This Hydrow rower review covers the Hydrow Wave, the brand’s compact model. It is an electromagnetic rower with a 16-inch HD touchscreen, a 375-lb user rating and a 19-inch-wide frame. It is 80 inches long and weighs 102 lb. Its content runs on a Hydrow membership, and the listing is clear that the screen depends on it.
The Wave scores 57.7 in our best rowing machine with screen guide and sits just outside its top 5, at #6; the larger Hydrow Origin is #5 with the same score. Below: how it rows, what you get with and without the membership, where the missing fit data and 1-year warranty hold it back, how it differs from the larger Hydrow Origin, and which rower to pick instead.
Hydrow Wave Review: The Short Answer
Our verdict
FitScore 57.7/100
Hydrow Wave
Buy it if you want guided, on-screen rowing in a slim, quiet frame and you plan to keep the membership. Skip it if you want to train without a plan, track splits on your own, or need a stated rail length.
- Electromagnetic resistance, very quiet
- 16-in touchscreen, membership required for it
- 80 × 19 in, 102 lb, 375-lb rating
Best Usage
- Instructor-led rowing classes
- Scenic on-water rows
- Quiet sessions at home
Best For
- Members who want coaching
- Narrow rooms
- Shared homes
Not For
- Rowing without a plan
- Self-coached split training
- Very tall rowers (fit not stated)
Key Specs
- Resistance: Electromagnetic
- Max user weight: 375 lb
- Screen: 16-in HD touchscreen
- Size in use: 80 × 19 in
- Weight: 102 lb
Pros
- Magnetic drag, among the quietest systems
- 19 inches wide
- Owners find it easy to assemble
Cons
- Screen and stats need a membership
- Rail length and user height not stated
- 1-year warranty
Hydrow Wave Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Hydrow Wave | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance | Electromagnetic | Hydrow uses electromagnetic drag and says it adapts to your effort in real time, to mimic rowing on water. |
| Resistance levels | Not stated on the listing | Hydrow does not publish a level count. |
| Max user weight | 375 lb | Above the 300-lb rating of the Echelon Row S and the NordicTrack RW700 in our screen guide. |
| Fit (rail / inseam / height) | Not stated on the listing | No rail length, inseam or user height on the listing; tall rowers should check before buying. |
| Length × width (in use) | 80 × 19 in | At 19 inches, it is narrow for a screen rower; Hydrow calls it 30% smaller. |
| Storage | Stands upright with kit sold separately | Without the kit, it lies flat on the floor; stored dimensions are not given. |
| Product weight | 102 lb | Heavy enough that tilting it up takes effort; the listing does not mention wheels. |
| Monitor and metrics | 16-in touchscreen; time, distance, strokes, heart rate | These stats show on the touchscreen with an active membership; without one, the listing says the stats are not available. |
| Bluetooth and apps | Bluetooth; Hydrow | Pairs with Apple Watch, heart rate monitors and wireless headphones; Wi-Fi is needed to stream. |
| Subscription | Required | A 30-day membership trial is included; after that, the screen, stats and workout library need the plan. |
| Warranty | 1 year frame, 1 year parts | Covers parts and mechanical defects for 1 year; labor is not stated. |
Check Amazon for current pricing and availability.
Values come from the Hydrow Wave Amazon US listing (checked November 2026). The listing does not state the rail length, the seat height, the resistance level count, transport wheels or the stored dimensions, so they are left out.
Before you order, search the CPSC recall database for the Hydrow Wave and its brand: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission lists rowing machine recalls and the fix offered.
The CDC physical activity guidelines for adults recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, and steady rowing sessions count toward it. In a study of 107 adults aged 20 to 74, rowing on an ergometer used more energy than cycling at the same power output.
Hydrow Wave FitScore
FitScore rates each rowing machine on its published specs, weighted for one buying intent (how we score). The Hydrow Wave is bought for its screen and classes, so this review uses the weights of our best rowing machine with screen guide, where it sits just outside the top 5, at #6 with the same score. Features count most (25%), then performance and durability (20% each), comfort (15%), practicality (10%), and affordability and noise (5% each). A screen rower has to deliver on the screen first, then row well and last. A required membership lowers the affordability score, and a fit value the listing does not state scores zero.
