Ergatta Lite

When we reviewed the original Ergatta smart rowing machine ($2,500, plus membership fees), we were impressed by its personalized gamified workouts and immersive water resistance that makes it feel like you’re in an actual boat instead of your living room. However, we lamented its lack of instructor-led classes and its less-than-economical asking price. The follow-up Ergatta Lite rower has the same naturalistic design, but with a slightly smaller footprint and a lower asking price ($1,799 plus fees). Moreover, Ergatta's membership benefits have expanded since we last tested the platform, with the company striking a deal to add coached classes from rival CityRow to its platform. The NordicTrack RW900 ($1,999, plus fees) is still our Editors' Choice among connected rowing machines for its larger screen and captivating iFit global workouts, but the Ergatta Lite is an excellent pick for those who want to make a game out of working out in the comfort of home.

The Machine: Sturdy, Soothing, and Smaller

Running is probably the most common (and cheapest) cardio exercise you can get into, but rowing is easily one of the most effective and satisfying. Targeting your arms, back, legs, and glutes, rowing makes for an excellent full-body workout, as well as an effective tool for weight loss and calorie burning. As an exercise, it’s a personal favorite, so I jumped at the chance to ride with the Egatta Lite, the more petite variant of the Ergatta. 

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

The Ergatta Lite is still a sizeable machine in its own right, though fairly compact for an indoor rower. At 38 by 23 by 82 inches (HWL), the machine comfortably supports riders up to 320 pounds with a 6’4’’ maximum inseam. For comparison, the original Ergatta measures 40 by 23 by 86 inches (HWL) and supports up to 500 pounds with a 6’8’’ max inseam. The Ergatta Lite not only takes up less floor space than its predecessor, it's also easier to move around, weighing 72 pounds including water, or more than 30 pounds lighter than the 105-pound Ergatta. Without the water, the Ergatta Lite weighs just 40 pounds (the original Ergatta is 76.5 pounds).

For convenient storage, the machine can be easily propped up along the wall in a vertical position. With the monitor arm folded down, the Ergatta Lite shaves about two inches from its sibling's width.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

The Ergatta Lite retains the same handsome design as the Ergatta, including its gorgeous wood paneling, though it's a shade lighter this time around. And like the Ergatta, the Ergatta Lite uses naturally adjusting water resistance, a nice change of pace from the fan-based rowers you often see at gyms and fitness clubs like the popular Concept 2. The water isn't too loud, either. In fact, the swishing adds a pleasing, meditative quality to your workout which should appeal to those looking to lose themselves in that sweet mind-body connection.

Ergatta offers two options when it comes to assembly—you can do it yourself, or you can spend an additional $249 for professional services. Ergatta was kind enough to offer us the latter option, in which the rower's components are sent to a local technician who assembles the machine and runs quality assurance tests. When it's ready, they call you to coordinate a delivery time. When the review unit arrived, it was ready to use, and all I had to do was connect it to Wi-Fi and create a profile via the built-in display. 

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

If you opt to assemble it yourself, Ergatta estimates that it’ll take you about about 30 to 45 minutes. Ergatta compares the installation process to that of Ikea furniture, which may or may not be a pleasant experience for some. I, for example, have never had good luck piecing together Ikea furniture but your mileage may vary.

The machine is not only attractive, but well built. While testing the Ergatta Lite, I found the seat to be comfortable and the handles secure and sturdy. The rails and pulley system are smooth, and the foot straps felt adequately tight.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

The Experience: Games and Races That Make Your Sweat

The Ergatta user interface has not changed much since we reviewed the original machine, but that’s not a bad thing. Like its predecessor, the Lite uses a 17.3-inch touch screen for navigation, which is smaller than the display on the NordicTrack RW900 (22 inches) and the Peloton Row (23.8 inches). It is a better fit for the smaller machine, however, and was good enough for me. Ergatta’s UI makes use of large tiles that are easy to read and navigate, but you can use the included HDMI port if you want to move over to a big screen

To make the most of this rowing machine, you’ll need to purchase the Ergatta’s membership for either $29 monthly or $319 yearly. The Ergatta membership unlocks access to the company's fitness platform, which includes a library of exercise games, goal-based training programs, personal dashboards, and social features such as leaderboards, private competitions, and community challenges. 

