Table of Contents
About Ergatta Rower
Ergatta is both a slick-looking rowing machine and the sophisticated, motivating software that comes with it.
I enjoy rowing, but bringing the traditionally clunky, metallic machine into my home to take up valuable space never appealed to me. Made with a classy cherrywood frame, I was intrigued by Ergatta’s foldable rower that is easily stored away.
The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Business Insider, among other prestigious outlets, have written glowingly of the game-changing Ergatta experience. Their Instagram profile also has 30.4k followers where users post their success stories with their Ergatta.
In this Ergatta rower review, I will closely examine how customers felt about their Ergatta purchase, how much it costs, the company’s membership plan, return policy, and everything else you need to make an informed decision. Let’s get started.
Overview of Ergatta Rower
Based in New York City, Ergatta is a company dedicated to the marriage of quality and convenience in order to provide their customers with the perfect home workout.
I read how co-founder and CEO, Tom Aulet describes how he wasn’t satisfied with exercise classes, so he and his partners set out to create a convenient home workout machine.
Equipped with gaming-inspired software, the rower “capture[s] the magic of a competitive sport or game to make people actually want to do it.”
As New Yorkers, a simple rowing machine obviously wasn’t enough for them: they needed the best. So they partnered with WaterRower to create a beautiful cherrywood rower that is a real statement piece, designed to fit in small apartments and spaces.
Best of all, though, is Ergatta’s motivational software, which you access through a sophisticated interface to feel as if you are working out in a professional atmosphere.
But don’t worry, I’ve learned that it’s not all that complicated! You’re meant to be rowing with this machine, after all. Ergatta has succeeded in matching beautiful equipment with easy-to-use software for use in the convenience of your home.
Next up in this Ergatta rower review, I’ll go through the brand’s overall pros and cons:
Pros
- An excellent rowing machine and included motivational software
- Highly praised by both premier journalists and thousands of customers
- The upcoming Ergatta app lets you plan workouts from anywhere
- Monthly installment payment option
- Safe delivery and installation at your convenience
- Very reasonable return policy
Cons
- The software requires active membership and subscription
- Expensive up-front cost and subscription payments
- No international shipping or customer support
- Software options cannot be customized
Is a rower a full-body workout?
Before you make your mind up about Ergatta, I think it’s crucial to understand how a rowing machine engages the muscles in your body.
After examining the science for this Ergatta rower review, I determined that rowing is one of the absolute best activities for a full-body workout, whether indoors or outdoors.
I was kind of blow away by the fact it uses approximately 85% of the muscles in your entire body, with a majority focus on the legs.
I think it’s amazing that with Ergatta, you can now have a state-of-the-art rowing machine with game-changing software that can fit comfortably in your living room, or even in a bachelor pad.
This makes the Ergatta rower ideal for anyone seeking a quality workout from the comfort of their own home.
Can you use Ergatta without a membership?
The short answer is yes; the long answer is no. From what I’ve gathered so far in this Ergatta rower review, the whole point of buying an Ergatta is to receive their tremendously popular software, which requires a membership.
Technically, you can use the rower without a membership. But then why bother paying for the full Ergatta kit?
Ergatta, being a good company, will not leave you totally in the dark should you opt-out of a subscription. I read that the tablet display will still show basic workout information (strokes, times, and distances), but that’s it.
Again, if that’s all you want, I don’t recommend buying an Ergatta.
So in order to experience everything you paid for, yes, you need to make ongoing payments and retain your Ergatta membership.
For that, you get regular software updates and access to games and workout statistics that add depth and motivation, enhancing each workout experience.
Don’t just take my word for it though. Read every single Ergatta rower review from verified customers—the vast majority of which say the same thing: the Ergatta software is what makes this product so great and worth buying. Without it, you’re truly missing out.
Ergatta Rower Review
You want an Ergatta rower, and it wants you. My first impression? This machine is ridiculously good-looking, but it’s also meant to be used.
I think it’s awesome that it’s suitable for beginners and experts of virtually all body types. The only things to keep in mind are the Ergatta weight limit of 500 lbs. and inseam limit of 40” (about 6’8” tall).
This beauty comes with a 5-year warranty for the cherrywood frame, a 3-year warranty for the assorted bits and bobs, and a 1-year warranty for the tablet.
It also weighs 103 lbs. with water and 76.5 lbs. without. When in use, it’s 86” long, 40” tall, and 23” wide; when compacted, the height shrinks to 22.5”, and takes up as much storage space as a barstool.
Don’t try compacting the Ergatta touchscreen, though: it’s 17.3” at all times, and offers 1920 x 1080 HD resolution. It’s Bluetooth-enabled for heart-rate monitors, and also requires an audio Wifi connection.
