The Best Rowing Machines of 2024

• Price: $1,999
• Weight: 163 pounds
• Dimensions: 82 inches long, 22 inches wide, and 54 inches tall
• Resistance type: Electromagnetic
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Height limit: N/A
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $39 a month
• Shipping cost: Free, $199 for room-of-choice assembly
• Warranty: 10 years on the frame, two years on the parts, one year on labor

The NordicTrack RW900 was our top pick when we first published this guide, and we still think it's one of the best rowing machines out there. Its electromagnetic flywheel provides 26 levels of resistance (plus 10 levels of air resistance controlled by tilting a plastic filter on top of the flywheel), and its 22-inch touchscreen broadcasts trainer-led classes in studios or on open water worldwide. It’s easy to change the resistance, which you can do manually by swiping the screen or using the “follow the trainer” feature, which makes the rowing machine auto-adjust to whatever resistance the instructor is using. The RW900’s handle has a fantastic grip held by a woven strap that felt secure in every workout I tried, even ones when I got extra sweaty.

As for the classes, I loved every single one I took. NordicTrack’s workout app, iFit, offers everything from in-studio bootcamp sessions in which you get on and off the rowing machine to long rows out on open water in far-flung locations like Lake Bled in Slovenia and the Kafue River in Zambia. There are also a lot of instructors, so you can poke around the offerings and choose whether you want to take classes with high-energy trainers or ones who keep the commentary to a minimum.

If you want to row to music in addition to trainer guidance, you can select from stations divided by genre, from rock to pop to old-school hip-hop (though, annoyingly, you can’t skip a song if you don’t like it; you can only change the station). Finally, if you decide you don’t want to take a guided class (or don’t want to pay for the iFit membership), you can use the manual row setting. In either case, the rowing machine displays the same basic stats: Distance in meters, strokes per minute, split time per 500 meters, total time or time remaining in the workout, and a calorie burn estimate.

• Price: $2,495
• Weight: 145 pounds
• Dimensions: 86 inches long, 25 inches wide, and 33 inches tall
• Resistance type: Electromagnetic
• Weight capacity: 375 pounds
• Height limit: Up to a 36-inch inseam
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $44 a month
• Shipping cost: Free, $249 for in-home assembly
• Warranty: Five years on the frame, one year on the parts, one year on labor

The original Hydrow Rower, the Pro, is one of the most luxurious rowing machines we've tested. It has a sleek design with a 22-inch touchscreen at the front that plays live and pre-recorded classes with a Peloton-esque leaderboard to rank each rower who is in the class or has ever taken the class.

Hydrow’s main draw is its classes—it was awesome to row alongside people gliding along the water in places I’ve never been, even though I was just at Reviewed’s office. You can also take off-erg classes, such as yoga, Pilates, and general strength training, often taught outside by a waterfront. I loved every class and every instructor who guided me.

If you don’t want to pay for the membership, you can use the “Just Row” mode, which shows the same basic metrics as what’s shown in the classes—strokes per minute, pace per 500 meters, meter total, and a calorie burn estimate.

The rowing machine itself feels solid, too. Sometimes, I noticed that the seat creaked, but it wasn’t worse than any bike I’ve ridden, and it didn’t seem to be a structural flaw. You can adjust the rowing machine’s resistance, or “drag,” before each workout, but Hydrow discourages it on the basis that water itself doesn’t change its resistance. I never changed it, and I felt challenged by its standard setting. Each pull felt smooth and even, like I was paddling out on open water with the guides on the screen.

The one major downside to the Hydrow is that its handles feel more slippery than others, which makes long, sweaty workouts more challenging.

• Price: $2,499
• Weight: 105 pounds
• Dimensions: 86 inches long, 23 inches wide, and 40 inches tall
• Resistance type: Water
• Weight capacity: 500 pounds
• Height limit: 6’8”
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $29 a month
• Shipping cost: Free, $269 for in-home assembly
• Warranty: Five years on the frame, three years on the components, and one year on the screen

Most connected-fitness equipment uses the studio-class model, in which a trainer instructs the at-home user to follow a set of exercises, offering commentary and encouragement along the way. But Ergatta provides a game-based model, using an animated, interactive 17.3-inch touchscreen—placed on top of a water rower—that shows you (or your avatar) moving along through a variety of workouts, from races to interval programs. The handle provides smooth, even pulls, and the water tank makes a pleasant swishing sound as you row.

