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We evaluate the Panasonic Real Pro Ultra in 5 categories including Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. Each individual category is given equal weight of 20 potential points. This systematic approach helps to present massage chairs from the same vantage point to help make comparison easier. If you are looking for a massage chair, then check out the Real Pro Ultra. The model EP 30003 is a mid range model.

Warranty & Customer Service: After sale support and service is important for your longer term peace of mind. Each manufacturer is different. Panasonic has 3 year parts and 1 year labor. Panasonic has integrated an hour counter mechanism. This hour counter tracks how long the chair is used. Panasonic gives 1,000 hours of warranty coverage with this counter. The warranty coverage ends after 1,000 hours of usage. You may need to consider an extended warranty with this chair to match some of the other chair brands. We rate it a 16 for this category.

Comfort & Ergonomics: The Real Pro Ultra is well designed with many intuitive placement of controls and general fit of the massage chair. It is comfortable to sit in with the plush back pad. The seat is comfortable and springy. You can sit back and feel comfortable. When you are laid back, you cannot reach the controls. You either have to get up or put the controller by your side to make adjustments. If you are tall, then this chair may be a bit too small. There are no adjustments to accommodate taller users. Our rating in this category is 17.

Ease of Use: Intuitive and easy to use are some of the hardest elements to get right with today’s electronics. Massage chairs have so many features, that some controllers become an unsightly mess. You have to spend hours over the manual to figure some of them out. This severely detracts from the massage therapy environment. Panasonic has a simple control. They incorporate along the top of the control the automatic massages for one button selection. You can tailor massages fairly easy and the learning of the control is rather fast. We give an 18.

Key Features: 2 of the best features of the Real Pro Ultra is the reflexology foot massage and the Junetsu massage. Most people do not yet understand the importance of the feet in massage therapy. When stress is put on the body, the body activates the hands and feet for action. The major organs then gear up to for support. Reflexology foot massage helps to reverse this process. The Panasonic EP 30003 comes with reflexology foot massage that helps relax the whole body. The other important feature is an ultra fine kneading called Junetsu. Small circles are made with firm pressure. This provides a penetrating and deep tissue relief. We rate this an 18.

Massage Therapy: The Panasonic Real Pro Ultra is equipped with customizable self-programs, 5-minute quick refresher massage and 4 other massage programs. The 4 other programs include shiatsu, deep, Swedish and stretch. The lower body air massage includes 14 airbags for calf and foot coverage. The Junetsu or ultra fine kneading is a new feature by Panasonic which is also in this massage recliner. The back rollers give you 132 square inches of coverage. Manual controls include tapping, kneading, rolling and combination. For the price range, the massage therapy is pretty thorough. The ultra fine kneading is a great addition for this price point. Our rating in this category is 19.

Ok, the moment of truth. The overall rating for the Panasonic EP 30003 is an 88/100. This is a solid rating for a solid chair. The Real Pro Ultra is a good performer in the mid range massage chair market. The reflexology foot massage and the addition of Junetsu massage is great value at this price point. The warranty is OK. You would hope for better protection from Panasonic, so check out an extended warranty. This is a long term investment for your health. If you are tall, then you may want to try this chair to see how well you fit. If you are looking for a mid range shiatsu massage chair recliner then this could be a good choice for you.

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Panasonic has now introduced its new Real Pro Ultra massage chair line. This new line represents the newest technology platform for Panasonic’s high-end luxury massage chairs. The entry-level of these high-end massage chairs is small EP 30003. The next model up in the Real Pro Ultra massage chairs line is the EP 30004. The EP 30004 has many advanced features and includes an arm and hand massage.

The Real Pro Ultra line comes with an upgraded three-dimensional body scan. The three-dimensional body scan takes coordinates and three dimensions. This advanced technology is used to locate your shoulders and also the curvature of your spine.

When the body scan is performed, the rollers of the massage chair will move up and down your back. As the rollers move up and down, sensors will record the coordinates of your body in three different dimensions. This information can use to customize the massage chairs for your body.

