Rowing, whether it’s indoors on a machine or you’re lucky enough to enjoy the sport on open water, is without a doubt one of the best low-impact and cardio-infused workouts you can do.
Not only does this full-body exercise work at least 85 per cent of the muscles in your body, from your quads and glutes to your delts and lats, but science tells us that this sweaty seated sport can help increase aerobic capacity and muscle size and decrease visceral fat.
In 2023, according to stats released by Statistica, it’s believed 537 thousand people participated in rowing, which was a 33,100 increase from the year before. So if you’re interested in joining the growing wave of rowers, that’s where indoor rowing machines step up to the plate.
Helping to replicate the action of rowing, many indoor home rowers, or ergometers, can track your movements detailing everything from your time and distance to your strokes per minute and speed. However, not all rowers are built equally. There are a few different types of rowing machines to consider. For example:
- Air rowing machines: Air rowers provide resistance by circulating air through a flywheel. The harder you pull the handle the faster the fans will spin and the more resistance you’ll receive.
- Water rowing machines: As their name suggests, water rowers use paddles and water within a resistance system. They are typically positioned at the front of the rower.
- Magnetic rowing machines: Usually, these rowers have a dial to help you manually control the resistance. Turn it down and the magnets lessen the resistance. Turn it up and the magnets come close to the flywheel, creating more resistance.
- Hydraulic rowing machines: Without getting too technical, this type of rower uses an internal mechanism that uses hydraulic pistons to crank the resistance up and down.
Are indoor rowers worth it?
Gone are the days when rowing was something you did in the great outdoors and on water. Indoor home rowers now give you the opportunity to reap the many rewards this type of exercise can bring. For example, it can help you build power and endurance and rowing can strengthen your cardiovascular system.
Indoor rowers also allow you to fit in a full body workout without stepping foot inside or gym, or taking up any precious time spent commuting to one. This strength-building cardio exercise is also low impact, so it puts less strain on your joints than other types of aerobic workouts, like running for example. This makes rowing ideal for those looking to tick off some active recovery or for those with joint pain who still want to get their heart rate up and challenge their strength.
So in short: indoor rowers can absolutely be worth it. However, it all depends on how much you intend to use your rowing machine, how many people will make use of it and what mental and/or physical benefits you wish to see from doing so.
How we tested
Here at ES Best, our unbiased and independent guides are a mix of research and in-person testing. This makes sure no stone is left unturned and you’re provided with everything you need to know about the products worth spending your hard-earned cash on.
In this instance, we’ve tested out these home rowers either at the brand’s HQ, in a gym or had them sent to us. We rated them on all the important details that are important to know when it comes to sourcing the best home rower for your space. This included:
- Design
- Functionality
- Cost
- Performance
Best home rowers at a glance:
- Best overall: Concept2 RowErg - £990, Amazon
- Best for a realistic rowing experience: WaterRower Performance Ergometer - £1,299, WaterRower
- Best for most advanced: Skillrow - £4,150, Technogym
- Best for consistent water-rowing resistance: Fluid Rower Apollo Plus Rowing Machine - £999, FitShop
- Best for sturdiness: Body-Solid R300 Endurance Air Rower - £1,989.28, Amazon
- Best for quietness: FluidRower Neon Plus Fluid Rower - £779.99, Fitness Superstore
- Best for budget: Half-Human Air Rowing Machine - £749, Amazon
- Best for comfort: Echelon Row Smart Home Rower - £949, Echelon
Concept 2 RowErg
Best: overall
Gym-goers: listen up! If you’ve ever headed to a gym, strapped your feet into a rower’s footplates, and got your heart racing while enjoying a sweat-fuelled rowing workout, there’s a high percentage you’ve done so on the super reliable Concept 2 RowErg. Used by Olympic, elite-level athletes and in rowing competitions up and down the country, this rower is effortless to look after and will last you a lifetime.
Yes, the Concept 2 RowErg doesn’t come with lots of design frills. But what it does come with is worth its weight in gold. Its PM5 Performance Monitor allows you to ‘Just Row’, you can complete a select workout or connect via Bluetooth to your tablet or smartphone and row with over 30 different apps. If you just want to hop on and get your rowing workout done, this is by far the best home rower for you.
- Rowing machine type: Air resistance
- Length: 244 cm
- Width: 61cm
- Maximum user weight: 227 kg
- Product weight: 26 kg
- Storage: Folds
Buy now £990.00, Amazon
WaterRower Performance Ergometer
Best for: a realistic rowing experience
Love the sound of water? Or want to replicate what it feels like to actually row on H2O? Then the lovingly crafted, beautifully hand-built and a-joy-to-look-at WaterRower is by far the most realistic simulator of on-water rowing. With every pull, you’ll hear the tranquil sound of water rushing around the tank while you glide up and down the machine in a super smooth motion.
Most recently featured in the Netflix hit, The Gentlemen, this piece of ‘fitness furniture’ has an aesthetically pleasing high-quality design that’s built to last (and last). But it’s functional too. It might not have a built-in monitor, but if you rest your iPad or smartphone on the tablet stand you can track all the performance data via the free SmartRow app. Did we mention that this is also the official water rowing machine of British Rowing? If it’s good enough for them…
- Rowing machine type: Water-based
- Length: 219 cm
- Width: 56 cm
- Maximum user weight: 315 kg
- Product weight: 31.5 kg (without water)
- Storage: Can be stood upright
Buy now £1299.00, WaterRower
Technogym Skillrow
Best for: most advanced
It’s probably quicker to list the things the Technogym Skillrow doesn’t do (although I’m yet to find any). So believe us when we say that this impeccably-designed and built-for-life-in-the-21st-century rowing machine does it all. It might not be powered by water, but it’s kitted out with Aquafeel technology so it simulates a realistic on-water rowing experience. But the tech doesn’t stop there.
