WaterRower Cherry Rowing Machine with S4 BLE Monitor | USA Made Water Rower | Original Handcrafted Erg Row Machine for Home Use & Gym

I’m a rower and I competed professionally. The stroke is great for a machine, with good catch and very nice feelings. Design is really home-friendly and the noise is minimal. My daughters sleep through it. Only “catch”? compared to the athlete’s standard (which i’m not naming) the speed is a bit of a cheat.. meaning: on the screen numbers are better than they should be. But tbh every company has a different standard, so I’m not sure who is right. Regardless Good for the morale!!

I love this rower...it’s beautiful enough to put in my bedroom where I use it most mornings and evenings. The gentle whoosh of the water is very relaxing yet the workout is rigorous. It’s incredibly well made and very easy to put together. I recommend getting the risers to make it easier to get on and off.

I’ve owned two of these and have built and rebuilt them. The first one was purchased from a divorcee selling their ex’s unit – it was completely disassembled, including all pulleys, etc… everything was in a box except the boards. I had to figure it all out like some giant puzzle. Quite the introduction, but I actually enjoy challenges like this, and it served to teach me a lot about the rower.That knowledge came in handy, as the tank on both of my used rowers had cracked at the tank opening on top before I bought them. They were still operable, but eventually the cracks got worse and water leaked a bit when the rower was stored upright. The company sells a tank re-glue kit as well as replacement tanks. I wasn’t about to buy a complete tank (it cost almost what I paid for the rowers), and the new ones use plastic paddles in the tank – I much prefer old the metal ones, but that’s just me… the plastic ones are probably fine.I repaired the tank instead, using polycarbonate plastic from Home Depot, a jig saw, and 3M marine adhesive. The repair has held up wonderfully, and it actually looks better in my opinion (the black adhesive matches the overall look… see the pic).The tank seal kit from WaterRower works, but is a bit tricky… you have to cut the existing seal (it’s rubbery) with a box cutter, remove all the old seal, and carefully inject the new seal material, which takes a bit of care and patience. When done carefully, it looks and works great.So if you’re getting the impression that these machines take a certain amount of care and technical skill to maintain, that’s somewhat true. But keep in mind that I bought old units that were already in disrepair… if you buy a new unit and treat it well, you’ll likely not need to worry. These machines are truly built well.The best aspect of the device is that is is MUCH quieter than others, especially the chain-driven Concept II machines. The sound is a whooshing of water that is pleasant and much more appropriate for a rower. The worst aspect of the device is the electronic feedback, especially for older machines (mine are model III), but even for newer ones. There is a hardware modification available called SmartRow that replaces the old sensor apparatus with a new one that sends Bluetooth signals to your phone or tablet for use with their app (which doesn’t use your personal data like many rowing apps). This is much better, but still less than what other systems offer. I’m a simple guy, so the basic electronics work for me. I have mine set to count down a given distance while monitoring average meters per second and elapsed time I really don’t care if it’s accurate – it’s just feedback that I use to push myself.In the end, it’s the rowing that matters most. Rowing indoors is pretty boring, and requires an effort and dedication that is greater than biking or walking/running on a treadmill. But it’s a fantastic exercise for the entire body (arguably the best), and if you focus on proper technique and set your own goals, you’ll be fine. As for the boredom, get a TV or an iPad and watch some comedy, sports, music videos, anything that’s lively and not too interesting – your focus needs to be on your form.There are a lot of used rowers available because most of us don’t have the dedication to work at something like this. If you have the dedication, you’ll be greatly rewarded – the best fitness I’ve ever achieved involved regular rowing sessions – it really does work your entire body in a fantastic way, and is great for your heart. If you stick with it, you’ll lose weight, gain strength and endurance, and honestly feel 10 years younger… I certainly did.The WaterRower is my choice for home use, despite some drawbacks. I’ve used Concept machines at the gym and haven’t enjoyed them nearly as much as the WaterRower at home. It can be a bit mechanically fussy, but so can all rowers (the Concept II machines at my local gym are often malfunctioning or out of order entirely). If mine were to break beyond repair (they’re both about 15 years old with heavy usage), I would not hesitate to buy another one – I think there’s nothing better for indoor rowing at home.