Inada DreamWave

A couple of weeks ago I compared the roller massage intensity of the Inada DreamWave to that of the Osaki OS-3D Pro Dreamer massage chair. Whilst writing that article, I figured it might be a good idea to do an overall comparative review between the two chairs. Why just stop at the rollers!?!?

So, here is Part 1 of my 2-part comparative review. I will begin with the differences and wrap up in Part 2 with the similarities.

1. Roller Intensity
As discussed in the previous article, it was clear to me that the Dreamer had a more vigorous roller massage in the lower back region, although the rollers in the Dreamer did not go down into the gluts and sacral area like the DreamWave. But, it was also apparent to me that the DreamWave had a more vigorous neck, upper and middle back roller massage.

I will mention that this roller experiment was done on both chairs in full recline position, the most intense auto program, and with the 3D rollers deployed to their fullest.

2. Aircells
It’s hard to beat the DreamWave in the airbag department, and the Dreamer can’t do it either. The DreamWave has over 100 airbags, whereas the Dreamer has 48. But, in all fairness to the Dreamer, 48 airbags is quite a few relative to all the other massage chairs out there, but compared to the DreamWave it seems deficient.

3. Neck/Head Airbags
The DreamWave has always had it’s unique headpiece, which Inada coins a “Cervical Traction Device.” This device has airbags that massage the neck and lower part of the head, as well as airbags that inflate down onto the trapezia muscles on the top of your shoulders. It is one of the only massage chairs that has this feature and it is, quite frankly, a very good feature. Not many chairs address the traps, the DreamWave being one of them.

4. Music System
Osaki has employed a music system into the Dreamer. It includes a 3.5mm jack into which you can plug your phone or mp3 player, as well as two speakers on either side of the user’s head for stereo sound. The speaker system is not first rate, but it does provide music during your massage if you so choose.

OS-3D Pro Dreamer

5. Zero Gravity
The Dreamer has the zero gravity feature, the DreamWave does not. Zero gravity, in it’s simplest form, is a 30 degree tilt up of the seat and a 120 degree articulating angle between the seat and the chair back. I have written about the pros and cons of having either one, but basically the trade-off is without the zero gravity, the rollers tend to reach further into the seat whereas with the zero gravity your body is placed into a position of even weight distribution, which relieves your low back of compression and stress.

The Dreamer actually has what is known as “2-stage zero gravity”, which means that there is an additional recline and seat tilt position that goes beyond the traditional zero gravity position which I mentioned above.

6. Mechanical Foot Rollers
Mechanical foot rollers have become quite the popular feature amongst massage chair shoppers, as of late. It is a nice feature that the Dreamer has and the Inada DreamWave does not. The DreamWave has a static nobular rubber plate under the soles of the feet which is pressured upwards by airbags, but the Dreamer actually has a mechanical foot roller that moves and rolls along the soles of the feet.

7. Auto Programs
The DreamWave boasts 16 auto programs (2 variations of each program displayed on their remote control). The Dreamer has 10. Both have plenty of massage options with those program choices.

8. Roller Track Length
The Dreamer has a 30″ roller track length, the DreamWave has a 28.4″ roller track.  Although the DreamWave track is a little shorter, it feels like the rollers go down lower in to the seat to hit the top of the gluts. I attribute that to the chair not having a zero gravity seat tilt which, as I mentioned before, tends to shorten the reach of the rollers in chairs like the Dreamer.

9. User Height Recommendations
Both chairs allow for a person up to 6’5″ tall to fit, however the Dreamer has a lower height restriction of 5’2″. The DreamWave can comfortably handle folks as short as 4’11”.

10. DreamWave Technology
Of course, the Inada chair name is called DreamWave, but what most folks don’t know is that DreamWave is a name coined by Inada to describe their innovative use of aircells in the seat of the chair. The seat moves side to side and up and down to introduce passive motion into the lower back and pelvis of the user. Accompanying that are aircells used in thigh airbags that simultaneously massage the Ilio-Tibial Bands of each leg. The Dreamer does not have this technology.

Upper Arm Airbags – DreamWave

11. Upper Arm/Shoulder Airbags
The Inada chair uses aircells to offer compression massage to the upper arm/biceps of the user. The Dreamer uses aircells to compress the outer aspect of each shoulder joint with the express intent of holding the upper body in place while the rollers are working on the upper back. This allows for a more aggressive upper back roller massage.

12. Manufacturing Country
Inada is designed, engineered, and, for the most part, manufactured in Japan. The Dreamer, as are most other massage chairs, is manufactured in mainland China. The Japanese quality is second to none, with lower failure rates and longer lasting chairs. It also provides for a better warranty.

13. Warranty
Most Chinese-made chairs come to the USA with a 1 year parts & labor warranty, along with another year of parts only. The Dreamer adds a year to both: it comes with a 2 year parts & labor warranty, accompanied with 2 years of parts only. The DreamWave, on the other hand, comes with a 3 year parts & labor warranty. All the Inada chairs come with the same warranty.

That about does it for the feature-to-feature comparison. In closing, I might mention that the overall feel of the DreamWave is a more relaxed and nuanced massage. Chinese chairs typically feel more utilitarian and tend to be quite aggressive, particularly in the roller system. But, the DreamWave is really a very different experience when comparing the two. As I mentioned, it seems to be a more nuanced and sophisticated massage experience, yet still has the capability to provide one of the more aggressive and vigorous massages in the industry. It is a very versatile chair. I suppose that, along with the other things we’ve discussed today, is why it is widely considered the “best massage chair in the world.”

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Dr. Alan Weidner

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