When you’ve only got a small space to work out in at home, I understand why a mini-stair stepper looks like a great idea. After all, it’s small enough for you to easily tuck away when you’re not using it. Plus, they’re so much more fun to get in shape with than a treadmill or elliptical machine.
Here are the 3 best mini stair steppers for weight loss:
- Mini Stairmaster – Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster
- Mini Stepper – Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands
- Portable Stairmaster – Sunny Health & Fitness Twister Stepper
- Compact Stairmaster – Women’s Health Men’s Health Stepper with Resistance Bands
Small Stairmaster Comparison Table
| Rank | Mini Stepper | Dimensions | Max User Weight |
| 1 | Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster | L 21″ x W 14″ x H 4″ (Folded) | 400 lbs |
| 2 | Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands | L 16″ x W 12.5″ x H 13.5″ | 220 lbs |
| 3 | The Women’s Health Men’s Health Stepper with Resistance Bands | L 23″ x W 16″ x H 19″ | 250 lbs |
| 4 | Sunny Health & Fitness Twister Stepper | L 17″ x W 19″ x H 14″ | 250 lbs |
Mini Stairmaster
When looking for a mini stepper, you need to look for one with a strong frame, good hydraulic resistance, ease of assembly, a suitable size, and a warranty. After considering each of the features that make a great mini exercise stepper, I choose the Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster (Amazon) as my top choice.
The original stair climbing simulator Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster is regarded as the lightest mini stepper in the market, Xiser Mini Stairmaster gives you easily adjustable resistance. You can perform trends like spinning, Tabata protocols, and CrossFit on this aerobics trainer. It is manufactured in the United States with biomechanically measured ergonomics to ensure maximum efficiency.
Features
- The only stepper that can be used for sprint training HIT and Aerobic protocols
- The lightest stepping machine on the market (13.5 lbs.)
- Easily adjustable resistance
- Assembles and disassembles for storage or travel in minutes
- Supports 400 lb (181.5 kg) more than any other stepper on the market
- Designed by Ph.D.’s, not a marketing company
- Biomechanically correct ergonomics
- Perfect for the stand-up desk
Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster features a patented hydraulic cylinder and a silicone fluid in its pulley system that ensures it is stable, remarkably smooth, and quiet when in operation. The tall cylinder allows for increased heat tolerance that results in a very quiet stepper. As such, you can work out without disturbing the other people around you and carry out other activities as you work out.
Dimensions
Measuring 21 inches x 13 inches x 14 inches, Xiser only requires a space of 2 cubic feet to use. When folded, it measures 20 ½ by 13 by 4 inches, which means that you can store it in a very small space such as under your bed or in your closet. The stepper only weighs 14 pounds, which makes it easily portable. It comes with a weight limit of 400 pounds.
Xiser stepper is also easy to assemble since you will require no tools to set it up. You just need to align the pistons, fix the cables and voila! You are ready to start your work out.
Product warranty
Xiser has a 5-year warranty for individual consumers and a 1-year institution warranty.
Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands
Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper with Resistance Bands is for those among us who require workout equipment that will push them to the limit without leaving a huge dent in their pockets. It is easy to use, small and portable, and rather affordable, which is why it is the first choice for beginners and gym-shy individuals who are looking to lose hundreds of pounds from within the comfort of their homes.
Dimensions
This mini-stepper measures 16 inches long by 12.5 inches wide by 13.5 inches high, making it one of the most compact workout tools on this list. It also weighs a meager 14.5 pounds, so it is very easy to transport and set up.
Features
- Padded resistance bands offer a non-slip grip.
- Large LCD monitor for the total count, scan, time, speed, and calorie count
- Built from industrial-grade steel for maximum durability
- Powered by a hydraulic drive system which creates smooth stepping motions
- Large, textured non-slip footplates
- Workout bands are removable.
- Easy to assemble straight out of the box
- Lightweight and highly portable
- Maximum weight capacity of 220 lbs
Product warranty
This mini-stepper is covered by a 3-month warranty for the frame, parts, replacements, and accessories.
About the brand
Sunny Health & Fitness has been helping people achieve their weight loss goals for a little over 18 years. The company is a leading distributor of high-quality health and fitness products and equipment. Their priority lies in workout efficiency and product affordability, which is why they’re one of the most sought-after brands when it comes to building a home gym.
Portable Stairmaster
Are you looking for a great stepper that is pocket-friendly and capable of providing the best results? If you are, look no further because Sunny Health & Fitness Twister Stepper (Amazon) should be your top choice. With its Twist action feature, this stepper allows you to achieve an intensive cardiovascular workout that reaches the deep muscles that are located in the hard to reach parts of your body without stressing your joints.
Sunny Stepper also allows you to switch the intensity of your workout using the height adjustment knob. With it, you can shift from high to low resistance by just adjusting the knob. This feature enables you to take part in different exercise routines to stimulate different muscles and brings variety into your workout for an effective fitness journey.
Dimensions
Measuring 17L x 19W x 14H in weighing 20 pounds, this Sunny stepper is portable and requires a little space to set up and work out. It allows you to tone your thighs and buttocks wherever you may be. Besides being easy to assemble and use, this stepper also comes with exercise cables to work your arms, shoulders, and chest giving you a total body workout.
