WaterRower Review: Is This Simplistic Rower The Best Option for You?

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Key Features:

• Solid wood frame for long-term durability
• Impressive maximum user weight of 700 pounds
• Does not require ongoing subscription fees, WiFi connection or an outlet
• Stores upright when not in use
• S4 LCD monitor provides workout metrics

Buying cardio machines for your home gym is a great way to maximize the convenience and privacy of your workouts. Although treadmills and exercise bikes are commonly used for cardio workouts at home, rowers are becoming increasingly popular due to their low-impact, full-body workouts that strengthen muscles while providing excellent aerobic exercise.

The WaterRower is a wooden water rowing machine for indoor rowing. Due to the beautiful aesthetics of the machine, which resemble a piece of artisanal furniture rather than a piece of industrial gym equipment, and the fact that water towers are said to be the best way to simulate the resistance and feel of being in the water, the WaterRower strikes the perfect balance of aesthetics and performance.

In this article, we provide a complete review of the WaterRower, including the specs and features of the rowing machine, how it works, pros and cons and how the WaterRower stacks up against other home rowing machines.

What Is WaterRower?

WaterRower is a leading manufacturer of high-end indoor rowing machines that use water resistance to best replicate the true feeling of rowing on real water. With any type of water rowing machine, a hydro-fan spins around in a tank of water at the front of the rowing machine, creating resistance as you pull back on the handlebar. User reviews note that it is almost like hearing the sounds of the water lapping up against the side of a real rowboat.

The WaterRower Natural, which is one of the most popular models, is a high-end home rowing machine constructed of natural ash wood sourced from the Appalachian mountains and finished with a light stain with a Danish oil.

The WaterRower Designer Series consists of the cherry wood Oxbridge, American Black Walnut wood rower and stainless steel S1. The M1 series are aluminum rowers primarily designed for commercial gyms. WaterRower also offers the Club series, HiRise series and WaterRower Performance series.

The Pros of WaterRower

• Low-impact cardio machine which reduces stress on joints
• Solid wood construction, such as ash or other hardwoods
• Smooth, consistent rowing stroke that is described as mimicking the real feel of water
• Supports users up to 700 pounds
• Stores vertically when not in use
• Doesn’t require access to an outlet or WiFi connection
• Quiet operation with a soothing, gentle whirring sound
• Contoured seat and comfortable handlebar
• Doesn’t require a subscription to use
• High quality and minimal moving parts ensure low maintenance

The Cons of WaterRower

• High price point
• No integrated touchscreen to stream rowing workouts, media or games
• Seat and footplate have a narrow footprint
• Limited online community compared to some of the other top rowing machines

How Does the WaterRower Work?

The WaterRower Natural has a hydrowheel, or water flywheel, that has two paddles. It sits inside a transparent water tank at the front of the machine and is attached to the handle bar by a police system and belt mechanism. After filling the tank with water, you pull back on the handle and the flywheel spins within the tank as the blades pedal against the resistance of the water. The amount of resistance that you will feel depends on how much water is in the tank and how hard you pull back on the handlebar. Unlike rowers that use air resistance, like the Concept2 RowErg, water rowers provide resistance on the paddles at all times. This provides a much more consistent and realistic stroke.

Air resistance rowers, on the other hand, slow down the blades as you move back up the rail during the recovery to the catch position. This creates inconsistency in the amount of resistance provided and is less realistic to actual rowing. As with a real boat, the WaterRower emits a pleasant whooshing sound as the fan blades churn through the water.

Who WaterRower Is Best For

Anyone looking for a solid, virtually silent rowing machine for home use that looks more like a handcrafted piece of furniture than a piece of exercise equipment will love the WaterRower. It’s also great for those who are environmentally conscious, since the wood finish is sourced from renewable forests. 

If you have limited space, the WaterRower can be a good fit because it stores upright when not in use, reducing its footprint to just 22 inches by 20 inches. With a weight capacity of 700 pounds and adjustability of the footplates and long rails, the WaterRower can accommodate a wide range of body types.

