Materials You Can Use For Personal Massager
By admin | October 28, 2009
A large variety of materials can be used for making of massagers. Some of the more popular materials and their properties are as follows:
Silicone
One of the most desirable materials is silicone because of its soft and smooth texture. Another feature that makes it so favorite of manufacturers is its ability to attain and maintain body temperature in a relatively short time. However, its smoothness is the most important characteristic that makes the massager so comfortable to use. In fact its texture is so even and smooth that if you ever touch it with your eyes closed, you get the feel of having touched a human skin. Another feature that encourages its use is the ease of maintenance. As it’s not porous, it can be easily washed with water and soap solution without worrying for any infections or allergic reaction. You may even sterilize a silicone massager by boiling it in water. That makes it an extra-safe material for being shared with others. Just wash it after use and it remains safe to be shared. In face it’s hypo-allergic and people rarely feel allergic reactions as a consequence of having used it. The only limitation, if it may be called so, is its price. Since silicon massagers are hand-cast they cost more than other massagers made from rubber or a jelly. But, their durability and realistic feel they impart on being used has to be taken into consideration while making comparisons.
Jelly
Jelly massagers are also nice and cost just about half that of the rubber ones. Though jelly massagers are not as silky-smooth as the silicone, they do provide a good degree of comfort and pleasure by making liberal use of water based lubricants. These are made from thick, translucent, supple rubber that is not as even and smooth as silicone. If you just pat it with your finger, it tends to get sort of stuck or skid on this material. Another not so encouraging factor is its smell, like that of a warm plastic. Most users don’t seem to mind that, but if have a very sensitive nose this is not for you. Using warm water and a gentle touch can clean it. Such cleaning may not appeal as very hygienic for sharing such a massager but they are so economically priced that you may like to buy another piece for the partner. Jelly massagers are smooth with a dependable quality and unbeatable prices.
Rubber
Despite the advantages offered by silicone and jelly, rubber is used for making most of the massagers. Though soft and somewhat flexible, latex rubber is slightly firmer than the other materials mentioned already. You would realize the difference on using it. So, the reasons for its being used include economics of manufacturing and the characteristic resilience and versatility. Though cheaper, it does a good job unless you are very particular about its colors that you may want to buy. Being porous, their cleaning demands an effort. That makes its sharing with others very undesirable. That also makes them less durable than other counterparts. Then, there is a category of people who are allergic to latex rubber, making it unsuitable for them. Yet, you’ll find a latex rubber massager suitable, if looking for something economical that doesn’t smell like chemicals.
Plastic
Well, there are people who like the impersonal, cold and hard look of plastics, encouraging the use of this material for massagers. Generally, plastic massagers have a coating of silver on the exterior, giving it rich sophistic looks of high-tech equipment. As there is no rubber used for housing of motor even, it gives the feeling of stronger vibrations that quite many like. For cleaning it, you can swipe it off with a cotton ball dampened with rubbing alcohol. If you don’t like that flavor of alcohol, swipe it once again with water. If you like the feel of cold plastic and the accompanied higher sensation of vibrations, this is the massager for you.
Cyberskin:
That’s basically a thermoplastic that gets warmed-up on being used and gives a superior skin-to-skin sensation. This delivers better results than a silicone massager but is more expensive as can perhaps be expected.
Metal:
That’s a favorite of S&M enthusiasts, otherwise not a popular material for being used with massagers. Metallic massagers need to be handled with extra-care and might prove harmful. PC Kegel exercisers make use of metals.
Vinyl:
This material is quite akin to latex rubber, is inexpensive and a favorite fetishist.
Acrylic:
PC Kegel muscle strengthening devices make frequent use of this material because of its firmer texture.
Lucite & Pyrex
Both of these are hard materials that provide firm pressure, and are preferred for personal massagers. The added advantage is that these can be heated to have a warm massage or may be cooled down for a refreshing cold massage.
Lucite glass is considerably lighter than Pyrex glass and is expected to have a longer life for being used for making personal massagers. Another difference is that Pyrex may get chipped, cracked or broken as a consequence of frequent temperature changes, while Lucite can better withstand frequent changes in temperature. It may develop sub-surface cracks though; it wouldn’t crack or develop chips.
Glass
For whatever reason glass seems to be a rage but we don’t recommend glass as a material for massager. Though it looks pretty, there are many things that could go wrong and harm the body. Yet, if you really fall for a pretty looking thing, display it as a decorative item in a shelf!
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Repose R600 Massage Chair Review
By admin | October 5, 2009
We are quite excited by the outstanding chairs being offered by Repose. But, having included them recently and without enough experience with the manufacturers, we don’t think it is justified to offer them the same kind of ranking as is normally reserved for manufacturers who have had enough time to prove themselves. Nevertheless, the Repose 600, because of the features offered in that price range certainly keeps it a notch above the rest of the chairs.
Let me start with the features of the R600. Music being my favorite, requires that I make a mention of MP3 player at the outset. Like some of the more expensive Omega chairs, Repose has integrated an MP3 player and programmed the massage to go with the beat. Music of its own is known to relax you. Now, imagine the heightened relaxation one could have with massage being synchronized to music!
The other feature that relaxes your body is heat. This chair delivers heat to your feet and lower back. So, it’s not only music but also the dual combination of music and heat that makes you really comfortable.
