When my daughter was born, my life changed in the blink of an eye, and suddenly every minute was precious. Five years later, little has changed. I’ve got lots to do, but I’m strapped for time. Since life and workouts don’t just cease when you have kids, I was still hitting the gym, but I knew I had to find a time hack for my fitness routine.
Since I’ve been hooked on rowing, I got to thinking about bringing the gym home to me, so I could benefit from the workout without all the waste of a back-and-forth commute. I decided to look at the two biggest names in rowers that I know of - Peloton and AVIRON - to see which one was best for me. After a thorough exploration of each, I had unlocked my favorite workout - here’s what I found and which one I ultimately landed on:
The workout where I can sweat AND have fun… AVIRON
When it comes to achieving my best workout and breaking a serious sweat, AVIRON takes the lead. Rowing machines allow me to engage 86% of my muscles, providing a full-body workout that leaves me feeling invigorated and accomplished.
What sets AVIRON apart is not just its ability to engage muscles but also its unique feature of distracting me with fun options like games, live classes, and a healthy dose of competition. This element of fun not only adds to the overall experience but also serves as a clever distraction from the physicality of rowing, resulting in an awesomely hard workout!
I can compete against my friends or do a “Pros vs. Joes” challenge, where I put my skills to the test against professional athletes. On top of all that, I can stream my favorite shows on Netflix and Hulu on days that I want to take things a little easier. There’s really an endless supply of entertainment with this machine and I am here for it!
With Peloton Row, there’s a variety of classes ranging from beginner to advanced, and you can keep track of progress on the leaderboard, but I found it was a little underwhelming when it came to sustaining my interest.
The rower with the best pricing… AVIRON
Since a rower is a considerable investment, pricing was a big factor for me. AVIRON’s Impact Series Rower comes in at $1,899 (or as little as $65.83/month with financing), and its Strong Series Rower model at $2,199. Peloton Row starts at $2,995, and can cost as much as $3,470 depending on the package. They also offer financing, but it still comes out costlier any way you slice it.
Both AVIRON and Peloton require a membership to access certain content, but AVIRON’s is only $29/month (or $24/month with an annual subscription), and I get unlimited profiles so my family can use it too. Peloton’s All-Access Membership fee is $44/month or $449/year, but if I want a family membership with up to 6 profiles, that price goes up to $79/month.
When it comes to protecting my purchase, AVIRON offers a Lifetime Warranty at an affordable $9/month, whereas Peloton Row’s Protection Plus Plan costs $299 and only covers my rower for 3 additional years. All things considered, I feel like I get much more value for the money with AVIRON.
The machine that’s easy to use… Tie
I was looking for something super user-friendly that required little-to-no assembly time, and thankfully, both of these rowers checked those boxes. Although Peloton Row requires a professional assembly, it’s no sweat because their team does it at the time of delivery. With AVIRON, there’s no professional assembly required, and it’s quick and easy to set up myself.
Both rowers can be stowed away when not in use, but I like that the AVIRON rower can be safely stored upright - no wall mount required. Peloton Row comes with an Upright Wall Anchor kit for safe keeping, but professional installation is strongly recommended, and this service isn’t provided. While they essentially achieve the same outcome, I’d personally love to skip that extra hassle and not start with drilling into my walls.
The rower made by experts in the field… AVIRON
It’s no secret that Peloton is a giant in the fitness industry, but their expertise is really in stationary bikes. I love that they’re a multifaceted fitness company, but I’d much rather invest in a machine from a rowing-first company, and that’s what I get with AVIRON. If I wanted a stationary bike, I’d know where to look, but since rowing is my jam, AVIRON’s specialty focus on this type of workout offers a competitive advantage, in my opinion.
The rower that ultimately won me over… AVIRON
Having thoroughly weighed my options, it was clear that AVIRON’s Strong Series Rower was the one for me. It’s the perfect combination of fun and challenging, and its affordable pricing was really attractive to me. AVIRON is designed by experts in the rowing industry, and the performance speaks for itself - I definitely made the right choice.
