Rowing Machines · Buying Guide
Best Water Rowing Machines
Water rowers give the most natural feel of any machine, a smooth, progressive catch and a soft swooshing sound that many people find genuinely calming. Here are the best water rowing machines in the UK, ranked on FitRank, from the handcrafted WaterRower to an affordable fold-away, with real specs and honest notes.
Water resistance works by turning a paddle through a tank of water, so the faster and harder you pull, the greater the resistance, exactly like moving a boat through water. That gives water rowers a smooth, dynamic feel that responds to your effort automatically, and the gentle swoosh of the tank is a big part of their appeal. They also tend to be the best-looking rowers, often built from wood, so they double as furniture in a way a fan-driven air rower never will.
The trade-offs are price and weight. Water rowers usually cost more than magnetic machines, and once the tank is filled they are heavier to move, though most stand upright for storage and roll on transport wheels. We have compared the water rowers worth buying in the UK, from £350 to £1,199, and ranked them on FitRank, our editorial score out of 5 that weighs performance, build, value and features against each machine’s price and rivals.
The quick list
- Best overall · WaterRower Original Series · FitRank 4.5 · £1,199
- Best for connectivity · adidas R-21 Water Rower · FitRank 4.2 · £699
- Best value · Xterra ERG600W Water · FitRank 4.1 · £499
- Best budget and most compact · MERACH Foldable Wood Water Rower · FitRank 3.8 · £349.99
WaterRower Original Series
The WaterRower Original is the machine that defined the category, a handcrafted wooden frame with a water tank and flywheel that gives the smooth, swooshing catch water rowers are loved for. It is the official water rower of British Rowing, and it is as much a piece of furniture as a rower, which matters when it has to live in a room you actually use. It stands upright for storage, taking up little more space than a chair, and the water stays safely in the tank.
It is a serious machine as well as a handsome one. The S4 Bluetooth performance monitor tracks pace, split times per 500m and 2km, power in watts, stroke rate and calories, with 17 programmes and connection to the WaterRower Connect and City Row apps. The dual wooden rails support users up to 315kg, the highest capacity here by a wide margin. It starts at £1,199 across four wood finishes, so it is a considered purchase, but it is the benchmark every other water rower is measured against.
Best for Buyers who want the definitive water-rowing feel and a machine that looks good on display.
Watch-out The premium price, and the S4 monitor is capable but plainer than the touchscreens on smart rowers.
adidas R-21 Water Rower
The adidas R-21 brings the natural feel of water resistance together with the connectivity most water rowers lack. It offers seven levels of water resistance, set by how much water is in the tank, and pairs over Bluetooth with Kinomap for scenic routes, challenges and multiplayer sessions, with a 60-day Kinomap trial included. A chest strap and a built-in tablet holder come in the box, so you are set up for guided or entertained rowing from day one.
The adjustable LCD console shows speed, time, distance, calories, stroke rate, heart rate and 500m splits across four programmes. It takes users up to 150kg, measures 215 by 57cm on the floor and carries a two-year guarantee. At £699, down from £1,000, it is the pick if you want the water-rowing feel with app connectivity built in rather than bolted on.
Best for Rowers who want the water feel plus Kinomap connectivity and a chest strap included.
Watch-out A lower 150kg user limit than the WaterRower, and the four programmes are fairly basic.
Xterra ERG600W Water
The Xterra ERG600W delivers the same smooth water catch as machines twice its price. Its horizontal tank uses 16 impeller blades to mimic the pull of a boat through water, with six resistance levels set by the water volume, on a solid steel frame and a smooth dual aluminium rail. A 4.8-star retailer rating and a well-regarded build make it the value benchmark among water rowers.
The adjustable 5.5-inch LCD covers time, 500m splits, calories, distance, stroke rate and more across six programmes plus a recovery mode, with an optional heart-rate chest strap. The seat sits at a comfortable 13.5 inches to make getting on and off easy, and the whole thing folds with transport wheels for storage. It takes users up to 136kg, and the EXTRA20 code brings the £499 price down further at the time of writing.
Best for Anyone who wants the genuine water-rowing feel at the lowest sensible price.
Watch-out More functional in look and finish than the wooden WaterRower, and a 136kg user limit.
MERACH Foldable Wood Water Rower
The MERACH wood water rower is the affordable way into water rowing, and the cleverest at solving storage. It pairs a solid wood frame with a 14-litre water tank for the progressive, speed-scaling resistance water rowers are known for, then folds 180 degrees, one-handed, with wheels on the base so it moves and stores like a large suitcase. The aerospace-grade tank seal is designed to stay leak-free even stored upright.