Panasonic has also developed a new quad style roller mechanism. This advanced new roller works in conjunction with the reading of the body scan. The information from the body scan is used to direct the roller and its pressure to deliver a soothing and relieving massage every time.

The EP 30004 massage chair also comes with five automatic programs. These programs include Swedish, shiatsu, deep, stretching and quick. These programs are activated at the touch of a single button.

Panasonic has developed a new type of ultra fine kneading massage. This massage type has been integrated into the Real Pro Ultra massage chair line. This ultra fine kneading is called Junetsu. The Junetsu technique is excellent for relieving tight muscles and knots in the back.

Panasonic has also integrated both upper body stretching and lower body stretching in the EP 30004 model. This unique massage chair has the capability to stretch the lower body using the leg rest. The upper body is stretched using a combination of the arm massage and reclining the chair and a downward position.

Shiatsu massage is a famous Japanese massage technique. It is a derivative of acupuncture based on ancient Chinese medicine. The body scan technology locates your acupoints on your back and neck. There are over 100 acupoints in this area alone.

The Real Pro Ultra massage chair line comes with an air compression technology. Airbags are located throughout the massage chair. These are specially designed to provide a gentle compression massage to relieve aches and pains.

The air compression massage is very relieving. You can also adjust the level of air pressure to suit your needs. Many of the larger muscles are served very well with a compression massage using specially designed airbags.

There is a reflexology foot massage built into the EP30004 massage chair. This reflexology massage uses specially designed plates located underneath your feet. As the massage begins, the nodes will stimulate the trigger points located on your feet.

The warranty coverage of the Real Pro Ultra massage chair line is as follows: one year parts, one year in-home technician service and three years coverage on the roller mechanism. In-home technician service is an important item to have for your warranty. This means that a technician will come directly to your home and fix the chair if required.

The Real Pro Ultra massage chair line represents the latest and greatest technology available from Panasonic. The EP 30004 massage chair is one of their best luxury models. It incorporates full body massage capability and a number of soothing and relieving massage programs.

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With so many massage chairs on the market, how does one navigate to find what is right for them? One effective method our past customers have told us is by comparing reviews of massage chairs. We are going to review a Panasonic massage chair which is in the mid-range level. The model is the EP1273 massage recliner. Our review process rates a massage chair in 5 key areas. Each area is worth a possible 20 points. The overall score is attained by adding up the scores in each key area for a possible score of 100 total points. We present our review of the EP-1273 by Panasonic.

Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: The first area we like to cover is the warranty coverage for massage chairs. This is an important long-term consideration. Massage chairs have many moving parts and complex electronics. You want to make sure you are adequately protected. Let us look at the warranty of the Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair. The EP-1273 comes with the following warranty coverage: 1 year parts, 1 year labor, 1 year shipping and 1 year in-home service. This is a fair warranty for a mid-level. Although, you may want to consider getting an extended warranty for additional protection. Customer service for Panasonic is fair. Overall, we rate the warranty and customer service a 16.

Comfort & Ergonomics: We have this category because with the increasing number of features, some functions are not easily accessible or hard to reach. Also, we have tried massage chars that were simply not comfortable to sit after a few minutes. Panasonic has designed the EP 1273 to be comfortable to relax in. The materials are soft to the touch and it comes with a pillow to support your head. The remote control is laid out well and easy to understand. This model rates an 18 for this key area.

Ease of Use: One of the challenges of modern day equipment is that there are so many features that are now included. The design challenge comes in making these devices simple to understand and easy to use. Panasonic has been involved in this arena for a long time and takes this very seriously. The remote of the EP1273 is very well laid out. It is simple to understand and using it takes hardly any time. We are impressed with the simplicity of this chair and give it an 18 in this category.

