I love this rowing machine! I searched long and hard, review after review, and I'm so glad this is the one I picked.

I'll start off by saying that I have Not tried the app, so I have no report on that. If I do try it, I'll try to post an update here. But the app was not among my needs for purchase.

Read the assembly directions. When attaching the seat, it's Very important that you get the seat And the stem facing correctingly in order for the sensor to work. The directions tell you how, so Read Them. I'm a DIY person so directions are not my thing, but you've got to swallow that pride in order to get accurate experience of a quality product. It's easy enough to assemble, you just need to know about things like the sensor and which parts go where.

Tools and parts was SO easy, I wish Every manufacturer did this. They're all nicely labeled and separated in wrapping (pictured), so there's no reasonable way you can accidentally throw them away with the box. Pedals are in the one smaller box inside product packaging. Only downside to packaging is that there are no spare parts. But it's organized so well, you shouldn't need extras.

About the only thing the instruction booklet doesn't tell you, is how to increase tension. Fortunately the little knob is pretty self explanatory, and the booklet covers just about everything else. The machine is so super easy to use, my 12 yr old can come in and use it with no problem. Just look up videos for proper posture.

I can't say enough how remarkably quiet this machine is! There's sound, sure. But I can workout on this machine while watching a movie and the sound does Not interrupt the movie at all. So even a lazy day binge watching shows still gets a workout. I also have super sensitive hearing, and remarkably this machine doesn't aggravate that.

Biggest con, it's a heavy machine and despite being manufactured to be moveable, it's not without some effort. I have a tiny space, but usually it's just easier to leave it out than try to maneuver it. Especially since I use it daily. The directions tell you how to make it more portable, but don't be surprised when you have to use a little muscle both ways - mostly when lining up the holes just right to insert the stabilizing pin. Keep this in mind during original assembly too. It's not a feather. Also, the velcro on the footstraps don't go far enough to tighten around bare feet very well. So unfortunately you'd have to wear shoes to get the most out of those. But it's probably only an issue when you're going full speed and need your feet secure. If you're a beginner starting out slow, it's probably not as crucial. But do what's safest for you and your comfort and expertise level.

Overall I couldn't be more happy with this machine. My friends and family can't shut me up about it. It's a great full body workout that doesn't interrupt the rest of your day. I have a tiny budget so this was a bit if a splurge. But it was still affordable and I'm so happy with my choice.

TL;DR -- great first rower for those looking to get in shape, a touch lacking for experienced users.

I purchased this to help augment my existing fitness routine. I swim three days a week, lift twice a week, and cannot run from a recurring injury. I decided adding a rower made sense, and when this one came on sale I went for it.

In terms of assembly, this was the easiest anything I've ever assembled. Seriously. Even the way the parts are packaged make this simple to put together, and should take 20-30 minutes tops, including unboxing.

Once built, it's a decent looking, sturdy rower. I definitely push its load limit at 230 pounds, but this thing doesn't flinch or flex under load.

As far as collapsing or moving the rower, I wish you could fold it first and then move it easily, but the geometry seems to limit the wheels in the folded position. It still moves, just not as well as when extended.

Now for actual performance: It's fine-ish. That's not a bad thing, but don't think for one minute you're getting a high end water rower. Like other magnetic resistance units, it's limited in terms of how strong the resistance will get. I have to max it out for HIIT reps, and even then it's not as heavy a pull as I'd like. I can cruise at level 12 (of 14) for long distance work comfortably, if that better explains things.

The handle is comfortable, as is the seat. Surprisingly so, actually, as I tend to get saddle sore on stationary bikes and rowers. The rollers guide smoothly and are fairly quiet, though we'll see how that holds up over time.

I did notice one review and it's comment about how the final heel position is too deep, and I echo that feedback. The simple fix from the manufacturer side might be a more built up footpad in the heel, or some kind of selectable add-ons to make it more tailorable. That said, two towel rolls and duct tape have it where I want it.

