Merach Water Rowing Machine Review – Why the R28 Impressed Me

Merach Have Come a Long Way

What I like about Merach is how far they’ve come in just a few years. When I first started reviewing their gear back in 2018, they only had a single bike and a treadmill, which I thought were impressive back then. But now these guys are starting to dominate the budget market, even outselling companies like Sunny Health & Fitness, who have been the market leaders for years.

It’s great to see how far they’ve come, and they deserve it. Their low-price fitness equipment is some of the best I’ve reviewed, and their budget rowers really are second to none.

The R28 Gets the Important Stuff Right

The Merach Water Rowing Machine R28 is my favorite water rower from these guys. It’s well made, it’s solid wood, nice and heavy, and sturdy, with a smooth rowing stroke. They got the essentials right with this one, and for well under $300, it’s a steal.

Also, they’ve improved the app. It’s now packed with rowing classes, training programs, real time rowing workouts, and even some game based workouts. And best of all, the app is still free!

You get a lot for your money with the Merach R28 Rower. Yes, it’s not perfect, nothing is in this price range, but for the money, it’s just that bit more impressive than the other wooden rowers I’ve reviewed around this price.

So yes, the Merach R28 is certainly a water rower that deserves a much closer look. It seems to get an awful lot right for a rower costing less than $300, but as always, there are a few drawbacks too. So in today’s Merach R28 Review, we’ll take a close look at everything it has to offer.

Also, I thought it would be interesting to compare it with another favorite of mine in this price bracket, the Wenoker Water Rower. That’s another impressive best seller and a rower I really like for the money, so it’ll be interesting to see how they match up.

First, a quick look at the Merach R28 specs, pros, and cons!

Specs

Why Do We Like The Merach R28 Water Rower?

What I really like about the R28 water rower is that solid wood frame. It’s more heavy duty than the other sub-$300 wooden water rowers. This machine weighs just over 50lb, which is almost 10lb heavier than some of the competition. That extra weight gives the R28 a more solid, sturdier feel.

The build quality is just that bit higher, which is why I feel the Merach R28 offers the best value for money in this price range. Also, I love that their app is free. It’s so much better than the other free apps you typically get with budget rowers.

The Merach app actually comes with real time scenic rowing, training classes, and a ton of other cool stuff. I love that Merach has kept it free, as their app is a real selling point of this rower.

Dynamic Resistance – That Rowing on Water Feel

But it’s not just the build quality and the app that stand out about the R28 water rower. The dynamic resistance system is something I think most people will love.

Dynamic resistance mimics the feel of rowing on water, and by that I mean the harder and faster you row, the stronger the resistance becomes, just like rowing a boat through water.

Dynamic resistance used to be something you’d mainly find on high end rowers like the Concept2 and heavy duty water rowers like Ergatta. But now, with companies like Merach producing well made water rowers with affordable price tags, everyone can enjoy the benefits of dynamic resistance at home.

And it really is one of the best resistance systems you can have on a home rower. There are no resistance levels to keep changing while you row. You simply row harder when you want more resistance and ease off when you want less.

It feels smooth, natural, and the sound of the water in the tank adds something you just don’t get from a magnetic rower.

Check price of the Merach Water Rower on Amazon

Dual Slide Rail With 46″ Inseam

The long slide rail is another impressive feature of the Merach. With a 46″ inseam, even users up to around 6’7″ should have enough room to achieve a full rowing stroke, which is really impressive for a budget rowing machine.

And I’m liking that it’s a dual rail. A dual rail gives the seat a little more stability. You’ll also be impressed by just how smoothly the seat glides, and a dual rail allows the seat to be slightly wider than you’d typically find on a single rail rower.

The seat on the R28 is a good one. It’s not too hard that it’s uncomfortable, and it’s not too soft that it causes any stability issues. It’s just right, and thanks to the contoured design of the seat, you’re going to get enough support that you won’t slip too far back during the push phase of the stroke.

Decent Monitor With Bluetooth and Free App

Okay, the monitor is basic, as you’d expect in this price bracket, but sometimes basic is good. It’s nice and easy to set up and use, and what’s most important is that it tracks all your essential workout data, such as time, distance, SPM, calories, and total count.

It also has built-in Bluetooth, which syncs your workout data with the Merach app, so you can track your goals and set new ones. The app is free and, as I already mentioned, comes with a ton of features like scenic rowing, training classes, and the gaming row, which is a lot of fun.

