Saturday, December 13, 2008

Product Review about the Panasonic EP-3222 Massage Chair

By James Knolan

If you are looking for a massage chair, then it is important to find unbiased information regarding potential shiatsu massage chair options. Reviews and evaluations can point out the relevant aspects of each product. To assist apotential 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 Panasonic Real Pro Elite EP-3222 massage chair.

Warranty & Customer Service: It is important that the manufacturer stand behind its product. The warranty coverage is always a good benchmark of the manufacturer's confidence in its product. Panasonic has a 1 year labor, 1 year parts and 1 year in-home service as well as 1 year shipping. Panasonic has a machine hour counter and the warranty expires 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 15.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Comfort and ergonomics are important design characteristics with a massage chair recliner. Panasonic massage chairs are fairly well designed and comfortable. The armrests are padded and the material soft. The upholstery on the chair back is soft and fits the back well. The head pillow supports the head and is plush. The footrest is not adjustable, so taller buyers beware. The Real Pro Elite Elite is a 17 in Comfort & Ergonomics.

Ease of Use: Ease of Use is an important consideration with the advance of electronics. The average massage remote has an average of 15 buttons. This can just be overwhelming without an engineering degree unless it is designed right. The remote control of the Panasonic Real Pro Elite is fairly intuitive to use. Additionally, Panasonic has added Voice Guidance. Of course, voice guidance is a mixed blessing. It is good when you need something and annoying when you do not. The 4 automatic programs are easy to use where one can select and just sit back and relax. The side panel contains more manual controls for the manual massage techniques and the lower body air system. The Focus button is a nice option which allows the user to repeat a massage that it just performed. Our rating in this category is 17.

Key Features: The most prominent features of the Panasonic EP-3222 are the Lower Body Air System and the Swede-Atsu massage system. The lower body air system has 33 airbags covering your hips, thighs, buttocks, calves and feet. There are 3 lower body massages including Grasp, Auto and Squeeze. The Swede-Atsu replicates the stoking of the palms of the hand, pressing by the heal of the hand, and kneading with the thumbs. The Swede-Atsu has rubber massage heads built into the rollers. These mechanisms can replicate the feeling of the palm, thumbs and heal of the hand. The Swede-Atsu is a good massage system. The Panasonic Real Pro Elite shiatsu massage chair is a 19 in Key Features.

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. - 16955

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