Best rowing machine with 350lb weight capacity

A rowing machine is a great option for home exercise, whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or looking to shift a little weight to benefit your health!

However, if you’re a little heavier, you might find that the average rowing machine isn’t suitable, and you don’t want to invest in quality equipment that’s going to break down, or that feels uncomfortable to use.

Never fear, here we review seven of the best rowing machines with a 350-lb weight capacity that will get your heart rate up, no matter where you sit on the scales.

Our top tip is to triple-check your rowing machine weight capacity before you click buy, ensuring that you get a decent heavy-duty piece of fitness equipment that’s up to the task!

Short Cut: The Top Rowing Machine For Users Up to 350 Lb!

If you’re after a TLDR answer, we’ll skip right to it – the ECHANFIT Magnetic Rower beats the competition to the punch.

Why is this the best?

  • Super-strong steel frame, supporting up to 350 lb
  • Easy foldable storage
  • Great height capacity, suitable for 6’6 feet / 198 cm users
  • Excellent customizable resistance settings
  • Cool LCD tracking calories burned, distance and time
  • User-friendly assembly – get rowing in 20 minutes!

We’ve selected the ECHANFIT Rower as our number one choice, with a feedback score of 4.5, but read on for a deeper dive into the seven best rowing machines on the market that can handle up to 350 lbs.

Top 7 Best Rowing Machine 350 pound Weight Capacity:

To ensure we arrived at the best possible choices, we researched each of the following rowers for 19 hours!

1. ECHANFIT Magnetic Rower Rowing Machine

The ECHANFIT rower is a professional cardio machine and comes from a brand with over a decade of experience and a one-year parts warranty. With a strong steel frame, this rower can cope with a maximum weight of 350 lbs and is suited to the tallest users, up to 6’6 feet, or 198 cm.

One of the big positives is that the magnetic resistance system is silent, so you can row any time of day or night without worrying about noise disturbances! The slide rail is smooth and comfortable.

Adjustable resistance makes this rowing machine suitable for anybody, from a first-time rower looking for a gentle way to get back to fitness or an experienced user who would like a serious challenge – setting the resistance right up to level 16!

The adjustable monitor is a clear, easy-to-read LCD, and you can change the positioning to see exactly how far you’ve rowed, how many calories you’ve burned, and how long you’ve been working out.

PROS:
  • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
  • 4.5 star reviews (903 user ratings)
  • Excellent affordability
  • User-friendly assembly
  • Ideal for taller and larger users
  • Adjustable monitor with a clear LCD
CONS:
  • You must remove the pin in front of the seat to store the rower upright.

We love the contoured seat, which is ergonomically designed to make your rowing session comfortable, even if you’re heading into a sprint or taking on a longer endurance row – with a seat lock so you won’t take a tumble when it’s time to quit for the day!

2. Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine

If you’re looking through our reviews of heavy-duty rowers, and they’re not quite cutting it, a Concept2 is your answer, with an impressive 500 lbs weight capacity.

This model is easy to move, assemble and fold away for storage, and you need to handle just eight screws before you’re ready for your first row. The mechanism is flawless, and you flip a small catch called a frame lock to break down the machine into two parts, which stack away neatly.

The flywheel provides air resistance, so you can switch the dampener through ten levels, whether you want a slow, gentle spin to work on your heart rate or a super heavy pull at the highest setting.

Concept2 rowers are smooth, silent, and slick, with a contemporary powder-coated design that looks cool in any room of your home and is highly durable.