Key Features: The key features of the EP1273 are the dual use ottoman and the 8 manual massage techniques. This massage recliner has a dual-use air ottoman system. Use the air system to knead and relieve tightness in the calves. Raise the ottoman and place your feet on it for a soothing and relieving foot massage. The second use of the ottoman is the built in stretch function. Hit the button and the ottoman will at first rise up and then it will lower in 20 degree increments. This will stretch out the lower body and provide gentle relief to aching muscles. This recliner also has 8 manual massage techniques. The 8 techniques include: Shiatsu, Swedish, Hawaiian, tapping, rolling, kneading, compression and percussion. This is a great variety for a mid range massage chair. We give the EP-1273 an 18 for key features.

Massage Therapy: This is the most important category for a massage chair. Obviously, the massage therapy needs to be effective or else it is a disappointment. There are eight manual massage techniques that will please the most demanding of massage enthusiasts. You also can choose to target specific regions of the back or pinpoint a specific place. The pre-programs provide effective full body massage at the touch of a button. There are 3 fifteen minute massage programs and a five minute program. These are well programmed and provide effective relief. The air massage system adds the calves and feet into the equation. Overall, you get a very good set of massage treatments for this price range. We give the EP 1273 an 18 in this category.

Overall, the EP 1273 earns a score of 88/100. The EP-1273KL massage chair is certainly one of the better values provided by Panasonic. You get some excellent massage therapy treatments which are also available in their higher end models. The dual use ottoman is nice with the built in stretch system. We feel that the foot massage could be better, since you have to raise the leg ottoman and then bend your knees to perform. The aesthetic design of the chair is also lacking. However, the massage therapy is solid and you get a good variety of choice with this chair. If you are looking at a massage recliner in this class, then it is worth your time to check out the EP 1273 massage chair from Panasonic.

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Maybe you get pain or aches in the back. Do you just live with it or have you tried to seek treatment? Many times treatments for back pain will include massage therapy. Massage therapy eases aches and pains, increases blood flow and helps the healing process. One massage technique, the Hawaiian massage is good for back pain relief. The Hawaiian massage therapy uses swaying motions with deeper tissue penetration and some stretching.

Hawaiian Lomi massage means “Loving Hands” to represent working gently, yet deeply to relieve those problem areas. The Lomi Lomi massage is a holistic massage used throughout the entire body, but it is particularly effective up and down the spine. The Lomi Lomi massage originated with the ancient Polynesians and then was further developed by the master healers of Hawaii.

These ancient practitioners saw the total energy flow through the body. They say that energy flow was sometimes hindered in certain regions, yet flowed in others. In time a holistic approach to healing and well being was developed. But specifically what they found was areas of energy blockage could be manipulated. With the development of different massage techniques, the energy flow of the body could be restored. This restoration brought back balance to the body.

The Lomi Lomi massage uses gentle swaying motions, just like the wave lapping up on the beach. These gentle swaying motions loosen tight muscles. They also help to stretch and elongate the muscles. This restores elasticity back to the muscles. Hawaiian style therapy makes use of deep tissue techniques to penetrate deeply. Gentle pressure is initiated in the beginning and gradually more firm pressure is used. These helps to provde deep relief to aching muscles.

Hawaiian massage techniques are now being integrated into the best massage chair brands like Panasonic and Omega. Panasonic has developed software programs that replicate the key techniques of Hawaiian massage. You can find one-touch massage buttons just for this specialized therapy technique. Other companies like Omega have integrated some of the more effective movements like the gentle swaying motion. Omega also includes stretching or lower body traction in its recliners to help the stretching and loosening of tight muscles for great relief.

Massage chairs have come a long way over the years. The technology that is integrated into these mechanical masseuses is nothing short of impressive. Most massage chairs have the capability to perform an array of massage therapies. Hawaiian massage has certain advantages for relieving stress, tension and aches in the back, neck and shoulders. Let the “Loving Hands” of these robotic masseuses show their fondness for relieving your aches and pains.

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With even science backing up the fact that most women adore the color pink, there’s a pretty good chance that you have friends or family members who would love a fabulous pink gift for their next birthday (or other special event). Here are 6 gifts no pink-lover can resist.