It’s amazing indeed that the Repose 600, being so reasonably prices could go to include a high-tech feature like body scan. This feature enables the chair to scan your body type to adjust itself as per the expected requirements.
And while delivering the high-tech features, the Repose doesn’t overlook the needs of basic functions. It has all the basic functions that go to include roll, rock and vibration. And, it combines all these functions with four programs that can be automated to: Gentle, Relax, Enliven, and Repose while offering you the liberty of manual adjustments too.
Here, have a look at its affordability. It’ll be difficult to find another chair with the kind of features offered by Repose at the price it sells for. It’s priced about $300 less than the Omega 510, yet incorporates the same foot massager as the Omega does. Well, Omega may well argue that its foot massager that includes the pressure point technology is decidedly better, but a difference of $300 in price would encourage a buyer to seriously consider having the Repose.
Though there is nothing exceptional about warranty, yet it’s not bad either, with a three-year warranty for parts and a one-year labor warranty to cover mechanical defects and workmanship.
We have no reservations in highly recommending this chair and could have ranked it still higher but for our limited exposure to the manufacturer. Another factor that comes in way of offering a higher rank is our rating system that attaches more important to the treatment that the manufacturer gives to its customers. Once we have gathered data on that front, we shall definitely revise this ranking. Till such time, Repose is an excellent value for your money.
Topics: Massage Chairs | No Comments »
Sanyo HEC-SR1000K Massage Chair Recliner
By admin | August 23, 2009
This review covers the entry level massage chair made by Sanyo, which is model HEC-SR1000K. The SR 1000K massage chair recliner has some of the same features as some of Sanyo’s higher end models. Our product review makes an evaluation in 5 separate categories and up to 20 points are awarded in each category. The total points are added up to give an overall rating for the massage chair. Here is our review of the Sanyo SR1000K massage chair recliner.
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: At the outset we start with this topic because this takes off quite a few worries of your mind, being durable equipment that you are going to use for along time. Massage chairs are composite machines and it is always helpful to have longer and sufficient warranty coverage. SR-1000K recliner from Sanyo offers a long and varied warranty coverage. Here it goes: Roller mechanism is warranted for 3 years, 1 year labor coverage, and 1 year coverage for parts, coupled with 1 year of home service cover. An entry level chair couldn’t have a better warranty. And, that’s not all. Sanyo has a national call center for delivering prompt and quick service after sales. We consider offering it 19 for warranty coverage and service after sales.
Comfort & Ergonomics: This forms a very important feature for entry level massage chairs. If the chair itself is not comfortable to the desired level, it very much defeats the intended purpose. Of the many chairs we tried, we realized that SR1000K is more comfortable. There is provision for a head pillow that can be adjusted to individual’s comfort and there is a lush back pad. The main power button located on the left is convenient to access while seated on the chair. You can push out the foot massage mechanism by bending a bit. Now, that is not the so ergonomic part of the massage recliner but the overall comfort and other ergonomic features prompt us to offer it 17 marks.
Ease of Use: Every new model introduced in the market has a host of features. That rather makes its use quite complex, all the more so for a beginner. We feel the chair should offer a friendly operation and allow the user to have easy access to its different features. The Sanyo SR-1000 has an advanced remote with many features.
It may take you sometime for getting used to the equipment and familiarize yourself with the series of buttons that perform the desired action. It was thoughtful of the manufacturer to have provided light level indicators the enable you to keep a watch on intensities. The ease of use surely qualifies for 16.
Key Features:
This massage chair is provided with the Sanyo stiffness detector. The technology employed in stiffness detectors is comparable to what we have in lie detectors. SR 1000 has a stiffness detector designed to sense tightness of different muscles of your body. It also senses other stressful points. As the user holds the remote, the chair goes to detect stiffened areas and targets the same to provide relief. Sanyo has included a new feature in the form of a shape sensor. It takes into account the position of the shoulders. Then, the chair goes to locate the exact position of shoulders and adjusts itself for an effective massage. The roller width automatically adjusts itself while moving from your shoulders to the neck. The incorporation of these helpful easy to use features demands a rating of 18 for key features.
Massage Therapy:
This is the most important category, since this is what a massage chair is all about. The SR 1000K has the following manual massage techniques: massage, tapping, combination, stretch 1 and stretch 2. You have the facility of a combination of the massages by combining stretch 1 and stretch 2 functions. Two automatic programs, Relax and Recovery are also included. You decide the massage first, and then you can choose the region of the body to be targeted. You may choose neck/shoulder, upper body, or waist. The equipment is provided with a calf and foot massager. The leg rest is designed for being used directly on the calves. While continuing to be in your chair, you may just flip down the foot massager for being used. The leg rest can nearly be used for any part of your lower body. You may conveniently use it for your calves, soles of feet, back of knees and the Achilles tendon/heal. The massage therapy of the SR-1000 qualifies for a 17.
In all The Sanyo SR 1000K scores 87/100 points on our rating scale. There are not many entry level massage chairs with such advanced electronics features. For its price, one couldn’t ask for a better warranty coverage. Here’s a well designed chair that has oodles of aesthetics and incorporates ergonomics features to a large extent and provides effective massages. We won’t be surprised if you narrow down your choice to this particular model, for we are sure this is one of its kinds in the category that offers value for money.
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