Product Description

Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion The HoMedics Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion turns an ordinary chair into an extraordinary massage chair. Deep kneading Shiatsu massage travels fully up and down the back relieving the tightest knots. 3 programs offer massage for full back, lower back or upper back, just use the programmable touch pad control for customized massage selection. Shiatsu Massage Zone Buttons on the hand control cause the moving shiatsu massage mechanism to target specific areas of the back. Zone Buttons: Full Back The shiatsu massage mechanism travels up and down the full back. Upper Back The shiatsu massage mechanism focuses from the mid to upper back. Lower Back The shiatsu mechanism focuses from the mid to lower back. Features of The HoMedics Therapist Select Shiatsu Cushion It's so good that Consumers Digest has awarded the SBM-200 a Best Buy award. State-of-the-art moving Shiatsu massage mechanism travels up and down the back to help knead away deep aches and pains. Deep kneading action simulates the hands of a professional massage therapist and relieves the tightest knots. Turns an ordinary chair into an extraordinary massage chair. Programmable touch pad control for customized massageselection. Integrated strapping system fits most chairs. 15-minute auto shut off on the unit for your safety. The Cushion is powered by a custom 120 volt AC power adaptor,which is included with the unit.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25456 in Health and Beauty
• Brand: HoMedics
• Model: SBM-200
• Dimensions: 6.00" h x 19.00" w x 26.00" l, 16.00 pounds

Features

• 3 program Shiatsu massage
• Integrated strapping system fits most chairs
• Melts away back tension and fatigue
• Programmable touch pad control

Amazon.com
"Shiatsu" literally means "pressure with fingers" in Japanese. Still, stout fingers aren't the only means to a good massage, as this unit can attest. The Shiatsu massager quite literally moves up and down your back with its state-of-the-art massage mechanism, deeply kneading the tightest knots along your spine while relaxing and invigorating sore muscles. The unit features three programs--for full, lower, and upper back--along with three speeds. It attaches easily to most chairs, and its cushioned layer delivers a gentle yet firm rub. Plus, there are no confusing, hard-to-reach controls; simply use the included programmable hand control to customize your massage on the spot. Enjoy the skill of a professional shiatsu massage therapist any time of the day. --Rivers Janssen

Amazon.com Product Description
Melt away your tension with your own personal Shiatsu massage therapist. The HoMedics SBM-200 Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion offers deep kneading Shiatsu massage up and down your back, relieving even the tightest knots.

The SBM-200 turns any ordinary chair into a powerful massager. View larger.

Awarded a Best Buy citation by Consumers Digest, the Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion means that you don't have to juggle schedules or keep to expensive appointments any more. Simply sit back, take hold of the convenient remote, and relax to a deep, invigorating massage.

With deep kneading action simulates the hands of a professional massage therapist, the Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion will turn any ordinary chair into an extraordinary massage chair. Featuring three programmable Shiatsu massages for your full back, lower back or upper back, this massage cushion offers the ultimate in performance.

The full back massage offers full shiatsu action up and down your entire back. With the upper back massage, you'll get the full treatment from your mid to upper back, while the lower back massage focuses on your mid to lower back muscles. A programmable touch pad control features zone buttons that let you target specific areas with a simple touch. The cushion is programmed with an automatic 15-minute shut off feature for your own protection, so you can sit back and enjoy your massage without any worries.

Designed with the look and feel of a rich, comfortable leather, the Shiatsu Massage Cushion will fit well in any decor. An integrated strapping system fits most chairs. Simply put, there's no better way to knead away muscle tension, pain and fatigue in the comfort of your own home.

