If you want a rowing machine that will last decades and give you the same data as Olympic athletes: buy the Concept2 RowErg PM5 (£990). If you want excellent value without sacrificing build quality: the JTX Freedom Air (£499) is our top recommendation. If space is tight or you need a machine that looks like furniture, the WaterRower Original (£1,199) is the one. Avoid cheap magnetic rowers under £200 — they feel nothing like real rowing and you'll stop using them within a month.
1. How Much Does a Decent Rowing Machine Cost in the UK? (July 2026)
Rowing machines in the UK range from £150 for flimsy hydraulic models to £2,000+ for premium smart rowers with monthly subscriptions. The sweet spot for a machine that will actually last is £350-£1,000. Here's what you get at each price point:
| Model | Resistance Type | UK Price | Monitor | Folds? | Max Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JLL Ventus 3 | Air | £349 | LCD (22 programmes) | Yes | 130kg |
| JTX Freedom Air | Air + Magnetic | £499 | LCD | Yes | 120kg |
| Concept2 RowErg PM5 | Air | £990 | PM5 (advanced) | Yes (splits) | 227kg |
| WaterRower Original | Water | £1,199 | S4 | Yes (upright) | 159kg |
| NordicTrack RW900 | Magnetic | £1,599 | 22" HD touch | Yes | 135kg |
What about resale value? Concept2 machines hold their value remarkably well — second-hand Model D units from 2018 still sell for £600-700 on eBay. WaterRowers also hold value if the wood is well maintained. Budget machines like the JLL Ventus 3 drop to £100-150 used. If you think you might upgrade later, the Concept2 is the only one where you'll get meaningful money back.
All prices checked July 2026. View Concept2 on Amazon | Find on eBay
2. Problems and Drawbacks (The Stuff Reviewers Don't Mention)
Concept2 RowErg PM5 — £990
Noise. The flywheel is loud. If you row at 6am in a flat with thin walls, your neighbours will know. Expect 65-70 dB at moderate effort — about the same as a vacuum cleaner. The PM5 monitor is brilliant for data but dated-looking; it's a 1990s LCD that feels like a scientific calculator. Also, the standard legs version doesn't stand upright for storage — you'll want the tall legs upgrade (£45 extra) or you'll split it in two each time, which takes 30 seconds but is annoying if you do it daily.
Who should NOT buy: Anyone who needs near-silent operation. Anyone who wants a screen with instructor-led classes without bolting on an iPad. Anyone who will be annoyed by a machine that looks like gym equipment rather than furniture.
WaterRower Original — £1,199
Maintenance. The water tank needs chlorine tablets every 6 months or it goes cloudy and smells. The wooden frame looks gorgeous but needs to be kept away from damp — not ideal for a garage gym. The S4 monitor is basic by modern standards: no Bluetooth, no app connectivity, no USB. The resistance comes from how hard you pull, so there's no dial to turn it up — you just row harder. This is actually good for form but frustrating if you want quick HIIT intervals.
Who should NOT buy: Anyone who won't maintain the water tank. Anyone storing the machine in a garage, shed, or conservatory with temperature swings. Anyone who wants precise resistance levels for structured training.
JTX Freedom Air — £499
Build quality is fine, not exceptional. The rail is shorter than on premium machines — users over 6'2" (188cm) report the seat bottoms out at the end of the stroke. The console is basic: time, distance, calories, strokes per minute. No programmes, no app connectivity, no heart rate monitoring without a separate chest strap. The fold is clunky — you undo a knob and the rail tips up, but it's not a one-handed operation.
Who should NOT buy: Anyone over 6'2". Anyone who wants guided workouts. Anyone expecting a premium feel — this is a £500 machine that competes with £350 machines, not £1,000 ones.
JLL Ventus 3 — £349
The cheapest air rower worth buying, but you feel the savings. The seat isn't as smooth as the JTX or Concept2 — there's a slight wobble at the catch (start of the stroke). The handle is foam rather than rubber and will wear down after a year of daily use. The 22 programmes sound impressive but most are gimmicky body-fat calculations that are no more accurate than a bathroom scale. The Kinomap compatibility is nice but requires a separate tablet subscription.
Who should NOT buy: Anyone over 100kg — the frame flexes at high intensity. Anyone who rows more than 3x per week. Anyone expecting a gym-quality experience at home.
