Product Review: Ultimate Shiatsu Massage Chair Recliner
December 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
If you are looking for a massage chair, then you will see many massage chairs claiming to be a shiatsu massage chair. There is a lot of confusion as to what constitutes a true shiatsu style massage chair. First we need to understand the actual massage therapy technique, then we can better evaluate if a chair really fits into this category.
Massage therapy has been used for over 5,000 years. It has different origins in China, Egypt and India. Shiatsu massage therapy is an offshoot of Chinese medical arts such as acupuncture. Acupuncture uses pressure points in the body to promote healing. The Japanese adapted acu pressure to control and regulate the flow of energy in the body. They noticed that applying pressure to specific points reduced discomfort and pain in the body. A body of knowledge developed using specific pressure points to induce total bod relaxation which formed into the traditional shiatsu massage.
In addition to using the acupressure points, these healers also made use of applying kneading to loosen tight muscles. Tapping was also found to stimulate the muscles and enhance blood flow. These techniques are used in conjunction with pressure from the thumbs, fingers and the palm of the hand. The goal is to relax the body with the use of acupressure points which connect to the major organs. It is useful to know that when the body faces stress, the body mobilizes. All your major organs are mobilized to protect the body which increases stress and anxiety. Shiatsu seeks to reverse this process helping the body to restore itself and rebalance.
With this background in shiatsu massage therapy, we can now look at massage chair recliners that provide this type of techniques. Some of the premier massage chair brands like Panasonic, Omega and Sanyo have chairs that meet these parameters. Many of these chairs have sensors to detect your acupressure points. The software then adjusts the massage to target your individual pressure points. Some of the best massage chair recliners providing shiatsu massage therapy are presented here.
One of the original lineages of shiatsu massage chairs are by Panasonic. The EP 30003 massage recliner provides two different styles of shiatsu style massage. It has the traditional shiatsu massage and also the Junetsu style. The Junetsu style differs from traditional shiatsu with the use of small circular and penetratng motions. The Junetsu style is good deep tissue relief. The combinations in the auto programs are well thought out for a therapeutic and relaxing massage.
Sanyo has developed a shiatsu lower body massage therapy. The Sanyo system targets multiple pressure points in the leg and foot. The pressure points are applied firm pressure which helps relieve stress and enhance energy flow throughout the body. Additionally, the tactically placed air bags provide a comforting and thorough air compression massage.
The Montage Premier Massage chair by Omega delivers a penetrating and invigorating shiatsu massage. The Montage Premier has the best foot massage of the high end chairs. This chair has acupressure nodes that penetrate both the arch and the heel of the foot. It performs an alternating sequence which stimulates the major organs and induces full body tranquility and relaxation. Omega also incorporates an MP3 player to play your favorite music to keep your mind occupied on relaxing.
Of course, there are more massage chairs that provide shiatsu massage therapy, but these are the best of the best. Find out if shiatsu massage is right for you. If so, then you will do very well with any of these chairs. Many companies advertise that they perform certain functions, but they may not actually deliver it. If you stick with the top brands like Sanyo, Omega and Panasonic then you will get years of shiatsu massage therapy from your massage chair.
Review of the Omega’s Montage Premier Massage Chair
December 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment
This review covers the top of the line massage chair from Omega Massage. Their new Montage Premier massage chair is evaluated in this product review. We will cover 5 important areas in reviewing this recliner. We look at warranty, ergonomics, ease of use, key features and massage therapy. We score each category up to 20 points and then provide an overall rating out of a possible 100 points. Here is an in depth look at the Montage Premier massage recliner.
Warranty & Customer Service: As with any big ticket purchase, you want sufficient protection from potential problems. The warranty coverage helps to reduce the risk that you the consumer are taking when buying any product. The Montage Premier comes with comprehensive warranty coverage. It has 5 years protection on the frame, 3 years on parts, 3 years on labor and you also get 1 year of parts shipping. You are also covered for the first 90 days with in-home technician service. This is a terrific warranty package. Customer service and turn around times are good and are provided by Omega. The Montage Premier earns a 19 in this category.
