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Most people should buy the Concept2 RowErg: it is the standard air rower in gyms and clubs, it holds users up to 227 kg, and it splits in two for storage. Buy a NordicTrack RW900 or RW700 if you want screen-led classes, and the ProForm Carbon Pro10 if the machine has to fold away.
Our picks
- 1Best overall
Concept2 RowErg
Air resistance you set with a damper, a 227 kg user rating, a PM5 monitor that works with ErgData and 40+ apps, and a frame that splits in two for storage.
- 2Best smart rower
NordicTrack RW900 Rower
26 magnetic levels and a 24-inch pivoting touchscreen for iFIT classes on and off the rower, with a 10-year frame warranty.
- 3Best value smart rower
NordicTrack RW700 Rower
The same 26-level magnetic resistance and 10-year frame warranty as the RW900, with a smaller 10-inch screen and a lower list price.
- 4Best folding rower
ProForm Carbon Pro10 Rower
The only pick here that folds, with 24 magnetic levels and a 10-inch touchscreen. The 113 kg user limit is the lowest in this guide.
| Model | Concept2Concept2 RowErg | NordicTrackNordicTrack RW900 Rower | NordicTrackNordicTrack RW700 Rower | ProFormProForm Carbon Pro10 Rower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance | Air (adjustable damper) | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) |
| Max user | 227 kg | 136 kg | 136 kg | 113 kg |
| Folds away | No | — | — | Yes |
| Length | 244 cm | 203.5 cm | 206.5 cm | 216.4 cm |
| App support | Bluetooth PM5 (ErgData and 40+ apps) | iFIT, 24in pivoting touchscreen | iFIT, 10in tilting touchscreen | iFIT, 10in touchscreen |
| Warranty | 5 yrs | 10 yrs | 10 yrs | — |
How to choose a home rowing machine
- Resistance type. Air (Concept2) gets harder the faster you pull and is loud at high effort. Magnetic (NordicTrack, ProForm) is quieter and lets you pick a fixed level: 24 to 26 levels on the picks here.
- Length. Rowers are long. The picks run from 203.5 cm (NordicTrack RW900) to 244 cm (Concept2). Measure the room with space to sit down and step off at both ends.
- User limit. This is a safety rating, not a suggestion. It ranges from 113 kg (ProForm Carbon Pro10) to 227 kg (Concept2, which gives 135 kg under the EN ISO 20957-7 test).
- Storage. Only the ProForm folds. The Concept2 separates into two pieces without tools.
- Screens and subscriptions. NordicTrack and ProForm run iFIT classes. NordicTrack says all 26 levels work without a paid plan, but trainer-led auto-adjusting needs iFIT. The Concept2 monitor connects to free and third-party apps over Bluetooth.
Concept2 RowErg: best overall
The RowErg is an air rower with a fan flywheel and a damper lever that changes how heavy each stroke feels. It is 244 cm long and 61 cm wide, weighs 26 kg with standard legs and separates into two parts for storage. The PM5 monitor records workouts and pairs with Concept2's ErgData app and more than 40 others. Concept2 sells it direct in the UK, US and Australia; in Canada it is sold through retailers such as Treadmill Factory.
Pros
- 227 kg user rating per Concept2's own testing
- Splits into two pieces without tools; has caster wheels
- PM5 monitor works with ErgData and 40+ apps
- 5-year frame warranty
Cons
- The longest pick at 244 cm
- Air fan is noisy at high effort
NordicTrack RW900 and RW700: best smart rowers
Both use NordicTrack's Silent Magnetic Resistance with 26 levels, both hold users up to 136 kg and both carry a 10-year frame, 2-year parts warranty. The RW900 has a 24-inch touchscreen that pivots for floor workouts and is 203.5 cm long. The RW700 has a 10-inch tilting screen and is 206.5 cm long. iFIT can change resistance to follow the trainer, but that needs a paid membership.
Pros
- Sold by NordicTrack in all four markets
- Quiet magnetic resistance with 26 set levels
- 10-year frame warranty
Cons
- Auto-adjusting classes need a paid iFIT plan
- 136 kg user limit
- NordicTrack does not say either model folds
ProForm Carbon Pro10: best folding rower
If you searched for a folding rowing machine, this is the one pick that folds. It has 24 magnetic levels, a 10-inch touchscreen for iFIT and front wheels for moving it. It is 216.4 cm long when open and rated for users up to 113 kg, so check your weight against that figure first. ProForm sells it in the US, UK and Canada.
Pros
- Folds for storage
- 24 magnetic resistance levels
- Lowest list price of the smart picks
Cons
- 113 kg user limit
- Light 1.4 kg flywheel
Which is better: an air or magnetic rower?
Air rowers get harder the harder you pull, which suits interval training and matches club rowers. Magnetic rowers are quieter and let you lock a level, which suits apartments and early-morning sessions. Both give the same rowing movement.
What is the best folding rower in Canada?
Of the rowers we could verify, only the ProForm Carbon Pro10 folds, and ProForm sells it in Canada. Its 113 kg user limit is low, so heavier users should look at the Concept2, which splits in two for storage.
Where can I buy a Concept2 in Canada?
Concept2 has no Canadian store of its own, so it does not publish a Canadian list price. Canadian retailers such as Treadmill Factory stock the RowErg.
How much space does a home rower need?
The picks here are 203.5 cm to 244 cm long, and the Concept2 is 61 cm wide. Leave room to sit down at the back and step off at the side.
Do I need a subscription for a smart rower?
Not to row. NordicTrack says the RW900 and RW700 work at all 26 levels without a paid plan, but trainer-led auto-adjusting needs iFIT. The ProForm Carbon Pro10 also runs iFIT classes.
How we chose
We have not tested these rowers. We compared the makers' own specifications, user limits, warranties and list prices in each country, and kept only models the maker or a domestic retailer sells new in that market. Where a maker does not state a figure, such as a fold mechanism or a Canadian list price, we leave it out rather than guess.
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