Buying guide
Best Budget Rowing Machines
The best rowing machines under about 600 dollars, covering magnetic, air, water, and hydraulic options so you can start rowing without overspending.
You do not need to spend four figures to start rowing. Under about 600 dollars there is a real spread of machines — magnetic, air, water, even hydraulic — and the trick is knowing what you actually give up at this price so you can pick the right compromise.
The two things that separate budget rowers from premium ones are build quality and smoothness of the stroke. Cheaper frames flex a little under a hard pull, seats and rails are less refined, and the monitors stick to basics like time, distance, and a rough calorie count rather than accurate watts or splits. None of that stops you getting a genuinely good full-body, low-impact workout — it just means the machine feels less polished while you do it.
Match the resistance type to your priority: magnetic for quiet and a fold-flat footprint, air for a responsive effort-scaling pull, and water for the most realistic feel. The picks below cover all three so you can buy on the trait you care about most without blowing the budget.
- 1 Best Overall$599
Xebex Magnetic Rower MGR-01
Xebex Fitness
At the top of the budget bracket, the Xebex Magnetic Rower feels noticeably more solid and smoother than the cheaper field, with near-silent resistance and a fold-up frame for storage. It is the one budget rower that does not feel like a compromise on the pull. If you can stretch to it, it is the easiest to recommend.
- 2 Best Feel$549
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5713 Water Rowing Machine
Sunny Health & Fitness
Real water resistance is rare at this price, and the SF-RW5713 delivers the authentic swoosh and effort-scaling stroke of machines costing far more. The build is basic and it is long, but the rowing experience punches above its cost. Choose it if feel matters more to you than gadgets or a tiny footprint.
- 3 Best Air Option$449
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5623 Air Rowing Machine
Sunny Health & Fitness
If you want the responsive, fan-driven erg feel on a budget, this air rower gives you a pull that scales hard with effort. It is louder than the magnetic picks and the console is minimal, but the stroke is honest. A good fit for interval and conditioning work where you want the resistance to fight back.
- 4 Best Cheap and Compact$249
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine
Sunny Health & Fitness
The SF-RW5515 is the lowest-cost way into quiet, foldable rowing, with magnetic resistance you set by dial and a frame that folds small. It is not smooth or sturdy like the pricier options and the monitor only covers the basics, but it gets a beginner moving for very little. Treat it as an honest entry point, not a forever machine.
Last updated June 2026.