New RW900 Rowing Machine Review
Overall Score 9.8
NordicTrack RW900 Rower Review
Our Take Overview
The NordicTrack latest RW900 rowing machine should top the list for any athlete or active individual, or those fitness enthusiasts new to rowing, thanks to its electromagnetic resistance—which makes this indoor rower incredibly smooth and easy to row. Its wide sharp 22-inch full HD touchscreen allows you to stream Studio and on-demand iFit rowing workouts led by some of the best motivational instructors, like, Kevin Scott, Olympic Rower, Alex Gregory, Jay Wein, and Alex Silver-Fagen, both of CityRow fame.
Select from hundreds of rowing studio classes and trainer-led on-the-water destination-rows powered by iFit. Choose awesome destinations to row on alongside an iFit trainer, like a river in Kenya, Croatia, Slovenia, the UK, pristine blue waters of French Polynesia and more, or decide to be part of a rowing studio class.
The RW900 is tightly integrated with the iFit app, enabling it to automatically increase or decrease the levels of stroke resistance you experience in sync with your trainer — Alternatively, you can swivel the screen to the side or even all the way around, then select from thousands of cross-training classes ranging from yoga, boot-camp, kick-boxing to stretching, and weights to complete your full-body training off-the-rower.
NEW RW900 Rower — train on-the-water
Trust Our Reviews of Fitness Equipment
When testing and evaluating the NordicTrack RW900 Rower, we compared it to comparable models like the Hydrow and Hydrow Wave, Proform R10, Peloton Row, Concept2 RowErg, Aviron and others.
Our maybeyesno review team understands what makes good fitness equipment – including treadmills, exercise bikes, strength equipment, and rowers. If it’s good, it’s good — if it’s bad, then it’s bad — we will tell you. We have tested and published exercise equipment reviews over ten years.
We get hands-on with gear to discuss overall design, tech, and function, including the feel, price, drilling down components such as the resistance mechanism, flywheel, screen display (if applicable), ease of use, subscription content, adjustment features, noise levels, warranty, and durability.
Collectedly, we have taken over 200 rowing workout sessions using various RW900, RW700 and RW600 models by Nordictrack.
Based on extensive use and testing, we discuss, summarize, and compare equipment to help you determine if this item is the one for you.
New RW900 Rower with its 22-inch HD touchscreen powered by iFit. Experience an immersive workout at home on your schedule. Check out the Front-facing 30-Watt speakers or use Bluetooth
Folding vs. Standing Option
New RW900 rower can be easily stood upright to create more floor space
If you’re limited on floor space, this latest model of the RW900 has the ability to be quickly stood upright as opposed to the Original RW900 folding design shown below. This includes the newer RW600 and earlier RW700 models which are also foldable and can roll away for easy storage. The 2021 folding model of the RW900 can still be purchased on Amazon and is a good deal follow link below. Both save approximately the same amount of floor space.
Original 2021 model of the RW900 Rower has the ability to fold while the Newer RW900 models can be stood upright. Both save approximately the same amount of floor space
Get RW900 at Nordictrack or
Shop 2021 model on AMAZON
The RW900, RW600, and RW700 rowers all include 1 month of iFit membership — which provides some of the best on-demand trainer-led rowing workouts on the water and in studio settings. We recommend iFit with any NordicTrack rower because of the high-quality training content and its integration with the rower’s, stroke resistance discussed in more depth below under Smart Resistance.
The iFit rowing workouts have excellent trainers like Alex Gregory, a two-time Olympian, making this rowing machine a standout. It's fun and instructive to row stroke by stroke alongside your iFit instructors. The NordicTrack RW900, RW600, and RW700 rowing sessions all deliver aerobic endurance and strength building in one workout, getting you fitter in less time when you consistently use this indoor rower.
The inertia-enhanced flywheel with SMR, Silent Magnetic Resistance technology, makes the RW900, RW700, and RW600 quieter and smoother than many rower brands. The warranty is also better value with 10 years on the frame, 2 years of parts including electronics, and 1 year of labor.
The NordicTrack New RW900 use Silent Magnetic Resistance (SMR) for a smoother rowing motion. AutoAdjust and SmartAdjust are benefits of iFit that can further challenge you. iFit enabled features also apply for the RW600 and New RW700 rowing machines
A Total Body Workout Rowing Machine
Rowing is highly effective as a total body workout involving over 85% of your muscles while performing the rowing stroke motion. There are 26 levels of resistance on the RW900 for a good challenge by further intensifying your workout and burning more calories while at the same time building your endurance, strength, and stamina.
