Infinite Therapeutics has stepped it up a notch with the new IT-8500 massage chair. New features include 1.) a new stretch program, 2.) 2 zero gravity positions, 3.) spinal correction function, 4.) full shoulder airbag massage.Infinite Therapeutics has introduced the IT-8500 massage chair as a step-up from the already popular IT-8100. In addition to a stretch program, the IT-8500 chair also boasts a spinal correction feature, full shoulder airbag massage, a headphone port for your own private music, 2 zero gravity positions, intersound technology, a more vigorous roller system, and much, much more. This is all in addition to the features you already expect from a massage chair: foot rollers, head rotation airbags, touch screen remote, mp3 music system, and full body airbags.
5 Year U.S. Residential Limited Warranty
- Unlimited USA-based customer & technical support
- 5 Year structural frame warranty
- No-cost replacement on covered parts for 3 years
- Complete Care/No-cost covered parts & covered labor (in-home, if necessary) for 1 year
Limited Warranty
Infinity Massage Chairs are designed, built, and inspected to ensure excellence in operation and enjoyment. While rare, defects in manufacturing can occur. This limited warranty exclusively covers manufacturing defects.
Complete Care Warranty Period
For In-Home service, Infinity Massage Chairs will arrange all covered parts deemed necessary, to be sent to the consumer and, if necessary, an authorized service provider to repair the product at the customer’s residence, at no charge to the customer. If a particular part is no longer manufactured, Infinity Massage Chairs may replace your product with a similar product. Under no circumstances shall the retail replacement value exceed the original net price paid for the product. In the event you choose not to accept a replacement for your product, Infinity Massage Chairs is no longer responsible for making repairs under the warranty coverage.
Any repairs needed during the 3 year parts warranty coverage, Infinity Massage Chairs will provide covered parts at no cost; however, consumer is responsible for any and all shipping, duties and brokerage fees. Structure warranty is limited to the steel and steel-welded parts of the frame, in addition to any wood structure that may exist. If a replacement is issued under the Parts or Structure warranty period, the consumer is responsible for shipping, duties, and brokerage fees related to the replacement. Infinity Massage Chairs, at its sole discretion, will repair or replace any defective part within a reasonable time frame. Field Service is only available in the United States and major metropolitan areas in Canada. Field Service requires pre-approval and, if necessary, must be performed by Infinity Massage Chairs-authorized field service personnel to maintain warranty coverage.
Warranty Limitations and Exclusions
Warranties do not cover any loss or damage resulting from: improper installation; unauthorized repairs; use in a commercial or corporate setting; alterations or modifications of original condition; improper use of electrical/power supply; loss of power; electrical disturbances and power surges; dropped product, including but not limited to remote controls; a malfunction or damage resulting from improper use or unreasonable use or maintenance; failure to follow operating instructions; transportation damage; theft; abuse; misuse; neglect; vandalism; or environmental conditions (fire, floods, rust, corrosion, sand, dirt, windstorm, hail, earthquake, or exposure to weather conditions); loss of use during the period the product is at a repair facility or otherwise awaiting parts or repair; and products purchased or acquired from unauthorized dealers. This warranty is not transferrable. Damage incurred due to shipping and handling does not constitute a defect under this warranty. Softening/ hardening of foams and filling composites in pillows and pads does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those items naturally change with use. Fading, wear, and pilling of fabrics does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those conditions naturally occur with fabrics. Natural markings and grain and dye variations in leather do not constitute a defect under this warranty, as no two pieces of leather are alike. Failures of attach points, such as, but not limited to: stitching, Velcro, and zippers, do not constitute a defect under this warranty.
To initiate an Infinity Care Warranty claim, simply call Infinity Limited Warranty Service at 1-603-910-5000. Please be prepared to describe the product that needs service and the nature of the problem. A purchase receipt is required. All repairs and replacements must be authorized in advance. Service options, parts availability and response times will vary. You are responsible for delivery and the cost of delivery of the product or any parts to the authorized service center for replacement, per our instructions. Limits and exclusions: Coverage under this Limited Warranty is limited to the United States of America, including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. © 2019 Infinity®. All rights reserved.
ext. warranty options
3 Year U.S. Residential Limited Warranty
- Unlimited, lifetime USA-based customer & technical support
- 3 Year structural frame warranty
- Complete Care/No-cost parts & labor (in-home, if necessary) for 3 years.
Limited Warranty
Infinity Massage Chairs are designed, built, and inspected to ensure excellence in operation and enjoyment. While rare, defects in manufacturing can occur. This limited warranty exclusively covers manufacturing defects.
Complete Care Warranty Period
For In-Home service, Infinity Massage Chairs will arrange all covered parts deemed necessary to be sent to the consumer and, if necessary, an authorized service provider to repair the product at the customer’s residence, at no charge to the customer. If a particular part is no longer manufactured, Infinity Massage Chairs may replace your product with a similar product. Under no circumstances shall the retail replacement value exceed the original net price paid for the product. In the event you choose not to accept a replacement for your product, Infinity Massage Chairs is no longer responsible for making repairs under the warranty coverage.
Structure warranty is limited to the steel and steel-welded parts of the frame, in addition to any wood structure that may exist. If a replacement is issued under the Structure warranty period, the consumer is responsible for shipping, duties, and brokerage fees related to the replacement.
Infinity Massage Chairs, at its sole discretion, will repair any defective part or replace the defective part with a new or refurbished part, within a reasonable time frame. Field Service is only available in the United States and major metropolitan areas in Canada. Field Service requires pre-approval and, if necessary, must be performed by Infinity Massage Chairs-authorized field service personnel to maintain warranty coverage.
Warranty Limitations and Exclusions
Warranties do not cover any loss or damage resulting from: improper installation; unauthorized repairs; use in a commercial or corporate setting; alterations or modifications of original condition; improper use of electrical/power supply; loss of power; electrical disturbances and power surges; dropped product, including but not limited to remote controls; a malfunction or damage resulting from improper use or unreasonable use or maintenance; failure to follow operating instructions; transportation damage; theft; abuse; misuse; neglect; vandalism; or environmental conditions (fire, floods, rust, corrosion, sand, dirt, windstorm, hail, earthquake, or exposure to weather conditions); loss of use during the period the product is at a repair facility or otherwise awaiting parts or repair; and products purchased or acquired from unauthorized dealers. This warranty is not transferable. Damage incurred due to shipping and handling does not constitute a defect under this warranty. Softening/ hardening of foams and filling composites in pillows and pads does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those items naturally change with use. Fading, wear, and pilling of fabrics does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those conditions naturally occur with fabrics. Natural markings and grain and dye variations in leather do not constitute a defect under this warranty, as no two pieces of leather are alike. Failures of attach points, such as, but not limited to: stitching, Velcro, and zippers, do not constitute a defect under this warranty.
To initiate an Infinity Care Warranty claim, simply call Infinity Limited Warranty Service at 1-603-910-5000. Please be prepared to describe the product that needs service and the nature of the problem. A purchase receipt is required. All repairs and replacements must be authorized in advance. Service options, parts availability and response times will vary. You are responsible for delivery and the cost of delivery of the product or any parts to the authorized service center for replacement, per our instructions. Limits and exclusions: Coverage under this Limited Warranty is limited to the United States of America, including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. © 2019 Infinity®. All rights reserved.
