There’s never been a better time to look for a rowing machine on sale. Indoor rowing has been one of the fastest-growing sports in recent years. With this increased demand, the price of rowing machines has risen ahead of Black Friday, so if you can find a rowing machine on sale, you’d be wise to grab it while you can.
Rowing machines are one of the best all-round bits of fitness equipment you can buy, and are recommended by personal trainers and medical professionals alike because they deliver a low-impact, full-body workout with endless workout options.
On a rowing machine, you target many of the muscles in your body. However, the rowing machine has other benefits, too – it’ll help your grip strength (a key indicator of overall health), can help strengthen your bones and will give you a superb cardio workout. Capable of burning plenty of calories in a relatively short amount of time, it’s a great fat-blaster, too.
The price of rowing machines varies massively – you can spend anything from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, and some come with ongoing membership subscriptions. Good deals get snapped up quickly and it’s hard to find cheap ones second-hand, so it’s a good idea to look for a rowing machine on sale.
- Explore the latest rowing machine deals at Walmart
- Best Buy has a selection of rowing machines on sale
- Take a look at Target’s deals on rowing machines
Which rowing machine is right for you?
There are three main types of rowing machine on sale, and each will give you a different feel and experience. Air resistance models use a flywheel to provide resistance. They can be noisy, so check the noise levels before you buy. Serious rowers (including Olympians and elite athletes) often favor air resistance models.
If you love the whooshing sound of water and want a smooth ride, opt for a water resistance rowing machine. They are often attractive-looking machines that will look stylish in your home.
Magnetic rowing machines are growing in popularity, and there are lots of them at the budget end of the market. Their main advantage is how quiet their action is – there’s no sound of rushing air or water.
Another element to look out for when you see a rowing machine on sale is how much space it takes up. Does it fold up or can it be stood on its end to use up less space?
Consider whether you want one with an ongoing membership subscription. They usually come with a stylish touch screen and you get access to online and live classes, but check to see if you’ll be locked into a particular deal. Meanwhile, if you’re going to compete in indoor rowing competitions, you should be aware that most competitions (and the indoor rowing rankings) use the Concept2 RowErg, so if you see that rowing machine on sale it’s probably the one for you.
Finally, with Black Friday on the horizon, it’s natural to be looking for a great deal on a rowing machine. However, there are significant stock shortages predicted for this year (which we’re already seeing the effects of now). While we would ordinarily advise readers to wait for Black Friday, we would actually recommend snapping up a great deal if you see it in the run–up – as there’s no guarantee it will hang around long enough for the official deals season!
Rowing machine deals
NordicTrack RW200 – was $1,299.99, now $699.99 at Best Buy
This rowing machine features an LED screen, 24 resistance levels, an inertia-enhanced flywheel and dual two-inch speakers. Meanwhile, the SpaceSaver design means that you can fold up your rower when you’re down with your workout.
NordicTrack RW500 – was $999.99, now $799.99 at Best Buy
This rowing machine from NordicTrack features a five-inch backlit display to help you keep track of workout stats including watts, strokes per minute, time, calories, distance and more – perfect for measuring your workouts.
ProForm 440R Rower – was $799.99, now $329.99 at Best Buy
Featuring eight resistance levels and an intertia-enhanced flywheel, the ProForm 440R Rower also uses a SpaceSaver design that lets you fold up your rowing machine quickly and easily. Plus, it has front-mounted transport wheels, so it can be swiftly moved around as well.
First Degree Fitness Viking II – was $1,540.99, now $1,149.99 at Target
This stylish rowing machine features a water tank with two triple-bladed impellers for smooth resistance. Meanwhile, the ergonomic handles are designed to help prevent twisting and straining the wrists and forearms. Plus, the LED display shows a plethora of stats, including time, distance and calories burned per hour.
Stamina 35-1315 EasyRow – was $257.99, now $169.59 at Target
If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful rowing machine that gets the job done, you might want to check out this model from Stamina. It features a hydraulic resistance cylinder to increase or decrease the intensity level and an LCD monitor to track your stats. This might not be the best model on the market, but you can’t argue with that price!
Rowing machine on sale
Concept2 RowErg deals
Concept2 RowErg
Best for reliability
Resistance: Air | Dimensions: L 96” (244cm) / W 24” (61cm) / H 50” (127cm) | Weight of machine: 57lb (26kg) | Storage: Splits in two parts, both of which stand up | Membership subscription: No
The Concept2 RowErg deserves its reputation as one of the best rowing machines on the market. Solidly built and designed to last a lifetime, it’s backed up by a ready supply of spare parts and outstanding customer support that will enable you to carry on using it for years.
