Stores upright, works everything

Used Home Rowing Machines

Find used home rowing machines — air, magnetic and water — from private sellers, dealers and refurbishers across the UK. Equipd is the marketplace: pay securely by card, get Buyer Protection on eligible purchases and value any model free before you buy.

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Live home rowing machine listings

Air, magnetic and water rowers listed on Equipd by private sellers, dealers and refurbishers across the UK, including folding and vertically stored models.

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Other home cardio to consider

Rowers give whole-body work in a footprint you can stand up in a corner. Bikes are smaller still and quieter, cross trainers suit sore joints, and treadmills add walking and running if the space allows.

Shop by brand

Concept2, WaterRower, JTX, Domyos and Hydrow are the names most commonly found used in the UK. Resistance type matters most: air rowers are loud and comparable, magnetic rowers are quiet, and water rowers sound and look quite different.

Why buy a used home rowing machine on Equipd?

  • Stores in a corner, not a room

    Most rowers separate or tilt to stand vertically, so a 2.4m machine becomes a footprint smaller than a bedside table between sessions. No other cardio machine disappears so completely.

  • Machines that genuinely last

    Quality rowers are mechanically simple and extremely well supported for parts, so a ten-year-old machine with a fresh chain, rollers and shock cord performs exactly like a new one — which is why used rowers are such reliable buys.

  • Whole-body work, low impact

    Rowing uses legs, back and arms with no impact through the joints, which makes it one of the most efficient home workouts and a good fit for anyone who cannot run comfortably.

  • Secure payment and protection

    Pay through Equipd with funds held until you confirm handover, and Buyer Protection on eligible purchases — reassuring when buying a sought-after rower from a seller you have never met.

Value a home rowing machine free

Good rowers hold their value unusually well, so sellers often ask too little for a well-known machine and buyers often pay too much for a tired budget one. The free Equipd valuation shows a realistic UK range for the exact model by age and condition, which is the quickest way to price a sale or sense-check a listing.

Get a free valuation

Buying guide

Used home rowing machine buying guide

A rowing machine is arguably the best value home cardio purchase there is. It works most of your body, it produces no impact, it stores upright in a corner, and the better machines are so well supported for parts that a decade-old example can be brought back to new condition for the price of a few consumables. The decisions worth thinking about are resistance type, which determines how loud the machine is and therefore whether it suits a flat, and length, because a rower needs more clear floor than people expect even though it stores away neatly. This guide covers air, magnetic and water resistance, monitors and data, what to check on a used machine, space and storage, noise and neighbours, maintenance you can do yourself, and how to collect one.

Air, magnetic and water resistance at home

Air rowers use a fan flywheel, so resistance rises with how hard you pull. That makes them the most responsive and the standard for anyone who wants comparable numbers and structured intervals. The drawback at home is noise: an air rower under a hard effort produces a substantial whooshing roar that carries through walls and floors.

Magnetic rowers set resistance to a level and stay there, and they are dramatically quieter — quiet enough to row while someone sleeps in the next room. They feel smoother and less responsive than air, which some people prefer and others find lifeless, and they are the sensible default for flats and shared houses.

Water rowers use paddles in a tank, producing a smooth catch and a pleasant swishing sound that many people find more tolerable than fan noise even though it is not silent. They also look far better in a living space, which is a genuine consideration for a machine you cannot hide. The tank needs occasional treatment and makes the machine heavier to move.

Some machines combine air and magnetic resistance, giving quiet operation with more responsive feel. If you can try before buying, do — the difference between resistance types is the single biggest factor in whether you enjoy rowing at home, far more than console features or brand.

Monitors, data and app connectivity

The monitor is what turns rowing from repetitive into engaging, because pace and split times give you something to chase. On the better machines, successive monitor generations added memory, heart-rate connectivity and data transfer, and some newer monitors can be fitted to older frames — which means an older machine can be modernised rather than replaced.

Ask for the lifetime metre count if the monitor stores it. It is the honest measure of how much the machine has done, and on a home rower the numbers are usually modest. Frame and roller condition should broadly match whatever total you are shown.

