I Used My Merach Steppers While Watching a Movie to See How Quiet They Really Are.
When I first unboxed my Merach Mini Stepper and Merach Stepper (the latter still on sale after Prime Day), the manufacturer’s claims of “quiet operation” seemed too good to be true. Living in a small apartment with thin walls and impatient neighbors, I find the noise level of any exercise machine to be a deciding factor. So I decided to do a real test: I would use these two steppers while watching an entire movie to see how quiet they really are.
Installation
I originally planned to test the machines while my partner was asleep, but then I realized he was such a deep sleeper that my results would be inconclusive. Instead, I chose a Monday night to experiment with and watched The Grand Budapest Hotel. I wanted something with enough dialogue and quiet moments that any noise from the machines would be obvious. My living room setup is fairly typical: hardwood floors, a couch about six feet from the TV, and walls that seem to amplify every step from the apartment above.
Я протестировал оба устройства, поскольку, на мой взгляд, они довольно равноценны, как я объяснял в своих обзорах здесь и здесь . Оба относятся к категории «степперов». Один — мини-тренажер, больше ориентированный на икры, а другой — скорее на ягодичные мышцы. Ни один из них не является «серьёзным» тренажёром, но они лучше, чем сидеть на диване без дела.
I started with the stairlift, positioned in front of the couch, and set the TV volume to a normal level (around 30% on the soundbar). After about 30 minutes, I switched to the other one.
As the opening credits rolled, I took a second to get the movements smooth and controlled. At that moment, the loudest sound was my own breathing. The stairs themselves made only a barely audible mechanical sound, comparable to the rocking of an office chair. By the way…
Real Noise Estimation
To assess the noise level, I compared it to other household sounds throughout the evening. The steppers were on par with:
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My refrigerator compressor runs continuously.
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The dishwasher is working in the kitchen.
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The rain is drumming on the windows
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My neighbor upstairs usually walks
The only time I was particularly aware of the mechanical sounds of the stepping mechanism was during the quietest moments of the film – those dramatic pauses when even the film’s background music faded away.
The most impressive aspect for me was not only the minimal noise level, but also the lack of vibration transmission to the floor. Despite the creaking of the parquet floors in my apartment, there were no additional creaks or vibrations that could be transmitted to neighboring apartments. The rubberized base of the stepper effectively isolated any movements from the floor.
However, any rapid movement naturally created more noise. In particular, the mini stepper’s hydraulic system produces a whistling sound that doesn’t go well with a quiet movie.
Verdict
After nearly two hours of continuous use, I can confidently say that the Merach Mini Stepper and Stepper lived up to their silent claims. These machines passed what I now consider the ultimate apartment test: They were able to work out while watching a dialogue-heavy movie without missing a single witty line. What’s more, after an hour of working out (sometimes mini-stepping, sometimes climbing), I can confidently say that I got a surprisingly good, low-impact workout.
So, will the Merach Mini Stepper and Stepper transform your body? No. But will they interfere with your movie watching experience? Also no. And for those who live in a cramped space with thin-walled neighbors, or just want to exercise while watching TV without disturbing other household members, the lack of noise is definitely a plus.