The monitor is mostly pointless, as the sensor is just a photoelectric eye on the glide rail. Every row is ten meters, which isn't helpful, and who knows what the benchmark is for calories. Just use the timer and you'll be fine.

Lastly, the ability to do other movements with the rower is actually fun! No, it's not a cable machine or resistance bands, but you can hit the upper body decently. The lateral shoulder raises are difficult, but any bilateral movement is fine. I'd also add to the provided options the ability to do bent over rows and, if you set up right, pull overs (place your upper back on the seat when it's by the handle).

If you're space limited and looking for one thing that will get you in better shape, I'd say this might be all you need. It's good enough at what it does to improve fitness, but at some point you'll want a more robust rower or better weight training equipment.

As an ancillary tool, it's fine as well. But if you're a fitness regular, don't expect this to be your primary equipment.

I like this rower and definitely recommend it, BUT with a few caveats.

First, the good things.

1. This rower is quiet. I mean DEAD SILENT. I don't know what experience the prior reviewer had with it or maybe I have hearing loss but it is barely audible. A lot quieter than a treadmill, bike or moderate volume television.

2. Assembly was so easy. ALL tools are included. I read the instructions word for word because I'm slow at constructing and I still had this thing built in half an hour. Font waste money having Amazon assemble.

3. LCD screen is easy to see, even without my glasses. It displays strokes at the top and then lets you toggle between displaying calories, meters or time. Meters or time functions are the most valuable.

4. The cable utilizes a thick nylon cord as opposed to the thinner cables at most gyms. It makes for a cleaner catch and drive with less "bounce" on the return phase.

5. Resistance settings allow for a wide range of strengths. I expected to max out the resistance setting but was pleasantly surprised to only set it to a 6 out of a total 14. Rowers of all ability can use this machine and have a lot of room to progress or do graded exercises or HIIT Sprint progressions.

So what is neutral about the rower?

I know most people might be persuaded to buy this model over others because it shows some different upper body exercises you can do. Just know, you can do those exercises on any rower, you DO NOT need this model. The only special feature of this machine that facilitates doing resistance training are the 2 foot pads at the front of the machine. For a beginner I can see this being potentially helpful but I am a former competitive powerlifter and didn't find the pad placement to be ergonomically correct for my height, stance preference or pelvic/trunk alignment.

I also didn't find the movement of the extra exercises to be smooth. Theoretically the movement should feel similar to using a cable machine, but it was jerky and awkward and I struggled to do a curl at a 1 resistance due to friction of the nylon cord on the machine. This machine simply doesn't replace cable or free weight based resistance training and if that is your goal go buy a quality set of resistance bands and a kettlebell.

However, that wasn't the selling point for me anyways. Even without the extras, this machine is worth the price tag and does it's primary purpose (rowing) with excellence.

This machine folds up. Sort of. It folds in half and takes up less space on the ground but more space vertically. For those with dedicated exercise space this won't matter but for those hoping to fold and stow away, make sure your stow space is 4 feet squared and then another 6 feet high. But again, this was not a selling point for me so I don't care. I think it stows rather easily.

So why only 4 out of 5 stars?

The app is useless. It doesn't sync half the time. In order to get an accurate kcal estimate you really need to be calculating based off of the MET equivalent of the exercise and your weight in kg. There is no way of manually inputting your weight into the rower, meaning the kcal estimate that displays on the machine itself is not accurate. Since I have been unable to sync my workouts with the app I can't speak to the accuracy of kcals displayed on the app. This doesn't affect me because I utilise a fit bit plus manual weight-based MET equations to calculate kcals burned and rarely rely on machines for this. But if you're new to exercise and are hoping this rower shows you accurate calorie expenditure, don't hold your breath.

The wheels are really not wheels. If you have to stow and move this machine often, it doesn't roll very well.

Now the big downside for me: PIVOT PEDALS.

The pedals on this rower are only anchored in one spot, meaning they pivot around an axis as you push into your feet to drive. There is a bar on the bottom to stop the pedals from rotating fully back, but it's placement is just a bit too posterior for my liking.