WHY ROWING IS GOOD FOR YOU
Rowing is also highly recommended as a cross-training option, especially if you spend more time predominantly on your favorite activities such as running, road cycling, or using a spin bike for instance. “Cross-training is important to add variety to CHALLENGE YOUR BODY and muscles, which can prevent injury by strengthening the core muscles you don’t get to use on bike or treadmill.” According to Fitness Instructor Alex Silver-Fagan.
As a full-body workout, a rowing machine provides a motion of physical exercise that can help build and tone muscles, improve cardiovascular function, and increase stamina. Another aspect to keep in mind, rowing is a low-impact exercise and easy on joints.
““You use 80 percent of your muscles when rowing, namely your legs, the largest muscles in your body.” And yeah, stronger legs come in handy for biking, running and other sports.””
Indoor Rowing on the New RW900, RW600 or RW700 offers variety during the off season. Rowing is a excellent workout because it is a full-body exercise that can help build and tone muscles, improve cardiovascular function and increases stamina. Rowing is also low-impact and easy on joints
WHAT WE LOVE
• 22-inch HD touchscreen • Ergonomic • iFit Trainers • Resistance
Adjust Console for best Angle
Full HD touchscreen Display
22” HD TOUCHSCREEN
With its crystal-clear, 22-inch full HD touchscreen, you get a better visual workout experience on this new version of the RW900 rower. The quality of the touchscreen display really shines through, for example, when rowing the crystal-clear, blue, pristine waters of the South Pacific French Polynesian Islands, one of the many fantastic iFit training locations .iFit destination rows explore famous waterways across the globe and gives you an immersive interactive training experience.
The touchscreen also displays your workout stats live and past rows and allows you to make adjustments or change settings.
Strong, Ergonomic Design
The RW900 rower was made to give you a smooth-feeling, comfortable motion. The inertia-enhanced flywheel and the silent magnetic resistance provide a smooth, quiet workout.
The molded seat and pivoting foot pedals offer a super-flexible motion. And the soft touch, ergonomic handle help reduce hand and wrist fatigue throughout longer workouts.
To increase the intensity of rowing stroke the resistance mechanism on the RW900 is Electro-magnetic and extremely quiet & smooth to row with 26 levels of electro-magnetic resistance that provides constant resistance independent of your rowing speed. Unlike air or water-based rowing machines, you can quickly tap the screen to AMP up or decrease stroke intensity (resistance). And with iFit, you have the AutoAdjust option where your iFit trainer can make required adjustments — so you don’t have to worry or mess around with making resistance changes and can focus on your rowing form and enjoy the scenic views.
A neat aspect of NordicTrack indoor rowers is the integration with iFit allowing trainers in real-time to dynamically adjust your stroke resistance as you row with them – Known as AutoAdjust or Live Resistance Control. As the pace heats up or slows down, you do not have to make a single adjustment just keep rowing and focus on your training as your trainer encourages, pushes, and motivate you— this is also an excellent feature for HIIT rowing sessions as well.
You may choose to opt-out or rejoin this feature anytime. When combining AutoAdjust with the newer SmartAdjust option you will find you are unlikely to run out of challenges on a NordicTrack RW900 rower as you build endurance and increase stamina.
It’s this level of integration with the rowing equipment and iFit connected-fitness app that makes the NordicTrack Rowing series stand out from the pack of other rowing brands. As we previous mentioned in our Trust Us section above we have taken over 250 iFit rowing workouts and firmly believe iFit rowing series and challenges sessions make it easier and more fun to learn to row and begin your rowing journey that delivers, whether it be to achieve fitness or weight loss goals. Learn More Read Learning to Row – My 20-minute a day, 1-year Rowing Journey.
WHAT IS SMART ADJUST?
SmartAdjust is a hi-tech resistance feature recently released for iFit with all iFit-enabled rowers. For instance, if you’re finding a segment of a rowing workout too hard or too easy you can make your stroke resistance adjustment, and iFit will apply this adjustment across the entire session while remembering the percentage change for future rowing workouts. As you become stronger and fitter, iFit SmartAdjust will start to consider this and increase resistance over time — you always have the option to disable SmartAdjust anytime.
Row the World with iFit
Connect to iFit through your touchscreen and choose from over 200 different destination rowing workouts to try. Row spectacular rivers, lakes, and waterways, across the globe, with iFit Trainer-led destination rowing workouts.
