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: 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: 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: Panasonic has designed a fairly intuitive and easy to use remote. Everything is labeled clearly. Adjustments can be made without having to push a number of buttons to get what you want the chair to do. Adjustments are easy to make to the chair. You can switch from automatic programs to manual programs easily. We give the EP 1273 an 18 in 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 EP 1273 comes with the most variety of massage treatments for a massage chair in its class. You have a choice of automatic and manual programs. You can select from 4 automatic and 8 manual massage techniques. The automatic programs run the entire chair, including the air massage system. The 8 manual massage techniques are specifically for the back. Furthermore, there are 3 massage courses that target specific areas of the back. You can also vary the roller width and the intensity settings of the massages. The leg rest comes with an air compression massage for the feet and calves. This is a nice package of thorough massage therapies for a mid range massage chair. The EP-1273 is rated an 18 for massage therapy.

The Panasonic EP-1273 KL is a great value for a midrange chair. We give it an overall rating of 88 out of 100 points. We are most concerned with the short warranty for parts and labor. Otherwise, you get an excellent variety of massage treatments to choose from. The stretching function is another nice feature added into this massage recliner. The EP1273 massage chair is definitely worth checking out if you are looking at mid range massage chairs.