The best rowing machines will push you to your absolute limit, no matter where that limit is. Whether they’re adjustable or simply offer more resistance the harder you row, it’s always good if they can keep up with you as your fitness improves.
Rowing machines are especially good if you want something that works your upper body a bit more as you do your cardio workout. They’re unique in that respect, and the ability to spread the workout across your entire body is almost unprecedented among cardio equipment.
So, we’ve put together a list of the best rowing machines that you can buy, so dive on in.
Workout without breaking the bank
Rowing machines are generally very expensive. It’s understandable given how complex they are, but it can still be rather upsetting if you don’t have that much spare cash. Thankfully, the Sunny Health & Fitness Elastic Cord Rowing Machine is a lot cheaper than most of the competition, and you’ll still get a good workout thanks to the elastic cord resistance system.
Splash out but not too much
A cheap rowing machine can get the job done, while an expensive one can do jobs you didn’t even realize needed doing. The Marcy Foldable Magnetic Rowing Machine is a midrange option price-wise, but you get a lot of the features you’d want from a high-end model. It’s foldable, which is perfect for smaller paces, it has eight levels of resistance, so it can grow a bit as you do, and it’s not so expensive as to have you looking at selling off everything else you own.
Style and power in one
The Life Fitness Row HX Trainer uses water resistance to help you get a real feel of the water you’re rowing on. It’s a lovely rower with a nice wood finish that is sure to help you upgrade your fitness and your home gym. It’s also fairly easy to store when upright, just remember to take the water out first just in case, assuming you don’t want to get too wet.
A wood finish to be proud of
The First Degree Fitness Viking Pro II isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for here. Buying one ensures you get an incredibly high-quality rower that uses fluid resistance that you can adjust with ease, as well as the very cool work finish. It’s staggeringly expensive, but if you’re completely certain that you want the best, then you’d be hard-pressed to beat this.
A little more than budget but still affordable
The XTERRA Fitness ERG200 Folding Magnetic Resistance Rower is a good choice if you want to splash out a little bit without going overboard (no pun intended). It has eight levels of resistance so you can adjust it to fit your needs on any given day, and you can even fold it away to store it with ease. It’s a good choice for everyone, but especially if you want something compact.