The PM5 monitor may not have sophisticated graphics, and it doesn’t come with fancy software or an online program, but it provides a huge amount of useful data, which syncs with the Concept2 logbook. New models feature a device holder so you can attach your phone or tablet, and it syncs with its own ErgData app.
The Concept2 RowErg is designed for function over form, so it’s not the prettiest rowing machine out there, but it’s easy to assemble and comes apart for easy storage. Compared with other air resistance models it’s relatively quiet, so you won’t get complaints from the neighbors.
WaterRower A1 Home Rowing Machine deals
WaterRower A1 Home Rowing Machine
Best for style
Resistance: Water | Dimensions: L 83.5” (212cm); W 22.25” (57cm); H 20” (51cm) | Weight of machine: 98lb (44.5kg) when filled with water | Storage: Can be placed upright | Membership subscription: No
If you want a machine with wow factor that looks fabulous in your living room, this is the one for you. The combination of the drum filled with water and the sleek wooden design means it’s a seriously good-looking machine (some of the more expensive, solid wood WaterRower models are even more chic).
WaterRower aims to recreate the experience of rowing on the water, and although serious rowers might challenge this, there’s no denying that it provides a comfortable, smooth row, and its fans rave about the signature whooshing sound it makes.
The downside of the water resistance is that you can’t adjust the resistance as you can with air and magnetic rowers. It also means the machine is heavy, which may be a factor for home use. The monitor is pretty basic, so if it’s whizzy graphics or serious data you’re after, this may not be the machine for you.
Hydrow deals
Hydrow
Best for immersive experience
Resistance: Electromagnetic | Dimensions: L 86” (218cm); W 25” (63.5cm); H 47” (119cm) | Weight of machine: 145lb (65.8kg) | Storage: Can be placed upright but requires storage kit, purchased separately | Membership subscription: Yes
This is an ultra-modern, top-of-the-range machine. The first thing you’ll notice is the 22” touchscreen, which has a superb, high-definition display. This is the whole point of the Hydrow – it’s all about interactivity so you can participate in live classes as well as accessing hundreds of pre-recorded online sessions.
Hydrow is another to assert that the feel of its machine, with its computer-controlled electromagnetic resistance, is the closest you can get to rowing on the water. Again, not everyone agrees with this claim, but it does produce a smooth, gliding action and it’s one of the quietest rowing machines. One minor niggle is that to stand it up for storage, you need to purchase a storage kit separately.
The big downside is the price. Not only is the machine itself pricey, but to access all its features, you need to sign up for a membership subscription. If you love the idea of a community and get a kick out of the graphics, then it might be worth the investment, but you can get a good workout for less.
NordicTrack RW600 deals
NordicTrack RW600
Best value interactive rowing machine
Resistance: Dual air and silent magnetic resistance | Dimensions: L 86.5” (220cm); W 22” (56cm); H 47.1” (120cm) | Weight of machine: 97lb (44kg) | Storage: Folds up for storage | Membership subscription: Yes
As you might expect from a rowing machine made by a company that specializes in a range of fitness machines, the interactive program that comes with your membership subscription isn’t confined to rowing – you get access to everything from yoga to strength training in addition to indoor rowing sessions led by elite rowers. The machine itself is pretty good value but the membership subscription isn’t cheap unless you’re participating in several classes a week.
The unusual hybrid resistance system means that you can stick to the silent magnetic resistance if you need to keep the sound low, or add intensity with the air resistance. It can even be adjusted by the instructor during live sessions.
Although the machine is workmanlike in appearance (apart from the screen which is nicely designed) and is quite heavy, it does have the advantage of folding away for easy storage.
Sunny Health and Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine deals
Sunny Health and Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine
Best for a tight budget
Resistance: Magnetic resistance | Dimensions: L 78” (198cm); W 19.1” (48.5cm); H 23.2”(59cm) | Weight of machine: 60.9lb (27.6lg) | Storage: Folds up for storage | Membership subscription: No
If you just want a basic machine to give you a no-nonsense workout, this could be a smart buy. Because the resistance is magnetic, it’s also quiet. This feature plus the ability to fold the machine up for stowing away makes it a good choice for using at home. The action is smooth, though some users complain that the resistance doesn’t go high enough, despite having eight levels (adjustable by a dial).
If you like to track your data, you may be disappointed by the information on the performance monitor. Although it tracks stroke rate, time and calories, it doesn’t show the distance rowed, which many people regard as a basic piece of data. The monitor isn’t the easiest to read, either.
This machine doesn’t have any apps and doesn’t have a smartphone holder. It’s not particularly good-looking, either, and some users complain that it moves across the floor. However it’s cheap and provides a decent workout, so it should provide you with plenty of sweat for your buck.
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