Who WaterRower Is Not Best For

The WaterRower Natural is not a good fit for people looking for guided rowing workouts or an integrated touchscreen that can play games or stream media. Although the WaterRower can be used by rowers of all fitness levels and experience levels, beginners may prefer a rowing machine with rowing classes led by coaches to get instructions about proper technique. In addition, it has a much higher price point than other rowers, so those on a budget might want to look elsewhere.

Specs for the WaterRower

• Footprint: 82 inches long x 22 inches wide x 21 inches high
• Seat height: 12.2 inches off the ground
• Storage: Stands up vertically when not in use
• Machine weight: 67 pounds when the water tank is empty and 103.5 pounds when the water tank is full
• Max user weight: 700 pounds
• Resistance: Water resistance
• Frame: Solid wood frame made from natural hardwood

WaterRower Performance

To use the WaterRower, you first fill the water tank with water. You can modulate the amount of resistance provided by the amount of water that you add to the tank. The less water that you add, the less resistance you will experience. Then, you can set the positioning of your feet on the foot plate. You can raise the heel supports based on your shoe size, aiming to have the foot strap cross at the ball of your foot. Then, you sit on the seat and slide to the front of the machine. 

As you pull back on the handle and extend your legs through the drive portion of the rowing stroke, you’ll feel resistance as the turbines spin in the water. The harder you pull on the handle, the more resistance you will feel. You will also feel some amount of resistance between the finish portion of the rowing stroke and the catch, as you slide back up the rail (the “recovery” of the rowing stroke). This is because the paddles are still opposing the water resistance. A benefit of this is that it provides a more smooth and consistent amount of resistance compared to air resistance rowers or magnetic resistance rowers, which drop off in resistance during the recovery phase of the rowing stroke. As a result, it better mimics what it would be like to be on real water.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing WaterRower

Price

Water rowing machines are often more expensive than other types of indoor rowing machines, so you should determine your budget. The WaterRower Natural Rowing Machine costs $1,160.

Power

The WaterRower only requires two D-cell batteries to power the S4 display monitor. You do not need to plug the machine into an outlet.

Subscription

You are not required to pay for a subscription to use the WaterRow rowing machine. You have full functionality and usability of the machine just operating it as is and viewing your real time metrics and storing your workout history on the built-in S4 display console. However, WaterRower does offer some rowing machine models that have built-in touchscreen tablets that can be used to stream rowing workout classes using the CityRow app subscription. This requires an upgrade to the CityRow Max Rowing Machine, which is about $1,000 more, with a price point of roughly $2,200. 

The ongoing subscription fee for the CityRow app is $29.99 per month or $299 per year. There is also an option for the WaterRower Oak Performance Ergometer Rowing Machine, which is outfitted with a SmartRow power meter hardware so that you can use the free SmartRow app to monitor your metrics and take place in virtual racers with rowers around the world. This model costs $1,500.

Construction and design

The WaterRower Natural is made from hardwood, sustainable ash solid wood frame with a light honey stain and is then finished in Danish oil. If you prefer a steel or metallic frame, some WaterRower models offer this option.

The design features a dual rail system to support the seat as it slides forward and back on wheels over the rails as you row. The seat of the rower sits very low to the ground—just about 12 inches above the floor—and has four rubber feet to provide traction on wood floors, so you will need to have the mobility to get up and down from a low height. The user reviews note that the sliding motion is extremely smooth. The rails can accommodate rowers with a maximum inseam length of 37 inches, and if you are taller than that, you can purchase a rail extension for an additional fee. 

There is a wide foot plate that has a textured finish to improve traction and straps that are adjustable to hold your feet in place. It is important to note that the feet on this machine are slightly closer together than they are on most rowing machines, which might be uncomfortable for rowers with large hips or large thighs. User reviewers note that some people with overweight or larger legs may experience some chafing in their thighs.

The WaterRower Natural has ergonomic handlebars with sweat-resistant rubber grips that can be wiped clean if your hands sweat. Most customer reviews note that the diameter of the handlebar is comfortable and feels natural in their hands.

