Table of Contents
OHCO M.8 4D Massage Chair Review
Pros
- Phenomenal MaxTrack Means You Get The Best Of Both S & L-Track Chairs!
- Finally A Chair That Has Solid Calf Massage, Provided By Calf Rollers & Oscillating Airbags!
- Heated Rollers & Conventional Heating Pads Result In Full Body Heat Therapy!
- Impeccable Design With 2 Rear Swing Doors To Make For Seamless Access!
Cons
- None I Can Think Of....
What Is It About Japanese Chairs That Excites Everyone!?
Since the inception of the massage chair, the Japanese have earned a reputation of producing some of the best units sold today, not only in terms of functionality, but also in terms of aesthetics and design. Today’s chair is a perfect example of this.
Ladies and gents, I present to you the OHCO M.8: a modern massage chair designed by none other than Ken Okuyama!
For those of you who haven’t heard of the name, Ken is a world famous Japanese industrial designer who is known to have worked on several high profile projects. One such project is none other than the Enzo Ferrari!
So if you ever wanted to get the “Ferrari” of massage chairs, this design by Ken would be the closest in reality. Pretty exciting stuff right!? I don’t know about you, but it gets me very excited. I live to review and write about these kind of massage chairs.
Because of it’s exorbitant price tag, it’s not something everyone will consider buying, but if you’re really looking to push the performance on a chair and see how far you can get, why not!?
Who Are OHCO Anyways? Here’s A Brief Introduction!
OHCO are a luxury massage chair brand. They have a very small selection of massage chairs which cater to a very specific audience. An audience specifically looking for something special, something more than an average massage chair.
If I had to give an analogy, buying an OHCO massage chair is in many ways similar to buying a Ferrari or a Lamborghini!
If you don’t believe me, check out the picture below. Yup it had me blown the first time: a massage chair with doors….#jawdrop!
If you’re into this sort of design and can justify spending about $10K on a massage chair, OHCO is a brand you should definitely consider.
5 Jaw Dropping Features In The OHCO M.8 Massage Chair!
Disclaimer: There’s a lot more than these 5 features on the M.8, but these were the ones that really blew my mind, and that’s why I’m highlighting them to you. Keep reading as I will be doing a comparison section later in the post!
#1 Rear Swing Doors!
This just blows my mind. The audacity to create a design like this is just other worldly! Let’s look at this in more detail.
What is the purpose of having doors on a massage chair? Is it even useful?
Well it all depends at how you look at it. Having doors on a massage chair means entering and exiting the chair will be much more easier than otherwise. If you’re like me, entering/exiting a massage chair without doors has never been an issue. It’s not something I even consider as a shortcoming/drawback.
But I do see how swing doors can be super important for other folks!
For example, consider anyone who unfortunately isn’t as mobile as you or I might be, for that person properly entering a massage chair could prove to be quite the challenge. A few examples might be those who are older and less mobile, individuals suffering from painful conditions such as arthritis, and even those who are confined to wheelchairs.
The OHCO M.8 design is perfect for these individuals if you ask me!
But for anyone else, it’s not a “need” but more of a “want”! However that being said, who wouldn’t want this feature on their massage chair! Does it mean I would spend $$$$ to get a chair with swinging doors? No I personally would not, because there are more important things I look for in a massage chair. Speaking of, let’s see if the M.8 has these!
#2 4D Rollers With A 49” L-Track! (Maxtrack)
Here’s what really decides whether a massage chair is worth the money or not! Since everyone may not be familiar with massage chair rollers, here’s a quick and dirty summary.
There are 3 types of rollers you can find on a massage chair: 2D, 3D, and 4D. The least advanced are 2D, and the most advanced are 4D. “D” stands for dimension.
2D rollers move up/down and side to side; 3D rollers move up/down, side to side, and in/out. In/out being the additional one dimension to 2D. 4D rollers being the most advanced, can move up/down, side to side, in/out, and the fourth dimension is speed, so the rollers are programmed to automatically adjust speed based on the massage techniques/programs.
That’s a lot of information, so to help you better understand how each roller type functions, check out the images below! 2D to 4D from left to right.
That’s massage chair rollers in a nutshell, but that’s not all.
While it’s important to know the different types of rollers, it’s also just as important to understand the different roller tracks.
