JTX Freedom Air, Foldable Rowing Machine, Mag-Air Resistance, 135kg User Capacity, 2 Year In-home Warranty, Self powered - no plugs needed

I have been using the Concept2 rowing machine at my gym and finally decided to buy one for home. After several months of trying out and being disappointed by the quality of rowing machines within my budget I came across the JTX Air Rower. Most of the bigger brands sell rowing machines but none of them feel very sturdy at all.The build quality of the the JTX Rowing Machine was really difficult to see in the pictures but it really is a solid piece of kit – really comparable to the commercial rowing machines in my gym. Its got a really great stroke (very smooth and not at all noisy. The combination of air and electro-magnetic resistance is really great because the programmes keep me focused but I really do like the feeling of the Concept2 resistance (which this mimics).The other great thing that I hadn’t noticed was that it comes with the cardio heart rate programmes and a free chest strap. Most of the other rowers I tried don’t include the chest strap, or charge extra, but its such a nice feature. It means that the programmes adjust the resistance to keep you working out at the best level for getting fit.Finally -buying through Amazon you never really know what the customer service will be like. I have to say JTX Fitness surpassed all my expectations. I got a call so I could choose when it would be delivered and also offered some rowing machine support from a personal trainer if I wanted it ( I got a bit more advice about the cardio programmes which was really helpful). I then rang back when I wanted to check how to set it up and they couldn’t have been more helpful. 10 stars!

I bought an earlier model of this rower 4 years ago. Unfortunately one of the foot rests has split in 2. Only moderate use but ok, fair enough. This is out of warranty of course. But the website does say that spare parts are available. However, this was not the case. I was told that these parts are no longer available but I could be offered a discount on a new rower! So pleased be warned that you might only own JTX rowers until something breaks - not happy rowing for years to come.

I am no expert here - I haven’t tried out lots of machines so can only give you my impression of this one. On the plus side, it seems sturdy and reasonably well-built, the programmes are good, it looks good and it’s really handy that it folds up quickly and easily. There are a few minor downsides - I seem to have to reprogramme my age and weight every time I use it (perhaps I haven’t figured out something here, but surely it would make more sense for the very few people that are likely to use this in any household to be able to set a profile for themselves?) and it seems the foot holders are built for giants. Also, if you are quite a strong rower, this will move slightly or you’ll get some lift from the front end. I’d also suggest that the estimated construction time is ambitious - If you’re someone that doesn’t unpack and construct this type of machinery every day, you should allow longer than half an hour! However the instructions were clear and it was quite easy to do. Overall I am pleased with my purchase.

The JTX Freedom Rowing Machine is a great bit of kit. I have used Concept 2 rowers in many gyms and this is comparable but much cheaper. I was concerned that the rower would feel cheap and would not be smooth or solidly built. However it feels solid, has a smooth action and is well built. The display could possibly be slightly better if it could retain details of your exercise after use but it does not appear to be able to do so. I had a problem with the main shaft of the rower. I contacted Alannah in customer services via email and the next day had a replacement delivered. Whilst I wish that this had not been necessary the customer service was truly excellent and means that you can purchase in confidence that any faults will be speedily rectified without any quibbling. In summary, a great rower, comparable with the best, at a cheaper price from a company that obviously values customer service.

I spent some time looking at different machines as I was used to using a Concept 2 and didn't want to be disappointed. The great reviews and a reduction in price meant that it was £330 cheaper than the Concept 2 and I bought one. Initial experience was very good as I was phoned and offered a number of delivery days. It arrived on time in a smaller box than I expected and that was because it came in more parts than I was expecting! Still quite happy to put something together. It took about an hour, the instructions are clear and the nuts, bolts and washers come on a marked out vacuum packed piece of cardboard so you can see which bolt is what etc. Or at least it is meant to, on mine the plastic had started to come off and many of the contents were now in the bottom of the box. Still when I had found them (I was missing a washer but managed to find a replacement in my garage) all was ok and the construction of my rower took about an hour.OK so on to the rower. Lots of positives and a few small niggles. The positives are it feels nice and sturdy, the seat and the handle are very comfortable (better than the Concept 2), easy to fold into 2, some good information on the display, adjustable feet so that it doesn't rock, straps stay tight around my feet, the drive is a bike chain (same as the Concept 2). Now on to the rowing experience I have to confess that when I first started I was a little disappointed but couldn't figure out why. I then realised that is was because it made a slightly different sound to the Concept 2 and actually had no impact on the rowing experience. The action is smooth and feels like the Concept 2. The fact that the damping is done electronically means that the rower is able to give you a variety of programmes such as interval style training, hill climbing by changing the damping as you go. This is a great feature and something that the Concept 2 cannot do. In addition it comes with a wireless heart rate monitor and there are a couple of programmes that adjust the damping as you go based on your heart rate and how hard you want to work. This is also very good. The damping settings are 1-16. 1 is very easy, 16 is tough, harder than the 10 on a Concept 2. Seat moves smoothly. I am 6'2" and it is big enough for me.On to the niggles, all mainly related display mainly. The per 500m display is not accurate it regularly tells me between 1:15 to 1:30 (I wish!). The RPMs seem pointless. Also you need to have it plugged in, not an issue but it wasn't clear in the description. There is a battery compartment but I couldn't see a connection to plug the battery to.Overall would I recommend this rower, the experience is the same as the Concept 2 except that it has some extra features which are good. It certainly does somethings better than the Concept 2, many things the same and a few things not quite so good (mainly the display). Only time will tell whether the quality is good enough but a month on from getting it very happy with the rower and would recommend it. It feels like I have saved some money without compromising the experience.