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Most people should buy the Concept2 RowErg: it is the standard air rower in gyms and clubs, it holds users up to 227 kg, and it splits in two for storage. Buy the WaterRower Original if you want a quiet wooden rower that stands upright, a NordicTrack RW900 or RW700 if you want screen-led classes, and the ProForm Carbon Pro10 if the machine has to fold away.
Our picks
- 1Best overall
Concept2 RowErg
Air resistance you set with a damper, a 227 kg user rating, a PM5 monitor that works with ErgData and 40+ apps, and a frame that splits in two for storage.
- 2Best water rower
WaterRower Original
A solid-wood frame with a water tank flywheel, rated for users up to 150 kg. It stores upright in about the floor space of a dining chair.
- 3Best smart rower
NordicTrack RW900 Rower
26 magnetic levels and a 24-inch pivoting touchscreen for iFIT classes on and off the rower, with a 10-year frame warranty.
- 4Best value smart rower
NordicTrack RW700 Rower
The same 26-level magnetic resistance and 10-year frame warranty as the RW900, with a smaller 10-inch screen and a lower list price.
- 5Best compact smart rower
Hydrow Wave Rower
203 cm long with a 170 kg user limit and electromagnetic drag. Sold by Hydrow in the US and UK only.
- 6Best folding rower
ProForm Carbon Pro10 Rower
The only pick here that folds, with 24 magnetic levels and a 10-inch touchscreen. The 113 kg user limit is the lowest in this guide.
| Model | Concept2Concept2 RowErg | WaterRowerWaterRower Original | NordicTrackNordicTrack RW900 Rower | NordicTrackNordicTrack RW700 Rower | HydrowHydrow Wave Rower | ProFormProForm Carbon Pro10 Rower |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance | Air (adjustable damper) | Water (WaterFlywheel) | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) | Electromagnetic drag | Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance) |
| Max user | 227 kg | 150 kg | 136 kg | 136 kg | 170 kg | 113 kg |
| Folds away | No | No | — | — | — | Yes |
| Length | 244 cm | 210 cm | 203.5 cm | 206.5 cm | 203 cm | 216.4 cm |
| App support | Bluetooth PM5 (ErgData and 40+ apps) | Bluetooth S4 monitor (WaterRower Connect) | iFIT, 24in pivoting touchscreen | iFIT, 10in tilting touchscreen | Hydrow membership classes | iFIT, 10in touchscreen |
| Warranty | 5 yrs | — | 10 yrs | 10 yrs | 1 yrs | — |
How to choose a home rowing machine
- Resistance type. Air (Concept2) gets harder the faster you pull and is loud at high effort. Water (WaterRower) also rises with effort but sounds like a sloshing tank. Magnetic (NordicTrack, ProForm, Hydrow) is the quietest and lets you pick a fixed level: 24 to 26 levels on the picks here.
- Length. Rowers are long. The picks run from 203 cm (Hydrow Wave) to 244 cm (Concept2). Measure the room with space to sit down and step off at both ends.
- User limit. This is a safety rating, not a suggestion. It ranges from 113 kg (ProForm Carbon Pro10) to 227 kg (Concept2, which gives 135 kg under the EN ISO 20957-7 test).
- Storage. Only the ProForm folds. The Concept2 separates into two pieces without tools. The WaterRower stands upright. The Hydrow Wave stands upright with an optional wall anchor.
- Screens and subscriptions. NordicTrack (iFIT) and Hydrow sell class memberships. NordicTrack says all 26 levels work without a paid plan; Hydrow's classes need a paid monthly membership. The Concept2 and WaterRower monitors connect to free and third-party apps over Bluetooth.
Concept2 RowErg: best overall
The RowErg is an air rower with a fan flywheel and a damper lever that changes how heavy each stroke feels. It is 244 cm long and 61 cm wide, weighs 26 kg with standard legs and separates into two parts for storage. The PM5 monitor records workouts and pairs with Concept2's ErgData app and more than 40 others. Concept2 sells it direct in the UK, US and Australia; in Canada it is sold through retailers such as Treadmill Factory.
