Bowflex Revolution Home Gym Review
The Bowflex Revolution is a strength home gym, not a dedicated rower. Bowflex's page showed $2,199 on 2026-11-02, with $2,999 also shown, and says no subscription is needed. Its only rowing wording is one bullet. Buy it for strength work first, and read what that bullet does and does not say.
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This review belongs to the hub, best rowing machines for home, because Bowflex's page mentions rowing, and the same criteria are applied, with the caution that a strength machine is not a rower. MudderElla did not test the machine. What follows is what Bowflex states on its own pages, read on 2026-11-02, and what named outlets report on pages dated as shown.
The title says "rowing conversion" because that is the single thing Bowflex's page lists about rowing. The next section quotes it, and the rest of the review treats it as exactly that and nothing more.
What Bowflex's page says about rowing
The Revolution page on bowflex.com mentions rowing once, in its overview list. The whole statement is a bullet reading "Converts to a rowing machine." That bullet sits between the preacher curl attachment and the ten arm positions. Searching the page text for "row," "rower" and "rowing" found that one hit and no others.
Here is what the page does not say:
- It does not say the conversion is an add-on, and it does not say it is included in the price. The page is silent on that question.
- No rowing seat, rowing attachment or rowing accessory is listed or priced on bowflex.com. Bowflex's own site search for "rowing" returned only the Revolution and a discontinued model, and a search for "rowing seat" returned the Revolution, a bike seat and the same discontinued model. The only add-ons shown on the Revolution page are two paid Protection+ plans.
- It does not give a rowing resistance level, a rowing stroke length, a rowing monitor or a rowing noise figure.
- It does not say how many rowing workouts are included, because it lists none.
Bowflex's Revolution owner's manual, a PDF read as text on 2026-11-02, goes further than the product page. Its "Aerobic Rowing Position" section describes rowing as done using the hand grips connected to the pulley cables, with the seat unlocked and free to slide along the rail, the arms in position 4 or 5, and the feet on the footrest. The manual also recommends rowing for warm-up and cool-down. It describes the rowing motion with the seat, rail, foot plate and cables the machine already has, and its list of standard accessories names no rowing attachment. Two cautions apply: the manual is filed on Bowflex's parts site under a 2012 model name, and its workout-area figure differs from the product page's, so the manual may not describe the machine sold today exactly.
The honest summary is that the Revolution is not a dedicated rower. It is a strength home gym whose own page lists rowing as a feature, and whose manual describes a rowing-style motion done on the standard seat and cables. A person who wants a rower with its own flywheel or water tank, a monitor and a long slide is shopping for a different kind of machine.
Facts at a glance
Facts below are as the Bowflex page words them, read on 2026-11-02 as raw page text. The figures are Bowflex's, not ours.
| Fact | Revolution Home Gym |
|---|---|
| Price shown | $2,199, with $2,999 also shown |
| Subscription | None; Bowflex's category page says its strength machines do not need Wi-Fi, electricity or subscriptions |
| Resistance | SpiraFlex plates, 220 lb, upgradable to 300 lb (the plate upgrade is listed at $149) |
| Exercises | "100 exercises with 400+ variations" |
| Assembled size | 97 x 37.5 x 72 in |
| In use | Length can increase to 112 in and width to 62 in |
| Stowed | 56 x 37.5 x 82 in |
| Weight | 336.2 lb |
| Maximum user weight | 300 lb |
| Suggested user height | 4 ft 6 in to 6 ft 6 in, per Bowflex's category page for its strength machines |
| Workout area | MIXED: the page says 148 x 134 in, and the owner's manual says 120 x 84 in |
| Warranty | 10 years machine, 10 years SpiraFlex packs, 90 days labor |
| Paid protection plans | 3-year at $179 and 5-year at $259, extending labor coverage |
| Return | 30 days from delivery for a full product refund minus shipping and handling |
| Shipping options listed | FedEx Parcel $199, White Glove $399 |
Other features on the overview list are an integrated workout bench with an inclined seat back, a preacher curl attachment, ten arm positions with the Freedom Arms, a leg press station and leg extension. Bowflex's page says the SpiraFlex resistance figures are estimates and that elastic resistance will normally degrade over time and with heavy use.
Bowflex's page lists no "included in the box" section. The owner's manual lists a preacher curl attachment, leg press plate, leg press seat back, foot harnesses and a curl and pulldown bar as standard accessories. A tricep rope ($39), an accessory rack ($199) and floor mats are sold separately.
Cost over three years
The Revolution has no membership, so its three-year cost equals its price, $2,199 as shown, plus whatever you add. That might be the plate upgrade at $149, a protection plan at $179 or $259, or White Glove delivery with assembly at $399. Bowflex's page says its return policy deducts shipping and handling, and its shipping policy page says a return carries $155 in return shipping costs and a processing fee of up to 20%. Assembly typically takes two people, per Bowflex's FAQ, and professional assembly can be selected at checkout.
