Water Rowing Machine for Home Use, Oak Wood Rower Machine with Dedicated Monitor & Bluetooth App, Upgraded Handle, Adjustable Footpad, Tablet Holder Water Rowing Machine

This review is for those of you who are looking at dozens of mid-range (less than $600) rowers trying to figure out which one is the best route to go. I'll start by summarizing why I chose this rower over all the others I looked at, then I'll comment on my experience with it.Why I Chose This Rower1. Warranty: This rower includes A 3-year warranty on the main components, 5 years on the structural frame. Most mid to low ranger rowers only include a 90-day to 1-year warranty. So Topiom by far provides one of the best warranties in the price range.2. Aesthetics: Maybe not the biggest deal, but the wood looks amazing and having something that looks beautiful in the house also makes me want to use it. Everyone who sees it comments on how nice it looks.3. TM3 Monitor: The fundamental mechanics aren't that different among the mid-range rowers. The problem is that most of the monitors are inaccurate or extremely limited in their functionality. This Topiom rower comes with their TM3 monitor which definitely has a leg up on many of the entry-level monitors. Mine shipped with their old version. I just had to let the seller know and they mailed me the new one. The old monitor is horribly inaccurate and you would never want to use it (this is likely the same quality many of the other entry-level rowers have.) The new TM3 monitor is definitely more accurate and tracks in 1-meter increments. It also measures watts and your 500m/split time. You will be hard pressed to find any entry-level rower that does this. It may not be as accurate as the big name brands, but it suits my use very well. It didn't come with installation instructions but there is a YouTube video showing how to install it and it was very easy. It comes with a new wheel that you have to replace on the main pulley. This wheel includes two magnets that are read by the sensor. Not only is the TM3 display more accurate, it is much brighter and easier to read. You can also program interval workouts and more. I'm definitely very impressed with the monitor. The monitor along sells for $112 on the official Topiom website, so they've definitely put a fair amount of thought and consideration into its features. If you are trying to decide between two rowers, look carefully at what the TM3 monitor offers. It may be the deciding factor.4. Water Rower: I debated whether I should save up for a Concept 2 but ultimately decided that they are way too massive (and cannot stand up on end) and too noisy. Furthermore, I love the sound and feel of a water rower so this was a must for me. It is really soothing and satisfying to use.5. Foot Rests: I specifically did NOT want a rower with pivoting footrests. For one, moveable footrests do not mimic a real rowing experience. It is actually important that your feet stay planted for proper form. It still allows your heel to come up slightly while in use. The footrests being on a solid board just feels more secure and stable overall.6. Not Foldable: I specifically did NOT want a rower that folded in half because it is an obvious weak point. I was attracted to the solid side panels. It stands up nicely and that allows me to save space when needed.My Experience1. I LOVE this rower. I actually look forward to exercising and even get days ahead in my workout plan because it is honestly such a joy to use. I filled it up to 17 for the first few days and then went all the way up to 19 for maximum resistance.2. The seat glides super smooth and is very comfortable. The longest workout I've done so far was 40 minutes and I never felt uncomfortable. The rails are aluminum and will hold up a long time.3. The pull does feel a TINY bit bumpy at times. The pulleys are plastic and there is some very subtle texture to the pull. This does not bother me in the least.4. It is extremely sturdy with no movement or squeaks at all. All the bolts are easily accessible and easy to tighten if needed.5. Assembly was pretty simple but it was difficult to align the metal brackets of the footrest and water tank to the inside of the rails without scratching the wood. Thankfully, this is not visible once installed. If I did it again, I would put some tape or something on the metal brackets until everything was perfectly aligned, then remove and put in the screws.6. It has wheels under the tank that make it easy to tip at a 45-degree angle to move around the room if needed.7. I love that sits right on the ground. It suits my preference and it just makes me feel more stable. After using it, I wouldn't want one that sits up much higher off the floor.I spent weeks and probably dozens of hours reading reviews, checking out blog posts, and YouTube videos trying to find the right rower for me. It had a lot of anxiety about making a decision but I have zero regrets about going with this rower. The 3-5 year warranty should set your mind at ease in terms of the mechanics, the TM3 monitor is better than most in its range, and it is honestly a beautiful piece of equipment.My only hope is that the pulleys continue to work well over a couple of years of steady use because Topiom doesn't appear to sell replacements. I feel confident their warranty will take care of any issues, but I always like knowing I can replace parts on my own if needed.

