Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Review about the Panasonic EP-1273KL Shiatsu Massage Chair

By Steve Esquire

The Panasonic EP-1273KL shiatsu massage chair is the subject of this product review. Panasonic is an electronics company and has a massage chair line. The EP-1273KL is a midrange model. The midrange is the $2,000 to $3,000 price range for massage chairs. Let us take a look at some of the advanced features for the Panasonic EP-1273KL shiatsu massage chair.

Massage chair companies are a diverse group. Panasonic obviously has a solid name and reputation. You can buy with confidence and be assured your warranty will be covered. Just a note of precaution if you are considering other brands: Just make sure any chair brand you buy sells to retail clients. If they do not, then be cautious about how they will back their warranty later. Saving a few hundred dollars now may translate into many more times that to fix a chair later.

How good is the warranty of the Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair? Panasonic provides just an average warranty directly from the manufacturer. The standard Panasonic manufacturing warranty covers 1 year parts, 1 year labor, 1 year shipping and 1 year in-home service. Panasonic provides an average warranty protection for the customer. The warranty coverage can be extended by purchasing an extended warranty through the retailer. The larger electronics companies follow the extended warranty model which is no doubt a carry over from their electronics divisions. Coverage on the extended warranties vary by retailer, so check out what the coverage and cost for the Panasonic EP-1273KL.

Almost everyone's favorite subject about massage chairs is how they look. The Panasonic does OK in this regard, but it looks a bit sterile for the general public. At least that is the comment we get a lot. This massage chair seems targeted to health professionals with its neo-industrial design aesthetics. Not to take away from the chair, but just make sure you like the look of this chair. We actively encourage our suppliers to make chairs that fit in any room.

The EP-1273 comes with 4 auto programs, 3 manual courses and 8 massage techniques. Most massages are timed 15 minutes for your enjoyment. The 4 auto programs have refresh, shiatsu, deep, and gentle. Manual courses cover your back allowing you to cover the whole, upper or lower back. The 8 massage functions consist of rolling, percussion, Hawaiian, kneading, tapping, Swedish, compression, and shiatsu massage therapy.

The Panasonic EP-1273KL massage chair comes equipped with a dual-use air ottoman system. The air system in the ottoman kneads and loosens the calves. If the ottoman is raised, the feet can be placed on the area for the calves with the knees bent for a soothing foot massage. The ottoman also has a stretch functions, which will at first raise, then lower in 20 degree increments to stretch out the lower body.

The EP-1273KL massage chair by Panasonic is a good value for its class. It provides a strong and thorough back massage and has a tension relieving lower body massage. One of the nice features of the Panasonic EP-1273KL is the dual-use ottoman with the built in stretch system. For this price range, there is not a massage chair that will have more than one position of stretch. Only drawback with the ottoman is there is no foot well. The user must bend their knees to position their feet to get a foot massage. Other than that the Panasonic EP-1273KL is a strong contender for shiatsu massage chairs in this mid-range class. - 15683

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