If you are interested in rowing machines, I can give some advice on what the best models are. However, the good ones are fairly expensive (although they will also be worth something if you decide not to continue using it after a year or two, unlike the cheaper magnetic ones).

The two best machines are the Concept 2, and the WaterRower. Both are well built and accurately mimic real rowing.

Websites:
Concept 2
WaterRower

Pros and Cons
The Concept 2 is the standard rowing machine, used world wide in gyms and rowing clubs. There is a large on-line community for sharing training tips and comparing scores, and the ubiquitousness means that you can easily compare scores with many others, from your friends at the gym to Olympic champion rowers. However, it is quite noisy, so in a domestic environment probably best used in the basement/garage if you are in an apartment block.

The WaterRower is beautifully made and in the wood finishes really looks like a piece of furniture. Also, it is quieter as it uses a sealed drum of water to provide the resistance, so is more suitable for home use. However, it is a little more expensive than the Concept 2, and is not so widely used so your scores are not so easily compared. They have also just introduced a metal version, which you can see on the website for John Lewis in the UK, which is somewhat cheaper but not quite so pretty

I'm afraid I don't know the Swiss distributors for either of these, but I'm sure that if you contact the websites they will be able to tell you.

Technique
If you do not know how to row already, before starting a serious training program it is very worthwhile learning the correct technique. Rowing (including indoor rowing) is excellent exercise, as it is very low impact on your joints, and also it exercises all the major muscle groups. However, without at least moderately good technique (which is easily learnt over a few sessions) you can put unnecessary strain on your back.

Whichever machine you use, the correct technique is clearly demonstrated in the Technique section here (also look at the video linked to on the left hand side).