Features
- Twist action helps you tone thighs and buttocks while achieving a challenging cardiovascular workout; work deep muscles in hard-to-reach places without putting stress on joints
- Height adjustment knob adjusts the step motion height, and exercise bands work arms, chest, back, and shoulders for total body workout
- Heavy-duty steel construction provides years of reliable use; oversized, slip-resistant foot plates keep you firmly planted during workout
- Onboard computer with LCD display shows total count, time, calories burned, and rep count
The stepper is made of heavy-duty steel, thus providing years of use. It also features slip-resistant oversized footplates and strong foot pads that will ensure you are firmly planted on it during your work out. With a max user weight limit of 250 pounds, this stepper also allows you to adjust the height for the step motion to meet your specific needs.
A big plus on this stepper is its LCD display that scans your progress. The stepper has an onboard computer that shows the total work time, rep count, and the total calories burnt for easy monitoring. This will not only keep track of your progress but will also keep you focused on achieving your work out goals. The screen requires 2 AA batteries to work which come as part of the package.
Another great mini stair stepper is…
Compact Stairmaster
The Women’s Health Men’s Health Stepper with Resistance Bands is a compact Stepper that is ideal for home or office workout that targets your calves, thighs, buttocks muscles. It provides actual step motion rather than swivel motion on other steppers, which results in less impact on your knees and allows you to burn more calories while exercising.
Product Dimensions
23 x 16 x 19 inches; 30.9 Pounds
Features
- Bluetooth Smart Cloud Fitness with free MyCloudFitness App available on iOS/Android to help track and monitor your workouts
- An LCD display features steps/min, total step count, time, calories burned, and scan
- Increase your workout intensity by adjusting the step height up to 10”
- 3 locking step heights convert the stepper into a stable step-up platform. Protective heat covers on-air piston cylinders for safety when transporting after a workout
- Included Components: Stepper, Manual, Hardware
Mini Stepper Machine Benefits
Cardiovascular fitness
Working out on a stepper exerts pressure on your leg muscles, which increases your breathing and heart rate. 150 minutes of cardio per week is what is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. What better way to achieve this conveniently than using a mini stepper.
Muscle tone
exercising on a mini stepper works out the muscles that would be used when going up the stairs. Your legs must push a slight resistance with each step. Regular exercising helps tone the lower body muscles and the more you do them, the more defined your muscles become. You also get more muscular endurance as your legs get used to the workouts.
Increased Bone Mass
Combined with a good diet, the mini stepper may reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and premature bone loss. Bone mass declines with age, which causes them to become brittle, a situation that might increase the chances of a fracture.
Good For Weight loss
Regular exercises can help your body burn excess calories to prevent unwanted weight gain. Being overweight can lead to dangerous medical conditions like diabetes and heart diseases. Since steppers offer lower-impact workouts, they are suitable for heavier set individuals who might find strenuous exercises like jogging uncomfortable.
Burns calories
Apart from meeting the quality checkpoints stated above, the Xiser stepper was created with the Sprint Interval Training (SIT) also called HIIT or Burst Training in mind. This training technology helps deliver outstanding results and reduce the amount of time you need to work out for several hours a week to a few minutes every day.
HIIT offers excellent calorie-burning and muscle-building benefits. The desired results include and are not limited to having toned muscles, healthy weight loss, and great overall body fitness. The Xiser stepper is one of the most durable, light, and compact steppers available on the market today.
It has a unique design geared towards ensuring that you get the best workout it can offer. When used correctly, your body will keep burning the extra calories long after your workout is done. How cool is that!
At medium intensity, a person weighing 150 pounds can burn up to 525 calories after working out for an hour on the stepper. This means that for high-intensity exercises, you can burn way more than this. High-intensity workouts can be strenuous so you can try a few minutes of very intense workout in your program.
What muscles does a mini stepper work?
The lower body
Raising your legs on the stepper will help tone the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles that make your calves. It also works on your gluteal muscles i.e. the tensor fasciae latae muscles, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus as well as the quadriceps and hamstrings found in the thighs.
The upper body
Some steppers come with attachable cables for upper body exercises. Exercise your pectoral muscles, triceps, and biceps using the cords by doing some resistance training. This training includes triceps presses, flies, and curls. If the stepper does not come with the cords, you can use dumbbells for arm exercises during your work-out.
Your core muscles (spine and abdominal muscles)
Core muscles are not muscles that are exercised on a mini stepper but since a mini stepper does not have handles to hold on to, you will need to use your core muscles to maintain balance. Work on ensuring that you keep your spine straight. Work-out your abdominal muscles by breathing in and out to keep them firm.
Closing Thoughts On Mini Steppers
When you want a full work out and do not have the space to keep the standard size stepper model or the money to purchase it, I recommend getting a good quality stepper. My first choice would be the Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster. Apart from being versatile, smooth, and durable, the Xiser Commercial Mini Stairmaster is coupled with the step depth of a full stepper.
This piece can deliver cardio, muscle toning, and calorie-burning benefits even for heavier set individuals. Despite being a little heavy on the pockets, the stepper has excellent customer reviews and a high rating on Amazon; this piece lives up to the manufacturer’s promise. Having used it myself, I highly recommend Xiser for anyone looking to enjoy a great work out while in the comfort of his or her home.