Rowing Machine NerdThe Best Foldable Rowing Machines
A foldable rowing machine is the answer when you don't have a dedicated space - one that folds down or in half between sessions, so the room goes back to being a room. Not every rower folds (some only separate or stand upright), so this guide focuses on the ones with a genuine folding mechanism, across every resistance type and budget.
Here are the best foldable rowers we've reviewed, with a note on how each one packs away.
Our top picks at a glance
- Best Foldable Air Rower: Xebex Air Rower (~$749)
- Best Foldable Connected Rower: Echelon Smart Row (~$800-$1,900)
- Best Heavy-Duty Foldable Rower: SOLE Fitness SR500 (~$750)
- Best Budget Foldable Rower: Merach Q1S (~$240-$300)
- Best Foldable Water-Style Rower: Sunny Health & Fitness Elite Wave (~$530)
Xebex Air Rower
Air rower · ~$749
Best for: Home and garage-gym users who want a sturdy, high-weight-capacity air rower and are willing to step up from entry-level machines without paying Concept2 prices.
The Xebex 2.0 folds in half and rolls on wheels, shrinking a big, sturdy steel air rower down for storage - the best way to get serious, effort-scaling air resistance into a home that can't keep an 8-foot machine out.
It's heavy to move and the fan is louder than magnetic options, so it suits a house or ground-floor space, but as a foldable air rower with a 500 lb capacity, it's the standout.
Read our full Xebex Air Rower review
Echelon Smart Row
Smart/connected rower · ~$800-$1,900
Best for: Home exercisers who want a quiet, foldable rower with guided on-screen classes and don't mind paying for an ongoing membership.
Most connected rowers don't fold - the Echelon Smart Row does, which makes it genuinely apartment-viable. You get a large swiveling touchscreen and quiet magnetic resistance, then fold it down between sessions.
The class experience depends on a membership and the feel isn't as lively as air or water, but for foldable connected rowing, it's the obvious pick.
Read our full Echelon Smart Row review
SOLE Fitness SR500
Air + magnetic rower · ~$750
Best for: Home users who want a hybrid air-and-magnetic stroke with adjustable resistance and a strong warranty, without paying for a connected touchscreen.
The SOLE SR500 folds in half via a locking knob yet carries a huge ~515 lb capacity and a lifetime frame warranty - the best foldable choice for heavier rowers or anyone who wants a tank that still tucks away.
Its air-magnetic hybrid stroke with on-handle resistance control is smooth and quieter than pure air, and it often sells below MSRP. The long footprint still needs real floor space when in use, but it stores compactly.
Read our full SOLE Fitness SR500 review
Merach Q1S
Magnetic rower · ~$240-$300
Best for: Beginners and casual home exercisers who want a quiet, affordable, easy-to-store rower for steady cardio.
The Merach Q1S folds upright for vertical storage and is near-silent, compact, and better finished than its sub-$260 price suggests - the best foldable rower for a renter or tight box room on a budget.
It's entry-level on data and resistance, but for quiet, foldable, affordable rowing that disappears into a corner, nothing cheaper does it better.
Read our full Merach Q1S review
Sunny Health & Fitness Elite Wave
Air + magnetic rower · ~$530
Best for: Home users who want the look and ambient feel of a water rower with the added control of selectable magnetic resistance, at a mid-range price.
Want the look and feel of water in a foldable machine? The Sunny Elite Wave's dual water-and-magnetic design folds and stands vertically with transport wheels, giving you an ambient water stroke and selectable resistance that still packs away around $530.
The water tank adds a little maintenance and the capacity is modest, but as a foldable hybrid water rower with app connectivity, it's great value.
Read our full Sunny Health & Fitness Elite Wave reviewFolding vs separating vs standing upright
Not all 'space-saving' rowers fold the same way. A true folding rower (like the Xebex, Echelon, SOLE, Merach, and Sunny here) hinges down or in half via a mechanism, dramatically cutting the stored length. Other machines only separate into two pieces (the Concept2) or stand upright on their end (most water rowers like the WaterRower) - compact when stored, but not 'folded.'
Whichever you choose, remember you still need the full rowing lane - roughly 8 feet - while you're actually using it. Folding helps with storage between sessions, not with the space the stroke demands. Measure both: the in-use footprint and the folded footprint.
The bottom line
For foldable air resistance, the Xebex leads; for foldable connected rowing, the Echelon Smart Row; for a heavy-duty folder, the SOLE SR500; for the budget, the Merach Q1S; and for a foldable water-style feel, the Sunny Elite Wave.
If you can stretch to it and storage is only a moderate concern, also consider machines that separate or stand upright (like the Concept2 or a WaterRower) - they're not foldable, but they store compactly and often outperform the folders.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best foldable rowing machine?
- For air resistance, the Xebex (folds in half) leads; for connected rowing, the Echelon Smart Row; for heavy-duty use, the SOLE SR500 (~515 lb); for budget, the Merach Q1S; and for a water-style feel, the Sunny Elite Wave. All have a genuine folding mechanism.
- Do foldable rowing machines save much space?
- They cut the stored footprint significantly - folding down or in half so the machine tucks into a corner or closet. But you still need the full ~8-foot rowing lane while using it, so folding helps with storage between sessions, not with the space the stroke requires.
- Does the Concept2 fold up?
- Not via a folding mechanism - it separates into two pieces without tools and the front section stands upright, so it stores compactly but isn't 'foldable.' If a true folding design is essential, the Xebex, Echelon, SOLE, Merach, or Sunny are better suited.
Jordan Lockwood (BSc, CPT)
Certified personal trainer (CPT), sports-science graduate, and lifelong rower. Jordan writes and reviews every guide on Rowing Machine Nerd.