I get so many wonderful emails from massage chair shoppers each week. I try to save those that bring something new to the knowledge base and then post them, and my answers, to this blog. Here are a couple of great questions that even you may have asked yourself whilst doing your due diligence, along with my hopefully informative answers…
Question #1 (6’6″ Tall in a Sogno):
I am looking at the Inada Sogno chair. However, I am 6’6″ tall and most chairs I with foot units I am too tall for. Does this chair accommodate tall people?
My Answer:
Your height does prove a challenge. The Sogno might seem a little short in the torso, so you may not get the neck massage you want at your height. I might suggest looking at the IT-8500 since it is designed for folks up to 6’5″ tall and has a great neck massage. I know it fits a 6’4″ fellow quite well since my showroom neighbor at the pizza place next door is that tall and fit quite well in the IT-8500.
The new Infinity Iyashi claims to fit folks up to 6’6″ tall. I have had one fellow that tall in the chair and he did say that he fit just fine.
Question #2a (Budget $2500):
Hi There, In the ‘5 things you need to know..’ article, you mention the HT-1650 giving a great foot and calf massage, but you don’t offer this model for sale. Was it discontinued or is there something wrong with that model? Also, is there another that’s comparable to it for sale on your site? My price range is around $2K.
Answer:
The HT-1650 is a discontinued model and was replaced by the HT-9500, which is over $5000. I will need to make that change in our report. Thanks for the heads up.
If you are looking to spend around $2000, I might suggest a chair like the ZeroG 2.0, which has a hidden ottoman, like the HT-1650 but not a foot massage. The upgrade to that chair is the ZeroG 4.0, which has the foot massage and roller along with a more sophisticated program set up. But that is closer to $3000.
Some other chairs to consider in that price range would be the IT-7800, the IT-8100 (which has foot rollers), Osaki OS-3000 (which has a roller track length of 36″ which extends well into the buttocks for a deeper low back massage). Those are some good models to pick from.
Question #2b:
You’ve steered me away from the no name chairs which I have to say were quite appealing based on my budget which is around $2K. Some make it seem like you can get all the features of the Sogno Dreamwave for my budget, thankfully I’ve never sat in a dreamwave as from what I read and knowing me, I’d be comparing it to every other chair I sat in. I’m still having a hard time though so I had a few questions for you.
Really, the highest I could push the budget is to about $2500 total including shipping and warranty, so I know I don’t have too many options for the reputable chairs you sell. I have to get the white glove service as I can’t move the chair inside by myself, I’m sure I could put it together myself but I can’t risk not getting that service and then the delivery company not be willing to get the chair at least in my front door, so that takes another $200 from my budget already. The first option is the Osaki 3000 that you recommended in your email to me. I see it comes with a 1 year warranty as is. This chair is at the very top of my budget so with the white glove service, I wouldn’t be able to afford to get one of the extended warranty options you offer. In your experience, is this a bad idea only having the manufacturers 1 year warranty on an Osaki 3000?
Next is the IT-7800, definitely more in line with my budget, but does this chair have any sort of massage in the thigh/seat area, or is it just the back, and then in the calf/foot ottoman? It’s hard to tell from the description. There are no customer reviews on the site for this model, do people generally like it? I hate spending this much without being able to try it out, but where I live there isn’t even a Brookstone for 50 miles so I don’t have the option to try them.
Lastly, and I’m most interested in this one for budgetary reasons, the Osaki OS-1000. The price is exactly right. Seeing as you sell it, it makes me feel better that it could be a good chair, but I wanted your opinion since you didn’t mention this model in your email to me, is it a chair you feel good about? Does it offer a similar massage to the costlier versions? Is it a matter of you get what you pay for, and I’d regret buying this inexpensive chair down the road? Or is it just a good deal? I’d consider this one the most if you gave it a good seal of approval as it will hurt my wallet the least.
One more item to note, I’m not a small guy. While I”m 5’10” tall, I weigh 280lbs. This is the reason why I haven’t considered the human touch ZeroG 2.0, it looks so small to me though I like the look of their chairs the best.
Answer:
In response to your last email, here is my input…
1. The no-name chair might last you for years, but at the risk of something happening to it and what with the questionable warranties some of them offer, it will be much more expensive for you in the long run. Just hope that nothing goes wrong with it!
2. For pretty much all the companies we represent, you have 30 days to get the ext. warranty, should you want it. That could give you some time after the initial purchase to come up with the money necessary for the ext. warranty. I think an ext. warranty is invaluable for any chinese-made chair, IMHO.
3. A chair like an OS-1000 will never truly compare to a chair like a Sogno or even an OS-7200H, but if it does the basic things that you are looking for, then it is enough. If your budget is only $2500, then you will be happy with what you get if you choose that model. I can assure you that anything is better than nothing! And remember that Osaki offers it’s ext. warranties to all their models, not just their more expensive ones. Getting that ext. warranty will give you a tremendous amount of peace of mind.
4. You might be pleasantly surprised at how comfortably the ZeroG 2.0 fits you. I have the 4.0 in my showroom and it is a good fit. I think it might still be an option for you. Human Touch places a weight limit of 285 lbs. on that chair, which is just fine for you.
Well, I hope this assists you in some way. If more questions have been raised by these email interactions, feel free to email me at [email protected] or call me toll free at 888-259-5380.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com