Cons
- Manual resistance adjustment
- Limited presets for this price
Overall
Although the rower is price within the lower mid-range section of the market it fails to deliver something more sustainable on the long term. The monitor is easy to use but doesn`t provide enough information to satisfy advanced users and is not backlight for workouts in lower light.
This is important as the product is marketed as a machine which ‘doesn`t wake up the family’. But parents looking for a feature like this would also immensely benefit from backlit monitor to keep the kids sleeping uninterrupted. Storage-wise the machine can be folded and kept in a vertical position.
Design
The design is outdated with an unimpressive seat and a monitor which although is ease to use seems a few years old. The monitor actually works with a single AA battery which in the end seriously limits the capacity of the device. The machine also fails in the refinement department with many sharp edges around the frame which, again, goes against the marketed public of users with families.
Performance
The rower has some entry-level features such as the manual resistance adjustment with 5 levels of tension. The competition has already started to include these setting digitally within the monitor. The pull chain is also a problem for longevity as it is pure fabric not a metal chain.
Another big concern is the accuracy of data such as the calorie counter which seems to ignore variables such as resistance levels.
This doesn`t mean you`ll have a bad workout but it will keep advanced users away from the machine as they expect more from a rower with this price.
Conclusion
There is an inherent marketing flaw with this machine. It is not a bad machine but rather marketed as something it`s not. If you have kids, you will love the silence of it but will be terrified with the sharp edges and safety concerns.
Another thing to consider is the price. You are stuck in a range where you expect more than an entry-level machine and yet somehow the rower fails to deliver that. The monitor is basic and cannot provide an advanced workout or advanced data reading.
If you consider the machine for what it really is, a machine which is neither a budget model nor a mid-range model you will find it is actually not that bad. Considering you might train for up to 3 times per week without pushing the machine to its limits, you should be fine with this choice.
