Best Budget Rowing Machines – Get In Shape For Less
When you need fast and useful answers to low impact workouts, the best equipment on the market to use is the rowing machines. This is because the best rowing machines target the major lower parts of the body and ensure you comfortably achieved your desired objective. The machine is easy to use, depending on your objective, I can guarantee you will enjoy the moment of the exercise any time any day without spending a fortune. In this article, we hope to be helpful for finding the best budget rowing machines whether it’s for your own home gym equipment or as a gift for the indoor rower in your life.
It is a general belief that rowing only improves the muscles in the arm. In the real sense, rowing is a full-body exercise that enhances almost every part of the body and uses about 86 percent of the muscles in its locomotive action. The rowing stroke comprised about 25-35 percent upper bodywork and 65-75 percent leg work, according to a report from the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA).
The major muscle groups target by the rowing workouts include the pecs, obliques, upper back, and abdominal muscles. Reports confirmed that rowing helps strengthen the leg muscles such as the glutes, quadriceps, and calves. Don’t tell me you are wondering how it affects the leg muscles? The leg muscles are put to action during the drive part of the stroke or when pushing off the foot stretcher.
Also, rowing serves as a cardio exercise. The activity helps improve the cardiovascular system, including organs like the heart, arteries, blood, and blood vessels. It actively transports essential materials such as air and nutrients from one place to another. Since rowing is a workout that requires a considerable amount of strength, the heart works hard to pump more blood to the body. This exercise strengthens the heart muscles and can be recommended for people at risk of heart problems. Okay! Let’s take you through our best store of affordable rowing machines.
10 Best Budget Rowing Machines in 2020:
Women’s Health Men’s Health Bluetooth Home Rower
The Bluetooth rower rowing machine is one of the products born out of the latest technology. A large number of rowing machines and home fitness equipment now come with Bluetooth to connect to online applications and software to monitor your workout progress. As of now, this Bluetooth rower is one of the best low budget rowing machines for home use to have this feature. Before we go into the technical aspect, why don’t we talk about the set-up?
It takes about thirty minutes to assemble the Bluetooth rowing machines, and the user must have minimal DIY skills required to operate. It’s is a good quality for an inexpensive rowing machine and has excellent stability. The rowing position is stature-safe with a standard sporting seat, wide for adjustment, well-paddled for comfort, and a slightly inclined beam for getting on and off. An added advantage of this rower is the beam length, which makes it suitable for people up to 6’6″ and weight of about 250Ibs.
The Bluetooth rower has a wide footrest and a thick Velcro band capable of holding feet in position during exercise. To make your workout even more comfortable, you can invest in some good rowing shoes. This portable rowing machine uses a three-step process (Flywheel RPM, Resistance Level, Pull Length) to measure time watts and calories. This affordable home rowing machine has strong resistance, and the moves of the machine body parts are quiet. So if you are in your house or a small apartment, noise pollution is entirely out of it, unlike other rowers. The rower has 14 levels of specially calibrated resistance, which can be controlled using the knob. With our zero lag time resistance, it is impossible to find faults between the resistance level, which is something that makes it one of the best budget rowing machines for home use, one of the top rowers under $1000.
Pros
- This erg is sturdy.
- It’s easy to assemble
- Machine parts are quiet during movement
Cons
- The whole moves away from a position in a single pull
- The housing is plastic and very flimsy
- The seat is not very comfortable
- The rower flywheel makes a whorl sound when the pull cord engages
Koreyosh Indoor Water Rowing Machine
Koreyosh water rowing machine is a special type of rower designed for optimal performance. This low-budget rowing machine combines strong intensity, low impact noise, and strength training achievable through our pending resistance band training system. This rower is one of the latest model and the chosen one to complete your utmost goals all from the comfort of your home. One of the best rowers under $500, the machine focuses on building your mental and physical strength.
Since the rower has variable water resistance, it’s easier to control the tension of every stroke of your workout. Koreyosh water rowing machine allows a wide range of resistance, making it suitable for all fitness types. Transport wheels are incorporated within the rower system, which allows the water rower to be transported from one place to another. The foot pedals can accommodate large feet and have a U-shape seat that brings comfort to the user.
LCD Monitor – Our low-cost home exercise rowing machines are incorporated with an LCD screen which helps to track your moves per minutes, calories, distance, and can help you track your progress. Adjustable Resistance- Koreyosh water rolling machine is carefully developed to attain the real stroke on the water just in the way you make adjustments to workout intensity to meet your physical strength.
