Best Rowing Machine Under 500 Review In 2022

As a collegiate athlete who has trained in several small to world-class gyms, I’ve been able to test out different types of Rowing Machine Under 500 on the market. 

Out of the eight Rowing Machines Under 500 that we got to test and research, we recommend the Stamina ATS Air Rower because the resistance and intensity can be adjusted to the amount of force you generate. Making it perfect for any person, especially if they have an injury or mobility issue.

Made with a strong metal chain chord, it can withstand a lot of yacking. With the footpad with nylon straps, this strong base can help generate that push back force giving you a great consistent workout.

The Top Rowing Machine Under 500 Reviewed

	Product's name	Type	Levels of Resistance	More Info
	Best All-Around Stamina ATS Air Rower - Smart Workout App, No Subscription Required - Foldable Rowing Machine for...	Air	None	Check Price
	Best High Quality Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine Rower with LCD Monitor	Magnetic	Eight	Check Price
	Best Versatile Fitness Reality Magnetic Rowing Machine with Bluetooth Workout Tracking Built-In, Additional Full...	Magnetic	Fourteen	Check Price
	Best Water XTERRA Fitness ERG200 Folding Magnetic Resistance Rower	Water	Six	Check Price
	Best Magnetic EFITMENT Magnetic Rowing Machine Rower for Home Exercise w/Digital Monitor, 250 LB Weight Capacity,...	Magnetic	Eight	Check Price
	Best Incline ProGear 750 Rower with Additional Multi Exercise Workout Capability, Black	Hydraulics	Three	Check Price
	Best Hydraulics Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine with Folding Arms, Adjustable Resistance, LCD Monitor, and Large...	Hydraulics	Adjustable	Check Price
	Best Smart Innovative fitbill Rowing Machine Rower with Workout App, Hydraulic Resistance and Free Motion Arms, Model...	Hydraulics	Eight	Check Price

Find the Best Rowing Machine Under 500 for You

Stamina has been creating innovative, affordable equipment for over 30 years. Focused on the fitness and leisure industry, they’ve become affiliated with well-known brands and gyms such as Gold’s Gym, Joyus, Danskin, Body By Jake, and Body Shaping.

Stamina ATS Air Rower is one of the most well-known rowers on the market and used in many commercial gyms. The rower uses a flywheel air resistance system where it increases in difficulty with the amount of force you generate. The faster you are row, the harder the resistance will be.

Made with a strong metal chain chord, it can withstand a lot of yacking. With the footpad with nylon straps, this strong base can help generate that push back force giving you a great consistent workout.

There is also a Digital LCD Monitor where it tracks your workout. It has the speed, calories burned, workout time, strokes per minute, distance traveled, and heart rate. This allows you to see your progress, or if you have set goals you need to reach.

With built-in wheels at the bottom, it is straightforward to move around and place it into a storage area. If you’re looking for a dependable rower that doesn’t need electricity to function, we recommend the Stamina ATS Air Rower.

Sunny Health and Fitness are the premier distributor and importer for high-quality fitness and health products. As they source directly through their manufacturers, their pricing are more competitive, providing you an affordable way to get healthy.

The Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine is no different. Less than $500, it provides you a quiet and easy to use rowing machine in the comforts of your own home.

There is a resistance adjustment dial that gives you the ability to choose the intensity of the workout. The levels go from 1 to 8, 1 being the easiest, 8 being the hardest. 

During your workout, you can see how you are performing with the LCD Digital Monitor. It tracks your calorie burn rate, calculates your split times, and your current heart rate.

One of the best features of this rowing machine is the fully padded seats and sweat-resistant hand bar. The hand bar is straightforward to hold as it does not dig into your hands when you begin rowing fast. 

This machine has a removable main bolt by the foot medal that allows you to quickly move your machine to your desired storing space.

If you’re looking for a rower that doesn’t make much noise as you row in the comforts of your own home, we recommend checking out Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Rowing Machine.

Fitness Reality is a Paradigm Health & Wellness Inc division that has become one of the largest sellers in the US. Selling over one million pieces of exercise equipment, they are one of the leading manufacturers in helping you get fit and reach your fitness goals wherever you are.

The Fitness Reality 1000 Rower is a unique rower as it’s the only machine on the market that has Bluetooth features built-in.

The magnetic rower comes with a free app called my CloudFitness App that keeps track of all your results and hard work. It is an excellent tool for making sure you are close to reaching your fitness goals. The data includes heart rate, time to complete workouts, calories burned, speed, distance traveled, and your body weight.

The Fitness Reality 1000 Rower also allows you to do a full body workout. You can change the machine to do side raises, tricep extensions, reverse grip curls, and front raises. 

If you’re looking for a complete rowing machine that has Bluetooth capabilities, we recommend looking at the Fitness reality 1000 Rower.

XTERRA Fitness line of fitness equipment focuses on their craftsmanship. Building every equipment to be sleek and elegant while providing the tools you need to attain your fitness goals. 

Helping amateur, professional athletes, and outdoor athletes for over 30 years, they continually strive to promote fitness, health, and an outstanding level of training to your home.

