The last few decades have seen a revolution in home exercise equipment. In the old days, your only options for indoor cardiovascular exercise were bulky treadmills and old fashioned exercise bikes. These days, it's possible to buy lightweight, easy to use machines that can help you focus on working out different areas of the body, all while getting a great cardio workout.

With all the exercise equipment out there, deciding which one to buy can be difficult. Your budget is certainly a major concern, and you should always look for the best machine that you can afford. If you've never owned an exercise machine before, it's not a bad idea to start with something inexpensive and see how it works for you. You can always upgrade later.

What Type of Workout Do You Want?
Treadmills and exercise bikes are great for general cardiovascular exercise, but they don't always tone your body in the way you might be looking for. When choosing a machine, think about what area of the body you'd like to work out the most. If you decide this is your lower body (legs, buttocks and thighs) your best bet is probably a stepper machine.

Stepper machines are specifically designed to give you a good cardio workout while simultaneously toning your lower body. When you're using a stepper machine, your body is typically angled in such a way that it accentuates the use of your lower body muscles. Regular exercise on one of these machines will almost certainly lead to a more well-toned lower body.

As with any type of exercise machine, it's important to remember that a stepper machine isn't your only answer. You can't expect the machine to remove all the fat from your body--this will only happen with a solid combination of good diet and regular exercise. You can always tone your muscles, but if you have too much body fat on your trouble areas, you might never notice a difference.

Choosing a Stepper Machine
Stepper machines are available in many different styles and prices. The cheapest machines usually cost a few hundred dollars, and they have all the features you need to get you started. Even the most basic steppers usually feature variable resistance, which allows you to adjust the difficulty of your workout regimen.

Paying more for an expensive stepper machine usually means that you're going to get more bells and whistles. Some of these features aren't always necessary, but they can be very useful and can definitely improve your workout. One great feature is pulse sensing handgrips, which allows you to monitor your heart rate while you're working out.

Higher-end stepper machines also offer computer controlled workout regimens that adjust the resistance on the machine while you work out. This is a great way to make sure that you're making progress, since you can adjust the difficulty level on the machine each time you get on (or whenever you feel comfortable taking a step up). Some of the best stepper machines also feature audio plug-in sockets so you can listen to music or the television while you're working out.