Buying guide
Best Rowing Machines for Apartments
Quiet, compact, and foldable rowing machines that won't wake the neighbors or dominate the living room — the best rowers for apartment living.
Rowing is close to the perfect apartment exercise — full-body, low-impact, and the machine stores small — but two things can ruin it for anyone living with neighbors or housemates: noise and footprint. Get those two right and a rower is one of the easiest pieces of cardio to live with.
On noise, resistance type is everything. Magnetic rowers are near-silent and hold a constant, settable resistance, which makes them the obvious choice for a 6 a.m. session next to a sleeping household or a unit with thin walls. Air rowers feel fantastic but roar like a fan, and water rowers add a swoosh that, while pleasant, is not nothing. For apartment living, magnetic almost always wins.
On footprint, look for a frame that folds or stands upright so the rower lives against a wall, not across the middle of your floor. Every pick below is quiet first and storable second.
- 1 Best Overall$599
Xebex Magnetic Rower MGR-01
Xebex Fitness
Magnetic resistance is near-silent, and the Xebex Magnetic Rower pairs that quiet stroke with a fold-up frame that tucks against a wall between sessions. It is the rare apartment rower that feels solid under a hard pull without announcing itself to the unit downstairs. For most renters this is the right balance of quiet, compact, and capable.
- 2 Best Connected$1,599
Echelon Row-S
Echelon Fitness
If you want guided, on-screen classes to stay motivated, the Row-S folds upright and runs whisper-quiet on magnetic resistance. The integrated screen and class library make it the apartment pick for people who would actually row more with a coach in front of them. Just budget for the membership to get the most from it.
- 3 Best Budget$249
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515 Magnetic Rowing Machine
Sunny Health & Fitness
The SF-RW5515 is the entry point to quiet, foldable rowing. It is not as smooth or as sturdy as the pricier picks, and the monitor is basic, but it folds small, stays quiet, and costs a fraction of the alternatives. For a first rower in a small apartment, it gets you moving without a big commitment.
- 4 Best Compact Premium$1,495
Hydrow Wave
Hydrow
The Wave is Hydrow's smaller, lighter rower built specifically for tight spaces, and it keeps the brand's polished magnetic stroke and immersive screen content. It stands upright for storage and stays quiet enough for shared walls. It is a premium choice, but a genuinely apartment-friendly one.
Last updated May 2026.