Pros
- It rows smoothly and provides a great workout
- Good construction material
- Easily adjustable to suit work plan
Cons
- Though to assemble
- Manual instructions are not explicit enough.
HouseFit Water Rowing Machine
The HouseFit water rowing machine has a long-lasting foamed-cased handle with a firm grip that makes it suitable. One of the best water rowing machines under $500, it offers the user a smooth and low impact workout by the aid of the specially designed flywheel. It is designed in such a way it gives total support to standing position. You can move your unit quickly through the attached dual caster.
I bet you will love it; the rower comes with an attached 10.2” large table support that allows you to watch films during your routine exercise. The inexpensive water rower comes with an LCD digital monitor that shows calories, speed, distance, time, and scan. Also, there are six levels of magnetic resistance that will make your workout more challenging and fun.
The pedals are adjustable to assure the comfort and safety of users. Its ergonomics design will ensure that your back and hips are in a good position for a proper workout.
Pros
- It rows smoothly
- It provides an excellent workout
- It is comfortable to use
Cons
- The rubber adjustable footrests emitted strong noxious fumes
- No customer service and no warranty
- It is difficult to assemble
SereneLife Smart Home Rowing Machine
SereneLife Smart Rowing Machine with a fitness monitoring app is an ultra-modern rowing machine that can be used in the gym or in your comfort zone and one of the best air rowers under $1000. The FitShow’ app incorporated in the rowing machine helps you attain your fitness goals by recording and comparing your progress with your friends, bringing out the best in you.
Our affordable smart rowing machine helps improve the shape of the whole body. Its low-impact workout and silent, petal-shaped footrests and smooth-gliding padded row seat ensure it is comfortable to use while doing your routine exercise. Little wonder why Americans go for this model; it is inexpensive and has a lot of benefits.
Serene life smart rowing provides full-body workout such that it triggers your heart to start pumping; this heart activity helps to strengthens your heart muscles. It is an ideal equipment for home or gym center. It can be adjusted to fit your daily schedule. This fordable rowing machine can be kept in a small space when not in use. Here are the specifications of the powerful:
Pros
- It is extremely quiet
- Much higher quality for that price
- The screen is a nice touch and has a ton of options
- It can be folded completely
- Adjustable tension works pretty well
Cons
- Difficult to assemble
- Console difficult to navigate
HouseFit Home Rowing Machine
Doing the same exercise day in and day out could be boring. It is about time to switch to a new model; that is, a rowing machine brought up to 15 levels of adjustable magnetic resistance. The HouseFit rowing machines weigh about 300lbs, which gives it a solid structure. With the aid of rear stabilizer, it attains stability on different surfaces to provide you fantastic rowing experience.
The top cheap indoor rowing machine is built with high-quality aluminum slide rails, which makes rowing exercise run smoothly and extremely quiet. The machine can fit different work plans to achieve your utmost fitness goals, whether you are a newbie or an expert.
The foot pedals can be adjusted to suit different foot sizes. With the aid of the digital monitor, it is easier to monitor calories burnt, time, and count. There is a phone holder that is attached to the digital monitor to watch your workout classes. The seat design ensures your back and hips are in a comfortable position. This budget magnetic rowing machine under $500 can maintain a standing position in order to save space. It can be moved easily.
Pros
- It is very quiet and too bulky
- It is very stable
- Easy to assemble
- Very sturdy and provides a good workout
Cons
- The foot straps are not well designed to suit foot sizes
JOROTO Magnetic Rowing Machine
If you are the type that is welcomed by the sound of a moving air and swishing water, a magnetic rower such as Joroto Magnetic rowing machine might fill up your desire. Joroto magnetic rower is one of the best budget magnetic rowers with high-quality aluminum flywheel with no-touch magnetic resistance. This whole design helps your exercise experience more quiet and fun. It is highly recommended for people having medical challenges with noise. The design of this rower enables it to maintain a standing position to save space.
The low budget magnetic rowing machine occupies a space of around 0.15 square meters of space. This folding rowing machine can be moved from one place to another by the aid of dual caster wheels. The magnet rower has ten levels of magnetic resistance that can be adjusted to fit various workout plans ranging from the learner to the experts. The specially designed non-slip pedals can accommodate the largest feet comfortably during exercise.
