If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best air rower for a small home gym is, then I’d recommend the XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower as the best one.
If you have a small home gym, you have limited space and you need machines that can do more than one thing while still being affordable and compact.
Air rowing machines are the answer.
Air rower machines provide you with total-body conditioning without breaking your wallet.
In this article, I’ll go over everything you should know about air rower machines, plus five of the best air rower machines on the market.
Here are the top air rower we’ll be reviewing:
- MaxKare Dual Belt Air Rower Machine – Most Compact Option
- Stamina 35-1402 ATS Air Rower – Most Comfortable Seat
- MaxKare Air Rower – Longest Slide Rail
- Stamina ATS Air Rower – Most Lightweight Option
- XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower – Most Advanced Option
Air Rower Machines: The Basics
Any exercise machine is better than none, but that doesn’t mean you should choose the first one you come across.
Even if you hate shopping, an air rower machine is a purchase you should make after some scrutiny of the most important features.
Keep reading to find out air rower basics you should know before buying one.
How an Air Rower Machine Works
An air rower machine is one of four types of rowing machines.
The type refers to the resistance system of the rowing machine.
An air rower is not better or worse than the other types, but there are some points about it that could make it better or worse for your particular needs.
The first thing to keep in mind is how an air rower machine works.
You may also hear it called a flywheel rower machine because it has an attached flywheel.
This is essentially a big fan in an encasement of some sort. The machine gets its name from the fact that it creates resistance with air using the fan blades of the flywheel.
As you pull the handles, the fan turns, and the blades push against air.
The faster or harder you pull, the more resistance you create.
Some models have a built-in resistance adjuster. These models typically cost more money, but you’ll have a more consistent level of resistance.
Quality and Build
It makes sense that if you’re going to spend money on something it needs to be a good quality product.
Most air rowers are made of solid steel.
However, you need to be cautious of buying rowers with a lot of plastic parts. These parts can easily break, especially if you do a hardcore workout.
You should also make sure that the rower has solid, wide legs that won’t wobble as you work out. The last thing anyone wants to feel is instability when they’re pushing themselves.
When considering the build, you should consider the weight of the heaviest person that will be using the air rower. Some frames are stronger than others so they can support more weight.
The manufacturer gives the weight capacity of the machine.
However, I don’t recommend getting one with a capacity that’s right at the heaviest person’s weight.
This will be pushing the machine right at its limit which can make it wear out quicker than normal.
Get one that exceeds your weight by a good amount.
Size and Weight
Air rowers aren’t the most compact type of rower, but they aren’t the largest either.
Some models can even fold to reduce the amount of storage space it needs.
Either way, when using it, make sure you have seven to eight feet of space to safely operate the rower. If it’s a larger rower, you may need nine to ten feet of space.
One other size consideration is the size, or more specifically the length of the slide rail.
This determines the maximum and minimum height of the users that the rower can support.
Manufacturers often give a maximum “inseam” length but sometimes they don’t.
A good rule of thumb is that if the slide rail length is less than 32 inches, it’s probably not suitable for someone that is six feet tall or taller.
Air rowers aren’t particularly heavy.
They average somewhere in the range of 50 to 70 pounds.
Some of the larger models could be between 80 and 90 pounds which may be heavy for some people.
If you’ll have help setting it up and moving it, the weight may not be a big deal. However, if you’ll be operating solo, you may want to stick with a lighter air rower.
Console
Consoles on rowing machines are typically small.
Even on the best air rower, consoles can be small. What you need to look for is visibility.
If you have vision problems, you may want to get a console that has a back light and high contrast.
Some rowers have consoles that are posted near the foot plates. That distance can make them hard to read.
Consoles will have stats about your workout. This can include calories burned, distance traveled, row count, rows per minute, time elapsed, and more.
Most displays will show one or two stats at a time, and the console may have a scan feature that will cycle through them automatically.
Advanced consoles may show several or all stats at once and may even have a chart or two.
Some consoles may also have a media holder. This is for your phone or tablet so you can entertain yourself while rowing.
This isn’t a necessity, but it’s nice to have.
The Five Best Air Rower Machines
MaxKare Dual Belt Air Rower Machine – Most Compact Option
Almost all the air rowers in this list are around the same size but the MaxKare Dual Belt Air Rower Machine is the shortest of them all.
Those few inches may come in handy when you have a tight space to work with.
The good news is that, although it’s the most compact, it’s still suitable for taller people. The maximum user inseam is 41.3 inches.
This is one of the sturdiest air rowers on the market. It’s made with a solid steel frame and has wide, solid block legs.
This prevents any rocking or wobbling while you’re rowing. The seat helps also because it’s ergonomically designed so your bottom won’t get tired during extended sessions.
One thing to keep in mind is that the resistance on this starts out pretty high – it’s not exactly the best choice for a beginner.
This is due to the dual belt design which makes the rower more challenging. The dimensions of the MaxKare Air Rower are 71.3″L x 20.1″W x 14.2″H. It weighs 64 pounds.
Pros
- Has a high weight capacity.
- Easy to assemble.
- Console is easy to see.
