Cyber Monday rowing machine deals—these are the biggest savings and cheapest models right now
Save hundreds with these Cyber Monday deals on rowing machines, so you can enjoy a full-body workout at home for less
I've been tracking rowing machine deals for the last few weeks and there are some great deals as we head into Cyber Monday. Prices have, broadly, either matched last year's Black Friday prices or even dropped further. Inflation? What inflation?
See what's available right now with a comprehensive look at Black Friday rowing machine deals below, but the question you're probably answering yourself is should you buy now or wait until Cyber Monday rolls around? That's a tough question, and for the sake of your wallet I don't want to get the answer wrong.
If years of covering rowing machines during Black Friday and Cyber Monday are anything to go by, the discounts on the top-end rowing machines are likely to persist and maybe even get a little better. However, if you're considering a cheap model it may be worth buying now—the cheapest deal on a tried-and-tested machine I've recommended has been and gone.
If you don't have time to sift through all of the deals, here are the highlights.
- 🇺🇸 Biggest saving US: Ergatta with $750 off—it's a WaterRower with a screen to play fitness games on and it can be stored by tipping it on its end.
- 🇺🇸 Lowest price US: ProFrom 750R at Best Buy—the cheapest deal (the Echelon Smart Row for $470) has been and gone, but $550 for this tried-and-tested connected rower is still great value.
- 🇬🇧 Rare deal UK: £200 off WaterRower at Amazon—you used to be able to rely on an Amazon deal on a WaterRower but not any more, so this deal stands out.
- 🇬🇧 Lowest price UK: JLL R200 just £220 at Amazon—my colleague used this for six months as part of her rehab after ankle surgery. It's not the match of other rowers on this list but it's tried and tested and good for the money.
I've been leading the coverage of rowing machines on health and fitness sites for six years, working with reviewers, quizzing experts and, of course, rowing myself.
I've also been covering major sales events during that period so I have a greater knowledge of this area than most people. That comes in handy over sale periods like Black Friday, not so much at parties.
Quick links
Use the links below to see all of the rowing machine deals at each retailer or manufacturer.
US quick links
Retailers
- Amazon: Price matching Hydrow
- Best Buy: Rowers from $550
- Walmart: ProForm and NordicTrack reduced
Manufacturers
- Aviron: Up to $550 off
- Echelon: Starting at $900
- Ergatta: Up to $750 off, plus free shipping
- Hydrow: Save up to $850 on bundles
- NordicTrack: Starting at $899
UK quick links
Retailers
- Amazon: £200 off a WaterRower!
- Argos: £100 off NordicTrack rower
- Decathlon: Save £500 on Aviron
- Sweatband: Water rowers from £400
Manufacturers
- Echelon: Save £373 on entry-level rower
- Ergatta: £200 off with code
- Hydrow: Up to £550 off rowers
- NordicTrack: Buy early with a price drop guarantee
US Black Friday rowing machine deals
Gamified fitness is becoming big business, and Ergatta is one of the pioneers. Our reviewer found the race mode, which pits you against other Ergatta owners, kept him coming back for more. The machine itself is the iconic WaterRower you may recognize from House of Cards, and Ergatta's Black Friday sale has beaten 2023's price. There are larger savings to be had if you upgrade to bundles, too.
Best Black Friday price last year: $1,999
Sure, there are cheaper rowing machines out there, but this is the most affordable model we've tested and would still recommend. The 750R is super quiet and the rail folds up to make it easier to store. It also connects to the iFit app for follow-along rowing workouts, you need to use your own tablet.
After being originally beaten on price by 99 cents, Best Buy has undercut Walmart by $50.
The Hydrow Wave is quite possibly the best home rowing machine, taking the smooth action and slick connected experience of the original Hydrow, and making it smaller and cheaper. There's a bigger discount on the original Hydrow, but you need significantly more space for that beast.
Best Black Friday price last year: $1,445
This premium machine distinguishes itself by auto-adjusting the resistance in line with the demands of the trainer in the iFit app. Bear in mind you'll need to pay the ongoing cost of the app, but sign up for a year's membership (or longer) and you'll get a mat to protect your floor and a heart rate monitor to sweeten the deal.