Weleda Wild Rose Body Oil Swiss company Weleda grow most plant ingredients that go into their products biodynamically in their own gardens on a plateau in southern Germany. Biodynamic cultivation uses no pesticides or toxic substances whatsoever, so you don’t have to worry about your skin absorbing all those pesky chemicals that are found in many mainstream oils and lotions. Their wild rose body oil comes in a dark blue glass bottle with a bright pink label and the main ingredients are jojoba, sweet almond, and organic musk rose oil. If the thought of putting oil on your skin grosses you out, don’t worry - it does get absorbed very quickly, and leaves your skin incredibly soft and sweet smelling (not overpoweringly “rosey”). $25.

Wine Opener The hot pink “Chic Lady” wine opener from L’Atelier du Vin deserves a place in any wine-drinking pink lover’s kitchen. At $44, it’s affordable enough that I personally would add a bottle of wine to go with it. Chateau De Segries Tavel Ros perhaps, in keeping with the pink theme. $44 for the opener and $17 for the wine.

Bialetti Cappuccino Maker If your pink-lover is into coffee, this one is sure to be a hit. With its black base, handle and top knob, pink upper half and lid, and Bialetti’s adorable logo, it’s so cute I’d keep it on my stove all the time. But it’s not all looks - it also makes delicious cappuccino right on your stovetop. Just put water in the base, coffee in the filter, milk in the top, and within minutes, you’ll have two cups of creamy, delicious cappuccino. Around $90.

Flip MinoHD Camcorder Electronics have come a long way from the days when everything only came in black or silver. But even so, sometimes you want to put your own touch on the design of your gadgets. Pure Digital Technologies lets you do that with their Flip MinoHD camcorder. They offer a huge variety of ready-made designs, but if you’d rather go with your own creation, you can either use their pattern maker to make up a brand new pattern, or upload a photo or design and have that printed on the camcorder. These cute little camcorders measure only 3.94″x1.97″x0.63″, weigh in at 3.3 oz., have a 1.5″ LCD, 4BG of built-in memory, a flip-out USB connector, 2x digital zoom, a tripod mount and an f/2.4 lens. $229.

Digital Camera Samsung’s sleek TL9 (NV9 in Europe) comes in a shiny bubblegum pink and is packed with great features: a camcorder, a voice recorder, an MP3 player, a text viewer and a multimedia player. The camera part of this little gadget is not bad either, boasting 5x optical zoom, 10.2 megapixels, image stabilization, face recognition, smile and blink detection, and a beauty shot mode which smoothes out the skin of your subject. It retails for around $240.

Cell Phone Ever heard of Vertu? This surprisingly little-known UK-based Nokia subsidiary make all their cell phones by hand and use materials such as ruby bearings, gold, platinum and liquidmetal (which is twice as hard a stainless steel). $6,300 and up.

Their Constellation collection includes the Core Range in polished stainless steel and bright pink leather, the Precious Range in black leather and 18 carat rose gold, and the Monogram Range’s “Cerise”, in stainless steel and a pink leather patterned back. All measure 4.3×1.7×0.6″, weigh around 5 oz, have Bluetooth email and speakers, and work in over 180 countries.

The Signature Diamonds collection has had a few eye popping designs in the past. A garish example was the “Cobra”, which had a cobra made out of rubies, diamonds and emeralds “slithering” around the face of the phone - not my cup of tea, but apparently a few people thought they were worth $310,000. At the moment, however, the pink offerings are very pretty and quite subdued: The “Rose Gold Pink Diamonds” and the “Rose Gold Pink Sapphires” are both encased in gold with the face framed by pink flowers (made from sapphires, rubies and diamonds). Both weigh 7.2 oz, have loudspeakers, voice recorders, work in 175 countries, and have 300 hours of standby and 3-9 hours talk time.

But wait, there’s more! All Vertu phones have a special “concierge” button, which when pressed puts you in touch with a personal assistant who can give you advice (in several languages) on restaurants, events, travel, accommodations and entertainment. 24 hours a day. $6,900 and up.

