Best Rowing Machines 2026
The most efficient full-body cardio in any home gym — and the rare category where the $900 answer beats the $3,000 alternatives.
The Concept2 RowErg has been the answer since 1981. It's outside Amazon's ecosystem (direct from Concept2), but still the best rower you can buy under $2,000.
PM5 monitor, air resistance, 20-year service life — used in CrossFit, Olympic training, and home basements alike.
Tracking & Experience dimension: Concept2 scores 92/100. Next closest rower: 78.
The Concept2 PM5 monitor is the gold standard because it measures watts, not distance — coaches and trainees compare effort across machines worldwide using the same number.
r/Rowing and r/CrossFit are ~unanimous: Concept2 is the answer unless you want a touchscreen coach, in which case Hydrow or Ergatta. WaterRower wins on aesthetics but loses on precision.
- Concept2 RowErg — Best monitor (PM5), best data export, most durable
- Hydrow — Premium guided experience — worth it if you'll use the content
- Hydraulic rowers — Piston leak within 1 year is standard
Stroke feel degrades fast, no tracking, no community — you'll stop using it in 60 days.
Our ranked picks
Scored on 5 dimensions. How we score →
Concept2 RowErg
The default answer for 40+ years. PM5 monitor, air resistance, 20-year service life. The only rower you see in every CrossFit box, college crew, and Olympic training center.
- + PM5 monitor is the gold standard
- + Air resistance feels natural
- + 20+ year service life
- + Globally standardized watts metric
- − Loud (air rowers always are)
- − Not on Amazon (direct from Concept2)
- − No built-in classes
- Resistance Type
- Air
- Monitor
- PM5
- Max User Weight
- 500 lb
- Damper
- 1-10 setting
Gym Score breakdown ▸
Hydrow Rower
The premium guided experience. Magnetic resistance, 22" HD touchscreen, filmed-on-water workouts. Worth it if you'll use the classes — the content is the product.
- + 22" HD touchscreen
- + Magnetic resistance (quiet)
- + On-water filmed workouts
- + Premium build quality
- − $44/mo membership required
- − No open-app support (Zwift, etc.)
- − Less precise tracking than PM5
- Resistance Type
- Magnetic
- Display
- 22" HD touchscreen
- Membership
- $44/mo
Gym Score breakdown ▸
WaterRower Classic
The rower your designer friend will approve of. Real water tank, ash wood frame, genuinely stunning. Stroke feel is smoother than air, tracking is less precise than Concept2.
- + Beautiful hand-finished wood
- + Water resistance is quiet & smooth
- + Stores vertically
- − Less precise tracking than PM5
- − Water tank can grow algae without tabs
- − More expensive than Concept2
- Resistance Type
- Water
- Frame
- Ash hardwood
- Stores
- Vertically
Gym Score breakdown ▸
Ergatta Rower
Game-ified rowing with a water-resistance base. Workouts feel like boat races against AI opponents. Fun for people who hate structured classes.
- + Game-ified workouts
- + Water resistance feel
- + No instructor classes (game mode)
- − $29/mo membership
- − Games can feel gimmicky long-term
- − Less precise than PM5
- Resistance Type
- Water
- Display
- Tablet-style
- Membership
- $29/mo
Gym Score breakdown ▸
Sunny Health SF-RW5515
The starter rower that won't quit. Magnetic + air combo, folds for storage, basic LCD. Not for serious training, but solid for 3-4 sessions a week.
- + Under $400
- + Folds for storage
- + 8 resistance levels
- + Well-reviewed at volume
- − Basic LCD (no watts)
- − Short rail for tall rowers (under 6'2")
- − Not a long-term training tool
- Resistance Type
- Magnetic + air
- Max User Weight
- 250 lb
- Folds
- Yes
Gym Score breakdown ▸
Sunny Health SF-RW5639 Air Rower
The cheapest air rower worth owning. Real fan resistance (not hydraulic), basic LCD, 250 lb user rating. Concept2 feel for half the price — minus the PM5 monitor.
- + Real air resistance
- + Basic LCD
- + Foldable
- + Cheapest credible air rower
- − No PM5 monitor
- − No Bluetooth or app integration
- − Lighter frame than Concept2
- Resistance
- Air
- Max User Weight
- 250 lb
- Display
- Basic LCD
- Connectivity
- None
- Foldable
- Yes
Gym Score breakdown ▸
NordicTrack RW900
The class-driven rower for the iFIT ecosystem. 22" rotating touchscreen, magnetic + air resistance, trainer-controlled drag. The Hydrow alternative if you already pay for iFIT.
- + 22" rotating touchscreen
- + Magnetic + air resistance
- + Trainer-controlled drag
- + Foldable
- − iFIT subscription pushed
- − No PM5
- − Heavy
- Resistance
- Magnetic + air
- Max User Weight
- 250 lb
- Display
- 22" HD touchscreen
- Connectivity
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- Foldable
- Yes
Gym Score breakdown ▸
Buying guide
Four resistance types: air (feels natural, gets louder with intensity), magnetic (quiet, consistent), water (aesthetic, mid-noise), hydraulic (cheap, skip). For training precision, air + a PM5 monitor is the gold standard.