The Sunny Health & Fitness Rowing Machine SF-RW1205 is a compact, entry-level model with a lot of positive buyer feedback.
It is light yet robust and offers smooth, quiet, and stable workouts and a few basic but valuable features to make your training more productive and enjoyable.
These include adjustable resistance, a monitor that shows your workout stats, and a comfortable seat.
The machine is easy to move if required, and, with minimal disassembly, it partially folds for more compact storage.
This Sunny Rowing Machine review looks at the machine’s key features, specs, pros and cons, and buyer feedback.
Table of Contents
Who does it best suit?
The Sunny Health and Fitness Rowing Machine SF-RW1205 will best suit beginners and intermediate-level users who want a compact and inexpensive fitness aid that will enable them to experience the benefits of rowing machine workouts.
This model does not offer sufficient resistance for advanced athletes.
Sunny Health and Fitness Rowing Machine Specs
Dimensions – The Sunny Health and Fitness Rower measures 54″ (L) x 20″ (W) x 23″ (H)
Seat dimensions – The seat measures 10″ (L) x 13″ (W) x 2″ (D)
Seat height – The distance from the floor to the seat is 13″
Slide rail – The slide rail length is 39″
Weight – It weighs 20.5 lbs
User weight – The user weight limit for this model is 220 pounds. Purchasers weighing up to 250 pounds have left positive feedback, but it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines
User height – The Sunny Health and Fitness Rower caters to users from under 5′ up to 6′ 4″ tall
User inseam – The maximum user inseam is 36″
Color – It is gray with a black seat and highlights
Batteries – 2 x AA batteries are included for the console
Overview
Drive –
The rower is user-powered. The more effort you put in, the more intense your workout will be and the more calories you will burn.
Construction & Finish –
The Sunny Health Rower has a solid steel frame with a silver-colored, anti-corrosive, scratch and chip-resistant finish.
The gliding rail is on a slight incline. This is to allow a more consistent leg workout with a quicker and easier recovery motion.
Stability, Smoothness, & Noise level –
Though light, the Sunny Health Rowing Machine feels solid and stable, with no unwanted movement or tipping, no matter how hard you row.
A single-centered piston attached to a central rowing arm ensures a smooth rowing motion. It also eliminates the possibility of uneven wear that can occur with dual-piston rowers.
You will hear a low whooshing sound, but this isn’t loud enough to prevent you from watching the television as you work out, and you won’t have to worry about disturbing anyone in your vicinity.
Resistance –
This model offers 12 levels of hydraulic resistance that you can implement by turning an easy-to-access knob without having to pause your workout.
The lowest levels are suitable for newbies and useful for warming up before and cooling down after a workout.
The resistance increases noticeably from around level 6.
Monitor –
An easy-to-read electronic monitor displays workout stats, including Time, Calories Burned, Rows, and Total Rows.
Your stats will appear on the screen as soon as you begin exercising.
The monitor will shut itself off after four minutes of inactivity when you finish your workout.
For a comprehensive overview, initiate Scan Mode, which will cycle through all of your stats, displaying each in turn for a few seconds. You can also view these metrics manually by repeatedly pressing Mode.
Press the monitor’s red button for four seconds to reset your metrics to zero.
Seat –
The Sunny Health and Fitness Rowing Machine seat is designed to provide comfort and support.
Thickly padded, it has a durable artificial leather seat cover. Its position is fixed, so you can’t move it up, down, or to the fore, or aft.
The seat glides smoothly, and the majority of buyers have said that it is comfortable, even during long workouts.
While some buyers have stated that the seat is uncomfortable. This is a common complaint regarding seated-use fitness equipment.
Most people get used to the feeling over time. Placing a folded towel or a small cushion on the seat can immediately make for more comfortable sessions.
Pedals –
Textured pivoting footplates provide an excellent slip-resistant grip and enable natural movement.
The footplates are large enough to fit feet of most sizes. Their adjustable Velcro straps increase workout security.
