When comparing WaterRower Classic vs Kettler Favorit, the Slant community recommends WaterRower Classic for most people. In the question“What are the best home rowing machines?” WaterRower Classic is ranked 1st while Kettler Favorit is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose WaterRower Classic is:
The WaterRower is equipped with a water flywheel. Inside the flywheel there are paddles that spin as you start pulling on handles, thus creating friction with water and creating resistance. This is the closest thing that you can get to simulate rowing on water.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Uses water resistance to simulate physics of rowing on water
The WaterRower is equipped with a water flywheel. Inside the flywheel there are paddles that spin as you start pulling on handles, thus creating friction with water and creating resistance. This is the closest thing that you can get to simulate rowing on water.
Pro Prominently featured in House-of-Cards
Feel like the president of the United States (or Kevin Spacey).
Pro Great build quality
This machine is hand-made and is one solid piece of equipment. It's made out of black walnut hardwood and is coated three times with danish oil. The water tank is made from polycarbonate, which is a material that's also used to make bulletproof windows.
Pro PC software stores your data and lets you compete against other users
The WaterRower can be connected to a PC and has its own software called We-Row. This software can be downloaded to your PC and it allows you to have rowing races against other WaterRower users. It also stores your training data.
Pro User friendly control panel
The WaterRower is equipped with Series 4 Multifunctional Performance Monitor. The display is divided into 5 parts in which you can see your stroke rate, intensity, duration, distance, and heart rate.
Pro Looks good
The WaterRower Classis is one of more aesthetically pleasing rowing machines. It’s handcrafted and made out of American Black Walnut. Because of this material, its color may vary from rich brown to purple-black.
Pro Easy storage
To store this machine all you have to do is to lift it up and stand it upright. When upright the rower measures 20 x 22.25 x 82.25 in.
Pro Fits almost any size user
This machine is suited for users up to 6 foot 4 " tall and can support a weight of up to 700 lbs.
Pro Provides continues resistance using hydraulics
The Kettel Favorit is a hydraulic rower. That means that the resistance is produced by a cylinder which is filled with hydraulic fluid, that is attached to the handle.
Pro Comfortable seat
The seat is ergonomic and thickly padded. An uncomfortable sitting won’t be the reason to end your workouts early.
Pro 50 resistance levels provides high variety of workouts
On each oar there are 50 knurl marks. By adjusting the pistons height on the knurl marks you can increase or decrease the resistance.
Pro Well suited for beginners
The hydraulic Kettler Favorit rowing machine isn't built to handle intense workouts and is well suited for two to three workouts per week.
Pro Compact size
When fully assembled this rower machine measures in at 52 x 32 x 10 in. An average rowing machine is about 80 in long.
Pro Rowing positions can be changed
You can row with a wider or narrow grip on the handles, thus working out different muscle groups.
Pro Comes with included heart rate monitor
With this machine, you get an ear clip pulse monitor that measures your pulse. The ear clip transmits this information to the machine's computer and projects your pulse rate on the LCD display.
Cons
Con Adjusting the resistance can be tedious
Adding more water to the tank will increase the resistance. If you want to decrease the resistance you have to drain some water from the tank.
Con Expensive
At $1,495.00 it is one of the more expensive machines available.
Con The performance monitor is not backlit
There has to be some light if you want to be able to see the information on the screen.
Con Not suited far tall people
You may not be able to fully extend your legs if you're over 6 feet (183 cm) tall.
Con Difficult to set up
Many users have reported that the assembly manual is confusing. For example parts of equipment looks different than those in pictures of the manual. Setting up this machine can take up to two hours.