It’s a great app, and considering it’s free, it’s a nice touch from Merach.

Drawbacks of The Merach R28

There’s really not too much to complain about with the Merach R28, especially for the price. Most of the drawbacks are things you’d expect from a budget water rower, but there are a few worth knowing about before you buy.

• The seat sits quite low. A few owners have mentioned this, and while it shouldn’t bother most people, getting on and off could be awkward if you have limited mobility.
• Stronger rowers may want more resistance. The dynamic resistance gives you a good workout, but one owner did mention wanting a little more at the top end for tougher sessions.
• The monitor is fairly basic. It tracks everything you need, and Bluetooth with the free Merach app makes up for a lot, but don’t expect an advanced monitor at this price.
• No water purification tablets are included. Not a big deal, but you’ll want to pick some up to help keep the tank water clear.

Will I Need a Rowing Mat

When people decide to buy a rowing mat, it’s usually to protect their polished floors from scratches. Also, you might want a rowing mat to prevent slippage on your polished floors too.

However, the Merach water rower comes with 4 rubber capped feet, 2 at each end, these feet protect your floors and also prevent slippage. So with the Merach R28, you won’t really need to buy a rowing mat.

The one time I would reccomend buying a rowing mat for the R28 is if you live in an apartment or shared housing, as a rowing mat helps to soak up most of the vibrations from your workouts. It’s a great idea if you want to keep the neighbors happy.

You dont need to spend a load of cash on a rowing mat. I found the best low cost equipment mats are made by Sunny Health & Fitness. I’ll leave a link here in case you need one: Sunny Health Equipment Mats on Amazon

Easy To Use Folding System

A little bit of a shame you can’t vertically store this rower, still, the folding system is great. It’s so easy to use; you can fold it in seconds. And once folded, the overall footprint of the rower is more than halved, very handy for anyone tight on space.

Also, I need to mention there are built in transport wheels front and rear, which makes moving the rower from one room to another a breeze; just tilt the rower and roll.

Fast Assembly

Most of the rower comes preassembled, so there isn’t too much to do. All you’ll need to do is attach a few parts like the monitor. Rather than explain all the assembly stages, I’ve linked the official assembly video below.

Final Verdict

I was more than impressed with the Merrach R28 Water rower. The build quality is surprisingly good, the solid wood frame is heavy and impressive, and that extra weight gives the rower the stability you need when rowing hard.

The rowing stroke is nice and smooth, and thats thanks to the belt drive system and the dynamic reistnace. For under $300, you’re getting a lot of rower for the money and a very good free rowing app, which is great to find in this price range.

So yes, there was nothing I could really find to fault about the R28. It’s the most impressive water rower I’ve reviewed in this price range, and I’ve been reviewing budget rowers for over a decade. Certainly a rowing machine I reccomend putting at the top of your list.

How Does The Merach R28 Compare With The Wenoker RW51?

Wenoker RW51 Water Rower

The Wenoker RW51 has been around for a couple of years, and it’s sold well. There’s a good reason for that: it’s well made, it’s a sturdy, low-profile water rower, and it was one of the first budget solid wood water rowers that was actually any good.

It’s not one of those Amazon rowers made by a company that’s here one summer and disappears the next. Wenoker has been around a while, and I’ve always liked their gear. Just like Merach, they’re excellent at delivering quality at a low price.

And what’s most important here with the Wenoker Water Rowing Machine is that it’s a rower that’s stood the test of time. People are still praising it a few years after owning it, and there aren’t many budget rowers that can boast that kind of feedback.

Is it better than the Merach? No, but it’s very close. Both are so similar. Both have solid wood frames, long dual slide rails, belt drive systems, 14L water tanks, easy to use folding designs, contoured seats, Bluetooth monitors, and a 12 month warranty.

There really isn’t much that separates these two impressive budget water rowers. Still, I think the one major difference worth a mention is that the Merach comes with its own app, and it’s a good app too. As I’ve already said, it’s packed with useful features, especially for rowing.

The Wenoker has a Bluetooth monitor, so you can sync it with apps like Kinomap, but it doesn’t have its own dedicated app.

Other than the app, there really isn’t much between these two rowers. They’re two of my favorites in this price range, and whichever one you choose, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, as both offer a lot of value for money.

Still, if it were my money, I’d go for the Merach. I like their free app, and I think it’s one of the R28’s big selling points.

Still comparing rowing machines? Read Next: Best Water Rowing Machines

Merach R28 Water Rower FAQs