If you are looking for a massage chair, then finding relevant information regarding potential shiatsu chair candidates is important. Reviews and evaluations can point out the relevant aspects of each product. To assist potential purchaser researching massage chairs, we evaluate 5 key categories which include Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. Each category is worth up to 20 points. All points are added up to give a total score based on the 5 categories. A disciplined, systematic approach takes out bias and presents facts. We review the Luxury range of $4,000 to $5,000 and feature the Omega Montage Elite massage chair.

Warranty & Customer Service: Warranty and customer service come from the company that makes the massage chair. A warranty protects the customer and customer service must rectify issues one may have. With the Montage Elite, Omega Massage covers 5 years on the frame, 3 years on parts, 3 years labor and 90 days in-home service. Additionally, Omega has 1 year covering shipping. Omega provides a more comprehensive warranty well above the other manufacturers in this category. Omega only covers 90 days in-home versus others with 1 year. With this exception, Omega provides strong warranty coverage. On the customer service side, Omega overall is responsive and competent with minimal turnaround times. The Montage Elite is an 18 in Warranty & Customer.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Massage chair recliners need to be comfortable and fit the body well. The Omega Montage Elite is designed for comfort, luxury and relaxation. The massage recliner is comfortable to sit in. Omega has the first wireless remote to control most massage functions. The foot rest can be extended another 4 inches for taller individuals. In fact, people up to 6′ 6″ can fit in this chair very comfortably, certainly a first for massage chairs. Omega has made some important advances from a comfort and ergonomic standpoint. Overall Rating for Omega Montage Elite comfort and ergonomics and customer service is 19.

East of Use: Ease of use is defined as how intuitive the controls and how simple are they to use before having to read the manual. Omega integrates an advanced LCD graphic and has a wireless sub-remote control. In fact, this is the first wireless remote on a massage chair. The wireless age has arrived! The Omega Montage Elite has an intuitive main remote controller and the graphics on the LCD are descriptive to show what the chair is doing. The music controls for the MP3 Player and the music/massage synchronization button is front and center on the control The Omega Montage Elite Shiatsu massage chair geta and overall rating for ease of use is 19.

Key Features: The most prominent features of the Omega Montage Elite are the Lower Body Traction and Footflex Reflexology foot massage. Omega built in a traction function to gently stretch out your lower back, hips, knees and ankles. The footrest is raised horizontally; the airside activates to hold your ankles and then lowers successively to 3 positions. As the footrest lowers your muscles and tendons are stretched throughout the lower body. The Footflex reflexology uses airbags to hold and gently squeeze your foot at the arch and the heel at your reflexology points. Omega has brought the lower body air massages up to par with the back massage technology. Omega has a thorough array of massage for the back, neck, shoulders and base of the skull. The Montage Elite is a 19 in Key Features.

Massage Therapy: The Montage Elite has 5 full body automatic massages, 4 manual massages, 4 massage speed settings and in a total combination of 64 manual massage courses. The manual massage techniques include the following: Kneading, Tapping, Finger Press, and Kneading & Tapping (Shiatsu). The Kneading and Tapping functions have independent speed controls which allows you to adjust them in combination. The lower body massage is terrific, especially with the lower body traction. Something about being massaged and stretched to relieve those tensions. Relax to the music-massage synchronization function, which will massage you to the tempo of the music. The Montage Elite massage recliner has an arsenal of massage capabilities that will please the most discriminating, simply superb. Our rating in this category is 20.

How does the Omega Massage Montage Elite stack up? Overall, our rating of the Panasonic is an 95/100. Omega just packs the features, conveniences and the luxuries into this shiatsu massage chair. Omega gives one of the strongest warranties protecting the customer without selling an extended warranty. The Montage Elite has solid technology, a striking design, ergonomic features galore and full massage therapy capabililties. With the extendable footrest, taller people up to 6′ 6″ can finally fit in a massage chair. This is the luxury massage chair to beat!

