3 Best Rowing Machines of 2025, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
The best rowing machines we tested include models from Peloton, Hydrow, and Sunny Health that are well built and easy to use
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The best rowing machines have a few things in common: They have superior ergonomics, good construction, and they’re easy—and especially safe—to use.
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, but also to assess how well it fit each user, among other tests.
- Best Rowing Machines
- Best Rowing Machines: How We Pick 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 for how each machine guides 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.
Some of the machines in our tests have built-in systems to connect to on-demand or live exercise classes, and 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 evaluate their construction quality, their ability to accommodate a range of body sizes and shapes, ease of use, and potential 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 examined how easy it was to achieve a proper position to push off and how the machine performed 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 examined the readability of displays and the steps required to activate various workout programs (where applicable). The presence or absence of certain features, including your stroke rate and split time, factors into ease of use.
To assess machine construction, we looked for any clear manufacturing defects, how smoothly the machine operated when driving back and pulling the handle, how smoothly the seat moved, and how the machine sounded while in operation.
Finally, all the machines we tested performed well in tests for user safety, which assess overall stability and look for pinch points or areas where fingers could get stuck while operating the machine.
