Do you want the best rowing machine for apartment so you can exercise at home? But you’re worried about running out of room or having a large machine look out of place in your house. Fortunately, there are numerous rowers available that can also be excellent space savers.
This post will examine some of the top rowing machines in 2023.
A Harvard Medical School study found that rowing can burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour! This low-impact exercise is a terrific method to work out in the morning fast and conveniently. While gently rowing on your home rowing machine, you can take in the morning dawn from your window.
Using it, you can obtain the most excellent intense exercises to improve your aerobic fitness, tone your back, glutes, and hamstrings, and burn the most calories.
The indoor rower is a fantastic way to freshen up your workout regimen while applying the same concepts as a rowing crew on a real boat, especially if you need a vacation from the elliptical or treadmill.
It’s also among the top equipment for total-body exercises.
5 Best Rowing Machine For Apartment – 2023 Update
Indoor rowing machines are made to improve stamina, grow and strengthen muscles, and improve cardiovascular function.
They come in various shapes and sizes and serve various purposes. There is something for everyone because they are priced differently as well.
Which rowing machine is the greatest for your apartment? Let us find out!
1. Concept 2 RowERG – Best Overall
One of the most well-known and, in my view, one of the best rowing machines is the Concept 2 RowERG.
Anyone can hop on this machine and receive excellent exercise, whether they row for recreation or to better their health. The device is easy to use and doesn’t require much technical knowledge, making it a suitable choice for newbies.
Elapsed time, strokes per minute, average pace, split meters, heart rate, and anticipated meters in 30 minutes are all tracked by the performance monitor (PM5). The Concept 2 global leaderboard, which lets you compare your performance to others across the world in numerous challenges, is unmatched by very few other rowing.
This rower has an average footprint of 24 inches wide and 95 inches long while operating. The front wheels, however, make it simple to move it into an upright position so you can store it out of the way. If you’d want even more portability, it separates into two parts for simple storage.
This rower uses low-maintenance air resistance. There is no padding on the seat, which makes it a little harder than those on other machines.
2. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5801 – Best Value
Sunny Health & Fitness is renowned for its reasonably priced home exercise gear. No exception applies to the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5801 Rower.
This rowing machine’s inexpensive price and tiny size are both advantages: The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5801 is only 77 inches long, while most indoor rowers are between 86 and 96 inches long.
It can also be stored vertically, only a few feet deep, while upright. Bonus: It only weighs 50 pounds, making moving it quite simple. Furthermore, it folds to a size of 36.3 inches long by 23 inches broad and 47 inches high.
A shorter rower translates to a shorter slide rail, so keep that in mind. The rail on this rower is 43 inches long, whereas the rail on machines like the Concept 2 Model D is roughly 54 inches long.
Although it is impressive that a 50-pound machine boasts a weight capability of 285 pounds, a more compact rower could provide problems for taller folks. That is more than some of the other models on this list.
This rower accomplishes your objectives: it works your entire body and tracks your metrics on a basic LCD screen. As I frequently repeat, you get what you pay for.
This Sunny Health & Fitness rower doesn’t have many accessories, but it offers a gadget holder, a water bottle holder, and a padded seat for comfort.
3. WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine
The WaterRower Natural is a fantastic rower that uses (drumroll) water as its primary method of resistance rather than air. This sounds wonderful and nearly mimics the resistance you would experience when rowing in real life. The WaterRower’s body is often made of handmade wood.
Since it uses a water tank, this machine does need additional maintenance. Mould can develop in stagnant water if you don’t change it out. Additionally, there have been complaints about leaks that can harm your house.
And certainly, the wood adds a lovely touch. But as a result, the WaterRower lacks the robustness of, for instance, devices built of aluminum and steel.
Additionally, your right foot is right adjacent to the monitor. Again, this improves the machine’s overall appearance and impacts the operation.
4. Fitness Reality Magnetic Rowing Machine
Fitness Reality may be one of the more recent brands available, but it’s quickly becoming a household favorite, especially among people who weigh no more than 250 lbs.
This rower is the perfect at-home workout option for those looking for the best full-body training regimens that target the thighs, biceps, forearms, legs, core, etc.
Because of the 14-level resistance levels made possible by the dual transmission magnetic tension, you can increase the tempo of the exercises. As a result, you may choose between easier and more difficult workouts based on your training experience and fitness objectives.
It has a 39″ slide rail, an extra-wide 21.5″ foam-padded handlebar, incredibly comfortable grips for usage during various exercises, and a big cushion seat that is beautifully contoured for maximum comfort and performance.
Further exercise choices include bent-over rows, curls, front raises, upright rows, tricep extensions, shrugs, and standing shoulder presses, among others, thanks to the front stabilizer, which has a patent application filed.
The huge pivoting foot pedals have an adjustable strap ring for a wider range of motion and are constructed of non-slip material.
The Fitness Reality rower has a 3.5″ LCD screen that shows the distance traveled, time spent, calories burned, and strokes per minute to help you monitor your progress.
It is the simplest to assemble, and it stores easily.
5. BATTIFE Water Rowing Machine
One of the best indoor rowers is this water rower by BATTIFEi, which is elegantly designed and has a red walnut finish. It might even go with your interior decor.
This rower would easily feel like a part of your furniture because of its wooden finish, lovely curves, and overall design.
