We present review of the Sanyo model HEC SA5000 massage chair. Our intention is to provide a massage chair buyer with an objective review and evaluation of a given massage chair. We use a 5 category system. Equal weight is given to each category. Each category can earn from 0 to 20 points. The points are then summed up to provide you with an overall score. The 5 categories cover the following: Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. This system gives us a disciplined process of evaluating a massage chair. We hope you find this helping in your search for the best massage chair for your needs. The Sanyo HEC-SA5000 massage chair recliner price is in the $3,000 to $4,000 range.

Warranty & Customer Service: The warranty coverage helps to reduce your risk in any electronics purchase. This gives you protection of defects from manufacturing of the product. The SA 5000 comes with the following warranty coverage: 1 year parts, 3 years roller mechanism, 1 year labor and 1 year in home technician service. We think the 1 year in home technician service is a good addition for Sanyo. We would like to see all parts covered for 3 years like the top manufacturers do. The customer service is good. Sanyo has a 24/7 call center which is technically competent. The SA-5000 earns a 15 in this category.

Comfort & Ergonomics: The SA-5000 comes with a well padded back pad on the chair back. The head support cushion is contoured and adjustable. he armrests have sufficient padding. The leg ottoman cannot be extended which may be a concern for taller users. This massage recliner was originally designed in Japan for that market and later exported to the USA. The main remote has a simple layout with one touch buttons for automatic massages. There is also a wired remote, but it has limited functionality. We give the SA5000 a 15 for ergonomics.

Ease of Use: We are always concerned with how easy a massage chair is to use. There are an ever increasing number of features and options, but the manufacturers need to make it easy to use. Everyone wants the best technology has to offer, but not at the expense of a steep learning curve. We like the Sanyo remote for the SA 5000. This is a clean and simple design. There are 4 automatic programs with one-touch buttons. If you like the massage you are getting and the area, then hit the Program Memory button and the chair will remember. This is like having additional automatic programs at your disposal. The side panel controls the lower body air system with individual controls for the lower body, calf, foot and thigh. Our rating in this category is 18.

Key Features: The SA-5000 comes with some unique technology from Sanyo. They include their GK roller systems for neck and shoulder massage. They also have a stiffness detection system integrated into the massage recliner. The GK roller system can reach out over the shoulders. It performs a grip massage that is effective to relieve tension and soreness in the shoulder and neck regions. The stiffness sensor is based on lie detector technology. It monitors your pulse and perspiration to determine areas of stiffness in the body. This is then fed into the computer which then directs the massage for those specific areas. The SA 5000 earns an 18 in this category.

Massage Therapy: The SA 5000 comes with automatic programs, 4 programs stored in the Memory Program, 4 manual massage techniques and 4 massage courses for the back. The automatic programs are Stiffness, Relax, Recovery and Fine. There are 5 adjustments for both the massage speeds and roller width adjustments. There is the Grip massage which effectively targets the neck and shoulders. For the lower body, this recliner comes with 24 airbags to provide relief for the feet, calves and thighs. There are specially designed airbags that provides a multi-point shiatsu massage. This provides a penetrating and soothing massage. We give the SA-5000 an 18 in this category.

How does the Sanyo SA-5000 stack up? We give this massage chair an 84/100 in our overall rating. There is some innovative technology contained in this mid range model. We are impressed with the GK roller system which is also in the high end Sanyo model.

This provides superior coverage of the neck and shoulder regions. The warranty coverage is a bit light on the parts side and you may want to consider an extended warranty. The memory program is another nice feature enabling the chair to memorize a particular massage and its settings for repeat use. If you are looking at a mid range massage chair, this one is definitely worth a serious look.