This Massaging Back Rest by HoMedics is great for what it is intended for, a backrest that I could use while reading in bed. What makes it nicer is that it has a vibrating motion that is passable as a massager. For its price I don’t think massage is its main feature.

I’m happy with it as a backrest because I can afford to be in bed and do some work using my laptop. It’s a straight back kind of thing which initially disappointed me but the more I used it, the more I appreciated the straight back feature. I wouldn’t be able to work on my laptop if it’s in a reclined position.

In fact, it was my husband who pointed out to me that the reason I often get back pains is due to my improper sitting postures. Providing my back with proper support is the only way I can correct back pains. Now the massage features become helpful after every occasion that I sat on the bed working. It sort of closes the working hours I spent, by simply sitting upright with my back against the back rest. All its straightness and some pseudo massage motions can ease away the stress.

It‘s a nice product not spectacular and outstanding as the massage cushion but something useful enough to provide comfort. It’s not a hassle to have around because I simply fold it and let it become part of the bed. The material is neutral suede-like fabric that easily blends with my bed covers.   Of course the cup holders are convenient but I hardly use it for my coffee and any kind of beverage that may cause some stain. It would lose its nice crisp clean appeal if it gets marred by coffee or juice stains. I use it only to hold bottled water. The pockets are nice, but again, the material will lose its smoothness. So rather than let it turn shabby with use, I simply let it have its own place on my bed, sometimes folded, sometimes not.

A nice and pleasing product to own and even to give as a gift; it is highly recommended.

I have always loved Shiatsu massages and I really go out of my way to, massage parlors just to have a good work out on my tensed up back muscles. The kneading motions done by applying pressures by strong fingers can really loosen the knotted muscles that could really be painful. I read and heard about this Select Shiatsu Back Massager and I decided I’m going to get one for my wife and me so we could save on costs. You see our favorite massage parlors have increased their prices; hence, we hardly get massage treatments anymore.

Sitting on this Select Shiatsu Back Massager is like having a personal masseuse work on my back. The built in Shiatsu rollers mechanically work their way up and down my spine and deeply kneads on my tired muscles.  Actually my wife who is on the skinny side doesn’t like it. She thinks it’s too harsh and impersonal. I chided her for just getting used to the massage clinics and may be she would like to make an appointment. The manuals suggested that a towel or something be used to drape over the balls to lessen the intensity of the Shiatsu balls.

Speaking of manuals, you should read up on them, because there are some important things you should know. For one, do not use your Shiatsu Back Massager using a recliner. They will snap. This happened to my brother’s unit because he didn’t bother reading the manuals and just went ahead with his bright idea of getting utmost massage pleasure in a reclined position.

I don’t set a particular time during the day to use this Select Shiatsu Back Massager by HoMedics Therapy. Since I run my own business, I bring it to the office with me if I expect to seat in front of the computer the whole day. This way I won’t be going home tired with a terrible back pain. In fact, I have gotten used to this, that I feel like I’m already addicted to it. There was an occasion when I forgot to bring it to my office and I really couldn’t work on the computer because I was already anticipating back pains. What I did was to ask my wife to bring them over to the office just to solve my problem and it did.

I highly recommend this Shiatsu Back Massager by HoMedics because it really does its job of loosening out the knots.

It was my hubby’s birthday present for me and I just couldn’t contain my excitement. Everybody wanted their turn at the cushion massage and some had their opinions. They said I should have chosen the dual roller for faster motion. Nevertheless, I preferred this HoMedics Quad-Roller exactly because I wanted a smoother motion and not something that feels like sitting in a plane going through a turbulent motion.

However for those who are planning to buy this equipment, you should read the manual first in order to get the maximum benefits. For the Shiatsu massage mode, it can really dig hard on your skin so it would be best to add a little padding on your back like a piece of thick blanket. It can sometimes hit bone which could really be painful because you are still trying to match the massage pressure to that particular area that needs therapy.