5 Year U.S. Residential Limited Warranty
- Unlimited, lifetime USA-based customer & technical support
- 5 Year structural frame warranty
- Complete Care/No-cost parts & labor (in-home, if necessary) for 5 years.
Limited Warranty
Infinity Massage Chairs are designed, built, and inspected to ensure excellence in operation and enjoyment. While rare, defects in manufacturing can occur. This limited warranty exclusively covers manufacturing defects.
Complete Care Warranty Period
For In-Home service, Infinity Massage Chairs will arrange all covered parts deemed necessary to be sent to the consumer and, if necessary, an authorized service provider to repair the product at the customer’s residence, at no charge to the customer. If a particular part is no longer manufactured, Infinity Massage Chairs may replace your product with a similar product. Under no circumstances shall the retail replacement value exceed the original net price paid for the product. In the event you choose not to accept a replacement for your product, Infinity Massage Chairs is no longer responsible for making repairs under the warranty coverage.
Structure warranty is limited to the steel and steel-welded parts of the frame, in addition to any wood structure that may exist. If a replacement is issued under the Structure warranty period, the consumer is responsible for shipping, duties, and brokerage fees related to the replacement.
Infinity Massage Chairs, at its sole discretion, will repair any defective part or replace the defective part with a new or refurbished part, within a reasonable time frame. Field Service is only available in the United States and major metropolitan areas in Canada. Field Service requires pre-approval and, if necessary, must be performed by Infinity Massage Chairs-authorized field service personnel to maintain warranty coverage.
Warranty Limitations and Exclusions
Warranties do not cover any loss or damage resulting from: improper installation; unauthorized repairs; use in a commercial or corporate setting; alterations or modifications of original condition; improper use of electrical/power supply; loss of power; electrical disturbances and power surges; dropped product, including but not limited to remote controls; a malfunction or damage resulting from improper use or unreasonable use or maintenance; failure to follow operating instructions; transportation damage; theft; abuse; misuse; neglect; vandalism; or environmental conditions (fire, floods, rust, corrosion, sand, dirt, windstorm, hail, earthquake, or exposure to weather conditions); loss of use during the period the product is at a repair facility or otherwise awaiting parts or repair; and products purchased or acquired from unauthorized dealers. This warranty is not transferrable. Damage incurred due to shipping and handling does not constitute a defect under this warranty. Softening/ hardening of foams and filling composites in pillows and pads does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those items naturally change with use. Fading, wear, and pilling of fabrics does not constitute a defect under this warranty as those conditions naturally occur with fabrics. Natural markings and grain and dye variations in leather do not constitute a defect under this warranty, as no two pieces of leather are alike. Failures of attach points, such as, but not limited to: stitching, Velcro, and zippers, do not constitute a defect under this warranty.
To initiate an Infinity Care Warranty claim, simply call Infinity Limited Warranty Service at 1-603-910-5000. Please be prepared to describe the product that needs service and the nature of the problem. A purchase receipt is required. All repairs and replacements must be authorized in advance. Service options, parts availability and response times will vary. You are responsible for delivery and the cost of delivery of the product or any parts to the authorized service center for replacement, per our instructions. Limits and exclusions: Coverage under this Limited Warranty is limited to the United States of America, including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. © 2019 Infinity®. All rights reserved.
Brian Morris (verified owner) –
I received my Infinity IT 8500 a few weeks ago and it has been a game changer for me and my family. I’m a dentist so I have constant shoulder and back discomfort plus I’ve had issues with my feet for years. This chair helps with all of my issues. The foot rollers are fantastic! I am very pleased with my chair. No buyers remorse from this guy!
Matt Jones (verified owner) –
I just recently bought this chair from another website but absolutely love it! I sat in many chairs including the Inada at a local trade show and when I received my 8500 for half the money I was amazed how similar if not better it was! The rollers in the feet and the sway in the seat that really loosens up by lower back muscles is great. My favorite part is the decompression stretch mode! I would recommend this chair to anyone. Best chair i have used!
Richard Collins (verified owner) –
I have had this chair for a week now and my wife and I love it.I looked at this chair and the Osaki chair for over a year before buying the Infinity IT8500. Both chairs sounded great but,I decided on this one. The Infinity was a little smaller in overall size then the Osaki and several hundred cheaper. The stretch mode is great and will make you feel good afterwards.I only wish that you could control the intensity of the rollers. All in all I have no complaints, and would recommend this chair to everyone.
Tanja Jackman (verified owner) –
We just receieved our chair and are in love with it but are even more in love with the infinity brand and dr.weidner
Pros:
amazing stretch program
great foot rollers
great quality work
the heat acutally is nice and hot and over a largerer area than other
better massages than chairs that are double the price
sound system is great
very comfortable
it gets all the way to the top of your neck – all the way down your tailbone and it gets into your neck/shoulder area that many other chairs fail
cons:
i would have liked body scanning in all modes not just the 4 pre-set modes.
I would have liked that the strength of the rollers could be adjusted, its a little on the harsh side at the beginning but you get used to it.
a memory function would be great as well
the head rest airbags only work in relax
however compared to the one at brookstone – this is a steal
compared to about to all but 1 of the human touch it blows them out the water
compared to a $7000 chair – this one brings the best bang for your bucks
Aweidner (verified owner) –
David I am sorry to hear that your massage chair is too rough for you. I would strongly encourage you to reach out to the retailer from whom you purchased your chair to get them involved in the process of communicating with Infinite Therapeutics. They have a wonderful customer support team and they will help you. The company that sold you the chair should also have a money back guarantee which should allow you to ship the chair back to them. If you were our customer, you actually have a 90 day money back guarantee. Most companies, however, have a 30 day money back guarantee. Regarding the roughness of the chair, after ruling out a problem with the chair with Infinite Therapeutics customer support, I would suggest using a damper pad or a throw blanket or towel to lessen the intensity of the rollers. I have never heard anyone describe the intensity of the IT-8500 massage the way you have described it, but some folks do find it a bit intense. The dampening pad, towel, or blanket should do the job. Here is Infinite Therapeutics phone number: 1-603-347-6006.
Dr. Alan Weidner
http://www.massage-chair-relief.com
Michael Reifeis (verified owner) –
We have had this chair for about a month now and have used it extensively with daily massages since day one. First let me state that if you?re like me, you are probably doing a LOT of research on what is the best high end massage chair out there. I have reviewed everything I could find on Inada, Osaki, Infinity, Luraco, Osim, etc. Prior to my purchase I was able to test out the Inada Sogno, Osaki, and Osim products. It?s important to know that the Inada Sogno is bar none, the best chair out there. So, don?t be fooled into thinking that buying the IT-8500 or any other chair will be just like or will replace the Inada Sogno, they don?t.
Having said that, I truly believe that the best bang for the buck is the Infinity IT-8500. The manufacturing of this product appears to be very solid as I opted to assemble the chair myself, everything went together very well, I was impressed with the sturdiness of the chair and associated components.
This chair has many options to choose from relative to varying types of massage with the ability to specify a particular area if desired. I also really like the ability to have a long 45 minute massage with heat, or I can opt for shorter time frames if desired. I?m also glad that I decided to go with a chair that has foot rollers; for me this is a must. The airbags are strong and can be adjusted from low to high depending on how intense you want the pressure, I love this option! You can also do just an airbag massage without the rollers which is a nice option to have as well.
