Head-to-head · Best Rowing Machines Under $1000

Concept2 RowErg (Model D) vs Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Concept2 RowErg (Model D) comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.9 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about serious rowers, CrossFit athletes, and anyone training for performance rather than entertainment — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Rowing Machines Under $1000

Concept2 RowErg (Model D)

4.9

$990

The RowErg Model D is the answer when someone asks 'what rowing machine should I buy.' Forty years of refinement, used by elite rowers and Olympians, with the PM5 monitor that's the de facto standard for tracking work in watts and 500m splits. No subscription cost, no proprietary content lock-in — pair it with a free app like ErgData or pay nothing and just row. The trade-off vs the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go is content: this is a serious training tool, not an entertainment platform. For anyone who treats rowing as exercise rather than as gamified screen time, this is the right buy.

Strengths

— Industry gold standard — used by Olympians, college crew teams, and CrossFit gyms for 40+ years
— PM5 performance monitor displays watts, pace, split, and 500m times, with Bluetooth + ANT+
— No subscription required — 30+ third-party apps (ErgData, Kinomap, Asensei) integrate natively

Watch-outs

— Air resistance produces a noticeable whoosh — louder than the magnetic-only NordicTrack RW600 or Sunny SF-RW5515
— PM5 is a numbers display, not a touchscreen — no streamed class content like the NordicTrack RW600
— $990 is at the price ceiling for this category — only the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go come close

$990 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Rowing Machines Under $1000

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515

4.5

$250

The SF-RW5515 is the budget pick — at ~$250 it's roughly a quarter the price of every other rower in this lineup, and the most-reviewed rower on Amazon. Magnetic resistance with 8 fixed levels and a basic monitor; no Bluetooth, no app, no streaming. The trade-off vs the Concept2 RowErg is enormous in build quality and resistance feel, but for users who want to find out if rowing fits into their routine before spending $1,000 on the Concept2 RowErg or NordicTrack RW600, this is the right risk-adjusted buy. Outgrown faster than any other pick here.

Strengths

— Cheapest pick by a wide margin — roughly a quarter the price of the next-cheapest option
— 25,000+ Amazon reviews at a 4.5-star average — the most-reviewed rower on the platform
— Magnetic resistance with 8 levels — quieter than friction-pad budget rowers

Watch-outs

— Basic monitor — tracks time, count, calories, total count, but no distance per stroke
— 8 fixed resistance levels vs the Concept2 RowErg's air-flywheel infinite scaling
— No app, no Bluetooth, no built-in screen — purely a mechanical machine

$250 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Concept2 RowErg (Model D)

The gold-standard pick. Air resistance vs the magnetic NordicTrack RW600, XTERRA ERG700 (combo), Aviron Strong Go (combo), and Sunny SF-RW5515 (magnetic). No content subscription unlike NordicTrack RW600 (iFIT) and Aviron Strong Go (Aviron app). Higher user weight capacity (500 lb) than any other pick here.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515

Cheapest pick by a wide margin. Magnetic resistance vs the air-only Concept2 RowErg and the dual systems on the XTERRA ERG700 and Aviron Strong Go. No content/subscription model unlike the NordicTrack RW600 (iFIT) and Aviron Strong Go (Aviron app). 8 fixed levels rather than the Concept2 RowErg's infinite air scaling or NordicTrack RW600's 26 magnetic levels.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Concept2 RowErg (Model D)	Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515
Resistance	Air (mechanical flywheel)	Magnetic (8 levels)
User Capacity	500 lb	250 lb
Warranty	5-year frame, 2-year parts	—
Storage	Separates into two pieces	Folds vertically with pull-pin
Display	PM5 with Bluetooth + ANT+	Basic LCD
Subscription	None (free ErgData app)	Free SunnyFit app (no fee)
Slide Rail	—	53.4" extended (fits up to 6'5")

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