The Ergatta Rower also comes in a wheeled package that one person can easily move from room to room. It costs $2,199 (not including the monthly subscription) and can be returned within 30 days.
WaterRower Upgrade Package Review
If you already have a WaterRower S4, then I have good news for you. With Ergatta’s WaterRower Upgrade Package, you can transform your standard rower into a brand-new machine with all of the motivational games, workout planners, and personal statistics you could dream of.
I thought that this was an especially great purchase during a pandemic, when you may be trapped inside for months or years on end by lockdown restrictions and need extra stimulation while working out.
If you’re worrying about whether everyone in your household can use the software, don’t! Ergatta allows you to create as many personalized profiles as you need.
I enjoyed the fact that a dedicated rower can race other Ergatta members in scheduled competitions and obsessively track their performance in one profile, while a more casual rower can do as they please in another, with no crossover.
This Ergatta add-on for the WaterRower comes in at $549 (not including the monthly Ergatta subscription).
Make sure you have the latest version of the S4 with the mini USB port in the back before you purchase; you can reach out to the Ergatta support team to find out which version you have.
Ergatta Membership Review
The Ergatta Membership costs $29 per month and gives you a slew of Ergatta games, metric-tracking software, pre-made workout plans, and much more. Just below in this Ergatta rower review, I’ve put together a list of all the features available to Ergatta members:
- Top-of-the-line user interface that shows your progress and performance as you work out
- Constantly updated software that provides new workout programs
- A catalog of games that synchronize with your workout and push you to improve
- As many user profiles as you want, allowing friends and family to track their progress and use workout planners without disruption
- Use of the Ergatta app when it launches
- Access to the Ergatta community, where you can make friends and compete remotely
- A chance to break personal records and make Ergatta donate to charities on your behalf
You can pause or cancel your membership at any time. However, keep in mind that your rankings, archived workout statistics, and workout programming are not accessible while membership is paused.
Ergatta Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
For this section of my Ergatta rower review, I pored over hundreds of reviews to give you an overall picture of customer feedback. I need to state upfront that Ergatta is a new product and not yet sold by many retailers, which means that there is less variety in review sources.
Thankfully, Ergatta Reddit and the official Ergatta website provided enough material for a thorough summary of user experiences. So, is the Ergatta worth it? Let’s see what their customers have to say.
Reviewers on the official website love the Ergatta challenges that come with the subscription, finding that they add the kind of competition and motivation that most home workouts lack.
I read that they also appreciate the premium tutorials for beginners, as well as the compact size of the rower and how easy it is to move around.
One Ergatta customer writes:
“Take it from someone who has an unbelievably hard time staying motivated during a workout—the game-like workouts on this allow me to do an hour of exercise but make it feel like just 20 minutes. It’s so much fun and I’m so happy that I found something that works for me. … I highly recommend this.”
Redditors give Ergatta extremely positive feedback. The main point is that the software motivated them to exercise and reach new personal fitness goals.
The user-friendly interface through the tablet also allowed customers to easily access metrics and workout programs that help them succeed.
Customers weren’t even put off by the combined price of the rower and the monthly subscription, which can look pretty steep at first glance.
After a prospective buyer on Reddit expressed some skepticism about the price, one respondent noted that the subscription made the whole purchase worth it:
“I wouldn’t get the Ergatta if not for the workouts … It’s the software that keeps me rowing every morning—if I didn’t have it, not sure I’d hold myself as accountable.”
Another user comments that you can also save money by purchasing the WaterRower S4 and the Ergatta upgrade separately:
“I had a water rower for 5 months before the Ergatta upgrade,” one Redditor writes. “I’ve gotten in many more meters in one month with the Ergatta than the previous 5 without. … I look forward to it. I do not generally enjoy just exercising. So this really works for me.”
Like I mentioned before, the feedback for this brand is off the charts. Though I know there isn’t a ton of it, what’s available is pretty much all positive. Cons include little details like having to top up the water tank ever so often, but I don’t think that’s of much significance—especially when it performs so well.
Is Ergatta Worth It?
I’m pleased to start this section of my Ergatta rower review off with this: I think this product is totally worth it. Is it expensive? Yes. Does it require an ongoing subscription? Yes, again.
But even when weighing the dollars and cents, the Ergatta rower is simply a smart purchase and the price should not bother you too much if you remember that the brand offers installment payment plans through Klarna and the 60-day trial.
There are three main features that make the Ergatta rower worth your money. The first is that the software is high quality and connects you with games, workout programs, performance metrics, and an online community of rowers who are eager to share tips and compete.
As if that isn’t enough, there are also plenty of tutorials built into the Ergatta system that make this product suitable for beginners.
The second feature is inherent to the rower itself. The Ergatta rowing machine is beautifully made and stands out as a piece of expert craftsmanship. It’s an item you’ll want to show off, not hide.
