Here are 3 more great questions from massage chair shoppers around the country. This week we touch on warranty support for small towns around America, the Sanyo chair which is supposed to be discontinued, and a question about how the Panasonic MA70 compares to the Osaki 7200H. Enjoy!

QUESTION #1

Dr. Weidner

I have a concern regarding the warranty due to my past experience with the warranty of my previous char. I live in a small town in New Mexico called Gallup. In case of needing repairs during the first year will the warranty include in home repair by a technician send by the manufacturer to my town?

In case of any problems during the first 90 days can the chair be returned or exchanged?

Thanks for your quick response.

Carlos

MY RESPONSE #1

Hi, Carlos
Thanks for your email. I understand your concern. All the massage chair companies with in-home warranties outsource the labor portion of the warranty to a national chain of technicians. This is a 3rd party company who handles the in-home part of the coverage. There is most likely someone close to where you live that will be subcontracted to come out and fix your chair. I’ve not heard of a customer not being taken care of during the in-home part of the warranty period. I am quite sure you will be OK should you need warranty support.

Our 90-day money back guaranty gives you the freedom to return your chair (at your expense) to our showroom any time during the first 90 days from the time you purchase your chair. We do not charge a restocking or handling fee, just the credit card processing fees charged to us by the credit card company at the time of purchase.

QUESTION #2

Hi there,

I just purchased a massage chair from Relax The Back store in California.

The salesman said it was a Sanyo chair and praised it as the best chair they have for high intensity deep tissue massage.

I tried the Songo and felt it was not strong enough.

I’m a little bit concerned now, because I found out afterwards that Sanyo discontinued their massage chairs. I don’t get how Relax The Back is getting Sanyo chairs.

Also, when I asked the salesman about the Panasonic chairs, he said that they would break too often and they didn’t want to deal with them.

Please, I’m seeking your expert advice, I spent $5000 on a chair and want to make sure I purchased the right one. When I demo’d it, it felt strong and intense and I liked it.

Dey

MY RESPONSE #2

Hi, Dey
Thanks for your email. Quite frankly, I’ve only heard of this Tech Touch chair a couple of times. I have no idea who manufactures it or what the customer support will be like should you need assistance after the sale. Sanyo chairs were bought by Panasonic and immediately discontinued. I have sold Sanyo and that Tech Touch is not a Sanyo chair…at least it sure doesn’t look anything like the old Sanyos we used to sell. I would bet it is not a Sanyo…especially since Sanyo does not even exist.

Panasonic are among the most reliable and durable chairs out there! I have no idea where the salesman got that info. Panasonic is one of the oldest manufacturers of massage chairs in the world and make exceptional chairs.

I hope this helps.

Panasonic MA70

QUESTION #3

I am currently looking at Ma70 and the Osaki 7200H, Can you tell me anything about the internals of these chairs. Are the motors rollers more or less the same design and work the same or are these complete different systems. Is the Osaki more like the Ma70 than the Sogno? I am leaning towards the Osaki for features but little concerned on reliability. Are these going to last me at least as long as the Panasonic units that are also made in China? Do the motors and airbags look as sturdy or heavy duty as the Panasonic units?

MY RESPONSE #3

Hi, Daniel

Osaki 7200H

Thank you for your inquiry. Osaki and Panasonic have their chairs built in completely different factories in China. As a matter of fact, according to Ed Cini of Panasonic, Panasonic owns it’s own factories over there and only produces it’s own brand of massage chairs. Osaki builds their chairs in Xiamen’s EasePal factory. Both are great quality, though Panasonic has a history of very durable and long-lasting massage chairs. They are Japanese designed and engineered though and, although built in China, the production is overseen by Japanese folks from Panasonic.

So, long and short of it is that each chair has it’s own technology so the chairs actually feel quite different. I would say the look of the Osaki is more like the Sogno and the roller system, though more aggressive than Sogno, is probably more akin to the Sogno massage.

Our general rule is that Japanese chairs, like Sogno and Panasonic will last you 10-15 years, whereas the Chinese chairs should last 5-10 years. This is a broad generalization and may not hold true for each individual unit, but as a broad rule of thumb.

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com