Rowing Machine NerdThe Best Rowing Machines for Small Spaces & Apartments
Almost every full-size rower needs roughly an 8-foot lane while you're using it - there's no getting around the length of the stroke. The difference for small spaces is what happens when you're done: the best apartment rowers either fold up, stand upright on their end, or separate into pieces, and the best of those are also quiet enough not to annoy the neighbours.
We've picked the machines that genuinely work in tight quarters, with their storage method and footprint called out so you can plan your space. Measure your room before you buy - both the floor lane for rowing and the spot where the machine will live afterwards.
Our top picks at a glance
- Best for Upright Storage: WaterRower Natural (~$1,200)
- Best Compact Connected Rower: Hydrow Wave (~$1,695)
- Best Folding Connected Rower: Echelon Smart Row (~$800-$1,900)
- Best Folding Air Rower: Xebex Air Rower (~$749)
- Best Budget Compact Rower: Merach Q1S (~$240-$300)
WaterRower Natural
Water rower · ~$1,200
Best for: Home users who want a beautiful, quiet machine and an immersive feel more than lab-grade data.
The WaterRower Natural stands upright on its end when you're done, taking up roughly the floor space of a dining chair - the single best storage story of any premium rower. It's also quieter than an air rower, and it happens to be a beautiful piece of furniture you won't mind leaving out.
At around 84 inches long in use it still needs its lane while rowing, but for a machine that disappears against a wall afterwards and looks good doing it, nothing beats it.
Read our full WaterRower Natural review
Hydrow Wave
Smart/connected rower · ~$1,695
Best for: Buyers who want a guided, studio-style connected rowing experience in a compact footprint and are willing to pay an ongoing subscription.
The Hydrow Wave is the most apartment-friendly connected rower - a more compact 80" x 19" footprint than the full-size Hydrow, near-silent electromagnetic resistance perfect for shared walls, and a sharp instructor-led touchscreen.
It doesn't fold and the upright storage kit is a separate purchase, so it's best if you have a dedicated spot for it. But for quiet, screen-led rowing in a smaller home, it's the pick.
Read our full Hydrow Wave 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.
The Echelon Smart Row is the connected rower that actually folds, which makes it genuinely apartment-viable - you get a big swiveling touchscreen and quiet magnetic resistance, then fold it down between sessions.
The membership-dependent experience and merely decent feel are the usual connected caveats, but the folding frame is a real advantage if floor space is at a premium.
Read our full Echelon Smart Row review
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.
If you want air resistance in a small space, the Xebex 2.0 folds in half and rolls on wheels, shrinking a big steel air rower down for storage. It's the best way to get serious air-rower performance into a home that can't keep an 8-foot machine out permanently.
Bear in mind it's heavy to move and the fan is louder than the magnetic picks here, so it suits a house or ground-floor space better than an upstairs apartment with thin walls.
Read our full Xebex Air Rower 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 is the budget answer for small spaces - compact, foldable, near-silent magnetic resistance for under $260. For a renter or a tight box room who wants quiet rowing that tucks away cheaply, it's ideal.
It's entry-level on data and resistance, but on the specific brief of quiet, foldable, and affordable, it's the standout.
Read our full Merach Q1S reviewA note on the Concept2 in small spaces
Our overall best rower, the Concept2 Model D, separates into two pieces without tools and the front section stands upright, so it does store reasonably in a pinch - many owners simply leave it assembled with the rail tilted against a wall. It's worth considering even in a smaller home because it's so much better than anything else at this price.
The honest cautions for an apartment are its 8-foot in-use footprint and the fan whoosh (louder than the magnetic picks here), plus the seat rolling on the rail, which can transmit to a unit below you. On a ground floor or with a mat it's usually fine; stacked above neighbours in a tight building, weigh it carefully against the quieter machines on this list.
The bottom line
For the cleanest storage, the WaterRower Natural stands upright and looks great doing it. For quiet connected rowing, the Hydrow Wave (compact) or Echelon Smart Row (folds) lead. For folding air resistance, the Xebex; for the budget, the foldable Merach Q1S.
Whatever you choose, plan for two footprints - the lane you need while rowing and the much smaller space the machine occupies once it's folded, stood up, or tucked away. Get both right and even a small apartment has room to row.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best rowing machine for a small apartment?
- For storage, the WaterRower Natural stands upright on its end; for quiet connected rowing, the compact Hydrow Wave or the folding Echelon Smart Row; for the budget, the foldable Merach Q1S. All balance a usable rowing experience with a small stored footprint.
- Do rowing machines fold up?
- Many do. Magnetic rowers like the Merach Q1S and Echelon Smart Row fold for storage, the Xebex air rower folds in half, and water rowers like the WaterRower Natural stand upright on their end. The Concept2 separates into two pieces rather than folding flat.
- How much space do I need for a rowing machine?
- Plan for roughly an 8-foot by 2-foot lane while rowing, since the stroke needs that length, plus clear space behind the seat. When stored, foldable and upright-standing rowers shrink dramatically - often to the footprint of a chair.
Jordan Lockwood (BSc, CPT)
Certified personal trainer (CPT), sports-science graduate, and lifelong rower. Jordan writes and reviews every guide on Rowing Machine Nerd.