The focus of this review is the Panasonic EP 30004 which is part of the Real Pro Ultra series of massage chairs. Unlike most massage recliner reviews, we follow a systematic approach to the review process. We review 5 important areas of the purchase of this product. The 5 areas we use for the review include: Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. The overall rating is given by adding up the points earned in each category for a total possible score of 100 points. Here is our evaluation of the EP30004.

Warranty & Customer Service: With any electronic equipment or big ticket item, warranty protection is critical. Although, most massage chairs are built well, there are occasional problems. In this case, you want to make sure you have adequate protection. The EP 30004 comes with a 3 year parts and 1 year labor warranty from the manufacturer. We find this as fairly short and recommend you consider purchasing an extended warranty if it is offered. Customer service is dependent on the retailer the chair is purchased and is thus highly variable. Panasonic earns a 15 in this category.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Ergonomics was a hot topic about 10 years ago when everyone started jumping on the bandwagon. However, surprisingly many manufacturers do not pay close attention to this area. The EP-30004 does follow ergonomics very well. It has a detachable head pillow that can easily be adjusted for each user. The armrests come with sufficient padding to support the arms in comfort. The chair back and the seat support the body well and are form fitting. The leg rest can be adjusted an additional five inches. This is really important to fit individual users. Overall we rate this chair an 18 for ergonomics.

East of Use: The massage chair industry increases the functionality of its chairs every year. With the increase in functionality comes increasing complexity of controls to run them. Our ease of use category is for making the controls of the chair as intuitive as possible for the user. Panasonic is one of the premier electronics companies in the world, so we expect them to completely understand this issue. Panasonic has pioneered the use of a ?Voice Guidance? system in their chairs to help consumers with ease of use. This interactive system enables novice users to quickly understand and use the chair to maximum benefit. The remote is very cleanly designed and intuitive. It is not cluttered like many controllers we evaluate. The remote comes with memory functions that can remember the favorite massages of up to 4 different users. Manual controls are located in the side panel of the remote. Overall Rating for the Panasonic EP 30004 for ease of use is 19.

Key Features: There are two important features we want to point out with this chair. The Junetsu massage technique and the shoulder stretch. The Junetsu massage is an ultra fine kneading massage. It is based on how a professional massage therapist loosens up tight muscles. There is a one second thumb like pressure applied with a spiral circular motion. This has the affect of reverberating down through the muscles to the bone. It is very thorough and invigorating. The other key feature to point out is the shoulder stretch. This unique feature is accomplished by activating the air bag in the arm rest to firmly hold the arm. The chair back then reclines to stretch out the arm and shoulder. This is excellent for increasing the mobility and flexibility of the shoulder area. We give the Real Pro Ultra a 19 for its new features.

Massage Therapy: This massage chair makes use of the nearly 100 acupressure points on your back and neck. Choose from the soothing palm style of Swedish massage, or perhaps deep tissue kneading, or Shiatsu massage. This chair has a variety of techniques for invigorating these energy acupoints. Choose from manual massage courses for the back which focus on a particular area or region. There are two stretch functions included in this recliner. There is one for the lower body and one for the shoulder. For the feet, the foot wells have adjustable and removable plates that incorporate reflexology. The reflexology massages stimulates trigger points on your feet. This helps to increase blood and energy flow throughout the entire body. This chair has many beneficial massage treatments that are very effective. The EP30004 earns a 19 for massage therapy.

The Panasonic EP 30004 rates as a 90/100. We really like the new and innovative features of this recliner. The shoulder stretch is another important advance for massage chair technology. The Junetsu massage technique provides good deep penetration for those hard to get at areas in the back. The remote is simple to use and comes with the voice guidance feature. The manufacturer’s warranty is a bit on the light side and should be beefed up with the purchase of an extended warranty. The only point of concern we have is the industrial look of the chair. We do not understand why Panasonic continues to neglect the design aesthetics of their massage chair line. But overall, this is a very solid chair from an important manufacturer. If you are in the market for a luxury massage chair, then this one should be on your short list of choices.