NordicTrack RW900 — £1,599
The subscription trap. The 22" HD touchscreen is stunning — until your iFIT free trial expires. Without the £34/month subscription, the machine becomes a basic magnetic rower with a black screen. You can't even see your workout stats without iFIT. The magnetic resistance is silent and smooth, but it doesn't feel like real rowing — there's no air rush, no water swoosh. It's the best machine for guided classes and the worst for self-motivated rowers who just want to row.
Who should NOT buy: Anyone not willing to pay £34/month forever. Anyone who already has a training plan and doesn't need classes. Anyone who wants the authentic rowing feel of air or water resistance.
Sources: Reddit r/Rowing (multiple threads, 2024-2026), Amazon UK verified purchase reviews, The Independent "Best Rowing Machines 2026", Men's Health UK.
3. Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | JLL Ventus 3 | JTX Freedom Air | Concept2 RowErg | WaterRower Original | NordicTrack RW900 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance feel | Decent air | Smooth air+magnetic | Industry-standard air | Meditative water | Silent magnetic |
| Build quality | Budget | Good | Commercial-grade | Handcrafted hardwood | Good |
| Monitor quality | Basic LCD | Basic LCD | PM5 — best in class | S4 — dated | 22" HD touch |
| App/connectivity | Kinomap (paid) | None built-in | ErgData (free) + BT | None | iFIT (£34/mo) |
| Noise level | Loud | Moderate | Loud | Pleasant swoosh | Very quiet |
| Storage | Folds flat | Folds flat | Splits in two | Stands upright | Folds flat |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 5 years frame | 5 years frame | 2 years |
| Resale value | Poor | Fair | Excellent | Good | Fair |
The Concept2 dominates on objective measures — build, warranty, resale, monitor accuracy, and connectivity. The WaterRower wins on noise and aesthetics. The RW900 wins on screen size but locks you into a subscription. The JTX wins on value — you get 80% of the Concept2 experience for half the price. The JLL is the minimum viable air rower: it works, but you'll notice the corners cut after six months.
4. Who Each Rowing Machine Is For
Concept2 RowErg PM5 — Best Overall (9.0/10)
Buy if: You want the same machine used by every Olympic rowing team. You care about tracking progress with accurate, comparable data (the PM5 is the gold standard). You want a machine that will last 20 years with basic maintenance. You might enter indoor rowing competitions or want to compare times with the global Concept2 community via the Logbook.
Avoid if: You need quiet operation for early-morning rows. You want a screen and guided classes built in. You'll be annoyed by industrial-looking gym equipment in your living room.
JTX Freedom Air — Best Value (8.2/10)
Buy if: You want a proper air rower without spending £1,000. You're under 6'2". You row 2-4 times per week for general fitness rather than competitive training. You'll use your own tablet for entertainment or workout apps.
Avoid if: You're tall. You want a premium, gym-quality feel. You need app connectivity or structured programmes. You plan to row daily for years — the build quality won't match the Concept2 at high mileage.
WaterRower Original — Best Looking (7.8/10)
Buy if: Your rowing machine lives in a living room, not a garage. You love the sound of water and find it meditative. You value craftsmanship — the ash/oak/walnut frame is genuinely beautiful furniture. You row for stress relief and steady-state cardio rather than high-intensity training.
Avoid if: You won't maintain the water tank (chlorine tablets every 6 months). You store the machine somewhere damp or unheated. You want precise, adjustable resistance for structured training. You care about digital connectivity.
JLL Ventus 3 — Budget Pick (6.8/10)
Buy if: Your budget is £350 maximum. You're new to rowing and not sure you'll stick with it. You're under 100kg and don't row more than 3x per week. You want the air resistance feel at the lowest possible price.
Avoid if: You can stretch to £500 — the JTX Freedom Air is noticeably better. You're heavy or row intensely. You expect gym-quality smoothness. You'll row more than 3x per week — the seat and handle wear will frustrate you.
NordicTrack RW900 — Best for Classes (7.5/10)
Buy if: You already know you love iFIT classes (or are coming from a NordicTrack treadmill/bike). You want a silent machine — the magnetic resistance is genuinely near-silent. You'll use the 22" screen daily and the £34/month feels worth it for the production quality. Guided, instructor-led rowing motivates you more than self-directed training.
