Sharper Image S-600 Heated Executive Massage Chair (Review)

One of my colleagues recently invested in a new office chair to help with his back issues and other needs he was looking for. I say invested since I feel he spent too much (let’s just say it was over $1K). He loves it, but I felt there has to be something better out there that is more attainable to the “normal” consumer. This is where we ran into the Sharper Image S-600 Executive Chair.

We were looking for a number of qualities, with a focus on comfort and back support more than anything else (everything else is extra credit). Of course, it wasn’t an easy task to find the chair. As my colleague was looking for his via the pricier places, we were looking everywhere else. This meant planting our rear end on dozens of office chairs all over the city. Something that turned into a two-week adventure of random store and showroom visits.

Some were too small, some too big, some too stiff, some too soft (lacking proper support where it is needed), some too flimsy, and some that featured options that didn’t quite land the way they were intended. Then one of us sat in this one, and it changed everything. This was the first time every checkbox seemed to have been checked instantly. We all took turns giving our opinions and agreed that this was a winner. It wasn’t 100% for everyone, but it either was, came close, or was good enough to fit into someone’s favorite list. Since then, we have bought four of these already.

Best of all, it still fell within a reasonable price point. At least, coming from the brand behind it (Sharper Image, which is known for higher price points). It also offers a few bonus features not always found in office chairs, which I will get to in a moment. For now, I am going to focus on comfort.

This chair offers a one-size-fits-most design, like many executive-style chairs. None of us felt out of place sitting in it. It doesn’t have as high a back as some, so it may not support your head when you lean it back (might end somewhere around your neck), but we didn’t find that it bothered us much (few chairs reach that high anyhow).

When you initially sit down, you immediately notice how you sink into the seat cushion. But not in a bad way. It feels great for comfort, while also providing the necessary support. When you sit back into the chair, the back naturally makes contact with you, and the seat isn’t too deep. You don’t find yourself wiggling around trying to get comfortable. It just feels well-formed to you.

Then there is the lumbar support that is behind the material/cushioning of the lower back section. It doesn’t shy away from this at all, providing a decent level of lumbar support that feels great on the back. It isn’t adjustable when it comes to height, which is the only con there, but it does feel great. Best of all, if the chair is unlocked to lean back, the lumbar support releases as you do, allowing your back to naturally relax into the cushioning. Once you tilt the chair back up straight, the lumbar support moves back into place. It is a simple mechanical effect that is achieved by connecting the lumbar support to the bottom of the chair via a flat bar that extends down from the back and underneath. It’s brilliant, and I am surprised more brands don’t pick that idea up, as it is one of the most enjoyable qualities we like about this one.

Then there is the extra credit. The icing on the cake that makes it even better. There are built-in controls that allow you to turn on both a heater and a “massage” function, with intensity settings. It’s Sharper Image, so why not throw these features in?

The massage feature didn’t really impress any of us, but we are snobs when it comes to this. This is because it is your typical vibrating massage instead of any moving parts that knead into your back. So if you are a fan of vibrating massagers, this is a plus. If you aren’t, you’ll likely avoid the use of this. It is limited to the lower/mid back section of the chair (if you look at the image, it is that middle cushion area).

As for the heated function, this is a huge plus. This heats the same lower/mid section of the back of the chair, providing plenty of added comfort to backs that can benefit from this, as well as a little warmth on those colder days.

Of the wired features this chair has to offer, this is what captured us the best. Our Senior Editor has been known to say “Once you go with heasted seats, there is no going back” when it comes to discussing vehicles and comfort. The same thing applies to office chairs, as I am sure that it will be difficult to move from this to any other chair that doesn’t offer heat for the back when needed. I say that since finding the same model of office chair, once this finally breaks down and requires replacing, is usually impossible, as companies have long discontinued and moved on since then.

The chair has the right amount of weight to it, making it feel sturdy while also keeping it planted on the ground whenever you lean back and kick your feet up. It also makes it easier to roll around as the weight helps it slide around without being tip-prone when you move around carpet or layers in the floor.

Some Cons (and some neutral points)

Nothing is perfect. So there will always be things to point out that need improvement. Some can be serious while others are a simple suggestion or personal preference. That’s the issue with something like this, where ten people could sit in a chair and walk away with ten different impressions. So we will keep this simple and reasonable.

For one, the chair doesn’t lean back all the way. Like most office chairs, it allows you to lean back “a little” until it hits a limit. You can lie completely back like some office chairs. However, because of this, it is less prone to tipping. It isn’t a chair you will be trying to fall asleep in. It is there to simply maintain your comfort while you sit and work (or play). If you need something like a chair that leans completely back, you’ll want a different style of chair, which usually includes some gaming chairs. The only downside for those is that they usually don’t offer the same kind of support as something like this one does. The distance of lean is a tough one, as at the end of the day, it is an office chair, not a recliner.

Another thing to point out is that since the chair has electronic features (massage, heat), this requires a power cable to run to the chair. This can be awkward for some, as it kind of limits your movement a little. You don’t want to get wrapped around the wire or run it over. Thankfully, if you only want to use the features at rare moments, you can unplug this from the backside of the chair and store the wire when not in use. For those who keep it attached at all times, we find that chairs like this are easily manageable by adding a small metal hook to the button side of your desk somewhere close to the back of your chair. Run the wire from your power source to the hook, and then to the chair, leaving a belly (dip) in the wire between the chair and the desk. This keeps it off the floor in areas you might potentially run it over and easily within view as you move around.

The lumbar support is worth pointing out again. It is amazing, although it isn’t adjustable. So it may not work for everyone. This is where opinions from our team varied a little (but not badly). A few of us felt the lumbar support was incredibly comfortable, while others said it was “good enough” but not perfect. It would also have been nice to see a slightly higher back to help support the back of your head better when leaning back. A minor point, but it was still brought up by a number of us.

It would also be wise to point out the armrests. They are really comfortable. Most of the chair features bonded leather (aka, pleather), including these armrests. However, they aren’t adjustable. Adjustable armrests add to the configurable comfort of office chairs. This design offers fixed armrests. As much as this is a disadvantage, there is also a small perk to this design. In that, it helps stabilize the back of the chair. So this partially falls into user preference, but most “high-end” chairs typically allow customization here.

Finally, we did find ourselves swapping out the wheels. The wheels are your typical design and quality that you find with most office chairs. Usually, when we run into this, we give them a chance, but ultimately swap them out with rollerblade wheels. We find that this makes it much easier to roll around on hard surfaces and carpet alike. They are also smoother and much quieter than your typical plastic wheels. To be fair, though, we end up doing this with “most” office chairs, as we have found only a few that didn’t need the upgrade.

Our Conclusion

When it comes to comfort, this chair delivers. It may not be perfect for all, but it did for some of us and came close enough for others. The lumbar support that stands firm while sitting but releases as you lean back was a nice touch. The comfort and design of the cushions are spot on.

The heated function of the seat is a great luxury, while the vibrating massager functions will be hit or miss, depending on the user. Again, it is all about comfort and proper lumbar support, added with a little heat to help loosen things up, goes a long way.

It isn’t perfect, but nothing is, and it comes close enough. Ultimately, our biggest concern was it would have been nice to be able to adjust the lumbar support so that it can be dialed perfectly to any back sitting in it. This would have been nice for the price. Beyond that, everything else is a bit trivial.

Last but not least, the chair is currently on sale (at the time of writing this). So that adds a little extra sugar on top.

Specifications:

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