The cool magnetic rower under $1000 comes with an LCD monitor, which can be adjusted at an angle to show visible results to users of different height. Also, the LCD monitor can track your time, calories, distance, and counts to keep motivated to achieve your fitness goal. The monitor features a phone holder that keeps your mobile gadget and a holder for bottled water. The user is ascertaining to enjoy his workout session with the wide ergonomic seat and soft handlebar. The magnetic rower doesn’t need a plug-in; it can be used at any time.
Pros
- Versatile machine features ten levels of magnetic resistance
- Lower end of the midrange price category
- Features a folding space-saving design
- Smooth and quiet when in use
Cons
- Display monitor feels a little basic compared to others in its category
- Placing a phone in the holder can block the LCD screen
MARNUR Water Rowing Machine for Home
Marnur Water Rowing Machine is one of the best portable water rowing machines under $1000 in the market. The sound of the water in the rowing machine determines are well you are progressing in the workout. When exercising, you can strengthen your body’s muscles per the water resistance, including the shoulders, arms, abdomen, back, waist, and legs. The water rowing machine is designed with a dual-rail aluminum rowing machine that is quiet and smooth.
You can use it at any time of the day; it doesn’t disturb your neighbors or family.
The arms of the rowing machines are in full motion, unlike the traditional ones, it can rotate 360 degrees in all directions. A rowing exercise can effectively exercise muscles of arms, abdomen, back, and thigh. The machine is designed using heavy-duty steel, which makes it last longer. The maximum load of the steel frame is around 350 pounds. The affordable rower has a wide padded seat that slides smoothly to aid locomotion. It is applicable for people with a height that range from 51in to 77in, which makes it perfect for home exercises.
The machine has 12 levels of adjustable hydraulic resistance. This helps the user choose a plan that fits his daily schedule. The knob is used to adjust the tension that matches your exercise intensity and non-slip handlebars for smooth arm rotation. Therefore, it is an ideal equipment for family exercise, and the family can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The digital monitor is incorporated in the set-up with a multifunctional LCD to monitor your progress in speed, count, calories, time, and RPM. A phone holder is attached to the monitor, which allows a user to watch a workout class while exercising. The non-slip wide foot pedals with adjustable Velcro straps can hold any foot in position to maintain balance and stability during a performance. The wide seat is made comfortable to slide over the slide rail and provide you a fun-filled experience.
Pros
- Easy to move around
- It is quiet and runs smoothly
Cons
- The directions that come with it are tiny and difficult to make out what goes where.
- It is difficult to assemble.
Stamina ATS Air Home Rower
Like they say, “home is where the heart lives,” it takes a good working heart to build a healthy body. It takes a rigorous muscle and cardiovascular workout to build that body you desire. Affordable air rowers such as Stamina ATS air rower is ideal for every home. Through its wind-resistance design that protects you within your budget, Stamina air rower routine exercise targets all major muscle groups to strengthen and build a better body.
One of the best air rowing machines under $500, this low-cost air rower is engineered to give users a comfortable rowing workout; the indoor rowing machine works on both the upper and lower parts of the body. The intensity of your workout depends on your inner strength, and you can adjust the resistance level to suit your style; just change rowing-stroke speed. As you row faster, the machine will adjust to managing the intensity of your workout. All you need to do is to slow down for lower resistance. Just focus on your workout, the machine will adjust automatically.
The air rower is built with wide seat rail that allows for smooth sliding. It can accommodate all body sizes. Since the low-budget home rowing machine’s goals are to keep your body fit, it is made of a padded seat that makes users comfortable even for a longer routine. Oversized and textured foot pedals add to the comfort. It ensures your legs and hand are in fixed positions during exercise.
Rowing has been discovered to be one of the best exercises for building a strong back and increasing the heart’s work rate to make it active. The exercise is known to increase metabolism rate, burning calories, and fat sooner than later. Because rowing exercise provides an unbeatable aerobic workout without any side effects, air rowers improve your body fitness exponential while reducing the risks of injuries.
Pros
- It is cheap
- Functional enough when first set-up
- It is an alluring appearance
Cons
- It has a complicated set-up
- The handle is not well-designed
- There is no knob to adjust the drag
- The foot holder is poorly designed
MaxKare Water Rowing Machine
When you talk of one of the best budget water rowing machines, Maxkare is undoubtedly topping the category list. After a set of rowers released in 2017, Maxkare flooded the market a few months later. The features of this cheap water rower are based on similar designs from other brands. However, Maxkare rowing machines seem distinguished in some components such as seats, foot pedals, and monitors.
