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: Massage chair recliners usually have a dual function. One is obviously to massage, but the other is as a recliner. Therefore, comfort is usually an important consideration, since the chair may not always be used in the massage mode. A recliner should be comfortable to sit on. The Panasonic Real Pro Ultra comes with padded armrests. There is a comfortable, soft upholstered head pillow to support the head. We found the recliner is comfortable to sit in. The leg ottoman is adjustable out an extra 5 inches, which helps to target your legs better. The Real Pro Ultra is well designed from an ergonomic point of view. Overall Rating for Panasonic comfort and ergonomics and customer service is 18.
Ease of Use: We are seeing an increasing amount to features being built into massage chairs. This is a very positive and beneficial development. The other side of this is being able to keep the control simple and easy to use. Panasonic has a good understanding of this dilemma and includes a voice guidance system built into the remote. If you need help with running a certain aspect of the chair, then the voice guidance is there to walk you through the steps. Otherwise, the controller comes with one touch automatic programs. It has an LCD showing what massage functions are running in the chair. There are a myriad of manual programming options which are fairly simple to use. We like this controller and its layout. We rate this chair a 19 for ease of use.
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 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.
How does the Panasonic Real Pro Ultra EP-30004 rate on an overall basis? Summing up the score, our overall rating of the Panasonic EP 30004 is a 90/100. Panasonic continues its innovation with cutting edge massage therapies such as the Junetsu massage technique and the shoulder stretch. The technologies incorporated into this massage recliner are solid. We are still a bit disappointed with the aesthetics of this chair, which is very plain. Panasonic has incorporated an extendable ottoman which helps reach a taller user more effectively. The massage therapy tends to be a bit lighter than other chairs which over longer term use may be a concern for some. But, overall, this is a well designed and effective massage chair recliner. If you are looking for a shiatsu recliner in this price range, then this is one you should check out.
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