Reviews can play an important in the research phase of any product. To be helpful, reviews need to present a variety of facts to aid in the selection process for a consumer. We have developed a five category system to help compare different massage chairs. This system weighs the 5 categories equally allowing each one to earn 20 points. The score of each category is then summed to give a total score for that massage chair. This is by no means a perfect system, but it provides a more systematic approach to the evaluation process. The 5 categories we use for the review include: Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. We hope you find this approach helpful for your research. This review is of the Panasonic Real Ultra EP30004. This shiatsu massage chair is in the $4,000 to $5,000 range.

Warranty & Customer Service: In any transaction one party takes on more risk than the other. Warranty coverage helps to reduce your risk which is especially important on higher ticket items like a massage chair. You want to have long term protection. The EP-30004 is covered with 3 years on the parts and 1 year labor. This is the warranty offered by the manufacturer. It is rather short in comparison to the other top brands, so you really want to consider purchasing an extended warranty. Of course, this also drives the cost of this model up. Customer service is provided by the retailer, so this varies depending on your purchase the chair.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Ergonomics was a hot topic about 10 years ago when everyone started jumping on the bandwagon. However, surprisingly many manufacturers do not pay close attention to this area. The EP-30004 does follow ergonomics very well. It has a detachable head pillow that can easily be adjusted for each user. The armrests come with sufficient padding to support the arms in comfort. The chair back and the seat support the body well and are form fitting. The leg rest can be adjusted an additional five inches. This is really important to fit individual users. Overall we rate this chair an 18 for ergonomics.

East of Use: The massage chair industry increases the functionality of its chairs every year. With the increase in functionality comes increasing complexity of controls to run them. Our ease of use category is for making the controls of the chair as intuitive as possible for the user. Panasonic is one of the premier electronics companies in the world, so we expect them to completely understand this issue. Panasonic has pioneered the use of a ?Voice Guidance? system in their chairs to help consumers with ease of use. This interactive system enables novice users to quickly understand and use the chair to maximum benefit. The remote is very cleanly designed and intuitive. It is not cluttered like many controllers we evaluate. The remote comes with memory functions that can remember the favorite massages of up to 4 different users. Manual controls are located in the side panel of the remote. Overall Rating for the Panasonic EP 30004 for ease of use is 19.

Key Features: The Real Pro Ultra series of chairs comes with a new massage technique developed by Panasonic. This massage technique is called Junetsu or ultra fine kneading. This Junetsu massage provides targets the muscles with one-second circular thumb movements like that of a professional massage therapist. Junetsu quickly loosens up tight muscles. The spiral circular motion reverberates down through the muscles to invigorate you down to the surface of your bones. This function is a very effective and quick way to get the muscles to release. The other important new feature in the EP 30004 is the shoulder and arm stretch. This function actually provides traction for the arm and shoulder. The stretch is accomplished by the airbags holding the arm and then the chair back moves back slightly to stretch out the arm and shoulder area. This helps to remove tension and to increase your flexibility and joint mobility. The EP 30004 earns a 19 in key features.

Massage Therapy: This massage chair comes with five automatic courses. It includes a Body Scan which is also customizable. Ultra-fine kneading or Junetsu has been introduced to the full complement of Quad-style massage techniques, including Shiatsu, Swedish, fist kneading, and grasping. Between the automatic and the manual functions there are up to 372 combinations of techniques available in this recliner. There are reflexology pads built into the foot wells that pinpoint areas that will instantly increase blood flow and energy throughout your body. These plates are adjustable and removable. You also have both a lower body stretch and the shoulder stretch. This chair has a virtual arsenal of massage techniques to cater to your every need. We score the massage therapy of this chair a 19.

