HoMedics CBS-1000 Max Shiatsu Massaging Chair

We already have another massaging chair from the same manufacturer, the HoMedics SBM-600H-GB Shiatsu Ultimate Back and Shoulder Massager and although it still gets used occasionally, it has always been more a question of tolerance rather than pleasure. Its bigger brother CBS-1000 is in a different league, however, without a shadow of a doubt a better designed product and absolutely worth the extra. If you're thinking of getting the SBM-600H.....well, don't. Buy this one instead. Sorry to repeat this, but it is worth the additional expense and is unlikely to disappoint, while the much cheaper SBM-600H is a false economy.

Joy. And Pain. Sometimes there's a fine line between the two, and this Shiatsu massaging chair demonstrates that (very) physically. It will pleasure you, but it will push you to the limit. You'll take it though, because you'll think it's doing your body some good. Your kidneys might not forgive you, mind.

Like the SBM-600H, the benefits of this device vary considerably according to the angle of incline, and the one that won't work (for me, anyway) is an upright one. Not good in a dining chair, for example, or should I say the best it can do will be unattainable. Far better, in my opinion, to place it in an armchair and better yet one with a variable recline facility. I tried it with the armchair back well down to near horizontal, and while this presumably places a lot of demands on the device for the more amply proportioned amongst us - I'm around 100kg for example - the CBS-1000 seems totally up to the task and feels strong at all times.

There are two fundamental options: Rolling and Shiatsu. Each one can be refined to whole back, upper back only or lower back only. There are two additional options, those being heat and vibration. The vibration is great but I wish it could be applied to more than just the seat area, because there is little or no sensation of vibration in the back itself, where I would have thought it might be most needed or appreciated.

The Rolling option is quite simple in that the application is purely vertical, an up-down pressure to either side of the spine. Compared to Shiatsu, it's quite mild but still gets you gasping as it rolls over the most delicate sections - for me that means over and near to the kidneys, the softer area below the shoulders and ribs and above the pelvis. Good stuff, especially with heat application.

The Shiatsu option is the real thing though, or at least much closer to providing a real Shiatsu experience compared to its cheaper sibling in the range. In addition to the vertical rolling, you get a rotating massage that creates more of a 360-degree up-down-left-right manipulation which to be honest can be almost violent at times but again it feels as if it's doing some good. You know how, in so many different vocations and walks of life, you're supposed to go through pain to arrive at pleasure? This machine ably demonstrates that philosophy.

There are other adjustments you can make, all via the corded remote control, each designed for you to tailor the massage to your own shape, needs or preferences.

It's an impressively powerful piece of equipment, more robust and substantial than initial impressions might give. It may not literally be the real thing, but the compromises are reasonable given its compact size, portability and in my view very reasonable price. This is the one to have.

I got this for my hubby, a nurse who has a couple of slipped discs, hoping that this would stop him wincing and fidgeting each time that he sits down, and this is his review:

Pros: easy to operate, with a good range of functions, and works equally well on a computer chair and on a sofa, but it felt more comfy and less squished on the latter. The padding is generous and comfortable, the contours fit the body well and the quality of the material outer/cover is luxurious in comparison with the £99 version of this that he has for his car. The power cord is of a generous length, and the product is well put-together, and looks stylish and durable. The seat is effective at relieving discomfort in the mild-to-moderate range.

Downsides: the range of adjustment in the vertical plane could do with being a bit more extensive, as it fails to quite reach the top parts of the neck, but it is adequate for shoulder-downwards areas. The heat levels could be a bit more effective for more sustained relief.

Overall, the product does what it was made for, and is far better than the other version that he owns. At the original 'amazon vine' launch, this apparently cost £299, which he thinks is overpriced, but for the current price of £169-£179, that's barely more than the cost of the much lower-spec version that he owned before this one, and in comparison, this is extremely good value for money.

From my own perspective, as a small woman, I found this hard to get out of the box, as it is very heavy, and the parts were enclosed in slippery plastic, which made manoeuvering difficult. Additionally, even on the lowest setting, I found that the pummelling massaging motion was too strong and was in fact a bit uncomfortable, despite the soothing heat. I tried it once, lasted about 2 minutes and haven't been tempted to use it again.

Aside from being forced to add the Allo Allo reference in the title, my use of the HoMedics Shiatsi Chair has been pretty wonderful.

The unit comes packed in a whole bunch of bags and did take a while to put together at first. A quick read through the minimal instruction booklet allowed me to set up and get ready fairly painlessly though.

I first tried this out on my computer chair. It's one of those chairs with the back support that arches forwards. My issue here is that the massage chair has a straight, firm back which didn't allow for it to fold around this lumbar support. This meant that the chair was forwards a little and provided less space to sit comfortably. Luckily the seat it comes with is also fairly robust and I soon snuggled in to the chair.

You can colour me surprised when I first pressed the button though. Two hot bulbous devices made their way down my back and, despite the initial shock, it was quite thrilling. The vibration and heat really do work to provide a great feeling for the massage.

I tried packaging the whole thing back up again in the bag and I was pleasantly surprised to find it goes in the bag a lot easier than it comes out of the box when first setting up. So there it sat in the corner of the room, waiting to be used again.

When returning to the room later on, I found the seat missing. It had be pinched by the good lady wife and placed on a chair in the lounge. I must admit that it fits the straight backed chairs a lot better (and will even work on a sofa well enough) but I now fear that I won't get very much time to myself with the chair.

So, aside from not fitting certain chairs, it's a top scorer for me and does what it sets out to do perfectly.