By Paul Kendrick, Cardio & Endurance Editor · Updated 26 June 2026
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Looking for the best budget rowing machine in the UK? You have come to the right place. A home rowing machine is one of the most effective ways to improve your fitness, lose weight and build muscle from home, and budget options are now more widely available than ever. The catch is that a low price can sometimes mean poor quality, so it pays to do your research before parting with your hard-earned money.
Fortunately, we have done the legwork for you. Every machine here is scored on cost, build quality, features, comfort and customer satisfaction. Some we have bought and tested at home over the years; the budget market moves quickly, though, so where a model has since been discontinued we have researched its replacement closely instead of claiming hands-on time we have not had. We were braced for some genuinely abysmal budget rowers, and a few were so bad they did not make the cut, but several really impressed us, packing in features usually reserved for models over £500 at less than £200.
A quick word on price. We have focused on rowing machines up to roughly £250. Most are below £200, one is even below £100, and we have included a couple of slightly pricier options for anyone able to spend a little more on a better budget rower. Here are our top 10 best budget rowing machines in the UK.
Our top pick for the best budget rowing machine in the UK is the YOSUDA Magnetic Rowing Machine. For less than £150 at the time of writing, it completely outclasses similarly priced rowers, and it is sold directly by YOSUDA, a brand that has been making home fitness equipment for over 20 years.
There is a little assembly required out of the box, but it is quick and straightforward: six main parts and around 25 minutes. The frame is 5mm commercial-grade steel with a 160kg (350lb) load capacity, which is remarkable at this price and well above what most sub-£150 rowers manage.
Where it really pulls ahead is the resistance. You get 16 levels of magnetic resistance topping out at around 33kg (323N), so unlike the four-level machines further down this list it will keep challenging you as you get fitter. A 5.5kg flywheel keeps the stroke smooth, and because the magnetic system is contactless and the steel is noise-damped, it is almost silent, which makes it ideal for use while watching TV or training early in the morning. The LCD covers time, distance, calories, pace and stroke rate, and Bluetooth sends your numbers through to your favourite fitness app. YOSUDA backs it with a 1-year warranty.
Why it wins
The YOSUDA is the perfect blend of low cost, sturdy build and useful features. If you want a budget home rower and would rather not spend more than £150, this is the one to get.
The one thing to check before you buy is your height. The rail suits users between roughly 1.35m and 1.88m (about 4ft 5in to 6ft 2in), so if you are taller than that, our big and tall pick further down this guide will serve you better.
Another excellent budget rower is the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5606. It was a serious contender for our top pick and was only pipped at the post on price.
Sunny Health & Fitness is a well-known, trusted name in fitness equipment, and this machine is no exception. Made from high-grade steel, it is reassuringly sturdy yet still light enough to fold up and move once you are done. Setup is quick, and we were up and rowing in just 20 minutes.
It has a maximum weight limit of 100kg (around 15 stone) and four resistance levels so you can tailor your workout. The digital LCD display tracks total time, row count, total row count, rows per minute and calories burned. An extra-wide, comfortable seat and footrests with secure straps round out a thoughtful package.
After a couple of weeks of testing we loved it, a great blend of quality, features, build and cost. The only reason it missed the top spot came down to price, so if you can stretch your budget a little, it is well worth a look.
Check price on AmazonIf you can stretch to £200, the MERACH R15 is our best £200 rowing machine, and it is a serious step up from the sub-£150 machines on this list.
The headline is the resistance. MERACH fits an upgraded magnetic flywheel that peaks at 40kg across 16 levels, which is more top-end resistance than most home rowers offer at any price, let alone at £200. If you are worried about outgrowing a budget rower as you get stronger, this is the one that will keep up with you.
The rail is extended to 130cm, so taller users get a full stretch at the catch instead of running out of track, and the maximum user weight is 158kg (around 24.8 stone). MERACH has also tuned the handle position and rail angle to stop your elbows and knees colliding, which is a genuinely thoughtful touch you rarely see at this price.
It is well connected, too. The free MERACH app offers guided workout videos, training goals and 3D map rowing competitions, it works with Kinomap as well, and you can sync heart rate from an Apple Watch or Garmin. The large display keeps your numbers clear, and there is a built-in water bottle hole and a phone or tablet holder. It arrives up to 90% pre-assembled, and the rail folds for vertical storage.
Check price on AmazonThe JLL R200 is a great choice if you can push your budget a little further. It uses magnetic resistance rather than elastic bands, giving a more natural feel when rowing, and comes with 10 levels so you can progressively overload as you get stronger. We found the top levels genuinely challenging, exactly what you want from a home rower.
