This interactive magnetic rower offers subscription-based access to a suite of excellent programming and is smaller and less expensive than the competition.
The Concept2 and WaterRower models we recommend are excellent equipment. But people who need interactivity to stay motivated are likely conclude that streaming workout content to a phone or tablet mounted to either machine is an unsatisfying solution.
Filip Ljubicic, chair of the World Rowing Indoor Rowing Commission, said that treadmills and exercise bikes have had success with screen-focused workouts because they get you to stay on the machine longer. “I think when you look at rowing machines, that’s the same,” Ljubicic added. “It really depends on the type of person you are.” (Concept2 is a partner of World Rowing, which is the international governing body of competitive rowing events, including indoor rowing.)
People willing to spend more for a larger display and built-in streaming workouts may want to consider a Peloton Row or Hydrow Wave Rower, both of which are pricey machines that succeed at making indoor rowing fun. Because both require $44 monthly memberships for full functionality, they’re worthwhile buys only for people who plan to regularly take streaming classes and need visual stimulation.
Between the two machines, we think the smaller, less expensive Hydrow Wave Rower ($1,695) is the better buy, especially considering its higher weight capacity and smaller footprint. But we see the appeal of the heftier, more luxe-feeling Peloton Row ($3,295), with its helpful form-correction feature and its ability to stream Netflix and other entertainment; the Hydrow model, in contrast, is limited to its own workout content.
Hydrow’s Wave Rower has a 16.5-by-12-inch color monitor that broadcasts a variety of interactive workouts, from beginner-oriented rows to more intensive classes called “rage rows,” dedicated to intense bursts of cardio.
One tester, a Peloton subscriber, said they were more engaged and pushed harder by Hydrow’s virtual coaches. Most testers liked how Hydrow’s screen balanced the visuals of the water with key stats but wasn’t cluttered with too much information. But a majority of testers also wished that changing resistances was easier; to do so, you need to tap through multiple options on the screen.
The Wave Rower’s electromagnetic resistance remains quiet during workouts, but in our testing we noticed that the seat would sometimes make an annoying sound, almost like that of a broken windshield wiper.
The Wave Rower costs about half the price of the Peloton Row, and at 77.5 inches long by 18.5 inches wide by 44.5 inches tall and 102 pounds, it is smaller and lighter, too. Hydrow covers it with a warranty of five years for the frame and one year for other components and labor. It has a maximum weight capacity of 375 pounds. To access Hydrow’s library of more than 5,000 interactive classes, you need a membership, which costs $44 per month.
If you don’t want to subscribe to a monthly membership program, the Hydrow Core Rower is the same machine with a slightly bigger monitor (21.5 by 14.75 inches) and no membership required. It is loaded with 30 self-guided rows. The Core Rower ($1,995) typically costs $300 more than the Wave Rower, but Core Rower owners have the option to upgrade to Hydrow’s monthly membership program at any time.
Top pick
Another interactive magnetic rower, this model also offers subscription-based access to a variety of top-tier programming. It’s larger and more expensive than similar models.
The Peloton Row is a good choice for anyone already immersed in the Peloton universe, for people who want machine assistance in mastering proper rowing form, and for those who want to stream movies or TV while rowing. (To access Peloton’s complete suite of rowing workouts, you need a $44-per-month membership; memberships for Netflix and other streaming services are not included in that cost.)
However, the Peloton Row is larger, heavier, and more expensive than the Hydrow Wave Rower, plus it has a lower maximum weight capacity (300 pounds). But the production quality of its more than 2,000 trainer-led rowing classes—broadcast on a 22-by-14.75-inch color monitor with a crisp display—is unmatched. “The classes and screen workout experience made the row feel less monotonous and more fun than just watching the meters click by,” one tester remarked.
Unique to the Peloton Row is an effective form-assistance feature: Before your first workout, the screen prompts you to go through a calibration exercise to check your rowing form. Then, during rows, an avatar in the upper-left corner mimics your form as you exercise, with areas of the avatar lighting up in red if you are moving those body parts incorrectly.
The Peloton Row (94.5 inches long by 22.5 inches wide by 46.5 inches tall) can be stored vertically—like most rowers, it comes with a wall anchor for secure storage—but it is heavy, weighing 156.5 pounds.
Some testers noticed that their right heel became loose during workouts, and they often had to retighten the foot straps, but that might be a result of poor form. The location of the handle is not ideal, as repositioning it required some testers to unstrap themselves from the foot holsters first.
