WalkingPad P1 Review & Repair

In early 2023 I purchased a KingSmith WalkingPad P1. I became interested after a co-worker of mine had purchased an exercise bike that he could use while working at his desk. I thought the idea silly at first, but that’s because I’ve never been a fan of exercise bikes. The seat always becomes painful and the amount of calories you could feasibly burn while working seemed negligible.

But the idea stayed in the back of my mind for a few days and then I dove into researching. If you check Amazon for “desk treadmill” you’ll find hundreds of options that are all surprisingly cheap. One thing you may also notice is that none come from name brands. Almost every product in this category is a cheap treadmill likely purchased from overseas wholesalers and sold by dropshippers.

A treadmill isn’t necessarily something I’d rather get the off-brand of, so I decided to check name brands, but there aren’t many players in this space. The LifeSpan TR1000 or TR1200 seem to be the longest-running brands here, but those treadmills go for $1,000-$2,000 each. I wasn’t even sure if I’d use a walking treadmill, so I went back to looking at the cheap stuff. The WalkingPad brand stood out to me because the treadmill folds to be extremely compact, but also because KingSmith is a subsidiary of Xiaomi. I don’t own many Xiaomi products but at least it’s a brand I recognize and one I have some trust in.

I went with the WalkingPad P1 for a cool $375 after catching it on “sale” (sales are eternal from what I’ve seen).

The setup

Setup is nothing. Take it out of the box, unfold it, plug it in. The P1 folds to about 5 inches thick and slides under a couch or behind a door, which was the main selling point for a small apartment.

Using it

The P1 maxes out at about 3.7 mph. For working, I stay between 1.5 and 2 mph. It has a foot-speed sensor mode where you control speed by where you stand on the belt: walk toward the front to speed up, drift back to slow down. Sounds gimmicky but it means you don’t have to fumble with the remote while you’re typing.

The remote itself is infrared and unreliable. Half the time it doesn’t register. The KS Fit app works as a backup controller over Bluetooth, but I mostly just use the foot sensor and forget the remote exists.

At walking speed, typing is fine. I don’t notice a meaningful difference in accuracy at 1.5 mph. Video calls are fine as long as you mute when you’re not talking. There’s some belt noise but it’s not bad.

The weight limit is 220 lbs, which is lower than a standard treadmill (usually 300). It’s built compact and light, and the trade-off is structural.

The repair

About ten months in, the P1 started vibrating noticeably at walking speed. Not a wobble. A rhythmic vibration through the whole frame. I assumed something was mechanically wrong.

After some digging in treadmill repair forums, the answer turned out to be lubrication. The P1’s manual says to apply “1 drop” of silicone lubricant to the belt. One drop is nowhere near enough. The actual amount should be about an ounce, applied under the belt along the deck surface.

I ordered treadmill belt lubricant, lifted the edges of the belt, applied it generously along both sides of the deck, and ran the belt at low speed for a few minutes to distribute it. The vibration stopped completely.

If your P1 starts vibrating, try this before assuming it’s broken. Ignore the manual’s lubrication instructions. One drop does nothing. An ounce every few months keeps it running smoothly.

The other common failure

The drive belt (the small ribbed belt connecting the motor to the front roller) is the other known failure point. KingSmith apparently ships these with fewer ribs than the pulley grooves, which causes premature wear. If the walking belt starts slipping, this is probably why. Replacement belts are a few dollars on AliExpress (the model number is printed on the belt). The swap requires partial disassembly and realigning the front roller. I haven’t had to do this one yet.

Would I buy it again

Yes. For the price and the size, it does what I bought it for. The main things to know going in: the remote is bad (use the foot sensor), lubricate it properly from the start, and don’t expect name-brand warranty support. Treat it as a self-service product.