I’m a sucker for charismatic, athletic people shouting out encouraging mantras, so I’m partial to studio-style classes—which is not what Ergatta offers. But I still enjoyed Ergatta’s guided rowing sessions. In the games, Ergatta tells you a speed to row at certain intervals, from a low-key “paddle” to an all-out “race.” At the same time, a display on the screen shows how you measure up against these goals and the usual metrics like distance (in meters), time, strokes per minute, and a calorie burn estimate.

You can also choose to race against people on a certain course, either through an individual challenge or racing against anyone who has rowed the course; in this case, you simply want to go as fast as you can through each set. In some ways, the game-based style made the workout objective more straightforward—the instructions were right there on the screen, and I didn’t have any distractions from a hyped-up instructor. On the flip side, I found that this made me get a little bored of the workouts faster than I would with an instructor-led workout, but someone who finds trainers grating or who is more into rowing for rowing’s sake probably won’t have this problem.

One thing I think is a bummer for everyone is that Ergatta’s app only offers rowing classes. This means no off-rower strengthening, cardio, or stretching classes, which every other connected rower we tested provides. Ergatta’s app is less expensive than the others, so you could get another workout app on the side or simply trawl YouTube for additional workouts. Either way, you’ll want to complement your workouts with some cross-training exercises—rowing is a great full-body exercise, but everyone needs to mix it up now and then.

• Price: $1,404
• Weight: 120 pounds
• Dimensions: 86.5 inches long, 22 inches wide, 45.5 inches tall
• Resistance type: Magnetic
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Height limit: N/A
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $39 a month
• Shipping cost: Free, $199 for room-of-choice delivery
• Warranty: Five years on the frame, one year on parts, and one year on labor

The ProForm R10 is a connected magnetic rowing machine with 24 levels of resistance and a touchscreen that plays iFit workouts, like the NordicTrack RW900. (ProForm and NordicTrack are owned by the same parent company, Icon, that produces iFit.) It’s a decent option for anyone who likes a wide range of classes that take place all over the globe and doesn’t mind looking at them on a (much) smaller screen, measuring 10 inches to the NordicTrack’s 22 inches.

It’s easy to change the ProForm’s resistance, either by using its auto follow feature or pressing buttons beneath the screen. It also has iFit’s workout catalog, which includes classes on the water and in the studio and off-rower yoga, strengthening, and cardio classes.

The rowing machine itself isn’t too loud, but its speakers aren’t great—sometimes, it was hard to hear the instructors, and the display seemed a little grainy and lackluster compared to the NordicTrack rower. That said, I don’t know how much this would have bothered me if I didn’t have access to the other, nicer rower just across the room—such are the woes of a professional product tester.

The ProForm felt sturdy, well-made, and like it could withstand years of use—however, its weight capacity is rated at just 250 pounds (on par with the NordicTrack). It has a vertical folding feature, which puts its measurements at about 35 inches long and 45 inches tall, or about the size of a tall nightstand.

The R10 is “free” with a three-year commitment to iFit that you can pay all at once or in installments.

• Price: $1,799
• Weight: 72 pounds
• Dimensions: 840inches long, 23 inches wide, and 38 inches tall
• Resistance type: Water
• Weight capacity: 320 pounds
• Height limit: 6'4"
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $29 a month
• Shipping cost: Free, $269 for in-home assembly
• Warranty: Five years on the frame, three years on the components, and one year on the screen

The Ergatta Lite is a more compact, less expensive version of the original Ergatta water rower. You can stream workout sessions on its 17-inch touchscreen, but Ergatta doesn’t offer traditional instructor-led classes like Peloton or iFit. Instead, its workouts are more akin to playing video games that target different areas for improvement such as speed, rhythm, or power.

The water-based resistance makes for an ultra smooth and pleasant transition from catch to finish, and it’s quieter than many electromagnetic resistance rowers we’ve tested. The seat is comfortable to sit on, even during longer rows, and the handle is easy to grasp. Additionally, the foot stretchers are easy to adjust and flexible for a smooth stroke.

My only complaint with the rower itself is that the screen wobbles quite a bit. I noticed it right off the bat when entering my login information, and it continued to shake during push periods when I was rowing at high intensities.

When it comes to Ergatta’s exercise programming as a whole, I personally missed having the option to take traditional instructor-led classes.

• Price: $1,900
• Weight: 114.5 pounds
• Dimensions: 84 inches long, 21 inches wide, and 45 inches tall
• Resistance type: Magnetic
• Weight capacity: 350 pounds
• Height limit: N/A
• Ability to stream workout classes? Yes
• Subscription price: $40 a month
• Shipping cost: $99, $299 for in-home assembly
• Warranty: 10 years on the frame and one year on parts

Echelon’s Row-S is a connected rowing machine with a 22-inch touchscreen. It excels as a rower, but I had serious issues with its touchscreen.

