A rowing machine is a must if you want an at-home low-impact workout to help build your exercise routine and deliver results. Also known as ergometers, or “ergs” for short, these machines provide a full-body workout with minimal strain on the joints for novices and experts alike. “Through different parts of the rowing stroke, your upper body, core, and lower body (glutes and quads) are all activated and engaged in the exercise,” Aisyah Rafaee, an Olympic rower, athletic counselor, and Hydrow athlete, previously told Shape.
Of course, a rowing machine is, both literally and metaphorically, a big purchase. Not to mention, they all have relatively large footprints (especially when compared to smaller equipment, like under-desk treadmills). If you’re interested in an erg, it’s crucial to research and pick a great one, which is why Shape did the heavy lifting to make finding the best rowing machine as simple as possible. Shape’s team of testers tried out all the brands you’ve heard of (and maybe a few you haven’t), deciding on the best after almost 2,000 hours of workouts and evaluations.
Recall Alert
NordicTrack’s NTRW19147 Rowing Machine has been recalled by the manufacturer, iFIT Inc., due to a fire hazard. About 44,800 units have been recalled in the U.S. (plus 700 in Canada) because the screen console can overheat and ignite, posing a serious risk of fire. This model was previously included in our roundup but was removed as soon as we became aware of the recall.
You can tell if your rower is part of the recall by checking the model number printed on the decal attached to the base of the machine. The recalled models are listed in the details of the recall report.
Our current top recommendations were not affected by this recall and remain safe, high-performing options for home workouts. If you’re in the market for a new machine, our list features effective (and safe) options available now.
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Resistance Type: Magnetic | Dimensions: 80″ L x 19″ W x 43″ H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: Yes
Hydrow’s Wave Rower delivers a fantastic rowing experience thanks to its smooth and consistent magnetic resistance, stable seating setup, and easily adjustable settings — but its online fitness classes are the real standout.
Each session shows coaches rowing on open water, rather than in a gym setting, and includes a wide array of workout types, from long endurance rows to shorter HIIT sprints. You can also take off-erg classes, which include yoga, Pilates, and strength training. If you don’t want to pay for the monthly membership, you can use the rower’s “Just Row” setting, which offers metrics but no guidance (or scenic river views).
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Resistance Type: Magnetic | Dimensions: 84″ L x 21″ W x 45″ H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: Yes
Sure, touchscreens and guided classes are nice. But rowing machines are all about, well, rowing — and if you’re looking for equipment that handles the function without too much frill, the Echelon Row is the way to go. It has the same frame, specs, and features as the Row-S, including 32 levels of magnetic resistance and a Bluetooth handlebar that allows you to change resistance without stopping your workout.
The only difference is that it doesn’t have a touchscreen. Instead, it has a rotating console that can hold a smartphone or tablet if you want to stream classes from Echelon (or any other workout app). It would be beneficial if Echelon added a small analog console that tracked basic metrics like meters and strokes per minute — but you can always use your favorite fitness tracker for this.
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Why We Like It
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Access to Peloton’s suite of workout classes with membership
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23.8-inch screen shows real-time form assistance
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“Just Row” feature does not require a membership
Resistance Type: Magnetic | Dimensions: 7’10” L x 24″ W x 46.3” H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: Yes
It’s no surprise that Peloton’s model comes with top-notch instruction from the brand’s famously charismatic and inspiring coaches, which is why our editors agree that this is the best rowing machine for beginners. Its sizeable 23.8-inch screen shows real-time form assistance, which alerts you if your rowing positioning is off and what to adjust to fix it. Its membership provides access to Peloton’s rowing, indoor cycling, treadmill, and off-machine classes.
You can also use the “Just Row” feature without a membership. This lets you get your workout in and displays metrics like stroke rate, distance, pace, and output. The rower feels stable and has notably comfy handles. It provided a consistently smooth torque, and testers didn’t feel any jerkiness or inconsistency in motion as we rowed.
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Resistance Type: Air and magnetic | Dimensions: 84” L x 27” W x 48” H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: No
Want to stream Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, or Spotify as you work out? Aviron’s Strong Series rower has you covered. In addition to the gamified and trainer-led classes that come with its monthly subscription, you can use any of the aforementioned streaming services to entertain yourself as you sweat.