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If you are a potential massage chair buyer, then finding an unbiased review of a given massage chair can be helpful. Here are 5 important categories to evaluate the total massage chair experience. This system gives equal weight to each of the 5 categories with each category having from 0 to 20. A 100 point score means the chair and the company has achieved total excellence. The 5 categories are Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. The discipline of a systematic approach provides for balance help those seriously considering a massage chair. The Panasonic Real Pro EP-3222 is the subject of this review. This luxury shiatsu massage chair is in the $4,000 to $5,000 range.

Warranty & Customer Service: First is how the manufacturer rates in both warranty coverage and customer service. The manufacturer needs to stand behind its product. Panasonic gives a 1 year labor, 1 year parts and 1 year in-home service as well as 1 year shipping. Panasonic puts a machine life cap of 1,000 hours of use. Panasonic gives a short warranty combined with the 1,000 hour cap (for heavy users), the warranty rates as ok. The electronics company’s such as Panasonic (or Sanyo) like to sell extended warranties. Panasonic offers in-home technician service and will pay for shipping for the first year. Customer service is through your retailer. Service times vary on the service center location. Overall Rating for Panasonic warranty and customer service is 15.

Comfort & Ergonomics: The comfort and fit of a shiatsu massage chair is important. Otherwise, the chair will only be used for massage. The chair back and armrests of the Panasonic Real Pro Elite are comfortable and the upholstery is well padded. The head pillow is soft and the thickness is appropriate. The footrest is comfortable, but cannot be adjusted. If you are 5′ 10″ or more, then your knees must be bent when the footrest is raised. This is the least ergonomic part of the chair. The average person in the US is taller than in Asia, so the footrest can be an issue. Our rating in this category is 17.

Ease of Use: Massage Chair manufacturers are adding more technology and features into their chairs every year. Users need to be able to quickly, easily and intuitively understand how to use the product. The Panasonic Real Pro Elite has many advanced features as well as manual options. The main remote control has the auto programs in an easy to use location. The manual controls are located inside the side panel of the remote control. Overall, this remote is fairly intuitive. The Panasonic Real Pro Elite comes with Voice Guidance which can be helpful, but usually only in the beginning or for new users. Another good feature is Focus, which enables the user to repeat the massage that just occurred. It is a repeat function, which is great if you have an area that you want to concentrate on. The Panasonic Real Pro Elite is a 17 in Ease of Use.

Key Features: The important features of the Panasonic EP-3222 are the Swede-Atsu which is designed to replicate the techniques of a massage therapist, 33 airbags in the lower body air massage system and the back rollers cover 185 square inches. The Swede-Atsu uses rubber massage heads to replicate the stoking of the palms of the hand, pressing by the heal of the hand, and kneading with the thumbs. The expanded back coverage to 185 square inches is impressive to cover your back thoroughly. Panasonic packs a whooping 33 airbags into the Real Pro Elite. There are 3 lower body massages including Grasp, Auto and Squeeze. There are a number of impressive features included in the EP-3222. Overall Rating for the Panasonic Real Pro Elite for features is 19.

Massage Therapy: The Panasonic Real Pro Elite EP-3222 has both automatic and manual massage settings. Panasonic incorporates 4 full body automatic courses, four 14-minute Pre-Programs, and 5 massage speed settings for a total combination of 14 manual massage courses. This massage chair is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association recognizing the many health benefits that this massage chair can provide. Endorsements aside, the massage therapy in this chair is fairly comprehensive and will not disappoint. The Panasonic Real Pro Elite is a 19 in Massage Therapy.

How does Panasonic Real Pro Elite EP-3222 rate? Overall, our rating of the Panasonic Ep-3222 is an 87/100. The remote control is easy to use, intuitive and comes with the Voice Guidance. The back and lower body massages are pretty comprehensive and effective. The warranty is a bit of a concern, since the direct factory warranty is rather short. It is possible to purchase an extended warranty, but this impacts the delivered price. If you are tall, then the footrest is an issue, since it cannot be adjusted. However, the technology used seems reliable and delivers a thorough massage. If you are looking for a shiatsu massage recliner in this category, this is definately one to seriously consider.