FitScore for Screen Rowers
How this FitScore was calculated
This FitScore combines 7 category scores using the weights of the buying intent above.
- Features (80): a 16-inch HD touchscreen, front-facing speakers, Bluetooth and heart rate support.
- Performance (48): smooth electromagnetic drag, held back by no stated level count and four listed metrics, with no 500 m split or watts.
- Durability (62): the 375-lb rating helps; a 1-year warranty on the frame and parts does not.
- Comfort (37): the listing gives no rail length, inseam or user height, so the fit part scores zero; the smooth stroke earns the rest.
- Practicality (46) and noise (100): 80 × 19 inches and 102 lb, but upright storage needs a kit sold separately and wheels are not mentioned; magnetic resistance earns the top noise score.
Design and Build Quality
The Wave uses an aluminum frame. It measures 80 × 19 × 43 inches and weighs 102 lb, and Hydrow says it is 30% smaller than its other rower. It comes in five colors and has a padded seat, adjustable foot straps and a low-stress grip handle.
Owners on Amazon find it easy to put together and smooth in use. Reliability is where feedback splits: some say it works well, while others report the unit stopping, and some mention audio, heart rate or streaming glitches. Test every function during the return window.
Bottom line: a slim, well-finished frame, with mixed reliability reports.
Resistance and Rowing Feel
Resistance comes from electromagnetic drag. Hydrow says the system mimics the pull of rowing on water and adapts to your effort in real time. The listing does not give a level count or a maximum load, so you cannot compare its range with rowers that list levels.
Owners describe the stroke as smooth, and the seat and handle motion as seamless. Magnetic systems have no fan or water tank, so the feel stays even from the first stroke. If you want an open-ended pull that grows as hard as you drive, an air rower suits power work better.
Bottom line: smooth and even, with no published range.
Fit, Seat and Comfort
Hydrow lists a 375-lb user rating. It does not list the rail length, the maximum inseam or a user height range, so the Wave scores zero on fit in our method. That does not mean it fits poorly, only that the listing gives no number to check.
If you are over 6 feet tall, compare it with rowers that publish their fit. Our best rowing machine for tall people guide only ranks models with a stated rail, inseam or height.
Bottom line: likely fine for most adults, but unverified for tall rowers.
Screen and Membership: What Works Without It
Each Wave ships with a 30-day Hydrow membership trial. The listing says the membership includes more than 6,000 live and on-demand workouts, athlete instructors, HydroMetrics performance tracking and unlimited family profiles. Wi-Fi is required to stream.
The listing is direct about the rest: the touchscreen, the stats and the workout library require an active membership. Without one, you can still row, but without the connected features. So with no plan, the Wave is a rower with no screen data. Plan to keep the membership, or choose a rower whose monitor works on its own.
Bottom line: the Wave is built around the membership; without it, you only row.
Connectivity and Sound
With a membership, the Wave pairs by Bluetooth with Apple Watch, heart rate monitors and wireless headphones. Front-facing speakers play the class audio, and on-water rows are filmed around the world, per Hydrow. The rower is corded electric, so place it near an outlet and in reach of your Wi-Fi.
Quiet running is one of the points owners mention, and magnetic resistance is one of the quietest systems. That suits apartments, shared homes and early sessions.
Bottom line: quiet, connected, and dependent on Wi-Fi.
Footprint and Storage
In use, the Wave needs about 80 × 19 inches of floor, plus room to step around it. At 19 inches, it is narrower than every rower in the top 5 of our screen guide.
It can stand upright, but only with the Upright Storage Kit, which the listing says is sold separately. The stored dimensions are not given, and the listing does not mention transport wheels.
Bottom line: narrow to use, less simple to store.
Setup, Warranty and Support
The rower ships with all assembly hardware, and owners describe setup as easy. It is shipped and sold by Amazon.com.
Coverage is a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Hydrow says its own support team is available 7 days a week. One year is short for a rower with electronics, so register it and test the screen, audio and Bluetooth early.
Bottom line: easy to set up, with short coverage.