Personally for me I really enjoy the ?Relax? massage program, my wife prefers the ?Refresh? and ?Extend? programs. All of them are good and each offers a different combination of rollers, air bags, and cycling between zero gravity and inverted, etc. This chair also offers two zero gravity positions which allows for adjusting the intensity of the massage purely by how you sit in the chair.
If I had any complaints about this chair, it is that the foot rollers can be very intense especially if you have the air bags on a high level. However, the foot rollers can be turned off if desired, but I found it was easy enough to fold up a couple towels which made level of sensation perfect. Additionally, the back rollers can be pretty intense and there is no adjustment to modify this. So, similar to what I did with the foot rollers, I just folded up a small blanket which significantly helped. One recommendation to Infinity would be to provide some customized padding that could easily be fitted into the foot holds and back area to adjust the level of intensity.
All in all, I would highly recommend this chair and trust me, I?m a little OCD and have been researching these chairs for about a two year before I finally decided to pull the trigger. I?m glad I did and very pleased with my purchase.
Last but not least, I?m extremely pleased with my purchase experience through this company. Dr. Weidner put up with multiple calls and emails from me regarding the many, various questions I had and was always gracious with his time. Matter of fact, the first time I called I was very surprised that Dr. Weidner was the one to answer the phone. The service has been excellent and truthfully wouldn?t have purchased from anyone else because I know if something were to go wrong with my chair, Dr. Weidner will be there to assist. I should state that I am providing this review on my own free will, nothing more.
Best of luck on your chair search and purchase.
Tony (verified owner) –
Michaels review here is pretty spot on for me as well. Let me start by saying Dr. Weidner was an incredible help and I would thoroughly recommend his company for your purchase. Like most people I did a ton of research online after not being able to find the chairs locally to test (except the Inada sogno and the Osim). I decided to pull the trigger on the Osaki 7075 and called Dr. Weidner. After he explained the features of many different chairs, I was very confused. He told me he gives out a $300 discount for anyone who flys out to visit. With Southwest from Chicago cost me $400 so for only $100 and my day I was able to try all the chairs I wanted to. Dr. Weidner picked me up from the airport, bought lunch and drove me back. Thank you for the hospitality! Now for my findings:
Infinity 8500: Michaels review says it all. An awesome chair for the money. I also love the foot rollers. This and the Osaki are the only two with rollers. These are incredible! They move around all over and the airbags push your feet down into them. I also found them to be vigorous at times but the intensity adjustment helps as well as putting a folded up sock in there if it’s too much. The seat sways left to right as well, don’t know why I like it, guess its just relaxing. This is the only chair that does it. I have no complaints. You wont be disappointed.
Osaki 7075: this is the one I planned one getting and looking at the specs, looked like the best. After sitting in it, I’m so glad I flew out and tried it first. I would not have been happy. Dr. Weidner said it was a very vigorous massage and that’s an understatement! It has no intensity adjustments. The foot rollers were flat out painful as was the back massage. I couldn’t stay in the chair for more than 5 minutes. It’s also a very large chair. I would suspect if you’re a large person who can really handle an intense massage, this is your chair.
Inada Sogno: I tried this chair locally and on my trip. It appears to be very well built. I was not impressed with the massage though especially for over $8000. Like the other chairs, the back massage was very nice. The other massages on the chair (arms,feet,calves, head) were lame at best. No foot rollers was a turn off. To me it just felt like all the airbags around the chair were simply squeezing you. I want a massage, not a light squeeze. IMO not worth almost 3 times the cost.
Panasonic EP30007: Panasonic is known for their quality and it shows in this chair. Although like the Inada, i found the back to be excellent but everything else lame. The arms don’t work too well, It squeezes your hands more than the forearm based on the design. It will squeeze your thighs but no foot massage except some knobs that push into your feet which did nothing for me.
Panasonic MA70: Based on its high price and the fact I was all but sold on the Infinity, I didnt spend much time in this chair. It felt a lot like the EP30007 all around so I chalked it up pretty quick.
Osim: I didnt try this here as they dont sell it. It’s a Brookstone chair. It had a lot of similar features as the Infinity and the price was similar. The chair itself felt cheap compared to the rest. I’ve also read bad reviews about customer service from Brookstone. This wasn’t even an option for me.
Luraco Irobotic: I was initially very interested due to the fact it’s American made. I found the back massage excellent as most. The massage was very gentle, a little too light for me. That and it has no foot rollers was the deal breaker for me. If you’re looking for a light relaxing massage with no foot rollers, you might really like it.
Hope this helps those who can’t make the flight out! Although I would thoroughly recommend you take the day to try them yourself, even if it costs you a few hundred bucks. We all have a little Goldilocks in us and need to find the one that’s “just right”. Once again, Thank you Dr. Weidner for your help!
Eric Glenn (verified owner) –
We have one of these chairs… and they are amazing… one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. The company stands behind their product with a real meaningful warranty. I’m grateful for companies like this that really believe in their product and back up that belief with action! Because of my arthritis, I struggle to feel good and get sleep. Now I use it every morning and evening… it has made a huge difference in my life. I’m thankful somebody had the vision to make it.
Daniel Colon (verified owner) –
Me and another guy brung this chair from my garage to the first floor using moving straps that was put under a dolly so when we had level ground we were able to roll it. Assembly was verrry easy. Only tricky part was putting the hose under the arm. Theres a better way to install it then whats in the instructions. Put the arm on the chair without latching it ( align the the three metal pegs) then go behind the chair and sit on the floor and pull the arm as back as u can ( flashlight here helps) and u now have easy access to connecting the hose without pulling your hair lol
The chair feels sookoo good on your back, but remember this is a professional massage chair so its going to be a little intense at first so u must go threw the ( graduate) stage and in a week or two your going to appreciate the intensity once your body gets used to the rollers. Im still not graduated so what i did was cut a strip of 2 inch memory foam that i had and lifted the back and put it right on the middle of the rollers going all the way up. Dont make it to wide just enough to cover the empty hole in the middle because the sides already have padding. The arm massage has 2 air bags one for and and one for hand. Make sure both are working and that no hose is crimped if it is just work from the back. The foot rollers also need padding. It feels wonderfukl by itself but rollers and the airbag compression are way to intense so use padding here to then work your way up without it. Other than that ive had 2 guests fall asleep on relax mode with ( rollers off)
Strech mode is crazzzzzzy. I love it. I always hse my invertion table and this chair actually does a better job adjusting my lower back.the chair takes u and does magic decopressing your spine. Whike the rollers go uo your spine. Yes i can say it is magical and who ever thought of this feature is very talented.
There u go, Dr Alan picked up the phone first ring when i called and his videos and passion for this type of business is the reason why i purchased from him. I love my chair and if u suffer from back pain like i do this chair is going to change your life . Thank u Dr Alan
Jim Perdue (verified owner) –
Dr. Weidner,
We just wanted to let you know that we received our IT-8500 on Tuesday. Setup was simple (thanks to your video). We love it. Now, not sure if you remember, but I tried to cancel this order because of a great deal on a used Sogno Dreamwave locally. Well, since this chair already shipped I told him I couldn?t do the deal on the Sogno. Well, he came down on his price for the dreamwave to make up for the difference. Well I couldn?t pass it up for that price, so I bought the Sogno, fully intending on returning the Infinity to you.
Now let me say, the Sogno is a wonderful chair. I loved it, my wife liked it. Of course I am the one who?s had back surgery and a whole slew of lower back issues. We both felt the stretch feature was lacking in intensity and wished it would at least last a few seconds longer. The foot massage was ok, but not great.