Handlebars –
The rower’s well-padded, slip-resistant, ergonomic handles have a soft-touch textured finish to enhance grip and make your sessions more comfortable.
Folding & Unfolding –
This rower does not fold as such. However, the rear stabilizer folds, effectively reducing its height for more compact storage against a wall or in a closet.
This is done by unscrewing a knob, lifting the machine’s base upwards, then reinserting and tightening the knob.
Reverse these steps to unfold the unit.
Assembly –
The Sunny Health & Fitness Rower comes with many of its parts attached to the mainframe. This includes its rear base, gliding track, pulling bar, and footrests.
All that’s left to do is unfold and secure the rear stabilizer, mount the seat on the gliding rail, and attach the handgrip bar to the pulling bar. You will also need to connect the hydraulic cylinder to the pulling bar, attach the footrest’s safety straps, and connect the console.
Completing the job takes most people approximately 15 minutes or less.
The instructions in the user manual are straightforward, and photos are included as a visual reference. The tools you will need are supplied.
Warranty –
The rower comes with a 3-year warranty on its frame and 180 days for parts.
The next part of this Sunny Rowing Machine review will look at its pros, then its cons.
Pros
- This model offers excellent value for money.
- It has a small footprint for a fitness aid of its type, and it partially folds for more compact storage.
- Workouts are smooth, quiet, and stable.
- Most buyers who have left feedback claim that the seat is comfortable.
- It is lightweight, so easy to move, yet robust.
- It offers 12 resistance levels, enabling you to increase the challenge of your sessions as your fitness improves.
- People of most heights can use it with a full leg extension.
- Though basic, the monitor provides workout metrics that make tracking your progress and setting new fitness goals easy.
- Pivoting pedals with adjustable footrests offer comfort and security.
- The assembly process is quick and straightforward.
- It comes with a decent warranty for a low-cost item
Cons
- The seat isn’t adjustable
You can’t move the seat to a higher or lower position, nor move it back or forth.
- Seat comfort
Comfort is subjective. While some individuals will find it comfortable from the first use, others will not.
- Limited range of motion
The length of the pulling bar is not adjustable. While still fully functional, very tall users will not find it long enough to be able to pull the bar up to their chest.
- Loss of resistance
A couple of minutes into working out, the rower’s cylinder heats up, resulting in a slight loss of power.
As soon as you notice this, increase the resistance a notch or two to keep your workout consistent.
- Console location
The console is attached to the main rowing arm. This makes it a bit difficult to view during workouts.
- Calories burned accuracy
A common issue with fitness equipment, including this piece, is that there is no facility to enter the user’s weight, height, and other relevant details.
As a result, your calorie readout will be based on an average.
While not entirely accurate, it will still be a useful guideline.
Buyer Feedback
Sunny Rower buyers have left overwhelmingly positive feedback and given it a high star rating. Some have even gone so far as to say it is the best fitness aid they’ve bought.
While the consensus is that the seat is reasonably comfortable, some buyers have stated it is uncomfortable.
Its very low price point is appreciated, and this should be factored in when considering it.
Buyers have also complimented Sunny Health & Fitness on their excellent customer service.
Sunny Health and Fitness Rowing Machine SF-RW1205 Summary
This simple rower from Sunny Health and Fitness has a lot in its favor. You’d have to look long and hard to find a rower of this caliber that costs less.
It provides practical, quiet, smooth, and stable workouts, and most buyers find it comfortable to use.
it is worthy of a place on your shortlist if you’re looking for an inexpensive machine that provides efficient low-impact cardio and total body toning workouts.
With feedback published from many thousands of Amazon customers alone, Sunny Health and Fitness Rowing Machine reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
My cousin recently bought one, and she’s been raving about it. Last weekend, I gave it a test run, and I was blown away by what you get for the money.
It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of high-end models, but in my opinion, it would still be a bargain at three times the price.
To read reviews of other popular rowing machines, click this link.