Cons
- Resistance starts high and can’t be adjusted.
- Seat could use a little more padding.
Stamina 35-1402 ATS Air Rower – Most Comfortable Seat
The entire rower is impressive, but the Stamina 35-1402 ATS Air Rower has an impeccably made seat.
It’s made with a nice, thick padding and expertly stitched PU material.
The rail is designed in a way that makes it quite easy to slide back to the beginning position so you can save your strength for the actual rowing.
This rower was built for durability.
It has a strong steel frame and uses a high-quality nylon rope for the rowing.
The handlebars are textured to improve your grip, and the straps on the foot pedals are very secure.
It’s a good, sturdy, solid air rower.
There are a couple of things that would make this rower perfect. The feet/support legs on the rower could be a little steadier.
Heavier people may wobble just a little bit, but nothing excessive.
The other thing is the console. It’s nice that it has three small screens, but it lays almost behind the flywheel so it’s not easy to see it.
The rower measures 73.5″ L x 18.25″ W x 22″ H and weighs 59 pounds. The weight capacity is 250 pounds.
Pros
- Foot pedals securely hold your feet in place.
- The seat is high-quality and comfortable.
- Three LCD screens let you see more than one stat at the time.
Cons
- Support legs could be a little better.
- Console is too far away.
MaxKare Air Rower – Longest Slide Rail
If you’re tall and you want to make sure you’re going to fit on an air rower,the MaxKare Air Rower can put your mind at ease.
It has the longest slide rail on the list – 51 inches long. You’ll have plenty of room to row and stretch out.
The console on this air rower is in a great spot. It sits in front of the flywheel, elevated so that you can easily see it.
It’s slightly more advanced than the other consoles that I’ve gone over so far (only slightly). It could use one improvement.
The media holder is placed under the LCD screen, so if you use it your device will cover up your stats.
The rower has a fair-sized seat with great padding and non-slip foot plates. One thing that sets this one apart from the previous ones is that the resistance is adjustable.
You don’t often find that feature on the more “affordable” air rowers. The foot plates are also adjustable.
The rower measures 75.6″L x 19.9″W x 14.4″H and weighs 57.3 pounds. The weight capacity is 220 pounds.
Pros
- Resistance is adjustable.
- Excellent padding in the seat.
- You get a replacement belt with rower purchase.
Cons
- Your devices will cover the screen if you use the media holder.
- Doesn’t have the best supporting legs.
Stamina ATS Air Rower – Most Lightweight Option
Some people can benefit from using the most lightweight machine they can get, like the Stamina ATS Air Rower.
It could be seniors, people with disabilities or in rehab, or a non-athlete who hasn’t built up their strength yet.
Whatever the reason is, the Stamina ATS Air Rower is a great lightweight option that will suit you.
It’s still made of a sturdy steel frame despite the lighter weight. It has a comfortable padded seat and padded handlebars.
It even comes in three different colors, a feature that none of the other rowers offer. It’s cool to be able to customize your gym with your favorite colors.
The console is a bit disappointing. It’s small and built into the casing of the flywheel. It’s behind the handlebars so it may be difficult to see as you’re rowing.
The rower measures 77″L x 18.75″W x 22″H and weighs 56 pounds. The weight capacity is 250 pounds.
Pros
- Comes in three colors.
- Seat is comfortably padded.
- Uses a nylon rope for the handlebar.
Cons
- Console is in a bad location.
- The middle supporting leg is thin and not very helpful.
XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower – Most Advanced Option
The XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower is the best air rower on the list.
It’s the most advanced and it’s also the most expensive. However, it’s worth every dollar because it’s unlike any other air rower.
The XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower uses air and magnetic resistance.
This allows it to have 16 adjustable levels of resistance for a challenging workout. If that’s not enough, it also has 10 preset programs.
The console on this air rower is much better than the other consoles. It’s bigger (5.5 inches) and is backlit with high contrast words, numbers, and charts.
The buttons are bold colors so you can easily identify them without having to squint at tiny words.
It’s no surprise that the XTERRA Fitness ERG700 holds more weight than the other rowers. It can hold up to 350 pounds. It’s much bigger than the other rowers.
It measures 97″L X 18″W x 38″H and weighs 80.9 pounds.
Pros
- The console is amazing.
- It has programs and resistance levels.
- Made from heavy-duty steel.
Cons
- It’s really big and heavy.
- It’s very expensive.
Final Thoughts on the Best Air Rower for a Small Gym
When you have a small gym, it might be tough getting an air rower in there. However, the good news is that they all fold so it’s easy to store them in a corner out of the way.
All the air rowers mentioned are excellent machines, even if they do have a flaw or two. If you can make space, take your pick.
If I must pick the best out of the best, I will pick the XTERRA Fitness ERG700 Air Rower as the best air rower of all.
This isn’t just because it’s the most expensive – it’s because it’s the best quality rower out of all the rowers on the list.
The steel frame is going to hold up to as many hardcore workouts as you can do.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll be making a solid decision.
If you choose to go a different direction than the five suggestions here, make sure you use the information given to make the best decision possible.