Flash forward?the IT-8500. Now I know it?s no Inada, but I just believe it feels better for us. Sure the Inada is more ?refined?, but the Infinity is a wonderful chair. Foot massage with the rollers is just amazing. I believe I like the back rollers on the Infinity better as well, although I can?t put my finger on why. The arm airbags are another area where I prefer the Infinity. I like the full length arm bag over the separate hand, wrist, forearm ones. It feels nicer to me. The hand and wrist bag on the Inada feel great, but the forearm one to me just pinches my arm out of the way. Lastly, the stretch! The stretch on the Infinity is simply hands down better than the Sogno. Now again, that is for US. Some may prefer the Sogno, but to me the intensity and length of the stretch just does wonders for my lower back.
So long story short, I am keeping the Infinity over the Inada. Blasphemy to some, but bliss for us. Thanks again for everything. Your website and personal attention made this a great experience!
Mimi Campbell (verified owner) –
I received my IT-8500 chair on Friday. In just a little over 48 hours I have spent countless hours enjoying the many different settings available. I have chronic neck, back and foot pain for various different reasons. This massage chair can reach the intensity I need to get at the deep-seated areas of tight muscles. I have been a frequent massage patient with bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly visits. Now I have the ability to get a massage as many times a day as I want. This chair will pay for itself in no time. For years I have dreamed of getting a massage daily?now that is possible.
Normally when I go to the chiropractor there are a couple of areas that are not moveable and it is painful. I am looking forward to getting an adjustment this week!
I appreciate the personal attention that I received from Dr. Alan Weidner and quick responses to all of my questions. He made the shopping process painless and easy. I explained what I wanted and the doc told me the best options for my needs.
The white glove service was the best too! I didn?t have to worry about reading any heavy lifting or tedious assembly. The delivery company (All Points Inc. out of Jacksonville, AR) was very friendly and did a great job of putting my chair together quickly. They even offered to hold my packaging materials for 30 days if for some reason I need to send the chair back which I don?t see that happening ? I love my chair!
The IT-8500 cost $3,895, including the White Glove Service. I ordered my chair late on a Friday night and was sitting in it 3 weeks later. The White Glove Service adds a little more time to the delivery wait but it is well worth it. The chair is very heavy and I would hate to have to deal with the boxes and assembly. My IT-8500 has amazing roller ball technology that reaches from the back of my head, down the sides of my neck and all the way to my lower back. I don?t have to worry and wonder if a human given massage will hit the right spots, I have all the controls. The foot/leg massage is pretty intense and will take some getting used to but I am looking forward to that. I have plantar fasciitis which is a very painful foot condition. I believe this chair will in time take away much of that daily pain.
I?m heading back to my chair now. Thank you Dr. Alan!
Marcus Casey (verified owner) –
First of all, the customer service: Dr. Weidner made me feel comfortable choosing which chair I wanted even without seeing them. The only chairs I had a chance to try were those at Brookstone. I knew I could do better than those, but my budget would not permit buying a Sogno Dreamwave. So I did a lot of research and then called him with three chairs (in different price ranges) in mind. He asked the right questions and of the three steered me toward the Infinity IT-8500 because it would be the best for neck issues that my wife and I suffer from. I ordered it without ever trying it, and I’m convinced it is the right chair for me.
The chair: I’ve had it for about 3 weeks now and it has completely changed my neck and back. The first few days every massage left me feeling a little sore and bruised on both my feet and back. But I figured that would pass, and it did. I also came to notice that the places that were sore were the knots that I had. I am a frequent visitor to a chiropractor, and I think of all my sore spots as misalignment of my vertebrae that I am unable to correct (and do more harm than good if I try). Perhaps they are, but as I’ve started to work the knots in my muscles out through daily or twice daily massages, they have loosened up and the adjustment of my spine often happens on its own, naturally. I’ll still go to the chiropractor occasionally, but I’m sure I’ll recoup the cost of the chair in the number of times I don’t go.
At first I only used the auto programs, and I still use them a lot, but now I am learning how to customize my massage according to specific needs. The chair is comfortable and gives a very intense massage. At first it was too intense for my wife so she threw a pad over the rollers, but she uses it without the pad now. The foot rollers were torture for me at first–they both tickled and hurt. But after about a week they are one of my favorite parts. I cannot imagine ordering a massage chair without foot rollers.
In short, this is an incredible massage chair at a reasonable price. You will not regret it at all.
Winston Mcgill Jr (verified owner) –
I’m a surgeon and I stand for several hours a day often bending over. I was on vacation and happened to attend a convention in which there was a demonstration of one of the infinity massage chair (the IT8800) . I was interested because my back tightens from time to time. The salesperson was using a “hard sell” but I typically do my research. While on vacation I went online and quickly found out that Dr. Alan Weidner was an expert on Massage chairs. I called him from the convention and spoke to him several times. His advice to go with the 8500 was great advice. I love the chair. The foot rollers, back and shoulder massages are unbelievable. The music system is a great touch. I have programmed nice soft, relaxing music. I am in seventh heaven when I return home from the OR and sit in my chair listening to Yanni. Everyone who sits in it loves it. I love the chair. More importantly, I would strongly recommend buying it from Dr Weidner. He’s knowledgeable and answers all your questions. HE RETURNS PHONE CALLS WHICH IS AMAZING.
J Sheffield (verified owner) –
I started researching massage chairs after seeing one at a Brookstone store. That one was nice but after researching further I realized that there were better ones available. After spending many hours reading online and watching vidoes, I bought the IT-8500. I found the information on http://www.massage-chair-relief.com and the videos on youtube by Dr. Weidner to be very helpful in helping make my decision. However, the reviews posted by other customers were the best because thier descriptions of the IT-8500 and experience mactched what I was looking for. The massage experience is exactly what I expected, a vigorous massage. When I get home from work and my muscles are tense I want a massage that works out the knots when and where I need it. When I don’t need that level of massage and just want to relax I use the air bag only massage to relax or a use a custom massage to target areas where I need it or use a less aggressive massage technique such as the tapping or knocking. I especially like being able to target the area around my neck and the base of my skull where I have trouble with tight muscles. One thing that suprised me was how the rollers feel when they are massaging my shoulders, it actually feels like someone’s fingers are massaging them. I can customized my massage with this chair to however I like and am extremely pleased with the features it has. My wife tried it and commented that it was one of the best purchases that I have ever made. Also, customer support from Dr. Weidner was excellent. The shipping company was having trouble reaching me for some reason and Dr. Weidner contacted me by email right away to I could call them to schedule delivery. Assembly was no problem for me and everything works great!
Kevin S. (verified owner) –
Kevin S.
13 Dec 2013
Having never owned or sat in a massage chair, buying one was a big leap of faith. I thought it would be a nice gift for our family this Christmas. After doing a few days of research, reading all of the reviews here and other places I decided on the IT-8500. It arrived about 10 days after ordering. I decided we didn’t need the white glove service to set up and it was a good decision. We used a hand truck to get the main piece maneuvered into close proximity of the final location. Unpacked everything and watched Dr. Wiedner’s assembly video. We then watched the first time in the chair video. About an hour after the truck delivered the chair we were in it and enjoying a really nice massage. As a few others have stated, my wife said this was the best purchase we’ve made in a long, long time. The communication from Dr. Wiedner throughout the process was unequaled and very much appreciated. The IT-8500 has exceeded our expectations. I want to thank all of the reviewers here for providing honest thorough feedback. I’m a real fan of these chairs now. My 13 year old twin daughters are using it for 20-30 minutes at a time. My wife goes for the full 45 minutes. Needless to say I’m finding it hard to squeeze in a few minutes for myself. It’s very well built and I would highly recommend it.
