Premium PickRank #3 in Rowing Machines
Hydrow Origin
by Hydrow
Score
The premium guided experience. Magnetic resistance, 22" HD touchscreen, filmed-on-water workouts. Worth it if you'll use the classes — the content is the product.
Strengths
- ↑Live Classes
- ↑Smooth Stroke
- ↑Display Quality
Weaknesses
- ↓Subscription Required
- ↓Price Point
Buyer sentiment
Based on 25 user mentionsBuyers praise Live Classes and Smooth Stroke. Some flag Subscription Required.
Verdict: The best filmed-on-water rowing content experience — and the wrong purchase for anyone training for actual rowing.
Specs that matter
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Screen | 22-in HD touchscreen |
| Resistance | Computer-controlled magnetic |
| Dimensions | 86 x 25 in (folds to ~33 x 25 vertical) |
| Subscription | $50/month, per Hydrow (functionally required) |
What you get
- Category-leading content — filmed-on-water classes led by Olympians and national-team rowers
- High-end hardware — smooth, quiet magnetic drag and excellent screen
- GymKit + HR — Apple GymKit support and Bluetooth strap pairing
What you give up
- No PM5-grade data — no Concept2-compatible splits/watts, no first-class Zwift/ErgZone export
- Subscription dependency — without it the screen is non-functional
Buy it if you're a class-driven exerciser or lapsed studio rower. Skip it if you're a competitive rower or CrossFit athlete needing PM5 data.
USRowing training documentation universally references Concept2 splits as the standard — the Hydrow's native metrics may not align with a coach's plan.
Full specs
- Resistance Type
- Magnetic
- Display
- 22" HD touchscreen
- Membership
- $50/mo
Full buying guide
Best Rowing Machines for Home Use in 2026
Read the full ranking →Other rowing machines we rate
Ranked alternatives from the same category, with our score and the current price.
The default answer for 40+ years. PM5 monitor, air resistance, 20-year service life. The only rower you see in every CrossFit box, college crew, and Olympic training center.
The rower your designer friend will approve of. Real water tank, ash wood frame, genuinely stunning. Stroke feel is smoother than air, tracking is less precise than Concept2.
Every other rower ranked here is a four-figure machine, which left the category with nothing to point a first-time buyer at. This is that machine: a dual-rail magnetic rower with sixteen resistance levels, a 45.7-inch slide rail and a 300 lb frame rating, at roughly a fifth of what the top of this page costs. Magnetic resistance does not load harder the faster you pull, so it will never feel like a RowErg and it cannot give you a comparable split — but it is quiet enough for an apartment, it stores on end, and the stroke is smooth. Treat it as the honest entry point, not as a cheaper Concept2.
Game-ified rowing with a water-resistance base. Workouts feel like boat races against AI opponents. Fun for people who hate structured classes.
NordicTrack RW900
The class-driven rower for the iFIT ecosystem. 22" rotating touchscreen, magnetic + air resistance, trainer-controlled drag. The Hydrow alternative if you already pay for iFIT.