There are a few kinds currently available, but the main roller tracks are S-Track and L-Track. There are 2 notable differences between both:
The video below from Alan Weidner gives a solid explanation on the difference between S and L tracks. Be sure to give it a watch!
Most of you are probably wondering what an SL-Track is and how it differs from an L-Track? They are absolutely one and the same!
Manufacturers introduce unnecessary confusion by coming up with this term “SL”. An L-Track is both an “S” and an “L”. That is, it has the tight “S” shape contour as well as the extended tracking you get with an “L”.
Now that we have all of that squared off, there’s something very important on the M.8 you need to know about, because this one little difference makes it a standout performer when compared to other chairs.
The OHCO M.8 offers the extended tracking of an L-Track chair while retaining the awesome experience of stretch on an S-Track!
What does this mean? It means you get to enjoy the benefits of having a 49’’ extended track while not sacrificing or losing out on a flat stretch routine. In other words, you get the best of both an “S” and “L” track chair!
OHCO are referring to this technology as Maxtrack. This alone is a game changer and puts the M.8 in a class of its own! It’s these sort of features that really get me excited because they directly impact functionality and overall massage performance.
#3 Heat Therapy Is On Point!
Why is heat therapy important to begin with? Is it a nice to have or is it actually something required on a massage chair?
It’s well known that application of heat makes for a much more effective, relaxing massage experience!
What’s the science behind this? If you apply heat to muscles and tissues, they become more pliable, less rigid, and easy to “work with” for lack of a better term. This is one of the reasons massage therapists apply oil to their patients body both before and during massage (the other reason is to reduce friction).
The right amount of heat primes your muscles for the massage it’s about to receive!
That being said, heat therapy is an absolute must when looking for a massage chair. Fortunately enough, 95% of chairs all have some form of heat therapy, most of them have the basic lower back heating pads.
The OHCO M.8 is different in that it has several heat zones located pretty much everywhere in the chair! For example, these heat zones are located in the feet, calf, back, palm, and seat regions of the chair.
But that’s not all, because when you’re designing a luxury product, everything needs to be 110%. Another absolutely awesome feature about the M.8 is it comes packing heated rollers. Yes the rollers which traverse your neck 49” down all the way to your hamstrings are heated! Pretty darn amazing!
Just to give some context, as previously mentioned most chairs only have heating elements in the lower back and feet areas, so the M.8 outclasses most chairs and then some!
#4 Calf & Foot Massage Is Phenomenal!
The biggest shortcoming with the modern massage chair is it’s inability to properly massage the lower extremities. Yes foot massage has massively improved in the last 5 years with the addition of foot rollers, but everything upwards from the feet to the end of the hamstrings are severely lacking.
When I say lacking, I mean that there is either not enough coverage (since the rollers can’t reach there) or the only coverage/massage is through aircells/airbags.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, airbag massage is not enough, and that’s because airbag massage is mostly all on the surface and it cannot go deeper. To have an effective massage, rollers in tandem with the airbags work really well.
And the M.8 has followed this approach to a tee!
The M.8 is equipped with both foot and calf rollers. It’s not so much the foot rollers that get me excited, it’s the calf rollers. Foot rollers are standard on majority of massage chairs these days. Calf rollers are a bit of a rarity. In addition to calf rollers, the M.8 also has specialised calf airbags. What do I mean by “specialised”?
In addition to pushing in/out from the calves, the airbags are designed to also perform circular kneading motions on the calf muscles. Again, this is not something most massage chairs have, so definitely a plus point for the M.8 once again!
#5 Massage Is Choreographed & Synchronised To Perfection!
Another very impressive feat of the M.8 is that the massage routines are absolutely phenomenal! What makes them so good is that every little detail has been looked at, and every movement as a result is perfectly executed.
Just as the chair’s design was done by Ken Okuyama, the M.8’s massage routines were designed by Japanese shiatsu master Okabayashi Sensei.
This is the first time I’ve seen a massage therapist/specialist work with a massage chair manufacturer to help develop a product. If you ask me, this approach should be followed by all the other top names in the massage chair industry.
Back to the point of massage routines….every single detail has been looked at! Every single motion, every single stroke is perfectly synchronised and choreographed to ensure the most enjoyable massage experience.
There are a total of 14 auto modes you can pick from and each of these last approximately 18 minutes.