J Brown (verified owner) –
We have had a terrific experience with our new chair. My wife is a big fan of back walk massages and IT-8500 does a great job of giving her that experience every day. Dr. Weider has provided a wonderful experience both before and after the sale. We are very happy with our purchase and whenever we need another chair we will look here first. Thanks Dr. Weider!
Steve Prince (verified owner) –
I received my 8500 last Thursday. Since I had tried it at a local shop here in west Portland, I knew I would like it. I would say that the only thing I didn’t care for was the new smell that was very strong and almost got me dizzy. Thankfully that has dissipated and I assume that in a week or two it will mostly be gone. The chair is amazing. I can’t believe how refreshed and relaxed it makes me. I’m sleeping better and my energy has increased too. I added another day of hockey to my usual 3-4 days a week. Dr. Weidner has been amazing. He answers all my correspondence almost immediately. Such a great deal and the assistance has been more than advertised.
Kiel (verified owner) –
First I want to start off by saying I’ve never owned a massage chair before this one…but I’m glad I do now. This chair is fantastic! It is quite an investment but you can’t go wrong with the 8500. You get a great bang for your buck with this chair. Dealing with Dr. Weidner was great too. He answered multiple emails with questions/concerns before I even purchased and followed up after to make sure everything was good. Couldn’t be happier with the whole experience.
I opted for just the curb side delivery and if you are handy at all, it’s the way to go. With the instructions and Dr. Wiedner’s assembly video it was up and running in no time. The chair is quite heavy so I’d recommend having another person or 2 to help. I actually managed it by myself, but it took a little effort. I was able to hand truck through my door (still in the box) and then just unpacked and rolled it into place.
The chair itself is really nice. It seems to be a high quality chair. My favorites are the foot rollers, the back and shoulder massage and the stretch mode. The back massage and feet rollers can be quite intense the first few times using it…the first week left me a little sore but gradually that passed and now I can’t get enough. Using the manual mode allows for a fantastic neck/shoulder massage. The one thing for me I don’t care much for is the music system…more the controls for it. The speaker by the ears are great but having to put the music on a usb drive and plug it in the back of the chair seems a little silly and then controlling the music you can only hit play/stop and next/back. I’m used to my phone/ipod as a music player with many different features (shuffle, repeat, ect) so the chairs music system is lacking….but still nice to have.
So overall it was a great buying experience and a wonderful chair…thanks Dr. Alan!
Paula Mason (verified owner) –
We were not looking for a massage chair last month. We were actually shopping for a bedroom set for our guest room.. The dealer had a massage chair (not mentioning the brand) and we tried it. The experience was great and I started researching the internet. After numerous emails and phone calls to various dealers, we were advised that we would get the biggest bang for our buck with the Infinity IT-8500. I asked a dealer where we could actually see and try one. We had to make a 105 mile trip, but it was worth it, we were sold. When we returned home, I got back on the internet and found the “Massage Chair Relief ” website. I placed a call and left a message. Much to my surprise, Dr. Weidner himself returned the call within a few minutes. After a few more calls, and emails, we were ready to order. We received our IT-8500 a few days before Christmas. What a gift we gave ourselves!! The chair and all of it’s features is amazing. We are retired seniors and needed the white glove delivery. The installers were courteous and efficient. The entire experience with Dr. Weidner was well beyond expectations, and we have recomended both the chair and Dr. Weidner to family and friends.
Jeff (verified owner) –
Dr. Weidner,
Buying my IT-8500 from you was such an easy process. I have had it for more than a month now and could not be more pleased. The chair is used between 2 and 3 hours every day by our family of 3. We use it in the morning when we have time to get a good invigorating massage and in the evening to get a relaxing massage. During the relaxation mode we all fall asleep within the first ten minutes. 45 minutes of massage time and the chair is setting us upright. The sound system is great. You pick the music you want, put it on a thumb drive or a phone and connect to the chair. I do not know how we got along without this chair for so many years. You helped so much in deciding the perfect chair. I know I called a number of times to ask questions before the purchase. You always took your time talk with me. I highly recommend you to others who are shopping for a massage chair. This has been one of the best purchases we have made.
Jeff Payne (verified owner) –
Customer Testimonial Great Customer Service, Prompt Shipping and Outstanding Product Dear Dr. Weidner: I want to thank you so much for all your assistance in helping me pick out the perfect chair for my wife for Christmas. I was on the website and had several questions. It was a Saturday and I thought I would go ahead and call the number just to see if there might be a customer service representative working at massage-chair-relief.com. I was totally shocked when Dr. Weidner answered the phone. He was at home and it was definitely after hours for the business, yet Dr. Weidner took my call and answered all my questions. This was without a doubt the best customer service I have ever received! I ordered the IT-8500 and almost immediately received an email with the shipping information. I ordered the chair on October 8th and the chair was delivered to my door on October 15th. I gave the chair to my wife on December 23rd and she was ecstatic. The chair is everything Dr. Weidner said it would be and we both use it daily. My wife said this was the best Christmas present that she had ever received. Thank you Dr. Weidner for the expert advice on the chair and for the most outstanding customer service experience I have had with any company that I have every dealt with! Sincerely, Jeff Payne
Kenny Farnsworth (verified owner) –
I live in Salt Lake City, so I went to Dr. Weidner’s store and tested all the chairs. Yes, Dr. Weidner and team are awesome, but this review is about the chair. I chose the Infinity 8500 for 3 reasons. 1. It has the best extend mode out of all the chairs I tested. 2. It has the best mode for massaging the neck. 3. I like the programming. Some massage chairs – (the Osaki 3D ProDreamer comes to mind) only massage one or two parts of your body at a time – kind of like visiting a masseuse. However, one of the big advantages of a massage chair is that it can massage multiple areas of your body at the same time. Infinity seems to understand that concept. The Infinity Iyashi was my second favorite chair. I chose the 8500 over the Iyashi due to the extend mode and my wife did not like the plastic sides on the Iyashi. You may be wondering what is the best chair out there? The answer is it depends on your personal preference. Your best bet is to try them all out. If you don’t have that luxury, I would describe the 8500 and/or Iyashi as a massage party. Both of those chairs are working your entire body over. You can adjust either one for a rather sedate massage or a very aggressive massage. If you want one area worked at a time, I would look at another chair. For me, that defeats the purpose of a massage chair, but to each their own.
