Thursday, October 30, 2008

Review of the Omega M-5000 DLX Massage Recliner

By James Knolan

This is a review of one of the top massage chairs produced by Omega Massage. The M-5000DLX is going to be evaluated based on its ease of use, warranty coverage, ergonomics, key features and the effectiveness of its massage therapy. Our reviews are systematic and a chair can earn up to 20 points in each category. The sum of the categories then determines its overall rating. Let us take a look at how the M5000 DLX rates.

Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: We know this is the least exciting subject of our review, but in the long run, one of the more important. Massage chairs are becoming more complex with both computers and more sophisticated movements. Although quality levels are always increasing, things can sometimes just go wrong. What is the warranty coverage for the DLX? Omega provides you with five years of coverage for structure, three years for parts and labor and ninety days of in home field service. This certainly is one of the best warranties in its class. On the service side, Omega is technically competent and issues are resolved quickly. Overall, we give the DLX a 19 for its warranty coverage and customer service.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Massage chairs need to induce relaxation. The chair must be comfortable and use of the features must ergonomic. The M5000 has ox hide leather that is very comfortable and durable. You get a head pillow and a shoulder pillow which are both adjustable. The back pad is plush and you get an extra removable pad to soften the massage. The remote is held in a cradle which is mounted on the side of the chair. The headphones can be put on the remote stand for easy access and convenient storage. This is a well designed chair and we give it an 18 in this category.

Ease of Use: One excellent trend with massage chairs is the number of new functions that are being integrated. The flip side of this is how easy or complicated is the chair to use? The M5000DLX comes with many advanced features such as an MP3 music player. The remote control allows for control of all the functions of the massage chair. The remote has automatic programs with large buttons. You can open the panel in the middle of the controller for the manual controls. These controls allow you to select the type of massage and the area to be massaged. These are well laid out and simple to understand and use. The M 5000 earns an 18.

Key Features: Here are the two key features of the DLX. The lower body air massage system and the 3 automatic massage programs for the back. The lower body air massage utilizes airbags to massage the buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. The seat massage provides an invigorating massage of the buttocks. The foot wells of the leg rest contain reflexology nodules that gently press up into the feet to stimulate full body relaxation. We mention the 3 automatic massage programs because the actual program sequence of these massages are outstanding. The automatic massages include: neck and shoulders, full back and lower back. What is impressive is the use of many massage techniques beyond the standard kneading and tapping. There are a variety of techniques by use of fast and slow motions that are very comprehensive and very relieving. The DLX gets an 18 for key features

Massage Therapy: Of course, massage therapy is what a massage chair is all about. Here is the run down with the DLX: 5 automatic programs, 4 manual massages, and 4 manual massage back courses. The back courses target the full back, neck and shoulders and lower back. The manual massage functions include finger press, kneading, tapping and combination kneading/tapping. You can adjust the manual massages to 3 levels of intensity. You also get an air massage system for the lower body. The lower body air massage targets the buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. The air compression can be set at either firm or gentle. The airbags have reflexology nodes that provide total body relaxation. We give the DLX an 18 for massage therapy.

The M5000 DLX from Omega rates a 91/100 in our evaluation. We particularly like the contemporary design with the highly varnished wood armrests and wood grain side panels. Also, Omega uses top grain ox hide leather. This finely crafted massage chair also comes with a backlit LCD controller. You get one of the most penetrating massage therapies with this massage chair. The programming of the massage treatments is as good as it gets. For total relaxation, put on the headphones and relax with your favorite tunes with the built in MP3 player. This massage chair recliner is certainly a powerhouse of massage therapy that will give you years of comprehensive and effective relief. - 14915

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