Article Advise

submitted: Sep 3rd 2008 | by: JamesKnolan | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 965 | |

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: When one thinks of a massage chair, you think of comfort and relaxation. The ergonomics of the chair design needs to be comfortable and fit the users. The SA 5000 has a nice appearance with the triangular armrests. The armrests are well padded and comfortable. The side view of the chair is a little plain below the armrest detail which is a little industrial from our point of view. The chair is comfortable to sit in. The upholstered back pad is plush and soft to the touch. The headrest pillow can be adjusted to accommodate different users. The leg rest is one area of concern in that it cannot be adjusted or extended. Taller users may want to see how well they fit in the chair. This chair was originally designed for the Japanese market, so it is scaled for the target population. Our rating in this category is 15.

Ease of Use: Massage chairs have evolved to full body massage loungers. This is an excellent development, but on the flip side, manufacturers need to ensure that their product remain simple and easy to use. The SA 5000 remote control is fairly straightforward to use. It has 4 single touch automatic programs. You have a Program Memory button that memorizes the last few minutes of massage and will store it for future use. There is a side panel that contains the manual massage functions. The SA 5000 comes with a wired sub remote. This sub remote has the pulse monitoring system and has the program memory function and enables you to work the foot rest and chair back. This recliners earns an 18 in this category.

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.

About the Author

See more literature about the Sanyo SA 5000 massage chair. Discover other mid class massage chairs from Omega, Panasaboutic and others. Want to learn more about other Sanyo models? Visit us today.

Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.