PROS:
  • Weight capacity: 500 lbs
  • 9,061 reviews and a 5-star rating
  • Extended 90-day returns policy
  • Well-known brand used in most gyms
  • Commercial-grade materials and frame
  • Durable powder-coated finish
CONS:
  • The priciest rower we reviewed
  • Pretty often out of stock or with a waiting list

Our favourite feature on the Model D is the workout data – you can download everything to a flash drive (including intervals, time, and distance). You can also swap between settings, pitch yourself against a pre-programmed race, use wireless Bluetooth to monitor your heart rate, or link up with any other tracking app.

https://www.amazon.com/vdp/de0a32cce1d043aeac6ed64de417c233?ref=dp_vse_rvc_3

3. BATTIFE Water Rowing Machine with Bluetooth Monitor

The BATTIFE solid wood rower features an unusual design, made from real walnut, adding a little sophistication to your home workout space! The wood has natural grains, so every model is unique and makes a bit of a statement.

Pick from oak, red, or black walnut, and you get your customized rower, with the option of changing the resistance with the water – you can stand the machine vertically for storage, with wheels on the bottom.

Using a water rowing machine adds the soothing sound of water, replicating the reality of rowing on a lake, for a sensory experience for hard and quick workouts or a slow and leisurely cardio session.

The Bluetooth monitor tracks all your stats, including strokes per minute, time spent, how long you have rowed, and average calories burnt – download the app to your phone, and you can track your progress from your mobile!

PROS:
  • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
  • Suited to taller users of up to 6’5 / 196 cm
  • Easy assembly with instructions included
  • Made from beautiful solid hardwood
  • Low noise profile (up to 65 dB)
  • High-performance Bluetooth monitor
CONS:
  • Delivered in two packages – you need both to assemble your rower
  • You’ll need to buy chlorine tablets to keep the water fresh
  • Limited to six meters distance rowed per pull

BATTIFE’s rower is distinctive in design, with all the functionality you expect from a modern home rowing machine. With an ample 350 lbs weight capacity, it’s a good option for heavier rowers.

4. YOSUDA Magnetic Rowing Machine

The YOSUDA Magnetic Rower is an all-around performer, with a 350 lbs capacity, a 10 lbs flywheel, and eight different resistance settings to pick your workout difficulty. The double resistance is a feature that makes it a little more customizable!

With a heavy-duty steel frame, this rower can handle anything you throw at it and has a 49.2-inch slide length (about 125 cm) so plenty of space for longer legs and a size suited to users up to 6’6 or 198 cm.

We like the LCD monitor, where you can check your rowing time, distance, calorie burn, and other metrics, but you also can use the tablet holder if you fancy watching a video while you get your workout in.

This brand has been around for 20 years and has sold over a million machines, so it’s fair to say you have a reliable home exercise machine for a competitive price, although perhaps without some of the bells and whistles.

PROS:
    • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
    • Takes about 20 minutes to assemble
    • Two big wheels for easy movement
    • Free returns or replacements for one month
    • Eight resistance levels
    • Ergonomic seat for comfort
CONS:
      • Not as quiet as some other rowers
      • Fairly basic model (but great for tight budgets!
Hoping to sneak in a workout in the early hours? The YOSUDA rower has a smooth glide over the rails and a noise level that’s impressively quiet at less than 30 dB (although some users have reported that their model was louder, possibly due to the self-assembly).

5. Pooboo Magnetic Rowing Machines Rower Foldable

The Pooboo Magnetic Rower is one of the most affordable rowers on our rankings for 350 lbs capacity machines, but it packs in the features! It only has 239 ratings as a relatively new competitor, but it’s already at 4.5 stars.

Along with being robust enough for a bigger frame, the slide rail is a generous 48 inches long, which means you can get in a full stretch on your row up to 6’4 in height (193 cm) – that’s a little lower than some other models, but still long enough for most users.

A digital monitor keeps track of your fitness goals with readings for calories burned, time working out, meters rowed, and you can also slot your phone into the holder if you’d like to listen to music or keep your mind occupied while you train.

One of the big perks is the design, engineered to make this rower easy to store, with vertical storage, built-in wheels, and a simple assembly process that only includes six steps.

