Rowing Crazy

About Petra Amara

Written by Petra Amara - RowingCrazy.com
CEO & Founder of RowingCrazy, National Rower, Coxswain Womens Eight Team, Rowing Coach & Writer

Petra is a Mother of two and owner of Rowingcrazy.com. Petra lives and breathes rowing, she also has a passion for writing which lead her to start RowingCrazy.com to share her rowing experience and expertise with others.

Learn More About Petra Here!

12 Best Rowing Machines That Supersede All 2026

best rowing machine
 

Your Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Best Home Rowing Machine

Not all rowing machines are created equal. Depending on your needs, some will deliver better health and fitness results than others. There is a rich variety of them, some that are sleeker and more highly-refined and others that are less so.  read more

12 Best Rowing Machines That Supersede All 2026 Read More »

Water Rower vs Air Rower 2026 – Which Is Better?

Water Rower vs Air Rower

Deciding what rowing machine is right for you can be a tough decision. When you start researching the different types of rowing machines it can be a bit overwhelming.

In a Hurry?  Here are the Rowers We Are Comparing:

Short on time but still want to know which rower is better between an air rower or water rower? Check out our answers by clicking on the links below:

  1. Hydrow Rowing Machine
  2. Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine read more

Water Rower vs Air Rower 2026 – Which Is Better? Read More »

Magnetic vs Air Rower 2026 – Which Is Best?

Magnetic vs Air Rower - Which is Best?

If you are shopping for rowing machines you are probably at the point of comparing air vs magnetic rowing machines, and for good reason. So, what do you need to know about air resistance compared to water rowing machines or a magnetic rowing machine? 

In a Hurry?  Here are My Top 3 Picks:

If you’re pressed for time and simply want to find the best magnetic and air rowing machine, here are my recommended choices:

  1. Sunny Health Fitness
  2. Concept 2 
  3. Hydrow

*We review fitness products impartially and may earn a commission from affiliate links. For details see our disclosure page.

In the upcoming sections of this article, we will provide a detailed analysis and evaluation of each rowing machine, highlighting our key findings for each one.

Right Let’s Get Into It!

Magnetic rowing machines are a good choice for many because magnetic rowers have levels of resistance that can be easily adjusted depending on how difficult you want your rowing workout to be that particular day.

With air rowing machines, beginners might have an easier time getting started with rowers. Air resistance is usually the easiest type of resistance since the resistance is directly related to how hard you work out.

Points to Consider When Buying Rowing Machines

When you are looking for rowing machines there are a few factors to consider. With an air rower, the faster you row the faster the flywheel spins.

What type of resistance do you want? Remember that air rowers are going to be a little easier to use for a beginner than a magnetic rower or a water rowing machine. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and an air rower might be perfect for you.

What’s a good 500m rowing time?

If you are looking for a resistance mechanism that can be varied, you want to consider a magnetic rower, since this type of rowing machine usually has different levels and different types of rowing depending on your strength level. Magnetic resistance levels are the easiest to adjust so you can work out different muscle groups when you have a different level of resistance.

What Is a Flywheel?

Air rowers make use of a flywheel that controls the resistance when you spin. The greater the resistance, the greater the workout your muscles will feel.

With a low noise level, you can row fast on air machines and remember that the more resistance the harder your muscle groups will work. To generate resistance and feel like a real rowing action, make the flywheel spin as fast as you can.

Air rowing machines use a flywheel because it lets the user control the resistance, and some rowers prefer this to magnetic rowers that require resistance adjustments to be made.

Water Rowing Machines

Are water rowing machines a good way to give you a full-body workout for all of your muscles? Absolutely, water rowers are a type of rowing machine that feels like real rowing, and a water rower set to the right resistance setting is going to work out your muscles in a way that other types of rowing machines can’t compete with.

Click Here: Water V’s Air Rowing Machines – Who Won?

Water Rowing Machine Advantages 

What better feeling than rowing on water at the right resistance level! The purest types of rowing have you feeling like you are rowing on water and water rowing machines offer this feeling better than any other types of rowing machines. See our list of Budget Water Rowing Machines

See Our Top Water Rowing Machines

With the wide range of muscles you can workout, your strength is sure to improve and you will get a full-body workout anytime you use the right rowing action and remember that the stronger the resistance the harder your workout will be.

Are Air Rowers Better than Magnetic?

Some of this comes down to personal preference. An air machine or a machine with a water flywheel can give you just as good of a workout as a rowing machine that makes use of magnets especially if you work hard to create resistance.

A good rower uses all of your muscles in your workout, and you can accomplish that with a water flywheel or one of the great air rowing machine options as long as you have the right rowing technique.

With an air rower and a flywheel, it’s up to you and your rowing action to get in a high-level workout. With something like a Concept2 Model D rowing machine, the rower will do more of the workout for you as this type of rower has more adjustment options.

Is Concept 2 Rower Magnetic or Air Resistance?

Concept 2 Model D (now called RowErg) is a bestselling air resistance rowing machine. It has been around since the early 1980s and is still going strong. Most gyms use Concept 2 air rowers because of their durability and the ease of maintaining them. 

Learn more with our full video of the Concept2 Rower by Rowing YouTube Influencer Max Secunda:

 

Which Type of Rowing Machine Is Best?

If you are looking to purchase a rowing machine on a budget, you should check out Sunny Health Fitness as they are the leader in budget rowing machines. They offer a lot of different rowing machines that you can afford on a tight budget.  

View on Amazon  read more

Magnetic vs Air Rower 2026 – Which Is Best? Read More »