Keen to Get Your Daily Step Count Up? Try a Walking Pad Under Your Standing Desk

Keen to Get Your Daily Step Count Up? Try a Walking Pad Under Your Standing Desk
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When you have a desk job, it’s highly likely that you spend almost 35 hours sitting during the five days you work each week. It’s insane to think that the better parts of your day are spent stuck in a chair, gazing at a laptop screen. After a mentally draining day, the last thing you want to do is hit the gym. Especially when you’ve got a million chores and life admin lurking at the back of your mind. That’s where a walking pad comes in.

You’ve probably heard at least someone in your life parrot that “sitting is the new smoking“, and there certainly is some truth to it. It can contribute to a number of health concerns, such as high blood pressure and even diabetes. Most people will encourage you to take regular breaks from your desk, but if you work in a demanding role, it can be hard to tear yourself away from your screen.

For those unfamiliar, a walking pad is essentially a mini or foldable treadmill that you can place underneath your standing desk.

It’s doing the rounds on TikTok at the moment, with many investing in a walking pad with the hope of fitting more steps into their day. Granted, you would need to bundle it with a standing desk. However, you can actually grab a laptop stand instead if you don’t want to splash out on a whole new setup.

In any case, placing a mini treadmill or walking pad under your desk feels like a cheat code. By setting it to a slow speed, you can get those limbs moving while getting some work done. Squeeze some exercise into your day by turning on your walking pad as you watch a seminar or participate in a staff meeting. Even just sporadic 15-minute bursts of exercise throughout your day work wonders.

The best walking pads to buy in Australia

BLACK LORD Mini Treadmill

BLACK LORD Treadmill Electric Walking Pad
Image: Black Lord

The first walking pad on this list is a no-frills one by Black Lord. It’s got everything you need in your basic mini treadmill, from speeds starting at 1km up to 9km/hr with a remote control that will let you adjust its settings on the fly. It’s an important feature since some under-desk treadmills force you to hop off and turn them off manually.

This standing desk treadmill is compatible with the FitShow app, which nets you some training programs to diversify your routine. It also happens to boast an anti-slip and wear-resistant conveyer belt – as well as a bonus smartwatch, which is a nice perk.

Where to buy: Amazon ($289.95) | Catch ($229.95) | eBay ($299.95)

Advwin Walking Pad

Advwin walking pad
Image: Advwin

Your next option is this popular Advwin walking pad that can go up to 8km/hr, though we doubt you’ll need to go that fast in between your meetings. What’s neat about this desk treadmill is that it’s fitted with a built-in Bluetooth speaker, so you can play music while you walk.

If you happen to share your office, it’ll give your colleagues some peace of mind to know this one does happen to be quieter than other desk treadmills. It’s also narrower, which should save you some space when you decide to put it away or push it under your desk. Lastly, this walking pad also happens to come in three colours: black, white and pink.

Where to buy: Amazon ($279.90) | Catch ($299.99) | eBay ($279.90) | Kogan ($269)

Costway Foldable Treadmill

Costway Folding Walking Pad
Image: Costway

So you want a more traditional treadmill that you can tuck under your desk when it’s not in use, but still has handrails for more intensive exercise sessions? No problem, this Costway treadmill will sort you.

This standing desk treadmill features a foldable handrail that you can prop up if you want to make use of its safety key or prop your tablet on it. It’s the perfect choice if you want to use it outside of work as well, especially since it has a much wider conveyer belt and can run at speeds up to 12km/hr. The conveyer belt also features five layers that offer sound insulation and shock absorption.

Where to buy: Amazon ($397.46) | eBay ($478) | Kogan ($399.98)

LSG Nimbus Walking Pad Treadmill + ErgoDesk Automatic Standing Desk combo

Image: LSG/ErgoDesk

If you’re ready to transform your WFH space and ditch about 35 hours of straight sitting a week, we’ve found a great deal on this walking pad and standing desk bundle.

This under-desk treadmill by LSG can go up to 10km/hr and features foldable handlebars with built-in hand pulse sensors that can read your heart rate. Just like those high-tech treadmills at your local gym.

Meanwhile, the standing desk is from ErgoDesk and sports three preset height levels with a handy grommet to keep all your pesky cables from cluttering your workspace.

Where to buy: Amazon ($1,149) | Catch ($999) | eBay ($1,149) | Kogan ($999)


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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