What Are The Best Smart Rowers?
Rowing is a home exercise that is growing in popularity across the world. The low impact and multiple intensity training options of rowing provide a workout to 86% of the body, making indoor rowers one the best home exercises available, so increasingly, manufacturers have been harnessing smart technology to enhance the home rowing experience. What are the best smart rowers on the market?The best smart rowers in 2020 are the Ergatta, the Hyrow, the Echelon, and the NordicTrack RW900. Concept2 also ranks in the best five for its durability and solid design. Top smart rowers blend design and technology to provide Bluetooth enabled connectivity and interactive training benefits.If you need a full-body workout that accommodates all fitness levels, smart rowers should be the first on your list. Rowers improve cardiovascular health, burn calories, and are compact enough to store at home. If you seek the best smart rowers on the market, read on for our top 5 choices to help you decide.
What Is a Smart Rower?
A smart rower is a rowing machine that offers sophisticated training tracking through digital displays and Bluetooth enabled connectivity. Smart rowers enhance the rowing experience by bringing the interactive gym experience into your home, with on-demand training, competition, and streaming locations from around the world. The biggest drawback of home exercise tends to be a lack of motivation and the stimulation of interacting with others in a competitive or engaging setting. Smart rowers provide inspiration and engagement in real-time classes and interactive training sessions.
What Are the Benefits of a Smart Rower?
According to the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA), Smart rowers are a great full-body workout and engage over 86% of the body’s muscles in both the upper and lower body. Not only are they a great form of exercise, but they also offer:
- Rowing provides low impact, high-intensity training for all levels of fitness with less stress on joints associated with stationary bikes or ellipticals
- Rowers improve and strengthen users cardiovascular system and strengthen the heart and lungs
- Harvard Health reports that rowing is a great way to lose weight, with a 155lbs user burning 316 calories in only half an hour.
The Ergatta WaterRower
Ergatta is a Brooklyn-based startup that has taken the indoor rowing industry by storm with its unique blend of aesthetic design and advanced technology. The Ergatta rower is made of burnished American Cherry wood with compact dimensions that fit easily into any home. The rower has built-in wheels that make it easy to move from room to room and folds up neatly into a typical barstool’s dimensions.The 17.3″ Android-powered touch screen offers an impressive 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution and is fully Bluetooth enabled for wifi and heart rate monitors. Instead of magnetic resistance, the Ergatta uses the organic resistance of water to provide a natural and powerful rowing action that reduces stress on the back and joints.The Ergatta uses its own internally calibrated gaming style workouts that are quite unlike the app or virtual- class-style workouts on the market. They make use of a gaming-style content experience that adapts to your skill level and capabilities and adapts the virtual training and resistance to fit your specific needs.The rower has a deceptively low weight of 103lbs (46.7kgs) with a full water tank and 76.5lbs (34.6kgs) empty for its impressive capacity. The Ergatta rower can accommodate up to 500lbs (226kgs) and user heights of up to 6’8 (207cm), making it one of the highest user capacities in the niche.
Specs
Dimensions 86’’ x 23’’ x 40’’Folded Dimensions86” x 23” x 22.5”ProgramsPush programs, interval workouts, race workouts, and open rowDisplay17.3’’ Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolutionMaterialCherry woodWarranty5 yearsUser Capacity 500lbs, 6’8”Weight 103lbs (with water), 76.5lbs (without water)
The Hydrow Connected Rower
The Hydrow rower is a stylish and compact rower that uses a responsive computer-controlled resistance to deliver a smooth yet powerful workout. The sleek frame is made of durable aluminum and steel with an anthracite polymer body. The extra-wide 22″ HD touchscreen allows users to properly immerse themselves in the Hdrow world of interactive virtual classes, on-demand routines, and all body integrated exercise options.With pulse monitoring and full wifi integration, Hdrow allows users to compete and rank with other users worldwide using the Hydrow rowers. The Hydrow stores neatly by an easy folding system that takes up only 25″W x 33″D x 86″H (but sells the storage kit separately.) The whisper-quiet technology makes the workouts noise-free and perfect for those with shared accommodation.