Size

The WaterRower Natural measures 84 inches long, 21 inches high and 22 inches wide. If the rowing machine is not being used, you can prop it upright using black wheels on the rail system to reduce its footprint to 21 inches by 22 inches. Despite weighing only 66.5 pounds without water, the WaterRower Natural has an impressive maximum user weight of 700 pounds. When you add the water to the water tank, the weight of the rower is about 103.5 pounds.

Modes and features

The WaterRower Natural comes equipped with an S4 performance monitor with an LCD display. It is easy to navigate. The Series 4 monitor has several buttons and provides your workout metrics in seven different information windows:

Intensity window

The intensity window provides information about how hard you are working. You can see a display of your current or average rowing speed in meters per second, miles per hour, minutes per 500 meters or minutes per two kilometers. Those last two measurement units are common rowing distances used to measure and compare speeds. The intensity window also displays your power in watts and the number of calories you will burn per hour (or your energy burn rate).

Stroke rate window

The stroke rate window shows your stroke rate per minute, which is how many times you are pulling on the handle and sliding up and down the rowing machine each minute. You can set different stroke rate zones for Stroke Rate Zone workouts based on your fitness level and goals.

Zone bar window

The zone bar window is used when you’ve customized zones for intensity, stroke rate and heart rate because it displays where you are currently falling in the zones you’ve customized.

Duration window

The duration window can either be programmed to count up, showing how long you’ve been working out, or programmed to count down, showing how much of your workout is remaining if you set a target time.

Distance window

Like the duration window, the distance window can display the distance covered so far or the distance remaining if you set a target distance. You can choose the units of measure to be meters, miles, kilometers or total strokes.

Program window

Finally, the program window can provide advanced functions like projected distance for duration-based workouts, projected workout duration for distance-based workouts, detailed heart rate analysis, lifetime distance rowed, your power/recovery ratio and the volume of water in the tank, among other stats. In this window you can also store and retrieve your workout settings, which is ideal if you have multiple users.

Connectivity

One of the benefits of the WaterRower Natural is that there is no motor and there are no electronic components. Therefore, you do not need to plug this rowing machine in or have power or a strong Wi-Fi connection to use the machine. This is a benefit for anyone who doesn’t have a reliable Internet connection or ready access to a grounded outlet in your home gym or wherever you plan to set up your rowing machine.

However, there is also no Bluetooth connectivity for headphones or speakers. It is possible to connect a compatible heart rate monitor to the S4 monitor. In order to do so, you need a chest strap heart rate monitor and a receiver plug-in connector. WaterRower offers buyers a choice of the Polar Analog Heart Rate Monitoring Kit or the ANT+ Digital Heart Rate Monitoring Kit, both of which come with the heart rate chest strap monitor and the connector plug-in.

Noise level

Many pieces of home exercise equipment can be quite noisy when in operation. For example, running on a treadmill creates both the motor noise and the sound of the feet hitting the deck with every step. User reviews note that the WaterRower is surprisingly quiet, though it does make a swishing or whooshing noise as the turbine blade churn through the tank of water. Most user reviews note that this is actually a highlight of the machine, reporting that the rhythmic sound is soothing and gentle and can be almost meditative as you get an aerobic workout. Plus, it replicates the natural sound of the water. Additionally, in terms of decibels, the sound of the WaterRower is said to be much quieter than air rowers like the Concept2 or even rowers that use electromagnetic resistance like the Hydrow.

Training programs

The WaterRower does not have built-in training programs, rowing workout classes to follow or game-based rowing workouts. There is also no integrated touchscreen tablet that can be used to stream media such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime videos. WaterRower users who wish to follow rowing training programs will need to download rowing apps or subscribe to streaming fitness platforms that offer rowing workouts. WaterRower has certain machines that are directly compatible with rowing apps, some of which are officially partnered with the brand and are free. Some of these apps also include other fitness workouts to supplement your cardio rowing workouts with strength training, yoga, stretching and recovery. You can also use other rowing apps with the WaterRower Natural, but this technology isn’t integrated into the machine itself, and there is no direct Bluetooth connectivity. Check out WaterRower Digital to see which machines are directly compatible. 

