Best Rowing Machines for Home (and for HYROX Training)
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A rowing machine is the most useful single piece of cardio equipment you can put in a home gym. It works your legs, back and arms in every stroke, it is low impact on knees and ankles, and it stores in a corner or against a wall. If you are training for HYROX, it is also a race station: 1,000 metres on a rower comes right after the fifth run.
The catch is that rowers range from compact magnetic machines built for casual cardio to the commercial air rowers you find in every CrossFit box and HYROX venue. They feel very different, and the right one depends on your space, your height and what you are training for.
This guide compares five rowing machines sold on Amazon: one air rower, one water rower, one smart rower with classes and two budget magnetic rowers. Specifications come from the manufacturers (Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, Sunny Health & Fitness and Merach) and from the hands-on testing published by Garage Gym Reviews, which has tested more than 30 rowers. The race rules come from the official HYROX 26/27 rulebook. Products were checked on November 3, 2026. These are research reviews, not hands-on tests: our sourcing rules are at How We Test.
The short answer: the best rowing machines for home
| Pick | Best for | Resistance | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept2 RowErg | Best overall and the HYROX race machine | Air (flywheel with damper) | Splits in two or stands upright |
| WaterRower Oak (S4 monitor) | Quiet, natural feel in a living space | Water | Stands upright |
| Hydrow Origin | Guided classes on a big screen | Magnetic, computer-controlled | Upright with an optional kit |
| Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Dual-Rail Rower | Best budget pick | Magnetic, 16 levels | Stands upright |
| Merach Q1S Magnetic Rower | Lowest-commitment option for small rooms | Magnetic, 16 levels | Compact frame |
If you only read one line: if you have the space and the budget, buy the Concept2 RowErg. It is the machine you will meet in gyms and at HYROX, it holds its value, and its monitor gives you numbers you can compare with anyone. If you mainly want quiet daily cardio, a water or magnetic rower is a reasonable choice.
Air, water or magnetic: which rower type is right for you?
- Air rowers (Concept2 RowErg). A fan flywheel creates the resistance, so the harder you pull, the harder it gets. This is the feel of every rower at a HYROX race and in most gyms. They are louder than the other types, mostly a whoosh of air, and they need about 9 by 4 feet of floor space while in use.
- Water rowers (WaterRower). Paddles turn inside a tank of water. The resistance also rises with effort and the stroke feels smooth and natural. They are quieter than air rowers and look like furniture, which is why many people choose them for a living room. You change the feel by adding or removing water, not with a lever.
- Magnetic rowers (Hydrow, Sunny, Merach). Magnets brake a flywheel at a fixed level that you choose. They are the quietest type and usually the most compact and affordable. The trade-off: the resistance does not respond to how hard you pull in the same way, so the stroke feels less like the race machine.
For HYROX training, choose air if you can. Pacing a 1,000 m row is a skill, and the race is on an air rower with a damper and a PM5-style monitor. Training on the same kind of machine lets you practise your race split. A magnetic rower still builds fitness, but treat its distance and split numbers as your own benchmark, not as a race prediction.
What to look for in a home rowing machine
- Floor space. Measure before you buy. A full-size rower is about 7 to 8 feet long, and you need room behind and beside it while you row. Check whether it stands upright or splits in two for storage.
- Rail length and your height. Tall rowers need a long rail so the seat does not hit the end at full extension. Concept2 states the RowErg fits inseams up to 38 inches. Compact rowers have shorter rails and suit shorter users better.
- Seat height. A low seat means a deep squat to get on and off. If that is hard for you, look at raised versions such as the Concept2 RowErg with tall legs (20-inch seat height instead of 14).
- Monitor. For training, you want at least time, distance, 500 m split and strokes per minute. Classes and apps are a bonus, not a requirement.
- Subscriptions. Smart rowers often need a monthly membership for their classes. Without it, some only work in a basic mode. Factor that into the real cost.
- Noise. Air rowers are the loudest, magnetic the quietest. If you row early in the morning in an apartment, this matters.