Specs
Dimensions86″L x 25″W x 47″H (2.18m x 63.5cm x 119.38cm)Dimensions Folded25″W x 33″D x 86″H (63.5 x 83.82cm x 2.18m)Display22” Full HD Material145lbs (65.7kgs)User capacity375lbs (170kg)Weight145lbs (65.7kgs)Resistance Dynamic computer controlled drag resistancePrice $2,245.00 See Website for Price Changes
Echelon Smart Rower Machine
The Echelon Smart Rower is a competitively priced high-quality rower with 32 levels of magnetic resistance in a stylish and portable home rower. The Echelon smart rower offers cutting edge technology and integrated fitness options of on-demand classes and virtual training via your own tablet. The Smart rower offers handlebar resistance access and a 180° pivot tablet holder to accommodate floor training options. The aluminum and steel construction is sturdy and easily movable on built-in wheels and foldable to take up less space. The monthly subscription gives users access to a host of interactive on-demand workouts with scenic rows from across the globe.Their daily live and on-demand training are growing by leaps and bounds and incorporate professional trainers for all fitness levels. Subscriptions are a must to make the most of the Echelon features, and they range from $46 a month on a yearly package.
Specs
Dimensions83.5″ L x 20.5″ W x 41.75″ H(2.12m x 50.8cm x 1.06m)Folded dimensions 39.5″ L x 20.5″ W x 60.25″ H (1m x 52cm x 1.53m)Resistance32 level magnetic resistanceUser capacity300lbs (136kgs)ConnectivityBluetooth, WiFiMaterials Aluminum and steelPrice $1039.98 (See Website for price changes)
NordicTrack’s RW900 Rower
The NordicTrack name has built a reputation in the home fitness niche, and the RW900 is another highly rated product. The RW900 offers dual silent magnetic resistance with both air and magnetic resistance options to extend your fitness range. The 22″ HD touchscreen streams on-demand coaching and integrates watercourses from locations around the world.Along with the iFit real-time integrated training options, the RW900 offers 30 built-in programs and over 12,000 choices for your individualized iFit options. The unit comes with two digital speakers and an auxiliary music port to integrate your favorite tunes. The RW900 comes with a full-year iFit membership, which further enhances the competitive edge of the RW900 price.
Specs
Dimensions50.4” H x 22” W x 86.5” LDisplay 22 inch HD Display TouchscreenResistanceDual Air and magnetic resistanceConnectivityiFit integrated on Subscription (1 year free)User Capacity250lbs (113kgs)Price $1599,00 (Check Website for Changes)Warranty10 Year frame Warranty, 2Year parts, 1 Year Labor.
Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine
The Concept2 rower has a long track record of excellence by amateurs and professionals alike since 1981. The durability and solid design make the Concept2 a real contender in the home rower niche. Although the Model D does not have many modern favorites’ bells and whistles, their air resistance-based rowing machines are certainly one of the best on the market. The sturdy steel and aluminum construction can hold up an impressive 500lbs and is built to last. The PM5 monitor offers Bluetooth and wireless connectivity and fits most heart rate belts, fitness accessories, and apps. The Concept2 ErgData allows you to track your workouts and sync with their Online Logbook. The Concept2 Slide is sold separately and allows the option of a more organic ‘water feel’ and will enable users to connect with multiple Model Cs, ds, and Es for team training.
Specs
Dimensions8 ft x 2 ft (244 cm x 61 cm) Folded Dimensions25 in x 33 in x 54 in (63.5 cm x 83.8 cm x 137.2 cm).ResistanceAir resistanceDisplayPM5 Monitor LCDUser Capacity500lb userMaterialsAluminum and SteelWeight 57 lb (26 kg)Price$1536.49 (Check Website for Price Changes)
Conclusion
Smart rowers take much of the tedium out of home exercise by offering the stimulation of interactive online technology. On-demand coaching and the motivation of remote location-based training have increased the engagement of home rowers, making exercise fun as well as productive. We hope you have found the option that suits you best and wish you hours of fun while rowing the smart way to better health.