is a small spot that absolutely does not affect the efficiency of the device but only requires a few more training sessions to be able to master it.
For those who wish it, the Xiaomi A1 can also be connected to the internet through a Wi-Fi connection and using the now all-rounder Mi Home application.
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Once connected, you can also control the device directly from your smartphone (instead of the remote control) and save all your statistics: walking sessions, steps, kilometers traveled and many other information, especially useful for those who want to use the A1 for an activity more methodical, taking into account one's own walks – and the data related to them – consistently and more scrupulously.
The application is certainly useful but not essential in everyday use: you can safely use the A1 using only the included remote control, without the need to connect the device to the wireless connection and to the application.
Conclusion
We can only recommend this A1 from Xiaomi without any hesitation, yet another demonstration of the quality of the Chinese brand's products. The A1 in particular is the perfect companion to be able to carry out basic physical activity but sufficient to keep fit in everyday life.
It is the perfect accessory for all those who lead a mostly sedentary life and cannot (or do not want to) use their time for other activities.
Robust and solid, in terms of comfort and functionality A1 passes the test with flying colors and honors thanks to the two excellent modes of use and the possibility of using it in a traditional way without forgetting those who want something more by taking advantage of online connectivity and 'special app.
The Xiaomi A1 can be purchased online from Gearbest by clicking on this direct link . At the time of writing, the price is around 400 euros.
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