Pros
- 227 kg user rating per Concept2's own testing
- Splits into two pieces without tools; has caster wheels
- PM5 monitor works with ErgData and 40+ apps
- 5-year frame warranty
Cons
- The longest pick at 244 cm
- Air fan is noisy at high effort
WaterRower Original: best water rower
The WaterRower Original uses paddles in a water tank, so resistance rises with how hard you pull. It is 210 cm long, weighs 30.5 kg and holds users up to 150 kg. The S4 monitor has Bluetooth for the WaterRower Connect app. The list price depends on the wood finish.
Pros
- Stores upright in a small footprint
- Solid wood frame in several finishes
- Bluetooth S4 monitor
- Australian site lists a 5-year frame and 3-year parts warranty
Cons
- 150 kg limit is lower than the Concept2
- No resistance dial: effort sets the load
- Tank needs occasional water treatment
NordicTrack RW900 and RW700: best smart rowers
Both use NordicTrack's Silent Magnetic Resistance with 26 levels, both hold users up to 136 kg and both carry a 10-year frame, 2-year parts warranty. The RW900 has a 24-inch touchscreen that pivots for floor workouts and is 203.5 cm long. The RW700 has a 10-inch tilting screen and is 206.5 cm long. iFIT can change resistance to follow the trainer, but that needs a paid membership.
Pros
- Sold by NordicTrack in all four markets
- Quiet magnetic resistance with 26 set levels
- 10-year frame warranty
Cons
- Auto-adjusting classes need a paid iFIT plan
- 136 kg user limit
- NordicTrack does not say either model folds
Hydrow Wave: best compact smart rower
The Wave is Hydrow's smaller rower: 203 cm long, 102 lb (46 kg), with a 170 kg user limit and electromagnetic drag that Hydrow says is close to silent. It stands upright with the optional Vertical Anchor. Classes need the Hydrow membership. Hydrow sells it in the US and UK.
Pros
- 170 kg user limit on a short frame
- Upright storage with an optional anchor
- 30-day home trial in the US and UK
Cons
- Only a 1-year warranty
- Workouts depend on a monthly membership
ProForm Carbon Pro10: best folding rower
If you searched for a folding rowing machine, this is the one pick that folds. It has 24 magnetic levels, a 10-inch touchscreen for iFIT and front wheels for moving it. It is 216.4 cm long when open and rated for users up to 113 kg, so check your weight against that figure first. ProForm sells it in the US, UK and Canada.
Pros
- Folds for storage
- 24 magnetic resistance levels
- Lowest list price of the smart picks
Cons
- 113 kg user limit
- Light 1.4 kg flywheel
Which is better: an air, water or magnetic rower?
Air and water rowers get harder the harder you pull, which suits interval training and matches club rowers. Magnetic rowers are quieter and let you lock a level, which suits flats and early-morning sessions. All three give the same rowing movement.
Is a water rower worth it?
If you want a rower that looks like furniture and stores upright, yes. The WaterRower Original is rated for 150 kg and costs a little more than a Concept2 in the UK and US. If you want the highest user limit or race-standard data, the Concept2 is the safer buy.
What is the best folding rowing machine?
Of the rowers we could verify, only the ProForm Carbon Pro10 folds. Its 113 kg user limit is low, so heavier users should look at the Concept2 (splits in two) or the WaterRower and Hydrow Wave (stand upright) instead.
How much space does a home rowing machine need?
The picks here are 203 cm to 244 cm long, and the Concept2 is 61 cm wide. Leave room to sit down at the back and step off at the side.
Do I need a subscription for a smart rower?
Not to row. NordicTrack says the RW900 and RW700 work at all 26 levels without a paid plan, but trainer-led auto-adjusting needs iFIT. Hydrow's classes need a paid monthly membership.
How we chose
We have not tested these rowers. We compared the makers' own specifications, user limits, warranties and list prices in each country, and kept only models the maker or a domestic retailer sells new in that market. Where a maker does not state a figure, such as a fold mechanism or a Canadian list price, we leave it out rather than guess.
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