I Tried It, I Loved It, I Bought It

For this product, I was skeptical. I had no intention of buying one of these...$80, and it probably wouldn't even do the job. So when I walked by a demonstration model in the store, I almost kept on going. Then I realized how sore my back was, and decided to try it out. I'm sure glad I did! Still, given the personal nature of a massage (or massaging cushion in this case), I'd recommend you try before you buy.

That night, I pushed the "demo" button, and the dual massage heads rotated in a choreography of movement up and down each side of my spine, pressing the muscles intermittently with the heating heads. Within five minutes, the knot in my back was totally gone. I was amazed! I work out twice a week, and often get the kinks out by sitting in our spa tub, but this was much faster and much more effective!

I came back and tried it again later that night, playing with the simple controls to see how the "Lower Back" and "Upper Back" buttons work. One simply limits the traveling massage/heat heads from the middle down, and the other from the middle to your shoulders. You can also enjoy the massage action with no heat, but I personally can't see why I'd do that. There is no option to have heat with no massage, and the whole unit cycles off after fifteen minutes. A simple push of the button gets it going again. I usually run it in "Full Back" mode, to get the full effect, and I use the "Heat" option as well, appreciating the clear sensation of warmth after about five minutes as it gets up to full strength.

Before buying, I compared it to the 400 model, which sells for about 40% more money. The 200 does not have the option to massage one spot, which would be nice, but the 400 does not seem to have the massage heads go up as high. Both units have a low-level hum as the motor works, which is very reasonable. Also, for both, it takes about one minute for the heads to travel from one end to the other, and they pause briefly before heading the opposite direction. I bought the 200.

At home, set up was a snap. One important step is needed to avoid damaging the unit: unscrew a fastener and you're set! The two-prong power cord is about nine feet long, which is great, and it comes with a short velcro tie to keep any extra neatly bundled. The seat comes with a strap to use in attaching to a chair, but using the strap is optional. Ours sits on the couch and works great. We've also discovered that if you want the lowest part (the "small") of your back, you can just sit on a pillow!

The massage is aggressive, meaning that you definitely feel the pushing of the massage heads as they move up and down your back. Other reviewers have complained that this is painful, and I can see their point. However, if it is too intense for you, a towel can easily be placed between your back and the unit to dampen the effect.

Finally, the two year warranty seems generous. It covers the standard material and workmanship, and requires that you send it to Michigan for repair. Hopefully, we won't ever have to find out how well they back their warranty!

The biggest complaint that I have is how everyone in the family wants to use this cushion. At least each person is willing to get up after a fifteen minute session, so my wait has yet to be long.