But the most important aspect of it, of course, is the full-body workout you’ll get. Your abs, chest, back, legs, and nearly every muscle in your body will strengthen from proper and consistent use.
The last feature that I think you really need to know about the Ergatta rower is its simplicity and convenience. It can be used in any room of your home, is easily folded and stored, and can be moved to any location by only one person.
For all of these reasons and more, I believe that Ergatta is worth the buy.
Ergatta Promotions & Discounts
After inspecting the company’s website for this Ergatta rower review, I found that if you refer a friend, you can give them $250 off their new rower while you get $100 to use on gear and equipment.
That said, if the up-front cost of an Ergatta erg machine seems undoable, you can always opt for the Klarna financing option.
By partnering with Klarna Credit, you can also get into Ergatta erg rowing for a monthly cost of $61. This is available, fairly seamlessly, through the Ergatta website.
Right now, Ergatta has extended its trial period, giving you a 60-day free trial to find out if its machine fits the bill.
Where to Buy Ergatta
At the time of my research for this this Ergatta rower review, the product can be bought only on the brand’s official website, Ergatta.com.
Sign Up for Ergatta
While writing this Ergatta rower review, I found that you must first purchase an Ergatta rowing machine in order to subscribe and become a member.
You will be prompted to sign up and enter your payment information as soon as you turn it on. Sign-up cannot be done elsewhere, including on the official Ergatta website.
I’m happy to report that once you sign up, you can create as many profiles as you want. That way, different statistics and personalized settings can be easily switched back and forth, depending on who is using the machine.
FAQ
Is Ergatta made by WaterRower?
Yes, and no. The physical rowing machine, cherrywood and all, is indeed made by WaterRower, and later assembled by a local technician. The software system of games, competitions, and highly sophisticated workout metrics is all Ergatta.
How much is an Ergatta rower?
The Ergatta rower costs $2,199 for the equipment and installation. However, I should note that an additional membership cost of $29 per month is required to access the premium Ergatta software and make the most of your purchase.
What is Ergatta’s Shipping Policy?
While writing this Ergatta rower review, I was disappointed to find that shipping is limited to the US. Interested international buyers are out of luck for the time being.
According to Ergatta, they “plan to expand internationally at some point in the not-too-distant future.” The main issue is that they have not yet established an international customer support team, and they want to be sure they have that in place before expanding.
Naturally, COVID has hobbled Ergatta’s shipping and handling capabilities. They cannot guarantee exact delivery dates, and so will not make false promises to their customers.
At this time, they estimate a wait time of 5 to 7 weeks from the date of your purchase to when your rower can be both delivered and installed by a technician.
There is not yet a way to speed up this process. Many companies offer up to three delivery options, which can be purchased at checkout.
Ergatta has one standard shipping queue; all orders are treated equally, and, as far as I can tell after combing through the brand’s information for this Ergatta rower review, a ton of new ones are added every day. Ergatta is a hot brand and terribly popular, meaning you should place your order and find your place in the queue ASAP.
Ergatta shipping is unique because the rower is installed at the same time as it is delivered. Here is a brief guide I put together for this Ergatta rower review to help explain the process.
- You place your order, and soon after the rower is shipped
- The disassembled rower parts are delivered to a technician, as close to the delivery address as possible
- After the technician assembles the rower, they will call you to set up a delivery and installation appointment
- You are in control of the installation process, and can decide where you want the machine to go—you can even have it left on your front step (not advised by this Ergatta rowing review)
- Following all necessary safety protocols, technicians will bring the rower into your home and set it up where you want it
- Your order progress will be updated and sent to you as your equipment passes through each stage of the shipment, delivery, and installation process
What is Ergatta’s Return Policy?
Ergatta shows confidence in its products by offering a full refund for any purchase within 30 days. This refund covers shipping and any sales taxes.
It should come as no surprise that the product must be returned in the same condition it arrived in order for the full refund to go through.
But once again, Ergatta takes the high road by offering a partial refund for damaged equipment. Partial because they will, quite reasonably, charge you for the cost of replacing missing or damaged parts.
Additionally, you don’t even have to bother with the annoyance of sending the rower back yourself. If you truly want it gone, Ergatta will send a technician to take it away, free of charge. To start this process, email [email protected].
How to Contact Ergatta
Still have questions after reading this Ergatta Rower review? You can get in touch with the brand by:
- Email: [email protected]
- Live Chat on the brand’s website
If you want to schedule a call, note that they can only be booked on weekdays.
For more rower options, exercise and fitness plans, and dietary programs, here are a few options you can consider:
I tried my brother’s Ergatta and now eagerly await the delivery of mine. My only comment is that if you tell Ergatta that you want to assembly the water rower, they will ship it directly to you saving $99.