I’m A CPT & This Is One Piece Of Home Gym Equipment Even I Was Impressed By

Author: Expert reviewer:

January 10, 2023

We looked for top-quality machines, scouring reviews and features to ensure the best products made the list.

Rowers need to be designed with user comfort and functionality in mind, so we selected those with designs that accommodate a wide range of body types and preferences, including resistance type, technology options, and available adjustments.

While some people have more space than others, we aimed to include options that can fold or have smaller footprints for easy home use.

Including no-frills basic-yet-functional rowers and high-tech immersive rowers, we considered products with user-friendly features at a range of budgets.

Beginners to rowing (or exercise in general) will benefit from this rower’s quality instruction, motivational features, and ergonomic design. You’ll find live and on-demand classes available 24/7, with over 40 daily live sessions and 3,000 pre-recorded classes. Leaderboards with stats will keep you motivated, if you enjoy friendly competition.

The design includes an ergonomic seat, adjustable foot pads, and a weight limit of 300 pounds—which, we’ll point out, is lower than similar designs.

Reviews on Echelon’s website are overwhelmingly positive, with several beginners raving about the programming and motivating features. One writes, “I purchased my first rower in November. It has been a nice way to rest my body from weight training and from the spin bike. I love the variety of the available classes and many different instructors. There is something for everyone. A seasoned rower or a novice like myself.”

This rower, while full-sized and relatively heavy, easily folds against a wall or behind furniture when you aren’t using it. Although a no-frills option, it’s very budget-friendly at under $1,000. There is no integrated screen, but you can use your own device to access iFit programming for guided workouts. Plus, the rower comes equipped with 20 built-in workout options, no membership required.

The machine is also relatively quiet due to magnetic resistance, making it a great choice for apartments and small spaces.

With a solid 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, most reviewers comment on the excellent value and customer service. Others note that, while some assembly is necessary, the machine is very easy to put together.

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A great choice if you are hoping to save money, or aren’t ready to commit to a large rower, this rower uses hydraulic resistance to save money and space. It has pistons in place of a large flywheel, garnering a compact, easy-to-store design. Although this rower is smaller and less expensive than others, it can accommodate up to 350 pounds while remaining sturdy and stable.

Overall, it is a fantastic, no-frills rower with 12 adjustable resistance levels and a digital monitor that helps track time, stroke, and calories so you can log your progress. The small frame and quiet decibel mean you can even use it in front of the television without taking up too much space, which users tend to call out in their reviews. 

Many reviewers report being surprised by how sturdy, smooth, and compact the design is, raving about the excellent value it provides. Customers note that their whole family uses the machine, “it’s quiet and doesn’t make any noise,” and that it feels well-made, especially for the price.

If you want a more immersive, interactive, game-like experience or enjoy competition, thisis an excellent pick. With several options for games, group rowing, coached rowing, guided programs, and competitive challenges, you will be easily motivated to keep up with your rowing workouts. Moreover, the 22-inch HD touchscreen makes viewing and choosing your programs a cinch while perched on the machine.

Rowing on this machine is exceptionally smooth, due to a combination of air and magnetic resistance. When testing, we found it very comfortable and accommodating. The rower has adjustable features like foot width, which is unique to Aviron. With a weight limit of 507 pounds and a height limit of 6-feet 8-inches, it is ideal for many body types. Plus, the higher seat height makes getting on and off the machine a breeze. 

With a 4.8 out of 5 stars, the Aviron is a fan favorite. Some reviewers (like me, the writer) were accustomed to using a traditional air rower until someone recommended he try an interactive model, and are now converts. Others say this rower motivates them to exercise every day. One writes, “I truly love this rower. It is so diverse in its programs, and even on my laziest days, I get to Netflix and row. I have also utilized the strength training portions that are led by an instructor and definitely get a nice burn the day after.”

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If you’re looking for a full-featured, immersive, and ergonomic rower that doesn’t take up as much space as others, this model is a great choice. It’s less expensive and 30% smaller than the brand’s original rower, and also folds up easily for storage. Although, for safety, you may want to purchase a wall anchor, which is available on the website.

This durable-yet-compact rower has a 16-inch screen with access to a library of live and on-demand classes, albeit at a fee of $38 per month, which is higher than some comparable brands. The weight capacity for the Hydrow Wave is 375 pounds, accommodating more body types than a few others on our list.

The Hydrow Wave has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5, from almost 10,000 customers. People mostly comment on the ease-of-assembly and how energized they feel after using this machine.

Likely the most aesthetically-pleasing rower available, this machine has a gorgeous cherry wood frame and beautiful craftsmanship. It is sleek and functional, with engaging programs that help build up your fitness level. Since this is a water rower, it is quiet and smooth, which is ideal for shared living spaces or apartments. The machine is also quite compact and folds up to save space. 

This rower accommodates a wide range of body types with a 500-pound weight capacity and 6-foot 8-inch height limit. Although the resistance cannot be adjusted like it can for a magnetic rower, it still provides a fantastic full-body workout, and more closely mimics that of real water rowing. Keep in mind, there is some light maintenance involved in terms of topping up and replacing the water—and you will need to pay for a subscription to access programming.

The Ergatta rower has an overall rating of 4.9 stars out of 5, from almost 700 customers. A common theme in the reviews is how enjoyable it is to use, and how consistent people are with their workouts because of that. Plenty of people also comment on the machine’s aesthetic, how fun the pre-programmed workouts are, and how “smooth” and “realistic” the rower feels compared to “real water.”

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Likely the most well-known rower on this list, this air model is widely found in gyms and homes and closely mimics actual on-the-water rowing. It’s a low-tech, no-frills rower with an excellent reputation for quality and longevity. 

While the design is a bit large, it folds up for storage. And, if the folded footprint is still too large, you can take it apart to store in even smaller spaces. This rower is ideal for those who want a quality, long-lasting machine but are not looking for a lot of tech or built-in programs. It does come with five workouts, but you’re on your own outside of those options. However, the performance monitor is top-notch, measuring elapsed time, average pace, split meters, strokes per minute, heart rate, and projected distance (meters) in 30 minutes. 

This machine takes the cake with 4.9 stars out of 5 overall, from almost 12,000 ratings. One user, who wrote a detailed review after extensive use, wrapped up by saying, “I enjoy that it’s full body and get less bored during the workout than I usually do running or on an exercise bike. If you need just one piece of equipment and one workout, this machine certainly is a good choice given how many body parts are worked in each stroke.”