Setup takes around 30 minutes with easy-to-follow instructions. At 26kg it is heavier than most machines on this list, but it folds and has roller wheels at the front so it is still easy to move. In use the rowing motion is smooth and the frame stays stable, even after a full 60-minute workout. The seat is comfortable and the resistance is quick to adjust on the fly.
The LCD shows total row count, calories burned, rows per minute, total distance (in km) and total time. A big advantage is how quiet it is. If noise matters to you, this is an excellent option.
Check price on AmazonThis is the second Sunny Health & Fitness machine in our guide, and our pick for buyers who want to spend as little as possible. It is available for less than £90, you read that right, so you really cannot fault the price.
It is a simple machine with few moving parts, which works in its favour. Fewer parts means fewer things to break. Total weight is under 10kg, so it is very easy to pick up and move.
The features pleasantly surprised us: 12 hydraulic resistance levels, each adding a noticeable step in difficulty. The wide cushioned seat is comfortable for long sessions, the pedals feel strong and secure, and the whole machine feels sturdy with a maximum user weight of 15 stone (around 220lb). We would suggest placing it on a mat or rug for extra stability.
The monitor shows time, row count and calories burned, simple but ideal for a budget machine. Best of all, because it uses hydraulic pressure rather than noisy bands, it is very, very quiet.
Mind the piston
Take care not to touch the hydraulic piston straight after a hard workout, as it can get quite hot.
If you want to spend as little as possible, this is the rowing machine for you.
Check price on AmazonThe We R Sports rower does the basics well. It uses elastic-cord resistance with four adjustable levels, enough for most beginner home users, and is a solid choice if you want a machine that gets the fundamentals right. If you think you will need a tougher workout, opt for one of the magnetic machines on this list instead.
It is quick to set up, and once you are underway everything feels smooth and sturdy. Some budget rowers develop friction between the seat and rail over time, but after weeks of testing we saw no such issues here.
The LCD display covers time, distance and speed. The foot straps feel strong and kept our feet fully secure through 40-minute workouts, and the seat is wide and comfortable, an important thing to look for in a budget rower. As a bonus, it folds away by undoing a single hand-turned screw and is very quiet in use.
Check price on AmazonThe Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine is our top choice for bigger and taller users. It sits at a slightly higher price point than our top pick, but it is well worth the extra if you need the room.
The numbers are what earn it this spot. The maximum weight capacity is 350lbs (159kg), the highest on this list, and the 48.8-inch slide rail fits users from 4ft 5in all the way up to 6ft 5in, so tall rowers get a full leg drive instead of bottoming out early. The upgraded dual slide design runs on two sturdy steel rails rather than one, which keeps the machine planted and stops it feeling tippy under a heavier rower.
It has 16 levels of magnetic resistance, driven by a 12lb flywheel and high-energy magnets that deliver up to 66lbs of resistance, so even the strongest users have somewhere left to go. Despite that, it runs below 15 decibels, which is about as quiet as a home rower gets.
The digital monitor records distance, time, calories, count and total count, with a scan mode to cycle through them, and Bluetooth links it to training apps and live workout videos. It assembles in around 20 minutes, rolls on front transport wheels and stands vertically for storage.
If you are around 6 foot or taller, weigh 15 stone or more, or simply want a budget rower with genuinely challenging resistance, this is the one on this list built for you.
Check price on AmazonThe Wenoker packs in features usually reserved for machines over £300, yet costs less than £150, so it is well worth considering for home workouts.
It comes with 16 levels of adjustable magnetic resistance, and Wenoker sensibly maps them out for you: levels 1 to 4 for gentle rehab work, right up to levels 13 to 16 for proper HIIT cardio. The magnetic system is maintenance-free and runs under 30 decibels, which is quieter than a whisper and a real advantage in a thin-walled flat.
The reinforced steel slide rail carries up to 350lbs (160kg) and suits heights up to about 6ft 3in, with an inseam allowance of up to 45 inches. Bluetooth connects it to Kinomap so you can row thousands of real-world routes, the integrated tablet holder keeps your device in view, and it tracks calories, strokes per minute and time as you go. It arrives 70% pre-assembled, takes about 30 minutes to build, and then stores vertically in a 3.1 sq ft footprint.
There is no built-in heart rate monitoring, so if you want to track it, pair a smartwatch.
Check price on AmazonOur penultimate pick is the second Dripex on this list, and it is here for one simple reason: at around £110 it is the cheapest magnetic rowing machine we would happily recommend.
