(Dis)honorable Mention: Peloton Tread+
Peloton’s Tread+ is a gigantic, expensive treadmill that debuted back in 2019, but 2021 was its biggest year. Peloton rebranded the Tread+ (which launched as Tread) in order to release a new, cheaper, smaller treadmill, also called Tread. But before it could get its new treadmill out the door, Peloton had to recall the Tread+ this summer due to reports of injuries and the death of a child.
The company didn’t handle the incidents well initially, attributing them to user error rather than acknowledging that the Tread+, which has a unique slat design rather than a traditional belt like other home treadmills, made injury more likely. Under pressure from federal regulators, the company recalled the Tread+ and has not yet fixed or rereleased the treadmill. But hey, 2022 is right around the corner. —Caitlin McGarry