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One great venue to actually try massage chairs our various events. You can find home shows, county fairs and other types of shows where massage chairs will be displayed. This is a great opportunity to try out some of the latest massage chairs. Although, this is a great venue, you do need to be careful of some vendors. Based on our customers who have purchased at shows and our own first hand look, We offer the following 5 tips on how to avoid key problem areas to find the best massage chair for you.

1. Massage Chair PC Boards are Important: Massage chairs use computer software and pc boards to run the massage chair. The pc board or motherboard is the key board that runs the major functions of the chair. The sub boards are important as well. Ask where the pc boards are from. You want them from either Japan or Singapore. These have advanced chip foundries to make top quality boards. Shoddy electronics will make parts of the chair to malfunction or not work at all. This requires expensive service calls to have replaced down the road.

2. Check Out the Warranty: There are 2 things to check on the warranty. First, what is the coverage offered? Second, can the company cover the warranty? For a $3,000 massage chair, you should get 3 years parts, 3 years labor and minimum 90 days in home technician service. Now, the more important question, will they be around to make good on the warranty! You need to go with a reputable massage chair maker. One that has retail clients such as chain stores, etc. There are too many massage chair vendors that are just one man operations and may not be there down the road.

3. We Get Our Massage Chair From Panasonic’s Factory: One of our favorite sales claims is where the massage chair comes from or where it is made. Some of our customers told us that salespeople would claim to get their massage chair from Panasonic’s factory. This is a weird claim and we see it as a tactic to get you to believe somehow their quality is the same, but of course at a substantial discount to the Panasonic chair. Now, how could this be? It must be the same as the Panasonic, be careful!

4. Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Beware of vendors at fairs and home shows that sell everything but the kitchen sink. This is a sure sign of a one man importing machine. Now, I have a healthy respect for the entrepreneur, but one must specialize. I have seen booths with a couple of massage chairs along with a million other gadgets. It is like a one man flea market. These guys import everything and anything, especially what they just got a good deal on. Seriously, who knows what massage chair will be on the next shipment? They are armed and dangerous. Use Extreme Caution!

5. I Can’t Believe The Deal I Am Getting: Always remember, you get what you pay for. There were few peddlers that offered a $5,000 massage chair for $1,500 and came with a 5 year warranty. Wow! We couldn’t believe it. This chair is made in Panasonic’s factory! We tried to do the math. Free shipping, long warranty and cheap price. They can’t be making any money! How could we resist? Most likely we would have bought into a series of frustrating future problems and be left with a boat anchor in our living room.

We have put these tips together from many of our customers that have made these mistakes and we are passing this one so you do not fall into these same traps. There are many excellent massage chairs on the market. They will bring you years of enjoyment and relief. Take your time and find the right model from a reputable manufacturer. This will ensure years of relaxation (rather than frustration).

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Human Touch has a wide variety of massage chairs for virtually any need and budget. This review will focus on the HT-7120 massage recliner by Human Touch. This recliner is in the $2,000 to $3,000 price level. This review is in 5 main parts which include warranty coverage and customer service, comfort and ergonomics, ease of use, key features and massage therapy. Each of these areas can earn up to 20 points each. An overall rating is given by summing up the areas for a total possible rating of 100. Let us see how the HT 7120 rates in this review.

Warranty Coverage and Customer Service: We start with warranty, since this is the consumer’s long term protection against the occurrence of defects in workmanship. The warranty coverage for the HT-7120 is 3 years on the structure, 1 year on parts and 90 days labor. Labor is provided for 90 days and Human Touch will cover the shipping to and from the customer during this period. There is in home technician service available, but at the customer’s expense. This is a very light warranty by industry standards. Customer service is provided by Human Touch and they are competent at diagnosing problems. We rate the warranty coverage for this recliner a 12.

Comfort and Ergonomics: With any massage chair design, ergonomics is an important aspect of design for comfort and relaxation. We like the ergonomics of the HT 7120. It has a very contemporary design, yet it fits the body well and is very comfortable to sit in. The controls are laid out well and positioned in good locations. The leg ottoman can be adjusted in the width of the wells, but you are unable to extend the leg ottoman. This recliner earns an 18 in this category.

