I initially tried to order my Kettler Kadett from a company called Mercantila, a.k.a. Rowingmachines.com. It was a complete disaster and nightmare including some false advertising, trying to cover up some mistakes on their part which caused about a month of delays, some horrible customer service (or lack thereof), some false charges, and a lot of headaches. Eventually enough was enough and I wound up ordering it directly from Amazon, which cost me a few bucks more, but was well worth it.The machine comes mostly disassembled and took about an hour and a half to put together. There were a few confusing moments as the instructions are only pictures and no text, so making sure you have the right part takes a little extra focus. It came with all the tools necessary except an allen wrench which was necessary for one small thing.
In terms of overall quality, it''s very high. I''m not concerned about this thing breaking, nor does it rattle or have ill-fitting parts. That said, the housing for the computer is a little wimpy and doesn''t attach very securely to the main body as I''ve knocked it off a couple times. A small piece of tape at the base has kept it firmly locked into place since.
Some people have complained about the location of the straps on the foot plates. I actually find their location ideal, although they do tend to loosen themselves during a workout. I made a trip down to the store and bought some velcro which I sewed onto the straps. It took 15 minutes to do and I now have the best foot straps in the world.
The best thing about this machine, and the reason I bought it, is that it REALLY DOES in fact mimic an actual rowing motion. When I close my eyes I can actually believe I''m on a boat on the water which makes my workouts much more pleasant. So for anyone with any doubts, you can in fact believe the hype, it IS like rowing a boat. Additionally, all the action is very smooth. The seat is very sturdy and comfortable and it doesn''t wobble. The arms are also smooth and the grips spin freely.
One other reason I bought this machine is that I''m very tall and the Kadett adjusts to accommodate my size. It does this by placing the footboards on a center beam that slides inside the central housing. This beam can be adjusted allowing my incredibly long logs to get a full complete extension without the seat hitting the end of it''s track.
Although it takes up a lot of space during use due to the outrigger style "oars", it does fold up to the size of a traditional hydraulic rowing machine in about 30 seconds. I keep mine leaned up against a wall and out of the way in an adjacent room, and as it''s not very heavy it isn''t a big deal pulling it out every morning.
One problem I did discover, is that the numbers on one of my adjustable hydraulic pistons is misaligned. So it was a minor nuisance to set the resistance initially as I had to do it by feel.
In preview, the Kadette appears to be overpriced compared to virtually all other hydraulic rowing machines. But it really is a completely different kind of animal in terms of the rowing action that makes it worth the price tag. It still suffers from a slow start as the pistons come up to temperature like any other hydraulic rowing machine, but the rowing motion is like heaven.
From the solidity and the perfect fit of the parts, it is clear that this machine is the product of German engineering. I haven''t seen anything so well designed in years. Each part fits well, tightens nicely and still rotates or slides with ease. The machine is sturdy, sits well on carpet or hard flooring and easily folds into a compact shape when not in use.
A workout on the Kadett is better than any workout I''ve ever experienced, aside from rowing or kayaking. The motion is very realistic, with nothing to distract one beyond the small chirping of the pistons and the occasional knock of the seat against the front of the rail. It is easy to close my eyes and imagine myself rowing down a quiet river. The entire experience is more like meditation than exercise -the perfect way to start, or end, a busy day.
After a 45 minute workout, I wasn''t sure that I had really gotten a particularly strenuous workout. Then I stepped off the machine and realized that my legs were like rubber. It was that subtle.
I highly recommend this machine to anyone looking for an alternative to the ordinary. The full-body workout provided by rowing is a beautiful thing. The price is less than most elliptical trainers, the unit weighs only 66lbs, and it gives your arms a workout too! I can''t say enough good things about this machine.
Happy rowing!
Buy Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine Now
well, after reading that many positive reviews, I decided to buy one.delivery and assembly were flawless.
There are some strange things about this piece of equipment, however.