The Panasonic EP 30004 rates as a 90/100. We really like the new and innovative features of this recliner. The shoulder stretch is another important advance for massage chair technology. The Junetsu massage technique provides good deep penetration for those hard to get at areas in the back. The remote is simple to use and comes with the voice guidance feature. The manufacturer’s warranty is a bit on the light side and should be beefed up with the purchase of an extended warranty. The only point of concern we have is the industrial look of the chair. We do not understand why Panasonic continues to neglect the design aesthetics of their massage chair line. But overall, this is a very solid chair from an important manufacturer. If you are in the market for a luxury massage chair, then this one should be on your short list of choices.

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: It is important that the manufacturer stand behind its product and provides good customer service. Panasonic has 1 year labor and 3 year parts. Panasonic uses a counter to monitor the machine hours. The warranty will expire after 1,000 hours of use. Panasonic has average warranty coverage. Customer service is through your retailer or national service centers. Service time and quality is variable and dependent on where service is obtained. Our Rating in this category is 16.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Ergonomics is the practical element of design for comfort and fit of the body. The massage chair is built for relaxation, so the design must assist in getting the user comfortable and within reach. Panasonic takes ergonomics serious and does a solid job with the Real Pro Ultra. The back pad is plush, with an adjustable head pillow. The armrests are padded. The remote is fairly simple and intuitive for a massage chair. One area that is lacking is a footrest extension. This chair was not originally designed for the American market, so taller users may not fit as well. We rate this chair as a 17 for ergonomics. The head pillow can be adjusted to fit different heights of users. The arm rests are padded and are fairly wide. The footrest does not extend, so this can be problematic for taller users. Taller users would have to bend their knees to get a foot massage or extend the footrest horizontal to and put their legs through. Our rating in this category is 17.

Ease of Use: With more and more features, options and choices being offered in massage chairs, ease of use is important. Some remote controls are clustered with a mind boggling array of controls. The problem is to learn all these options. The top manufacturers design controls and adjustments to be intuitive and easy to understand and use. Panasonic has vast experience with electronics and uses that to keep its controls simple and intuitive. The control is well designed and the descriptions accurate to keep learning fast. We rate it an 18 for this category.

Key Features: The Real Pro Ultra by Panasonic has an pressure point sensor and the exclusive Junetsu massage therapy. The human body has around 350 pressure points. There are almost 100 for the back, neck and shoulders. The EP 30003 has a body scan to sense these pressure points. It then tailors the shiatsu style massage to the individual user. Panasonic also developed the Junetsu massage therapy into this model. The Junetsu uses firm pressure with a penetrating circular motion for the back. This is a unique massage offered only by Panasonic. We give the EP 30003 an 18 in this category.

Massage Therapy: The lower body air massage has 14 strategically placed air bags. These air bags cover the calves and feet. It also includes the foot reflexology massage. The really fine kneading is a new feature by Panasonic called Junetsu. This massage penetrates deeply providing effective relief. At the top of the control there are 5 automatic programs which include: Refresh, Shiatsu, Deep, Swedish and Stretch. You can also select from 4 manual massage techniques and choose 4 manual massage courses. Manual controls include tapping, kneading, rolling and combination. This midrange model scores a 19 rating.

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.

Discover out how a Panasonic Massage Chair is a fantastic asset for your massage therapy needs. We carry an excellent selection at http://www.massagechairwarehouse.com where you will Discover the top brands. Discover out more about the Panasonic Massage Chair line.

There are many terms to describe massage chairs. Commonly, you can find robotic massage chairs or shiatsu massage chairs. There are many different terms which can cause confusion for those looking for a massage chair. Shiatsu massage chairs provide a shiatsu massage therapy. This is a massage therapy that origins are in Japan. Let us first explore shiatsu massage then we can make sure that any shiatsu labeled chair actually qualifies for this designation.

Shiatsu massage is a branch of ancient Chinese medicine which was developed in Japan over many centuries. Acupuncture has been used since ancient times, but the use of pressure instead of needles is acupressure. The Japanese healers have practiced many ways to heal the body and to reduce aches, pains and general discomfort. This particular massage therapy developed by using pressure applied to different areas to unblock and enhance energy flow. Through much trial and error, the Japanese healers found specific areas now called acupressure points which were found to help to heal the body.

