Office Chairs – Massage Chairs – Ergonomic Chairs

This review will take a look at one of the Panasonic Real Pro Ultra series of massage chairs. The Real Pro Ultra is the current massage recliner series rolled out by Panasonic. We will look at the EP 30004 model. This chair will be reviewed in 5 key categories. Each category can earn up to 20 points for a total possible score of 100 points. We will evaluate the recliner in each of the following categories: Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. Let us see how this massage chair rates..

Warranty & Customer Service: In any transaction one party takes on more risk than the other. Warranty coverage helps to reduce your risk which is especially important on higher ticket items like a massage chair. You want to have long term protection. The EP-30004 is covered with 3 years on the parts and 1 year labor. This is the warranty offered by the manufacturer. It is rather short in comparison to the other top brands, so you really want to consider purchasing an extended warranty. Of course, this also drives the cost of this model up. Customer service is provided by the retailer, so this varies depending on your purchase the chair.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Massage chair recliners usually have a dual function. One is obviously to massage, but the other is as a recliner. Therefore, comfort is usually an important consideration, since the chair may not always be used in the massage mode. A recliner should be comfortable to sit on. The Panasonic Real Pro Ultra comes with padded armrests. There is a comfortable, soft upholstered head pillow to support the head. We found the recliner is comfortable to sit in. The leg ottoman is adjustable out an extra 5 inches, which helps to target your legs better. The Real Pro Ultra is well designed from an ergonomic point of view. Overall Rating for Panasonic comfort and ergonomics and customer service is 18.

Ease of Use: We are seeing an increasing amount to features being built into massage chairs. This is a very positive and beneficial development. The other side of this is being able to keep the control simple and easy to use. Panasonic has a good understanding of this dilemma and includes a voice guidance system built into the remote. If you need help with running a certain aspect of the chair, then the voice guidance is there to walk you through the steps. Otherwise, the controller comes with one touch automatic programs. It has an LCD showing what massage functions are running in the chair. There are a myriad of manual programming options which are fairly simple to use. We like this controller and its layout. We rate this chair a 19 for ease of use.

Key Features: There are two important features we want to point out with this chair. The Junetsu massage technique and the shoulder stretch. The Junetsu massage is an ultra fine kneading massage. It is based on how a professional massage therapist loosens up tight muscles. There is a one second thumb like pressure applied with a spiral circular motion. This has the affect of reverberating down through the muscles to the bone. It is very thorough and invigorating. The other key feature to point out is the shoulder stretch. This unique feature is accomplished by activating the air bag in the arm rest to firmly hold the arm. The chair back then reclines to stretch out the arm and shoulder. This is excellent for increasing the mobility and flexibility of the shoulder area. We give the Real Pro Ultra a 19 for its new features.

Massage Therapy: The massage functions built into the Panasonic EP-30004 include both automatic and manual programs. There are four 15-minute Pre-Programs, One 5-minute Quick Program and One 15-minute Self Program. There are 4 full body automatic courses and 5 different massage speed settings. The automatic massage functions include the following: Shiatsu, Gentle, Deep and Refresh. Panasonic has developed its exclusive Junetsu or ultra fine kneading massage system in the Real Pro Ultra. This chair provides high quality and realistically replicated massage therapies. There are two stretching functions. There is a lower body stretch and the shoulder stretch. The lower body is covered with 22 airbags including the hands, arms, buttocks, calves and feet. This chair also provides both Swedish and shiatsu style massages for excellent massage coverage. Overall Rating for the Panasonic EP 30004 massage recliner for massage therapy is 19.

How does the Panasonic Real Pro Ultra EP-30004 rate on an overall basis? Summing up the score, our overall rating of the Panasonic EP 30004 is a 90/100. Panasonic continues its innovation with cutting edge massage therapies such as the Junetsu massage technique and the shoulder stretch. The technologies incorporated into this massage recliner are solid. We are still a bit disappointed with the aesthetics of this chair, which is very plain. Panasonic has incorporated an extendable ottoman which helps reach a taller user more effectively. The massage therapy tends to be a bit lighter than other chairs which over longer term use may be a concern for some. But, overall, this is a well designed and effective massage chair recliner. If you are looking for a shiatsu recliner in this price range, then this is one you should check out.