348 of 352 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
True therapeutic massage, October 18, 2007
This review is from: Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat (Health and Beauty)
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Length:: 3:17 Mins
I've used a variety of massage pads in the past and even have a recliner with built-in massage. Most are basically a very comforting vibrating massage with heat that does fairly little to really work out muscle tightness. This cushion truly does give a serious massage. That does mean you should be cautious about using it. It really was a bit too intense for me at first, but using a towel in front to lighten the effect does seem to help, and I expect over time I will be able to use it at full strength. The main negative to this pad for me, is that unlike the vibrating massage pads, you really wouldn't want to sit on a chair with this pad on it unless you intend to use it as the rollers are just too uncomfortable otherwise. So you need either a chair dedicated for massage, or you have to put it on and off all the time.
See my video for photos of it in action and more details.
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105 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE 300 IS RECOMMENDED OVER THE 200 AND 400 MODELS, November 24, 2007
This review is from: Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat (Health and Beauty)
I just tried all three, the 200, 300, and 400 models by this company, Homedics. I tried all three and the SBM-300H was better: the massaging mechanism went higher up my back than the 400 and there were more useful settings on the 300 over the 200. I am very particular regarding mechanical massagers so I was pleasantly surprised that I liked any of the above because I usually don't like any mechanical massagers. But, after trying all three of them out and the 300 being out of stock at our local store, I decided to order the SBM-300H from Amazon. Recommended! boland7214@aol
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92 of 94 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Homedics has hit it out of the park with this one!, November 9, 2007
This review is from: Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat (Health and Beauty)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Since developing a bulging disk (now under control, thankfully) a few years ago, I have gone through two of Homedics' Shiatsu massagers. I wore the first one out, and still have the second. While both of the previous models performed wonderfully where the Shiatsu massage was concerned, I felt that Homedics' missed the boat by not including a heat function in those early versions of the chair massager.
But that was in the past. Homedics has hit the ball out of the park with their new chair massager offerings! Not only do the newer models have a heat function, but the massagers can perform either a Shiatsu massage or a rolling massage. I confess to not being very excited about the rolling massage when I read about it. I was convinced I would test it only for the purpose of reviewing this device, and then stick to the Shiatsu massage. Having tried both, I have to say I am more than impressed with the rolling massage and find myself giving both massage styles equal time. The variety proves even more effective than the strict Shiatsu did before, something I didn't anticipate, but makes sense now.
I said before that my bulging disk issue subsided some time ago, but I still have a flare up with my Sciatic nerve periodically, and I definitely hold a lot of tension in my back. My job in the IT industry as a Systems Engineer has me in front of a computer all day during the work week, and often in server rooms where the keyboard, mouse, and monitor position is decidedly not ergonomic. In fact, I am often standing in front of a rack-mounted server to work, with a keyboard positioned for a man instead of my 5'5" height. Needless to say, the job creates a great bit of tension in my back.
The Homedics massagers serve very well to reduce the tension in my back. The new model, SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat, shows a vast improvement over a device that already worked very well. The adjustable rollers allow the massager to hit any spot on your back while using the rolling function, whereas previously you had to reposition your body on the massager to accomplish this. The pause feature is another I've wanted for years. This allows you to temporarily pause the massagers to work out a particular spot that needs more attention. The heat function is everything I hoped for - covering the whole of the back, it works better than a standard heating pad does, but with a more gentle heat. Although the temperature is not adjustable, it is set at a level that is both effective and comfortable.
The price on this device is more than fair, considering the benefit received from its numerous functions. Using the Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat regularly prevents me needing to visit a professional masseuse frequently, keeping my back more relaxed and agile and maintaining a quality of life and physical comfort that I could not do without.
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