Warranty and Return Policy

All WaterRower models are backed with a standard one year warranty on the frame and components. If you register your WaterRower upon purchase, you are given a free upgrade to your warranty that provides a five year warranty on the wooden frame and a three year warranty on all components. Returns are granted on an individual basis for defective parts.

How WaterRower Stacks Up Against Other Products

WaterRower vs. Concept2

WaterRower and Concept2 rowing machines differ primarily in their resistance systems. The WaterRower uses water resistance with the fan blades pushing against the water as they spin in the water tank as you pull back on the handle. The Concept2 rower uses a wind flywheel, so it relies on air resistance like a Schwinn Airdyne fan bike. There is a damper to adjust how much air enters the flywheel. Although many people think this changes the amount of resistance, it ultimately just changes the feel of the stroke. On both types of rower, you get more resistance if you row at a faster rate.

Arguably, the main appeal of the WaterRower, aside from the aesthetics, is the realistic feel of being on the water. You won’t get this same real-feel with the Concept2 rower, though it is still designed to provide a very smooth stroke. 

Other differences between the WaterRower vs Concept2 are the size and construction of the machines. The WaterRower is constructed from ash wood and can support 700 pounds, while the Concept2 has an aluminum frame, stainless steel track and a maximum weight capacity of 500 pounds. 

The WaterRower is much shorter, measuring 82 inches long while the Concept2 is 96 inches long. With that said, the Concept2 RowErg can be separated into two pieces for easy storage. To save space, the WaterRower can be stored upright.

WaterRower vs. Hydrow

Like the WaterRower Natural, the Hydrow rowing machine is considered one of the best rowing machines for home workouts. However, the two rowing machines are quite different, so they tend to appeal to different types of buyers. The traditional Hydrow rowing machine has a sleek, metallic appearance; note that Hydrow recently released a smaller version, called the Hydrow Wave that comes in a variety of colors. Hydrow uses electromagnetic resistance rather than water resistance, so you can select the “drag” or amount of resistance the machine provides, and you will feel more resistance as you pull harder on the handle and push harder with your legs. The Hydrow rowing machine is constructed from steel, rather than wood, and has a single monorail rather than a dual-rail system. It is also substantially heavier, weighing in at 197 pounds. The dimensions of the two rowing machines are similar, but the Hydrow does not stand vertically out of the box; you need to purchase an additional wall-mounting kit. Finally, the Hydrow only has a max weight of 375 pounds, which is significantly less than the 700 maximum user weight of the WaterRower.

Aside from differences in construction, resistance type and performance specs, the Hydrow is a connected smart rower designed to be used with the large integrated touchscreen. You must pay for a subscription to the workout classes and “journey” rows, which are videos of live footage taken on real waterways. The rowing workouts and classes can teach beginners proper rowing technique and can push fit rowers to new levels. However, the subscription is expensive, costing $38 per month.

WaterRower FAQs

Is the WaterRower harder than the Concept2?

Both the WaterRower and the Concept2 can likely provide equally challenging workouts because the resistance is graded based on how hard you are pulling against the handle. The primary difference between the two machines is whether the resistance is generated by water against the fan blades or air. With that said, studies suggest the biomechanics and technique used between the two rowers varies.

Is the WaterRower good for weight loss?

Depending on your body size and the intensity of your workout, a WaterRower or other rower machine can burn 400-800 calories or more per hour, which makes it an excellent weight loss machine. Your weight loss results will depend on your diet and the overall balance of the number of calories you are consuming versus burning.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the WaterRower Natural is a gorgeous piece of cardio exercise equipment that will blend in well into any living room home gym space. The water resistance is designed to provide a realistic, smooth and enjoyable rowing experience with a pleasant swishing sound that many rowers find to be meditative and relaxing. Featuring a maximum user weight of 700 pounds, an inseam up to 37 inches and the option to purchase additional rails for larger users, this rowing machine can also accommodate most users.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.