XTERRA Fitness’s Water Rower is the best water rower on the market. The round water tank has a rotational blade system that spins around. When you are rowing, you’re making the rotational blade move. The faster you try to row, the more force you’re producing.

The motion feels like being in actual water, which may help you relax and calm down as you hear the water moving. Made with aluminum and solid steel, this water rower will last for years.

It has six resistance levels determined by the amount of water being used as you row. With in-built workout programs installed, it adds a layer of competition to your workouts. You can race against the computer or add more competition to your workouts.

If you’re looking to have a different feeling and overall experience when you’re rowing, we recommend you to try the XTERRA Fitness ERG 600W Water Rower.

EFITMENT is a premier distributor and importer of high quality fitness exercises and health products. Focusing on quality and craftsmanship, they’re able to continually provide innovative products to satisfy all your health needs.

The EFITMENT Magnetic Rowing Machine Rower is no different if you’re looking for an at-home rowing machine. It has eight different resistances that can be adjusted to the level of intensity of workout you want for that day.

With a cushioned seat and a sweat resistant handle, you can focus on performing the rowing machine without anything slipping off.

As it uses magnetic resistance, there is barely any noise, making it perfect to workout at any time of the day. Made with a heavy duty elastic cord that is tear resistant, you’ll have a perfect rowing machine for a long time.

If you’re looking for a magnetic rowing machine, we recommend you trying out EFITMENT’s Magnetic Rowing Machine.

ProGear is part of Paradigm Health & Wellness, a leading supplier in the Health, Fitness, and Wellness Industry. They approach manufacturing with a holistic approach to your wellbeing and continuously bring new and innovative products to the market that address all your needs.

The ProGear 750 Rower provides an incline to your rowing workouts. It has three levels that you can adjust, changing the intensity and effort used by all your muscles.

There are two hydraulic cylinders and three hydraulic resistance levels that are also changed to make your workouts harder. With the controller placed in between the handlebars, you can also change the tension of your entire workout.

It also comes with a backrest with your cushioned seat and foam-covered handlebars, providing you the comfort you need to focus on a hard intense workout.

If you’re looking to do more than just row, you can also change the rowing machine to perform 10 additional exercises such as shoulder presses, pull-downs, ab workouts, pec flies, bent over rows, and more.

This is a great machine that provides you more than rowing. If that’s what you’re looking for, we recommend having a look at ProGear 750 Rower.

Harvil is a fitness and health manufacturer that focuses on creating practical, effective, heavy-duty exercise equipment for your home gym.

The Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine isn’t only durable, but it has a great unique design. It is made with vibrant colors and provides folding arms instead of a regular pulley system. This gives you a full and complete range of motion as you work out. These folding arms are compact and can be easily put away.

Built with a steel frame and a large LCD display monitor, this machine has everything you need to get a great workout while not taking too much space.

If you’re looking for a different type of rowing machine with vivid colors, we recommend looking at Harvil’s Hydraulic Rowing Machine.

Fitbill focuses on creating innovative multifunctional equipment to help you achieve your fitness goals. Using new technologies to provide versatility that allows you to train at any speed, plane, and load.

The Fitbill Smart Indoor Rowing Machine definitely lives up to these expectations. Equipped with a manual magnetic resistance system means you don’t have to connect to a power source to benefit from any resistance. It provides you up to 10 levels of resistance that you can adjust depending on the intensity you want to train at for the day.

It is made of aluminum and steel that provides you a sturdy rust-resistant frame, so you can push yourself as hard as you want without worrying about it breaking. 

With Bluetooth capabilities and a free workout app that works with the machine, this rowing machine provides you with all the basic rowing needs blended with new technology for you to get a great workout.

Rowing Machine Under 500 Buying Guide

What Are Rowing Machine

A rowing machine simulates how a boat would feel if you were rowing it. It provides you the resistance of the water on the rowing machine. As rowing uses a lot of your whole body and cardio, you increase your heart while increasing your strength while you row.

Just like High Intensity Interval Training, it is a low-impact workout that is easy on your joints but improves your overall body.

The Benefits Of Using Rowing Machine

Improve Aerobic Fitness

15 minutes of regular rowing can increase your endurance and overall stamina. This will help your overall cardiovascular health and live longer.

Full Body Workouts

When you’re rowing, you’re using 86% of your muscles in your body. Your upper body and arms to pull back and your legs to push off similar to a squat. And you’re doing this for hundreds, maybe even thousands of reps. 

Burns A Lot Of Calories

Rowing provides a combination of strength and cardio training. Research has found that with a high intensity workout, you will burn up to 713 calories per hour.

Work With Less Injury Risk

With a rower machine, you have a lower injury risk due to having less wear and tear on your joints. You can also change the variables such as intensity, resistance, pace, and distance so it suits your body and the condition it is for that day.

Better Posture

Since the rowing machine uses your full body, it activates many muscles that usually don’t get used. It works on the posterior chain which is crucial for balancing your muscles, resulting in less injuries and better posture.