The best rowing machines for home, in detail
1. Concept2 RowErg — best overall, and the HYROX machine
- Air resistance: a fan flywheel with a damper you can set from 1 to 10
- PM5 monitor with time, distance, 500 m split, strokes per minute, watts and calories, plus a device holder
- Fits inseams up to 38 inches; 500 lb user capacity according to Concept2’s testing
- Separates into two pieces without tools, or stands upright on its caster wheels
- About 8 by 2 feet assembled; Concept2 recommends 9 by 4 feet of space in use
The RowErg is the default rower in gyms, CrossFit boxes and home gyms, and Garage Gym Reviews names it its best rowing machine overall. For HYROX athletes it has a simple advantage: HYROX races are rowed on Concept2 RowErgs, so the stroke, the damper and the PM5 numbers you train with are the ones you will see at the race.
The weak points are real but small. The built-in workouts are basic compared with smart rowers, the air flywheel is louder than magnetic or water, and some long-term users find the seat hard (a seat pad fixes that). Concept2 covers the frame for 5 years and moving parts and the monitor for 2 years. If you have a low seat height problem, Concept2 also sells a version with tall legs; check which version the listing shows before you order.
2. WaterRower Oak (S4 monitor) — best water rower
- Water resistance: paddles in a tank that you fill to your preferred level
- Solid wood frame (ash with an oak finish), made in the USA according to WaterRower
- S4 monitor with Bluetooth on this version
- About 82 inches long; stores upright with roughly the floor area of a chair
The WaterRower is for people who want a rower that looks good in a living room and sounds like water instead of a fan. The stroke is smooth and the resistance rises with effort, so it feels closer to an air rower than a magnetic one. It has the strongest customer feedback of the non-Concept2 rowers we checked.
What you give up: you cannot change the resistance mid-workout, because the feel depends on how much water is in the tank, and the S4 monitor is simpler than the Concept2 PM5. It is also not the machine you will meet at a HYROX race. Several WaterRower versions are sold on Amazon (oak, walnut, Hi-Rise with a raised seat); the one linked here is the standard oak.
3. Hydrow Origin — best for guided classes
- Computer-controlled magnetic resistance, very quiet
- 22-inch HD touchscreen with live and on-demand rowing classes
- 375 lb user capacity according to Garage Gym Reviews’ review
- Stands upright with a storage kit sold separately
Hydrow is the rower to choose if you want someone to tell you what to do every session. The classes, many filmed on real water, are the main reason people buy it, and the quiet magnetic resistance makes it easy to use at any hour.
The costs are on the other side of the scale. It is a heavy machine that does not fold, the classes need a monthly membership (without it, you only get a basic manual mode), and it is the most expensive rower in this guide. For HYROX-specific training, the Concept2 is the better tool; the newer Hydrow Wave did not pass our filter of customer feedback when we checked, so we link the Origin.
4. Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Dual-Rail Rower — best budget pick
- Magnetic resistance with 16 levels, per the listing
- 50-inch rail, longer than most budget rowers
- 300 lb user capacity, per the listing
- Connects to the free SunnyFit app; stores upright
If you want a rower for general fitness and do not want to spend Concept2 money, this is where we would start. The long rail is the key detail: many budget rowers have short rails that taller people outgrow quickly. It has by far the largest amount of customer feedback of the budget rowers we looked at, and Amazon itself sells it.
Be realistic about what it is: a magnetic rower with a basic monitor and a lighter frame than the machines above. It is a good machine for steady cardio and intervals at home. It will not teach you the feel of a race rower, and its split and distance numbers are not comparable with a Concept2.
5. Merach Q1S Magnetic Rower — for small rooms
- Magnetic resistance with 16 levels, per the listing
- Dual slide rail and an LCD monitor; works with fitness apps
- 350 lb user capacity, per the listing
The Merach Q1S is the lowest-commitment way to start rowing at home. It is compact, quiet and simple. Choose it if you are not sure you will row regularly, or if your space is very tight. If you are taller than average, compare its rail length with the Sunny above before you buy.
