Best Foldable Rowing Machines

Only one rower in this comparison is described as folding on its own product page: the Echelon Row-s, at $1,049.99. Most rowers that get called foldable store upright instead. On pages read 2026-11-02, the Merach and Sunny models, the WaterRower Original and the Hydrow rowers stand on end, and Ergatta says its Luxe "folds and stores".

Folding is not the same as upright storage

The wording on maker pages matters here, so this guide keeps the two ideas apart. A rower that folds has a hinge or mechanism that shortens it. A rower that stores upright is tipped onto its end, which saves floor area but needs ceiling height, and sometimes an accessory. When a listing says "foldable", look for the maker's own words and a stored measurement. MudderElla uses only what the page itself states, and where no folded size is given, none is guessed.

For the full field, see best rowing machines for home. This page is about storage only.

How storage is described, maker by maker (read 2026-11-02)

Echelon Row-s: the one described as folding

Echelon's product page calls the Row-s a "foldable, space-saving design" that "stores neatly". It lists 85 x 24 x 45 in in use, 108 lb, a 350 lb user limit and a 22 in HD touchscreen. The page shows $1,049.99 and a struck-through $1,799.99. What it does not give is a folded dimension, so how much space folding frees is not stated; the page is the only evidence read, and it lists no folded measurement.

The ongoing cost is partly unclear. Echelon offers a Premier Membership with a 30-day free trial and then $39.99 a month, or $399.99 for a year. The page does not say whether the rower stops working without it, so that question is open. A "Premier 4-Year Warranty Guarantee" is named inside the membership block and appears tied to it; the terms were not read. Echelon's refund policy gives 30 days after delivery, in a resellable condition, in original packaging, with no returns after that.

Wrong for: anyone who needs a stated folded footprint before buying, or who wants to know the warranty without a membership.

Ergatta Luxe: "folds and stores", with no figures

Ergatta's product page says the Luxe "folds and stores with no additional equipment". That is Ergatta's description. The page read gives no folded dimensions and no length or width in use, though it does list 106.5 lb with water and a 21 in touchscreen. The page shows $2,199 with a $300 reduction applied and a struck-through $2,499, and membership is not required per Ergatta's FAQ. Ergatta's page offers a "30 day risk-free trial", which matters if storage turns out not to suit your room.

Wrong for: a buyer who must plan a closet or corner to the inch from the maker's number, since none is stated.

Upright storage, with numbers

WaterRower's page says its Original stores upright and "takes up no more floor space than a dining chair", and gives stored dimensions of 17.25 x 22.25 x 81.5 in; the water can stay in the tank. At 81.5 in tall it needs a room with ceiling height beyond that. Weight is 63.5 lb dry and 100.5 lb filled.

Concept2 describes a different method. The RowErg separates into two parts without tools and stores at 25 x 33 x 54 in with standard legs, or 27 x 47 x 54 in with tall legs. That is a stated size, and the price is $990 with no membership named on the page read.

Merach and Sunny pages say "upright storage" without a stored size. The Merach R7 page says "Folding Mechanism: None", and the Merach Q1S page prints a "folded" size of 476 x 643 x 1642 mm next to the same "None", so treat it as upright-storing. The Sunny SF-RW523021 page lists a compact design with upright storage and says it does not fold. See the magnetic rower guide for the full details on these four.

Hydrow: upright storage costs extra

Hydrow's Wave page shows "optional upright storage" in its accessories, and Hydrow sells an Upright Storage Kit at $80 "For Origin & Arc" and a Vertical Anchor at $190 "For Wave". So on Hydrow's pages, standing a rower on end is an accessory purchase on top of $1,995 for the Wave (or $2,295 for the Arc), plus $50 a month for membership.

The same Wave page shows badges, including "Best Foldable Rowing Machine of 2026", with no outlet named. Because the page does not say who gave the award, this guide does not rely on it. A Hydrow rower is listed at 80 x 19 in for the Wave and 86 x 25 in for the Origin and Arc; the Wave weighs 102 lb.

Wrong for: a buyer who wants storage included in the price.

What to measure before you buy

1. Stored height against your ceiling. Upright rowers can be 81.5 in or taller on end.
2. Weight you can lift. The Wave is 102 lb, and the Ergatta is 106.5 lb with water.
3. Floor area while in use. A rower that folds or stands still has to be pulled out and used at its full length, such as 85 in for the Echelon.
4. Return terms. If storage does not suit your room, the written window matters: 30 days for Echelon and Merach, "30 day risk-free" for Ergatta, and no fixed window for WaterRower, whose returns page says returns are at its discretion.

For floor plans across all machines, use the small-space rower guide. If cost leads, see budget rowers, and for the types themselves, the air, magnetic and water comparison.

FAQ

Which rowing machine actually folds?

On the pages read, only the Echelon Row-s is described as foldable, and Ergatta says its Luxe "folds and stores". Neither page gives a folded size.

Is upright storage as good as folding?

It depends on the room. Upright storage saves floor area but adds height, as with WaterRower's 81.5 in stored size. Hydrow sells an extra kit for it.

Can I store a water rower with the water inside?

WaterRower says it stores the Original without removing the water, and Sunny says its Obsidian Surge can be stored upright with water in it.

Does Hydrow fold?

Hydrow's pages read describe optional upright storage with a kit at $80 for Origin and Arc and $190 for Wave. They do not describe folding.