OHCO M.8 Massage Chair Specifications
- OHCO M.8 Massage Chair Specs
- Roller Type: MaxTrack (Best Of S & L)
- Roller Length: 49 Inches
- Total Airbags: 48
- Upright Dimensions: 60”L x 36”W x 49”H
- Recline Dimensions: 77”L x 36”W x 36"H
- Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
- Height Range: 5’1” to 6’4” ft
- Maximum Recommended Weight: 265 lbs
OHCO M.8 Massage Chair: Pros & Cons
- Phenomenal Rollers & Roller Track!—There’s very few chairs that can stand toe to toe with the M.8 when it comes to roller design and performance. Top of the line quad 4D rollers with a 49” extended track.
- MaxTrack Takes Thing To Another Level!—If 4D and 49” wasn’t enough for you, the MaxTrack is sure to leave you salivating. You get the best of both an S-Track and an L-Track chair!
- Hot Throughout & I’m Loving It!—Heat therapy here, heat therapy there, heat therapy everywhere! OHCO have really pulled out all the stops to make the M.8 a piece of luxury perfection!
- Massage Routines Are Next Level!—14 massage routines that are designed to relieve, relax, and reinvigorate the user. Just like a choir, every motion/stroke is synchronised and choreographed to perfection.
- Honestly….Nothing!—I was going to mention price here, but after having given it some more thought, I don’t think price is a con. Sure the M.8 is crazy expensive ($10K expensive!), but considering everything it does, the hefty price tag is warranted. I mean the thing has doors for pete’s sake! Even if it didn’t have doors, the MaxTrack is a phenomenal technology that pushes the M.8 to other worldly levels, seriously!
OHCO M.8 Massage Chair: 4 Frequently Asked Questions
Question #1: What makes this chair so much better than a $3000-4000 chair? Is it worth such a large investment?
I might’ve touched on it throughout the post, but I’ll make it clear here:
The OHCO M.8 is very much a luxury massage chair. If you can justify spending around $10K on a massage chair, then the OHCO is definitely something you should consider!
However, I get it that most of us (myself included!) find it difficult to justify such a large investment. What makes the OHCO different from other chairs? It’s a combination of all the features I previously mentioned such as 4D rollers, MaxTrack, full heat therapy, swinging doors etc. These are not common features to most other massage chairs.
Question #2: How does the M.8 do in terms of user flexibility?
The M.8 is able to accommodate a user height of 5’1-6’4 ft, and a max user weight of 265 lbs. Not the best I’ve seen, but definitely not the worst.
What if you’re slightly shorter than 5’1 or taller than 6’4 ft?
An inch one way or the other is not likely to make much of a difference, but if you’re 3 inches more or less, you might want to consider alternatives. This is purely my opinion based on what I know about massage chairs.
Question #3: What else is the M.8 capable of?
Aside from the 5 features listed previously, the M.8 is stacked with airbags so it is able to perform compression massage. It can also recline anywhere from 120 to 165 degrees from the floor, comes with Bluetooth speakers, and LED lighting which illuminates as you make your way to the chair.
If that wasn’t enough, it’s also got an air ionizer, and best of all…..wait for it….a built in diffuser in the headrest!
A diffuser!? Yup, so you can enjoy that incredibly soothing lemongrass smell while getting a massage. Bliss!
Question #4: What are the chair’s dimensions? And how difficult is assembly?
Dimensions have been listed in the spec table above, but for your convenience, below is a snippet showing the M.8’s dimensions. (upright and recline).
In terms of assembly, it is a little bit more involved than other massage chairs, because now you have the swing doors as well. If you ask me, the worst part about purchasing any massage chair is when it comes to actually assembling it. Not my cup of tea!
Below is a video showing how to assemble! (credit: Prime Massage Chairs)
Is the OHCO M.8 Massage Chair Worth The $$$? Or Should You Consider Something Else?
Should you splash the cash for the OHCO M.8, or is it worth looking at something else? An investment that costs about $10K is very much what I consider a large, maybe even extra large investment! Knowing this, it’s very important to take your time and not rush into deciding one way or the other.
The best strategy to help you decide whether you should buy a massage chair is as follows:
I can’t help you with #1 and #2 because those are things you will have to do for yourself, but #3 I can definitely help as I have experience with massage chairs and have reviewed a ton of them to this point!