The same limits apply as with every budget magnetic rower: lighter build, simpler monitor and a different feel from the race machine. On the day we checked, it was sold by third-party sellers rather than by Amazon directly.
What we could not link
- Rogue Echo Rower and Ergatta. Garage Gym Reviews rates both highly (the Echo is the official rower of the CrossFit Games, the Ergatta is a water rower with game-based workouts), but we did not find them sold on Amazon. Buy them from the brands directly if you want one.
- Aviron, NordicTrack RW900, Hydrow Wave and Echelon Row-S. These are on Amazon, but when we checked they had either too few customer reviews or a rating below our minimum, so we are not recommending them on this page yet.
How the rower is used in HYROX
The row is the fifth station of the race, after the fifth 1 km run:
- Distance: 1,000 m, the same for every division.
- Damper: the rower is preset to 6 for every division, and you can change it as often as you like.
- Footplates: preset to position 4; you can adjust them before you start. Your feet must be on the footplates before you touch the handle.
- Stay seated. You can stop and rest, but you cannot stand up or leave the seat until 1,000 m are complete and the judge confirms it. Stopping short costs time penalties, and finishing under 980 m is an incomplete station.
Many racers lower the damper from 6 to about 4 or 5 so the stroke feels lighter on tired legs. Test your setting in training, not on race day. A 1,000 m row usually takes between 3:30 and 6:30 depending on fitness, so choose a target 500 m split you can hold without wrecking the run that follows.
A simple rowing plan for HYROX
Do this once or twice a week on your rower, alongside your running.
| Week | Session | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 × 500 m, rest 90 s | Find a split you can repeat |
| 2 | 4 × 750 m, rest 90 s | Hold the same split for longer |
| 3 | 1 km run + 1,000 m row, 3 rounds | Practise rowing on tired legs |
| 4 | 1,000 m for time at your race damper | A benchmark to beat next month |
For full sessions that combine the row with the other stations, see HYROX WOD: 6 workouts. For everything else you need at home, see our HYROX workout equipment guide, or HYROX on a budget if you would rather skip the rower for now.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rowing machine for home use?
For most people with the space, the Concept2 RowErg: it is durable, easy to store, holds its value and is the standard in gyms and at HYROX. If you want something quieter for a living room, a water rower such as the WaterRower is the main alternative.
Is a rowing machine good for HYROX training?
Yes. The row is one of the eight stations, and rowing builds the leg and back endurance you also need for the sled and the lunges. Training on an air rower with a damper, like the Concept2, is the closest match to the race.
What damper setting is used in HYROX?
The rower is preset to damper 6 for all divisions, and you are allowed to change it. Many racers row at 4 to 5.
How much space do you need for a rowing machine?
A full-size rower is about 7 to 8 feet long. Concept2 recommends 9 by 4 feet of floor space while rowing. Most rowers in this guide stand upright for storage.
Air or magnetic rower: which is better?
Air rowers feel like the race and gym machines and their resistance rises with effort. Magnetic rowers are quieter, smaller and cheaper. For HYROX or CrossFit training choose air; for quiet everyday cardio a magnetic rower is fine.
Do you need a subscription to use a smart rower?
For the classes, usually yes. The Hydrow needs a monthly membership for its classes and works only in a basic mode without it. The Concept2, WaterRower, Sunny and Merach work without any subscription.
Related reading: HYROX Workout Equipment · HYROX on a Budget · How Long to Train for HYROX · HYROX WOD: 6 workouts.
Every product here is marked research review: we checked the listings, the manufacturers’ specifications and published hands-on testing, but we have not trained on these exact rowers ourselves, so there is no Lab Score on this page. Sources: HYROX 26/27 rulebook (rowing station rules); Concept2 (RowErg specifications); WaterRower and retailer specification sheets; Garage Gym Reviews’ rowing machine testing and reviews; manufacturer specifications on each Amazon listing. Our full method is at How We Test.
Last reviewed: November 3, 2026. We do not publish prices or star ratings — both change daily and we would rather send you to the source than quote you a number that went stale. Check the current price on Amazon before buying.
