Buying guide
Best Water Rowers
The best water-resistance rowing machines for the most realistic on-the-water feel, complete with the signature swoosh of the spinning paddle, at every price point.
Water rowers chase one thing above all: the feeling of actually rowing a boat. A paddle spins inside a tank of water, and because moving water is what resists your pull, the stroke loads up exactly the way an oar does against a river. Pull harder and the resistance scales with you; settle into a steady rhythm and it smooths out. Many rowers find this the most natural and forgiving stroke of any machine type.
Then there is the swoosh. The sound of the paddle churning the tank is the water rower’s signature, and unlike the roar of an air fan it tends to be soothing — a soft, rhythmic wash that many people row to instead of music. You can fine-tune the overall resistance by adding or removing water from the tank, but unlike a magnetic dial there are no instant micro-adjustments mid-stroke.
The practical trade-offs are weight and length: a filled tank is heavy and these machines are long, though most stand on end for storage. If you want the most realistic, sensory rowing experience and you value the look and sound as much as the workout, a water rower is the pick.
- 1 Best Overall$1,495
WaterRower Natural (Ash)
WaterRower
The Natural pairs a hand-finished ash frame with the original water-flywheel design, and the result is the closest thing to pulling a real shell that you can keep indoors. Resistance scales with your effort and the paddle's swoosh is genuinely calming rather than distracting. It stores upright on its end, so the footprint is smaller than its length suggests.
- 2 Best Premium$1,795
WaterRower Classic (Black Walnut)
WaterRower
The Classic is the same proven water mechanism wrapped in darker black walnut, and it looks more like furniture than gym equipment. The stroke is smooth, quiet apart from the water, and built to last decades with minimal upkeep. If the rower will live in a visible room and you want the premium finish, this is the one to own.
- 3 Best Value$549
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5713 Water Rowing Machine
Sunny Health & Fitness
The SF-RW5713 brings real water resistance and that signature swoosh at a fraction of the price of the boutique brands. The frame and seat are not as refined and it lacks the heirloom build, but the core water-tank feel is authentic and adjustable by fill level. It is the easiest way to try water rowing without a major outlay.
Last updated June 2026.