Most Aviron workouts are structured like video games, but you can also access classes led by a rowing coach. Testers found the front end of the rower to be a little bulky, but other than that, they were impressed with its quality and customizable features that allow you to adjust the footrest and seat widths to suit your body type. This is a solid rowing machine for tall people, thanks to these additions.
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Why We Like It
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Works for beginners and advanced rowers
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Corresponding free app with various features
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Offers tons of personal metrics
Resistance Type: Not listed | Dimensions: 15″ L x 21.5″ W x 57″ H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: No, but separates into two pieces for storage
For at-home workouts, Rachel Vaziralli, director of fitness design at Orangetheory Fitness, recommends the Concept2 rower, which uses air and a fan for resistance. “It’s durable and reliable and gives you all the key metrics to track your progress, including split time, watts, and stroke rate.
Plus, the rower is used by both beginners and elite athletes, which speaks to its versatility. It’s also easy to store, making it perfect for home setups.” This machine also offers two leg options: standard legs with a seat height of 14 inches from the floor or tall legs with a seat height of 20 inches from the floor, as well as a (free!) app to track your progress, virtually connect with other Concept2 rowers, set up your own workouts, and more.
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Why We Like It
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Made of gorgeous Appalachian cherrywood
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Uses water for resistance
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500-pound weight limit
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Monthly membership not required
Resistance Type: Water | Dimensions: 86” L x 23” W x 40” H | Membership Required? No | Foldable: Yes
The Ergatta rower is built to be seen. It’s made of Appalachian cherrywood with a sleek 17.3-inch screen and a clear plastic tub that holds the water that provides resistance as you row. (You add the water yourself when it arrives.) Its weight limit — up to 500 pounds — is the highest of all the rowers we tested. Its seat is also slightly wider than other rowers, which may help accommodate larger bodies.
With its monthly membership cost, you can access game-based workouts calibrated to your fitness level. Testers noticed that its handles are shorter than others, but this is a small price to pay for the best rowing machine with water resistance the team could find.
What to Know About Rowing Machines
- Benefits: Rowing provides both strength and cardio training. Plus, it uses a whopping 86 percent of the muscles in your body, including your core, quads, hamstrings, and lats. Rowing is also a great way to improve aerobic fitness in a relatively short amount of time, thanks to the repetitive full-body movements required to do it. And, even though it activates most of your muscles, rowing is relatively low-impact. The smooth, fluid motions you do are gentler on your joints than the jumping and bouncing required for workouts like running and HIIT. (Check out our full analysis of rowing vs. running for more info on this.)
- Resistance: At-home rowing machines use different types of resistance. Magnetic resistance rowers use magnets that correspond with an interior flywheel. Resistance changes when you adjust the machine, causing the magnets to move closer or farther from the flywheel to create more or less tension. Water rowers provide the closest at-home experience you’ll have to rowing on an open river or lake by using a water tank with a paddle in it that’s connected to the rower’s handlebars. Finally, air-resistance rowers use a fan at the front of the rower that contains a flywheel connected to the rower’s handlebars. With each stroke, the fan blade spins when you pull the handlebars, creating resistance (and a bit of a breeze).
- Dimensions: Always measure your space to make sure it can fit not only the machine itself but also some added space on the sides and behind the seat to account for the full range of motion of your arms while rowing. In addition to the machine’s dimensions, you’ll want to add approximately 2 feet of clearance on each side and up to 4 feet behind the machine, according to Hydrow.
How to Use a Rowing Machine
Unlike cycling or running for fitness, rowing isn’t necessarily something most of us have experience doing. This means your first time hopping on an erg might not feel intuitive. But once you practice the right form (which, we should note, is vital to reap the benefits of rowing), it’ll start to feel more straightforward.
Here’s a rundown on a perfect row.
- The catch: As the first step of your row, start with your feet flat, knees bent, shins vertical to the floor, and both hands holding the handlebar about shoulder-width distance apart. Your torso should be erect but not stiff and your shoulders relaxed.
- The drive: This is the main propulsion of the row. Start by pushing out with your legs, then lean back. At the same time you’re hinging from your core, pull your hands toward your chest to make the rowing motion. Once your legs are straight and your arms are pulled to your chest, reverse by moving your hands closer to your feet, hinging your torso back up, and bending your legs. To keep it simple, repeat this mantra in your head: “Legs, core, arms, arms, core, legs.” (That’s why rowing is a full-body workout.)
