With so many massage chairs on the market, how does one navigate to find what is right for them? One effective method our past customers have told us is by comparing reviews of massage chairs. We are going to review a Panasonic massage chair which is in the mid-range level. The model is the EP1273 massage recliner. Our review process rates a massage chair in 5 key areas. Each area is worth a possible 20 points. The overall score is attained by adding up the scores in each key area for a possible score of 100 total points. We present our review of the EP-1273 by Panasonic.
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: We start with the dry subject of warranty coverage. It is less glamorous than going through the wonderful features on this massage chair, but nonetheless, it is important. Warranty coverage is like insurance. It protects you from disaster-just in case. With large ticket items, you want some protection for shelling out your hard earned money. Panasonic gives you rather light coverage on parts and labor which is covered for only 1 year. Other chairs in this range are longer from the factory. The best coverage which exceeds the norm is one year coverage for field service. Customer service is OK. Overall, we give the EP 1273 a 16 in warranty coverage.
Comfort & Ergonomics: Let us take a look at the EP-1273 from a comfort perspective. The chair back is well padded. You get a pillow to support your head that can accommodate the size of different users. The chair tends to fit the body well and support the back. The materials selected add to the comfort of the chair. The remote is simple for the amount of functions. Panasonic has thought through the design well and earns an 18 for the EP1273.
Ease of Use: Panasonic has designed a fairly intuitive and easy to use remote. Everything is labeled clearly. Adjustments can be made without having to push a number of buttons to get what you want the chair to do. Adjustments are easy to make to the chair. You can switch from automatic programs to manual programs easily. We give the EP 1273 an 18 in ease of use.
Key Features: There are quite a few important features, but we will narrow it down to two. The two key features are the 8 manual massage treatments and the Swede-Atsu massage mechanism. Panasonic incorporates an amazing array of eight manual techniques. The manual techniques include Shiatsu, Swedish, Hawaiian, tapping, rolling, kneading, compression and percussion. There is a massage therapy for virtually every need. The other key feature is the Swede-Atsu massage mechanism. This is a mechanical feature that is designed to replicate the feel of the use of thumbs and the palm of the hand. The mechanics were patterned after real hand movements and then built into the massage chair. These advance features rate an 18 in our book.
Massage Therapy: The EP 1273 comes with the most variety of massage treatments for a massage chair in its class. You have a choice of automatic and manual programs. You can select from 4 automatic and 8 manual massage techniques. The automatic programs run the entire chair, including the air massage system. The 8 manual massage techniques are specifically for the back. Furthermore, there are 3 massage courses that target specific areas of the back. You can also vary the roller width and the intensity settings of the massages. The leg rest comes with an air compression massage for the feet and calves. This is a nice package of thorough massage therapies for a mid range massage chair. The EP-1273 is rated an 18 for massage therapy.
Overall, the EP 1273 earns a score of 88/100. The EP-1273KL massage chair is certainly one of the better values provided by Panasonic. You get some excellent massage therapy treatments which are also available in their higher end models. The dual use ottoman is nice with the built in stretch system. We feel that the foot massage could be better, since you have to raise the leg ottoman and then bend your knees to perform. The aesthetic design of the chair is also lacking. However, the massage therapy is solid and you get a good variety of choice with this chair. If you are looking at a massage recliner in this class, then it is worth your time to check out the EP 1273 massage chair from Panasonic. - 15438
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: We start with the dry subject of warranty coverage. It is less glamorous than going through the wonderful features on this massage chair, but nonetheless, it is important. Warranty coverage is like insurance. It protects you from disaster-just in case. With large ticket items, you want some protection for shelling out your hard earned money. Panasonic gives you rather light coverage on parts and labor which is covered for only 1 year. Other chairs in this range are longer from the factory. The best coverage which exceeds the norm is one year coverage for field service. Customer service is OK. Overall, we give the EP 1273 a 16 in warranty coverage.
Comfort & Ergonomics: Let us take a look at the EP-1273 from a comfort perspective. The chair back is well padded. You get a pillow to support your head that can accommodate the size of different users. The chair tends to fit the body well and support the back. The materials selected add to the comfort of the chair. The remote is simple for the amount of functions. Panasonic has thought through the design well and earns an 18 for the EP1273.
Ease of Use: Panasonic has designed a fairly intuitive and easy to use remote. Everything is labeled clearly. Adjustments can be made without having to push a number of buttons to get what you want the chair to do. Adjustments are easy to make to the chair. You can switch from automatic programs to manual programs easily. We give the EP 1273 an 18 in ease of use.
Key Features: There are quite a few important features, but we will narrow it down to two. The two key features are the 8 manual massage treatments and the Swede-Atsu massage mechanism. Panasonic incorporates an amazing array of eight manual techniques. The manual techniques include Shiatsu, Swedish, Hawaiian, tapping, rolling, kneading, compression and percussion. There is a massage therapy for virtually every need. The other key feature is the Swede-Atsu massage mechanism. This is a mechanical feature that is designed to replicate the feel of the use of thumbs and the palm of the hand. The mechanics were patterned after real hand movements and then built into the massage chair. These advance features rate an 18 in our book.
Massage Therapy: The EP 1273 comes with the most variety of massage treatments for a massage chair in its class. You have a choice of automatic and manual programs. You can select from 4 automatic and 8 manual massage techniques. The automatic programs run the entire chair, including the air massage system. The 8 manual massage techniques are specifically for the back. Furthermore, there are 3 massage courses that target specific areas of the back. You can also vary the roller width and the intensity settings of the massages. The leg rest comes with an air compression massage for the feet and calves. This is a nice package of thorough massage therapies for a mid range massage chair. The EP-1273 is rated an 18 for massage therapy.
Overall, the EP 1273 earns a score of 88/100. The EP-1273KL massage chair is certainly one of the better values provided by Panasonic. You get some excellent massage therapy treatments which are also available in their higher end models. The dual use ottoman is nice with the built in stretch system. We feel that the foot massage could be better, since you have to raise the leg ottoman and then bend your knees to perform. The aesthetic design of the chair is also lacking. However, the massage therapy is solid and you get a good variety of choice with this chair. If you are looking at a massage recliner in this class, then it is worth your time to check out the EP 1273 massage chair from Panasonic. - 15438
About the Author:
There is only so much we can put in a product review, so check out the fabulous features and functions of the Panasonic EP-1273 Massage Chair at our site. You will find the complete line of Panasonic Massage Chairs including the new Real Pro Ultra series, which is the newest line by Panasonic.