Kim S (verified owner) –
I received the Infinity IT-8500 Massage chair from Massagechairrelief.com on December 30, 2013 and I love it. First of all, I should say that I did several searches on this company before going with them and everything came out great. They are affiliated with AM6 Distributing and had no complaints and AAA from the BBB. I had a wonderful experience working with them. They kept me informed by way of emails and everything went as promised. I received my chair in just over a week. Now, for the information on the Infinity IT 8500. Here are the pros and cons so that you can see if this chair is right for you. First of all, I would like to say that I suffer from chronic hip tendonitis of seven years and lower back problems of four years. This chair has lowered my pain and almost healed my back. The swivel seat feature is amazing along with the air bags and I do believe it aligns my lower back. After using it, there are times when the pain is completely gone. I finally feel like I don?t have to baby my back all the time. It takes more to aggravate it now and it goes away quickly with one massgage. The intensity is probably above average for the back rollers, although I prefer very strong. You can adjust the speed but not the intensity. My husband is sensitive so it is a little too strong for him at times and my daughter is normal and she loves it. There are six different types of rolling massages to choose from that go up and down your spine and several speeds to choose from too. The foot massaging feature is great and really makes your legs and feet feel better. With that said, it could use some work when it moves from side to side because it is too strong with the airbags. Completely squishes the ball of your foot against the rollers to where you have to move your feet around to try to protect them from severe pain. We fixed this by putting a wash cloth folded over on top of each foot rest. Besides it is only one part of the foot massage and you do not have to use the airbags along with the rollers. Each feature on its own and parts together (where the rollers move up and down) are great. I love the airbags on my calves and feet so it is definitely worth the effort to make it work. As for the arm airbags, I enjoy them but I think the chair is better suited for someone under 5? 9″ or a shorter torso because my arms do not completely reach the airbags. It gets more of my hands and midway up my arm, unless I crunch down uncomfortably. This is unfortunate because I also have tendonitis in both arms. My husband and daughter fit great and love it. The stretch feature is great and I was able to push with my legs on the foot rest to make it extend to accommodate my height. The head rest/airbag feature is great. I love when both sides are blown up; it feels like it is cradling your head. The con is that it does not have anything holding it in place so it will slide up when you have the rollers on. My solution was to use it with the rollers off or set them to a lower location on my back. We wish the control panel was back-lit so that you can see all the buttons. You will need a light nearby to see some of the buttons because not all buttons are lit up. This chair is great because it takes the pain away even with its little flaws. We all feel great after using it. After so many years of trying everything, who would have guessed it would be a massage chair that would finally be the answer to my multiple tendonitis and back problems. In my opinion, this might not be the massage chair for someone who wants to just relax with a mild massage. With this chair comes a few pains and sometimes a lot of pressure from the airbags but that is what I love about it (you can choose the intensity of the airbags). It is a massage chair that relieves aches and pains. It took some time figuring out all the buttons and how pushing several of them more than once adds intensity or speed but once I did, I found my massage experience to be very enjoyable (I like to manually create my massage, but there are four preset massages). Putting this thing together was a bear. There is a video on YouTube of “how to put it together” from Massage chair Relief, as well as many others by Alan Weidner. Although it is worth watching it is only helpful to a point because it is for the previous model and there are differences. Just make sure you have a very short screw driver and a flashlight to put the arms on. Tip: my husband lay on the floor under the arm and held a small flash light with his mouth and we held the arm while he pushed the air hoses in the arm rest. I have had no problems with the chair and it was delivered in great condition. I use this chair one to three times a day because of how wonderful I feel after my massage. Best purchase I have made!! We are actually considering getting a second one so that my husband and I can both use them while watching tv at night. This was his idea, the same husband that didn?t want to get one in the first place and that never gets massages or uses massage chairs. That says a lot about the chair.
Mike Granato (verified owner) –
It’s coming up on 3 weeks since we’ve had our new Infinity IT 8500 massage chair. And after using it every day since we’ve had it, I can not believe I didn’t get one of these sooner. It has been amazing, and my back has never felt better. In 2009, I had spinal fusion surgery on my L4/L5 vertebra. Ever since I’ve been reluctant and a bit nervous about any “work” being done in that area of the back. Since getting this chair, the muscles in an around my lower back have never felt so good and been so relaxed. The IT 8500 has far exceeded my expectations. I’m also a golf professional, and this chair is like a 15th club in your bag. Some time in the chair before and after you play or practice will do wonders for your recovery. I chose Massage Chair Relief for one reason – Dr. Weidner. He was there for me on the very first call I made, and he is the reason we got the chair we have based on our needs and requirements. I’m a big believer in the way he does business… honestly, openly, and being accessible to his customers. No matter what chair you are in the market for, I cannot recommend Massage-Chair-Relief enough. You will not be disappointed in the chair and especially not in the service and expertise of Dr. Weidner. Mike Granato Cartersville, GA
Steve Paspek (verified owner) –
I unexpectedly found myself in Salt Lake City today with a few free hours at the end of a business trip. I?ve been thinking about a massage chair for several months, and had previously looked at the massage chair relief web site and had some e-mail correspondence with Dr. Weidner. (By the way, he personally answers his emails, is very knowledgeable about various models, and does not hesitate to ask the manufacturer when you ?stump the champ?!
On very short notice, Dr. Weidner graciously agreed to let me come to his show room and ?test drive? a number of massage chairs. Now, I already own an older-model Panasonic chair (rollers and vibration only), but was looking for something more with air bags, etc. It?s confusing when you look at how many there are and try to determine which features are important to you. It was so nice to test 10 different chairs side by side.
After testing, there was no question that the Infinity 8500 was the chair for me. It was firm but gentle and quiet. I?ve ordered one.
The newer Infinity model Iyashi had a longer roller track (extended under the butt!), but you gave up good neck massage. Furthermore the chair was noisy ? I think the rigid plastic shell tends to resonate and the noise made it a less restful experience.
Another contender had over 100 air bags ? the >. It had a separate ?horse collar? neck massager. Looked like it would be good, but disappointing compared to the 8500. Also, this one had lots of hissing and sighing as all the air bags worked. I?m guessing that the valves in this one open and close more quickly than in the Infinity 8500, resulting in more noise each time a bag deflates. More money and in my opinion, no additional features of value to me compared to the 8500.
Without having the opportunity to compare these chairs side by side, it would have been impossible to be assured that I had made the right choice with the 8500. These chairs are not cheap, and one wants to be reasonably sure that you have made an informed decision. Dr. Weidner gave me that opportunity.
Thanks!
Steve
PS: And thanks for a great lunch!!
Greg (verified owner) –
I’ve had this chair for about a month now, and this chair is exactly what I was looking for. The only downside was the wait for the chair, but it in the end it was worth it. Word to the wise, check the inventories of the different manufactures before ordering, or you could find yourself waiting for 6-8 weeks for your order.
As for the chair itself, it provides a very intense massage which is what I was looking for, and while my wife prefers a lighter touch and the chair does not have roller intensity control, it is easy to use a pillow or blanket to soften the massage as needed. Personally, I would err on the side of too intense because you can always soften the massage other ways, but it would be difficult to get a stronger massage from a weak chair.
The extend program is amazing and the foot and calf air bags are also very strong; if you have ticklish feet, you will need to turn off the foot rollers as they are also very intense.
The chair is relatively easy to put together yourself, but it is very heavy, so if you will be taking the chair up or down any steps, it is probably worth it to get the white glove service.
Lastly, Dr. Weidner was great to work with, it was a pleasure meeting him at his showroom, and he was incredibly helpful. And even though there were several delays with the delivery, he remained helpful and responsive even though the he had already made the sale.
