Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair Review

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair Review

8.1

Back Massage

8.0/10

Foot Massage

8.0/10

Air Compression Massage

8.0/10

User Flexibility (Height/Weight)

8.0/10

Value For Money

8.5/10

Pros

  • As Far As Price Is Concerned, This Is One Of The Most Cost Effective Massage Chairs Available!
  • Comes Loaded With An Incredibly Effective Full Body Yoga Stretch Program!
  • Comes Equipped With Both Lumbar & Calf Heat Therapy

Cons

  • Install Is Complicated & Cumbersome

Who Are Kahuna?

Until recently, I had no idea about Kahuna or their massage chairs. A couple days ago I received an email from a reader asking specifically about Kahuna chairs and how they stack up. Fast forward a few days later and I thought why not just do a detailed review of some of their chairs!

So today I’ll be doing an in-depth review of Kahuna’s LM 6800; an entry level massage chair with a more than reasonable price tag!

But who are Kahuna anyways? Are they a reputable brand in the massage chair industry? Kahuna are a California based company that specializes in massage products. They have a huge selection of entry, mid, and advanced level massage chairs, all with different price ranges.

They’re not as well known as some of the more staple brands such as Osaki, Titan, & Ogawa, but they’re not far off! (Video Credit: Good Price World).

 

Celebrities Seem To Love Them!

One thing I immediately noticed when browsing through Kahuna’s website and social profiles, is that quite a few of their products are owned by Hollywood celebs. For example, there are Instagram posts from Anthony Anderson, Martha Stewart, & Whoopi Goldberg saying how much they love Kahuna chairs.

Are these posts endorsed or simply an honest review?

Hard to say! It’s just something that caught my eye, so I figure i’d make mention of it. If you wanna read more of these celebrity posts/reviews, head on over to Kahuna’s celebrity gallery section here!

 

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair: 7 Noteworthy Features You Need To Know About!

#1 It’s FDA Approved

The LM 6800 just like most Kahuna massage chairs is FDA approved.

Now, does this mean the LM 6800 is more superior to any massage chair that’s not FDA approved?

No I wouldn’t say so. All it means is an external agency has reviewed the unit and determined that its benefits outweigh the risks. When it comes to the world of massage technology, FDA approval is a vote of confidence more than anything. That being said, it’s definitely nice if a chair is FDA approved, but not something I personally use as a deciding factor before buying.

Kahuna LM 6800 FDA Approved

#2 Quad Rollers With An L-Track

Since its inception, L-Track has been the buzz of massage chairs for the last couple years. But what is L-Track and how does it work anyways?

L-Track is a technology where the rollers are able to traverse from the neck all the way right down to the glutes.

The LM 6800 comes equipped with quad L-Track rollers. As you can see from the image below, the rollers are able to massage right down to the hips and hamstring areas.

Kahuna LM 6800 L-Track Quad Rollers

Since rollers are the most important component to any massage chair, let’s spend some time discussing them in greater detail. The LM 6800 makes use of 4 2-dimensional (2D) rollers. 2D rollers are the most oldest and simplest in roller technology. The very first massage chairs all used 2D roller technology, and many best selling chairs in the market today still use 2D rollers.

So How Do 2D Rollers Work?
2D Rollers Move Up/Down & Left/Right

The mechanics of a 2D chair is pretty simple. The rollers move in 2 dimensions: up/down along the vertical, and side to side along the horizontal. The arrows in the image above illustrate how this looks like. Simple, cost effective technology that delivers one heck of a massage!

#3 A Total Of 36 Airbags

The LM 6800 has a total of 36 airbags located in various regions of the chair. These include hands, shoulders, legs, calves, hips and feet.

Kahuna LM 6800 Total Airbags

Just like rollers, airbags are an important component to every massage chair. They are responsible for:

Providing A Compression Style Massage—Airbags continuously inflate/deflate with compressed air to provide a compression/squeeze massage to surrounding muscle.
Holding The Body Firmly In Place—While seated on a massage chair, it’s important that the body remain as still as possible for massage to be effective. Airbags hold the body in place.

Based on my experience, 36 airbags is probably somewhere in between. I’ve seen chairs that definitely have a lot more than 36 airbags, but as a result they also have a higher power consumption needed to continuously run all the airbags. Kahuna have definitely optimized/streamlined the airbag design by opting to go with fewer airbags that offer the same coverage.

Side Note: power consumption for the LM 6800 is 230 W.

