Sunny Health & Fitness Compact Hydraulic Rower with 12-Level Resistance

I am so pleased with this purchase. I bought a while back but today I finally put it together. I chose this product because I want to see how much I like rowing (learned I loathe stationary bikes). It is a good machine! Very well built and easy to put together. It has a mini-computer on it so you can track your time, your calories expended, and the number of strokes. In addition, the resistance is adjustable. Very quiet, very stable. A particularly nice addition is the pole in the front where you can put your cell phone and listen to rowing music! My personal faves are the Vikings! Thanks Erling and Norway! If you are interested in rowing as an exercise, I highly recommend this product. Lightweight so I can move it around and it gets the job done! All I need now is the Viking helment.

This is not the first piece of exercise equipment I've purchased from this company. I also have their mini step machine. I was hesitant to purchase the step machine — we're all used to seeing fancy, high-end exercise equipment at the gym, so the idea that I could get a step machine for $40 made me understandably skeptical. But I gave it a shot, and it blew me away. I can safely say that if it wasn't for that experience, I doubt I'd ever have even *considered* buying a rowing machine for as little as $80. It's my favorite machine at the gym, and I had a really hard time believing that there could possibly be a rowing machine that could satisfy me for such a low price. But I had the proof of Sunny's quality products right there in my living room in the form of my step machine, so I decided to give their rowing machine a try. I am so, SO glad I did. Yes, of course this machine doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the one at my gym. There is no big impressive flywheel, no water sloshing pleasantly while I row to put me in the right mindset. And yes, of course it would be amazing to have those things. But this rowing machine has everything that's important. It's insanely easy to put together (I had the whole thing working in less than 5 minutes), extremely user-friendly (just turn the dial to a higher number to get a higher resistance), almost silent (which helps me watch TV or listen to music during my workout without having to get tangled with my headphones), unexpectedly comfortable to use (the seat and handlebars have nice padding, the foot straps are comfortable as long as you've got shoes on, and the mechanism slides impressively smoothly), and — most impressive of all to me — it weighs NOTHING. I can pick the whole machine up with one hand with no effort, and that's coming from someone who wanted this machine because I have next to no arm strength. This makes it incredibly easy to store, too; I can toss it into a hall closet so it doesn't clutter up my living room when I'm not using it. I was nervous about the order, even knowing that I liked this company. I'm glad to be able to tell you that you don't have to be. If you can afford the best of the best, then sure — buy the kind with all the bells and whistles. But if you're exercising on a budget, like me, then this machine is PERFECT. I paid $80 for this machine that I use almost every day, and was able to cancel a gym membership that was costing me $35 per month. Within two months this machine will have almost entirely paid for itself! The ONLY negative thing I can say about this machine is related to the resistance mechanism, and it's similar to their other products: the metal gets really, really hot due to the friction during use. It's not a part of the machine that you're in contact with while using it, so it's not like you're going to burn yourself accidentally or anything, but it limits how long you should use it without stopping. I try to limit myself to 20-25 minutes on the machine before stopping to let it cool off for a while. But in the scheme of things, and for the price, that's a small sacrifice that I'm more than willing to make. I hope this helps you make your decision! And if you want to flesh out your home gym on a low budget like me, check out their step machine too — that way you can give your rowing machine a break without having to quit your workout, and come back to it once it's cooled off. Just a thought!

My rating is based on 1. Cost. Not expensive in this case does not mean cheaply built. It's lightweight but solid, and withstands my 240 pounds easily. 2. Ease of assembly. Honestly, it all came very well wrapped and protected inside the box, requiring only to unscrew a few Allen bolts to attach the handle. It was folded under itself, and strapped together to prevent damage from movement. 3. "Ease" of use. The pneumatic arm moves well with the rowing motion, and it is an intuitive increase from 1 (like pulling a happy dog on its leash for a walk) to 10 (pulling a Smart car out of a snowy parking space with a big rope). I am short-limbed, long torso, so my comfort and ease of use will probably not be an experience shared by long-limbed folks as the seat and arms will not allow someone with an inseam over 35" to have full extension. Decide accordingly. 4. Portability. Ok, if you need to slide it under a bed it is lightweight, and requires taking out two bolts to fold it. One is designed to be easy to remove, the other will use the included wrenches. So, I leave it out in my living room which is more a workout room than social area. There is still plenty of room in my apartment that it isn't in the way. Summary: I love it, and enjoy the variation from biking, but it may prove less useful for the long-limbed or tiny home dwellers. **The Powerade bottle gives you a reference point for scale, it is a quart.

