Panasonic has been making massage chairs for about 30 years. They have a full range of massage chairs at many different price points. We are going to review the EP1273 which is in the 2 to 3 thousand dollar price range. We make a comprehensive review by rating a massage chair in five important categories where it can get up to twenty points. The sum of the points then yields the chair's overall rating out of 100 possible points. Here is our evaluation of the Panasonic EP 1273 massage chair recliner.
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: Even though Panasonic is one of the most famous brand names there is on the market, you still want to make sure you get adequate warranty protection. Even the best of companies have off days and you certainly do not want to be stuck with a massage chair made on an off day. Here is the warranty you get with the EP1273: there is one year coverage on parts and labor. For this price range, these are shorter times than other competitive brands. You get 1 year of free part shipping which is good. The best coverage is the one year in-home service. This is above industry norms for this price range. Customer service for Panasonic is average. We give the warranty coverage for this model a 16.
Comfort & Ergonomics: This is an important category for massage chairs-after all, your goal is to relax. The design of the chair from an aesthetic point of view is a bit sterile and industrial. However, once you take a seat, it if comfortable to sit in. The EP-1273KL has a soft, detachable head pillow. There is also an extra back pad. It is a comfortable chair to sit in. The ergonomics of the chair are thought out and everything is well within reach. The control is simple and buttons easy to push. We give the EP1273 an 18 in comfort and ergonomics.
Ease of Use: As technology advances, we are seeing that more features are being added at incrementally lower costs. That is an excellent trend for consumers. On the other side of this is for manufacturers to keep the use of their equipment simple and easy to use. Luckily, Panasonic is an expert in this field. The EP 1273 is no exception. You can master the controls very quickly and easily. We give this massage chair an 18 for ease of use.
Key Features: There are number of great features with the EP 1273 massage chair recliner. The features we want to point out are the Swede-Atsu massage and the stretching function of the leg rest. The Swede-Atsu massage is a specially designed massage mechanism built into this massage chair. The Swede-Atsu replicates the hand movements of a master masseuse. This is a fabulous technology. Panasonic also incorporates a lower body stretch function. This stretching is accomplished by bring the leg rest up to a horizontal position. It then holds the feet and lowers down, stretching the legs. This is very relieving and a great way to relax after a long day. The EP1273 gets an 18 for its features.
Massage Therapy: The EP1273 gives you a choice of four automatic programs. Select Shiatsu, Deep, Gentle and Refresh at the touch of a button for 15 minutes of relaxing massage therapy. You can also select from 3 manual courses covering the back. You have many choices of manual massages. An interesting feature in the EP 1273 is the back rollers. The back rollers have four firm rubber massage heads which make up the Swede-Atsu massage. The Swede-Atsu massage replicates the stroking with the palm of the hand and the pressing with the heel of the hand. You can also feel the mechanical thumbs apply firm pressure. The kneading massage is firm with the rubber massage heads feeling like strong pressure with the thumbs. You also get a thorough calf and foot massage with the leg ottoman of the EP-1273. We rate the massage therapy of the Panasonic EP-1273 an 18.
Overall, the EP 1273 earns a score of 88/100. The EP-1273KL massage chair is certainly one of the better values provided by Panasonic. You get some excellent massage therapy treatments which are also available in their higher end models. The dual use ottoman is nice with the built in stretch system. We feel that the foot massage could be better, since you have to raise the leg ottoman and then bend your knees to perform. The aesthetic design of the chair is also lacking. However, the massage therapy is solid and you get a good variety of choice with this chair. If you are looking at a massage recliner in this class, then it is worth your time to check out the EP 1273 massage chair from Panasonic.
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: Even though Panasonic is one of the most famous brand names there is on the market, you still want to make sure you get adequate warranty protection. Even the best of companies have off days and you certainly do not want to be stuck with a massage chair made on an off day. Here is the warranty you get with the EP1273: there is one year coverage on parts and labor. For this price range, these are shorter times than other competitive brands. You get 1 year of free part shipping which is good. The best coverage is the one year in-home service. This is above industry norms for this price range. Customer service for Panasonic is average. We give the warranty coverage for this model a 16.
Comfort & Ergonomics: This is an important category for massage chairs-after all, your goal is to relax. The design of the chair from an aesthetic point of view is a bit sterile and industrial. However, once you take a seat, it if comfortable to sit in. The EP-1273KL has a soft, detachable head pillow. There is also an extra back pad. It is a comfortable chair to sit in. The ergonomics of the chair are thought out and everything is well within reach. The control is simple and buttons easy to push. We give the EP1273 an 18 in comfort and ergonomics.
Ease of Use: As technology advances, we are seeing that more features are being added at incrementally lower costs. That is an excellent trend for consumers. On the other side of this is for manufacturers to keep the use of their equipment simple and easy to use. Luckily, Panasonic is an expert in this field. The EP 1273 is no exception. You can master the controls very quickly and easily. We give this massage chair an 18 for ease of use.
Key Features: There are number of great features with the EP 1273 massage chair recliner. The features we want to point out are the Swede-Atsu massage and the stretching function of the leg rest. The Swede-Atsu massage is a specially designed massage mechanism built into this massage chair. The Swede-Atsu replicates the hand movements of a master masseuse. This is a fabulous technology. Panasonic also incorporates a lower body stretch function. This stretching is accomplished by bring the leg rest up to a horizontal position. It then holds the feet and lowers down, stretching the legs. This is very relieving and a great way to relax after a long day. The EP1273 gets an 18 for its features.
Massage Therapy: The EP1273 gives you a choice of four automatic programs. Select Shiatsu, Deep, Gentle and Refresh at the touch of a button for 15 minutes of relaxing massage therapy. You can also select from 3 manual courses covering the back. You have many choices of manual massages. An interesting feature in the EP 1273 is the back rollers. The back rollers have four firm rubber massage heads which make up the Swede-Atsu massage. The Swede-Atsu massage replicates the stroking with the palm of the hand and the pressing with the heel of the hand. You can also feel the mechanical thumbs apply firm pressure. The kneading massage is firm with the rubber massage heads feeling like strong pressure with the thumbs. You also get a thorough calf and foot massage with the leg ottoman of the EP-1273. We rate the massage therapy of the Panasonic EP-1273 an 18.
Overall, the EP 1273 earns a score of 88/100. The EP-1273KL massage chair is certainly one of the better values provided by Panasonic. You get some excellent massage therapy treatments which are also available in their higher end models. The dual use ottoman is nice with the built in stretch system. We feel that the foot massage could be better, since you have to raise the leg ottoman and then bend your knees to perform. The aesthetic design of the chair is also lacking. However, the massage therapy is solid and you get a good variety of choice with this chair. If you are looking at a massage recliner in this class, then it is worth your time to check out the EP 1273 massage chair from Panasonic.
About the Author:
There is only so much we can put in a product review, so check out the fabulous features and functions of the Panasonic EP 1273 Massage Chair at our site. You will find the complete line of Panasonic Massage Chairs with the addition of the Real Pro Ultra series, which is the most recent line by Panasonic.
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