The foot pedals of this machine are wide enough to secure your foot in position- there is nothing more frustrating to stop the motion and re-tie the straps. Also, there is a bottle holder placed in a great location between the footrests. The arm has a proper diameter and padding makes it not difficult to handle; your hands should be held in position; therefore, preventing slipping. The monitor rests on an adjustable arm, making it easy to find the right angle for an accurate reading. The monitor works pretty well and a good piece for the price.
One of the best water rowing machines, its steel frame is well-designed. This is due to the stabilizers placed under each foot, giving it that sturdy feel when rowing at high strokes. The MaxKare allows users up to 264 lbs, and the warranty might not be valid if you exceed this weight. Workouts displayed include calories burned, 500 meter split times, and strokes per minute, although the values are estimates which are closer to the real values. The LCD screen has a standard size, which makes it easy to read during rowing exercises. It is also a heart monitor that can read your pulse. However, this monitor doesn’t have installed heart rate programs as such; it can be found in more expensive models.
Pros
- It is good value for the price
- Stable at high strokes
- Good monitor for a budget water rower
- It has a good beam height
- Two workout modes – Manual and Race
- Smooth and quiet operation
Cons
- There are no HR straps.
- Meter unit display doesn’t have LED backlight
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rower
The Sunny Health and Fitness SF-RW5515 magnetic rowing machine provide all the requirement for a fantastic cardiovascular workout and any other fitness goal you might wish for. The top-rated magnetic rowing machine offers eight magnetic resistance levels that allow you to switch to the resistance that balances your workout intensity.
You can either increase or decrease the magnetic resistance with just a simple twist to ensure that your workout is challenging and fun. One of the top magnetic rowers, it comes with a large textured footrest with safety straps to ensure a non-slip surface. The stability of this top rowing machine can never be compromised, no matter the intensity of your performance. SF-RW5515 magnetic rower features a cushioned seat that provides comfort to the user while rowing.
The LCD monitor is incorporated in the set-up to shows vital statistics as regards your performance. The design has built-in transportation wheels that allow you to transfer the equipment from one place to another. The rower has a folded dimension of 37L X 19W X53.5H inches that will enable you to save space. This cheap rowing machine has foam padded handlebars that prevent calluses. The handlebars ensure that it doesn’t slip away when grip by the user. For an even more comfortable and safer workout, you can wear a pair of rowing gloves.
Pros
- This rowing machine is large enough to accommodate a wide range of users
- The foot pedals are also large enough to accommodate every user
- The quiet feature of the magnetic resistance is amazing
- It has a knob that allows the user to control the intensity to eight different levels
- It is easily transported and folded
Cons
- The console on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine is very basic
- There are no workout plans and there is no ability to track your heart rate
Buying Guide To The Best Budget Rowing Machine
Before going to the store to pick your desire rower for your indoor exercise. It would help if you considered some factor which will discuss below:
Frame: Foldable or Non-foldable
Water or air rowing machines are familiar with the long frame; storage of such rowers could be challenging. It is essential to check if your home is spacious to accommodate the rower, or you will need a rower with a foldable frame.
Seat: Cushioned or Padded; Fixed or Gliding
You probably have observed that most rowing machines come with a hard seat padded with a sheet of rubber or foam. Despite that, the manufacturer provides all material needed to provide comfort to users. However, an inexperienced user might find it challenging to maintain seating positions and adjust it frequently.
Also, some of the best budget rowers come with fashioned cushioned seats. This type of seat is comfortable, and users might opt to go for this kind of seat. The seat can also be fixed or gliding, which depends mainly on the design.
Seat Rail: Inclined or Horizontal
Designed indoor rowing machines are quite familiar; a racing shell and its seat glides are designed on horizontal rowing motion. New models of rowers are now being supported on an inclined seat rail.
Footplates: Fixed or Adjustable
Since users have different foot sizes, adjustable footplates will be considered a great alternative when looking for the best home rowing machine for a low budget.
Final verdict
There you have it, our list of the top and cheap rowing machines. It would help if you did some research to see the best affordable home rowing machines, but this will give you a head start. So let’s get you rowing!