Table of Contents
Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair Review
Pros
- A Really Good Chair For Anyone With Space Constraints!
- Talking User Flexibility, There's Not Many Better Than The Revival!
- 8 Auto Modes Keeps Things Fresh & Exciting!
Cons
- Hard To Pick Anything Out, But Maybe Just Maybe It Would Be Nice If It Were A Tad Cheaper!
Not Much Is Known About These Guys….
Welcome back to yet another review post! On the menu today is the Revival from a company called “Sharper Image”. Before doing this review, I’d honestly never heard of them, so I have no clue how they stack against the bigger boys like Osaki/Titan/Inada et al.
Based on what I’ve read from their website, Sharper Image are an American company founded in 1977.
They first started selling jogging watches and then expanded their product line to sell a variety of consumer electronics, outdoor products, personal care, and more recently massage chairs. One thing to be aware of is they seem to have 2 separate sites: one that covers all the other products, and then one that covers their brand of massage chairs.
At this moment in time they only have 2 massage chairs in their lineup: the Relieve and the Revival.
We’ll look at the Relieve in another post, but for now you should know that it’s the more advanced of the 2 chairs, and therefore also more expensive.
So what does $1,999 (current pricing on Prime Massage Chairs) get you anyways?
Some decent features which we will look at but generally not a whole not. In a nutshell you can expect an entry level massage chair with basic functionality. More importantly, is this something you should consider or pass on? All this and more to be discussed later on in the post!
For now let’s look at a few interesting features of the Revival!
5 Interesting Features Of The Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair!
#1 A Total of 8 Auto Modes To Pick From!
The Revival comes loaded with 8 auto modes: full body, just air, extend, ease, revive, neck back, waist, and bed time. Each of these 8 modes/routines can be activated directly from the remote control.
Auto modes are great because they make things simple. With auto modes, there’s no messing around with manual settings trying to figure out intensities among other things. You simply pick a routine, sit back and let the chair do its thing!
For a chair of this price, I think 8 auto modes is definitely not too shabby. However, we’ll see how it fares against other chairs when we do a comparison later!
#2 Nodal Massage w/ An L-Track!
Another key feature of the Revival is its 2D nodal massage system. It’s pretty simple – there are a total of 4 nodes that traverse up/down and side to side to provide a comprehensive massage to the waist, back, and neck.
The L-Track component is essentially a long steel piece that allows the rollers to traverse from the neck all the way right down to the glutes.
The biggest pro with L-Tracks is that they allow for extended massage coverage, which otherwise wouldn’t be possible on a conventional S-Track system. The biggest con with an L-Track is it restricts the chair in terms of reclining motion.
Think of it intuitively: there’s a long steel piece which can not be bent, so you can only recline so far back. This restriction impacts how good of a stretch routine an L-Track chair can give you.
In my mind L-Tracks still offer way more than they take away!
#3 Only Needs A Total of 2” Wall Clearance!
Space saving technology is something we are starting see more and more on all massage chairs, entry level, intermediate and advanced.
It’s a simple innovation that has really solved a big problem: those with small spaces who previously could not buy a massage chair because of space constraints, can now easily place a massage chair with minimal clearance requirements!
How does it work? As you recline the chair backward, the chair will also slide forward on a base. This sliding forward motion is what saves valuable space from backrest to the wall. In the case of the Revival, only 2 inches of clearance is required!
Important Note: This does not address clearances from the sides and front of the chair. When looking at placement and location, you should properly consider the chair’s upright & recline dimensions and plan accordingly.
#4 User Flexibility Is On Point!
Probably one of my favorite things about the Revival is that it’s able to effectively accommodate a wide range of users with differing heights and weights.
It can safely and comfortably accommodate users ranging from 4’8” to 6’2” ft. with a maximum weight of 305 lbs. Both of these are pretty impressive!
If you’re somewhere outside of this range, should you still consider the Revival? To be honest, it depends. If you’re close enough to the range, it shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you’re off by more than a few inches, it’s best to consider other options!
#5 Shiatsu Foot Rollers Provide A Reflexology Massage!
