Echelon · Smart Rower Review
Echelon Row-7s Review
The Echelon Row-7s is the rowing equivalent of a premium studio bike, built around a 22-inch rotating touchscreen and a full class library, if you will use the subscription that powers it.
Echelon Row-7s Smart
22-inch screen smart rower
Price and any code applied at checkout via Echelon
The verdict
The Row-7s is the most complete connected rower we cover. Its 22-inch HD touchscreen pivots 180 degrees so you can follow classes on and off the rower, and it pairs that with quiet, 32-level magnetic resistance adjusted by thumb toggles on the handlebar. If the Peloton-style experience of coached, live and on-demand workouts is what keeps you training, this is the machine.
At £1,999 it is the most expensive rower here, and the honest catch is that the class experience depends on an ongoing Echelon membership. A 45-day trial is included, but after that the subscription is what makes the screen worth having, so factor that running cost into the price.
Strengths
- Large 22-inch HD touchscreen that rotates 180 degrees
- Near-silent 32-level magnetic resistance
- Handlebar thumb-toggle resistance controls
- Huge class library, 20+ live classes a day plus on-demand
- 45-day free Echelon Premier Membership included
Watch-outs
- £1,999 before any subscription
- The class experience needs an ongoing Echelon membership
- Magnetic feel is less dynamic than air or water
- A large machine to house
The screen and classes
The 22-inch screen is the whole point of the Row-7s. It is large, sharp and rotates so you can follow floor workouts as well as rowing, and it puts Echelon’s live and on-demand library front and centre. If coached classes are what get you exercising, having them built in rather than on a propped-up phone makes a real difference to how often you use the machine.
The catch is that the class experience relies on an Echelon Premier membership. A 45-day trial is included, but after that the subscription is what makes the screen worth having.
The row itself
The rowing action uses quiet magnetic resistance across 32 levels, adjusted by thumb toggles on the handlebar so you never break stroke to change effort. Magnetic resistance is near-silent, which suits a flat or shared home, though the feel is more uniform than the effort-scaling catch of an air or water rower.
The console tracks a full set of metrics, from 500m splits and watts to stroke rate and resistance level, so there is proper data behind the classes.
Who it is for
Buy the Echelon Row-7s if coached, on-screen classes are what keep you consistent and you will use the membership that unlocks them. If you would not use classes, you are paying a lot for a screen, and a non-connected rower gives you a better row for less. The folding Echelon Row is the cheaper way into the same class ecosystem.
Specifications
| Resistance | 32 levels, silent magnetic |
|---|---|
| Controls | Thumb toggle on handlebar |
| Console | 22-inch HD touchscreen, 180-degree pivot |
| Data | Time, 500m, heart rate, watts, distance, calories, resistance, strokes, SPM, total |
| Classes | 20+ live per day, on-demand, plus off-equipment FitPass |
| Membership | 45-day free Echelon Premier trial included |
FitRank breakdown
Performance 4.4
Near-silent 32-level magnetic resistance with handlebar controls, smooth and quiet though more uniform than air or water.
Build quality 4.5
A large, well-made connected machine built around its screen, sturdy but sizeable to house.
Value 3.9
The weakest pillar. At £1,999 plus an ongoing membership, the value depends entirely on using the classes.
Features 4.8
The standout. A 22-inch rotating touchscreen, a huge class library and a full metric set make it the most feature-rich rower we cover.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Echelon Row-7s need a subscription?
Is the Echelon Row-7s quiet?
Can you use the Echelon Row-7s without classes?
How does the Row-7s compare to the folding Echelon Row?
Related rowing machines
Compare it against the field in our best home rowing machines guide. You might also consider the Echelon Row Smart Folding and Viavito Sumi.
Chris writes the home fitness reviews across our sites, including our sister site HomeTreadmill.co.uk. He compares every machine against its rivals on UK pricing and specs, and scores each one with FitRank.
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