Best Rowing Machines

Our buying guides, drawn from 55 hands-researched reviews scored on one consistent methodology. Find the best rower for your budget, your space, and how you train.

Comparing two specific machines instead? See our head-to-head comparisons, or browse all rowing machine reviews. Already have a machine? Browse our accessory guides.

Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines of 2026

The definitive shortlist: after scoring 55 machines on one consistent methodology, these are the rowers we actually recommend - and exactly who each one is for.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines Under $500

The best you can buy under $500 - with an honest take on the compromises at this price and when saving a little longer is the smarter move.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines Under $1,000

The sweet-spot bracket - because the single best rower for most people lands right at the top of it. Our picks across air, water, and connected.

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Buying Guide

The Best Budget Rowing Machines

The most capable rowers under ~$300, with a frank take on the compromises - and why a used premium machine is often the better budget buy.

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Buying Guide

The Best Water Rowing Machines

Smooth, immersive, and beautiful - the best water rowers we've reviewed, from handcrafted hardwood classics to gamified connected machines.

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Buying Guide

The Best Air Rowing Machines

Effort-scaling resistance and the most accurate data in rowing - the best air rowers we've reviewed, led by the category's benchmark.

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Buying Guide

The Best Magnetic Rowing Machines (Quiet & Apartment-Friendly)

The quietest rowers you can buy - magnetic and electromagnetic machines ideal for apartments, early mornings, and shared walls.

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Buying Guide

The Best Smart & Connected Rowing Machines

Big touchscreens, live classes, and gamified racing - the best connected rowers we've reviewed, plus an honest look at the subscriptions behind them.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for Small Spaces & Apartments

Foldable, upright-storing, and quiet rowers that fit real apartments - with the footprint and storage details that actually matter.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for Beginners

Easy to learn, forgiving, and motivating - the best rowers for your first year, whether you want coaching, value, or a machine you'll never outgrow.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for Tall People

Long rails, high inseam limits, and easy-entry seats - the rowers that actually fit tall users without cramping the catch.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for Heavy People (High Weight Capacity)

Sturdy, stable, and built to last - the highest-weight-capacity rowers, from 500 lb air machines to a 1,000 lb water rower.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for Seniors

Low-impact, easy to get on and off, and simple to use - the best rowers for older adults, with higher seats and gentle, joint-friendly resistance.

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Buying Guide

The Best Foldable Rowing Machines

Rowers that genuinely fold away - across air, magnetic, and connected - so you can train at home without surrendering the room.

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Buying Guide

The Best Rowing Machines for CrossFit & HIIT

Instant, effort-scaling resistance and gym-grade durability - the air rowers built to survive relentless CrossFit and HIIT training.

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