Beginner Friendly

Rowing Machines are very simple. All you have to do is push back and forth and you only need 10 to 20 minutes to see immediate improvements with your life.

What To Look For When Purchasing A Rowing Machine Under 500$

Size

Size is important if you have a limited amount of space at home. Rowing machines go from 50” to 82”, sometimes even more. Make sure you pay attention and measure out the space in your home to ensure the size of your machine will fit in your room.

Foldability

Foldability helps if you have a limited amount of space. You can fold the rowing machine and store it when you’re not using it.

Resistance

Some rowing machines have a different level of resistance. This can be beneficial as you can adjust the intensity for the workout depending on your body condition. 

Materials

Standard rowing machines are made with a stainless steel frame. Make sure they are at least the durability and strength of steel if you’re looking to have a machine rower that lasts for years.

Noise

Noise can be a big problem if you like working out in the morning and have neighbours or tenants in your apartment. Rowing machines that are powered magnetically will have the least amount of noise.

User Weight Capacity

Make sure to check how much the rower can hold. If you’re heavier than the manufacturer’s weight capacity, the rower will not run effectively or efficiently.

Monitor and Console

The console and monitor keeps tracks of certain statistics. Most rowing machines under 500 will not have a console or will have LCD monitors that display basic information.

The basic information is enough if you want to see your progress for the workout day. If you’re looking to track everything, make sure it is able to track the data you’re looking for.

Seat Height

Mobility can be an issue for individuals that have gotten surgery or don’t normally stretch. If the rowing machines are low or close to the ground, it can be hard to get on and off.

What Are The Different Types of Rowing Machine

There are four different types of rowing machines currently on the market. All have benefits and disadvantages depending on what you’re looking for.

Air Resistance

An air resistance rowing machine is created by using a flywheel. The harder you pull the bar, the more resistance is placed when you row. The downside is it’s very loud, but there is no electricity required when using.

Water Resistance

A water resistance rowing machine provides an authentic rowing experience. This is because the blade system is in the body of water instead of the air. This allows you to control the resistance, however you do have to add and replace the water.

Magnetic Resistance

A magnetic resistance rowing machine uses electromagnets to control the resistance to slow down the flywheel. The more resistance you want for your workout, the slower the flywheel will spin.

Hydraulic Machines

A hydraulic rowing machine uses pistons that are connected to the handlebar. This allows the user to manually adjust the resistance and usually are the most affordable rowing machines.

Rowing Vs Other Cardio Machines

Both rowing and other cardio machines are great ways to work on your cardiovascular system and muscles. 

In terms of cycling, both moderate rowing and moderate cycling burn at the same amount; 200 to 300 calories in 30 minutes.

In terms of a treadmill, it works very little on your upper body as your legs are doing the work.

A rowing machine will be better on your joints and activates more muscles throughout the movement.

It is also ideal for overweight individuals and other older people.

Both rowing machines and treadmills work, find which one is more beneficial and less complicated for your situation.

Can You Use the Rowing Machine If You’re Injured or Are New to Exercise?

Rowing is great for individuals of all ages with different fitness levels.

If you’re rehabbing for an injury, it has no impact on most joint pain or discomfort, or muscle strain. You can adjust the intensity until your body heals and gets stronger.

If you have a back injury, you have to monitor your fatigue level. People tend to lose their core strength and their ability to brace when they get tired. This puts more stress to your lower back. Make sure you have supervision from a person to watch your form.

How Do You Use A Rowing Machine?

The rowing motion may not be intuitive, but it is very simple once you understand the movement. 

When you begin to “row, think of the legs, core, and arm” on the way out, and “arm, core, legs” on the way in.

When you begin from the starting position up close, you should extend your legs, brace your core, and use your arms for rowing the arm bar into your chest.

Then to reverse, you extend your arms, hinge your core forward, and then bend your leg.

Most of the power comes from the legs, but you need to keep your core tight, or you’ll be going with the force instead of resisting. That’s where most of the muscle building comes from.

Here’s a in depth video on how to row a rowing machine:

Rowing Machine : TECHNIQUE and BENEFITS

FAQs for Rowing Machine Under 500

Conclusion

When choosing a rowing machine, there are many factors, such as your fitness level, how tall you are, what type of resistance, noise, and how much room you have.

However, out of the eight Rowing Machines Under 500 that we got to test and research, we recommend the Stamina ATS Air Rower because the resistance and intensity can be adjusted to the amount of force that you generate. Making it perfect for any person, especially if they have an injury or mobility issue.

Made with a strong metal chain chord, it can withstand a lot of yacking. With the footpad with nylon straps, this strong base can help generate that push back force giving you a great consistent workout.

If you want a different type of rowing machine that doesn’t involve the traditional push and pull pulley system, we recommend the Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine.

The Harvil Hydraulic Rowing Machine isn’t only durable, but it has a great unique design. It is made with vibrant colors and provides folding arms instead of a regular pulley system. This gives you a full and complete range of motion as you work out. These folding arms are compact and can be easily put away.