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

I have a ton of equipment and not much room left but really wanted something 'different' that wouldn't take up much space. I've eyeballed rowers in the past but they were always too expensive. After reading the reviews here on Amazon (THANK YOU REVIEWERS!!) I decided I'd go for it. It arrived today. The time it took to put it together (if you can even call it that) from when I cut the box open to finished assembly took 13 minutes (that includes the time to read the instructions and un-wrap everything!). It's almost fully assembled, you just have to straighten out and secure the back support bracket, put the handle on, plug in and secure the sensor to the handle bar and it's ready to go. Unbelievably easy! It's REALLY compact and super light. I got on it and went from 1 to 12 to feel the various tension levels and this is pretty sweet. It glides smoothly, doesn't make any noise and the tension levels are adequate for what this is. I've trained for years in gyms on a LOT of equipment and while this isn't gym quality, it's under 75 bucks and an excellent deal. I played around with it a bit and found I can do calf raises and leg presses on it as well, though obviously with a whole lot less weight then I would at the gym - but I lift really heavy and most women don't care to do that. I see this as a really nice addition to my training and know I'll be on it a lot. I've always loved to row and THIS IS A SWEET PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. I am friggin THRILLED with it!

Surprisingly solid and effective piece of dirt-cheap gear. For the cost of a pair of sneakers ($71 shipped when I bought it in Jan 2014) you get a light, yet durable (I'm 220lb - yes, all muscle...) machine that is well-made and easy to put together. I've used it for about 3 weeks and all is well. That being said, you can fry an egg on the piston after about ten minutes (especially with the machine set to high resistance). This isn't a problem for me but I have to wonder about the durability of the piston, no matter that it appears easily replaceable. Also, as the oil in the piston heats up and becomes less viscous, the resistance fades considerably, leaving me to adjust upwards to maintain the same resistance; this isn't a problem as I adjust upwards during the course of using the machine anyway. Bottom line, for hard-core rowers looking to replicate a true rowing stroke or train for competition, obviously there are better choices, for more casual folks looking for a serious work-out at a cut-rate price, this may be the ticket as (in my opinion) the issues I have with the machine are minor and easily trumped by the price. That being said, I can't help but remain suspicious due to the low price and will update the review if things go south. UPDATE: As the price of this unit begins to approach $150 (late March) this becomes less of a no-brainer. Shop around a little. UPDATE 2: The piece that regulates the tension on the piston wore out so adjust with pliers. This isn't ideal as I have to do it while I'm rowing, still, I maintain my 5 star rating. Update 3: 4 or so years on and the original piston finally broke; the moving parts and resistance were still fine but one of the attachement parts broke. The new piston does not seem to be of the quality of the original, the resistance seems choppy and shorter, though it seems to improve after it warms up. At $84 the unit is still a no-brainer. Eyeing up their stationary bike now.

I'm always looking for portable exercise options that will check all the boxes for (1) truly easy portability (easy to carry or maneuver, not too heavy or awkward); (2) has a small/slim profile for easy storage in my oh-so-tiny apartment; (3) doesn't take up too much room while actually using; (4) is super quiet; (5) is smooth and stable (doesn't move around while using); (6) is sturdy and well made (likely to last at least a few years); (7) has adequate, adjustable resistance to provide a great workout; (8) display is easy to reset and allows for static display (e.g., if I only want to track miles or speed); (9) display retains stats until you reset it; and (10) is affordable. Very few home exercise gadgets check all the boxes. This one checks 8 out of 10. The two unchecked boxes are why I dinged it one star. Others might dicker with me as to whether or to what extent it's significant, but it is a HUGE pet peeve to me when I don't have the option to set the LED display to a static setting so that I can simply track the distance or speed without having to wait for it to constantly cycle/scan through all stats. Equally annoying is when the LED display resets itself after pausing for just a few minutes. If I want to do a 30- or 60-minute session, maybe I want to get up to refill my water or take a bathroom break. If I failed to check my stats before I got up, too bad, so sad. When I return, it's back to zero, and I have no clue how long I've rowed or what the total count is. That truly sucks if you want to set a goal for a certain daily count or total minutes per day. Sadly, this is a problem with most LED displays. But I have had several pieces of equipment that get it right. Sunny, you can do better with this! On a more positive note, when I received this machine, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was 90% assembled (and very well packed). It took me literally 10 minutes to assemble the final pieces, and I was on my way to my first rowing session. Everything that folks say about this rower is true! It was easy to assemble. It's quiet. The glide is smooth. The resistance is phenomenal. It feels well made. It's sturdy and doesn't move or wobble. It's compact and will fit truly anywhere - for both active use and storage. And for being so sturdy and well-made, it's amazingly lightweight. My 70-year-old oh-so-weak, arthritic, and achy hands have no trouble picking it up and carrying it around without having to bother to fold it back up. The only struggle for me is that it sits rather low on the ground for my achy, arthritic knees to navigate smoothly. I solved that problem by elevating the back about 3 inches, and I placed the rower right next to a window and very close to my office chair so that I can use the window sill and my chair to brace myself and help hoist myself up out of the seat when I'm done. I like that it's shorter than most rowers, which gives me so many more options as to where to put it in my tiny apartment. It easily fits in the cramped space in my office, right next to the window. Unfortunately, I believe the consequence of this compact size is that I'm unable to get complete flexion in my legs, bending them 100% as I move forward, like I can on rowers at the gym or more high-end home rowers. I believe that 100% flexion allows for a stronger thrust when you glide back. So it's a compromise, I suppose. But I'm way happy to be able to put it in my office. It makes me feel less guilty during those moments when I fall down a YouTube rabbit hole, as I can just scoot off my chair and onto the rower and feel less guilty about the time suck if I'm rowing while watching one too many vids. This is a great machine for anyone on a budget and/or with the challenge of getting a workout and storing the equipment in a tight space. I look forward to many years of happy rowing adventures. THANK YOU, SUNNY, for making an affordable rower that checks almost all of the boxes to help us get and stay fit in the convenience of our homes! Just fix that LED display, and you'll be Goldilocks-perfect! -Karen :)