Ease of Use: The massage chair industry is always adding features into chairs which is outstanding. The counterbalance to many features is ease of use. With so many new features, figuring out how to take advantage of them can be frustrating. The HT 7120 comes with a very well designed remote control. It is slim remote and has controls located on 2 sides of the remote. The remote is descriptive and fairly easy to use. There is no remote stand, so the remote tucks away in a pocket. The only cumbersome operation is flipping the leg ottoman, but other than that we give the HT 7120 a 19 in ease of use.

Key Features: The interesting features in the HT-7120 are the compression massage and the channel width adjustment in the leg ottoman. The compression massage is based on sports massage therapy. It is a combination of stroking massage and a rocking motion. The stroking massage helps to elongate muscles and also applies firm pressure for deep tissue relief. The rocking motion helps to loosen the spinal joints and relieve pressure. The channel width is adjustable in the leg ottoman. This is a nice feature allowing for the pressure to be adjusted to better accommodate your calves and feet. We give this recliner an 18 for key features.

Massage Therapy: There are various massage therapy functions with the HT 7120. It comes with 5 manual massage programs, 3 pre-set programs and 3 level height adjustments for the back. You can select from rolling, kneading, compression, percussion and vibration with the manual programs. You can select from sore muscle relief, energy rejuvenate and auto-demo for the pre-programs. One nice compliment to the massage therapy are the built in heaters for the lower back. You can also activate the full body stretch function. Your feet and calves can obtain soothing relief with the massaging leg ottoman. The HT-7120 earns a 19 for massage therapy.

Overall, we rate the HT-7120 an 86/100. This is a sleek and contemporary design for a massage chair. We are concerned with the really short warranty compared to others in the industry. These chairs are well built and designed, but warranty is your long term protection and this warranty is one of the shortest. The massage therapy is very effective and the controls are simple and easy to use. This is certainly a massage chair recliner that deserves your attention if you are looking for a solid mid range model.

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When you think of massage chairs, you think of luxury, comfort and relaxation. People do not normally think of saving money when buying a massage chair. However, certain conditions may be effectively relieved with massage chairs. The cost of treatments or spa services are on the rise, as is health care in general. Ultimately, massage therapy is a result. You are seeking relaxation, pain relief, or perhaps feeling good. Obtaining this result is actually more cost effective with a massage chair.

Let us take an example. We go to get our massage at the day spa. First, we need to call them and schedule a time. We are going to have travel time to go and come back from the massage. There is also the total time involved. Massage time is the bonus time the rest of the time can be considered the cost involved. The massage is not free, so we must pay for the time of the massage and a gratuity. If we go 3 times every month, by the end of the year we are spending thousands.

Some people need to go physical therapy or perhaps a chiropractor. The health care providers help to set you back on the right path of healing your condition. They help you get started with some basic techniques and treatments to help correct the situation. Many of these providers make use or recommend massage therapy as a compliment to your healing process. If you have started a path to recovery then these visits start to add up until you can take over on your own.

Now, if you really need massage therapy, then you have options. You can certainly see a massage therapist. A massage therapist is definitely a great way to go, when you can afford both the time and the money. However, massage chairs are another viable alternative. Massage chairs range in price from $599 to $5,999 and offer a terrific range of massage therapies and full body massages.

The interesting thing is people look at massage chairs as expensive. They see the total cost of say $3,000 and they think, Wow! That is expensive for massage therapy. But they really do not look at paying $75 plus tip once a week as expensive. Let us say that a massage therapist runs $75 plus tip at $10 for a total of $85 per a one hour session. Let us assume that we visit the massage therapist once a week. How long does it take until we pay for the cost of a $3,000 massage chair? It takes 35 weeks or 35 massage therapy sessions.

