Before we go into detail, here’s a quick summary of our research and conclusion on these two best-selling products:
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Our Winner
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Primary Rating:
4.5
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Primary Rating:
4.9
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Cons:
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Cons:
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Our Verdict:
A cutting-edge massage chair specifically designed to deliver a professional masseuse-like massage experience.
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Our Verdict:
A great massage chair packed with the most advanced massage technologies for the ultimate massage experience.
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- Has heated rollers, a hideaway ottoman, and three memory slots for your custom massages.
- Offers more advanced massage techniques.
- Plus, the remote can talk!
- No zero-gravity positions.
- Fewer airbags and fewer massage options.
- Short default massage duration.
- Has a zero-gravity position and about thrice the number of airbags.
- Offers 1000+ possible manual massage combinations.
- Accommodates users up to 6'5" tall.
- Due to the many different functions and settings it offers, some users find it tricky to customize their massage.
Consider this article a kind of “Clash of the Titans.” The MA73 and the Dreamwave are high-dollar, feature-rich chairs that are priced out of the reach of many users. For those who can afford them, though, trying to pick one over the other can be an agonizing decision.
In the sections that follow, we’ll go feature by feature, comparing the Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave at every turn and awarding points for individual features, then summing the totals as we determine the final winner.
In case of a tie, each model will be awarded 1 point unless there is a compelling difference between the two in terms of implementation.
If you’re in the market for a high-end chair, this piece will be particularly interesting to you, so let’s dive right in!
Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave Highlights
Track Design
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
Both chairs use a standard S-Track and quad rollers, so as far as this first feature goes, it’s a tie. The basic, roller-based massage you get from these two chairs is virtually identical, although as you will see, other features modify the experience.
Heated Rollers
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
Here, we see the first point of differentiation between the two models. The MA73’s rollers are heated, while the Dreamwave’s are not. Not only does this have the effect of providing heat along the entire length of the track, but it also means that the MA73 delivers a more penetrating, and ultimately more satisfying roller-based massage. We have to give this one to the Panasonic.
3D Body Scan Technology
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
While there are some minor differences in the way this feature is implemented from one model to the other, the end-result is the same. Since both chairs offer this feature, we’ll call this another tie.
Zero Gravity Seating
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★
This one goes to the Dreamwave. Although it only offers a single Zero-G seating position, that’s one more than the Panasonic, which lacks the feature entirely.
That’s a real loss, because the MA73 would be well served by the inclusion of Zero-G seating, given the fact of its heated rollers.
Hideaway Ottoman
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
This feature speaks to the overall aesthetic of the chair. Models that feature a hideaway ottoman can disguise themselves as ordinary living room furniture, while chairs lacking the feature tend to stick out in whatever room you place them in.
In this case, the MA73 offers the feature, and the Dreamwave does not.
Number of Massage Styles
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
The MA73 features the following techniques:
The Dreamwave offers:
Six styles in all. It’s a tie regarding raw numbers, but we have to give the nod to the MA73, which offers more advanced massage techniques. Not really that surprising given that other Panasonic models provide the same.
Heat Function
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
This is a separate category from the MA73’s heated rollers and specifically refers to heating elements located in various places in the chair. Both models offer a heat function but include it in different areas.
In the case of the Dreamwave, heat is offered in the chair back (lumbar region) and the seat. In the MA73, the heat is provided in the lumbar region and the foot wells, so depending on where you’re most interested in heat therapy, you may prefer one over the other. For our purposes, this is a tie.
Body Stretch Function
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
This is another feature that the two chairs share in common. There are two fundamental differences to draw your attention to, however.
In general, the Dreamwave’s body stretch is superior, because both rely on their respective chairs’ airbags, and the Dreamwave has more of these, allowing it to grip your body more firmly for stretching. Click here for more information about body stretch in other Inada models.
Having said that, the MA73’s body stretch can be enjoyed whole-body or can be broken down by body region, which gives you more customization options in this area. We’re calling it a tie, but depending on how you plan to use the feature, you may have a clear preference.