I received the package today at 2:09 pm. I ripped it out of the box and was momentarily confused. On first glance it looked almost entirely assembled. After ripping open the plastic, I noticed it needed 3 things- handle bar, connecting the arm to the hydraulic and releasing the back bar. It was such a simple operation. There was no crazy fluff with the packaging so clean up was a breeze. I immediately hopped on and was impressed. I went slowly and did 5 minutes in my living room. I then moved it outside, it is SO light. I can carry one handed if I wanted to. It fits nicely in the space I set aside. The monitor is incredibly easy to use and to watch while working out. I noticed some other reviews that said it was complicated. I'm not sure why someone would feel that way, maybe they have updated it since previous reviews? Either way, I was pleasantly surprised and had no issues. Now, onto the machine's resistance which seems to be a great debate among other reviewers... Once I moved it outside I adjusted the resistance level from 1 to 3 and did a full 15 minutes. I did experience some change in the resistance towards the end but I realized that I had shortened my strokes as I got faster. Once I corrected my form, the resistance was consistent. So to clarify, I did not experience a loss of resistance. However, how it stands up over time is still a debate. I did not go particularly fast but maintained a steady pace from beginning to end. Another point some reviewers brought up was size, I am 5'4 and 220 lbs. Yes, I'm fluffy lol I had no problems. The seat could use a bit more padding but once I moved forward a little I found the sweet spot. The one *potential* problem I've noticed is that the foot rests don't seem to be very sturdy. At one point I had to adjust my feet because I noticed the fronts were slightly bending the plastic back. Maybe they are meant to have some give? I'm not sure. They felt as if they will be the first thing that needs to be replaced down the road. Highlights: Value- 5 Size- 5 Weight- 5 Packaging- 5 Assembly- 5 Stability- 4.5 Resistance- 5 Performance- 5 Conclusion: Is this a gym quality machine? Nope. Is it functional, practical and worth buying? Yes. This is not something I would recommend to an Olympian but for the average person looking to burn a few calories while watching TV, this is the way to go. Update as of 3/22/2020, When I wrote the first review, I weighed 220 lbs. I now weigh 154. I'm 14 lbs from my goal weight. The rower still works like a breeze. I use my treadmill and bike for heavy cardio but the rower is still a staple. It is amazing for cross training. The foot rests still haven't broken, so that is a plus 😂 Still no loss in resistance. Now that I am in better shape, I notice that if I go fast, I can actually slide it across my floor with the momentum. I put it on .5 inch gym flooring and have had no issue since. My boyfriend who is 5'10, 180 lbs and a hardcore volleyball player is in love with this thing. According to him, it isn't a true rower but works on his muscular imbalances caused by playing one sport. I've though about upgrading to a more advanced rower but who am I kidding? I'm not a professional and it still does what I purchased it for. No complaints. On a side note, I made significant lifestyle changes to accomplish my weight loss. When I first started and couldn't walk more than 5 minutes at a time, this rower was a true challenge but I outgrew it about a month in and started regularly walking. I no longer use it every day, maybe 3-5 times a month for about 25-30 minutes.

The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine is a nice, affordable, little exercise product. It's very easy to assemble and use. I was concerned that with my shorter inseam of about 27' would interfere with the electronic counter being able to count my rowing strokes properly. So I make sure that when I pull the handle back it comes back all the way into my lap. That way my entire stroke will be counted. The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine is affordable, compared those very expensive other rowing machines on the market. It's the reason I bought this rowing machine. The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine is a nice little row machine. It doesn't weigh much and is pretty easy to pick up and move where it can be stored away until you want to use it. This rowing machine is very easy to use, even for someone who has never used a rowing machine before. The moving handle and seat help make the rowing action happen along with the use of your legs. My only concern is when I get to the point where my resistance level reaches 12, does the hydraulic piston need to be replaced? Where do you go from there? If Sunny Health & Fitness reads this review, I hope they let me know. If you (reading this and other reviews) of this Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine, compare this rowing machine to others. Others are larger, longer, heavier, MUCH more expensive, harder to assemble, cannot be stored away, and often more complicated to set up and use. Just keep all those factors in mind when making your decision. In short, after using this Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW1205 Rowing Machine for a bit, I'm quite pleased with its ease of use, easy and fast assembly, easy pick up and storage, and it was quite "easy" on my pocketbook, to boot!

