I was offered the chance to test out the Bob and Brad Back Massager, and full disclosure, they let me keep it regardless of my findings. Anyway, I jumped at the chance due to my long hours sitting at my desk; I figured this relatively small cushion could (temporarily) replace my lumbar cushion.
What"s in the box:
- Bob and Brad EzBack Plus Back Massager
- Rechargeable Battery (inside massager)
- Remote control
- AC Adapter
- User Manual
- 1-Year Warranty (card)
In short, everything you need to get started.
According to the official website, here are the key features:
- Ergonomic Design for Ultimate Comfort - Developed by famous US physical therapists Bob and Brad, the EZBack Plus Shiatsu back and neck massager with heat features a curved shape ergonomic design that is 4 inches longer than standard massage pillows. This design ensures enhanced support and coverage for your neck and back. Effortlessly target your neck, back, shoulders, legs, calves, hands, or feet, whether you are at home or in the office
- 3D Shiatsu Deep Massage for Pain Relief - Equipped with 4 deep-kneading 3D massage nodes, the BOB AND BRAD back massager mimics the inward and outward movements of a professional Shiatsu massage. Our neck massager with heat effectively relieves muscle tension, soreness, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, promotes relaxation, and reduces stress by melting away knots and tightness. Note: It requires a plug-in power source and is not rechargeable
- Wireless Remote Control & 3 Adjustable Intensity Levels - Our new version of the EZBack Plus shoulder massager for pain relief and deep tissue can be operated using either the remote control or the power buttons, providing great convenience. With the remote control, each massage session can be effortlessly customize your preferences; you can select from low, medium, or high intensity settings and switch between 3 massage modes to meet your needs. This massager helps you unwind after a long day
- Soothing Heat Therapy - Our neck massager comes with a heat option that provides gentle warmth to soothe aching muscles, enhance blood circulation and aid in recovery from exercise or injuries. As a safety measure against overuse and overheating, the lower back massager automatically powers off after 15 minutes of continuous use. Thanks to the adjustable strap, the heated back massager can be affixed to your chair for optimal convenience and comfort. The BOB AND BRAD back massager is a thoughtful choice for Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
- Premium Comfort, Defined by Material - This back massager"s inner core features premium memory foam, providing optimal firmness and support to relieve pressure on the back and neck. The covering fabric is made from highly elastic, skin-friendly knit material, ensuring lasting comfort and durability during daily use
Design
With all that out of the way, here are my own findings.
Bob and Brad say that the inner core is made up from Memory foam, which has one major advantage over polymer foam, retaining heat. I found it to be quite elastic/bouncy.
First of all, unfortunately, the cushion is a little too thick to replace a typical lumbar pillow on an office/gaming chair. My Herman Miller Aeron Remastered has quite a deep sitting (at 18.9"/48cm), so although I was able to use it in the chair while writing this review, there"s no way it could permanently replace a lumbar pillow. Maybe now is a good opportunity to suggest this as a possible opening in the market, gaming chair, massaging lumbar pillows? Sign me up! However, this pillow was also purposely designed to conform to the neck and back, which explains the depth and thickness.
One rather important thing to note here is that it does not contain a battery, so you are forced to use it wired in every case; this means you have to be close to a power socket, even though the cable is not what I would call short at 1.8M.
On the top of the left side of the cushion is the button to power it on, on the other side of the pillow (also at the top) is the cord to attach the power adapter. The pillow also comes with a remote control, which I found really handy, but you can also operate all the modes directly from the power button as follows:
- Long Press: Power on/off
- Short press: Change intensity mode (3x)
- Double press: Turn off/on heat (default on)
The cushion also has overheating protection. If you use it more than three times with the heat on, the cushion will stop and can"t be powered on again until it cools down. So if you plan to do your back, neck, legs, or other areas of your body all in one go, keep in mind that this cushion can"t be used repeatedly with the heat function enabled.
Usage
Finally, you may be wondering how this fits into the scope of a tech website? Well, let me tell you something, sometimes I sit for up to 15 hours working on Neowin, and although I do take breaks in between, it does take a toll on my body. I think in the immediate absence of a partner to apply relief, a good massager like the Bob and Brad Back Massager can shed the strains of the day in just a couple of 15-minute bursts.
On the official website, this has an MSRP of $89.99, but luckily for our readers, it is selling quite a bit cheaper for just $59.99 right now on Amazon.
- US - Bob and Brad Back Massager for $59.99 (25% off $79.99 MSRP)
- Use code NEOWIN10 for an extra 10% off - final price $53.99
- UK - Bob and Brad Back Massager for £59.46 (21% off £74.99 RRP)
- Use code NEOWINBB10 for an extra 10% off - final price £54.46
- DE - Bob and Brad Back Massager for €79.98 (20% off €99.99 RRP)
- Use code NEOWINBB10 for an extra 10% off - final price €73.19
Above codes expire on Sep 1, 2026
For me, this gets a thumbs up. It could be improved by having a rechargeable battery on board. It"s a little too large to replace a lumbar pillow, but then I guess that gives me an excuse to have a break and go use it on the couch instead.
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