Rowing Machine NerdStamina 1130 Magnetic Rowing Machine Review
Magnetic rower · ~$200
Stamina 1130 Magnetic Rowing Machine
A compact, quiet budget magnetic rower with 16 resistance levels and a heart-rate strap, but no app connectivity and a short parts warranty.
The Stamina 1130 is an entry-level magnetic rowing machine aimed at home users who want quiet, low-impact cardio without the noise of an air or chain-driven design or the cost of a connected machine. It pairs a motorized magnetic resistance unit offering 16 levels with a nylon strap drive, a backlit LCD console, and an included heart-rate chest strap, all in a compact frame that stores upright when not in use.
At a street price typically around the low-to-mid hundreds, the 1130 competes in the crowded budget rower segment rather than against performance benchmarks like the Concept2. It is best understood as a space-saving, get-moving machine for beginners and casual exercisers, not a tool for precise erg training. The sections below cover how it rows, what the console offers, build and comfort, and where it lands on value.
Specifications at a glance
| Resistance type | Motorized magnetic, 16 levels |
|---|---|
| Drive system | Nylon strap |
| Console | Backlit LCD: time, distance, strokes, strokes/min, calories, watts, pulse |
| Programs | 13 total (preset, heart-rate, race, and 4 user-defined) |
| Heart rate | Included chest strap (telemetric); displays on console |
| App / Bluetooth | Not specified (no app or online connectivity) |
| Assembled dimensions | 60 in L x 22 in W x 27 in H |
| Storage | Stands vertically; transport wheels on front base |
| Machine weight | Approx. 52 lb (sources vary) |
| Max user weight | 250 lb |
| Warranty | 3 years frame, 90 days parts |
Pros
- Quiet, low-maintenance magnetic resistance with 16 selectable levels
- Compact footprint and vertical storage suit small spaces
- Heart-rate chest strap included at a budget price
- Strap drive and contoured seat make for a smooth, low-fuss stroke
- Wide rail and pivoting footrests add stability for casual use
Cons
- No Bluetooth or app connectivity; data stays on the console
- Calorie and watt figures are estimates, not lab-grade
- Short parts warranty of only 90 days
- Build and rail length better suited to lighter, shorter users than to tall or heavy rowers
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners and casual home exercisers who want a quiet, compact magnetic rower for light-to-moderate cardio rather than serious training.
Resistance and stroke feel
The 1130 runs on a smooth magnetic brake with 16 selectable levels, and that wide range is genuinely the machine's strongest card at this price. The jump from the lowest setting to the highest is noticeable enough that a casual rower will not run out of headroom for a long time, and the strap drive keeps the catch quiet and free of the chain rattle you get on cheaper air units. For steady-state cardio in a quiet apartment, this is exactly the kind of low-fuss, low-maintenance resistance most budget buyers say they wanted.
Be realistic about the ceiling, though. Magnetic resistance on a roughly $200 machine does not load up the way a flywheel does when you accelerate, so the harder you pull the more the resistance stays flat rather than fighting back. Strong or experienced rowers chasing a real power workout will top out the dial and find it lacking. This is a machine for moving and sweating, not for hard interval pieces against a wall of resistance.
Monitor and the connectivity gap
Stamina gives you a backlit LCD with preset and personalized programs plus an included heart-rate chest strap, which is a real value add at this price since most rivals make you buy the strap separately or rely on hand grips. If you train to heart-rate zones, having a chest strap in the box is a legitimate reason to look at this model over the obvious alternatives.
The hard limit is connectivity: there is no Bluetooth and no app. Your numbers live and die on that small console, so there is no automatic logging, no Kinomap or Holofit immersive rowing, and no syncing to Strava or Apple Health. The calorie and watt figures are also estimates rather than lab-grade readings, so treat them as a relative trend across your own sessions, not as gospel. If app-based motivation or progress tracking is what keeps you on a rower, this machine will frustrate you within a month.
Build, comfort and who fits
The contoured seat, wide rail and pivoting footrests make for a comfortable, stable-feeling stroke during easy rowing, and the whole thing is light enough to fold up and stand vertically in a closet or corner. For a small home, the storage story is a genuine selling point.
The flip side of that light frame is wobble. Owners consistently note the machine can feel tippy at higher stroke rates, and the base lacks adjustable levelers, so an uneven floor makes it worse. A rubber mat or carpet helps. Just as important, the beam is on the short side: it suits rowers under roughly 5 foot 10 and around 180 pounds well, but taller or heavier users report cramped leg extension and more flex. Tall rowers are the group most likely to be disappointed here.
Warranty and long-term value
This is where the rating gets pulled down. The frame carries a reasonable multi-year warranty, but parts are covered for only 90 days, which is short even by budget standards where competitors often offer a year or more. That signals how Stamina expects the moving parts to be treated: as consumables on an inexpensive machine rather than as a long-term investment.