Calf & Foot Massage
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★★
While both models offer a calf and foot massage, the Dreamwave’s is superior. This is true even though the MA73 provides a heated foot well. In this case, it is the Deamwave’s larger number of airbags that make the difference.
The calf and foot massage you get from the MA73 is quite good, and if you’re specifically looking for a chair offering a heated foot well, you’ll prefer the Panasonic, but for our purposes, we have to award the point to the Dreamwave.
Air Massage
Panasonic EP MA73: ★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★★
This feature represents the most lopsided comparison in our entire Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave competition. It’s just no contest.
While both chairs offer an air massage, and both utilize Second Generation Airbags, the Dreamwave has a staggering 101 strategically located throughout the chair, compared with the MA73’s 36. The Dreamwave wins this category, hands down.
Extendable Ottoman
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★★★
The Dreamwave will accommodate users up to 6’5” in height, while the MA 73 will only accommodate users up to 6’2”. We have to award the point to the Dreamwave, although this feature won’t matter if you’re shorter than the height thresholds mentioned above.
Adjustable Timer
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★★★★
A small but important feature to talk about in our Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave competition is the timer. While both chairs offer time-adjusted massages, the Dreamwave is superior, because its default massage length is 30-minutes, compared to the MA73’s fifteen minutes.
This may not matter to you if you only plan to use whichever chair you select for short-duration massages, but given that thirty-minutes is the industry standard, we’re awarding this point to the Dreamwave.
Memory Function
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
This allows you to save the settings of the custom massages you design. Very few chairs offer this, and the MA73 is one of them, offering three memory slots for custom massages. The Dreamwave does not have a memory function at all. Point to the Panasonic!
Total Number of Massage Options
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★★★★★
This is separate from the massage techniques mentioned above. What we’re referencing here is the number of possible combinations available when customizing your massage experience. The MA73 offers more than a hundred massage combinations.
That sounds good until you realize that the Dreamwave offers more than a thousand. If you’re looking for the chair that allows you the most freedom and flexibility in terms of crafting a unique massage experience, then the chair you want is the Dreamwave.
Ease of Use
Panasonic EP MA73: ★★ | Inada Dreamwave: ★
The MA73 has a secret weapon where this dimension is concerned. The remote is “smart.” It can talk to you, and guide you through using the chair until you’ve mastered it. Once you have mastered it, you can mute the remote’s voice.
The Dreamwave can’t do that, so we have to award this point to the Panasonic.
Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave Conclusion
| PANASONIC EP MA73 VS INADA SOGNO DREAMWAVE |  Panasonic EP MA73 |  Inada Sogno Dreamwave |
| Track Design | ★ | ★ |
| Heated Rollers | ★★ | ★ |
| 3D Body Scan Technology | ★ | ★ |
| Zero Gravity Seating | ★ | ★★ |
| Hideaway Ottoman | ★★ | ★ |
| Massage Styles | ★★★ | ★ |
| Heat Function | ★ | ★ |
| Body Stretch Function | ★ | ★ |
| Calf & Foot Massage | ★ | ★★★ |
| Air Massage | ★ | ★★★ |
| Extendable Ottoman | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Adjustable Timer | ★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Memory Function | ★★ | ★ |
| Massage Options | ★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of Use | ★★ | ★ |
At the end of our Panasonic EP MA73 vs Inada Dreamwave head-to-head comparison, it was a closely fought battle, but the Dreamwave edged out the MA73 by a single point!
Again, if you value one particular feature over another, you may arrive at a different conclusion. However, weighing their features identically, the Dreamwave comes out slightly ahead in this Clash of the Titans.
Panasonic Official Support │ Inada Official Support
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Inada Massage Chair, Official Brand Website
- Panasonic Massage Chair, Official Brand Website.
- The Benefits of Shiatsu Massage, CenterPointMN.
- Heat for Pain, Pain Science.
- Massage Therapy Styles and Health Benefits, WebMD.
- Swedish Massage, Rachel J Lambert.