This review does not put the Revolution in a three-year rower cost table with Hydrow and Ergatta, because its price buys a different machine. For comparison, a plain rower, the Concept2 RowErg, is $990 on Concept2's page, though it does no strength work. See the Concept2 RowErg review.
Scorecard
| Criterion | Cell | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Three-year cost | STATED | Price shown, no subscription named; add-ons are priced separately |
| 2. Works without a membership | STATED | Bowflex's page says no subscription is needed |
| 3. Resistance and noise for rowing | NOT STATED | SpiraFlex strength resistance is stated; no rowing resistance or noise figure is |
| 4. Footprint and storage | STATED | Assembled, in-use and stowed sizes are given |
| 5. Warranty and return | STATED | Warranty and a 30-day return, with return costs on the policy page |
| Workout area | MIXED | Page and manual disagree |
| Rowing seat, add-on or price | NOT STATED | None listed or priced on bowflex.com |
Who it is wrong for
- Anyone whose main goal is rowing. The Revolution is not a dedicated rower. A rower with its own monitor and slide is a better fit. The Hydrow review covers a coached video rower with a required membership, and the Ergatta review covers a water rower with an optional one.
- Anyone short on floor space. The assembled footprint is 97 x 37.5 inches, and it needs more when in use. See the small-space rowing guide for rowers compared on size.
- Anyone who wants to see a rowing seat priced before buying. None is listed on bowflex.com.
- Anyone who expects a screen, classes or an app. Bowflex's page does not describe any for this machine.
- Anyone over 300 lb or outside the suggested height range, by Bowflex's figures.
What outlets report
Outlets are named with the date their page shows. Few independent reviews of the Revolution from 2024 to 2026 were found, and only one is recent. The site did not test the machine.
- BarBend (updated 2025-07-15) calls it a versatile all-in-one home gym that suits limited floor space, notes its 100-plus movements and about 400 variations, and says the folding bench cuts the footprint to about 4.5 ft. It lists accessories not being included and says form is critical because of the pulley operation. The page does not describe how the reviewer tested it.
- ACTIVE.com (updated 2023-06-15) calls the Revolution the stronger all-around choice, especially for people moving from a gym, and notes aerobic rowing with a slidable seat. It says it needs more space and budget, and that attachments and plates cost extra. The page claims no testing.
- Garage Gym Reviews (listing page, no date shown) calls it a flexible all-in-one gym that needs a lot of floor space, and says changing resistance plates is awkward.
Where outlets disagree:
- Space. BarBend says the folding bench helps in limited space. ACTIVE.com and Garage Gym Reviews say it needs plenty of floor space and may be too large for small homes.
- Assembly. BarBend says customers reportedly struggle with self-install and quotes a technician install price. Bowflex's own page lists White Glove delivery with assembly at $399. This review uses Bowflex's page.
- Resistance. BarBend's page lists 200 lb and 220 lb in two places. Bowflex's page says 220 lb, upgradable to 300 lb.
Other outlet pages, including a roundup from Healthline, did not give Revolution-specific findings, so they are not cited.
Versus the alternatives
For a comparison with the other Bowflex machine, see Bowflex home gyms compared. Strength machines, the Revolution included, are compared at the hub best home gym, and the all-in-one home gym guide narrows the set to machines that cover the whole body. If rowing is the point, the rowing machine for weight loss page says what named health sources do and do not claim.
FAQ
Is the Bowflex Revolution a rowing machine?
No. It is not a dedicated rower. Bowflex's page lists one bullet, "Converts to a rowing machine," and no rowing seat, add-on or price is listed on bowflex.com. It is a strength home gym with a rowing-style motion described in its manual.
How much is the Bowflex Revolution?
Bowflex's page showed $2,199 on 2026-11-02, with $2,999 also shown. It lists no subscription. Add-ons such as the $149 plate upgrade or White Glove delivery at $399 are priced separately.
What is the Bowflex Revolution warranty?
Bowflex's page says 10 years on the machine, 10 years on the SpiraFlex packs, and 90 days on labor. Paid protection plans at $179 for 3 years and $259 for 5 years extend labor coverage.
Can I return it?
Bowflex's page says you can return it within 30 days of delivery for a full product refund minus shipping and handling. Its shipping policy page adds $155 in return shipping costs and a processing fee of up to 20%.
How much space does the Bowflex Revolution need?
Bowflex's page gives 97 x 37.5 x 72 inches assembled, up to 112 x 62 inches in use, and 56 x 37.5 x 82 inches stowed. It gives a workout area of 148 x 134 inches, while the owner's manual gives 120 x 84 inches, so that one figure is MIXED.