As soon as I sat down on the rower, I loved it. It has a Goldilocks-style seat consistency that’s soft but not too soft, and the whole frame feels sturdy, supportive, and well-made. Its handles have buttons that allow you to shift the resistance, which makes it easy to change things up without missing a beat mid-workout. The seat felt like it was gliding over the beam, and each pull of the rower felt smooth, even, and reflective of the resistance I had set.

I also liked the classes I took on Echelon’s Fit Pass app, which range between live and on-demand rowing-only classes and boot camp-style classes where you get on and off the rower to change up your exercises. During classes, the screen shows distance rowed (curiously measured in kilometers, not meters), current resistance, average resistance, a calorie burn estimate, and how you compare to others who have taken the classes via a leaderboard.

Unfortunately, I really disliked this rower's touchscreen. It’s responsive and clear enough but also too heavy for its stand. This meant it always slanted down, making me crane my neck or strain my eyes to see what the instructors were doing. What’s more, the touchscreen on the first machine I tested was defective. The brand sent another screen, which also didn’t work right away because it prompted me to set up a bike, not a rower, so I had to make another call to get that sorted out, too. On the plus side, Echelon’s customer service reps were friendly and helpful in sorting it out.

Because I liked almost everything about the rowing machine and almost nothing about its touchscreen, I’d recommend skipping this edition and going for the less-expensive Row. You won’t have the touchscreen right at your fingertips, but you can stream Echelon classes—or classes from any other app—from your own iPad or tablet propped on its tablet holder.

• Price: $600
• Weight: 54 pounds
• Dimensions: 77 inches long, 19 inches wide, and 22 inches tall
• Resistance type: Air
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Height limit: N/A
• Ability to stream workout classes? No
• Subscription price: N/A
• Shipping cost: Free
• Warranty: Three years on the frame and 90 days on parts

Anyone searching for a decent budget-minded rowing machine should look to the Stamina ATS. This air rower doesn’t have much in the way of frills and features, but it’s a solid option for a full-body workout at a moderate price.

As for the rowing itself, the ATS performed well. It was noisier than other air-powered rowing machines, but its handles were comfortable to hold, and it provided ample resistance that went up or down, depending on how hard I pulled. However, the machine sometimes felt flimsy, and the seat was tad wobbly. It also does not have a tablet holder, so if you want to row with a guided program, you’ll have to add one yourself.

The ATS does not come assembled, but depending on where you buy it, you may be able to add expert assembly for an extra fee (likewise, the cost of shipping can vary depending on the retailer you choose). However, I don’t think most people would need assembly—it doesn’t have many parts, and its included instructions are clear and easy to follow, so it took me about 30 minutes to complete it without any help.

It has an LCD screen that displays pace, distance, and calories burned. Even when unfolded, I found it unobtrusive in size, portability, and looks—it certainly isn’t a design statement, but it’s no eyesore, either.

• Price: $250
• Weight: 61 pounds
• Dimensions: 78 inches long, 19.1 inches wide, and 23.2 inches tall
• Resistance type: Magnetic
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Height limit: 6’8”
• Ability to stream workout classes? No
• Subscription price: N/A
• Shipping cost: Free
• Warranty: Three years on the frame, 180 days on the components

The popular Sunny rowing machine is a basic option, but it’s not bare-bones. It uses magnetic resistance and has an LCD monitor that displays time, stroke count, calories, and total stroke count. One key thing missing was the distance traveled (in any unit), which made me dock some points. It also offers eight levels of resistance, which you can change by twisting a knob at the front of the machine.

The handles felt secure as I held them, even throughout sweaty workouts. But my strokes also seemed to lag, like they were catching on to something inside the rowing machine, no matter what resistance I set. It was also challenging to adjust the resistance during workouts because I had to put the handle down to give it a twist—an annoying pause, especially compared to other rowers that integrate the resistance controls into the handles.

Setting up the machine was simple and straightforward—it took me about 30 minutes to assemble it without assistance. It’s not connected to a tablet, nor does it have a tablet holder. If you want to follow along with classes, you’ll have to get a separate app subscription and tablet holder (or place the rower in front of a TV where you can stream classes).

It’s already smaller than most other rowing machines we tested, but it also folds up, which puts its measurements at 37.4 inches long, 19.1 inches wide, and 53.5 inches tall—comparable to a tall nightstand or side table.

Ultimately, it’s a fine rowing machine—especially for the price—but the handles and inconvenience of changing the resistance made it a machine I didn’t want to return to often.