Ron L (verified owner) –
First off, I have to start by saying what a pleasure it was to meet Dr Weidner. I was in Salt Lake for a business trip. I had previously spoken with Dr. Weidner about the OS 3D Pro Cyber a few months ago. I called and left Dr. Weidner a message that I would be in town that afternoon, and would love the opportunity to try out some of his most popular chairs. It was like talking with a friend. Dr Weidner was so helpful and honest and not once did I ever feel one ounce of pressure to buy a chair. He actually picked me up at my hotel and brought me to his showroom. Amazing, he went out of his way, above and beyond to accommodate me in truly helping me find the best chair for me. I had the opportunity to demo many chairs and during each demo, Dr Weidner went through all the specs on each chair. His knowledge was very impressive which really helped me determine which chair was right for me. I arrived at his showroom convinced the Osaki chair was right for me. I had done so much reading and reviews on all the chairs, but sitting in them and learning about their capabilities was priceless. I actually discovered that the Infinity IT 8500 was actually my number one choice. The Osaki 3D Pro Cyber came in a close second. Both great chairs, but ultimately I liked the Infinity chair better. I chose it because I personally felt it offered a better stretch, stronger foot rollers, better overall message. Again, it’s a personal choice. If not for Dr Weidner, I would never have had the opportunity to even try an Infinity chair. Hands down, Dr Weidner is exceptionally knowledgeable in his field, genuine, honest and has gone way above the call of duty to earn my business. I have done a lot of work and spent countless hours on the computer researching various chairs. I strongly recommend trying out the chairs and finding the chair that is right for you. For me it was the IT 8500. Thanks again Dr Weidner for a great afternoon and all your time and assistance. Personally, I would never give my business to anyone other than Dr Weidner. One can see that he truly cares about your decision and wants to make sure you find the right chair for you. Again, thanks a million.
John Campbell (verified owner) –
I am fifty-seven years old and deal with chronic neck pain. Tired of the biweekly expense and inconvenience of chiropractic sessions, I looked to purchase a massage chair. Local stores offered a limited selection, so I turned to the Internet. After two solid days of research I had more questions than answers and was starting to feel like it was back to retail. Then I came across one of Dr Weidner?s videos on Youtube. It answered a couple of my questions right off and, since he seemed oriented toward customer service, I thought I?d go ahead and give his office a call. That was on Labor Day so I figured I?d be leaving a message, but to my surprise he answered his phone personally and proved happy to help me with the many questions that had been worrying me.
The Osaki OS4000 looked like my best deal at that time, but I am wide built and was concerned my shoulders would not fit between the air bags. Dr Weidner offered to go to his store the next day and measure the shoulder width on that chair, then call me back. He was as good as his word and that chair?s smaller form factor proved to be just too small for me (by one inch in the shoulders). At that point, I had done more checking online and already knew that with the free shipping, massage-chair-relief.com?s prices were as low as I was going to find on the web, so I was pretty much going to buy from Dr Weidner. Which chair was my big question.
Over the next few days the doctor patiently answered all my questions and, although more expensive, it?s features were so well-tuned to my physical issues, that I finally went with the Infinity IT-8500. Key features for me were the stronger neck massage and the passive spinal adjust (with the relief the foot rollers brought and the almost sublime action of many mechanisms massaging me simultaneously being most pleasant surprises).
The chair arrived quickly. A friend?s son came over and helped me put it together for twenty bucks. Dr Weidner?s assembly video came in very handy, so that process was straightforward, although I will recommend a minimum of two people for the job. I?ve had the Infinity for a few weeks now and have used it religiously every day, until yesterday. Last night I did not sleep as comfortably and after gradually feeling it become almost pain free, there is a dull ache back in my neck right now, which means I am headed for the chair as soon as I finish this review.
Through my entire purchase process, which was pretty extensive since I was spending a lot of money on a product I could not test out first (almost took him up on his offer to come visit), Dr Weidner?s knowledge and professional manner were as good as I?ve ever come across. He was extremely patient, went out of his way to be helpful and never once tried to pressure me into a buying decision. I wanted to post this review because, even in this short a period of time, my massage chair has been a blessing and last night reminded me how lucky I am to have it. If I hadn?t run across that video on Youtube, I might still be searching.
CraiG (verified owner) –
Well let me start with I have an old Premier massage chair That I’ve had since 2003 it broke for the last time and with no part’s available I started looking for a new message chair. After quite a bit of research and trying several different chairs,like the Inada Sogno Dreamwave which gave a weak massage for $8,000 At a furniture store, OSIM uDivine S Massage Chair and OSIM uAstro 2 They were Ok but was missing something me and my wife both thought so They were at Brookstone I took a chance and decided to purchase the Infinity IT 8500 Just from talking to Dr Alan Weidner. I wanted to try all the chairs But didn’t have time to go to Utah from Lyndhurst Ohio, He was very informative and knew about every chair even the ones he doesn’t sell, he informed me That people who come to the show room in Utah usually purchase IT 8500 he said that I would love this chair So I purchased the chair without ever trying it , But man was he right Its great can’t keep the wife out it . and the difference in price between the Inada Also was able to get the Black Friday deal and extra 2 year parts warranty also IT 2020 neck massager, made it even better. This chair Is very well made and can give a very aggressive, deep tissue massage, Is what I like !! Also the foot massage is unbelievable!!! It has several preset programs, but you can also use the manual setting to get just about any kind of massage you want. It has a music system but only works with MP3 files, sounds Ok for relaxing music. It’s heavy, Not easy to get upstairs. It took 2 of us about 1 hours to set it up worked perfectly after setup. If your not strong or your back is bad get the white glove delivery it’s worth 199.00 the box is really big and heavy!! I ordered The chair November 29,2014 received it December 9, 2014
Dr Weidner is really great like talking to a old friend, he answers his cell phone now that’s customer service !!!
Dave Trent (verified owner) –
First off, I appreciate all the honest feedback that have been posted in these reviews. However, posting a review detailing that you are not mechanically inclined, that your wife doesn’t want to use the chair, and that you wasted your own time is of no value. How about making an honest assessment of the massage benefits (or lack thereof) the chair provides.
Anyway, as with most folks here, I did a ton of research before making my decision. After speaking directly with Dr. Weidner and discussing my requirements I was able to narrow my decision down to the IT-8500. Great choice! I received my chair within 10 days. I opted for the white glove service, which is worthwhile in my opinion. They were able to assemble my chair and perform and operational checkout in about 30 minutes; plus, they removed all the shipping crates, boxes, etc. I was confident after reading all the reviews I would not need the boxes to be sitting around. A very small risk which paid off. The chair is working perfect.
The massage: Prior to purchasing this chair, I had a lot of tension head-aches, stemming from my middle back and trap muscles, into my neck. I use the chair every day, and no longer have these issues. Even better, my wife was prone to migraines brought on my stress and tension. She uses the chair every day as well and has not experienced a migraine since. She says “how did we ever live without one of these chairs”. The massage itself can be as an aggressive deep-tissue massage as you want, but can be manually throttled down to provide a more relaxing massage. The first time you use the massage, you will probably be sore the next day. I would recommend not using the chair for three to five days after your initial session in the chair. This should be expected, as the chair really works deep to relieve the stress and tension your muscles have developed over time. Not to worry, your body and muscles will become accustomed to even the most aggressive settings of the chair. It may take two or three weeks, but you will get there.
I really enjoy the versatility of this massage chair. Even when running one of the pre-programmed massages, you can manually adjust zones, massages types, intensity, speed, heat, incline and decline, etc. You really can tailor a perfect massage that works best for you. I personally enjoy putting the chair in relax mode, declining the chair back further, raising the legs higher, and using the music sync function. It works surprisingly well. I use meditation music, and the massage rollers sync well with the rhythm of the music; very relaxing. The stretch program of this chair was a nice surprise, doing a great job of arching your back, then rolling/aligning your spine.