The massage chair cost is equivalent to 35 hours of massage therapy performed by a massage therapist. How long are massage chair rated to last? Typical massage chairs in the $3,000 range are designed for 1,000 to 2,000 hours of life. Let us take the lower number of 1,000 hours. How much does an hour of massage therapy cost on a massage chair. $3,000 divided by 1,000 gives us $3/hour of massage therapy! The best part is you do not have to tip the massage chair. You can pay a massage therapist $85/hour or $3/hour for a massage chair.

Obviously the economic advantage of the massage chair is almost 30 times greater than the massage therapist. Add to this economic advantage, availability. A massage recliner is at your disposal 24/7. You can also add accessibility by having it in your home. Obtaining a massage is as easy as being at home. When you start to put the massage chair into the total perspective, it comes out with some strong advantages.

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This review takes a look at the M-2 Orion massage chair. The M-2 is the entry level massage chair produced by Omega Massage, Inc. Omega is one of the top massage chair brands and is know for their advanced technology and elegant chair designs. The Orion is a full body massage chair and is priced in the $1,500 and under category.

We always like to point out that there are so many massage chair companies on the market. It is sometimes difficult and confusing for customers to find chairs from good, reputable companies. It is important to stay with top tier manufacturers in this industry. For instance, the top tier companies will have retail clients and national distribution. Beware of one-man import companies, because you may end up with now warranty coverage in the long run. Omega Massage is one of the top tier companies, so rest assured they will be here down the road.

We will first evaluate the warranty coverage for the M-2 massage recliner. The Orion comes with 1 year coverage on the frame of the chair. You also get 6 months for both parts and labor. This is comprehensive coverage compared to other massage chairs in this class. Omega also provides solid customer service. They are competent and their turn around times for any issues are fast.

The M-2 has an attractive executive look to the chair. This sleek, contemporary design will compliment almost any room in the house. We like the thin chair back and the thick padded armrests. There is silver trim on the side panels giving it a nice designer touch. Omega is known for its striking massage chair designs and the M-2 is certainly no exception.

The remote control of the M-2 is fairly simple to use. It has a built in holder underneath the armrest. This is nice to not have a remote stand which is pretty common on most chairs. The remote has both automatic programs and manual programs. The automatic programs have 3 different timed settings of 5, 10 and 15 minutes. The manual programs allow you to select from 3 manual massage techniques. These include kneading, swaying and rolling. You can also select from 3 back courses. The back courses are full back, lower back and upper back.

The chair back has the roller unit which provides the back massage. The Orion comes with 23 inches of travel. This means the rollers will move up and down your back 23 inches. The chair back is relatively thin for a massage recliner and is fully upholstered front and back. Many chairs have a plastic back cover. The chair back can be reclined back 170 degrees with a range of motion from 115 to 170 degrees. The chair recline is manually controlled by pushing a lever and leaning back to the desired angle. Returning the back rest to its upright position requires the user to sit up and the piston will bring the chair back up.

The Orion has a vibration massage which can be set to three levels of intensity in the seat. This is a soothing massage to help improve the blood flow in the thighs and buttocks. There are 8 rotary massage heads built into the seat. The rotary massage heads can be set to three levels of intensity. They provide a penetrating massage for the buttocks and thighs. There is also an extra seat cushion for dampening the massage intensity.

The leg rest is extendable. You can extend it out an additional four inches. This is great to position it exactly where you want on your calf or feet. The leg rest has a mechanical massage system built in to provide a very thorough and invigorating massage for the calves. The massage intensity or speed can be adjusted to 3 different levels. The leg rest can also be adjusted in a 90 degree range and will come up to the full horizontal position. The leg rest works with a manual lever. The piston will push the leg rest up, but the user must use their legs to push it back down when you are done.

The feature list of the Orion is nothing short of impressive for an entry level massage chair. They even have incorporated a negative ion generator which removes stale oxygen away from your body to provide a healthier massage. The sway massage is particularly effective. It quickly loosens tight back muscles and helps you to relax. You get one of the best warranty coverages from one of the top manufacturers. You simply cannot beat the M-2 Orion massage chair recliner in this price range.

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