As the pressure points were being discovered and correlated to different body parts, massage therapies were used in conjunction. Massage techniques such as chopping and kneading were used. Chopping helps stimulate the muscles to increase blood and lymph circulation. Kneading was found to elongate the muscles to help increase flexibility and healing after physical exertion. The use of pressure points where firm pressure is used with either chopping and kneading started the foundation to traditional shiatsu massage.

Shiatsu massage therapy has 3 main parts which include acu-pressure, kneading and tapping massages. Usually the acu-pressure points are detected by performing a body scan. The massage chair then customizes the massage to the user. The back rollers have the kneading and tapping movements. The best massage chairs have these minimum requirements to qualify as a shiatsu style massage chair. Some brands that offer them are Human Touch, Sanyo, Panasonic and Omega Massage.

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 their high end chair that comes with a multi-point shiatsu leg and foot massage. The Sanyo HEC DR7700K uses specialized airbags with built in acupressure nodes to provide penetrating relief to the feet, calves, ankles and legs. The airbags will energize applying firm pressure to the part of the lower body. Other airbags energize with the acupressure nodes to stimulate the pressure points to provide whole body relaxation.

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.

The advance of technology in massage chairs continues to evolve rapidly. The feature sets continue to grow and most chairs provide full body capability. One company has maintained terrific features and effective massage therapy. Omega Massage, Inc has consistently brought a series of excellent chairs. The chairs have been solid and with long term effective massage therapy.

The entry level massage recliner for Omega is the M-2 Orion massage recliner. This model provides a Hawaiian style massage technique with its Sway massage. The M-2 loosens the tight muscles of the back with its gentle, yet penetrating sway massage.

The massage heads located in the seat are very invigorating. They provide thorough and deep penetration through the muscle. You can also add vibration to help blood flow in the same area. The leg rest also extends out an extra four inches. You can locate the leg massage where you most need it.

The Prestigio OM-510 massage chair is a stylishly designed mid-range recliner. The OM 510 comes with some excellent programming for its automatic massages. These therapeutic massages penetrate throughout the back for deep relief.

The Prestigio has much lower reach which provides great penetration to the lower spine. A variety of innovative programming techniques result in a soothing, yet invigorating massage. The strength of the massage is perfect and penetrates through the muscle for deeper relief. Comes equipped with manual programs as well to target exactly what you need.

The Montage Elite massage chair is an excellent luxury massage chair. The Montage Elite comes with 5 automatic programs for different types of treatments. You can choose more subtle massage therapies or more vigorous depending on your situation. If you have a particular area, then you can select a particular massage technique and pinpoint a given area for relief.

The Montage Elite is the luxury model from Omega. They leave no stone unturned. They have incorporated the best set of features into one chair then anybody else. This massage chair has full body heat with individual controls. Select the lower body stretching to stretch your hips, knees and ankles. Slip on the headphones and really relax to your favorite music.

If you are looking for the best, try the Montage Premier massage chair by Omega. The Montage Premier has it all. It comes with the same great features as the Montage Elite, but with the addition of an arm and hand massage. The Montage Premier has an effective air massage system built throughout the recliner.

The Montage Premier is a chair built for the total massage experience. Slip on the headphones and drift off in your favorite music. Activate the heat and apply it to sore areas. As you warm your body up, start the Activation program and let it gently warm up your muscles and provide soothing relief and invigoration.

The Montage Premier is rated to 300 lbs and can accommodate people over six feet tall. They have built an extendable leg rest. The chair back is a bit longer than usual. The length of travel of the massage mechanism in the chair back is 30 inches. You get a full two and a half feet of massage coverage for your spine. This allows the Montage Premier massage chair to provide excellent coverage.

If you are looking for a massage chair, then you should check out the Omega massage chair line. Omega is known for their striking designs, advanced technology and effective massage therapy. They have developed some of the most innovative and feature filled massage chairs on the market today. Omega has a massage chair for all your massage therapy needs.