The Best Rowing Machines Under $1,000

At around $990, the Concept2 Model D doesn't just win this bracket - it's our best-rower-overall pick, full stop. It out-measures and out-lasts machines costing two to three times as much, the air resistance scales with your effort forever, and the PM5 makes your data the global standard. Nothing else under $1,000 comes close on the things that matter most.

Unless you have a specific reason to choose otherwise - you need a quiet apartment machine, instructor-led classes, or a water rower's looks - stop here. This is the smartest money in rowing, and its strong resale value means the real cost of trying it is remarkably low.

If you want air resistance but want to spend a few hundred less than the Concept2, the Xebex is the alternative worth considering. A heavy steel frame, a 500 lb capacity, smooth air resistance, and a fold-in-half design make it a strong garage-gym pick around $749.

You give up the Concept2's gold-standard, globally comparable data and its legendary resale value, which is exactly why we'd still nudge most buyers to stretch for the Model D. But on pure value, the Xebex is the closest honest rival here.

The WaterRower A1 Home is the most affordable way into genuine WaterRower quality - the same smooth, self-regulating water feel and handsome wooden build the brand is known for, just under $900. If you want a water rower that looks and feels the part without breaking $1,000, this is it.

The monitor is simple and the resistance is fixed by the water, so it's more about feel and aesthetics than data-driven training - but that's exactly what most water-rower buyers are after.

Connected rowing usually starts well above $1,000, which makes the Echelon Smart Row the budget gateway into the instructor-led, on-screen experience. You get a large swiveling HD touchscreen, quiet 32-level magnetic resistance, and a folding frame around $800.

As with every connected rower, the value depends on an ongoing membership, and the magnetic feel isn't as alive as air or water. But if a screen and classes are what will keep you rowing and four figures is too much, this is the most sensible entry point.

If you want to spend well under the Concept2's price, the Sunny Elite Wave is the standout value at around $530. It blends air and magnetic resistance for a smooth, quiet-ish stroke and a usable monitor, at a price that leaves plenty in your pocket.

It won't match the Concept2 on data, durability, or resale, but as a do-everything machine for a household that doesn't want to spend big, it's the best of the cheaper options that still made this bracket.