Your iFit rowing instructor will coach you throughout a session, setting the stroke pace and demonstrating correct form, all while pointing out landmarks, history, and maybe even some friendly inhabitants as iFit uses a 1-take film production technique when filming. From people to wildlife, you never know who or what you may see along the way. In the latest produced iFit training workouts, we noticed iFit now makes good use of drones and has increased the number of camera angles during a session. These workouts keep improving, making iFit destination training more spontaneous and fun to row with than Hydrow and other rowing machines.
You can row anywhere you want using the Google maps feature. Create your own map and watch the scenery on the screen as you row – it’s pretty Awesome!
““ The RW900 has solved my motivation problem. That’s mostly thanks to the 22-inch touch screen, from which I can select a number of guided exercises. Think a 12-minute simulated saunter down the Kafui River in Zambia, or 35 minutes of interval training. And Olympic gold medalist Alex Gregory has started to feel like an old friend—or a tape of him has. He regales me with stories of his races on the UK Olympic crew team while we virtually hammer down iconic European rivers together. It feels like I’m not suffering alone.”
Zambia River, Row the World powered by iFit rowing on a NordicTrack RW Series rowing machine
WHAT TO KNOW
TWO TYPE OF RESISTANCE
The RW900 has 26 levels of silent magnetic resistance that you can control and adjust from the console as does the RW600 and RW700.
By using AutoAdjust and the SmartAdjust iFit options you add intensity. As you improve you can challenge yourself as iFit with increase resistant overtime based upon previous workouts helping build stamina and endurance.
STATISTICS
The RW900 collects, stores and displays all the statistics you need to maximize your workout and track progress. Some of these stats include SPM (strokes per minute), Time per 500 meter (split) Total time, total distance, avg. split time, avg. WATTS (power output), and BPM (beats per minute if wearing a chest strap).
iFit rowing workout Statistics summary display screen shot
THIS ROWER STAND-UP
The NEW RW900 rowing machine is designed to be easily and quickly stood upright. The wheels on the bottom front also make it helpful to move around. This applies also to the New RW700 and original RW600 versions.
When putting extra effort into your rowing we found it to be very stable without concern about this rower tipping over like some inexpensive options that are just way too light and wobbly.
iFit Trainer Led Workouts
There are hundreds of interactive iFit rowing workouts available on the NordicTrack RW series of rowers and new ones are added frequently like our current favorite led by iFit trainer, Kevin Scott in French Polynesia and Tahiti. There are also thousands of off-the-rower classes like yoga, kick boxing, boot camp and more for cross training which you can use on any smart device - iFit can travel with you.
iFit Rowing Series in the South Pacific islands of French Polynesia with iFit Trainer Kevin Scott
GOOD TO KNOW
iFit saves your workouts on the iFit portal and on the rower console. This is great for seeing what you did in a week, month, year. Statistics include heartbeat monitor results if you use a chest or arm strap.
The ergonomic molded seat, handle and touchscreen are adjustable for different heights so you can find a comfortable position. Additionally the touchscreen has the ability to swivel 360° left or right and is adjustable in a vertical direction (pivots up and down) which makes this rowing machine more versatile for off the rower cross-fit classes.
The touchscreen has an auxiliary music port or you can use most Bluetooth devices. So you can connect your smartphone or other device and play your workout music through the built-in 30 watt speakers or any Bluetooth enabled wireless headphones.
The foot-pedals pivot for easy movement. They are adjustable with nylon straps to make sure your feet stay put throughout the motion and offer quick release. We received positive feedback response on the foot pedals from current users.
Users report that they like the easy to strap on foot-pedals on the RW900 rower and the resistance is challenging enough for even the serious rower
While you exercise, the console will display well displayed continuous exercise feedback. You can also measure your heart rate using an optional Bluetooth chest or arm heart rate monitor.
The RW900 Warranty: 10 years on the Frame, 2-year Parts including electronics and 1 year Labor. You can add extended warranty and service by selecting one of the following options at checkout.
3 Year Extended Warranty $179.95 or a 3 Year Maintenance Service Plan that includes an onsite annual equipment check-up for $339.99.
RW900 DIMENSIONS
The redesigned RW900 is 4.5-inches shorter in length than the Original 2021 RW900 model, but we found made no difference to our stroke and was an aesthetic change. To learn about more read our comparative article about the differences. What is New and Different from the Original RW900 Rower.
The RW900 rower will support individuals whose height is up to 6.6 inches tall, similar to the Concept2 RowErg with an inseam approx. 36-37 inches.