Hydrow Wave vs Hydrow Origin
The Hydrow Origin is the larger Hydrow. It uses the same electromagnetic drag and the same membership terms: the touchscreen, stats and workout library need an active plan. The Origin has a 22-inch touchscreen, measures 86 × 25 × 47 inches and weighs 145 lb. It also carries a 375-lb rating and a 1-year warranty, and it stows upright with no separate kit mentioned on its listing.
Owners of the Origin describe a well-built rower that is easy to set up and comfortable, and some who came from air rowers prefer its smoother, quieter feel. Its listing also pairs it with Apple Watch, heart rate monitors and wireless headphones. Under the same screen-guide weights, the Origin is #5 and the Wave #6, both at 57.7: the Origin scores higher on practicality, because it stows upright without a separate kit, and the Wave scores higher on affordability. The Wave is also 43 lb lighter and 6 inches narrower. Choose the Origin for the bigger screen, the Wave for the smaller footprint.
Bottom line: the Wave is the better fit for most homes.
Hydrow Wave vs Rivals
Here is how the Hydrow Wave compares with three other rowers from our best rowing machine with screen guide, using the same FitScore weights.
| Comparehead to head | THIS REVIEW | Alternative 1 | Alternative 2 | Alternative 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance (type, levels) | Electromagnetic | Air + Magnetic | Air, 10 levels | Magnetic, 32 levels |
| Max user weight | 375 lb | 507 lb | 440 lb | 300 lb |
| Fit (rail / inseam / height) | Not stated on the listing | Users up to 6 ft 8 in | 53.5-in rail; users up to 6 ft 11 in | Not stated on the listing |
| Length × width (in use) | 80 × 19 in | 84 × 27 in | 95 × 24 in | 81 × 24 in |
| Storage | Stands upright with kit sold separately | Stands upright | Folds and stands upright, about 55.7 × 22.4 in of floor | Folds |
| Monitor and metrics | 16-in touchscreen; time, distance, strokes, heart rate | 22-in touchscreen; time, distance, strokes, calories, heart rate | Not stated on the listing | 22-in touchscreen; time, distance, calories |
| Warranty | 1 year frame, 1 year parts | 10 years frame, 1 year parts | 1 year frame, 1 year parts | 1 year frame, 1 year parts |
| Check Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Alternatives to the Hydrow Wave
Membership optional: Choose the Aviron Strong Series if you want a 22-inch screen on a rower that works without a plan, with a 507-lb rating, users up to 6 ft 8 in and a 10-year frame warranty. It ranks #1 in our best rowing machine with screen guide; see our Aviron Strong Series review.
Stated fit, folds: Choose the Merach NovaRow R50 Aura if you want a 15.6-inch screen, a 53.5-inch rail and a frame that folds and stands upright. It uses air resistance with 10 levels and is rated for 348 lb.
No screen, no plan: Choose the Concept2 RowErg if you want a monitor that works on its own, with the 500 m split and watts, a 54-inch rail and a 500-lb rating. Our Hydrow vs Concept2 comparison covers the trade-off.
Final Verdict
The Hydrow Wave suits you if guided classes are the reason you want a rower, and you will keep the membership. It is quiet, slim and easy to set up. The trade-offs are clear on the listing: no screen or stats without the plan, no published fit range and a 1-year warranty. If you want a big screen without a required plan, the Aviron Strong Series is the closer fit.
Hydrow Wave FAQ
Yes, but only to row. The Amazon listing says the touchscreen, stats and workout library require an active membership, and that without one you can still row, without the connected features. Each Wave ships with a 30-day membership trial.
The maximum user weight is 375 lb, according to the Amazon listing. The rower itself weighs 102 lb.
The listing does not state the rail length, the maximum inseam or a user height range. If you are very tall, check the fit with Hydrow before you order, or choose a rower that publishes its rail length.
It does not fold. It can stand upright with the Upright Storage Kit, which the listing says is sold separately.
Both use electromagnetic drag, carry a 375-lb rating and need the membership for the screen. The Wave has a 16-inch screen and measures 80 × 19 inches at 102 lb. The Origin has a 22-inch screen and measures 86 × 25 inches at 145 lb.
Hydrow lists a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Labor coverage is not stated.
Explore More Rowing Machine Guides
This article contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We do not show prices because they change constantly: product details and availability can change at any time, so please check the current price and details directly on Amazon. Learn more. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