Like all of HoMedics products, the Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion is built with high-quality craftsmanship and comes with a two-year limited manufacturer's warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

420 of 422 people found the following review helpful.
Just try it once and you'll be hooked!
By John E. Chadwick
I just had to go and find this remarkable little gadget after trying it at my brother's house. He bought it after trying it at his in-laws. It is THAT good, try it once, and you will be hooked. Two little balls go up and down your spine like little fingers. It is a very intense experience. I was sore for a day afterwards until I took a nice hot shower. Then, I had to buy my own unit. It is like visiting your own personal massage therapist whenever you want. Basically, the shiatsu balls work the lower thru upper back and the cushions vibrate in different ways to invigorate your thighs. But make no mistake, this little baby is about getting those stubborn knots out of your back. A little bit of heaven on my couch. Ahhh.........
3/11/04- An update here, do NOT use this product on a recliner. I was reclined and leaned to the side..SNAP...it broke. 3 weeks later my brother plopped down on his reclined chair and broke his too. I sent it off for repairs and am dying to get it back. WARNING- If you do buy this, use a straight back chair, like a kitchen chair. My brothers inlaws use a straightback chair and have had no problems. Don't use it in a recliner!

238 of 240 people found the following review helpful.
Evaluate the other Homedics models before you buy
By Anonymous
I bought the SBM-200 as a gift for my wife after she tried it at a local store and loved it. After getting it and using it, I noted a few things about these units to be aware of.

The upper back and lower back programs also massage the mid back. I wish there was a way to limit the movement to only the lower or upper back, and have a separate program for mid back instead of the demo mode button.

There are 3 zippers on the back near the upper and lower seat fold, and 1 zipper on the seat bottom. Unfortunately, the zipper bodies have sharp metal edges and the seat cover does not have flaps to cover them, so they might damage the upholstery of your chair. The instruction manual warns of this, and says not to use it on wooden chair surfaces. I placed a folded towel underneath the unit to protect my leather recliner. This slightly adds to the height and further reduces the depth of the seating area.

The seat bottom does nothing at all except for being a cushion and a holder for the wired handheld remote.

The unit is not comfortable to sit on when not in use. However it is somewhat clunky to remove, transport, and store with the 12 ft of power cable, transformer (which sits on the floor), and the various seat fastening straps.

Given these facts, the slightly shorter SBM-100 might be a better and more economical choice. Since the SBM-100 does not have a bottom seat cushion, it offers some leeway in positioning the unit against your back.

Homedics also offers the slightly more expensive SBM-300 and QRM-400 which feature rolling massage, adjustable massage width, and the ability to hold the massage heads at a specific point. The SBM-300 also has vibrating seat massage while the QRM-400 has 4 heads. Adjustable width is nice as I feel the SBM-200 massages too close to my spine.

Note that all of these units have the sharp zipper bodies. Homedics should really redesign them to use velcro or position the zippers on the sides and top where it won't contact and damage the chair.

They should also try to package the power transformer into the back cushion to make it easier to transport and store.

I opened the zippers and took a peek inside the back. It is mostly plastic. A single motor rides on a track and simultaneously drives the 2 rotating nylon heads. The gears are nylon. Limit switches on the track determine the points at which the motor reverses for each of the programs. Each head has two "nubs" which do the massaging. The heads rotate against a thin nylon cover. A vinyl flap covers the nylon cover. The massage action feels pretty good, but it is hardly "state of the art" and I hope it lasts. The manual warns against putting your weight on the heads while they're in motion.

236 of 242 people found the following review helpful.
effective for light use; smells tolerable
By KK
For the $ you spend, this is a good, practical massager for a home or office environment. Everyone who has tried it in my office said "WOW" -- mainly because of the rollers that travel up and down your back. Much more effective than any other chair that merely vibrates. The rollers can be quite strong - for skinny people, a towel or two would be quite good. Or you can learn to lean less against it when it starts to hurt.

I would love for it to travel even higher to help with my neck, but I'll settle for the range that it currently provides. It does have a strong gasoline-like smell - initially, after closing off my office for the weekend, Monday morning can be a bit hard due to the strong smell that has built up. But it has either faded somewhat or I have gotten more used to it (which is not too good for me).

Overall, a solid performer for light use - a few times a day, when your back really feels tight.

EDITS on 12/1/2004: After using it for 8 months I still like it a lot. The smell is all gone after a couple of months' use. I mainly use the back rollers (sitting in front of a computer most of the time), and can tell the difference after a 15-minute or so session - my back muscles are much loosened. I don't use the seat massage too much, but when I do I really like it as well. My favorite is the "side-to-side" mode. Makes the thighs relax.

EDITS in July 2007: It is finally broken. Nothing happens now when connected except that the power button on the remote keeps blinking. Too bad.