Detailed Stamina 1130 Magnetic Rowing Machine Review (2023)

As more and more of us decide to work out at home, the need for a decent cardio machine has never been greater, exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, steppers, and rowers! There’sa huge choice out there and finding the right cardio machine for your workout needs has never been easier.

Pro-level Cardio + Strengthen Muscles

So why a rower? Rowers can give you a pro-level cardio workout while also strengtheningthe muscles of your arms, back shoulders and quads, it’s far more beneficial to have a cardio machine that not only increases lung and heart health, but also works the muscles of the upper and lower body.

It’s not all about calorieloss when it comes to buying a rower, many people buy a rower simply because it is an excellentmachine to warm the whole body up before the main workout.

And that’snot all, when we look at rowers such as the Stamina1130 Magnetic Rowing Machine, they have another appealing feature for homeuse, and that is, they are whisper quiet in operation.

The magnetic resistance used is smooth and far less noisy than their air counterparts.

We shouldn’t forget this is still an entry-levelrowing machine, and although it does have some fantasticfeatures for the price, seasoned rowers and gym rats may still have issues with the strength of the resistance, remember this is a $300 rower not a $1000.

But just because this is an entry level rower doesn’t mean resistance is poor, the Stamina 1130 rowing machine has been reportedto have some of the strongest resistance of any entry level rowers, owners of the machine have praised how they can feel a massive difference in resistance when going from an easy level to a higher setting.

Not only does this thing have a nice strong resistance it also has the most resistance settings we’veseen from any entry level rower, 16 in total and 9 preset levels, which is fantasticfor beginners who need a few easy levels to get started and great for people who want to set goals as they progress.

Constant Resistance

Constant resistance can be good for some whilst off-putting for others,the Stamina 1130usesmagnetic resistance levels to set the difficulty for the rower, it doesn’tmatter how fast you try torow, resistance will not increase unlessyou change it manually via the LCD monitor (constant resistance)

The reason people like constant resistance is it allows you to row at a slow pace with high resistance.

Air rowers differ in that the resistance increases as you row faster (dynamic) The main reasonpeople like dynamic resistance is becauseit gives a more natural feel.

Click here to check price of Stamina 1130 Rowing Machine on Amazon

LCD Monitor

So many of the entry level magnetic rowers do not offer a setting on the LCD to measure distance, crazy but true! It was a nice surprise to see Stamina have included this in their built-in monitor, albeit it’s measured in miles instead of meters, at least we get a distance setting.

The 1330 LCD monitor will also tell us a few other handy workout stats such as, heart rate, total strides and strides per minute, also included is aheart rate chest strap, which syncs wirelessly with the monitor for pulse tracking.

Comfort

It seems like Staminaput quite a bit of effort into their design when they thought about the comfort of the user, firstly the rower has a nice molded, durable padded seat, which rolls effortlesslyon the rail with ball bearing rollers.

Secondly, it’s nice to see foam coveredhandles giving you that extra comfort you need for those long rowing sessions, also helps increasegrip when hands are sweaty.

And lastly, the length of the rail (beam), a good length for a compact rower and should accommodate people up to6’2″. One owner quoted, he can achieve full leg extension and the guy is 6’1″.

Stability

This is the one area where the Stamina 1130 has a few issues and it’s mainly due to the weight of the machine, it’s light at around 50lb, and with lightness comes stability issues, especially when at higher stroke rates.

A light machine shouldn’t be a deal killer, and Stamina has gone some way to combat the stabilityissues, what you have are wide stabilizing feet at the front of the machines which are also capped in rubber, great for keeping the rower from sliding on hard surfaces.

The Stamina 1130 is also low profile in design, having a low center of gravity always helps with stability. So yeah you may find a slight wobble at higher stroke rates but on the whole, they have done as much as they can to counteract the lightness of the machine.

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There’s a much more heavy duty feel about the Marcy Turbine rower, it weighs over 30lb more than the Stamina and Efit rowers.

Yes, it costs a little more but with weight comes stability and the comforting feel of quality.

But the heavier rowers are also that much larger, so the footprint of this rower may put off some buyers, although this rower is foldable which will really help when it comes to storage.

Not so many resistancelevels to choose from with the Marcy, 8 in total, with no preset programmes, and unlike the Stamina 1130 you cannot change the resistance setting from the monitor, all have to be adjusted from the resistance knob situatedbetween the foot pedals.

One of the best entry-level rowers, what it lacks in features it makes up with stability and build quality.

Read Our Full Review Here: Marcy Turbine Rower

A well priced magnetic rower, just like the Marcy the Efit is a no frill magnetic rower, it comes with the standard 8 magneticresistance levels which too can be changedvia the settings knob.

A very quiet machine, you’ll be able to exercise without disturbing anyone aroundyou. Easy to storethanks to the built in wheels and foldable design. This is an excellentmachine for beginners or anyone who’s looking for a lightweight rower just for warm ups.

To Sum Up

A very capable entry-level rowing machine, the Stamina 1130 Rower offers you a little more than most at this price, with 16 resistance levels and the heart rate chest strap. you get a lot for your money.

The only downside I can really see with this machine is the height restriction that comes with having a short rail, but if you are 6’1″ or under, the Stamina is certainly worth some serious consideration.