Best Buy has undercut NordicTrack by $100.
If you don’t like exercise classes, Aviron's gamified approach might suit you better (although it also offers exercise classes)—one Space Invaders-esque game helped our reviewer of an earlier model race through 2,000m without even realizing it. Another advantage of this rowing machine is that it has a higher seat, a real benefit if you have limited mobility. The Aviron Strong wasn't reduced last year, which is why there's no price comparison.
Price match: Amazon
Like Echelon, Aviron offers a more affordable version of its rower where you use a tablet instead of a built-in screen. With a saving of $700 compared with the Aviron Strong, it's a compelling offer if you're keen on the gamified approach of Aviron.
Echelon likes to undercut the competition but still provides a high-end connected experience. One reason it's cheaper is that there's no built-in screen, but if you already own a tablet or decent-sized smartphone then it's a smart way to save and the holder is secure. This model is also impressively quiet, the rail folds and there are cleverly placed buttons for changing the magnetic resistance on the handles.
Unfortunately, the price crash to $470 at Amazon and Best Buy has been and gone, although Echelon is matching last year's best price.
Best Black Friday price last year: $599.99
The Hydrow Rower is a firm favorite with coached introductory sessions and immersive follow-along workouts, it's perfect for beginners. While the Hydrow Wave is cheaper, the frame of the original feels more expansive (because it's bigger) and the screen is bigger too.
Best Black Friday price last year: $1,745
Like the Echelon Row, but with a 22" rotating touchscreen for follow-along workouts, both on and off the rower, as well as 32 levels of magnetic resistance and a foldable design for easier storage.
Amazon has undercut Echelon by $400.
Best Black Friday price last year: $1,292.70
Assault Fitness is best known for its devilishly challenging air bikes (also reduced in the Assault Fitness Black Friday sale). The brand's rowing machine is a newer addition to its product line-up, and it does a lot right. It uses air resistance, has a sturdy frame and comes with a simple monitor that has all the metrics you need for an endurance-boosting session. While it went down to $599 last year, a further 50% off is offered if you also buy a treadmill.
Best Black Friday price last year: $599
It's not reduced, but any recommendation that doesn't ask you to consider buying the RowErg isn't worth your time. It's cheaper and more robust than many rivals (it's a staple of gyms and CrossFit boxes the world over), and also offers the connected experience by linking to Concept2’s ErgData platform or third party apps like Fiit, Regatta and Kinomap. Its downsides are that it looks (and is) utilitarian and noisy.
UK Black Friday Rowing Machine Deals
Pre-pandemic, the WaterRower was regularly discounted on Amazon, but that's no longer the case. That makes the £200 saving on this driftwood version, really stand out. While this version is new to me, I wouldn't expect the change in frame material to make any difference to the experience. It includes the latest S4 monitor, plus it has a tablet holder, and it stands on its end if you don't have a permanent spot for it.
At £799, it's £100 less than the entry-level WaterRower.
My colleague used this budget rowing machine for six months as part of her rehab after ankle surgery. It was quiet and the folding rail meant it could be stashed in a cupboard out of the way. It won't provide the same challenge as the other rowing machines on this list, but if you're returning to exercise and want to spend as little as possible, it's a great option and you won't be buying a lemon.
Best Black Friday price last year: £212.49
Both sides of the Atlantic benefit from Hydrow deals this Black Friday/ Cyber Monday, with the UK store slashing the price by £500, and beating last year's Black Friday price. If you have the space, it's hard to beat.
Best Black Friday price last year: £1,395
The more compact and affordable Hydrow has been discounted in the UK too, and it's back to its best price.
Best Black Friday price last year: £1,235
If you'd like the air resistance of the Concept2 without the price tag, this is a solid mid-price option. It mixes air and magnetic resistance, but doesn't need to be plugged in—helpful if you plan on placing it in a gargae where there's no power supply. The rail also folds up and you can connect a heart rate monitor to the display.
This rowing machine is already an affordable option for those seeking a smart rower, and dropped to its best Black Friday price from last year. It boasts a compact, foldable design and connects to an app for hundreds of interactive workouts, which you can stream from a phone or tablet mounted in the secure holder.
