For years, the Concept 2 has been the benchmark rowing machine, largely because it's the ergo that populates the floors of indoor competitions and amateur rowing clubs up and down the land, Last updated May 11, 2022. Table of Contents. Checking the lifetime meters of a Concept 2 rower will give you the best indication of how much use your machine has had in its lifetime. It means if you're buying a second-hand machine, you can quickly check how well the machine has been looked after by the previous owner. RDseJ.