#4 Heat Therapy (Lower Back & Calves)

Aside from making your back feel warm and tingly, heat therapy is actually pretty important when it comes to massage. Heat loosens up the muscles making them less stiff and more pliable.

Stiff rigid muscle, or pliable play-do muscle: what do you think is easier to work with?

You don’t need to be a massage expert to answer this! Intuitively it’s clear that flexible, pliable muscle will be much easier to massage than tissue that’s tight and rigid! To summarize it very simply then, heat therapy is important simply because it helps loosen things up.

So now that you have a better appreciation of heat therapy, it’s important to know that the LM 6800 comes with heating pads located both on the lower back and calves area. How does it compare to other massage chairs to this regard? Most chairs will only have heat therapy on the lumbar/lower back area, so the LM 6800 is definitely a step forward!

Kahuna LM 6800 Heat Therapy

Note: heat therapy can always be turned off on the remote control as desired.

#5 It Can Perform 5 Different Massage Techniques

The LM 6800 is capable of performing 5 different massage techniques. These are:

    • Kneading—Short, circular movements across the back where tissue is squeezed and rolled.
    • Rolling—Long strokes of lateral compression along the length of the spine.
    • Tapping—Pounding or striking movements into and out of the back and neck.
    • Shiatsu—A focused technique that delivers high pressure on specific pain points.
    • Kneading/Tapping—A combo of both circular kneading and tapping technique on the back.

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Techniques

The above mentioned techniques are standard to most massage chairs, so nothing out of the ordinary here.

Employing these 5 techniques, the chair allows a user to massage by either selecting one of the 6 auto modes (including a full body yoga stretch routine), or by operating the chair in manual mode. Auto modes are hassle free, however manual mode does offer much more flexibility with the option to customize settings.

#6 Space Saving Technology

Just like most modern massage chairs, the LM 6800 has been designed and built to fit into tight spaces. A fancy way of referring to this is something called space saving technology. In essence, all it means is that the chair slides forward on its base during recline, so that it only requires 3-6 inches of clearance from backrest to the wall.

Kahuna LM 6800 Space Saving

As massage chairs continue to gain popularity, it’s important that manufacturers ensure their designs are able to adequately fit most living spaces. And Kahuna have done exactly this for the LM 6800!

#7 3 Staged Zero Gravity (But Not Really!)

Zero gravity is another one of those features you’ll find in 90% of massage chairs. It’s become so popular with users, that manufacturers have started to include the feature in ALL their chairs, even the lower priced ones!

What is zero gravity?

Zero gravity is simply a recline position where the legs are at an elevated position with respect to the heart, and the torso forms an angle of about 120-128 degrees with the legs. Aside from feeling amazing, there are several benefits to sitting/massaging in a zero gravity position:

Improved Blood Circulation Around The Body
Enhanced Breathing Due To Expansion Of The Lungs
Less Stress & Strain On The Spine

So we’ve established that zero gravity is pretty much a must have, and the LM 6800 doesn’t disappoint! It comes with 3 stages of zero gravity, however if you ask me stages 1 & 2 aren’t “true” zero gravity positions. Stages 1 & 2 are just basic recline positions that a user can enjoy. True zero gravity recline is the 3rd stage.

Kahuna LM 6800 Zero Gravity Recline

 

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair Pros & Cons

Pros—The Good Stuff!

Reasonably Priced!
The one thing that stands out for the LM 6800 is its incredibly reasonable price tag. Maybe this is the reason it’s one of the best selling zero gravity massage chairs on amazon. In any case, price is well on point if you ask me!
Decent User Flexibility!
This is another thing about the LM 6800 that leaves me impressed. Because of its extendable foot rest, the chair is able to accommodate users up to 6’2 in height. It can also accommodate a maximum user weight of 240 lbs.
The Stretch Mode Is Actually Pretty Good!
As far as functionality is concerned, the yoga stretch mode is one of the key highlights. By making use of both the airbags and rollers, Kahuna have intelligently designed a full body stretch mode that’s quite effective! Keep in mind, comprehensive stretch routines are hard to come by on budget chairs, so that makes it all the more sweeter!

Cons—The Bad Stuff!

