I was lucky enough to take some time to go to Las Vegas for the 2010 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 2010 CES innovation award. The Sogno is a very advanced chair with some very innovative features.
The Sogno has more airbags than any massage chair that I have ever tried. There are airbags that surround the neck and also ones that can massage your entire arm. The air massage was impressive around the neck area and was effective in relieving tension in the neck area. The arm massage was not as effective and did not provide the level of compression I was expecting.
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.
I did get to try the most expensive massage chair at the CES Show. The $8,000 Fujiiryoki massage chair was by far the most expensive. The Fujiiryoki massage chair has an FDA device listing and was being billed as a medical chair. This massage recliner comes with a shoulder press massage. The shoulder press is powered by an air compressor which activates airbags to squeeze both shoulders with a compression massage.
The Fujiiryoki recliner provides for a soothing back massage and has some effective techniques. The chair back pads are thick material but a bit hard to the body. The air massage covers the feet, calves, seat, arms and shoulders. The design is fairly contemporary. The shoulder press requires an extra attachment to the sides of the chair and is a tough design element to hide in most houses.
Omega Massage had the Montage Premier on display. This high end massage recliner has full body massage capabilities and an array of supplemental therapies. I found the Montage Premier gave a firmer and stronger massage than the Sogno or Fujiiryoki chairs. The other interesting differences I found was the Montage Premier had heat, music and traction which the others didn’t.
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 wanted to try both Sanyo and Panasonic, but they were not displaying massage chairs in their exhibits this year. They did have some fantastic LCD and Plasma screen TVs though. However, my mission was massage chairs, so I was disappointed not to get a chance to try them.
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.
The 2010 CES show was certainly impressive. It attracts over 130,000 people and they were out in force. I was able to get to try the best massage chairs on earth at one place. The best massage chairs were the Montage Premier, Sogno and the Fujiiryoki. These are all solid chairs with some amazing massage therapy and technology. These are the cream of the crop from the 2010 CES show.
You will find the Consumer Electronics show or CES is in early January each year in Las Vegas. This massive show brings you almost three thousand vendors of every gadget in the electronic world. The technology is amazing as you can find big screens, to cell phones to security systems. The massage chairs are amazing as well. It is something to see and experience the cutting edge of technology.
The CES is absolutely the show case for the Top Massage Chairs in the World. You will see a showcase of all the best the world of electronics has to offer. For more information, peruse our massage chair reviews and articles. We feature the best brands of massage chairs for all your needs.