It has six water-resistance levels, a built-in LCD monitor showing time, distance, strokes and calories, and Bluetooth for the MERACH and Kinomap apps with a tablet holder fitted. Its 180kg capacity is higher than either the adidas or the Xterra, impressive at the price. At around £350 on Amazon it is comfortably the cheapest water rower here, accepting a budget-brand build and simpler finish.
Best for The lowest-cost route into water rowing, and small homes needing a genuine fold-away.
Watch-out A budget-brand build, and as an Amazon-sold machine, warranty and support differ from the specialist retailers.
The four compared
| # | Rower | Max user | Price | FitRank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WaterRower Original Series | 315kg | £1,199 | 4.5 |
| 2 | adidas R-21 Water Rower | 150kg | £699 | 4.2 |
| 3 | Xterra ERG600W Water | 136kg | £499 | 4.1 |
| 4 | MERACH Foldable Wood Water Rower | 180kg | £349.99 | 3.8 |
How water resistance works
A water rower has a paddle, or impeller, sitting in a sealed tank of water. As you pull the handle the paddle spins and has to push the water out of its way, and the faster you row the harder that becomes, so resistance rises and falls with your effort automatically. There are no motors and nothing to wear out in the resistance itself, which is part of why water rowers are so durable.
Most water rowers also let you set a base resistance by changing the amount of water in the tank, more water gives a heavier catch, less gives a lighter one. On the machines here that ranges from six levels on the Xterra and MERACH to seven on the adidas. The WaterRower works slightly differently, with resistance dictated mainly by how hard you pull, which is why it feels so natural. Either way, the defining quality of a water rower is that it responds to you rather than the other way round.
Who a water rower suits
Water rowers suit people who want rowing to feel and sound as close to the real thing as possible, and who value a machine that looks good enough to leave out. The smooth, self-scaling resistance is forgiving for beginners and satisfying for stronger rowers, and the calming water sound makes steady sessions more pleasant than the drone of a fan. If your rower has to live in a lounge rather than a garage, a wooden water rower is the one people are happiest to see in the room.
They are less ideal if you need the very quietest machine, since the moving water does make a noticeable sound, or if budget is tight, though the MERACH here shows water rowing can be done affordably. For the lowest-noise, most compact option, a magnetic folding rower is worth considering instead, and our folding rowing machines guide covers those.
How to choose a water rower
Wood or steel
Wooden water rowers like the WaterRower and MERACH look the part and absorb sound and vibration well, doubling as furniture. Steel-framed machines like the Xterra are more functional in appearance but sturdy and often better value. Choose on where the machine will live and how much its looks matter to you.
Check the user weight limit
This varies a lot here, from 136kg on the Xterra and 150kg on the adidas up to 180kg on the MERACH and a huge 315kg on the WaterRower. Check the figure against your own weight, since it is the specification most often overlooked and the one that matters most for safety and longevity.
Decide if you want connectivity
If following scenic routes or app workouts appeals, the adidas R-21 has Bluetooth and Kinomap built in with a chest strap included, and the MERACH connects to its own app. The WaterRower connects through its S4 monitor to the WaterRower Connect and City Row apps. If you just want to row, any of them will simply row.
Think about storage
Every rower here stands or folds for storage, but they differ. The wooden WaterRower stands upright taking up about the space of a chair, while the MERACH folds flat one-handed and wheels away like a suitcase. Measure your space and be honest about how often you will move it.
How we chose these rowers
Every machine here is scored on FitRank, our editorial rating out of 5 that weighs performance, build, value and features against each rower’s price and rivals. We do not rank by commission, and the order follows the scores. Our assessments draw on published specifications, resistance systems, pricing and independent owner and reviewer feedback rather than a single showroom session, and we would rather be honest about a machine’s limits than oversell it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best water rowing machine?
Are water rowing machines better than air or magnetic?
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Are cheap water rowing machines any good?
Not sure water is right for you? Compare the best air rowing machines and the best folding rowing machines, or see the full picture in our best home rowing machines guide. On a budget? Try the best cheap rowing machines.
Chris writes the home fitness reviews across our sites, including our sister site HomeTreadmill.co.uk. He compares every machine against its rivals on UK pricing and specs, and scores each one with FitRank.
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