Table of Contents
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair Review
Pros
- All Things Considered, It's Pretty Reasonably Priced For A 2D L-Track Chair!
- Very Easy To Operate, Mostly Thanks To The Foolproof Remote Control
- 6 Auto Modes Coupled With A 43'' L-Track Keeps Massage Fresh & Exciting!
Cons
- 7'' Clearance Is A Tad Much
Looks Decent, But For Now I’m On The Fence!
Welcome back to yet another massage chair review post! Wherever you may be in the world, I hope you’re keeping safe and staying well amidst this crazy, never-ending pandemic! Today we’ll be looking at another Ergotec massage chair. I did a review of the ET-100 a couple weeks ago, and I thought it was a decent chair all things considered.
My first impressions of the Ergotec ET-150 Neptune are as follows:
And of course I’m on the fence, because not much is known about Ergotec. Their chairs seem to be manufactured in China (nothing wrong with this in my mind) which is okay, but I’d be more comfortable if they had some kind of reputation like the bigger brands. I’m not one to spend all my $$$ on brands, but I do think there is a credibility and confidence you get when you buy an Osaki, Titan, or Human Touch chair versus this.
I’m not feeling the good vibes…yet!
Nevertheless let’s dissect this chair and see what it’s all about, shall we!?
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair: What Is It Capable Of?
The ET-150 is your basic 2D L-Track massage chair. Even though it’s an entry level unit, it comes packing some decent features such as Bluetooth speakers and foot rollers. Not bad given it’s price. Below are 4 key features that make the ET-150!
#1 43” L-Track Coupled With Quad Rollers!
The ET-150 comes equipped with quad 2-dimensional (2D) rollers mounted on a 43” L-Track. That’s a lot to digest so let’s look at each detail a little more closely.
Quad means 4, so there are a total of 4 donut shaped discs mounted on the rollers. This is typical for pretty much 99% of massage chairs, so not too much to talk about here.
Let’s talk 2-dimensional AKA 2D rollers!
2D rollers are the most simplest and oldest of roller technology you can find. This is what the first ever massage chairs came with. Obviously since then there have been significant improvements to roller technology, but that’s not to say 2D chairs are outdated and ineffective! If anything, manufacturers are the most experienced with 2D rollers so 2D chairs work really well. In a 2D chair, the rollers move up/down and side to side. The arrows in the image depict this exactly.Knowing what direction the rollers move in is one part, the other part is about distance and shape, and that’s exactly what the roller track determines!
There are 2 main roller tracks you can find on most chairs:
Here’s what a typical L-Track configuration looks like!
#2 16 Airbags Located Where The Rollers Can’t Reach!
The ET-150 comes stacked with 16 airbags located in the feet, soles, calves, seat, hands, arms, and shoulder areas of the chair.
What are airbags, and is airbag count important?
Airbags are simply empty pouches that fill with compressed air. They inflate as they fill with compressed air, deflate when the air is removed. This action of pushing against the muscles results in a compression massage. While compression therapy is effective, it’s usually only on the surface and therefore does not resolve deep tissue problems.
Airbag count is important but often times its exaggerated, and used as a marketing ploy. More important than airbag numbers are the surface area offered by an airbag. You can have 13 airbags with a large surface coverage equivalent to that of 26 airbags!
So you need to be careful when evaluating and comparing chairs, because more airbags does not always mean better!
#3 6 Auto Modes To Pick From!
Auto modes equate directly to user experience.
A chair with many auto modes that have been carefully designed and choreographed, is far more superior than a chair with less auto modes that are poorly designed!
Yes the more auto modes in a massage chair, the better, but those modes should also be exciting, relaxing, and most importantly, effective. The ET-150 has 6 nicely designed auto modes. These are:
- Lower Back—Focused on the lower back, you can expect a high intensity roller and air compression massage!
- Relax—Easy and gentle on the body. This is a great routine when waking or just before hitting the sheets!
- Neck & Shoulder—Primary focus is the neck and shoulders and the massage is done by employing kneading and shiatsu techniques.
- Spot/Partial—Focused on a specific area of the back as determined by you the user. This routine works really well at targeting pressure points.
- Vigorous—A full body routine that employs both rollers and airbags. One of the more intense modes on the ET-150!
- Gentle—Similar to the relax mode but even less intense. This is a great routine for those who are new to massage and don’t wish to experience too high an intensity.