One other thing I wold like to note: I received a free neck and shoulder massage belt (a separate massage device) with my order. If you order this chair and receive this free massager, do not set it aside and not use it. It put the massage belt around my neck and shoulders, cranked up the intensity, and could not help but laugh! It feels as if there are two human hands in the belt, giving you a vigorous knocking massage directly on your muscles. You can use the belt around your waist, chest, middle back, or legs as well. It is AWESOME!!!
Thank you Dr. Weidner!
Carol (verified owner) –
Our new 8500 is wonderful. Everything we were told it would be and more. The personal service we received simplified the shopping experience. I needed my chair delivered prior to a vacation and with one simple email to the trucking company they responded immediately and made sure my needs were met. Customer service on both the buying and delivery were a 5 star PLUS!
william hutt (verified owner) –
1/25/2015
Research:
Like most consumers, massage chairs of this caliber isn’t sold in my area. Researching the chairs online was my only option. I found massage chair relief’s videos along with my multiple calls to Dr. Alan to be my best single source of information on the IT-8500.
Delivery:
Shipped from Tennessee to my location, Panama City, FL. —- Ordered Wed, received Tuesday.
Unpacking:
It’s very heavy!! I’m not sure why they put wheels on the back of the chair, especially when you will likely hurt your back trying to lift the front of the chair in order to use the wheels to move it.
Solution:
The chair sits on 4, 2X3 inch rubber feet. Save your back, put furniture sliders under the chair’s feet prior to assembling the chair. Adding the sliders enables me to easily move the chair where I want it.
Assembly:
Before repositioning the chair back, make sure the loose air tubes are clear from pinching. Facing the chair, look where the seat and back intersect : 3 tubes on the left and 1 tube + 1 speaker on the right.
Arms:
Watch Dr. Alan’s YouTube Video on assembling the IT-8200. The chair comes with a long Philips head screw driver and an Allen wrench. In addition you will need a very, very short Philips head screw driver. The short screw driver will be used on the back 2 locking inserts for the arms. The front locking arm insert and the shoulder airbag/speaker sections require the long Philips head.
Foot/Calf Section:
If you assemble this section by yourself as I did, the foot/calf section will need to be place on a 2X4 or something comparable in order to align the mounting points between the chair and the foot/calf section. You can’t simultaneously hold this section up and screw in the hex head bolts.
Head/neck airbag:
When you install the back pad section (contains head/neck and lower back airbags) you may need to tug on the air tubes in order to get the head/neck airbag into position. In all of the videos I looked at online, the bottom of the airbag sits just above the shoulder airbags. That position doesn’t fit me or my wife correctly. It becomes very obvious when using the relax program.
You can gently pull the head/neck air tubes through the back section which allows the head/neck airbag to drop down, lining its bottom up with the shoulder airbags bottom. This makes a world of difference in the neck massage using the relax program.
Use the head/neck Velcro attaching point as a reference. You should be able to pull out the air tubes to the point where you are still able to attach the airbag to the Velcro and have a 1/2 – 1″ of play in the tubes.
Massage:
The preset programs relax, extend…. scans your back to determine your height. The manual modes don’t do this. From my research I noticed website adds referencing optical scanning for this chair. As an electrical engineer I don’t any optical sensors.
What actually happens when the chair scans your back?
Basically, the massage rollers runs up your back until the pressure against the rollers is reduced. The reduced pressure position, generally your neck area, is used as a reference point for your massage.
Neck and Shoulder:
I like a good neck and shoulder massage. After extending the head/neck air tubes I get a nice squeeze on my neck. Before the air tube adjustment, it didn’t.
When using the other programs I would suggest moving the head/neck airbag out of the way and locking it in place. By doing this, the scan seems to be more accurate on your neck location.
Note: If you don’t lock or tie down the head/neck airbag, especially on the extend program, it will pull the shoulder/head pad off the back of the chair. Without the pad in place, the head (base of scull) massage is rough.
Shoulder Blade and Upper tail/hip bone areas may need extra padding if you lack any natural padding in these areas. Massage rollers hitting bone doesn’t feel that good.
Foot/Calf:
Years ago I tried a massage chair that squeezed my calves to a painful point. The calf massage on the IT-8500 is tight, but comfortable. The foot tendon airbag feels very nice, wish I could get more massage in that area.
The 1st time I tried the foot rollers they felt good most of the time, however they did put me on edge a few times. Since, I didn’t want to turn off the rollers, and didn’t want my massage to be interrupted by pain in my foot, I placed carpet on the rollers (carpet side facing the rollers) to reduce the intensity.
My main issue is the roller intensity in the arch of my foot. I would like more roller intensity in the heel and toe. Cutting out some of the carpet may solve this issue.
Hand/Forearm
This is nice. I would like more intensity on the hand and finger areas, more on the order of someone massaging each individual finger. When I get a chance I want to make a bean bag which I can lay my hand on. The combination of bean bag and airbag may get more of the massage I’m looking for in this area.
At home, I work a lot with my hands and depending on what I’m doing, my hands get pretty sore at times.
Extend Program:
This is my favorite. Other than issues mentioned earlier, I really like this one. On the other hand, my wife and daughters enjoy the stretch, but not the pulsing or vibrating part of the program. It would be nice if you could select another massage technique when the pulsing starts. I saw a review were the reviewer indicated you could do that, but every time I try it goes into manual mode which dis-engages the extend programs routine.
I’m not sure if I can manually simulate the extend program. When I get a chance I will look in to it.
Manual Modes:
By default the full zone massage is engaged when the manual mode is used. Without the scan reference point the rollers will run the complete length of the roller track, which may position the roller on the top of your scull, depending on your height.
What I discovered, which is not in the users manual or any videos that I could find, is that you can set your own reference point for your height.
How to set your reference point:
1. Select a function while in the manual mode
2. Push the “Zone” button to select the “point mode massage”.
3. Use the “Roller Adjust” buttons to position the top set of rollers just above your shoulders, this is your reference point.
4. Quickly push the “Zone” button once to select the “Full mode massage” for a full back massage or
twice to select “Partial mode massage” to get a neck/shoulder massage.
Summary:
In my 3 year search for an upgrade to my IJOY massage chair, I purchased the IT-8500 and have been using it for the past 5 days. The chair’s price, and by nature, I don’t buy before I try, kept me from buying. My wife, who has back issues due to car wrecks and degenerative disc, would not use my IJOY chair unless she was desperate. The chair didn’t fit her right and the massage is intense.
The expectations of the extend program and neck massage pushed me into taking the IT-8500 plunge. My hope is that my wife will use the chair on a regular basis to alleviate some of her back issues. As for myself, other than issues mentioned, I’m happy with the chair.
If interested, we purchased the chocolate brown, which is very good looking rich brown. The internet pictures don’t give it justice. It looks a little darker in person.
Ken (verified owner) –
Infinity IT-8500 review
I have owned an Infinity IT-8500 Massage Chair for about 10 days now. This is how I decided on this chair and my impressions after 10 days.
I had used the SmartCart massage chairs at the Mall and liked how I felt after a 30 minutes session. Then cost was only $5.00 for 30 minutes but they had limitations. There was no foot massage, sometimes the chairs did not work after I put in my money and you had to deal with pe