Best Budget Rowing Machine UK: Top 10 Tried & Tested

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, our experts have done the legwork for you. We rigorously tested every rowing machine in this guide, scoring each on cost, build quality, features, comfort and customer satisfaction. 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.

XS Sports R110 Home Rowing Machine: Best Overall

Our top pick for the best budget rowing machine in the UK is the XS Sports R110 Home Rowing Machine. For less than £150 at the time of writing, it completely outclasses similarly priced rowers. It is built like a beast, packed with features, and easy to fold away when not in use.

There is a little assembly required out of the box, but it is quick and straightforward. The machine is lightweight at just 15kg and easy to move around the room, yet feels strong and sturdy in use. It folds down to around 1 metre (3 feet) tall for storage and unfolds again in seconds.

Once you start rowing you quickly see why it earns the top spot. It feels like a rowing machine twice the price. The seat glides smoothly along the rail and everything feels seamless. It offers four levels of resistance, which is plenty for most home users. The LCD display shows calories burned, time, rows per minute and total row count, and the seat stays comfortable even on hour-long sessions. It is also very quiet, making it ideal for use while watching TV.

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If you are at an intermediate or advanced fitness level, you may find four resistance levels a touch low, in which case one of the magnetic machines further down this guide will serve you better.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5606: Runner-Up

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.

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XS Sports R310 Magnetic Rowing Machine: Best for £200

The second XS Sports rower on our list is the bigger brother of our top pick. The only reason it does not take the crown is price, but if you can stretch to £200, this is our best £200 rowing machine.

The key thing to know about the R310 is that it is a magnetic rowing machine. Most budget rowers use simple tension or band resistance, whereas pricier professional machines use magnets for a smoother, more controlled feel. The R310 delivers exactly that for less than £200, and the difference is significant.

It offers 10 levels of resistance, so you can dial in the difficulty for yourself or anyone sharing the machine. The LCD display covers total time, row count, rows per minute and calories burned. Assembly takes about 30 minutes, and the folding mechanism lets you stand it upright and roll it around the room. Maximum user capacity is 100kg (around 15.5 stone).

Once you are rowing, the magnetic resistance feels a clear step above non-magnetic machines, especially as you crank it towards level 10. It is affordable but not the cheapest option here, which is the only reason it is not our overall top pick.

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JLL R200 Luxury Magnetic Rowing Machine

The 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.

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Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205: Best for Budget Buyers

This 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.

If you want to spend as little as possible, this is the rowing machine for you.

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We R Sports Premium Rowing Machine

The 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.

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Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine: Best Big & Tall

The Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine is our top choice for bigger and taller users. It sits at a slightly higher price point, but it is well worth the extra investment.

This is the most premium machine on our list, so if you have the budget, this is the one to go for. With a maximum weight capacity of 120kg (just under 19 stone), it is the go-to for heavier users. Our reviewer is 6ft 3in and found it comfortable and reassuringly solid, with nothing that felt like it was going to give.

It has 15 levels of magnetic resistance, with the top levels tough enough for even the strongest users. Resistance is controlled by a knob at the end of the rail, so you can crank up the difficulty mid-workout with a quick twist. The seat is comfortable and smooth, with adjustable foot straps and even adjustable footrest angles.

A standout feature is the rear stabiliser, a large triangular metal foot that sits on the floor and gives unmatched sturdiness. This was the most stable machine of everything we tested. The LCD display sits on an adjustable arm that moves up and down to suit your height, and tracks row count, time, total distance and calories burned. Like the best machines here, it is also surprisingly quiet.

If you are around 6 foot or taller, weigh 15 stone or more, or simply want a rower built to last with genuinely challenging resistance, this is the one. It comes at a premium, but trust us, it is 100% worth it.

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Buyer Empire Rowing Machine

The Buyer Empire rower packs in features usually reserved for machines over £300, yet costs less than £200, so it is well worth considering for home workouts.

It comes with 8 levels of adjustable magnetic resistance, each feeling smooth with a good motion in use. The seat is comfortable, if a touch firm for our liking, and the footrests are wide enough for even the largest feet.

The display tracks speed, calories, distance and time. The machine is of steel construction, feels solid, and folds up for easy storage.

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Charles Bentley Home Rowing Machine

Our penultimate pick is the Charles Bentley home rowing machine. Charles Bentley is best known for homeware, but it also makes a few pieces of home fitness equipment, and this one genuinely impressed us as a budget rower.

It is very easy to assemble out of the box, weighs just 14kg so it is simple to move around, and folds upright for storage.

The steel-framed machine feels fairly sturdy in use, though we did find it creeping along the floor slightly over time. Placing it on a mat fixed that. It has four resistance levels powered by elastic resistance; the highest gives a decent challenge but may not be enough for stronger users.

The seat is comfortable, though we noticed a little discomfort after longer sessions (30 minutes or more). The display shows number of strokes, calories burned and total duration, and the maximum user weight is 100kg (just over 15.5 stone).

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Body Sculpture Rower & Gym

Last 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.

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How we chose

Every machine in this guide was bought and tested by our team at Best Exercise. We scored each 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. 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.

FAQs

What is the best budget rowing machine in the UK?

Our top pick is the XS Sports R110 Home Rowing Machine. At less than £150 it offers a sturdy build, four resistance levels, a clear LCD display and a folding frame, punching well above its price point.

What is the cheapest rowing machine worth buying?

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.

Is a magnetic or band-resistance rowing machine better?

Magnetic rowers, like the XS Sports R310 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.

What is the best budget rowing machine for taller or heavier users?

The Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine is our pick for big and tall users. It has a 120kg max weight capacity, 15 resistance levels, a height-adjustable display and a rear stabiliser for extra sturdiness.

Recommended reads

• The Best Rowing Machine Under £100
• What Type of Rowing Machine is Best?
• Rowing Machine vs Cross Trainer