1. all the labels on the equipment are in German. Not a problem for me, because I am a German living in the States. Must be strange for locals, though.
2. the pulse meter is completely inaccurate. I was rowing like mad to get my pulse into my aerobic zone (130). Once I was exhausted and double-checked with my chest-strap based other pulse-meter, I was already beyond 150, when the Kettler thing still showed only 110. If you don''t want to kill yourself, don''t use the built-in pulse meter.
Besides, I hate having a cable dangling at my ear while rowing.
3. at the beginning of my 2nd training session, when I tried to fix my shoes with the 2 tapes which were provided for this purpose, one of the plastic rings broke. It is made of such a cheap material, it cannot last for long.
4. I can''t prove it, but I have the strong impression that I have to apply different levels of power on the right vs. the left handle, no matter to what "level" I set it. I always have the feeling, that I have to pull a lot harder on the right side than the left. That does not feel good.
5. it is not as quiet as I expected it to be. The rowing motion is ok. It is the sliding seat which I am worried about. So far, my wife doesn''t complain when I use it at 6am in the morning. Still, I think, this is an area of potential improvement.
Would I recommend it to a friend? no.
At this price range, I would not have expected those kind of flaws.
Read Best Reviews of Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine Here
When I got the machine and started putting it together, I noticed I was missing a few small pieces. Understandable, I think, as this machine was shipped from Germany. 3$ and a trip to my local hardware store later, the Kettler Kadett was all assembled. I had some problems with the foot straps loosening while I exercised, but I found that a velcro strap fastened around the toe area (to provide an additional foot strap) and some velcro adhesive slapped on the existing foot strap fixed that problem.With the exception of those minor nuisances, the Kettler Kadett is an amazing piece of machinery. When I use it, I can tell it''s not going to break or fall apart at the nuts and bolts. It went together easily and it''s solid as a rock when I use it. I''ve never rowed on a real boat in my life, but this feels just as I''d imagine it would. And of course the most important part, when I get off, I feel like I''ve gotten a gym quality work out.
4 out of 5 stars for this rowing machine, the packaging could have been better and slightly re-designed foot wraps, but all in all an excellent buy.
Want Kettler Kadett Outrigger Style Rower Rowing Machine Discount?
Although there have been some reviews complaining about the item, I did not find any of the problems mentioned. I will go over a few thing in order to help future buyers, as there is some inaccurate information in some reviews.First, the manual does contain instructions in English, it can be found on any page marked with a GB (Great Britain) at the top. It is true that there is no written paragraph next to the assembling pictures, but they are very easy to follow. The only issue you might come across is the way you install the rowing hands. My suggestion is to place them onto the locking arms without actually installing them, you will quickly realize if you have them backwards (the piston has to compress when you pull rather than extend).
Second, the adjustments on the pistons are not off as some people have mentioned. There is a patent number stamped onto them with a triangle background. The tip of the triangle will point toward the number you select and this way the resistance is equivalent. Where some folks went wrong is simply looking at the piston from the top. By doing so, they see different numbers on each of the two units and this completely throws them off. Just look on the side where the patent triangle is located and match the numbers, you will feel the same resistance throughout.
Lastly, this item is NOT a regular rower, this type of rowing is called SCULLING. If you want some excellent advice on sculling technique, body position, arm and leg extension, wrist position, and proper catch/pull/release, you need to take a few minutes and go to (click on "how to scull") and read the instruction by following along with the pictures. After about 5 minutes of slowly going through the movement sequence I began to feel the fluidity of the motion and the rower reacted to it accordingly.
I am extremely satisfied with the product, the design is very ergonomic and sturdy at the same time. It weighs less than one of my kettle bells which makes it pretty easy to move around. I believe the nicest thing about this rower is its versatility. You can choose not to use your legs and only work out your upper body. Moreover, you can use alternate pulling and shift the resistance around when you don''t feel like doing the same thing all the time.
I hope this information helps shed some light on previously mentioned problems. Have a great workout.
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