Ergatta Review: We Tried the Game-Based Connected Rower

What is the Ergatta rower?

The Ergatta rower is designed to be seen.

The Ergatta\’s founders decided to create an elegant machine that\’s “living room ready” because they didn\’t have enough space for a dedicated home gym.

In addition to looking like a beautiful piece of furniture, the Ergatta was designed to provide an effective and engaging workout.

Ergatta is once again zigs where other companies are not.

Ergatta developed interactive software that mimics the competitive aspect of video games and sports instead of pouring money into instructor talent and shooting videos.

Every workout is a game, and you might be rowing at different intensities to grab points or racing other people.

Finally, the Ergatta stands out from other rowing machines because it uses water-based resistance that’s designed to mimic the feel (and sound) of rowing on open water.

Who tried it 

I used to only use basic rowing machines at the gym. I would row 10 minutes at the end of the weightlifting sessions and feel really proud.

I was excited to learn how to row after I reviewed this gorgeous piece of equipment. The fact that this rower is very luxurious was a bonus.

I rowed more than 60,000 meters before I wrote this review.

Pros and cons at a glance

How much does the Ergatta rower cost?

The Ergatta rower is expensive.

You will pay $2,199 to bring this beauty home. If you want to have your rower professionally assembled, there is an optional $249 fee.

Financing is available through Klarna and starts at $62 per month, depending on your credit.

Warranty and returns

The rower comes with a 5-year warranty on the frame, 3-year warranty on parts, and a 1-year warranty on the touch-screen tablets.

Depending on the time frame, you can purchase an extended warranty for $209 or $369.

“If the rower is in its original condition, you can return it for a full refund within the first 30 days. You don’t need boxes or a technician to pick it up, shipping is free and you don’t need any boxes.”

Monthly membership

You need to purchase an Ergatta membership to take advantage of the rower.

The membership costs $29 per month and includes an unlimited number of profiles.

You can expect to pay $348 per year. When a person commits to a 1-year membership, they can get a month free.

Is the Ergatta membership worth it?

Ergatta has an extensive and ever-growing library of game-based workouts, and a membership grants you access to them.

“The rower and touch screen have the basic functions of a rower, including real-time workout metrics. You wouldn’t be aware of what makes the rower special.”

I was impressed to learn that an Ergatta membership has unlimited profiles.

Everyone in my household was able to enjoy their own personal profile and performance tracking without affecting my statistics.

Key specs and features

The rower has a tidy footprint for such an effective piece of equipment.

It takes up the same footprint as a barstool. The rower has edges on the rails to help reduce the chance of a fall, but Ergatta recommends a ceiling height of at least 87 inches.

“You don’t need a lot of extra space when using the rower. You should plan for a foot behind the rower and a width of the span of your extended elbow.”

For an immersive experience, the rower is equipped with a 17.3-in. (43.9-cm) HD touch screen. It’s also Bluetooth-enabled to connect to things like heart rate monitors, speakers, and wireless earbuds.

The company says that the Apple Watch will have a feature that will allow heart rate monitors to require a PIN.

You need a 10 megabits per second internet connection to stream classes. The rower needs to be plugged in.

The touch screen has a built-in speaker behind it, but it is not as loud as it could be. We had a rower in the garage. Sound might not be an issue when using a rower with headphones.

Ergatta has a selection of music you can choose from before a workout, but I prefer to use a separate speaker and play my own tunes. Between the visual cues in the workouts and the sound on high, I have no problem staying in the game.

Assembling the rower

I decided to have someone pre- assemble the rower for me, so they wheeled it into my garage, and then I lifted it out of the back of the car.

The machine was plugged in, the installer added a small purifying tablet to keep the water clear, and they showed me how to collapse the tablet and lift it up.

He also explained how to tighten the fittings and left me with a small drawstring bag that included a funnel, extra purifying tablets (which Ergatta supplies free for life), and the manual.

The process took less than 20 minutes.

I asked the installer about the assembly process and was told that a do-it-yourself type would need a few hours to put the rower together. It is worth the extra $250 to have it delivered ready to go.

You might think that because it is a water rower, you will be stuck filling or draining the flywheel. Not true.

Once it’s filled, you never need to empty or replace the water again (unless you’re moving and you want to make it as light as possible). Ergatta suggests adding a new purifying tablet to the water every 6 months, but that’s the extent of the water maintenance needs.

Design

Did I mention the Ergatta rower is handmade with American cherry in Rhode Island? Each rower is made by WaterRower, a renowned builder of water rowers.

The rower is simple and has a water flywheel that mimics the dynamics of a rowing boat.

I can not speak to how well it works, but I can say that the sound of the water is very calming and meditative.

There is no fiddling with resistance knobs because it is a water rower. The water resistance is exploited by the flywheel.

The harder you pull, the more resistance you can achieve.

The footrests are adjusted, though it took more effort than I had expected.

The handle is soft and easy to grip, and I have not had any issues with irritation or calluses after 2 months of regular use.

The seat is comfortable if you have a little firm skin. My backside gets sore during workouts, but it is nothing to be worried about.

How to get started

I found setting up the digital experience easy, but I spent too long looking for the on button. It is on the back of the screen.

The sign-up process begins once the machine is turned on, with the screen showing you how to set up your subscription and user profile. All that is left is to start rowing.

