Caturday: Do My Cats Need an Exercise Wheel?

I've been seeing kitty hamster wheels all over the internet, and I am intrigued. I don't know who came up with idea, why it's spreading, or why cats even run on wheels. I guess it's not really that weird though, I mean people and even some dogs like to run on treadmills, right? I'm not sure if I could convince my indoor cats to walk on an exercise wheel, or where I'd put one if we got it. Those things take up a ton of space!

Still, I am in love with the idea, and will likely implement one of these when we eventually get our own place. Here are the options I've found so far:

One Fast Cat

Pros

• Freestanding modern artsy design
• Open-sided wheel for claustrophobic kitty comfort
• 48" diameter, helps avoid bending kitty's spine too much
• Easy to move, wheel sits on base and can be separated
• Less than $200

Cons

• User-assembled, and based on their Amazon reviews, it's quite the chore
• Manufacturing defects are common, pieces break curing assembly
• Company seems to send out dirty, ripped boxes and possibly used products
• Returns are a huge hassle, customer service seems to be lacking
• Lack of a central axle means this wheel is prone to instability

GoPets

Pros

• Very sturdy
• Arrives fully or mostly assembled
• Stable enough for sprinting
• Comes in medium and large sizes if you have a monster cat bigger than the 25-pound limit of the small wheel

Cons

• 40" diameter on small wheel, bigger is more ergonomic
• Kinda industrial-looking
• Costs around $500

Do-It-Yourself

Pros

• Lots of tutorials and ideas available
• Can be made to fit your space and budget
• Color and aesthetic entirely up to you

Cons

• Inevitably going to be heavier than the above options
• You have to have a little bit of carpentry skills and stuff
• And power tools, definitely power tools

What do you think? Brilliant idea? Or another expensive toy for the cats to ignore like...well...cats?