Another thing would be to heed the 15 minutes break from the rollers because a non-stop continuous rolling will cause some friction and eventually blisters.  During the 15 minute break I apply essential oils to provide additional soothing effect since the heat will penetrate and this could really give a weary back a lot of relief.

As a regimen, I seat on this cushion for another 15-minute round, I use the next 15 minute break to drink a cup of chamomile tea and this is another source of soothing effect. I make my hubby go through this same process and he enjoys the whole experience a lot. In fact, we both look forward to it before going to bed and the sleep we get from a fully relaxed body could never be better.

HoMedics Quad-Roller is definitely highly recommended especially for those who are stressed out from too much work. Life doesn’t have to be all work. If you’re like me who enjoys a good massage, this massage cushion is an economical way to have it as often as you want it.

I really think that if massage cushions were to be categorized into male or female use, this HoMedics SBM-300H would be classified as male use. The Shiatsu massage can really dig deep to really unloosen tight muscles. The intensity of the roller motions are probably intended for men who had more sinewy and harder muscles.

My wife who is of medium built and height but less muscled than I am, find this model uncomfortable. She thinks I should have opted for the 4 roller massage cushion which was a bit gentler.  However, that is exactly the reason I chose this model over it, because this applied more pressure which can reach deep inside.

Dual massage roller features do the traveling up and down my back. Now it has the Shiatsu Plus spot massage which will systematically search where the muscle pains ache most. You can access the function via the control buttons and simply sit back and relax. Once the rollers find that exact spot where it needs more workouts just hold the button, and the dual rolling motion could be applied longer. By the way, you can adjust the roller width so it can reach a wider expanse.

Another exhilarating experience is the in-seat massage; where your whole body will be treated to a round of vibrations that will help promote good blood circulation.  The heating effect is also a good treatment therapy for your tired muscles. I feel a lot better after every massage since I find breathing in and out a lot easier. No tightness whatsoever, as you achieve the relaxing effects of a good massage just like the ones you get from massage clinics.

Now what my wife does, in order to withstand the deep Shiatsu probes, is to wrap herself up with a thick comforter. If she thinks it’s getting uncomfortable, all she does is put the massage motion on hold or turn it off for awhile. Nevertheless, I intend to get her one of the models with a slower roller motion, which she prefers,

I highly recommend this model HoMedics SBM-300H for men or for anybody whose body built will take deeper digging in order to reach the painful areas and penetrate the knotted nerves and tissue.

I’m glad I did not rush into buying one of these massage cushions, or else I would have rued over buying an inferior model. This HoMedics SBM-200H Shiatsu Massaging Cushion with Heat provides the perfect replacement for the masseuse of the massage parlors I used to go to. Shiatsu is about deep kneading exercises that could unknot the tight hard muscles that could really make me feel even feverish with pain.

A hand-held control pad will let you control the three programmable types of massage namely: Shiatsu spot massage, regular Shiatsu massage and regular rolling massage.  The first option is my choice for finding the exact spot where I feel the most aches and pains.  Once the Shiatsu balls meet their target, I simply hold the control button as the area of concentration for the finger-like kneading of the Shiatsu balls. On days that these spots ache, the kneading and warmth of the heat emitted makes me want to stay glued to the chair forever.

However, that is only a figure of speech because you have to follow what the manual says. The recommended time is only 20 minutes, going beyond that will result to adverse effects. Believe me, because I ventured trying it up to thirty minutes, thinking that additional 10 minutes wouldn’t make much of a difference. Unfortunately, it did. I ended up the next morning feeling a different kind of burning pain.

If you want to stay a little longer, it would be best to turn off the heat once the 20 minutes are up. Actually there’s an automatic timer that told me the 20 minutes was up because the Shiatsu massage automatically shut off, so there’s no use blaming the company if your suffer for being too thick in the head

By the way, you don’t have to feel any sort of back pain just to have your fill of these massages. I have been long healed of all my aches and pains but I read somewhere that it is also good for promoting blood circulation. This way, no more arthritic pain will find itself lodged in your other joints. Although I’m not too sure of that, because I still go into running exercises to keep my knees and ankles working well.

