Waterrower Natural vs Sunny Health And Fitness Sma

WaterRower Natural vs Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: which one should you buy?

Quick answer

Buy the WaterRower Natural if you want a beautiful rower that sounds like water. Buy the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower instead if you have very little space.

By Buyrskip Editorial Team Updated November 2, 2026 1 min read

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Buy

WaterRower Natural

Best for Beautiful and quiet

Typically $999–$1,299

Check Price on Amazon Paid link

Buy

Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower

Best for Small spaces

Typically $249–$349

Check Price on Amazon Paid link

Quick comparison

Feature	WaterRower Natural	Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower
Verdict	Buy	Buy
Typical price	$999–$1,299	$249–$349
Best for	Beautiful and quiet	Small spaces
Key feature	Wooden water rower with a calming swoosh	Compact magnetic rower for small homes
Resistance	Water	Magnetic
Monitor	S4	LCD + app
Storage	Stands upright	Folds
Max user	1,000 lb	285 lb
Where to buy	Check Price Paid link	Check Price Paid link

Main differences

Resistance

WaterRower Natural: Water; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: Magnetic.

Monitor

WaterRower Natural: S4; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: LCD + app.

Storage

WaterRower Natural: Stands upright; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: Folds.

Max user

WaterRower Natural: 1,000 lb; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: 285 lb.

Why buy it

WaterRower Natural: wooden water rower with a calming swoosh; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: compact magnetic rower for small homes.

Made for

WaterRower Natural: beautiful and quiet; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: small spaces.

Usual price

WaterRower Natural: $999–$1,299; Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: $249–$349.

Which should you choose?

Choose the WaterRower Natural if you

you want a beautiful rower that sounds like water
value beautiful wood

Check Price Paid link

Choose the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower if you

you have very little space
value compact

Check Price Paid link

If neither feels right

Neither is the only answer. See every model we would buy (and the ones we would skip) in our list of the best rowing machines.

Not sure about either? Consider these

Concept2 · Rowing machines

Concept2 RowErg

Buy it if you want the most proven, durable rower.

Verdict: Buy
Best for: Best rower
Typical price: $990–$1,099

Pros

Gym standard
Accurate PM5

Cons

Fan noise

Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review

Concept2 · Rowing machines

Concept2 RowErg Tall Legs

Buy it if you have knee or back issues getting low.

Verdict: Buy
Best for: Easy on/off
Typical price: $1,090–$1,199

Pros

Easier to mount
Same accuracy

Cons

Pricier

Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review

Frequently asked questions

WaterRower Natural or Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: which should I buy?

Buy the WaterRower Natural if you want a beautiful rower that sounds like water. Buy the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower instead if you have very little space.

Is the price difference worth it?

The WaterRower Natural usually costs $999–$1,299 and the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower $249–$349. Pay more only if the differences above matter to you.

Buyrskip Editorial Team

Part of the Buyrskip research team. We compare specifications, documentation and real-world trade-offs so you can decide faster.

How we research products Editorial policy

WaterRower Natural or Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower: the full reasoning

WaterRower Natural or Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower? Both are strong rowing machines, which is exactly why the choice is hard. Here is the short version first: buy the WaterRower Natural if you want a beautiful rower that sounds like water, and buy the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower if you have very little space. The rest of this page explains why, with usual US prices.

Where they differ

The WaterRower Natural wins on wooden water rower with a calming swoosh. The Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower answers with compact magnetic rower for small homes. Resistance: Water on the WaterRower Natural, Magnetic on the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower. Monitor: S4 on the WaterRower Natural, LCD + app on the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower. Storage: Stands upright on the WaterRower Natural, Folds on the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower. Max user: 1,000 lb on the WaterRower Natural, 285 lb on the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower.

Reasons to buy the WaterRower Natural

Beautiful wood, Quiet water sound, Stands upright. What to accept: basic monitor, heavy. Usual price: $999–$1,299. Our verdict: buy. Read the full WaterRower Natural review.

Reasons to buy the Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower

Compact, Quiet, Cheap. What to accept: short rail, basic. Usual price: $249–$349. Our verdict: buy. Read the full Sunny Health & Fitness Smart Compact Magnetic Rower review.

Neither one?

Our list of the best rowing machines has every other model with its own call. Resistance: air rowers feel like real rowing and are the club standard; magnetic rowers are quietest for apartments.

Also consider the Concept2 RowErg ($990–$1,099): the gym-standard air rower with an accurate monitor. Buy it if you want the most proven, durable rower.

Also consider the Concept2 RowErg Tall Legs ($1,090–$1,199): taller RowErg that is easier to get on and off. Buy it if you have knee or back issues getting low.

US buyer tip

Concept2 rarely discounts, but its rowers hold value well; magnetic and water rowers see deeper cuts on Prime Day and Black Friday.

Prices on Amazon.com move in a pattern. The deepest cuts land on Prime Day in July, Prime Big Deal Days in October and the Black Friday to Cyber Monday week, with smaller drops around Presidents Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and back-to-school. Judge a deal against the usual price we show, never against the crossed-out list price.