Check the monitor works properly rather than just lighting up. Take some strokes and confirm it registers stroke rate, split and distance, that all the buttons respond and that it retains settings. Most run on standard batteries with a top-up from rowing, so a dim or dead display is very often just old batteries.

If you want to row in an app or an online rowing community, check compatibility for the specific monitor rather than assuming. Some machines connect readily to third-party software, others only to a manufacturer app, and a few subscription-based rowers lose much of their functionality without an active plan — establish that before you buy.

What to check on a used rower

Sit on the seat and slide it the full length of the rail, listening for grinding and feeling for bumps. Flat-spotted seat rollers and a scored or dented rail are the most common wear points and will irritate you every session. Rollers are inexpensive on good machines; a badly damaged rail is more of a problem.

Pull the handle to full extension several times and watch that it returns smoothly and completely. A slow or incomplete return means a stretched shock cord or one that needs re-tensioning, which is a cheap and easy fix but makes the machine unusable until it is done — good negotiating material rather than a reason to walk away.

Inspect the chain or belt. A dry, rusty or visibly stretched chain should be replaced, and on belt-drive machines look for fraying or glazing. While you are there, check the damper slides freely across its range on an air machine and that the footplates, straps and heel cups are intact and adjustable.

Look into the flywheel housing if you can. Home air rowers pull in dust, hair and carpet fibre, and a clogged flywheel changes the feel and stresses the bearings. On water rowers, check the water is clear rather than green or cloudy, and ask when it was last treated. Finally, check the folding or separating mechanism operates and locks properly, since that is how the machine will be stored.

Length in use, storage and where it lives

A full-size rower is around 2.4m long and 0.6m wide in use, and you want a bit more than that — clear space behind the flywheel and enough room at the seat end to get on and off. Realistically, allow close to 3m of clear floor length, which is more than many rooms offer without moving furniture.

Storage is the compensation. Most machines either separate into two parts or tilt to stand vertically, taking the footprint down to well under half a square metre. Check the ceiling height for upright storage — a 2.4m machine stood on end needs headroom — and confirm the machine you are buying has whatever pins or catches the storage method needs.

Folding machines that hinge in the middle are the most compact but add a mechanism to wear. Machines that separate into two pieces are simple and store flat under a bed or upright in a cupboard. Water rowers generally stand upright but must be drained first if you want to move them any distance.

Think about the floor. Rowers do not need heavy matting, but a mat protects carpet and laminate from the feet and the flywheel housing, and stops the machine shifting on a smooth surface. It also makes the machine easier to slide back into position after storage.

Noise, neighbours and shared buildings

This is where the resistance decision really matters. An air rower at full effort is genuinely loud — the noise carries through walls and ceilings and is the most common reason people row less than they intended in a flat. If you live in a terraced house or an apartment, take that seriously before choosing air.

Magnetic rowers are close to silent apart from the seat rolling on the rail, which makes them the right choice for early-morning or late-night rowing in a shared building. Water rowers sit in between: not quiet, but the sound is a smooth swish rather than a fan roar, and many people find it less intrusive.

The other noise is the seat on the rail and the handle returning. Keeping the rail clean and the rollers in good condition keeps that to a soft rumble, and a mat under the machine reduces what transmits into a suspended floor.

Rowing has one big advantage over running at home: there is no impact. Even a loud air rower does not thump the floor the way footfall on a treadmill does, so the complaint you might get is airborne noise rather than structural, and closing a door solves more of it than you would expect.

Maintenance you can do in ten minutes

Rowers are the easiest home cardio to maintain. Oil the chain at the interval the manual specifies, wipe the rail after use, and keep the seat rollers clean. That is genuinely most of it, and it is why well-cared-for rowers last decades.

Clear dust from the flywheel housing on air machines occasionally. In a carpeted room it accumulates faster than you expect, and removing it restores the feel and keeps the bearings happier. The covers usually come off with a screwdriver and the job takes a few minutes.

Keep the shock cord tension right. If the handle starts returning slowly, the manual will explain the adjustment, and cords are inexpensive to replace when adjustment runs out. Doing it promptly keeps the stroke feeling correct.

