We know how important it is to find good information regarding a given product. For this reason we have developed a systematic and comprehensive review process. This process helps take out the bias. Our system consists of a 5 category system to evaluate a massage chair. Each category has equal weight and the value of each category is between 0 to 20 points. All the scores of each category are added up to give an overall rating. Our categories include Warranty & Customer Service, Comfort/Ergonomics, Ease of Use, Features and Massage Therapy. This systematic approach forces us to a disciplined method of evaluating a massage chair to help guide anyone looking at massage chairs. In this review we evaluate the Omega M-2 Orion Massage Chair which is in the entry level price range of $1,500 and under.
Warranty & Customer Service: This category is about the consumer being protected and taking less risk in the transaction. The product is covered by the warranty and customer service is how well the company supports its customers. Omega Massage, manufacturer of the M-2, covers it with the following: 1 year on the frame, 6 months on parts, and 6 months labor and 6 months shipping. This is strong warranty coverage at this price range. What about the customer service side? Our experience has been very positive with Omega. They diagnose quickly, and turn things around in minimal times. We rate the Omega M-2 Orion an 18 in Warranty & Customer.
Comfort & Ergonomics: Comfort and ergonomics helps with relaxation. In a massage chair the body should fit well in the chair. It should be comforting to the body. The Orion has a plush back rest cover and a large rectangular shoulder pillow. The back cover is good. The second pillow is too wide and perhaps too thin. The fit of the chair is otherwise comfortable. The curved armrests are very comfortable and the chair can be adjusted from 115 degrees to 170 degrees. Another plus is the leg rest. It is extendable an extra 4 inches. The paddle mechanism in the calf massager is effective and can be positioned for maximum effect. The manual levers are fairly intuitive in their position. Our rating in this category is 17.
Ease of Use: How easy and intuitive is the use of a given product is another important area. Products need to be designed with the user in mind. The M-2 Orion shiatsu massage has a pretty simple controller. Just push the main power and select the auto massage to enjoy a massage. The M-2 comes with manual controls for the backrest and the footrest. The backrest and footrest are attached to a manual piston. When released, it raises the footrest or raises the chair back. The M-2 does the heavy lifting for you. The remote has 3 automatic programs and 3 manual programs with 3 back courses. The remote also controls the calf massage, seat vibration and seat massage. Omega creates a chair with features of a higher end massage chair while still providing an easy to use recliner. Our rating in this category is 19.
Key Features: The key features of the Orion M-2 massage chair are the swaying massage technique and the seat massage. The Hawaiian or Swaying massage uses gentle flowing strokes to ease and elongate the back muscles. The Swaying massage starts to penetrate deeper into the muscles as it works up and down the spine. This is an effective massage to relax tight muscles. The seat massage has both vibration therapy and an eight massage head system. These rotary massage heads target the buttocks and thighs with a very invigorating massage. Add the vibration therapy and watch the aches and pains melt away from your buttocks and thighs. We give the M-2 Orion an 18 for key features.
Massage Therapy: The massage chair needs to provide effective massage therapy functions. The Omega M-2 Orion has 3 automatic timed massages ranging from 5, 10 and 15 minutes. There are 3 manual massages with 3 back courses. The manual massage techniques are Kneading, Swaying and Finger Press and have good strength. Select the speed of the manual massages. They have 3 levels to suit individual needs. The seat massage has 8 rotary massage heads and a seat vibration system. The level of intensity can be adjusted to 3 settings. The paddle system in the calf massage can be positioned on the thighs, knees and calves. It is extendable up to 4 inches. There is a strong combination of effective massage therapies for the whole body. Overall Rating for the Omega M-2 Orion massage recliner for massage therapy is 18.
The Omega M-2 Orion does very well in our evaluation. The total score for the M-2 Orion is a 90/100. We are impressed with the massage therapy for this price range. Omega has concentrated on getting the massage therapy effective and still hit the price point for an entry level massage chair. There is strong warrant protection for the consumer. The feature set of this chair makes for a versatile and invigorating massage lounger. This is the best value in its class. The M-2 Orion delivers an effective full body massage at a great price point.