Comfort & Ergonomics: We like the ergonomics of this well designed massage recliner. This chair is designed for the American market. It can fit users up to 6′ 6″ and has a weight limit of 300 pounds. The recliner is wheel chair accessible for those individuals who might have trouble getting in and out of the chair. There is a wireless sub remote that offers tremendous convenience for the users. The chair is comfortable to sit in and has a very nice synthetic leather which is very soft. The synthetic leather is also very easy to clean. We rate the comfort and ergonomics a 19.
Ease of Use: This category is about intuitive use of the massage chair controls. They should be simple and easy to use for first time users. This recliner comes with many advanced features in the remote control. It comes with a wireless sub remote which is well designed and simple to use. There are 5 single touch automatic programs. The chair back and footrest work off a wheel control like an ipod. The LCD control panel shows exactly what massage functions are being applied. The myriad of manual controls have great descriptions in the side panel of the remote. We rate the ease of use for the Montage Premier a 19.
Key Features: There is an array of great features in this massage chair, but we find the full body heat and the lower body traction system to be key features to point out. The Montage Premier comes with heating elements in the chair back, the seat and the leg rest. Each of these areas can be individually controlled. This allows the user to target the use of heat where they most need. We find heat is a great compliment to massage therapy and is used in spas throughout the world. Omega has added an effective lower body traction function. This traction function gently stretches the lower body including the lower back, hips, knees and ankles. The leg rest is brought to the horizontal position. The airbags are activated to hold your ankles in place. The leg rest then lowers successively to 3 positions. When the leg rest lowers, it stretches the muscles and tendons throughout the lower body. The Montage Premier earns a 19 in Key Features.
Massage Therapy: This massage chair is the most comprehensive on the market. It has tremendous capability to deliver a full sensory experience. You have 5 automatic programs, 4 manual massage techniques, and 6 manual massage courses. There are 4 levels of speed adjustment and 4 roller width adjustments. The air compression massage system covers your buttocks, hips, thighs, calves, feet, hands and arms. Additionally, you can apply heat to 3 separate areas of the chair. Slip on the headphones and let the music relax your mind. Get a great lower body stretch from your hips to your ankles. This is a very soothing, invigorating and the most comprehensive massage experience you can get from a massage chair. The Montage Premier earns 20 points for massage therapy.
How does the Montage Premier rate overall? Let us sum up the score in each of the five categories which provides an overall rating of 96/100. The Montage Premier is an excellent massage chair. You will get a thorough and comprehensive full body massage. Omega provides great complimentary therapies to its arsenal of massage therapies. There just is not a massage chair available that includes full body heat, traction and music therapy. Omega is known for its invigorating massage therapies and the Montage Premier delivers. You get comprehensive warranty coverage directly from the factory with having to purchase extended warranties. If you are looking at the best of the best in the luxury massage chair class, then this is one of the best there is on the market today.
Review of the Panasonic EP 1273 KL Shiatsu Massage Chair
December 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The Panasonic EP-1273KL shiatsu massage chair is the subject of this product review. Panasonic is an electronics company and has a massage chair line. The EP-1273KL is a midrange model. The midrange is the $2,000 to $3,000 price range for massage chairs. Let us take a look at some of the advanced features for the Panasonic EP-1273KL shiatsu massage chair.
Panasonic is a giant in the field of electronics and has been making massage chairs for quite some time. Panasonic has wide distribution of their massage chairs and can be found in many stores across the country. When seriously looking at massage chairs, it is important to find a reputable manufacturer. There are many choices of massage chairs on the market, but most unknown brands put a lot of risk on the buyer. Buyer beware! Panasonic is a Fortune 500 company and should be with us for quite some time.
How good is the warranty of the Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair? Panasonic provides just an average warranty directly from the manufacturer. The standard Panasonic manufacturing warranty covers 1 year parts, 1 year labor, 1 year shipping and 1 year in-home service. Panasonic provides an average warranty protection for the customer. The warranty coverage can be extended by purchasing an extended warranty through the retailer. The larger electronics companies follow the extended warranty model which is no doubt a carry over from their electronics divisions. Coverage on the extended warranties vary by retailer, so check out what the coverage and cost for the Panasonic EP-1273KL.