You can begin a workout by choosing your profile. The updates are pretty quick, but occasionally the device will need to download a software update.

You can choose from four workout categories after you choose your profile.

• Push programs. These are goal-based workouts that move you toward a final challenge over a specific timeline. If you struggle with workout consistency, these are a good option.
• Interval workouts. I love these workouts! They’re interval-based with personalized targets. The game aspect is front and center here, particularly in the meteor workouts, which reward you with points for maintaining a certain pace.
• Race workouts. These classes pit you against other Ergatta members in your fitness group and are ideal if you’re motivated by competition.
• Open, scenic row. These are self-led time, distance, or interval workouts set against beautiful coastal backdrops in places like Spain and Thailand. My youngest child and I really enjoyed these.

You can choose to work out by duration or distance.

What it’s like to use the Ergatta

The rower is easy to navigate. Here is a brief rundown on what it is like to exercise using a rower.

Performance tracking and automatic recalibration

After you set up your user profile, the screen will prompt you to complete a 1,000-meter row so that the rower can calibrate to your fitness level.

The machine will make adjustments to your targets, intensity zones, and goals after every 10 workouts. You can do it manually at any time.

The metrics displayed are based on the workout you choose.

In a race, for example, you’ll see your segment rank, distance rowed, race clock, split, stroke rate, output, calories, and heart rate (if you’re connected to a heart rate monitor).

You will see how many meters behind or in front of your competitors.

It is a lot of information, but it is summarized in final race rankings, global race rankings, and stat.

Instruction and technique

Because I had never been instructed on how to row, I began by following several “getting started” videos to learn and practice proper technique. These classes also helped familiarize me with all the metrics.

The series of classes ends with a row of meters. I excitedly picked a race after I got in fitness class.

I was dead last after six 250-meter segments with 20 seconds of rest and was certain that I was in the wrong class. I went back to the instructions to figure out what I was doing wrong.

I started doing speed workouts to better understand how to row more efficiently after watching all the available videos.

I settled into a routine of alternating between interval workouts and races once I felt more confident in my technique.

“Don’t wait for the starting gun when you’re racing. I couldn’t figure out why everyone else was ahead of me, until I realized that you can use a 10-second clock to build your start.”

After using the machine for 2 months, my race times have vastly improved, and I have a number of first-place finishes under my belt.

Ergatta community

Ergatta offers community challenges, such as rowing 30,000 meters or completing a certain number of interval workouts.

The challenge is to row 500,000 meters in the year 2022.

You can earn badges for achieving certain goals, such as rowing your first 10,000 meters.

In April 2022, Ergatta had its first live race. A bunch of people, including my son, were kicked out of the race when the system crashed because so many people registered to race.

The company says it will offer live races again in the future.

Is the Ergatta rower worth it?

I think the Ergatta rower is a fantastic piece of equipment, and I have written a review about it.

A low impact form of exercise that works more muscles than running or cycling, rowing is a great way to exercise. It is a great option if you want to build endurance or just need to sweat.

Pair these benefits with the gamified experience of the Ergatta and it truly is a great way to motivate yourself to work out.

I would still recommend the Ergatta if space is not cheap. It looks like an art installation in the upright position. You can show this in your living space without making it look bad.

The price is the biggest downside of the rower. You will need to budget for a monthly membership to access the interactive gaming experience that makes the Ergatta so special.

However, if you’re just looking for a classic rowing experience, there are certainly cheaper options on the market that will do the trick.

Alternatives to the Ergatta

Ergatta is far from being the only connected rower on the market. Here’s a closer look at some of its top competitors: the Hydrow, the Aviron Impact Series, and the NordicTrack RW900.

Hydrow

The Hydrow uses a realistic on-the-water feel.

“At 22 in. The touch screen is larger than the Ergatta’s.”

Its content is different. Many of the athletes who are professional or collegiate rowers are filmed for streaming workouts.

The required monthly subscription is a higher cost than the Hydrow. It has a sleek design that some people may like.

The type of rowing experience you are looking for will determine the choice between the Hydrow and Ergatta.

We had a hands-on review of the Hydrow.

Aviron

The Aviron is a connected rower that’s similar to the Ergatta in that its content is focused on arcade-inspired games to keep you motivated and challenged.

Trainers lead coaching programs along with races. You can also watch content on platforms like YouTube.

The rower has air and magnetic resistance. It is suitable for both strength and cardio training.

It is comparable to the Ergatta in price and there is someFunctionality on the integrated tablet if you opt out of the monthly membership.

NordicTrack RW900

“NordicTrack’s magnetic resistance is used for a silent workout.”

It looks like a fancy rower with a 22-in. You can take your workout from the rower to the floor with the integrated tablet.

According to NordicTrack, the RW900 has a premium sound system for streaming live and on-demand workouts using a required iFIT membership.

It also has an auto-adjust feature that adjusts your resistance to your instructor.

The lowest initial cost of the three is this rower.

In our review, you can read more about NordicTrack rowers.

The bottom line

“The Ergatta is a beautifully crafted connected rower that offers a unique gamified workout experience. I can’t imagine rowing again after rowing thousands of meters.”

“It isn’t cheap. If you prefer a traditional rowing experience or enjoy instructor-led classes, it is not the best option.”

The Ergatta is different on multiple levels, and that makes it great. The Ergatta rower is in a class of its own.