Soozier Magnetic Rowing Machine Review
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Update March 2018: This model appears to have been discontinued - not a great loss to be honest.
Soozier is not a name that comes to mind when thinking about fitness brands. They've been around for a few years now and have a range including bikes, weights and now a magnetic rowing machine. We have tried on their rowers before and have to admit to finding it one of the most unusual models we'd seen - see it here and see what you think. So we were looking forward to getting our hands on this one - but to be honest it looks really bland/ But it is a low-cost model coming in at under $200 so you can't be too optimistic. As with many budget machines they're not always that simple to assemble. Parts don't tend to fit to easy because of questionable build quality. It's best if there are two of you and with a bit of 'persuasion' it takes around thirty minutes. But at least the instructions were clear! Once assembled, it's quite a comfortable machine to sit on - but note, it's a compact model with a beam only 30" in length. What this means if you're 6' or over you can forget about this one as you'll not get a full stroke length and therefore not get the benefit. When you start rowing you'll soon find it moves around a little and doesn't have the solid feel you get from a gym machine. The maximum user weight is 220lbs (quite low when comparing with most rowers) but we'd suggest not buying one if over 200lbs because of it's flimsy frame. But before we get too negative we'll give it the thumbs up for being a quiet machine. The seat slides up and down the beam smoothly and doesn't add much noise to the quiet magnetic resistance mechanism. It has 8 different levels that can be selected by the knob beneath the display. There's not much difference between the lowest and highest level but if you're a beginner it might help to start on the lowest as you get used to the rowing action. But don't fall into the trap of thinking the hardest resistance level gives you the best workout - speed and stroke rate are the main factor. See here for our guide on using resistance on your rower. The footrests are adequate and should hold all but the largest feet in place when rowing. The seat is a generic one found on many of the lower end models and is fine for workouts of 20 minutes or less. But to be honest, if you want to row for longer periods we recommend you spend at least another $200 to get a suitable machine. One other plus, this is a folding machine and can be stored vertically with a relatively small footprint. To fold you turn the knob in the center of the beam, pull out and tilt up. Easy enough to do but this doesn't have transport wheels to push in and out of place. However, it only weighs in at 42lbs so doesn't take much effort to move. Otherwise, it has all the features you'd expect from a rowing machine costing this much... that is, none :0) The Console/ Monitor Very much the same as any other $300 or less machine. The LCD screen is easy to read but most of what it displays won't tell you that much. It shows time rowed, stroke count (but not distance), calories - but note this is a very rough estimate. Oh, and it has a scan mode which means it will rotate the display to show each reading after roughly six seconds. Summary: It's quiet and compact so will suit a beginner who's not too tall and 220lbs or less, with limited space and budget. Apart from that there's not much to recommend this model. See below for other recommendations.
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QUICK REFERENCE
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Soozier Magnetic rowing machine
The seat is okay we guess
8 levels of resistance
Basic LCD monitor
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Also worth a look:
If you're on a tight budget we think stretching to $50 more will get you a far better rowing machine with Sunny's low-cost offering.
If you're on a tight budget we think stretching to $50 more will get you a far better rowing machine with Sunny's low-cost offering.
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Do you have a Soozier? Let us know of your experience
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