Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased a concept2 Model D in July 2020, due to the lockdowns closing my usual gym. I had always been dubious of home exercise equipment, because everyone says it doesn't work - that it just ends up being a clothing rack. How wrong they were. In July I was 400 lbs., so the concept2 was the only rower I found capable of supporting my weight safely. It was rock-solid, and as soon as I sat down on It, I knew It would hold me. That was 6 months and 95 lbs. ago. Now I use my concept2 every day, for at least 20 minutes, usually more. I weighed 306 last time I checked, and I largely credit the Model D for that drop. I'm not saying that just using the machine is enough - you need proper diet too - but when I went in to the doctor in late August for a checkup, I had not yet changed my diet, but my weight had gone down to 376, and my blood sugar dropped by 30 points. That was the kick I needed to change my diet and really focus on my health. Nothing else had ever worked. I've been 350 lbs.+ my whole adult life. The concept2 broke the cycle of helplessness. The machine's operation is quite smooth. There's a little vibration in the handle; I suggest wearing gloves if it bothers you. The noise level is a "little high", between 60-65 dB. You have to raise your voice to talk while it's operating, but honestly it would be unreasonable to expect it to be any quieter, and if you have breath enough to carry on conversation while rowing, you should be pushing harder! The seat is very firm - It's quite supportive but for long periods of rowing it can get painful, especially if you are not sitting on it correctly. it's worth viewing concept2's videos to correct your technique; the seat is far more comfortable if you sit on it right, but I still would recommend a small cushion on it if you plan to row for 30 mins or more. The Pm5 and concept2's ergData app are both fantastic. Highly customizable, and full of useful information that you can (with some research) improve and tune your workout with to burn a truly incredible number of calories in a short period of time. I especially recommend the ft-lbs over time chart, which is very effective in showing you the quality of your form. Good form will made me fatigue less and burn more in the same time, so it is probably the best feature about it. I really can't recommend the concept2 enough. It turned my life around - I was diabetic, morbidly obese, and headed to an early grave. Now my A1C is 5.6 and my body fat is 24.5% (down from 43%) and still dropping. Buy it. It's worth it.