Avoid if: You're not ready for a £34/month subscription forever — without iFIT the machine loses 90% of its value. You want the authentic feel of air or water resistance. You're a data-focused rower who wants the PM5's accuracy. You're on a budget — £1,599 buys a Concept2 plus five years of iFIT.
5. Best in Class Verdict
Winner: Concept2 RowErg PM5 (9.0/10)
The Concept2 RowErg is not the cheapest, not the quietest, and not the prettiest. It wins because it's the only machine where you never have to make excuses. It's the same rower used by every national team, every CrossFit box, and every serious home gym. The PM5 monitor gives you data you can actually use to improve — drag factor, split times, stroke rate, and a free app (ErgData) that logs every session. Replacement parts are cheap and available forever. The resale value is ridiculous — a 10-year-old Concept2 still fetches £500+. No other rowing machine comes close on build quality, data accuracy, or longevity.
If you can afford £990 and can tolerate the noise, buy the Concept2. You will not regret it.
Runner-Up: JTX Freedom Air (8.2/10)
At £499, the JTX Freedom Air gives you 80% of the Concept2 rowing experience for half the price. The air+magnetic resistance is smooth, the fold is practical, and the build quality is solid for the money. It's the best sub-£500 rowing machine in the UK right now. The trade-offs are real — shorter rail (tall users beware), basic console, no connectivity — but for casual-to-intermediate home use, it's hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a subscription to use a rowing machine?
Only the NordicTrack RW900 requires a subscription (iFIT at £34/month) to unlock the screen's features. The Concept2, WaterRower, JTX, and JLL all work perfectly without any ongoing cost. Concept2 has a free app (ErgData) that's genuinely great. If you want classes without the subscription trap, buy a non-smart rower and use YouTube or a separate tablet with Apple Fitness+ (£9.99/month) or Peloton App (£12.99/month).
Which rowing machine is quietest?
The WaterRower is the most pleasant-sounding — it makes a gentle water swoosh rather than a mechanical whir. The NordicTrack RW900 is the quietest overall (magnetic resistance has no moving air). The Concept2 and JLL Ventus 3 are the loudest — expect 65-70 dB, about the volume of a normal conversation or a vacuum cleaner in the next room. If noise is your top concern, choose water or magnetic resistance over air.
Can I store a rowing machine in a small flat?
Yes, all five machines in this comparison fold or store compactly. The Concept2 splits into two pieces in 30 seconds (each piece is about 140cm x 60cm). The WaterRower stands upright against a wall and takes up roughly the floor space of a dining chair. The JTX, JLL, and NordicTrack all fold the rail upward. None requires more than 1m² of floor space when stored. Just measure your ceiling height if you plan to stand a WaterRower upright — it's 214cm tall when vertical.
Is a rowing machine better than a treadmill for home use?
For most people, yes. Rowing is lower-impact (no pounding on joints), works 86% of your muscles in one movement, and takes up far less space when stored. A treadmill gives you walking/running — familiar, weight-bearing exercise that's better for bone density. If you can only have one cardio machine in a UK home (where space is tight), a rower is usually the smarter choice. If you hate rowing and love running, get a treadmill — the best machine is the one you'll actually use.
Sources and Evidence
- Prices: Amazon UK, verified July 2026. JTX price from jtxfitness.com. WaterRower price from waterrower.co.uk.
- Reviews & complaints: Amazon UK verified purchase reviews (Concept2: 10,800+ reviews, 4.8/5; JLL Ventus 3: 1,200+ reviews, 4.3/5). Reddit r/Rowing — multiple threads on noise, WaterRower maintenance, and Concept2 alternatives (2024-2026).
- Expert testing: The Independent "Best Rowing Machines for 2026" (July 2026). Men's Health UK "6 Best Rowing Machines" (2026). Good Housekeeping UK "10 Best Rowing Machines from £300" (July 2026). PCMag UK "Best Rowing Machines for 2026".
- Specs: Manufacturer websites — concept2.co.uk, waterrower.co.uk, jtxfitness.com, jllfitness.co.uk, nordictrack.co.uk.
- Noise measurements: Community-tested decibel readings from multiple Reddit and YouTube comparisons. Concept2 PM5 drag factor verified against manufacturer spec.
