Saturday, December 6, 2008

Review of the Sanyo HEC-SR1000K Massage Chair Recliner

By James Knolan

Sanyo has a full range of massage chairs in their product line. We are going to take an in depth view of the entry level model for Sanyo. The model SR 1000K is the subject of this product review. Our reviews are systematic and we judge any massage chair is five critical areas. We give a point rating of up to twenty points per area for a total possible score of 100. This is the SR-1000K massage chair recliner by Sanyo.

Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: First let us get the driest part of the review out of the way first-the warranty coverage. OK, we all know that warranty coverage is important in complicated machines like massage chairs. But what kind of coverage do you get from Sanyo? Sanyo provides the same warranty for all its chairs. The good news is that it adds up to good coverage for an entry level chair. You get 3 years of warranty for the roller mechanism, 1 year parts and labor, and 1 year in home service. There is also a call center for issues, should they arise. We give the SR1000 a 19 for its warranty.

Comfort & Ergonomics: The science of ergonomics is the study of things can be designed to fit the human body. In other words, we have natural ranges of motion and buttons, controls, etc. need to be within those ranges. The buttons on the remote are a decent size for most fingers. The main power is located on the side of the chair which is ergonomic but you still have to remember. The leg rest has a foot extension that needs to be flipped by your feet. Sanyo could work these things out a little better in our opinion. We give it a 17 overall.

Ease of Use: With so many features being added to today's massage chairs, we find some remote controls overly complex. This can be very frustrating to new users. The chair should be simple to use and intuitive to understand. The Sanyo SR-1000 comes with an advanced remote that has many features. It does take some time to get accustomed to it as a series of buttons may be required to get it to do what you want. We do like the light level indicators which helps you see the intensities. We give the ease of use a 16.

Key Features: One of the interesting things with this model is that it has many technologies handed down from the higher level massage chairs in the Sanyo line. This is great for an entry level massage chair. Take for instance, the stiffness detector. The stiffness detector is found in Sanyo's high end model. This device is gripped with the hand. It monitors your pulse and sweat. It knows (somehow) where these changes are coming from and it actually targets those areas. Another electronic gadget integrated is the shape sensor. The shape sensor checks your body position in the chair and changes the massage to where you are. Interesting stuff, we give it an 18.

Massage Therapy: The SR-1000 comes with automatic and manual massage techniques. The automatic massages are named Recovery and Relax. Relax is a soothing type massage and Recovery is more vigorous for after more strenuous activity. The manual massages come with 3 massage techniques but also have two stretching capabilities. The stretching can be used in combination with the 3 massage techniques. The leg rest is capable to massage both the calves and the feet providing virtually a full body massage capability. The SR1000 earns a 17 for its massage therapy.

The Sanyo SR 1000K scored 87/100 points in our rating scale. The SR-1000 has some very unique electronic features for an entry level massage chair. It has one of the strongest warranty coverage for its price range. The foot massager can be hidden from view which adds to the aesthetics of the chair. The chair comes with a nice wood accents adding to its design flair. The massage therapy is effective. This is certainly a great value for its class. If you are looking for a massage chair recliner in this category the SR-1000K certainly merits your consideration. - 16650

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