Product Description

The Shiatsu massaging cushion helps you enjoy state of the art relaxation....your way. This cushion features a programmable control with 3 different programs and a moving dual massage mechanism. The shiatsu rolling massage and soothing heat travel up and down the back. The 30-second heat up is perfect for penetrating those sore muscles and the soft spot shiatsu targets just the area that aches. The width control adjusts to conform to your body so you can create your own customized massage. This massaging cushion easily fits most chairs and comes with a demonstration feature that shows you how to melt away tension, muscle pain and fatigue.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #358 in Health and Beauty
• Brand: HoMedics
• Model: SBM-200H
• Released on: 2007-08-01
• Dimensions: 6.00" h x 19.00" w x 27.00" l, 13.45 pounds

Features

• Features a programmable control with 3 different programs and a moving dual massage mechanism
• The shiatsu rolling massage and soothing heat travel up and down the back
• The 30-second heat up is perfect for penetrating those sore muscles and the soft spot shiatsu targets just the area that aches
• Fits most chairs and comes with a demonstration feature that shows you how to melt away tension, muscle pain and fatigue

Amazon.com Product Description
This is your massage therapist on demand! Deep kneading Shiatsu massage travels fully up and down your back relieving the tightest knots. With true shiatsu massage at your fingertips, there's no more need for expensive appointments or schedules to juggle.

In fact, it's so good that Consumers Digest has awarded the SBM-200H a Best Buy award! The SBM-200H's state-of-the-art moving Shiatsu massage mechanism travels up and down the back to help knead away deep aches and pains, while relieving the tightest knots. The deep kneading action simulates the hands of a professional massage therapist.

The SBM-200H turns an ordinary chair into an extraordinary massage chair, melting away tension and fatigue. The unit includes a three-program Shiatsu massage for full back, lower back or upper back treatment. There's also a programmable touch pad control for customized massage selection, as well as an integrated strapping system that fits most chairs.

	SBM-200H	SBM-300H	QRM-400H
Body Area	Back	Back	Back
Mechanism	Shiatsu - 2 rotating massage heads travel up and down the back with heat.	Shiatsu - 2 rotating massage heads travel up and down the back with heat.	Quad-Roller - 4 rollers (2 rollers on each arm) travel up and down the back with heat.
Massage Styles	Shiatsu - Circular, deep kneading action.	Shiatsu - Circular, deep kneading action. Rolling - Gentle up and down action rolls across muscles.	Shiatsu - Circular, deep kneading action. Rolling - Gentle up and down action rolls across muscles.
Heat	In the moving mechanism.	In the moving mechanism.	In the moving mechanism.
Customization Features	N/A	Spot Shiatsu - Holds the massage action in the spot you need it. Adjustable Width Control - Adjusts the width of the massage rollers to custom fit your body.	Spot Shiatsu - Holds the massage action in the spot you need it. Adjustable Width Control - Adjusts the width of the massage rollers to custom fit your body.
Preset Programs	3 - in Shiatsu only: Full back Upper back Lower back	6 - in either Shiatsu or Rolling: Full back Upper back Lower back	6 - in either Shiatsu or Rolling: Full back Upper back Lower back
Warranty	2 Years	2 Years	2 Years

Customer Reviews

Not bad, but definitely not one size fits all ...
I've tried a lot of massage chairs, from the kind you pay a dollar to sit in at the mall to deluxe home models to little portable cushions, more or less like this one. One thing you won't ever get with even the high end models is something that truly resembles the actual experience of being massaged by a human being. Massage, and especially the therapeutic technique known as "shiatsu," is an art form and little roller balls following a preprogrammed pattern will never give the experience of being kneaded by hands (or massage balls wielded by competent hands) that can adjust to the contours of your back, accommodate the different levels of tension and stress in your various muscles, and most importantly adjust their approach to your specific body type.

Given this major drawback for all electronic massage chairs, this one doesn't do a bad job and does a better job than some I've tried. The roller balls, which can be heated or not according to your preference, simply go around in little circles up and down your back. You can have them go up your entire back or halfway up from the bottom or halfway down from the top, according to your preferences. There is no percussion or vibration possible on this model -- those are features on some of the more advanced models of this chair -- but the warm rolling and kneading motion does work the muscles around your vertebrae.

The biggest drawback as far as I am concerned is that there are no adjustments possible in the overall pattern of motion of the roller balls. I'm a very tall and large man and it feels like this was made for someone smaller. On certain parts of my back the balls roll too tightly for my comfort -- my wife, however, had no complaints and the motions seemed just right for her smaller frame. My overall assessment is that for the medium sized average user who is primarily interested in the kneading of roller balls, this would be an economic alternative to a higher end more versatile model that I would prefer.

Help for your sore back
The Shiatsu massaging cushion is shaped like a chair pad. It is portable and can be placed in any type of chair, including, I would assume, the front seat of a car. You'd need the proper plug adapter, though, because it works by plugging into an outlet, not by batteries. The only caveat for what chair you can place it in comes from the product's manual. It says to be careful of upholstery, so I put a towel over my padded recliner when I placed the cushion on it. That chair, by the way, was a great choice for using the cushion because I could recline while being massaged. To add to the relaxation experience, the cushion has a convenient, hand-held control which allows you to access with the touch of a finger the three different massage programs the cushion offers: (1) shiatsu spot massage, (2) regular shiatsu massage, and (3) rolling massage. When you choose the latter two programs, you can select movement up and down the full length of your back, or have the cushion focus on your lower or upper back. For all three programs, you can add heat, which amplifies the healing effects. You can also control the width of the massage so it conforms to your particular body size. There is also an automatic timer within the cushion that shuts it off after 20 minutes, but it feels so good, I did it for a full hour the first night. Be careful, though, that you don't do it too long. The automatic 20 minutes are about right for most people, because you can get, as the saying goes, "too much of a good thing," and give yourself a pain flare the next day if you have the cushion massage you too long.

I rate this product 5 stars for ease of use and portability, 5 stars for looks, 5 stars for how good it feels, and definitely 5 stars for value for the money. While a simple, electric cushion like this can't take the place of a human masseuse, I found it felt almost as good as a very expensive, electric massage table I have used in my chiropractor's office--and a comparable 20-minute treatment by that table costs almost as much as the price of this cushion.

By the way, you don't have to have a chronic back problem to find good use for this cushion. It would make a great gift for most of the adults on your Christmas list. I plan to give one to both of my children. At ages 19 and 22, they don't have the middle-aged aches my husband and I suffer, but they periodically get acute back pain from overdoing it in sports.

Ahhh! A bargain that feels nice.
I have tried all the $5000 massage chairs at Brookstone and Sharper Image and, while this massager doesn't quite equal them, it's a great massager for the price.

I was impressed by the very solid construction and feel of the massager right out of the box. Again, this is quite a bargain.

Once placed on a chair, plugged in, and sat upon - the "shiatsu" massage feels really nice. Some massagers have too much pressure and others not enough, this felt just right. This model is limited to the rolling shiatsu action which gets the long muscles beside the spine.

Another nice feature is the heat, which seemed to melt the tension in my muscles like butter. The heat, also, seemed just right - not uncomfortable in any way.

The massager is fairly limited in what it does. It will not reach your neck or head, and is only recommended for the back. It has 4 basic settings: 1. Demo 2. Full Back 3. Uppper back 4. Lower back. I would have appreciated some more control like arrow buttons on some massagers that let you directly control where the rollers are.

Despite it's limitations I still belive it is an incredible bargain. It won't replace a massge therapist, but at less cost than two therapy seesions, it may be just what you need.