The SF-RW5515 rowing machine is a great way to add rowing to your workouts at home.
The SF-RW5515 rower comes with a compact design, an easy to use digital monitor, and a simple resistance knob (to either up the intensity or to lower it).
We’ll dig into the details below, but if you’re looking for an entry level magnetic rowing machine, the SF-RW5515 might be the rower for you.
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW: SF-RW5515
The SF-RW5515 rower was built as an entry level rower for budget conscious individuals. In fact, that’s why we include it in our list of the best rowers under $500.
It uses magnetic resistance, which provides a smooth, quiet ride.
All of this rowing power is packed into a small footprint, which is ideal for people that live in apartments, or have limited gym floor space.
Keep track of your progress with the LCD monitor screen which helps you to keep track of your workout.
FEATURES::
The SF-RW5515 has many features, including:
- Includes a magnetic tension system with 8 Levels of adjustable resistance
- LCD console displays time, count, calories, and stroke count
- Fully padded seat for comfort
- Non-slip grip handlebars and large anti-slip foot pedals
- Compact build that’s easy to store when not in use, includes built-in transportation wheels
- Easy to build out of the box
- Great low price!
BENEFITS:
There are many benefits of doing cardio on a rower, especially the SF-RW5515 model indoor rower:
- Provides low impact aerobic and cardiovascular exercise (especially when compared to running or sprinting)
- Full body exercise targets all major muscle groups
- Allows you to vary your workout, which allows you to get the exact training stimulus you want (whether it’s quick hard sprint, or light long slow rows)
PRO’S:
A few of the standout reasons why the SF-RW5515 rowing machine might be the right one for you:
•Price:
The big thing with this rower is its affordable price tag. For the level of smooth rowing that you get, it’s hard to beat it’s sub-$500 price tag.
Sunny Health and Fitness has done a great job of getting the price zoned in on this piece of equipment.
The affordable price on this machine makes it a solid entry-level indoor rowing machine.
•Compact Size:
Another great pro of this machine is it’s small, compact size. This makes it a great option if you have limited space, or if you simply like to have a clean workout space.
If you need extra space, you can simply fold up the machine and reduce its footprint to a small fraction of its unfolded size. A great option for apartment dwellers that can’t fit a full sized rower in their house.
•Smooth, Quiet Rowing:
At this price, it’s nice to have the option of a quiet, smooth rower. This machine is very quiet, I’d especially recommend it if you live in an apartment.
The quiet rowing is due to the fact that this machine is a magnetic resistance-style rowing machine. Instead of pulling against a fan, which can make a loud “whoosh” sound, you pull against a resisting magnet, which is smooth and quiet.
Read here to learn more about different types of rowers.
•Workout Stimulus:
One other major pro of this rower is its ability to conform to whatever workout style you’re looking for. You can adjust the knob to add resistance (and intensity), or you can loosen it for smoother spinning during long rows.
Whether your’e looking to for short, intense HIIT workouts; or you’re looking for long endurance sessions, this machine should be able to handle it all.
•Fits all Body Sizes:
This rower is designed to fit all different shapes and sizes of bodies. Whether you’re 5’4″ or 6’4″, you’ll be perfectly fine using this rowing machine.
CONS:
My take on a few reasons what’s holding the the SF-RW5515 rowing machine back:
•Warranty:
One major flaw of this machine is the warranty. To be honest, at this pricepoint, you can’t expect that the manufacturer to bend over backwards when customers run into an issue.
That being said, Sunny Health & Fitness provides a 3 year warranty on the frame and a 180 day warranty on other parts and components.
I will say though, that Sunny Health and Fitness does have a good name in the workout equipment space, they usually respond quickly and handle customer problems in a fair, timely manner.
•Inability to Track Distance:
One of the drawbacks of this machine is that there’s no way to track meters rowed. It tracks strokes, time, and calories. If I had a choice, I would have removed the calories and added in a distance counter to the monitor.
Another complaint of the readout monitor is that you can’t pull the data from your machine. Being able to transfer your data is important, especially if you like to pour over your data and look for small tweaks that you can make.
One other note on the monitor screen is that it’s on the smaller side. You may have a difficult time reading the screen while rowing.
SF-RW5515 TECH SPECS:
Below are the technical specifications for this rower.
Dimensions:
- Product weight: 59 lbs
- Extra long slide rail: 48″
- Slide rail inseam: 44″
- Max user weight: 250 lbs
Product Dimensions (unfolded and ready for rowing):
- Length: 82”
- Width: 19”
- Height: 23”
Product Dimensions (folded for storage):
- Length: 37”
- Width: 19”
- Height: 53.5”
BUILD:
Made with a combination of metal and plastic pieces. The cable is made with heavy duty nylon webbing.
Computer:
- Built in LCD display monitor.
- “Scan” function rotates settings every six seconds so you can get well rounded data view of your workout
- Workout data includes:
- Time
- Count
- Total Count
- Calories Burned
Warranty:
Sunny Health and Fitness’ website states that there rower has a “3 year structural frame warranty and 180 days on other parts and components”
Assembly:
Assembly could not be easier. There are only 5 steps assemble everything that comes in the box, and the parts for each step are individually bagged and labeled “Step 1”, “Step 2”, etc…
The 4 tools that are used for assembly are included. The entire process takes around 30 minutes, and is exceedingly easy and straightforward.
SF-RW5515 Lifespan:
The SF-RW5515 rower by Sunny Health and Fitness should last between 1-3 years. Of course, the lifespan is dependent on how you row, how often, etc… If someone uses it everyday for a long row it’ll wear out sooner than the 2x a week rower.
Maintenance:
This machine requires minimal maintenance. It’s recommend that you wipe down the machine after each use.
Conclusion:
This rowing machine shines as a great entry level rower for budget conscious individuals. While the low price is great for getting your butt in a rowing seat, this may not be your “lifetime rower”, meaning you may have to buy a new one 3-5 years after you get this one.
Also, the computer monitor isn’t the best for tracking workout data. If getting into the nitty gritty details of each workout is your thing, then this machine might not be for you.
That being said, the price is right and I recommend the SF-RW5515 indoor rowing machine as a great entry level rowing machine for new rowers.
Row on!