#4 Wireless Speakers Included!
While the inclusion of speakers has no effect at all to massage, sound definitely impacts the overall experience. This has been the case when you visit a massage establishment, and is no different now on a massage chair.
Have you noticed the calming, soothing sounds playing in the background when you’re at a massage establishment? It’s there to create a certain ambience, the ambience of relaxation!
You could do the same on the ET-150: YouTube a few soothing tracks and have them playing on a loop. Alternatively, you can listen to your favourite tunes. Whatever works for you really!
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair Specifications
- Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair Specs
- Roller Type: L-Track
- Roller Length: 43 Inches
- Total Airbags: 16
- Upright Dimensions: 55.5”L x 29.1"W x 41.7"H
- Recline Dimensions: 65.7”L x 29.1”W x 32.1"H
- Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
- Height Range: 5'0" - 6'2" ft.
- Maximum Recommended Weight: 265 lbs
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair Pros & Cons
- 43” of Extended Massage Coverage—One of the biggest (if not the biggest!) highlight of the ET-150 is its 43” L-Track, because of which users can enjoy extended massage coverage all the way to the glutes and hamstrings.
- No Nonsense Operation—Just like its younger brother the ET-100, the ET-150 is also incredibly easy to operate thanks to the well laid out remote control.
- A Decent Selection of Auto Modes!—For a chair under $2K, 6 auto modes isn’t bad at all. It’s certainly not something to write home about, but it ain’t bad either!
- 7” Clearance—Ergotec have noted that the ET-150 has space saving recline, but it actually requires 7” of clearance from backrest to the nearest wall. I wouldn’t be complaining if space saving recline was not being marketed as a pro, but the fact that it is makes this a con for me. I think half a foot is still a bit of space in my honest opinion.
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune Massage Chair: Is It Worth The $$$, Or Should You Consider Something Else?
To honestly answer this question we need to do a side by side comparison to see how the ET-150 fares against similar 2D L-Track chairs. There’s quite a few really good 2D L-Track chairs on the market at this time, but 2 of my current favourites are the Kyota E330 Kofuko and the Osaki OS Champ.
- Ergotec ET-150 Neptune
- $$
Price - 43″ L-Track
Roller Track - 6
Auto Modes - 16
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’2 ft & 265 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 7 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline - Yes
Foot Rollers
- Osaki OS Champ
- $$$
Price - 49″ L-Track
Roller Track - 5
Auto Modes - 22
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’0 ft & 260 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 9 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline - Yes
Foot Rollers
- Kyota E330 Kofuko
- $$$
Price - 43″ L-Track
Roller Track - 9
Auto Modes - 24
Airbags - 4’8 – 6’0 ft & 305 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 2 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline - Yes
Foot Rollers
(Note For Osaki OS Champ: This is an affiliate link to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
(Note For Ergotec & Kyota: This is an affiliate link to Prime Massage Chairs. As an Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
It’s really close to call isn’t it!? All 3 chairs are under $2K and the price difference between all chairs isn’t more than a couple hundred bucks.
In terms of roller performance, the OS Champ is superior. Having a 49” L-Track you get half a foot more of massage coverage. In terms of user experience, the Kyota E330 is best. It’s got 9 auto modes and it’s able to comfortably accommodate a wide range of user heights and weights.
The ET-150 Neptune is the cheapest from all, even if it’s only by a couple hundred bucks!
So what should you get? I think all 3 are awesome options but personally speaking I would be leaning more towards the Kyota E330 and the OS Champ. Why? One word: reputation.
Kyota are a sister company to Infinity and we all know Infinity chairs are highly reputable. Nothing needs to be said about Osaki of course. They’ve produced some seriously awesome units over the last couple of years!
The extra $200-300 bucks is the cost of a brand name, reputable product. In this situation I think it’s worth it. Nothing at all against the ET-150 though, as it still is a high performing chair with an incredibly reasonable price tag. That’s my final recommendation!
(Note For Osaki OS Champ: This is an affiliate link to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
(Note For Kyota: This is an affiliate link to Prime Massage Chairs. As an Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
If you have any burning questions, or would like to know more about the chairs discussed in today’s review, please drop a comment down below. Otherwise, take care, be safe and we’ll see you next week!
Ergotec ET-150 Neptune massage chair images used from ErgotecUSA
