Does your workout routine need a change? Preparing for a race and need to do some cross training? Or do you just love rowing?
Rowing machines allow you to enjoy the full-body burn of rowing outdoors in the comfort of your living room. Depending on which rowing machine you choose, you may even hear the sound of water during your workout.
There is an overwhelming number of rowing machines to choose from, varying in size, resistance type, special features and price.
For those working on a tighter budget, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 best rowing machines under $600. Read on to see which ones made it.
Not sure where to start? Here are the top factors to consider when buying a cheap rowing machine:
- Budget. Knowing how much you’re willing to spend will help you narrow down your options. When deciding on a rowing machine, also consider additional costs such as shipping and assembly.
- resistance type. You need to decide what type of resistance you want your rowing machine to use. The main types are water, magnetic, air and hydraulic pistons.
- Desired Features. When shopping on a budget, you need to decide which features you can and can’t live without.
- comfort. Whether you try a rowing machine in person or read reviews online, look for a rowing machine with a comfortable seat and handle. Especially if you are tall, be sure to choose a rowing machine that adjusts to your height.
As mentioned above, when purchasing a rowing machine, you will encounter four main types of resistance. Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each:
- Water. Water rowers are designed to better mimic the sound and feel of rowing outdoors. While some let you adjust the resistance level with a switch, others require you to manually add or remove water from the tank, which isn’t ideal for changing your resistance mid-workout.
- Magnetic. Magnetic resistance rowing machines are popular for good reason, and they offer a quiet, smooth experience that many exercise bikes prefer. However, they also tend to be more expensive.
- Air. When using a flywheel, air resistance gives you the most control over the resistance level. However, these machines are usually quite noisy.
- hydraulic piston. This type allows you to have different levels of resistance for each arm. While it’s great for short workouts, it can get uncomfortable during longer rowing sessions.
As we have decided
When deciding which cheap rowing machines to include in our list, we considered the following:
- Price. All of the rowers on our list cost less than $600.
- Resistance. We’ve included a variety of resistance styles.
- handle design. Some rowing machines have one handle, others have two. Some users find having two bars to be an advantage as they allow for a more complete range of upper body movement during a workout. We’ve included options for both.
- Warehouse. Because floor space is worth its weight in gold, we looked for equipment that was easy to transport and store between workouts.
- customer reviews. There are things that only a user can know. When choosing which machines to include, we paid attention to positive and negative feedback from real customers.
- Examination. All included products have been reviewed to ensure they meet Healthline’s business standards.
Best cheap water rowing machine
Sunny Health & Fitness Obsidian Surge 500 water rower
Price: $$$
Priced at just under $600, the Sunny Health & Fitness Obsidian Surge 500 is one of the best affordable water rowers.
Despite its lower price, the device allows you to experience the dynamics of competitive rowing thanks to 16 hydro blades on the flywheel.
The machine also features a high-profile, molded, padded seat and sweat-resistant handlebars to make your experience more comfortable.
Your total time, 500 meter time, total strokes, calories, ambient temperature and more are recorded by the R2 fitness meter and displayed on the LCD screen.
As a bonus, the rower can be stored upright and features high-density, non-marking rubber wheels for easy portability.
Best cheap rowing machine for beginners
Merax water rowing machine
Price: $$
If you’re new to rowing and not quite ready for a high-end piece of equipment, this Merax water rowing machine is a great place to start.
Priced under $500, it packs an impressive array of features, including an LCD screen for monitoring workout stats like calories burned, strokes, distance, duration, and heart rate.
The rower also features quick start and stop buttons and a competition mode for an extra challenge.
Other features include a contoured, padded seat, Velcro foot pedal straps, built-in transport wheels, and straight handlebars with rubberized grips for comfort.
Unique to this rowing machine, the water tank is positioned at an angle to provide additional resistance. However, you will need to manually adjust the water level if you want to change your resistance mid-workout.
Quietest cheap rowing machine
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine
Price: $$
If you want to keep noise to a minimum, you should opt for a magnetic rowing machine.
While magnetic rowing machines can get expensive, this machine from Sunny Health & Fitness offers the benefits of magnetic resistance for less than $500.
In particular, the device offers eight resistance levels and an LCD monitor to show your stroke count, calories burned and exercise duration.
It’s also a good option for taller rowers as it has an extra long slide rail.
Other notable features include non-slip foot pedals, non-slip handlebars, a wide padded seat and transport wheels.
Best cheap rower with bluetooth
Fitness Reality 1000 Plus magnetic rowing machine
Price: $$
While a lower price often means fewer high-tech options, that’s not the case with this magnetic rowing machine from Fitness Reality.
Offering Bluetooth connectivity and a tablet holder, the rower allows you to view workout performance reports and track your stats over time with the MyCloudFitness app.
You can also stream instructor-led classes using your favorite fitness app.
Other features include 14 levels of magnetic resistance, extra wide grip handlebars and an LCD monitor. It can also be folded for easy storage between workouts.
However, what makes this rowing machine truly unique is that its handlebars can also be used for a variety of upper body exercises such as: B. Triceps extensions, lateral raises and reverse grip curls.
Best cheap upright rowing machine
Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer
Price: $
While far from a traditional rowing experience, the Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer allows you to get a good squat workout while also training your upper body.
The trainer comes with three resistance bands that you can attach to it for an extra challenge.
You can also adjust the squat depth by changing the saddle angle to 30, 60, or 90 degrees.
Although this machine has a digital monitor capable of showing distance and time, it doesn’t offer the same level of performance tracking as other options on our list.
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