Coming out of the boxes, it looks really nice.First thing out of the box!! Don't forget to plug in the re-chargeable pump. It took over an hour to fully charge and I am pretty sure you will come in at about a half hour for the build. I did and then had to wait for the pump...I watched and you should watch the female instructor on U tube. She was help full, but missed a few things. Like the pump.It's important as you build to put the parts on the packaging Styrofoam as per the instructions so as to not damage the parts.The water filler hole, for the water tank, is located in the wooden beam over/on top of the tank. There is a black stopper supplied to put in that hole after you add water to the level line.The fill level label is a little hard to see on the side of the tank. Be accurate with your fill and don't exceed the recommended level of water. The pump doesn't look it, but it fills pretty fast. Shake the water out of the pump and put it in a safe place. You need to add a purifier tablet to the water or it will get cloudy faster. Email Topiom. Either way, every few months I am betting the water gets cloudy and you have to pump out the water and replace it, so keep the pump in a place you will remember. Be careful to use a recommended purifier to avoid damaging the tank and possibly the warranty.When attaching the top screws for the foot rests don't forget to put the supplied round black plastic pieces on the top screws, this will hold the rowing handle. Open side down. If you don't put the black pieces in, the screws won't screw to the bottom.If you want to take the seat off, once it is on. You push it to one side and lift that side.Put batteries in the computer and push the button on the bottom right. If you want to use your phone, push the blue tooth button upper left on the computer. I can see my phone better and they were considerate enough to put a little ledge for phone to sit, maybe tablet. Down load "FitShow." Pick "indoor" and you will see your machine, if you had hit the Blue tooth button. If you get an error message when starting; just hit "continue." It will record your workout. Start rowing.I am having to start slow. If I start too hard I know I will have muscles that aren't worked for this exercise. And if I don't start slow they will get hurt and I won't be able to row for a week or so till they heal. Then I will have to start slow, again. So I start slow.I did two minutes three times a day the first two days. tomorrow four minutes. Maybe twice a day. We all have our pace, but start easy. Wait a few weeks to start killing it:-)Silky smooth ride. I love the sound and feel of the water resisting the paddles. I love the increase in resistance that the water gives as you pull harder. I bet magnets and stuff don't give you this feel. I am looking for a good whole body burn. I want a machine that can give me a consistent challenge into the future. Judging by the dynamics of water that cause it to increase resistance the harder it is pushed, this challenge should be met.Starting out a few minutes at a time. But when longer I will watch a movie or do mindful meditation. Which is keeping my mind on what I am doing with little or no thought, mindfull meditation really makes time go fast.I did a week or so of searching on the internet to find a good workout machine. Rowers seem to offer the safest workout for my joints. Topiom is selling their machine for about a third the price of a few others selling very, very similar rowers. I mentioned this to one of the seller's and he had no comment.Nobody else loves and trusts their machine to the level of giving it to you for three weeks for a dollar or any price, as does Topiom. I am using the 21 day free trial because I am never ever happy with the cheaper model. So far it looks like this rower is better than many of the much more expensive models. Take a look and see for yourself.Many of the more expensive machines need to sit in a gym due to size and Topiom tilts up in a square foot or so and looks good.They said about two weeks to ship and it got here in about six days.I don't like corporations. They care about profits not people. They don't love us. If you look at how well this rower is built and thought out, speedy delivery, quality, price... My bet is this is a small company that loves their product and the thought of us loving it.Hope I don't go to far. But I have a passion for my workout. Whatever it is. Now it's rowing. Something easy to have a passion for. I am 68 and running out of workouts that don't hurt me.Happy rowing.