JLL Multifunction Folding Magnetic Rowing Machine, Bicep Curls, Upward Rows, Seated Rows, 16-Level Resistance, Compact Home Gym Cardio Rower for Small Flats, Bluetooth Smart Rower with SunnyFit App

First the good: this is a good and affordable rower for a beginner wanting to try out a new exercise regime. It is very quiet in use and won't annoy the neighbours (which is why an air resistance rower is simply not an option for me; too noisy). It has a very small footprint when stood upright (but it doesn't fold, unlike some of the advertising and the manual suggest). It feels well-made generally, and the seat sliding motion is very smooth. And it definitely works; I am exercising (and feeling!) some muscles which haven't seen much use when sat behind a computer all day long.However, there are a few gripes with the design and the way it is shipped:- Some bolts and washers arrive loose in the box; lift the flaps in the base of the box to find the missing bolts & washers. I understand they wanted to put some bolts already in the mounting holes to show users where they go, but really they had better be shipped in a sealed plastic bag because in transit they rattle loose and drop out.- The rear stand wasn't welded square, so even on a perfect level floor the left adjustable foot needs to stick out three quarters of an inch more than the right one. It works fine and it is a cosmetic issue rather than a functional issue, but it indicates a bit of sloppy welding; looks like they welded it "square" by eye rather than using a welding jig.- My main gripe however, is that the machine needs electrical power connected to adjust the resistance levels. The magnets are adjusted by an electric motor inside, rather than adjusted manually by mechanical means, which is a really poor design choice (see below why)- Every time you reset the monitor to the stand-by mode (required to change your program), the machine resets the resistance level to 1, which is barely any resistance at all- You can't change the resistance level BEFORE starting the program. You have to select your chosen program first, then only AFTER the first stroke (which triggers the program to run) does it allow you to set the resistance level back up to where you want it to be. Really bizarre design decision.- Because the footrests are not adjustable in forward position or height, and the handle doesn't retract very far forward of the footrests, some people may struggle to find a good catch position.

Great machine for beginners and those who want to burn some calories.There are 32 resistance levels which are not needed as you won't feel any difference between levels 1, 2, 3, 4 but you will feel the difference between 1 and 5. What I'm saying is that the machines having 10 or 15 levels are as good as this one with 32.Level 32 is just about hard, so you won't get any strength workout, but it is enough for a daily cardio.The machine looks sleek and it doesn't take too much space when kept upright by the wall.Overall good value for money.

Returned

This is a great bit of kit and really gives me a total body workout. It has a very smooth action and the digital console is easy to use, lighting up green, yellow and red to signify the resistance level that has been set.I have limited space and one of the reasons I bought this particular rower was because the ad suggested it has easy 'folding and unfolding' and is 'held in position with a simple spring loaded knob'. This is not the case, the rower doesn't fold but is light and stable enough to be stored vertically so I decided to keep it.I use the rower with classes from the Peloton app. The rower has a handy stand that I can rest my ipad on and follow along. I was hoping that the rower's Bluetooth would pair with the Peleton app but unfortunately it doesn't as Peloton uses Bluetooth FTMS which, I assume, is not the version supplied with the rower. However, the built in console does display stroke rate, which Peloton uses, so it is still possible to follow along with the classes.

- Review for JLL® R300 Luxury Home Rowing Machine, 2024 Model, Providing a premium cardio workout with 32 levels of electro-magnetic resistance, 9 readout monitor with app connectivity, 12-Month Warranty || Price: £279.99 (at time of ordering) -This is a great rowing machine, definitely near the top in the entry-level professional range. Are there better ones? Yes absolutely, but not without paying significantly more.A friend had been looking at buying a rower for a while, and done a tonne of research. His dream was a Concept2, which was well beyond his price range. When this arrived he gave it a whirl and was blown away. According to him JLL is a rising manufacturer, producing quality machines at an accessible price point. The 'Eufy' of gym equipment if you will. The next day he ended up buying one for himself.It's comfortable and easy to use, with a heart monitor included. Being magnetic it feels a bit different from the ones I'd used before at the gym, but you get used to that relatively quickly. It has 32 difficulty levels, though the first 20 are pretty tepid - and I'm about as weak as you can get. It could definitely lose the bottom levels and go a bit further up. I think for women this is perfect, but are taller than 6ft you may want a slightly bigger machine. The weight limit is 100kg.Setup wasn't quite as quick & easy as I'd hoped, though I don't know what I actually expected. You do have to essentially build the thing. It's not hard, but give yourself a good 45 mins or so to do it. They pre-build them and test before shipping, which sounds great, but it does bring some unnecessary challenges. Half the screws are already in, some have fallen out and are rolling around the dark corners of the very large box, and worst of all, you don't know which ones. It's not hard to figure out, but does cause some anxiety that something crucial may be missing!TLDR: This is a solid piece of kit that's well made to a high standard. It's big, but smaller than average and very easy to store. It looks polished and professional and runs like a dream. Has done wonders for my fitness routine, I have no excuse now! Highly recommended.