For light, occasional use a few times a week, the 1130 should hold up fine and the low entry price makes it easy to justify. Daily, intense use is a different story, and the thin parts coverage means a failed component outside the window is on you. Buy it for what it is - an affordable starter rower - and the value math works. Expect it to last like a $1,000 machine and it will let you down.
How it compares to the Sunny SF-RW5515
The obvious cross-shop at this price is the Sunny Health and Fitness SF-RW5515, the default best-seller in budget magnetic rowing. The 1130 wins on resistance range, offering 16 levels against the Sunny's 8, and it includes a heart-rate chest strap and richer preset programs, which the Sunny does not match. If you want more granular resistance and built-in heart-rate training out of the box, the Stamina is the stronger pick.
The Sunny counters on price - it usually undercuts the 1130 - and on a frame that many owners find similarly stable for the money, though its monitor is more basic and does not track distance in meaningful units. Neither machine has app connectivity or a flywheel-grade feel, so this is a choice between two compact, quiet starter rowers rather than a step up in class. If budget is the only thing that matters, the Sunny is fine; if you will use the resistance range and the heart-rate strap, the extra spend on the 1130 is defensible. Anyone wanting real training depth should ignore both and save toward a Concept2 RowErg.
Our take
Buy the Stamina 1130 if you are a casual, lighter or shorter rower who wants quiet, low-maintenance cardio in a small space, values having a heart-rate chest strap and 16 resistance levels in the box, and does not care about apps or syncing your data. For that buyer, at roughly $200, it does its job and stores out of the way.
Skip it if you are tall or heavy, if you train hard and will quickly outgrow magnetic resistance, or if app connectivity and accurate metrics are what keep you motivated. Skip it too if you want something to last for years of daily abuse - the 90-day parts warranty is a clear tell. Serious rowers should put the money toward a Concept2; the merely budget-conscious should cross-shop the cheaper Sunny SF-RW5515 before committing.
Our verdict
The Stamina 1130 is an honest budget magnetic rower that knows what it is: quiet, compact, easy to store, and generously kitted with 16 resistance levels and a heart-rate chest strap for around $200. For a casual, lighter or shorter rower who just wants low-fuss cardio in a small room and does not care about apps, it earns its keep and out-equips the cheaper Sunny SF-RW5515 it competes with.
But the compromises are real and they cap our enthusiasm at 3.1 out of 5. The short rail and light, level-less frame leave tall and heavy users wobbling and cramped, the resistance stays flat for anyone pulling hard, there is no Bluetooth or accurate metrics, and a 90-day parts warranty tells you exactly how long Stamina expects the moving bits to be its problem. Buy it as an affordable starter you will use a few times a week; if you are serious, tall, heavy, or app-driven, skip it and save toward a Concept2 RowErg.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Stamina 1130 have Bluetooth or app connectivity?
- No. There is no Bluetooth and no companion app. All of your data stays on the backlit console, so it cannot sync to Strava, Apple Health, or rowing apps like Kinomap. If app-based tracking matters to you, this is not the machine.
- Is the Stamina 1130 suitable for tall or heavy users?
- Not ideally. The rail is on the short side and best suits rowers under about 5 foot 10 and roughly 180 pounds. The stated capacity is higher, but taller users report cramped leg extension and the light frame can wobble at higher stroke rates, especially without a mat under it.
- How long is the warranty?
- The frame is covered for several years, but parts get only 90 days, which is short even for a budget rower. Plan for the moving components to be on you after the first few months, which is part of why this machine suits light rather than heavy daily use.
- Is the resistance strong enough for a serious workout?
- It has a wide 16-level range and plenty of room for casual training, but magnetic resistance on a machine this cheap stays relatively flat the harder you pull. Experienced rowers chasing hard intervals or real power output will hit the ceiling; for steady cardio it is more than enough.
- Should I get this or the Sunny SF-RW5515?
- Get the 1130 if you want more resistance levels (16 vs 8), a heart-rate chest strap, and richer programs in the box. Get the Sunny if absolute lowest price is the priority. Neither has app connectivity, so if you want real training depth, save toward a Concept2 RowErg instead.
References
- Stamina 1130 Rowing Machine Review - Rowing Machine Guide
- Stamina 1130 Magnetic Rower Review - Best Fitness Equipment
- Stamina Rower 1130, 16 Levels Magnetic Resistance, Heart Rate Monitor, 250 lb. Weight Limit - Walmart
Jordan Lockwood (BSc, CPT)
Certified personal trainer (CPT), sports-science graduate, and lifelong rower. Jordan writes and reviews every guide on Rowing Machine Nerd.