Buy it from Sweatband, which has undercut both Echelon and Amazon.
Just a word of warning, if you're tempted to upgrade to the discounted Echelon Row-7s on Sweatband, you can find it cheaper on the Echelon site.
Best Black Friday price last year: £576
NordicTrack has three connected rowers on sale at various retailers, but I've noticed this mid-range option is £100 cheaper at Amazon. One distinct advantage of the RW700 over cheaper NordicTrack models is that the screen rotates so you can follow strength workouts from the companion iFit app more easily (subscription required).
Price check: NordicTrack £1,199 | Sweatband £1,299
The Aviron experience isn't like those offered by other rowers, but it is a lot of fun. The Aviron platform uses games, rather than traditional workout formats, to encourage you to hold certain paces, outputs or stroke rates. The result: our reviewer of an older Aviron machine racked up the miles without realizing.
This deal matches the discount on a discontinued Aviron rower last year.
Even though it's not reduced (and I don't expect it to be), it's still worth considering. It's cheaper than many other connected rowers on this list, but offers a superior package of dynamic air resistance, dependable performance and excellent progress-tracking metrics, particularly if you link it with the free ErgData app, or you can pay for a FIIT subscription which includes rower workouts for the Concept2.
Buying advice
When do rowing machines go on sale for Black Friday 2024?
Black Friday falls on November 29 in 2024, with Cyber Monday coming three days later, but almost all of the major manufacturers have launched Black Friday sales early.
The question is whether prices will drop further? That's hard to say, but the liklihood is that any further price drops won't be of the same magnitude.
Is it worth buying a rowing machine over Black Friday?
If you have an eye on a home rowing machine, Black Friday is an excellent time to buy. The Hydrow launched a new category of connected rowing machines in 2018 and many brands piled in after. That means competition for your dollars is fierce and almost all of the major brands offer significant discounts.
The outlier is the Concept2 RowErg, the price of which I expect to remain steady at $990.
Other pseudo-brands on Amazon with names like MERACH or pooboo will offer discounts and undercut the major players but I, and no-one I've worked with, have either tried any of these, and because these brands come and go I have no price history to help assess the deals. They may be fine, but I can't help guide you.
Is it worth buying a cheap rowing machine?
We have rowing machines to suit most budgets in this list. But what is it that separates the affordable options from the premium machines, and which one is right for you?
The very cheapest rowing machines won't offer much of a challenge, may feel cramped and the magnetic resistance won't be able to recreate the feel of rowing on water. I don't recommend anything under $500 that hasn't been tested, like the JLL R200 above.
As you pay more you can either get cheaper connected rowing machines or robust machines such as the Concept2 or WaterRower. Either choice is great, but unless you know what you're doing, you may benefit from the connected element to teach you technique and offer workout ideas.
People who want to buy a rower tend to fall into one of three camps, and I think each one needs something different from their prospective machine.
What should you look for in a rowing machine?
From burning calories to strengthening bones, working your upper and lower body simultaneously to offering a low impact alternative to running, the rowing machine benefits offered by quality products should be fairly uniform. So what separates a good rowing machine from a great one?
Size: The best rowing machine for you is one that will fit comfortably in your home workout space. Taller users may also require a model with a longer rail so they can fully extend their legs with each stroke.
Storability: If you’re lucky enough to have a home gym, this might not be a concern. But, if you’re looking for a living room workout tool, a foldable machine with wheels for easy movement is a major plus.
Features: If you’re a self-starter when it comes to working out, the basic display and realistic rowing experience of the Concept2 RowErg will suit you down to the ground. However, if you want more direction with your exercise, the coaching and follow-along classes of the Hydrow might be more your speed.
Type: Most rowing machines fall into one of three categories; air, water or magnetic. These categories describe how they generate resistance. Water rowers are quiet and realistic, but can be expensive, air-based machines are cheaper and equally dynamic, but are often quite noisy, and magnetic models are more affordable, quiet, but can lack the on-water feel of their counterparts.
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Jonathan has worked as an editor of health and fitness websites since 2016. He discovered running, yoga and the gym workouts through work, and is passionate about helping readers enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle with trustworthy advice.
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