With so many massage chairs on the market, how does one navigate to find what is right for them? One effective method our past customers have told us is by comparing reviews of massage chairs. We are going to review a Panasonic massage chair which is in the mid-range level. The model is the EP1273 massage recliner. Our review process rates a massage chair in 5 key areas. Each area is worth a possible 20 points. The overall score is attained by adding up the scores in each key area for a possible score of 100 total points. We present our review of the EP-1273 by Panasonic.

Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: We start with the dry subject of warranty coverage. It is less glamorous than going through the wonderful features on this massage chair, but nonetheless, it is important. Warranty coverage is like insurance. It protects you from disaster-just in case. With large ticket items, you want some protection for shelling out your hard earned money. Panasonic gives you rather light coverage on parts and labor which is covered for only 1 year. Other chairs in this range are longer from the factory. The best coverage which exceeds the norm is one year coverage for field service. Customer service is OK. Overall, we give the EP 1273 a 16 in warranty coverage.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Let us take a look at the EP-1273 from a comfort perspective. The chair back is well padded. You get a pillow to support your head that can accommodate the size of different users. The chair tends to fit the body well and support the back. The materials selected add to the comfort of the chair. The remote is simple for the amount of functions. Panasonic has thought through the design well and earns an 18 for the EP1273.

Ease of Use: One of the challenges of modern day equipment is that there are so many features that are now included. The design challenge comes in making these devices simple to understand and easy to use. Panasonic has been involved in this arena for a long time and takes this very seriously. The remote of the EP1273 is very well laid out. It is simple to understand and using it takes hardly any time. We are impressed with the simplicity of this chair and give it an 18 in this category.

Key Features: The key features of the EP1273 are the dual use ottoman and the 8 manual massage techniques. This massage recliner has a dual-use air ottoman system. Use the air system to knead and relieve tightness in the calves. Raise the ottoman and place your feet on it for a soothing and relieving foot massage. The second use of the ottoman is the built in stretch function. Hit the button and the ottoman will at first rise up and then it will lower in 20 degree increments. This will stretch out the lower body and provide gentle relief to aching muscles. This recliner also has 8 manual massage techniques. The 8 techniques include: Shiatsu, Swedish, Hawaiian, tapping, rolling, kneading, compression and percussion. This is a great variety for a mid range massage chair. We give the EP-1273 an 18 for key features.

Massage Therapy: This is the most important category for a massage chair. Obviously, the massage therapy needs to be effective or else it is a disappointment. There are eight manual massage techniques that will please the most demanding of massage enthusiasts. You also can choose to target specific regions of the back or pinpoint a specific place. The pre-programs provide effective full body massage at the touch of a button. There are 3 fifteen minute massage programs and a five minute program. These are well programmed and provide effective relief. The air massage system adds the calves and feet into the equation. Overall, you get a very good set of massage treatments for this price range. We give the EP 1273 an 18 in this category.

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.