I was lucky enough to take some time to go to Las Vegas for the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show or CES. The CES has every conceivable electronic device imaginable. I was interested in checking out the latest and greatest in the world of massage chairs. I was able to try a number of massage chairs and share my findings here.
One of the exhibitors which I found was a Japanese company called Family Inada. Family Inada was displaying the Dream Wave Sogno. The Dream Wave Sogno was the winner of the 2009 CES innovation award. The Sogno is a very advanced chair with some very innovative features.
One of the features of the Sogno is its air compression massage system. This massage chair has airbags for the neck, arms, hands and most other parts of the body. The air massage around the neck area is very soothing and relieving. This is perhaps the best air compression design for the neck area on the market today. The arm airbags were less impressive as I did not really receive much effectiveness.
The Dream Wave is named for the advanced seat design which is incorporated into this recliner. The seat pivots to provide ergonomic support for your spine and buttocks. The seat will rock in place in a wave like movement. This helps to reduce the stress built up on the spine and relax the lower torso. This technological marvel comes in an egg-shaped design which is a bit funky for most households. All this technology comes at a price, which for the Sogno was $6,000.
Another high end chair that I got to try was by Fujiiryoki. The Fujiiryoki chair is produced by Fuji Medical and is listed as an FDA device. The Fujiiryoki chair provides full body massage and has a shoulder press. Air compression is used to inflate airbags around the shoulders that give a firm press.
The Fujiiryoki chair also has an air massage for the lower body and for the arms as well. The high end Fujiiryoki chair has been out for 2 years and is by far the most expensive at $8,500. The massage was fairly thorough, but the chair was a bit hard when you are just seated in it.
I was able to try the Montage Premier by Omega Massage. This is the high end Omega chair which has full body massage capabilities. The Omega Montage Premier was the only chair with heat therapy and also a music player. The massage capabilities were stronger than both the Sogno and the Fujiroiki chairs.
Omega has put together a fuller massage experience with its Montage Premier. A tradeshow is the toughest environment to try massage chairs because of all the action going on. The Montage Premier let me tune out the show with their built in MP3 player and headphones. I closed my eyes drifted off as the music carried me away and the Montage Premier worked is soothing massage therapy. I activated the full body heaters and the traction system to stretch my lower body. This was certainly an excellent test to relaxation. The Montage Premier passed with flying colors as I felt fully relieved. Even the $4,500 price tag was more relieving than the others I tried.
I also surveyed the entire show for Sanyo and Panasonic who have some great massage chairs. Neither of those companies were displaying their massage chairs this year. They did have some impressive Big Screen TV's with crystal clear images. There were an assortment of other massage chairs, but they were just at the show to sell you a massage chair. I was afraid they may not be at the show next year as they seemed a bit too high pressure to buy.
There were an assortment of other massage chairs, but I am a bit wary of these companies as they only sell at shows. Some of these chair companies I have never heard of and they probably wont be there next year. I asked these companies if they had any retailers or other distribution to confirm that they were fly by night companies. I wont bother to mention them here.
I tell you the CES 2009 was an amazing show with every conceivable and unique electronic devices all under one roof. I was fortunate to try many massage chairs from some great companies. The most impressive were the Montage Premier, Fujiiryoki and the Dream Wave. These are certainly impressive pieces of technology and will provide years of excellent massage therapy at the touch of a button. If you have a chance, check them out and see which is best for you.
The CES is the showcase of consumer electronics and is every year in Las Vegas. This consumer electronics show has almost 3,000 vendors spread between 3 convention centers. It is huge! It is held in early January. You can always count on finding the top manufacturers in every category of consumer electronics. Book early as this show will fill up all those amazing hotels.
The CES is absolutely the show case for the Top Massage Chairs in the World. You will find a showcase of all the best the world of electronics has to offer. For more information, check out our massage chair reviews and articles. We feature the best brands of massage chairs for all your needs.
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