Pain or no pain, you don’t need any reason to experience the wonderful feeling you get from this HoMedics SBM-200H Shiatsu Massaging Cushion with Heat.

I purchased this Homedics SBM-500H to replace the SBM-200H Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging. It’s not that the latter doesn’t work well, believe me, it does. The only problem was it didn’t quite cover my upper back so it did not leave me relieved as well as it should.

Nevertheless, it suited my wife’s back perfectly. Although she initially had this issue about the kneading force being too intense for comfort, she found a way to solve it by draping a towel at the back of the chair. This was actually a suggestion she picked up from the product manual.

Now I believe the HoMedics does their homework by paying heed to the reviews. I read from other reviews that, they also found the other models fell short in providing massage for taller people.  In response they have released one of the latest models, Homedics SBM-500H Therapist Select Shiatsu One Massaging Cushion with Heat. This is what I call the best, because I get full Shiatsu massage over my entire back and no longer the halfway treatment I got before.

Homedics SBM-500H comes with two separate massage mechanisms, one for the back and one for the shoulder. The one for the back has the spot Shiatsu massage while the other one can be adjusted to the height of the user. Both these mechanisms have amazing rollers that feel like real fingers probing my back and shoulders into deep massages. It is amazing because it’s perfect. Heat that is not so hot simultaneously gives warmth and is equally stress relieving.

There is even an option to have a lighter rolling massage to alternate with the deep Shiatsu especially on the spots where it really aches. Just make sure not to overdo the heat. It‘s quite understandable if you would want to stay in this condition even for an hour, but you have to be careful with the heat factor.

The added mechanism really made a difference in massaging my shoulder and I wonder what other improvements they will do next that will make me replace this gadget.

This Homedics SBM-500H is highly recommended especially for those who tried it in the past with the older models. You will really feel a stress relief that is satisfyingly different.

This Homedics QRM-400H is a technology advancement that makes life a lot easier. Now I don’t have to go to massage parlors just to get my stress relief which is really causing me all my lumbar pains both in the upper and lower areas. The massage rollers effectively penetrate through my muscle aches with rollers traveling up and down my back plus the therapeutic warmth the heat gives off. This is one truly amazing piece of high technology

The chair works like it has a mind of its own as it intuitively explores my back area. I can choose from the Shiatsu style to the conventional massage treatment. In fact, it can even be programmed to perform 6 different Shiatsu massage techniques. All I need to do is to wait for it to hit the area where I need the massage most and access the controls that will make it stay there. Instant relief right at the convenience of my own home, and I could just as easily fall asleep on the chair.

What is convenient about this is no matter the body size, the width of the rollers is easily adjustable via a remote control. The massage chair can be integrated to any seat since it comes with strapping devices to secure it in place.  In fact there’s a LED illumination where you can actually see how the massage is taking place.

This Homedics QRM-400H is a piece of equipment I’ll have a lot of use for, if possible for the rest of my lifetime. It is so simple yet sensible especially for people like me with incurable back pains.  It is convenient since it has auto shut-off features after every 15 minutes of massage to avoid too much friction being applied on the skin.

To make my experience on this chair really relaxing, I often do some aromatherapy applications. There are a lot of essential oils one could use to provide added relaxation and this could save you a lot of costs. Instead of buying all sorts of back pain medication, the treatment I get from this chair is something I always look forward to at the end of each day.

No, it is not toxic. It is only the smell of the glue that still needs a little more airing. The glue has long been in use for our products and considered as safe. In time it will dissipate and the strong gas-like smell will disappear.

We are sorry but the Shiatsu massage cushions were patterned according to the nature of Shiatsu massage, hence no adjustment controls for intensity was deemed necessary. Nevertheless, by placing a towel between the user’s back and the massager, there will be less intensity applied on the back of the user.

You can place orders for replacement parts by accessing the Parts and Accessories section at http://www.homedics.com/parts. From here, you will be guided on how to place your replacement part orders.