PROS:
      • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
      • Adjustable pedals and a softly cushioned seat
      • East to assemble with detailed instructions
      • Multi-function digital monitor included
      • Silent magnetic rowing resistance
      • A whopping 16 different resistance levels
CONS:
      • Slightly lower height capacity (max 193 cm)
      • Some buyers have found the foot straps missing
The Pooboo rower has a massive 16 different resistance levels, twice that of some rival products, which is a selling point for us; that means you can start gently but have plenty of capacity to ramp up the intensity as you hit your fitness goals.

6. RUNOW Water Rowing Machine

RUNOW makes handmade rowing machines in solid black walnut – accented with an orange water tank for a modern, slick appearance. You get a mini LCD screen included, checking your stroke rate per minute, distance rowed, average calorie burn, and the total time spent working out.

The transport wheels make it easy to move your rower, and you can tip it upwards for vertical storage to minimize the space required.

Each rower comes with a one-year guarantee against all parts and servicing, which is a plus point since most only extend to parts – and the brand guarantees to respond within 24 hours if you have any queries.

The other bonus for us is the sound level. Although it replicates gentle water, intended to feel like you’re rowing on a lake, it measures below 65 dB, so it isn’t an overly loud or intrusive noise that’s likely to pose a distraction.

PROS:
      • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
      • Easy assembly, requiring about ten minutes
      • Adjustable resistance according to the water level
      • Large capacity water tank with up to 20 liters
      • 3D ergonomic seat for comfort
      • Non-slip, sturdy footplates
CONS:
      • Need to be cautious about storing vertically with a full water tank
      • The footplates are on the larger side, not ideal for dainty feet

Water rowers are louder than magnetic machines, but if you love the sound of running water and want a natural wood design that would look place in a high-end gym, the RUNOW is a good bet.

7. JKANGFIT Folding Rowing Machine

Our final high-weight capacity rower is the JKANGFIT model, and it’s a big machine at 74 inches long, with leg extension space for users up to 190 cm tall and 350 lbs. The seat is nice and wide with ergonomic padding; you get a non-slip grip handlebar and adjustable foot pedals.

The noise level is low, with magnetic resistance, and it’s a little higher off the ground than a regular design to maximize your back extension.

With 16 resistance levels, you can customize your workout as much as you like, so it’s a great choice for any fitness level and the benefit for users with smaller storage space is that it nearly folds in half.

We like the large LCD monitor, making it easy to see how many calories you’ve burned, your stroke and count, time exercising, and meters rowed, without squinting or slowing down! Did we mention that it’s the most affordable rower on our list?

PROS:
      • Solid and well-built
      • Weight capacity: 350 lbs
      • Large LCD monitor is easy to read while working out
      • Additional device holder for a phone or tablet
      • One year warranty for free replacement parts
      • Folds in half for tidy storage
      • Near-silent rowing with magnetic resistance
CONS:
      • Some users have reported oil leaks after a few months of use
      • The display isn’t always 100% accurate

If you’re looking for a rowing machine with a 350 lbs weight capacity and want to find a competitive price point, the JKANGFIT is the most cost-effective option we’ve tested.

The Advantage of Choosing a Rowing Machine With the Right 350 Lb Weight Capacity

Rowing is a great option if you’re focusing on your health or fitness – it’s ideal for people who want to avoid putting too much stress on their knees or joints!

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of buying a rowing machine:

  • Total body workout. Rowing does not just work your arms! Rather, it’s up to about 75% leg work and around 25% upper body, so you can work on those larger lower body muscles while burning calories.
  • Accessible at every fitness level. You don’t need to be a lean, mean machine to jump on a rower, and it’s perfect for everybody. If you find other exercises too tough or struggle with accessibility, a rower is an excellent way to tackle high cholesterol and improve your back strength.
  • Low impact exercise. Free weights and high-impact workouts can cause damage to your joints, especially if you’re on the heavier side. You can go at your pace, use it for active recovery, or go all-out if you’re aiming for maximum burn.
  • Build endurance and power. The combination of hard, fast strengthening workouts and longer, slower cardio sessions are ideal for building on your strength while improving your endurance at the same time, boosting stamina and augmenting every aspect of your health.

