Providing a low-impact, full-body workout, rowing machines are one of the most efficient ways to work out – targeting multiple muscle groups, including your legs, back, core, and arms.

Yet for years, rowing machines have remained one of the least popular items in the gym – loathed mainly because there's no option to ‘just take it easy’. Once your lower body is strapped into the footplates and your arms reach out for those handles, you know there will be no respite in a rowing workout. You can’t just walk like you can on a treadmill.

Rowing machines also require proper technique, which if you don’t know what you’re doing (or you’re a total newbie), can be a challenge. Poor rowing technique often leads to discomfort – or, in worst cases, injury – which then, understandably, puts people off from using them.

Yet thanks to a surge in boutique fitness classes, workout fanatics of all fitness levels are finally embracing the rowing machine. Bored of pedals and tired of treds, spinning studios and HIIT combo-sessions are being swapped for high-intensity, low-impact rowing classes. And we're all for it.

Of course, not everyone is back working five days a week 9-5 in the city, and with the rise of flexi working, home workouts are here to stay. Which can only mean one thing: adding a high-quality rowing machine to your at-home gym (read: living room). Keep scrolling for our top picks, boasting on-demand workouts, bluetooth connectivity, easy storage and a whole host of other fancy functionalities.

Can you get in shape just by rowing? | What to consider when shopping for an indoor rowing machine | What are the main types of rowing machine? | How to use a rowing machine | What's the best value rowing machine? | Our full reviews.

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The best rowing machines 2023 at a glance:

What are the benefits of rowing?

There's a reason rowing machines are loved by both CrossFit and OrangeTheory buffs alike. They're an easy-to-use and enjoyable way of upping your cardiovascular fitness, and use a huge 86% (!) of your muscles during every rowing experience (in comparison to the 44% used when cycling). Not bad, hey?

Michael Browne, a rowing instructor for leading at-home interactive fitness technology providers Echelon Fitness, told us: “86% of your body's muscles are engaged; arms, back, abs, obliques, quads, calves, and glutes are all involved, building muscle definition. Unsurprisingly, a rowing machine is a fantastic tool to burn calories, which simultaneously benefits our cardiovascular health.

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