Last but not least, the Revival comes loaded with shiatsu foot rollers. Similar to space saving recline, foot rollers are becoming the norm on every massage chair. I’m not complaining because this is awesome!
When I bought my chair several years ago, I did not have the luxury of being able to select a unit with foot rollers. Because buying a massage chair with foot rollers in those days was pretty expensive!
If there’s one regret I have with my purchase, it’s this! Don’t discount the importance of foot rollers and foot massage. You may not have achy feet or even desire a foot massage, but the importance of one cannot be overstated. If you think the feet don’t need to be massaged, you’re very wrong! Here’s an interesting read which talks about foot massage and why you should massage the feet frequently.
Coming back to foot massage on the Revival, you can expect a combination of both roller as well as airbag massage. The airbags target the top and sides of the feet. The rollers target the bottom of the feet including the heel, soles, and toes.
Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair Specifications
- Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair Specs
- Roller Type: 2D
- Roller Length: 43 Inches
- Total Airbags: 24
- Upright Dimensions: 53"L x 32"W x 45"H
- Recline Dimensions: 58"L x 32"W x 33.5"H
- Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
- Height Range: 4’8” - 6’2” ft.
- Maximum Recommended Weight: 305 lbs
Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair Pros & Cons!
- There’s A Beauty In Simplicity!—Most people jump at all the bells and whistles you see nowadays on massage chairs. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I appreciate simplicity more than anything. That is, when a manufacturer focuses on just the important aspects, there’s a certain beauty/appeal about this! This is true for the Revival where simplicity is its standout feature.
- A Decent Choice For Those Living In Constrained Spaces!—Not just the 2 inches space saving, but also the overall dimensions of the Revival make it a good choice for anyone constrained for space.
- Flexible At Accommodating A Breadth Of Body Types!—Being able to accommodate anyone from 4’8-6’2 and 305 lbs. makes the Revival a good option for anyone looking at a chair to fit most people. If you own a shop and are thinking of purchasing an entry level massage chair to serve your clients, then something like this wouldn’t be a bad idea.
- Nothing I Can Think Of, But….—One thing I’m not too sure of is the price. Once I go through the comparison section I’ll be able to share whether the Revival is worth the $$$ or not. Till then, no cons to report!
What About Operating The Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair?
Another awesome feature of the Revival which I didn’t really touch on above is that it’s incredibly easy to operate. This is mostly due to the fact that the remote control is well laid out with big buttons that are easy to read. Don’t believe me? Have a look for yourself!
As you can see from the image above, all 8 auto modes can be activated directly from the remote control. In addition to this, you can also turn on/off heat therapy, toggle through massage techniques, turn the foot rollers on/off, and a lot more!
What’s also really neat is the foot recline is separate from the chair recline, so essentially you can adjust the chair recline up/down independently from the foot recline.
If you want to know more about the chair’s operation, I strongly recommend you check out the user manual here!
Should You Buy The Sharper Image Revival Massage Chair?
The million dollar question….well not really but probably the part you’ve been most waiting for!
The best way to answer this question is to compare and see how the Revival compares to other similar massage chairs. One chair that’s really grown on me over the months is the Kyota E330 Kofuko. It sounds Japanese, but it’s not. Kyota chairs are manufactured in China (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).
Best of all, they are manufactured by the same folks who make the well renowned Infinity chairs!
Anyways, let’s take a look and see which chair comes out on top!
- Sharper Image Revival
- $$
Price - 43″ L-Track
Roller Track - 8
Auto Modes - 24
Airbags - 4’8 – 6’2 ft & 305 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 2 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
As you can see from the above table, both chairs are pretty similar in terms of features and overall functionality, with a few differences of course!
I think both chairs give a decent massage and for what they cost, both are decent options. That being said, I do lean a little more towards the Kyota E330 because it does have the “stamp of reputation” having being manufactured by the same folks as Infinity.
Leave Your Questions Down Below!
And that ladies/gentlemen brings us to the end of this review post!
I hope you enjoyed learning about the Sharper Image Revival massage chair. If you did, please consider sharing this post on the social platforms. Finally, if you have any unanswered questions, feel free to drop them down below. Ciao and we’ll see you next week!