This could be a pro for some people who have limited ankle mobility and need to be able to have more space to plantar or dorsiflex the foot in order to avoid strain. But for most rowers I feel like this is a con. For me personally it pulls a lot of the torque off my hip extensors and glutes and translates it into my anterior calf muscles and results in overall weaker movements.

I solved this by placing a rolled towel under the foot pedals on each side so that I can drive down into the heel without the pedals rotating. Of this explanation doesn't make sense to you then don't worry about it because it likely won't affect you. But if you're someone who has used multiple rowers and has tried out rowers with pivot pedals, just know this rower has them.

Overall I am happy with this purchase. My goal was to use this 3 times a week for rowing only HIIT and it is just great for that.

Rowing is a wonderful total body, low-impact workout that can be done by individuals at all levels and ages so if you want to buy a rower and get started I think you'll be happy with this one.

I wanna start off by saying that I purchased this product because I live in a one bedroom apartment in Manhattan and I wanted something quiet and collapsible. I read the reviews, both positive and negative, and decided that I wouldn't let the negative reviews steer my judgment, but I kept them in mind with unboxing and putting the machine together. Some negative reviews stated that the unboxing took forever. I'm not sure why? Was this packaged well? Definitely! Was it hard to inbox? Nope! For the people having trouble... I hope this helps. Start by opening the top. Then flip the box over so the open top is on the bottom and slide it off. Very simple, and I did this alone. After removing the box, flip the machine and styrofoam back over so the machine is upright. Then just cut the tape and remove each piece individually. The instruction booklet is pretty straightforward for the rest. From unboxing to fully built it took maybe 25-30mins. Now for the pros and cons of the machine after my first use. I may update in a week or two.

Pros:
almost completely silent. The only real sound that comes from the machine is the seat sliding, and that's really not noticeable. So if you live in an apartment, don't be worried about your neighbors hearing the machine. I have mine of a wood floor because I haven't purchased a mat yet and I highly doubt they can hear it below me ( and I'm not a small person).
The ability to use it as more than a rower is incredibly convenient.
There were some negative complaints about not being able to feel a difference between level 1 and 14"“ let me tell you, I can absolutely feel it! They must have been unlucky and received a defective machine and I'm sorry for the hassle that I'm sure they went through with the replacement.
The ability to connect to the app via Bluetooth was also a reason I purchased this machine. Does it connect on the first try, 97% of the time, yes. And it stores all of your rowing workout data. I'll put my negative thoughts on the machine/app in the cons section. Which I'm getting to now!

Cons:
I was hoping the folding of the machine would be as simple as it looks like it would be. It is not. You have to unscrew something and then remove a safety pin in order to stand the bar up. That IMHO is too much work! But I guess it's necessary for stability? I added a photo to show the knob that needs to be unscrewed every time you want to store the machine. You can also see in the photo of the wire that connects the magnet on the seat/bar to the interface. It's not very secure at all, and I worry that it'll break in transit by getting caught on something. That's actually my least favorite thing about the machine, and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars.
Bluetooth app- is great. The app software. Sub-par. The first month is free and then it's 15/month after that if you want access to the workouts. Which honestly, you don't really need. I feel like if you take advantage of the free month, you should have everything down enough to not need it anymore. Also, what I noticed is the app only measures rowing workouts. It's doesn't measure when you're using it for upper body workouts because you're not triggering the magnet on the seat. I mean I guess you don't really need it for that?
Another con is the amount of styrofoam that comes in the box! There's so much! I understand it's necessary to prevent damage in transit, but I'm sure there are other ways, by now, to transport large items safely.

I think I covered everything. If there's anything else I can come up with I will add it. If you stuck around for the whole review, thank you!

I've owned this rower since November 2020. Overall I'm happy with the rower. The display works good, it's quiet, I like the resistance options.

The only thing that hasn't held up is the gliders- or the rail. The paint has chipped away so the ride isn't smooth anymore. I guess I could just sand all paint and redo it so it's smooth again. Not sure if this is normal "wear and tear".

Other than that I've enjoyed the rower for the last almost 3 years!