On water rowers, follow the manufacturer schedule for tank treatment to keep the water clear. It is a small task a couple of times a year, and neglecting it is why some second-hand water rowers arrive with unpleasant-looking tanks that need draining and refilling.

Choosing a machine and collecting it

Buy on resistance type and build rather than console features. A well-made machine with a basic monitor will be used for years; a feature-heavy budget rower with a rough seat action and a light frame will not. If you are unsure, the machines with the strongest parts support are the safest used purchases because anything that wears can be renewed.

Be careful with subscription-based rowers. Some connected machines are built around a monthly plan and lose a great deal of functionality without it, which can make an apparent bargain much less useful than it looks. Establish exactly what works without a subscription before you commit.

Collection is the easiest of any cardio machine. Most rowers weigh 25 to 40kg and separate into two pieces, so one or two people can manage stairs and standard doorways without difficulty. Water rowers should be drained before moving. Fulfilment on Equipd is arranged directly between buyer and seller, so agree collection or delivery in advance.

Before you pay, row the machine for a couple of minutes: check the monitor registers, the seat runs smoothly, the handle returns fully and the damper or resistance adjusts. Then only confirm handover once the machine is in your home and you have used it, since confirmation is what starts the Buyer Protection window on eligible purchases.

Frequently asked questions

Choosing between air, magnetic and water resistance, storage and length, noise in flats, and what to check on a used rower.

Which resistance type is best for rowing at home?

Magnetic is the sensible default for flats and shared houses because it is nearly silent. Air is the most responsive and best for structured intervals and comparable numbers, but it is genuinely loud. Water rowers sit in between on noise and look far better in a living space. Resistance type matters more than brand or console.

How much floor length does a rower need at home?

Around 2.4m long and 0.6m wide in use, and realistically close to 3m of clear floor length once you allow space behind the flywheel and at the seat end. Storage is the compensation: most machines separate or tilt upright to well under half a square metre, so check ceiling height for upright storage.

Are air rowers too loud for a flat?

They can be. An air rower at full effort produces a substantial fan roar that carries through walls and ceilings, and it is a common reason people row less than intended in an apartment. There is no floor impact as there is with a treadmill, but if airborne noise is a concern, choose magnetic.

Why does the handle return slowly on a used rower?

The shock cord has stretched or needs re-tensioning. It is an inexpensive, straightforward fix documented in the manual, but it makes the machine unusable until it is done, so treat it as negotiating material on an otherwise good machine rather than a reason to reject it.

Is a high lifetime metre count a problem?

Rarely on a quality machine, because almost everything that wears is a cheap available part. A rower with a large total but new rollers, chain and shock cord performs like new. Judge the seat rail, roller and chain condition alongside the number rather than treating metres as a verdict on their own.

Do rowing machines fold up?

Most either hinge in the middle or separate into two pieces, and many then stand vertically. Folding machines are the most compact but add a mechanism that can wear; separating machines are simpler and store flat or upright in a cupboard. Water rowers usually stand upright but should be drained to move far.

What should I check on the seat and rail?

Slide the seat the whole length of the rail listening for grinding and feeling for bumps, and look for scoring or dents in the rail. Flat-spotted rollers are the most common wear point and are cheap to replace on good machines, whereas a badly damaged rail is a more significant problem.

Do I need a subscription for a used connected rower?

On some machines, yes. Certain connected rowers are built around a monthly plan and lose much of their functionality without one, which makes an apparent bargain less useful than it appears. Establish exactly what works without an active subscription before committing to buy.

How much maintenance does a home rower need?

Very little. Oil the chain at the interval the manual specifies, wipe the rail and keep the seat rollers clean, and clear dust from the flywheel housing on air machines occasionally. Water rowers need periodic tank treatment. That is genuinely most of it, which is why good rowers last decades.

How easy is a rower to collect?

The easiest of any cardio machine. Most weigh 25 to 40kg and separate into two parts, so one or two people can manage stairs and standard doorways. Drain a water rower before moving it. Fulfilment is arranged between buyer and seller on Equipd, so agree collection or delivery in advance.

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