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.

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!

Overall, alright product. I use it, It does the most basic functionality it's made for. Downsides: - It's not kidding when it says the pressure cylinder gets hot. If you have kids, I'd be weary of using it around them. - If you've got short legs, there's no way to adjust the handle/foot positions for a more full-body experience. For me, the seat stops at about half-way (I'm 5ft 5in). If I could adjust something to fit my body a bit more this would be a much butter match. - If you're not already skinny, keeping straight legs/knees during the row back will be difficult or impossible depending on your body type. Not a whole lot of room there. As you pull back, you may feel the bar brush against the inner part of your knees - not the most comfortable. - The foot petals are a bit flimsy. If you're not wearing shoes with this, then you'll feel the bar underneath the petals as the plastic bends from pressure (depending on the amount of resistance you have) Even with all of these things taken into consideration, I'm still fairly happy with this purchase. As long as I focus on my form then I'm good. I do wish I could get the full potential of the workout that I would get from the adjustable water version of a rowing machine, but this does something and I'm relatively happy for the price. Doesn't take up a bunch of space, it's light and easy to move, easy to put together, and good cardio at the very least.

This product is amazing for the price! I’ll take you through my experience so far: Set up was so simple! It is light, sturdy, and even someone who lacks any handy-ness skills whatsoever could set this up in under 5 minutes. It’s maneuverability is simple because it is so light. So I could place it in multiple different places before I made a final decision on its long-term home. I can pick it up with one hand no problem. I sat on it. I have been rowing for decades, in my kayak and on machines, so the movement is natural for me. Yet, the first 30 seconds still felt a little odd. The seat and movement are technically rowing, but it is not ‘normal’ rowing. 30 seconds to get the hang of the seat drifting forward and my feet placement and I was off. The difficulty level goes from 1-12. I am in my groove with this thing now. I have used it for more than 4 hours. So I know to begin at 4, every 4 minutes make it 1 step more difficult, and then stop at 8. 12 is nearly impossible! So even the most affluent and in shape rower will get a serious workout from this thing. When changing the setting, be careful. Do not touch the hydraulic mechanism. It is scorching hot. It will burn you. I break a sweat around 7 minutes in. By minute 13 I am dripping. It is a serious workout! I am 6’2. I weigh 205 lbs. Neither my weight nor height has been a hindrance so far. I need to be slightly watchful of my knees, but if I have an even remotely proper form then my knees clear by a couple inches. My knees have not hit it when rowing, but if I try to make my knees hit then they will. Finally, do not place this on a smooth floor (I.e. cement, hardwood). You need carpet or rubber. It is light. I am not. When I get rowing, this thing moves. My home gym has a cement floor, rubber floor, and carpet in different areas. I keep this on the carpet. Otherwise when I row I actually move around. I hope all this helps! This may be the best product for the money that I have ever spent. I highly recommend it!

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.

Super schnelle Lieferung, man musste zwar zu Hause sein, aber es wurde vorher angerufen. Das Gerät selber konnte schnell montiert werden und ist super in der Handhabung. Für nicht Profis optimal, unschlagbarer Preis.

Funziona ed è poco ingombrante. A distanza di un anno sono soddisfatto. Per fare movimento quando è brutto tempo va benissimo.

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.

Jatt brå

Definitely a workout