The Stamina Air Rower would suit a beginner to rowing for fitness purposes, but not anyone who is either a rower or planning on becoming one. It's called an 'air rower'because it uses a fan to create the resistance for you to work against - the basic principle to exercise.

However, some of our reviewers felt the resistance didn't kick in early enough to give a 'proper rowers workout', that is, it didn't give our legs or back much to work against. For aerobic training this is fine, but if you're looking for the all round benefits of a rowing machine, this one isn't for you.

Don't get us wrong, the Stamina Air Rower is actually a good machine and gives value for money for an aerobic training regime. It also folds up into quite a compact size for easy storage, doesn't weigh too much, but also has quite a sturdy feel whilst rowing.

It was pretty easy to assemble and only took around fifteen minutes - others we've tried have taken much longer!

The seat is good comfortable for the price and the action is smooth and compares favorably to other models costing more. Air rowers can sometimes be noisy for indoor use, but this one is quiter than most and therefore a good choice if you don't want to annoy your family!

The Console/ Monitor
The display is basic but easy to use and shows you speed, distance, time and estimated calories used. It doesn't have any preset programs, targets or PC-connectivity - but this is a budget model. If you want these sort of features, be prepared to pay twice, and then some, of the cost of this machine.

Summary:
The Stamina Air Rower is not a gym quality machine, but you shouldn't expect it to be for the price. It is, however, a perfectly adequate rower of reasonable build quality for a very competitive price. We reckon you'd get several years use out of it if you're intending to use it daily for 20 minutes or so. If plan to train more than this, then you should really be looking at something more suitable for your demands.

  

 

 

 Our overall rating: 60%