This rower comes in a big, long box, but the box probably weighs no more than 25 pounds, so it's not hard to move at all. (The plastic mailing straps on the box makes moving even easier, because you can grab on to those.) Assembly is simple, too. If you can turn an Allen wrench (included), you can put this together in minutes. Fortunately, the Allen wrench is a heavy duty one, so you can tighten everything really well. Since I was putting the rower in a room with new carpet, I first put down a new carpet runner, since at least one reviewer said theirs leaked hydraulic oil. Mine has shown no sign of that, but at times I can smell the oil. I also ended up having to put it between a wooden bed frame with a platform, that extended a few inches outward, and my printer stand. There was no other good place in the spare room. That ended up perfect, though, since I can use the bed frame and the stand to lift myself off the rower. Getting on and off the rower seat is the only problem I have; and it's a slight problem, not a serious one; due to knee problems. Yes, you can use this rower with bad knees. You do have to bend and extend your knees to properly row, but this is actually more a workout of your arms and core muscles, not your legs. In fact, you can even keep your legs still, if you want, and just workout with the handle bar. That's not the proper way to row, but it does work. When I first got on the rower, I had the tension on #1 and could hardly move the handle bar! Was I in that bad shape? It turned out no, when I then put the tension on #2. That was much, much easier. So, the #1 on my rower was more like #12. So far, I've only been using #2 since I have just started rowing, wanting to take it slow and not get injured. If you know nothing about rowing, I do suggest you read up on it, to insure you are using proper form, because you can injure yourself, just like on any other piece of exercise equipment. For the price, I think this is an excellent exercise machine that is built very well. It's also lightweight enough to easily move out of the way, if need be. The meter I haven't quite mastered, though. I need to go back and read the instructions, since the readings aren't making sense. The meter is no big deal to me, though. I only wished I had ordered this Sunny rower months ago, when I first started looking for an inexpensive rower. P.S. 5/24/21: I was using this rower for short periods of time, on the #2 tension until I started getting lower back pain, as well as some sciatica back leg pain. I never had either before I started rowing. It was not really bad pain, but it was there. Plus, after reading up on sciatica, it said rowing was not a good choice for those with it. Well, I never had it before rowing! :) I had researched how to sit properly, too. To make a long story short, I stopped rowing, fearing the idea of "no pain, no gain" could lead me to have permanent pain I never had before. P.P.S. 6/10/21: Had a full-blown sciatica attack for the first time last week. Now, I did quit rowing some time ago, so can't say the rowing caused it. But, once again, I never had any back or back leg pain before rowing, only knee pain. So, do be careful using a rowing machine, if you have never used one before. Sciatica is very, very painful, although my pain thankfully mostly ended after a few days.

I added the Compact Adjustable Rowing Machine to my home gym. It is the 3rd Sunny Health & Fitness Equipment I've purchased. At my age, this one will be my favorite. At 64, I needed something simple, not to complicated to master, not to heavy (for storing away), and an excellent piece of equipment for strength training. After a week, I am so completely happy with it. This rowing machine is by far the easiest one to put together. I'd recommend by-passing the user manual and to watch one of several setup videos available. The user manual I received included diagrams that do not apply to the actual setup. Once you get it setup, adjust your tension levels and have at it. I read some reviews that was critical of the limitations of what you can do with the machine. I ignored those complaints. This rowing machine is basic. If you're looking for something that has tons of bells and whistle, this ain't it. I didn't want the bells and whistles, so I am pleased. There are different things you can do with this. Overhand pull, underhand pull, adjust your body (arms) for wider motion pulls, etc. Let your imagination run wild. There is a newer model that has the monitor separate from the bar. I'm thinking it was upgraded because when that bar makes contact with your stomach sometimes the monitor resets. This was not important to me as I log my exercise via my Fitbit. Also, the only app I am interested in, is my Fitbit app LOL. Some reviewers/commenters have negative things to say about watching TV while exercising. Yet, they have no problem with watching videos (exercise and non-exercise) videos from their phone. I say "wa-wa-wa" to those folks! I have my rower directly in front of my TV and have found that after my 1st week, I have moved the tension from "2" to "5", and had been on the rower for 30 - 45 minutes. After every workout, I feel it in my body. That's a good thing! This rower is an excellent addition to your home gym. I do my 10K steps per day and this rower daily. I push myself on the rower so that my heart-rate is between 115 - 125. On days that I do "heart-rate rising" housework (an example is mopping), I used my Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride. I highly recommend the Sunny Health & Fitness Rowing Machine. You'll feel the BURN in a good and welcoming way!

Fantastic for the price. Rower is solid, easy to put together. Seat glides well and the resistance is smooth. Best suited for shorter people - I am 5’ and the length is perfect. Anyone much taller is going to run out of leg room. This has helped me get back into a workout routine. It doesn’t take up much space and is light enough to pick up and pack around.

Il prodotto è arrivato ben imballato e la sua messa in funzione è stat facile. Ottimo attrezzo, ben funzionante e solido. Dotato di tutte le predisposizioni come da descrizione e pratico per gli spostamenti (casa-giardino). Sono molto contenta per questo acquisto.

This thing is ridiculously easy to assemble, it really doesn't need an instruction manual. As of first use it is perfect 👌

Enkel att använda. Lagom jobbig för daglig användning. Tar liten plats i rummet.

This rowing machine has been an excellent addition for home workouts. It effectively gets the job done, is compact enough to fit in any space, and offers the convenience of not needing to go to the gym to enjoy a great workout.

Für Profis nicht geeignet, aber für Einsteiger gut geeignet. Der Zusammenbau geht sehr schnell. Im Prinzip sind es 3 Schrauben und 2 Steckverbindungen und man kann loslegen. Die Einstellmöglichkeiten sind einfach gehalten. Der hydraulische Widerstand kann Stufenlos eingestellt werden, geht von 1-12. Wie in einigen Rezessionen kann ich bestätigen das der Magnet warm wird und dadurch der Schwierigkeitsgrad sinkt, aber auch während des Trainings kann man leicht nachregulieren. Es handelt sich um kein Profigerät! Aber das kann man bei dem Preis auch nicht erwarten! Ich denke auch das, wenn man über 1,85cm groß ist es eng werden könnte mit den Knien. Ich bin zufrieden mit dem Gerät und würde es mir wiederholen.