You can flick between two different modes: the rowing mode — which is great for a cardio-inspired workout, or the power mode — which feels like you’re rowing through honey. Keen on tracking your movements? You can do so easily via the 7”LCD display. But if you download the Skillrow App you can gamify your row and take part in ‘Race to the Pace’ which could see you virtually compete against your or a friend’s PB. Yes, I know, at just over £4,000 this piece of kit doesn’t come cheap. But if you’re looking to perfect your rowing stroke, want feedback in real-time on your progress and are keen on increasing your strength while boosting your endurance, you’ve met your match.
- Rowing machine type: Air & magnetic resistance
- Length: 219 cm
- Width: 56 cm
- Maximum user weight: 160 kg
- Product weight: 61kg
Buy now £4150.00, Technogym
Body-Solid R300 Endurance Air Rower
Best for: sturdiness
Upon first glance, the Body-Solid R300 isn’t as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as many of the other more sleek models in our guide. But what it lacks in an attractive appearance, it more than makes up for in functionality. As its name suggests, it’s a solid piece of kit. It weighs 45kg so even when you’re going hell for leather on the machine this sturdy selection won’t budge or end up halfway across the room.
But what we really liked about this air rower is just how quickly it responds to your level of intensity. The harder and faster we pulled, the more resistance we were instantly met with. With each stroke, you can also clockwatch your time, heart rate, and calories and pick from eight different exercise programs.
- Rowing machine type: Air resistance
- Length: 241 cm
- Width: 62 cm
- Maximum user weight: 150 kg
- Product weight: 45kg
Buy now £1989.30, Amazon
Fluid Rower Neon Plus Fluid Rowing Machine
Best for: quietness
Smooth in its motion, you could literally hear a pin drop while rowing on the Fluid Rower Neon Plus Fluid Rowing Machine. What makes this an even more enjoyable and therapeutic rowing experience is the fact it’s powered by water so with each pull, you can listen to the gentle sounds of water swirling around the tank and powering your workout.
Interested in being able to switch up your resistance? Then you’ll be pleased to know this piece of kit comes with four levels of ‘Fluid Force’. So at the turn of the dial, you can increase the resistance while keeping a careful watch over your time, distance and strokes per minute thanks to the monitor. What more could you need?
- Rowing machine type: Water
- Length: 216 cm
- Width: 52 cm
- Maximum user weight: 150 kg
- Product weight: 34kg
- Storage: It can be stored upright
Buy now £799.00, Fitness Superstore
Fluid Rower Apollo Plus Rowing Machine
Best for: consistent water-rowing resistance
So, you want a water rower but something which you can up the ante on? Then the Fluid Rower Apollo Plus Rowing Machine could be just the thing your home gym (or spare room) has been looking for. Compared to other models in the Fluid Rower line, this addition has a 15 per cent increase in resistance. Usually, the harder you row on a water-based rower, the more resistance you’ll come up against.
But Fluid Rower has come up with an ingenious way to provide a consistent (and increased) resistance during each stroke. With this model, you can essentially choose between four adjustable resistance levels to put your strength and endurance to the test. Then, once you’ve finished your workout you can stand it up on its head for safekeeping until your next row. Not bad, right?
- Rowing machine type: Water
- Length: 213 cm
- Width: 54 cm
- Maximum user weight: 150 kg
- Product weight: 32kg
- Storage: Can be stood upright
Buy now £999.00, FitShop
Half-Human Air Rowing Machine
Best for: budget
I’d say this is pretty similar to the much-loved Concept2, however, it’s a lot kinder to your purse strings. If you’re new to rowing, this is the most affordable home rower in our guide. It’s true to say it doesn’t come with all the swishy features others do in this round-up. However, it does come with everything a beginner would need.
For example, how does 10 levels of air resistance sound? While its 5” LCD display means you can gaze at your metrics with each stroke. Another brilliant thing about this rower is its ability to pair up with rower training apps, D-fit and Kinomap. So you can connect the rower to your tablet or smartphone and blast your way through tons of training programs as and when you need to mix things up.
- Rowing machine type: Air-resistance
- Length: 240 cm
- Width: 64 cm
- Maximum user weight: 150 kg
- Product weight: 45kg
Buy now £749.00, Amazon
Echelon Row Smart Rowing Machine
Best for: comfort
Foldable, whisper quiet and sleek in its design, the Echelon Row Smart Rowing Machine lives up to all expectations. But aside from its attractive design and the fact you can switch up the resistance levels by using the iconic handlebar controller (a game changer if there ever was one), the other most noticeable feature is its padded and smooth sliding seat. It’s the comfiest seat period.
Connect your tablet via Bluetooth to the machine and choose from the long (long!) list of classes available. The only downside? It doesn’t come with a screen or display. So you’ll need to download the Echelon app on a smartphone or ideally a tablet and pay a monthly membership fee (which starts from £19.99) to track performance stats, or take part in on-demand or live classes.
- Rowing machine type: Magnetic resistance
- Length: 211 cm
- Width: 51 cm
- Maximum user weight: 136kg
- Product weight: 56kg
Buy now £949.00, Echelon
Verdict
I don’t think you can beat the Concept2 rowing machine when it comes to functionality, cost and performance. It’s nothing fancy, but sometimes home fitness equipment doesn’t need to be. And I think this home rower proves it. It’s reliable, will last an eternity and if you require extra motivation for your row, you can connect via Bluetooth and sync it to more than 30 apps.