One of our favorite features is that this rower is built of natural red walnut wood rather than laminate. You might observe the natural grains and some color differences because it is made of solid wood.
The water tank, which emits the sound of rowing water, and the design of this rowing machine, in addition to its distinctive appearance, promise to provide you with a genuine water rowing experience.
The monitor makes it easy for you to keep track of your progress. It provides you with all the pertinent information about your workout, including the amount of time spent rowing, the number of strokes per minute, the total/average number of calories expended in an hour, and the distance covered.
Thanks to the rower’s wheels for mobility and its convenient upright configuration, storage is simple.
Factors To Consider Before Buying A Rowing Machine For An Apartment
Over the past several years, rowing machines have been increasingly popular among those setting up home gyms. Still, a few key elements to consider when selecting the best rower.
Let us take a look.
- Monitor
The monitor used to keep tabs on the various metrics needs to be precise and simple. Almost every business employs a different monitor; while some are excellent, the majority are inaccurate and simplistic.
- Space
The majority of rowing machines require a sizable amount of room by nature. That doesn’t imply you have to give the machine access to an entire room, though. A smaller slider is available on some rowers, and some small rowing machines can even be folded. If you have limited room, search for a machine like the ProForm 750R that can be folded and stored when not in use.
It’s crucial to remember that folks with an inseam of 40 inches or longer will probably not be able to employ a rowing design that saves space. Said that the rail would be too short. A rail length of at least 50 inches is required.
- Durability
A rowing machine ought to endure for decades. As with most other products, rowing machines often get what you pay. Any reasonable amount of intensity should be applied to a rowing machine.
- Mode Of Resistance
Four types of resistance exist: On less expensive rowing machines, hydraulic rowers utilize cylinders; air rowers use flywheels that spin against the air; magnetic rowers use flywheels that spin against the water, and water rowers use flywheels that spin against the water.
While magnetic rowing machines are a good alternative for folks who require a nearly silent machine, we advise avoiding hydraulic cylinders and concentrating mostly on air rowing solutions.
- Adjustability
Even though rowing is a joint-friendly workout, the rower must fit your physique. If you’re uncomfortable the entire time, rowing may be a substantially worse experience. So pay attention to the details.
For instance, some chairs feature light cushioning, some footholds have extra-comfortable straps, and some handlebars are slightly slanted to help you sit more naturally. Examine the monitor’s location as well; you don’t want to have to strain your neck to see your progress.
But the rowing machine you use is ideal. The rowing machine can assist you in reaching your objectives, whether you’re an athlete wanting to enhance performance or just someone attempting to live a better life.
- Maintenance
Rowing machines require little upkeep; you shouldn’t need to reassemble parts frequently or lubricate a chain once a month.
- Overall Construction
Most of the time, we recommend rowers because they have the greatest overall build for the money. The seat rolls easily, the connecting points are strong, the welds are well-kept, and the flywheel freely spins.
- Price
The rowing machine’s cost should be reasonable given the functions it offers. More significant than a cheap retail price is a value. With rowing machines and workout equipment, I’ve discovered that you usually receive more for your money.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Are The Types Of Rowing Machines?
There are four types of rowing machines. The four varieties are hydraulic, flywheel, water, and magnetic rowing machines.
The most affordable machines are usually hydraulic ones, and the resistance is produced by the amount of air or fluid constrained by a hydraulic cylinder.
Flywheels and fan blades generate resistance utilizing the force of the air. This is the standard rowing machine you may have seen at your neighborhood gym.
Modern rowing machines that are quieter and designed to best replicate outdoor rowing are water and magnetic rowers. Water rowers utilize water in their tanks to create resistance, whereas magnetic rowers employ magnets.
- Does A Rowing Machine’s Resistance Set Matter?
Absolutely. Your workout will be more challenging the higher the resistance level. The goal is to simulate rowing on a boat where you would encounter wind resistance. Therefore, if cardio is your thing, you should use a more considerable drag. Alternately, you might favor a lower resistance if you merely intend to use your rowing machine for light exercise.
Depending on stroke length, many air rowing machines will adapt themselves automatically. However, you should know that a higher resistance may result in a louder operation.
- What Muscles Are Exercised On A Rowing Machine?
Rowing works your legs, arms, back, and core, giving you a full-body exercise.
Your triceps, hamstrings, and quads are worked by the sliding seat, while your biceps, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominals are operated by pulling back on the handle entirely. Rowing can thereby improve your back, arms, and abs.
Conclusion
After researching, evaluating, and testing the available top rowing machines, the Concept 2 RowErg is still my favorite as it was twelve years ago (formerly Concept 2 Model D).
By combining a simple, practical design with a smooth, responsive rowing motion that is monitored by one of the most excellent performance monitors you’ll find on any piece of home cardio equipment, Concept 2 has established the benchmark for rowing machines.
We also discovered numerous outstanding options in our analysis of the best rowing machines for apartments.
However, they are not all the same – some run on air resistance, some on water tanks, and others on magnetic resistance tension. Their rates vary as well, and some are noisier than others.
But, in the end, your decision will be based on what you can afford and how that machine will assist you in achieving your fitness goals.
Be certain that the rowing machine you select is built of high-quality materials.
Regardless of the rowing machine you pick, we wish you luck finding the one that best suits your objectives. You can also check the best power racks under $500.
Video Review
Here is a video review of the best rowing machine for apartment: