Hydrow
Source: Hydrow

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

I'm all about connected fitness.

I've got my eye on any and every connected fitness machine that hits the market. Virtual fitness is the wave of the future, and I love that the fitness industry has taken a digital turn with no sign of slowing down.

I started rowing when I experienced first hand what an incredible total body workout it is. One 30-minute row can burn up to 350 calories and uses 86% of your body's muscles, and I am here for that.

I'm usually pressed for time. Short, high-intensity workouts are my jam, which is why I decided to take Hydrow Rower for a ride.

Let me tell you… it was love at first row.

I've been rowing on Hydrow Rower every day for the past month, and I've got to say — I'm hooked. Hydrow Rower has turned me into a lean, mean, rowing machine, and it'll do the same to you.

Best High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower Render

Hydrow Rower

Sleek, User-Friendly, Effective

Row through scenic locales all over the world on this sleek, connected fitness rower.

Smaller High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower

Hydrow Wave Rower

Smaller Footprint; Same In-App Experience

The right choice if you're looking for the best connected rower for smaller spaces.

Hydrow Lifestyle
Source: Hydrow

This is why I'm recommending Hydrow Rower to all my friends…

First of all — this is not your average rower. Hydrow Rower is an elevated rowing experience. Created by U.S. National Team coach, Bruce Smith, it provides a high-tech, ultra-luxe, authentic, ride like no other rowing machine I've tried.

Hydrow Rower is an elevated rowing experience like no other rower on the market.

Aesthetically, it boasts a sleek design that's ergonomic, and looks great in my home. When you sit down on Hydrow Rower, you'll immediately notice the plush seat cushion and ultra smooth 10-roller system. It glides like butter and the pattented electromagnetic resistance gives you that true on-the-water feel.

Adjustable foot beds ensure you've got the right customized fit, and did I mention Hydrow Rower is virtually silent? It's extremely quiet when in use. A far cry from what I'm used to with the water and air resistance on most rowers.

It's got a swiveling 22-inch touchscreen where you can access all of Hydrow's classes. This touchscreen rotates 25-degrees in both directions so you can make seamless transitions from the rower to the floor.

Hydrow Rower is powered by Hydrow's All-Access Membership, which is a monthly subscription that the whole family can enjoy. Members have access to thousands of live and on-demand classes in:

  • Rowing
  • Strength
  • Pilates
  • Yoga
  • Circuit Training
Hydro Live Outdoor Realty
Source: Hydrow

My hands-down favorite classes on Hydrow Rower, are the Live Outdoor Reality experiences. This is where you get to row through exotic waterways around the world. Think — rowing through London on the River Thames, through the wilds of Alaska next to seals, whales, and glaciers, and next to the picturesque Alps on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

What I Love About Hydrow Rower

  • Aesthetic & Design It's got a sleek aesthetic and ergonomic design. It looks great and is low-profile enough to work in any room of my home.
  • Build Quality The build quality and material selection are solid. It's got an aluminum and steel frame, with a flat polymer body.
  • Functionality Hydrow Rower features adjustable foot beds, a super smooth seat glide, easy-to-use touchscreen, and seamless connectivity.
  • Storage You can store Hydrow Rower vertically with the Hydrow Upright Storage Kit. This enables you to store Hydrow Rower safely.

You'll probably get a little sticker shock when you see Hydrow's pricing, but when it comes to the ultimate in high-tech fitness — Hydrow Rower is giving! If you can expense it, Hydrow Rower is worth investing in.

Hydrow does offer a 30-day risk-free trial to new members

Hydrow does offer new members the opportunity to try the Hydrow Rower risk-free for 30 days when purchased directly from the Hydrow website.

If you are a new member, and eligible for Hydrow's home trial, you can try Hydrow Rower and any accessories purchased with it for up to 30 days after your delivery. If you're not satisfied with your Hydrow, all you have to do is contact Hydrow Member Services within 30 days of delivery, and they'll arrange a free pickup for your rower and also provide a return shipping label for any accessories purchased at the same time.

Two rowers; same in-app exprience.

Hydrow makes two different rowing machines: Hydrow Rower and Hydrow Wave Rower. Hydrow Rower boasts a slightly larger footprint at 86"L x 25"W x 47"H, with a touchscreen measuring 22-inches. Hydrow Wave Rower's footprint measures 80"L x 19"W x 43"H, and touchscreen measures 16-inches. Two different sizes; same in-app exprience.

Plus, once you become a Hydrow All-Access Member, you can take your Hydrow classes on the go and access them anywhere on your smartphone or tablet.

Hydrow
Source: Hydrow

Bottom line

Hydrow Rower is the best rower I've ever had the pleasure of using. It looks great, feels better, and provides the convenient, high-intensity workouts I need in an in-home connected fitness machine. My entire family can use the same Hydrow All-Access Membership, and there's nothing like Hydrow's Live Outdoor Reality experiences and water-mimicking resistance, it's the closest feeling you're going to get to being on the water in those scenic locales all over the globe. This rower has turned me into a rowing machine, and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

4.5 / 5

Nicolette Roux
The Journey Freelance Writer

Best High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower Render

Hydrow Rower

Sleek, User-Friendly, Effective

Row through scenic locales all over the world on this sleek, connected fitness rower.

Smaller High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower

Hydrow Wave Rower

Smaller Footprint; Same In-App Experience

The right choice if you're looking for the best connected rower for smaller spaces.

SHOP ALL HYDROW ROWERS FOR YOURSELF

7 Comments

Reviews

KerryKerryB

Fri Mar 17, 2023

5 / 5

The machine itself seems perfect. It's "on display" in my home but I don't mind because of the beautiful design. It's simple and just works. Setup was surprisingly easy. I was able to do almost all of it on my own. Beware that it comes in a VERY large cardboard box with a lot of interior stabilization (mostly made of recyclable corrugated, which pleased me.) Of couse, without the subscription to the video workouts it's just a boring rower, but the videos are just fantastic. You can do workouts with trainers or just virtually rowing beautiful waterways. You forget that you're on a machine. I actually look forward to working out and I feel like I get a really good workout without being sore. If I had one request it would be to redesign the upright storage so it is easier to do. I thought I'd be able to fold it up before and after workouts, but in reality it's a two person job, so that's only going to happen when company is coming. If you're thinking about a Hydrow, do it. You won't regret it.

TGD65

Thu Jan 5, 2023

5 / 5

Big fan!!

I have had the Hydrow for a little over a month and I have to say I am really impressed. The rower is very nice, sturdy and the screen is impressive. Additionally, the instructors are awesome, starting you with instructional videos, boot camps to build your endurance and then a plethora of choices after that. As far as the workout goes, I have never been a big rower at the gym so I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Well, I feel as though I am getting a full body workout combining some serious cardio, at least for me. I have been happy with this purchase and love the workout, the instructors and the way I feel after the workout.

jjhalle

Wed Mar 3, 2021

5 / 5

Just what we needed.

Bought this after reviewing several alternatives (like Peloton) because we can't go to the gym any more and, at my age (72) you use it or lose it. So far it has exceeded my expectations in every respect. Customer support has been excellent both before and after purchase. They even called me back, after I had figured out something and hung up, just to see if they could help. The product itself is of very high quality. Much better than the gym rowers. Picked up at the store where the box (just barely) fit in my Explorer and got it home and on the garage floor by myself. My wife and I managed to move the main unit inside with very little problem. Assembly was stunningly simple: bolt on the front legs, attach the screen, plug in the screen and the machine and it's done. After you connect the computer to your internet source, it does an update and then leads you through an intuitive setup including subscribing for the a/v feed. The machine really does give you a full body workout that you can feel for hours afterward but in a good way -- not like you got run over by a truck but like your muscles are telling you that they got a workout (and maybe thanking you.) I was ambivalent about the videos but, after three days, I am really beginning to like them. You can just do whatever the instructor is doing, which gives you a predetermined workout and there are thousands to select from, or you can listen to what s/he is saying and get into it. There is a data window where you can see how others are doing and something about who they are so you don't need to feel bad about not doing as well as some 20-year-old. It really does help to keep you focused and eliminate the boredom. And, of course, you can just watch the beautiful scenery, which you can actually see in front of you in most views, an advantage over real rowing where you are always going backward. This product is just exactly what I hoped it would be and then some.

BlackElk

Fri Nov 18, 2022

5 / 5

One of the best decisions of my life!

This is by far the most engaging and invigorating exercise machine I have ever used. Like their claims it makes you feel great after a session!!!!!! Great no impact exercise highly recommend for anyone looking to give themselves 10-20 minutes to feel better. Will strengthen you and help lose weight, any goal that you may have in exercising. The trainers are absolutely great and will help you at all levels. And this machine will challenge you if that is what you want as well, otherwise take it at your own pace. The monthly subscription is pricey, but you will get what you pay for and more, because the amazing crew they have for you, and you can choose who feel is best suited for you and how much you want to challenge yourself is all up to you. And, trust, when I say that you will set goals for yourself!

Kamivanous

Tue Sep 6, 2022

5 / 5

Worth every penny.

Our entire family — including our grade school aged children — love this machine! It's such a fun and low impact way to get an amazing full body workout that uses 86% of your muscles. The monthly Hydrow subscription with on demand rowing, on the mat yoga workouts and the ability to join in on live rows in real time keeps us all excited to work out and motivated to keep earning rewards and reaching goals. The online Hydrow community on Facebook is another wonderful bonus. It's filled with the most uplifting, encouraging and helpful people around. I really can't say enough great things about all things Hydrow. Make the investment in yourself and your health. You won't regret it.

Blaise

Sun Apr 17, 2022

5 / 5

Love the Hydrow and would buy again!

I love the Hydrow. It's a great full body workout that provides the ability to get a cardio and some strength training all in one. The instructors are all amazing and make the workouts fun and fly-by. It's enjoyable enough that I now workout 5+ days a week, which was the goal for buying it. They have over 4000 workouts, including non-rowing oriented ones for strength, flexibility, and Yoga. All in all a nice well rounded machine and service.

CVS1

Sun Oct 10, 2021

5 / 5

Simply fantastic and well worth the price.

2 days is not much time to evaluate any new purchase but already I can see the attention to detail the hydrow team put into this product. Everything simply feels right. The set up out of the box was almost too easy and logging in, establishing an account, and then adding profiles was very intuitive. I was concerned about leaving the machine on as recommended as I didn't want the light from the monitor shining all night and once again I discovered their attention to detail, it shuts off automatically. Better yet it returns with just a tap of the screen. The unit is frankly almost a work of art and while we have it in our gym off the master it could be in any public space. More than just a pretty face however the unit is very smooth and stable for a big guy like me, and the step by step approach to the training videos and the coaches really adds value and quality to the product. Even the auto tracker that knows which session is next for each user is a perfectly designed feature. I was hesitant to add yet another subscription to our home but after just a couple of days I can easily understand why. It's very much like having your own private trailer sitting there right in front of you providing input and encouragement. Add to this the simplicity of matching the rowing movements and then add in the scenery it makes this all come together. I think this team has a monster product on its hands, really can't believe they have reached this level of quality In all areas in their first year. I'm looking forward to making this journey together.

Reviews sourced from verified Hydrow customers.

Best High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower Render

Hydrow Rower

Sleek, User-Friendly, Effective

Row through scenic locales all over the world on this sleek, connected fitness rower.

Smaller High-Tech Rower

Hydrow Rower

Hydrow Wave Rower

Smaller Footprint; Same In-App Experience

The right choice if you're looking for the best connected rower for smaller spaces.

Read more