Almost everyone’s favorite subject about massage chairs is how they look. The Panasonic does OK in this regard, but it looks a bit sterile for the general public. At least that is the comment we get a lot. This massage chair seems targeted to health professionals with its neo-industrial design aesthetics. Not to take away from the chair, but just make sure you like the look of this chair. We actively encourage our suppliers to make chairs that fit in any room.
The EP-1273 comes with 4 auto programs, 3 manual courses and 8 massage techniques. Most massages are timed 15 minutes for your enjoyment. The 4 auto programs have refresh, shiatsu, deep, and gentle. Manual courses cover your back allowing you to cover the whole, upper or lower back. The 8 massage functions consist of rolling, percussion, Hawaiian, kneading, tapping, Swedish, compression, and shiatsu massage therapy.
The Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair comes equipped with a dual-use air ottoman system. The air system in the ottoman kneads and loosens the calves. If the ottoman is raised, the feet can be placed on the area for the calves with the knees bent for a soothing foot massage. The ottoman also has a stretch functions, which will at first raise, then lower in 20 degree increments to stretch out the lower body.
Panasonic does a terrific job with the EP-1273KL shiatsu massage chair. They include some higher end technology with the leg rest stretching system and their Swede Atsu massaging functions. This is reliable massage therapy administered at the touch of a button. Panasonic has basic warranty coverage from the factory, so consider getting the extended warranty. If you are looking at the midrange price level, then the Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair should be on your short list.
Review about the Human Touch HT1650 Massage Chair Recliner
November 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We will present a review and evaluation of the HT 1650 massage recliner by Human Touch. This is a full size recliner that converts into a massage recliner. This is a luxury massage chair with many therapeutic massage functions. This review will go through the main functions of the chair and also present the warranty coverage for your consideration.
When you are looking at big ticket items like a massage chair, you really need to take the warranty coverage seriously. A massage chair has many moving parts and sophisticated electronics. The warranty coverage is your long term insurance policy, that gives you peace of mind. The other key caveat is to go with a known brand, so that you warranty is actually going to be honored. Just like an insurance company, you want to make sure they have assets to pay you if needed.
Human Touch provides the following warranty coverage for the HT 1650 massage recliner. You get 5 years on the structure, 3 years parts, 1 year labor and 90 days of in field service. Compared to other known brands, this warranty coverage is competitive. We would like to see more coverage for labor which in our opinion should be equal to the parts.
Now let us get to the good stuff: massage therapy. The HT 1650 comes with a variety of massage therapy functions. There are manual massage functions such as rolling, compression, kneading and percussion. You can also select to focus on certain areas of the back. This massage recliner comes with 8 pre-programs. Select from these full body massages which include full body sore muscle relief, sports and back therapy, leg- foot-hip therapy, neck-shoulders relief, after work stretch, morning wake up, night time soothing, and massage demonstration.
The HT-1650 has a built in body scan function. The body scan detects your acupressure points throughout you back. The computer notes the location of each point and identifies the most important for stimulation. The massage is then adjusted to target those acupressure points to help induce full body relaxation. This is particularly important for the shiatsu style massage, which stimulates your acupressure points during the course of the massage.
The HT-1650 comes with a hidden calf and foot massager. The calf and foot massage doubles as a regular leg rest when not being used for massage. This calf and foot massager is hidden in the front of the chair. The massager can be flipped to reveal the calf and foot massager. This is a great feature in that the calf and foot massager can be hidden from view when not in use.
If you come home with tired or aching feet, then just flip the leg rest over and enjoy a soothing compression massage. The HT 1650 comes with an air massage system that allows you to target your calves and feet. Just place you feet in the leg rest wells and let the airbags gently or firmly squeeze the tension out of your feet. Relief is just a push of a button away.
The massage remote control is thin and has controls on two sides. The main controls are on the front of the remote and the massage comfort, heat and roller position are located on the side. The remote fits into an upholstered pocket on the side panel of the recliner. There is no remote stand which is nice. The concept of the HT 1650 is to have a massage chair hidden inside a normal upholstered recliner. We think Human Touch has very effectively accomplished this goal. Overall, this is a very effective massage recliner with some therapeutic massage therapies in the luxury class of massage chairs.
