Best Rowing Machines of 2025
The rowers we’ve tested are well built, but that doesn’t mean they’re all easy to use
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When testing rowing machines, Consumer Reports recruited five men and five women—not just to give each a full-body cardio workout on each machine we tested but also to assess how well each machine fit each user, and whether anyone had problems with the controls or adjusting their feet, among other tests. In doing so, we were able to separate the wheat from the chaff, and recommend three machines that do their jobs best.
- Best Rowing Machines
- Best Rowing Machines: How We Picked How We Test
Best Rowing Machines
In addition to providing a good workout, a rowing machine can also be beneficial for anyone with joint issues or pain that’s aggravated by running. Here are the top performers from our tests.
How We Pick the Best Rowing Machines
All the rowers we’ve tested are at least reasonably well built and safe for users, and you’ll be able to get a good workout on any of these machines, says Bernie Deitrick, who oversees CR’s tests of rowing machines. Many of the differences come down to build quality, ease of use and features, and ergonomics.
As far as how each machine walks you through a workout, those that we tested behave differently. If you’re looking for something specific, you can check the ratings page for any model to see which features it has.
Two of the machines in our tests have built-in systems to connect to on-demand or live exercise classes, some others have preset workouts you can follow. Some of the machines we tested display all the metrics that competitive rowers use to measure performance (including stroke rate, split time, and time per 500 meters), but some don’t.
CR’s latest tests did not include the Concept 2 RowErg, which is popular in gyms and among many rowers and coaches. In previous years, when CR tested an older version of that machine from Concept 2 (the Model D), we found that it performed almost as well as the more expensive Hydrow and Peloton machines.
How CR Tests Rowing Machines
CR’s testers assess rowing machines to see how well they are built, how well they can accommodate a variety of body sizes and shapes, how easy they are to use, and whether they pose any safety risks to users.
To evaluate a machine’s ergonomics, we had five men and five women row on each machine, to see how it fit various users and to see whether anyone had problems reaching controls, grabbing the handle, or adjusting their feet and strapping in on the foot pad. We also looked at how easy it was to get into a proper position to push off, and how the machine worked for different rowers as the seat and handle traveled back.
For ease of use, we looked at how easy it was to push buttons on the display and to make adjustments to workouts or to resistance levels. We also looked at how readable displays were and what you need to do to activate various workout programs (where applicable). The presence or absence of certain features, including your stroke rate and split time, factor into ease of use.
To assess machine construction, we looked for any clear manufacturing defects, how smooth the machine was when driving back and pulling the handle, how smoothly the seat moved, and how the machine sounds while operating.
Finally, all the machines that we’ve tested did well on tests for user safety, which assesses overall stability and looks for pinch points or ways you could get fingers stuck while operating the machine.