- The finish: In this position, your legs will be straight and your rowing handles against your sternum. Your back should be leaned slightly away from the machine and your feet sturdy in your footholds.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What should a beginner know before rowing?
If you’re new to rowing and feel intimidated by this unique machine, don’t stress. Louis Chandler, CPT at Alo Moves, says beginners should focus on their technique, or the “legs, core, arms method.” This method, Chandler explains, is “where you drive from your legs first, followed by your core and arms last, then reversing this on the way back in.” He reminds beginners that your back “should always remain straight and upright.” Nico Gonzalez, a fitness educator, stresses: “Remember you should use about 60 percent of your legs, 20 percent of your core (leaning back), and 20 percent of your arms.”
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How long should a beginner use a rowing machine?
“Since rowing can be a completely different experience from your traditional cardio workouts — you may want to start with a 10-minute session to get yourself acquainted with the movements,” says Gonzalez. “If you can get a qualified trainer to set you up and give you a few sessions on your initial experiences, [that’s] ideal. They will let you know about form, where the power of your row should come from (predominantly your legs), and how to keep your back from overworking (try to keep a neutral position as you lean back)!”
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Which muscles do you work out when using a rowing machine?
“Rowing is a full-body workout. You work your legs, core, back, and arms in one fluid motion,” explains Vaziralli. “Your legs, especially your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, power the drive while your core stabilizes and engages with each stroke. When you pull the handle, you also work your arms, shoulders, and back. Your legs provide most of the power, but your upper body finishes the stroke.”
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Can you lose belly fat on a rowing machine?
“You can’t target fat loss in specific areas, but rowing is a highly effective way to burn calories and improve overall body composition,” Vaziralli says. “Rowing is a full-body workout, using all major muscle groups, including the legs, core, and back. This leads to higher calorie expenditure, which, combined with healthy nutrition and workout consistency, can lead to overall fat reduction, including in the abdominal area,” says Vaziralli.
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Can you get in shape by just rowing?
Rowing is a wonderful way to get in shape, given it’s a “cardio and strength workout in one,” as Vaziralli puts it. “Rowing can improve cardiovascular health, increase muscular definition, and boost overall fitness. However, it is still important to incorporate variety like resistance training or mobility work […] to ensure a well-rounded fitness routine.”
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How long should you work out on a rowing machine?
Experts note that it depends on your desired outcome. Chandler notes that “shorter interval sprints on the rowing machine are great for anaerobic fitness whereas slower, longer stints of rowing work on your aerobic fitness.” Vaziralli also suggests “five to ten minutes of focused rowing” if you’re just starting out, and “as you get more comfortable with your form and build endurance, you can continue to add duration and/or intensity over time. The beauty of rowing is that it’s scalable, and you can always adjust the intensity by increasing or decreasing your power output.”
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How long before I see results from rowing?
“You can start to see improvements in your endurance and overall fitness within two to four weeks if you’re rowing consistently,” says Vaziralli. “For noticeable strength gains and body composition changes, give it six to eight weeks. Rowing’s ability to work both your cardiovascular system and muscles means you’ll likely feel stronger and fitter in a relatively short period.” She stresses that “consistency is key, and pairing rowing with proper nutrition will accelerate your results.”
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What are the disadvantages of a rowing machine?
“If not performed with the correct technique,” Chandler says, “you can encounter lower back soreness and other injuries.” Also, Vaziralli notes that rowing “might not come naturally to you,” given the unique workout type. Plus, it’s critical to focus on technique more than anything for the workout to be effective, she says. “That’s why it’s important to really focus on your form —rowing is as much about control as it is about power.” Also, she mentions that beginners may find this workout “taxing,” given it’s such a full-body workout. That’s nothing that can’t get “easier and more effective with practice,” though.
Why Trust Shape
Sara Hendricks is a lifelong fitness enthusiast and has been testing, reviewing, and writing about at-home fitness equipment since 2020. She has covered treadmills, exercise bikes, workout apps — and rowers. Her experience in the at-home exercise space has made her finely tuned to the highs and lows of various types of machines and what makes a great fit for different people, depending on their lifestyle, budget, and habits. Thanks to Sara’s research, testing, and a few Orangetheory classes, she’s also now a newly-minted rowing enthusiast. Madison Barber updated this article in 2024 with additional expert insight.