Review of Sanyo HEC SA5000 Massage Chair
November 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We present review of the Sanyo model HEC SA5000 massage chair. Our intention is to provide a massage chair buyer with an objective review and evaluation of a given massage chair. We use a 5 category system. Equal weight is given to each category. Each category can earn from 0 to 20 points. The points are then summed up to provide you with an overall score. The 5 categories cover the following: Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. This system gives us a disciplined process of evaluating a massage chair. We hope you find this helping in your search for the best massage chair for your needs. The Sanyo HEC-SA5000 massage chair recliner price is in the $3,000 to $4,000 range.
Warranty & Customer Service: Let us start at the company level and rate the warranty and customer service for Sanyo. Warranty coverage is a good benchmark of the manufacturer’s confidence is its product. Sanyo gives a 1 year labor, 1 year parts and 1 year in-home service. It does cover the roller mechanism for 3 years. For a company as large as Sanyo, the warranty is a little weaker than we would expect. Sanyo did start offering in-home service, which is an important service upgrade to match others in the industry. At least with in-home service they provide 1 year. Overall, customer service is competent. They have a national hot line with 24/7 service. Turnaround time on service is ok. Our Rating in this category is 15.
Comfort & Ergonomics: This section looks at the ergonomics of the design for comfort and relaxation. This chair comes with padded armrests which are soft and comfortable. The head support pillow is adjustable and contoured to support the head. The back pad is plush and well padded. The leg ottoman is in a fixed position and cannot be adjusted. This can be a drawback to taller users. The layout of the remote control is good and within easy arms reach. There is a wired sub remote that has minimal adjustments included. The SA5000 earns a 15 in this category.
Ease of Use: We are always concerned with how easy a massage chair is to use. There are an ever increasing number of features and options, but the manufacturers need to make it easy to use. Everyone wants the best technology has to offer, but not at the expense of a steep learning curve. We like the Sanyo remote for the SA 5000. This is a clean and simple design. There are 4 automatic programs with one-touch buttons. If you like the massage you are getting and the area, then hit the Program Memory button and the chair will remember. This is like having additional automatic programs at your disposal. The side panel controls the lower body air system with individual controls for the lower body, calf, foot and thigh. Our rating in this category is 18.
Key Features: The SA-5000 comes with some unique technology from Sanyo. They include their GK roller systems for neck and shoulder massage. They also have a stiffness detection system integrated into the massage recliner. The GK roller system can reach out over the shoulders. It performs a grip massage that is effective to relieve tension and soreness in the shoulder and neck regions. The stiffness sensor is based on lie detector technology. It monitors your pulse and perspiration to determine areas of stiffness in the body. This is then fed into the computer which then directs the massage for those specific areas. The SA 5000 earns an 18 in this category.
Massage Therapy: The SA 5000 comes with 4 automatic programs, 4 programs stored in Memory, 4 manual massage techniques and 4 massage courses for targeted relief of stress areas. You can select from 5 roller width setting and 5 massage speed settings. The 4 full body automatic courses include: Stiffness, Relax, Recovery and Fine. Sanyo incorporates its exclusive multi-point shiatsu massage for the legs and feet. The air system covers the lower body including the feet, calves and thighs. There are a total of 24 airbags. The air only comfort course includes a multi-point shiatsu massage is delivered to the lower body for a comforting lower body massage. There is also an ankle grip massage. The ankle grip massage is performed by holding a range of built in airbags around the foot. Our rating in this category is 18.
Overall, we rate the Sanyo SA-5000 an 84/100. The SA 5000 comes with many of the same technologies as Sanyo’s high end version the DR7700. The stroke length of the back rollers is 28 inches compared to 31 inches for the DR 7700, but most of the same technology is in the SA 5000. The factory warranty is just ok and you may want to explore an extended warranty to equal other manufacturer’s coverage. The GK rollers are a nice feature for neck and shoulder coverage. The leg rest would be more ergonomic for the American market if there was an extension built in. If you are looking for a massage chair recliner in this category, the SA 5000 is one you should check out.