I’ve logged hundreds of hours on the Hydrow Rower for over a year, along with my colleague and GH’s Fitness Director Stefani Sassos. We’ve both tested our fair share of rowers, but the Hydrow continues to stand out as one of the best rowing machines thanks to its high-quality build, great classes and instructors. But is it worth the high price point? Here I take you through everything you need to know about the Hydrow, including all of its special features and my in-depth thoughts on whether or not it’s worth the purchase.
Cons
- Significant investment
- Large footprint takes up considerable floor space
What is Hydrow?
Hydrow is a smart rowing machine with a large rotating HD touchscreen that allows you to view live or on-demand exercise classes led by world-class athletes.
The Hydrow Pro is the original model, but the brand also offers a more compact and affordable Hydrow Wave, as well as a luxury model called the Hydrow Vista. While the majority of the workouts focus on rowing, there are other types of fitness classes available on the machine or through the companion Hydrow app, including yoga, Pilates and strength training — all designed to complement your rowing workouts.
Sassos testing Hydrow in Hearst Tower.
How does Hydrow work?
Hydrow requires a monthly subscription to stream both its live and pre-recorded content, with a library of over 5,000 workouts. The instructor-guided routines are filmed in stunning destinations, including Miami, London, Scotland and more, which is unique when it comes to interactive at-home exercise equipment. You can also select “journeys,” which are unguided rowing workouts that allow you to go at your own pace.
How much does Hydrow cost?
At $2,195, the Hydrow Pro Rower is an investment. The cost of the machine includes free standard delivery and a one-year limited home-use warranty when purchased through Hydrow’s site. But the rower is also available on Amazon.
Aside from the initial cost, a Hydrow subscription of $44/month is also required. The good news is that only one paid membership per Hydrow is needed, so you can set up unlimited profiles for everyone in your household. This also gives you full access to Hydrow’s app.
How we tested Hydrow
In the Good Housekeeping Institute, our team of engineers, health experts and fitness professionals put the newest exercise innovations to the test. When evaluating smart fitness equipment, we look at factors related to ease of use, performance and value, including how easy the install and setup are, how intuitive the system is, the breadth and quality of exercise content and instructors, the ergonomics of the machine, the footprint and weight of the device and more.
To evaluate Hydrow, we surveyed over a dozen users and had them report back on their experience with the machine. Our lead testers from the GH Institute, including Sassos and myself, both used Hydrow machines several times a week for over a year before compiling this review. A few specific things we looked for include:
- Ease of use: We want the machine to be easy-to-use, and provide useful metrics such as pace, calories burned and heart rate.
- Design and build: We are looking for well-built machines that offer comfort without sacrificing stability and safety and that allow for fluid motion at various resistance levels and speeds.
- Functionality and performance: We want to ensure high-quality instructors and classes are available, including a breadth of options to suit whatever your need or workout mood.
During my own in-house experience, my husband and I both regularly used the rower. We have different workout philosophies and inclinations towards teachers and classes, but Hydrow served us both well.
Me and my Hydrow instructor, Nick.
In general, I leaned into master trainer Nick Karwoski’s classes. An affable storyteller, his rapport would often pleasantly distract me from the rigors of his workouts. My husband, on the other hand, preferred rows led by the motivational Mike Dostal and the positive and effervescent Aquil Abdullah. Overall, we both agreed Hydrow’s coaches offered a great balance of motivation and fun, as well as guidance on technique.
A group of Hydrow instructors.
In use, the machine itself was impressively quiet. After a few workouts, I got the hang of what all the on-screen stats meant, but thankfully each class started with a brief overview to remind me. For example, the screen provides you with your rhythm number/stroke rate, which is how many strokes you take per minute. I felt pretty confident in my form and general knowledge base after a few rides.
One feature I found myself using a lot was the ability to adjust the sound balance between the music and the instructor’s voice. In general, I preferred “more music” for increased personal motivation. And because the classes were so engaging and fun, and the video so immersive, I found myself motivated to get back on the machine, day after day.
Dimensions and Construction
Rowing machines are grouped by how they provide resistance, and Hydrow uses electromagnetic resistance to operate. One of the main benefits of electromagnetic rowers is that they are whisper-quiet when in use, but they generally don’t offer as realistic of an on-water experience as traditional air rowers. That’s not the case with Hydrow though. I found the experience to be so immersive — and the motion so fluid — that it really did feel like I was gliding on water.
Like most rowing machines, the Hydrow takes up a considerable amount of floor space when in use with a footprint of about 86 x 25 inches, so it’s important that you have ample space for the machine in your home. While the machine can be stored upright (it weighs 145 pounds but was fairly easy to maneuver on its own), I thankfully found a dedicated area to safely leave my rower out. It has a sleek look, so I was happy to leave it on display given that I had the space to do so.
The machine itself supports up to 375 pounds and fits up to a 36-inch inseam. I will say that between my 6’1″ husband and my more diminutive 5’3″ frame, I noticed he definitely had an unfair advantage with longer legs and arms. That said, I was able to achieve a faster rate in general and get in more bouts of recovery time than him. But to be competitive on the leaderboard, I had to be more efficient with my rowing than he did.
The 22-inch touchscreen mounted to the front of the machine features full HD resolution for sharp, clear picture quality. The machine also has built-in speakers, two USB ports and both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility. The handle is ergonomically designed for efficient and comfortable rowing, and there are rubber feet supports on the base legs for stability and floor protection.
Is Hydrow good for cardio?
Rowing is a tremendous full-body workout, with a host of health benefits. Sassos, who is also a NASM-certified personal trainer, says that rowing has been shown to engage over 85% of your muscles in a workout, providing a more whole-body experience than a treadmill or bike can do on their own. While many people think of rowing as an upper body exercise, you actually get the majority of your power from your legs and by engaging your core. Rowing not only builds muscle, bone density and stability, but it’s also a good low-impact cardio workout, engaging everything from your legs and back to your core and arms.
Hydrow Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy onboarding
- High-quality build
- Effective full-body workout
- Smooth motion from magnetic resistance
- Easy to navigate touch interface on large screen
- Robust library of live and on-demand classes, with a wide variety of teachers, locations and intensities
- High-quality scenic footage filmed on real bodies of water
- Useful live leaderboard (adapted to your ride if pre-recorded)
- Fun milestone rewards to celebrate achievements
- Unlimited profiles for a family
- Ability to adjust music-to-trainer audio levels
Cons
- Significant investment
- Large footprint takes up considerable floor space
The bottom line: Is Hydrow worth the price?
If you’re looking for a great full-body workout from the comfort of your home and you’re able to accommodate the high price tag, the Hydrow is definitely worth it. After over a year of testing, I’ve become a big fan of the Hydrow, but whether it makes sense for you depends upon your available space and budget, and where the convenience and workout benefits stack up for you. Keep in mind that you get unlimited profiles per machine, so if you have family members who plan to use the rower it could be well worth it. Ultimately the convenience, top-notch instructors and quality build won us over in our tests.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
This story was originally written by Rachel Rothman, former chief technologist and head engineer for the Good Housekeeping Institute. An Equinox-certified Pilates mat instructor and avid athlete, Rachel has experience testing a multitude of fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, smart fitness mirrors and smart watches.
Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., NASM-CPT also contributed to this article, having worked in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-certified personal trainer, she uses her expertise and exercise science knowledge to create informed fitness content for Good Housekeeping. From vigorously testing exercise equipment to curating workout plans for GH readers, Stefani is passionate about leading an active lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same.
Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH’s research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.
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