New RW900 Length:
82 inches Length x 22 in width x 54 in height of console. Or
6 ft. 8 in. (208 cm) Width: 1 ft. 10 in. (56 cm)
RW900 Weight: 163 pounds
User Weight: 250 lbs.
POINTS OF DISTINCTION
The RW900 rower provides a more immersive experience with its wide 22-inch screen giving the feel as if you are rowing on the water side by side with your instructor. It is really enjoyable, motivating and entertaining. The trainers are engaging, and workouts fly by quicker than you would think. Each stroke should be about 60 percent legs, 30 percent back, and only 10 percent arms, so you are getting more of a total body workout than many other forms of exercise. About 85% of your muscles will participate in the rowing motion during your workout.
The touchscreen is responsive as you swipe to select classes and nicely displays your live statistics and the leaderboard during live or on-demand iFit streamed rowing classes.
NordicTrack and Proform, rowers, include one month of iFit membership with their purchase which is currently equivalent to $39 in value.
After the first month you can opt to continue on a monthly or annual basis. If you pay for iFit on an annual basis, the cost is $396 ($33/month) saving you $72 or 15%. Otherwise, you can pay the monthly $39 cost of iFit membership which is about a dollar a day.
Standing up the Nordictrack RW900 Rowing machine to save Space
The RW900 has digital electro-magnetic resistance and provides plenty of challenge for the beginners and advanced rowers making this rowing machine appropriate for all skill levels.
The New RW900 rower was designed to be stood upright to save space. These are wheels to move it around or out of the way when not in use.
Who Should buy a NordicTrack RW900 Rower
Those looking for a low-impact, calorie-burning workout should consider the New RW900, especially those that enjoy motivation from a personal trainer during exercise. iFit rowing trainers are some of the world’s best from a collection of Olympic, Collegiate, and professional champions.
Active sports individuals looking for cross-training like runners, cyclists, or swimmers should definitely consider this rowing machine.
Folks with knee/joint issues should consider this rower, as rowing is low-impact, and it is an ideal workout for anyone with knee issues.
Rowing is a full-body workout for anyone looking to get fit or burn lots of calories. Those people who want to burn calories should consider the RW900 rowing machine for 15-30 minutes per day to work out on.
The New RW900 machine is an excellent addition to anyone’s home gym, and it’s one of the best connected-fitness indoor rowers, especially for the price. Rowing is a total body, non-impact workout. It strengthens the arms, legs, shoulders, and back while also being an excellent cardio, aerobic, exercise workout. Rowing can make you very fit and is especially good for strengthening your core.
PRICE OPTIONS
The RW900 rower is $1,799. There is an option to add White Glove Delivery and Assembly for $249. We found the RW900 was straight-forward and easy to assemble but if you are not into DIY take advantage of the assembly option. The delivery will place the rower in the room of your choice and set it up and test. If you want to save some money you can also go with the RW600 which ships with a 10-inch touchscreen or the New RW700 model which comes with a 10-inch touchscreen - both newly introduced.
The RW900 is iFit enabled. This gives you access to the full library of over 18,000 workouts on and off the rower. If you add additional equipment to your home gym, you will not need to purchase extra iFit licenses. One iFit subscription is good for up to five individual accounts to use. Each user’s account settings and statistics are tracked separately. Perfect if you will have multiple users in a family using the indoor rower any other iFit enabled exercise equipment.
AT THE END ── Final thoughts
The New RW900 has one of the better HD touchscreens you’ll find on a home rower today. A big part that goes into making this Rowing machine exceptional is its connected-fitness app iFit. The quality of trainers is excellent, and the rowing sessions are some of the best you can find for a connected-fitness indoor rower, especially the trainer-led destination rowing workouts, a good reason alone why you’ll really enjoy rowing with iFit on the RW900.
But the degree of integration of the iFit app with the rowing equipment makes the difference for any model in the NordicTrack Rowing series to stand out from the pack of other rowing brands. Resistance features like AutoAdjust and SmartAdjust enable you to continuously challenge yourself and build endurance.
The New RW900 rower is a solid addition to any home gym at an affordable price for a feature-packed indoor rowing machine. The ergonomic design ensures you’ll have a comfortable and stable rowing session. iFit rowing workouts are incredibly well produced, filmed at picturesque locations designed to keep you engaged and motivated.
The extended warranty seems like a good add-on to protect your investment for $179 for 3 years, which works out to about $5/month. We would recommend that purchase as well.
The RW900 rowing machine is a definite maybeyesno recommended buy.
NordicTrack RW900 Rowing Machine provides an immersive workout experience at home reducing treks to the gym or having to deal with the usual gym hassles