Safety Tips for Using a Rowing Machine at Home

Are you brand new to rowing and worried about a workout when you’re approaching the 350 lb weight capacity? Don’t be – the guidance is to work at your pace and listen to your body as you get stronger and faster.

  • Rowing is a positive habit, but to make it one you enjoy, you need to acknowledge the cues when you’re getting tired, to avoid too much strain or pulling muscles.
  • As soon as your form starts to get sloppy, it’s time to rest!
  • Focus on splitting the row into three movements – you push first with your legs, sliding backward on the seat. Then, lean backward, pulling your core right. Finally, pull with your arms and complete a perfect rep.

What to Look for in a Rowing Machine With a Generous Weight Limit

If you’re comparing high-weight capacity rowers, there are several features we’d suggest you look for!

  1. Weight limit. First, you’ll need a rowing machine designed with a stable, sturdy frame capable of handling the required weight – lightweight rowers are not suitable if you need an exercise machine with a higher capacity.
  2. Budget. Home workout equipment doesn’t have to be massively expensive! If you have a finite budget, make sure you look at costs, including delivery charges, sales tax, and customs import fees if you’re ordering from overseas.
  3. Noise level. If you’ve tried a rower at the gym, you’ll know that some can be very noisy, which isn’t ideal if you live in a small apartment or try to work out when little ones are sleeping! Magnetic rowers tend to be a little quieter.
  4. Maintenance. Rowers that regularly break down or need maintenance repairs aren’t ideal – water rowers require upkeep since you’ll have to replace or clean the water, which isn’t a requirement for a fan-based unit.
  5. Size and storage. Some of the top rowers we’ve looked at here are foldable or even detachable so that you can store them in a small cupboard space with ease. Larger rowers that can’t be stored vertically command a little more storage space.
  6. Comfortable seating. Once you become adept at rowing, you might undertake longer workouts, so the comfort of the seat pad becomes important! Very low-profile seats are also more cumbersome to get off of, so an adjustable seat or ergonomic design is the best option.
  7. Adjustable straps. When you first sit down, you’ll need to place your feet in position, so an adjustable plate or straps are ideal to ensure your feet are snug, secure, and won’t slip at a crucial moment.
  8. Variable resistance. There is a big difference between light and heavy resistance, and a good rower will be adjustable so you can select the type of workout you’re after.

FAQs – Choosing the Best Rowing Machine for a Heavier Person

To help you on your journey to rowing happiness, we’ve answered below some of the most frequently asked questions we receive!

Can I Lose Overall Body Fat on a Rowing Machine?

Rowing is an efficient calorie burner, so if you keep at it, you’ll lose weight by burning up that energy you’ve consumed through your diet. You can’t spot-reduce fat, so it’s all about managing your overall health and body composition by improving muscle mass.

What Happens if You Use a Rowing Machine Regularly?

Over time, the full-body workout you get when you row gives you stronger arms, legs, and abs and a better cardiovascular endurance level.

As you get quicker, you’ll be able to row faster and for longer without becoming breathless and will start to notice muscle gains as you get more advanced.

How Long is the Ideal Rowing Machine Workout?

So much depends on your current fitness levels and aims. The beauty of a rower is that just a five-minute quick sprint will do wonders for your wellbeing.

The American Heart Association suggests we exercise moderately intensively for about 150 minutes a week or 75 minutes if the exercise is more vigorous.

If you can manage a 20-minute, faster-paced rowing workout a couple of times a week, you’re already over halfway there.

Conclusion

Today we’ve looked at all the essential criteria to ensure we recommend the seven best rowing machines with a weight capacity of 350 lbs (or even higher!).

Choosing a properly designed rower with the functionality to provide an excellent workout for your weight is a way to get started on your new workout resolutions and reap all the rewards that come with it.

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