That matters more than it sounds. The only cheaper machine in this guide, the Sunny SF-RW1205, uses hydraulic resistance. If you want the smoother, more natural feel of magnets and you are spending as little as possible, this is where the ladder starts.
For the money you get 16 adjustable resistance levels, a robust steel frame with dual slide rails, an ergonomic padded seat and a non-slip handle. It runs whisper-quiet, which is the whole point of a magnetic rower in a flat, and the LCD tracks time, distance, calories and stroke count, syncing to fitness apps if you want structured sessions.
It is built for small homes. The foldable structure cuts the storage footprint by around 70%, it sets up quickly with one person, and built-in wheels make it easy to roll out of the way.
The compromise against our big and tall pick above is capacity: this one tops out at 130kg rather than 159kg, and it is designed around compact spaces rather than the tallest rowers.
Check price on AmazonLast but certainly not least is the Body Sculpture Rower & Gym, a clever bit of kit that is both a rowing machine and a semi home gym. Alongside standard rowing, you can use it for upper-body exercises such as chest presses and arm and shoulder work.
It has three resistance levels, though we found ourselves sticking to the highest and wishing for a level or two more. Out of the box the seat felt a little stiff against the rail and was not especially smooth. This may be down to it being brand new and could improve with use. The display shows calories burned, total row count and total time.
Assembly can look daunting at first, but the instructions are clear and it takes around 30 to 45 minutes. It is also foldable and lightweight for easy storage. The main downside is that it may not suit taller users. If you are over 6 foot, look at our big and tall pick above instead.
A couple of nice bonuses: Body Sculpture is a British company with excellent customer service, and the rower comes with an instructional DVD covering the exercises you can do with the machine.
Check price on AmazonWe scored each machine on cost, build quality, features, comfort and customer satisfaction, with extra weight given to price since this is specifically about the best budget rowing machine. Several of these rowers have been bought and tested by our team at Best Exercise over the years. Budget models get discontinued constantly, though, and rather than leave a recommendation up that you can no longer buy, we replace it with a researched pick: for those we compare confirmed specs, owner feedback and current expert reviews instead of claiming hands-on time we have not had. Either way, the duds that were frankly unusable did not make the list.
If you can push your budget, we have highlighted the machines better suited to you, including our best rowing machine for £200, our pick for budget buyers after the absolute cheapest worthwhile rower, and our big and tall choice. Whichever you choose, enjoy your new home rowing machine.
Our top pick is the YOSUDA Magnetic Rowing Machine. At less than £150 it offers a 5mm commercial-grade steel frame, 16 levels of magnetic resistance, a 160kg capacity and a clear LCD display, punching well above its price point.
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 is the best value for budget buyers. It is available for less than £90, yet packs in 12 hydraulic resistance levels and runs very quietly thanks to its band-free hydraulic system.
Magnetic rowers, like the MERACH R15 or the Dripex, feel smoother and more natural than elastic-band machines and tend to last longer. They cost a little more, but the difference in feel is noticeable, especially at higher resistance levels.
The Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine is our pick for big and tall users. It has a 350lb (159kg) max weight capacity, 16 resistance levels and a 48.8-inch dual steel slide rail that fits users up to 6ft 5in.
Our top pick is the YOSUDA Magnetic Rowing Machine. At less than £150 it offers a 5mm commercial-grade steel frame, 16 levels of magnetic resistance, a 160kg capacity and a clear LCD display, punching well above its price.
The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 is the best value for budget buyers. It is available for less than £90, yet packs in 12 hydraulic resistance levels and runs very quietly.
Magnetic rowers, like the MERACH R15 or the Dripex, feel smoother and more natural than elastic-band machines and tend to last longer. They cost a little more, but the difference in feel is noticeable.
The Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine is our pick for big and tall users. It has a 350lb (159kg) max weight capacity, 16 resistance levels and a 48.8-inch dual steel slide rail that fits users up to 6ft 5in.
An honest Concept2 Model E review covering its raised 20-inch seat, PM5 monitor, air resistance, near-indestructible build, running costs and who should buy it over the Model D.
An honest PASYOU PR70 review covering its dual air and magnetic resistance, 350lb frame, foldable design, Bluetooth monitor and who this mid-price rower actually suits.
An honest Echelon Row review covering its 32 magnetic resistance levels, handlebar controls, folding frame, 136kg capacity and the app subscription you need to get the most from it.
An honest MERACH rowing machine review of the 16-level magnetic rower: its quiet resistance, dual rails, app, folding frame, weight limit and who this home rower suits.
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