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Before you start training with the Ergatta, you're asked to set up the parameters like your average workout time and preferred difficulty level, then it offers programs that take 10 to 24 days to complete. Because its workout programs are structured like games, Ergatta’s approach to exercise reminds me more of Duolingo than of Peloton or other workout apps. Its closest competitor in the interactive fitness market is Aviron, which also makes gaming- and competition-focused rowing machines.

Races are one of Ergatta’s biggest draws. An auto-fill option quickly matches you with eight of your closest competitors on the platform, or you can use the Race Myself option to go against your past performance, like how you can race your ghost in Mario Kart. The platform also makes it easy to keep track of rivals to compete against. During races, the visual cues and lanes gamified the experience in a way that sparked my competitive, gamer brain, but I also felt appropriately challenged.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Ergatta offers other game types that are more involved than the races. One mode, called Pulse, has you collect tokens by maintaining a certain stroke rate (strokes per minute, or SPM), split time (a 500-meter speed metric), or a hybrid of the two. Another game, called Echo, asks you to match and maintain the rhythm of your strokes to a visual indicator on the screen, similar to a rhythm-based videogame. Between rounds of Pulse, Echo, and the Race of the Week, I got a lot of good exercise in. If you were worried that fun and games can’t make you sweat, fear not—the Ergatta Lite will make you sweat.

While working out on the Ergatta, you can optionally listen to Feed.fm music stations. They don’t get very loud on the screen’s weak speakers, but the playlists they curated are surprisingly catchy. For a richer sound, you can easily pair the rower to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.

To make the most of the Ergatta, you’ll want to be social. Forming rivalries and starting your own personal challenges is part of the fun, and if you’re not willing to do that, the games and races can start to wear thin. If you want to zone out and row solo, Ergatta offers scenic content that lets you virtually explore different waterways around the world as you work out, though none of this footage is guided like you'll find on Hydrow machines or iFit-powered rowers like the NordicTrack RW900. Ergatta's platform does not give you access to Netflix or other streaming services, a perk available on Aviron's platform.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

I enjoyed setting high scores and racing community members, and left every workout excited for the next session, but I can see how the platform's gaming focus could be a drawback for some users. Games get you moving, but they’re not going to give you the same guidance as instructor-led sessions. To help fill that gap, Ergatta has announced plans to bring coached workout classes to its platform through a deal with its existing manufacturing partner WaterRower, which recently acquired interactive fitness company CityRow.

Coached classes are slated to launch on Ergatta's platform July 10, starting with 50 CityRow videos covering HIIT, endurance, mobility, and strength, including floor-based workouts off the rower. Ergatta plans to add three new classes each week following the initial drop. The feature was not available at the time of this writing, but we have tried CityRow classes in the past, and the brand offers some of the most fun and effective rowing workouts of any interactive platform, so this is a bit benefit for Ergatta members.

If you're a beginner, Ergatta already offers plenty of tutorials that can teach you how to row, stretch, recover, and even catch mistakes you may encounter while rowing. Ergatta also now offers a mobile app-based form feedback feature called CoachAI that can help you row safe. I tried it out on my iPhone 11, and it worked as intended: You angle your phone alongside the rower, then row for a minute as it analyzes your technique. It then gives you a grade, identifies any errors—like slouching or not using your legs enough—and offers tips for improvement. In comparison, the Peloton Row uses sensors in the handlebars and seat to track your movements, and it offers real-time and post-workout form feedback right on the built-in display.

Similar functions also exist on some advanced smart strength training machines like the Tempo Studio and the Tonal to help keep you safe while working out at home. As with strength training, poor technique while rowing could lead to injury, so beginners should utilize Ergatta's form feedback tool.

The Verdict: A Rower With a Competitive Online Crew

The Ergatta Lite’s offers the same look and feel as the original Ergatta, in a slightly smaller design, at a lower price, which makes it a more appealing buy. Those hardwired for competitive play will enjoy Ergatta's online community and variety of races and games, which deliver a good sweat and leave you excited to hop back on day after day. We appreciate Ergatta's app-based form feedback tool, and the upcoming addition of coached classes on its platform will be another nice perk. The NordicTrack RW900 remains our Editors' Choice smart rowers for its vast library of scenic guided rows and overall value, while the Peloton Row's integrated form insights and live classes make it the best premium pick, but if you're all about setting high scores and beating others to the finish line, then the compact Ergatta Lite is a great match for you.