As the OHCO M.8 is very much a luxury massage chair, our strategy is to compare it against other luxury massage chairs which offer similar performance. That being said, let’s compare the M.8 to 2 phenomenal 4D chairs: Osaki’s Pro Maestro, and Human Touch’s Super Novo.
Osaki’s Pro Maestro was for the longest time my favourite 4D massage chair on the market. It’s a powerful unit with a lot of cool features. The thing I love most about the Pro Maestro is its ultra long 52.8 ” L-Track!
A standout chair in its own right! Everything about the Super Novo boasts class! It’s become famous for having voice activated technology (Amazon Alexa), but my favourite thing about it is the whopping 38 auto modes!
- OHCO M.8
- $$$$$
Price - 49'' L-Track w/ MaxTrack Technology
Roller Track - 14
Auto Modes - Heated Rollers & Conventional Heating Pads
Heating System - Yes
Calf Rollers - 48
Airbags - 5’1-6’4 ft & 265 lbs
User Flexibility
- Osaki OS Pro Maestro
- $$$$
Price - 52.8'' L-Track
Roller Track - 8
Auto Modes - Heated Rollers
Heating System - No
Calf Rollers - 32
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’4 ft & 265 lbs
User Flexibility
- Human Touch Super Novo
- $$$$$
Price - 43'' L-Track
Roller Track - 38
Auto Modes - Conventional Heating Pads
Heating System - No
Calf Rollers - 36
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’9 ft & 285 lbs
User Flexibility
Which of the 3 chairs should you get?
It’s a tough choice because all 3 chairs are so close! Let’s break this down a bit more.
Price ($$$)
The Super Novo and M.8 are priced about the same so not much to distinguish there. The Pro Maestro is about $1K cheaper than both the Super Novo and M.8. If you’re spending so much anyways, I don’t think an extra $1K will sway a decision one way or the other. But this is anyways good to know.
Overall Massage Performance
This topic can be subjective, and so what I think might not necessarily reflect the view of others. My opinion is that the M.8 provides a superior overall massage than the Super Novo and Pro Maestro. While both of those chairs are fantastic, the M.8 MaxTrack just really takes things to a whole new level, that coupled with integrated calf rollers makes the M.8 a beast at massage!
User Flexibility
It should be very obvious that the clear winner here is the Super Novo, both in terms of height/weight user flexibility. If you’re a taller than average type of person, the Super Novo might be better suited to you.
User Experience
Overall user experience also goes to the Super Novo, not just because of the voice assistant capability, but mostly because of the incredible number of auto modes the chair comes pre-loaded with!
And the winner is…..
It’s very very tough to make this recommendation, but my final choice is the OHCO M.8 massage chair!
The game changing difference for me is the MaxTrack and calf rollers, and the fact that the M.8 has phenomenal heat therapy!
Do Not Hesitate To Get In Touch, If You Have Questions!
That’s it from me folks. I really hope you enjoyed reading and got some value out of this review post. If you did, a share would be much appreciated!
If you still have unanswered questions, please drop a comment down below and I’ll be sure to help you out!
Be well, be safe, and I’ll see you next week!
OHCO M.8 images used from OHCO official website .
Great analysis of a wide variety of massage chairs. Thorough and unbiased commentary. Comments and detailed analysis allowed me to become a better informed consumer. I tried several chairs at various brick and mortar stores and finally decided on the OCHO M8 which I purchased from Brandon at Wisewell in Ohio. Thank you Eve.
Thanks so much for the kind words John, it means a lot! Awesome to hear that you purchased the M.8. How has it been so far?
Eve
Eve – I enjoyed reading your comprehensive analysis of the different massage chairs you have experienced. I’ve also tried many different chairs and have actually had 2 in my home getting ready to have the 3rd and hopefully final chair delivered. It seems that most people want to just sit in their chair and just push a button to an automatic program. I do not choose that avenue. If I’m spending $$$$, I want what I want in terms of roller and compression functional capabilities, ie, independent movement where I want it and the options to choose rollers with and WITHOUT compression. I hopefully found such a unit in the OHCO M8. Thanks for your honest assessments.
JAG, glad you enjoy my reviews. It inspires me to keep making more content!
You are absolutely right JAG. It boils down to preference really. Some folks prefer the automation and not having to figure out the nitty gritty detail, while others prefer having lots of flexibility and control. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the M.8, truly a piece of art! Feel free to let us know how your experiences have been.
Eve