KingSmith X21 (Xiaomi) review: the treadmill recommended for everyone

Exactly one year has passed since I offered you the Walking Pad R2 Review, one of Folding treadmills most famous and belonging to the Xiaomi ecosystem. A product that I have used continuously since then and that has never given me the slightest problem. However, technology always improves and the new product, for those who are passionate and have found themselves very well, always attracts. So here I am again running for you with the new KingSmith X21a higher-end product than the previous model, still belonging to the Xiaomi world (not to the software ecosystem) and with which I was able still improve my training.

Taking up the speech made last year, the main question that must be asked before thinking about buying a treadmill is: Do I want to use it only for walking or also for running?

A substantial difference that effectively divides the market into two segments:

• products that reach a maximum of 6km/h, really suitable for walking even in a sustained way
• products that reach and exceed 10km/h which are the choice for those who also want to run.

KingSmith X21 not only allows it to be used for walking, but has extremely fine speed adjustment and, above all, compared to the previous model, it reaches well 12km/h of maximum speed. Although compared to 10km/h it is not a substantial difference, this 20% more changes the training method and the cadence of the race a lot. Running at 12km/h for about 20 minutes is totally different, it changes metabolic activity, breathing, perspiration and obviously increases the effort required to maintain this cadence for a long time. Cardiac activity rises and depending on your physical condition, you may not even be able to maintain this pace for more than 10 minutes. At 12km/h we no longer speak of a jog, but of a real race which allows you to have an effective workout and with an important calorie consumption.

Important note: the benchmarks are the general ones for people who don’t run at a professional or advanced amateur level. It is therefore assumed that a run carried out at a gentle pace has a speed of about 8 km/h, with an average pace the speed maintained is between 10 and 12 km/h. With a run at a fast pace, or for those who run really hard and are trained, you have a range between 13 and 16km/h.

Having said this, in order to keep the treadmill still, stability is essential. X21 then has construction and weight among its strengths. Indeed, it is a product that it is by no means light – 38KG – and that’s a good thing as it can be used without any problem even by tall people who have a considerable weight, especially bearing in mind the running phase in which the body releases a lot of energy at each impact with the carpet. With a person weighing about 90KG running at 12km/h, the WalkingPad is extremely stable, perfectly still and gives a truly excellent sense of strength and solidity.

Compared to the previous model, the treadmill supports up to 110KG of running weight and the impact absorption of the stride is better. The structure is in fact more solid, built even better and really stable. The adjustable feet they also allow you to align it even on floors that are not perfectly smooth, thus avoiding annoying noises or light movements during training.

However, one thing should be emphasized: X21 is a product that falls into the Folding Treadmill sector, which is very different from the resealable concept. The space when closed is in fact minimal, especially in height and can also be positioned in stairwells or corners of the house that are not used without having a considerable visual impact. Therefore, for this type, X21 is an almost unique product on the market in terms of price/speed/robustness/size.

Another important difference from R2 is that on X21 the locking system is much, much faster and more immediate. The movement lies in the fact that the vertical handle is fixed and therefore can no longer be lowered (it can’t even be adjusted in height). This solution has pros and cons: on the one hand everything opens and closes in 5 seconds without having to screw and unscrew the handle blocks as for R2. On the other hand, not being able to close the handle prevents you from placing the treadmill under a desk to walk for example (remember that for running on R2 the handle must remain raised for safety reasons).

It’s not a “problem” but if you were thinking about X21 to use it while working on the PC (as I also suggested and used R2 in the review), you won’t be able to do it.

Returning to the convenience of closure, X21 is a product suitable for being moved easily thanks to the wheels on the bottom and passes easily through the classic 80cm doors (dimensions 142x72x102cm).

The comparison is with last year’s R2 but in general I have also tried other types of treadmills among gyms and other products I had in the past and therefore I can give you a broader opinion. X21 in fact does not have different ways of use, it opens, turns on and off we go. Just choose the desired speed and there’s nothing else to do, set or adjust: it really is a ready-to-use product that anyone can operate even without any experience.

The interesting part is given by the new information display system and fine speed adjustment.

As you can see from the photos and video, X21 radically changes the management and display of racing info. A mode much closer to those found on high-end or professional treadmills. The central wheel allows you to have clear and precise information on the application connection (not necessary), the status of the race and speed adjustment. This last part is the most interesting as you can choose speeds between 1 and 12km/h with an adjustment that varies in steps of 0.1 km/h, so you can find your precise speed in an instant and, if you want to switch quickly to 6.9 or 12km/h, you just need to turn the wheel more decisively to change speed faster (among other things, you can also choose which pre-set speed to use from the app with a sharp turn of the wheel).

The LED screens then show the distance travelled, time and km/h. There is also information on calories burned which is however totally random. While not completely random, it’s based on a standard algorithm that divides cadence by distance and calculates the hypothetical calories burned. Obviously it is a spanometric calculation and can change a lot based on your physique, weight and training status. A smart watch with heart rate measurement is definitely recommended.

As regards the absorption and cushioning of the tread, X21 performs very well and the noise level is decidedly contained even at maximum speed. As always, shoes suitable for running are necessary in order not to have problems in the long run and it doesn’t matter to spend a lot, there are several brands that with €60/80 allow you to have a shoe with a good bottom for domestic use and beyond.

The engine brushless is extremely reliable and reaches about 75db of maximum noise. In my experience, once the feet have been adjusted correctly, the noise generated is absolutely tolerable even with a person sleeping in the next room while you train at 6.30am (you have to do it ed). If you use it in apartments with old attics or in mezzanines, a mat underneath could absorb the noise generated by the impact of your feet while running even better.

And given that we are in times of energy crisis and that it seems that now it is necessary to measure any appliance to understand its consumption even if it impacts for a handful of euros per month (and which you would not do without anyway :D), the table above gives you an idea of ​​consumption and the cost of a ride of about 30 minutes. Obviously variable figures in the most total way depending on your energy contract, weight, type of training, cadence, time of use and which are therefore merely indicative but which allow you to understand that you can run as and when you want without thinking about how much you are consuming . If you spend €20 in a month, your health will surely thank you because you will have run several marathons and will gladly pay the bill.

I close this part also confirming that the smartphone/tablet support is not only very robust, but can be removed and put on in an instant and does not vibrate or shake even if you run at 12km/h – you can watch a film in it for example.

Compared to the previous model, the application is actually useless except to set different presets for the wheel and have the data synchronized with Google Fit or the Apple ecosystem. Unfortunately, although it is within the Xiaomi world, the control app is not the Mi Home one but the proprietary KS Fit one and only in English.

Small gem, the handle has an integrated NFC chip which with Android allows you to open the application by simply placing the smartphone on the plate (if you don’t have it, it will let you download it) and making the connection automatically.

Taking up the title, we come to the end of this review. X21 is a product suitable for everyone because:

The price is not low but not exaggerated either, with 749€ you will have it at home and all in all for quality, type of product and speed, it is difficult to find better. Furthermore, the shipment is from Italy with excellent packaging and no surprises. The €200 difference compared to the previous model can be felt but at the same time there are many improvements and if you can spend it, do it.