Homedics SBM-200H Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion with Heat

by HoMedics

Product Features

• Enjoy state of the art relaxation
• 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

Product Description

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.

Compare Homedics Therapist Select Massaging Cushions

	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

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

• Product Dimensions: 26.5 x 5.8 x 19 inches ; 16 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000QTYKRO
• UPC: 031262029584 031262028150
• Item model number: SBM-200H
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,056 in Health & Personal Care (See Top 100 in Health & Personal Care)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but definitely not one size fits all ..., October 27, 2007

By 

Nathan Andersen "film lover, philosophy profe... (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Homedics SBM-200H Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion with Heat (Health and Beauty)

(What's this?)

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.

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help for your sore back, October 22, 2007

By 

Kate McMurry "Young Adult Author" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Homedics SBM-200H Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion with Heat (Health and Beauty)

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.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly effective for the money, April 6, 2009

By 

J.A. - See all my reviews

I've sat in those $2,000 massage chairs, and let me tell you: this little cushion is not as good as those chairs.

But you know what? I'd say it's about half as good. And for 1/20th the price, that's pretty incredible.

Pros:
It feels great. That's the main thing, and all that really matters, right?

It's amazingly strong considering how small the motors must be. I'm a pretty big guy, and even when I lean on it it keeps on cranking away.

It's not bulky, so it hasn't made my chair appreciably smaller.

The width of the rollers is good for me.

Good materials, and it looks decent on my home office chair.

And again, it's an excellent value for what it does.

Cons:

One of the buttons on the remote died, so if I want a full back massage, I have to orchestrate it with the other modes.

I've got it on an office chair the rolls and swivels, and the cord gets tangled around the chair a lot. Not the fault of the manufacturer, but it might annoy some people.

It doesn't reach the very lowest or highest parts of the back, at least on a 6-foot tall person like me.