OSIM massage chairs are among the most technologically advanced massage chairs on the market and are in direct competition with Japanese manufacturers such as Sanyo, Fujikura and Inada. There are also among the most expensive. What follows is a review of the current range of OSIM massage chairs and how they rate in terms of features per dollar.
OSIM is not a Japanese company; It was founded and still managed by Ron Sim in Singapore. The company has only been in business since 1980 but has quickly established itself as a major player in the motorized massage chair manufacturing industry. Currently, the company offers 4 models of chairs; and NORO Harmony, iMedic, iSymphonic, and iDesire. Let’s take a look at what each offers and how it compares to other brands.
The OSIM NORO Harmon Massage Chair (NR-75) is the cheapest, at around $900. The chair comes with a built-in calf massager and is upholstered in faux suede. I have to be honest and say I don’t like this chair. I know it was designed to cater to the cheaper segment but it looks not very elegant. It reminds me of the iJoy range of massage chairs which are also cheap chairs that try very hard to look stylish but fail miserably.
Anyway, it is much better than any iJoy software. You get 5 massage modes; Rolling, kneading, tapping, double (rhythmic tapping with kneading massage), and combination of 3 hand positions (kneading, tapping or double with full or partial rolling). You can manually adjust the rollers to position them the way you want them. Each massage program lasts 15 minutes.
It’s a decent chair but if you can stretch your budget to around $1,500, you’d better take a look at the Human Touch HT 100 massage chair. This chair looks better and comes with a leg massager than can be manually adjusted to give a foot massage as well. You get pretty much the same massage positions but you also get full, partial, and spot functions.
The OSIM iMedic Massage Chair is your best bet. It retails for around $2,000 and looks good in faux leather upholstery. There are 3 massage programmes. A 30-minute wellness program that gently works its way from the neck and shoulders to the base of the back while the air sacs massage your calves; 20-minute Well-Being program with a gentle massage along the back, shoulders and neck with a simultaneous massage of the legs; Finally, there is a relaxation program that lasts from 10 to 99 minutes.
What I really love about this chair is that before each massage, the rollers slide along the back to calibrate the massage for a more sensitive, therapeutic experience.
What I really don’t like about this chair is that it completely lacks any kind of foot massage. The Fujikura 2000 massage chair is a much better and less expensive option. You get a leg and foot massage as well as an arm massage (it’s not available on iMedic), more airbags and it comes with a built-in music system. For its cost, OSIM iMedic is disappointing.
On the other hand, OSIM iSymphony does not disappoint. It retails for about $3,500. Again, it lacks a foot massager, but it does come with infrared scanning that scans your device and automatically adjusts the rollers to give you the best massage. It also comes with a music therapy system but it is much more complex than the system that comes with the Fujikura mentioned above. The massage is directly affected by the music you play. If you play loud and fast music you will get a very strong and intense massage, but if you play something a little slower you will get a more gentle massage.
OSIM iDesire may be everything you want in a robotic massage chair. It retails for around $4,500 but is packed with features and functionality. Finally, we have a leg and foot massager – the foot massager comes with a Reflexology Map and uses extrusion to press vital reflex points on your soles. And while you’re enjoying your foot massage, you can also enjoy a triple-action arm massage. There are 8 wellness programs or you can program individual massage sessions of your choice, combing up to 9 massage routines.
Of all the ISOM massage chairs, the only models are the iSymphony and iDesire; Both offer something a little different from their competitors, and although they are expensive, they offer good value for money.