Chair Installation Is A Pain!
One of my biggest pet peeves with massage chairs is setup and installation. I absolutely detest having to spend hours upon hours trying to get a chair working. Fortunately, most massage chairs require minimal setup and are “plug & play”. Unfortunately, the LM 6800 is not one such chair. There is a comprehensive installation guide that’s quite involved. This is something I most dislike about the LM 6800!
In Many Ways, You Get What You Pay For
I don’t own the LM 6800, so for this one I’m not speaking out of personal experience. I’m going off the several verified testimonials I’ve come across during my research for this review. These reviews all seem to point to a common theme: a lack in workmanship and quality. This is of course a given when the price is as low as it is. It’s one of the reasons I always say “pay a little more and get something that’ll last!”.

 

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair Specifications

  • Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair Specs
  • Roller Type: L-Track
  • Massage Techniques: 5
  • Total Airbags: 36
  • Dimensions (L X W X H): 46″ x 31″ x 48″
  • Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
  • Maximum Recommended Height: 6’2 ft.
  • Maximum Recommended Weight: 240 lbs

 

What About Setup & Install?

Setup and install is pretty complicated for the LM 6800. Kahuna have broken it down into a 6 step process in their user manual. Since it’s fairly detailed, I won’t go through the whole thing here, but I encourage you to refer to the user manual as well as the installation video below.

If assembling massage chairs isn’t your thing, you always have the option of paying extra $$$ for white glove delivery.

Is white glove delivery worth the extra money? Well it really depends on each individual. Some people don’t mind spending 30 minutes to an hour trying to figure out things for themselves. Others like me hate the idea of having to mess around, and would much rather prefer a fully assembled chair ready to plug in. It really comes down to what you prefer and if you’re comfortable spending the extra moolah!

 

Kahuna LM 6800 Massage Chair: Buy Or Pass?

Before we can answer this question, I think it’s important to see how the LM 6800 stacks up against the competition. To ensure a fair comparison, I will only compare the LM 6800 to 2 chairs of similar capability/technology i.e. the comparison will be against chairs with 2D L-Track rollers. Specifically, we will be comparing the LM 6800 to both the Infinity Meridian as well as the Titan TP Pro 8400 massage chairs.

Infinity Meridian
Infinity Meridian Massage Chair SpecificationsBased on its current pricing of $1,999 on massage chair deals, the Infinity Meridian is an absolute steal! But that’s only because of the sale that’s currently on at massage chair deals. For it’s regular price, it’s not worth it.
Titan TP Pro 8400
Titan TP Pro 8400 ComparisonOne of my favorite L-Track chairs currently on the market. It offers so much at such a reasonable price. It’s also nice to know that this is one of those chairs that have been around for a while, so in that sense it’s “tried and tested!”
  • Infinity Meridian
  • 6’2 ft & 325 lbs.

    Maximum Height/Weight
  • $$

    Price
  • Quad L-Track

    Roller Type
  • 36

    Airbags
  • 6

    Auto Modes
  • No

    Calf Heat Therapy
  • 150 W

    Power Consumption
  • Titan TP Pro 8400
  • 6’3 ft & 265 lbs.

    Maximum Height/Weight
  • $$$

    Price
  • Quad L-Track

    Roller Type
  • 24

    Airbags
  • 5

    Auto Modes
  • No

    Calf Heat Therapy
  • 150 W

    Power Consumption
  • Kahuna LM 6800
  • 6’2 ft & 240 lbs.

    Maximum Height/Weight
  • $$

    Price
  • Quad L-Track

    Roller Type
  • 36

    Airbags
  • 6

    Auto Modes
  • Yes

    Calf Heat Therapy
  • 230 W

    Power Consumption

As can be seen from the table above, there isn’t too much different about all 3 chairs (power consumption for the LM 6800 is slightly higher than the other 2 chairs, but that’s maybe not quite a game-changer).

Except there is……

The biggest difference you don’t see on that table has to do with quality and workmanship. Titan (from the same company that makes Osaki chairs) and Infinity are well established, reputable brands in the massage chair industry that have been known to produce highly effective solutions for decades. If you ask me, Kahuna isn’t quite there yet.

So what should you buy?

At the current sale price of $1,999 (on massage chair deals), the Infinity Meridian is an absolute peach of a deal! This is my final recommendation!

 

Closing Words & A Disclosure!

Just to set things straight, if you do decide to buy ANY of the massage chairs discussed in this post, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I like to be 100% transparent with my audience, so that’s why I choose to share this information!

I hope this review was beneficial to you in some way. If you disagree with my recommendation, leave me a comment letting me know why. Last but not least, please remember to share this post on the social platforms so others can benefit!

About Eve

Just an average bloke intrigued by massage and its incredible benefits. Oh, did I mention I also own a massage chair? More on that in the blog posts!

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