Product Review Of The Sanyo HEC SA 5000 Massage Chair
The focus of this product review is the mid range Sanyo SA5000 massage chair. We will evaluate this massage recliner in 5 separate categories ranging from warranty coverage to massage therapy. Each category can earn up to 20 points. An overall rating is given by adding up the scores for each category for a total of 100 possible points. This structured review helps to balance the review and provide a consistent basis for comparison. Let us take an in depth look at the Sanyo SA5000.
Warranty & Customer Service: The warranty coverage helps to reduce your risk in any electronics purchase. This gives you protection of defects from manufacturing of the product. The SA 5000 comes with the following warranty coverage: 1 year parts, 3 years roller mechanism, 1 year labor and 1 year in home technician service. We think the 1 year in home technician service is a good addition for Sanyo. We would like to see all parts covered for 3 years like the top manufacturers do. The customer service is good. Sanyo has a 24/7 call center which is technically competent. The SA-5000 earns a 15 in this category.
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: 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 prominent features in the Sanyo SA 5000 are the Stiffness Detection Sensor and the GK Rollers. The stiffness detection sensor is based on lie detection technology. This sensor detects stress points throughout your whole back. The stiffness detection gauges fatigue by monitoring changes in your perspiration and pulse rate. This information is then fed into the computer and the software will adjust the massage programs to target areas of stiffness or tight muscles. The GK Rollers are specially designed rollers that have the capability to perform a grip or grasping massage. The GK roller technology ?reaches out? and grabs you. This is especially effective for the neck and shoulder area. These rollers squeeze your shoulders and neck area to emulate the grasping and kneading of a professional masseuse. Our rating in this category is 18.
Massage Therapy: The SA 5000 comes with automatic programs, 4 programs stored in the Memory Program, 4 manual massage techniques and 4 massage courses for the back. The automatic programs are Stiffness, Relax, Recovery and Fine. There are 5 adjustments for both the massage speeds and roller width adjustments. There is the Grip massage which effectively targets the neck and shoulders. For the lower body, this recliner comes with 24 airbags to provide relief for the feet, calves and thighs. There are specially designed airbags that provides a multi-point shiatsu massage. This provides a penetrating and soothing massage. We give the SA-5000 an 18 in this category.
How does the Sanyo SA-5000 stack up? We give this massage chair an 84/100 in our overall rating. There is some innovative technology contained in this mid range model. We are impressed with the GK roller system which is also in the high end Sanyo model.
This provides superior coverage of the neck and shoulder regions. The warranty coverage is a bit light on the parts side and you may want to consider an extended warranty. The memory program is another nice feature enabling the chair to memorize a particular massage and its settings for repeat use. If you are looking at a mid range massage chair, this one is definitely worth a serious look.
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