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128 of 132 found the following review helpful:
 A pain in the neckJan 01, 2009
By Robert Moore
I own a whole closetful of Homedic products and this neck "massager" (yes, those are ironic scare quotes) is the only one I regret buying. It is also the cheapest and sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
All of the other Homedic products I own -- back massager, shoulder massager, and foot massager -- actually massage using rotating balls. The neck "massager" provides its stimulation by vibrating. After using it I do not feel that the neck muscles have been stimulated at all. More than anything, my skull feels rattled. Because the massage, such as it is, is accomplished by vibrating rather than the rotating balls used in their other massagers, you can't really read or watch TV while using it. Reading is impossible since you aren't able to focus on the page and TV is difficult, unless you don't mind that the vibrating leaves you unable to see the picture clearly.
I passionately recommend the Homedics shiatsu shoulder massage pillow. I strongly recommend the Homedics back massagers (though only if you are willing to put it in the correct chair -- the wrong chair and it will bruise your back). And I'm rapidly becoming a fan of their foot massager. But make sure you pass on the neck massager.
75 of 79 found the following review helpful:
 a GODSEND for an extremely bad neckMay 20, 2009
By Lady Quixote
My husband ordered this for my birthday. When I saw the negative reviews, I told him I didn't want it. But he suggested I just try it, then send it back if I didn't like it. I'm SO GLAD I listened to him! I have an EXTREMELY bad neck. Due to severe degenerative disk disease, all but the top 2 disks in my neck are badly herniated to the point that they are mostly GONE. I also have spondelosis (sp?), with bone spurs down both sides of my neck, AND there is a big bony overgrowth at the base of my neck, which my dr. first thought might be a tumor, but tests revealed it was extra bone that my body must have grown to try to "fix" the problem. I am 56, but this neck problem started in my early 20s, when my neck was nearly broken.
My neck is SO BAD, that surgeons determined they could not help, since they can't fuse the whole neck and still have it function. As a result of all this, I literally feel like I have a big Dagger sticking in my neck, most of the time. The only way I can ease this awful pain, short of drugging myself into oblivion, is to lie down with my neck carefully propped just so. Which means I'm in bed or lying on the couch most of the time. Trust me, that is NOT a great way to have to live, and my house is an embarrassing, depressing mess, due to my not being able to bear the pain of being upright for more than a few minutes at a time -- which is an awful thing for a lifelong "Neat Freak" like me!
NOW, for the GOOD news: this massager just came yesterday, and despite my low expectations thanks to all the negative reviews, I love it, and I never want to be without this Gift from Heaven again! I was actually able to do some long overdue cleaning in the kitchen today, while wearing this and running it off of 4 AA batteries (not included, of course, but it also comes with an AC cord so you can plug it in when you're not walking around). I even took our dog for a short walk on her leash, while wearing this!
OK, for all you SERIOUS neck pain sufferers, here's the scoop on all the negative feedback:
1. People complain that the motor is loud in your ears. Yes, it is, when it's set on High Massage. Set it on Low, and it's a pleasant "white noise" hum.
You might expect that someone with a neck as severely painful as mine, would prefer to always use the High setting. I would have expected that -- but it actually feels best for me when it's set on Low. It's like the Resonance is just right at that speed, if you know what I mean. Also, when I do put it on High for a while, I find that the louder noise is not nearly as uncomfortable, as the hideous stabbing PAIN I feel most of the time in my neck, without this on. So the tradeoff, for Really Bad Neck Pain, is definitely worth it, even if all this had was the High speed setting. (Plus, if this thing didn't have a noticeable sound, it wouldn't be powerful enough to massage.)
2. People complain that the heat is so low, it is barely noticeable. This is true, sadly, which makes this my only real complaint. There is only one setting for heat, and it is so mild, it almost seems imaginary. I hope the manufacturer addresses this problem on future models.
However, that said, the RELIEF I get from just the low, mildly humming massage, is so great, that even if this was ALL it did, I would still want it. Also, I notice that the longer I wear it, the more my neck feels warmed up, just from having the thing on, sort of like wearing a snug wool scarf around your neck in the winter, and I think the massage motor eventually warms things up more, too. Truth is, I wouldn't want it to heat up very much, because then it would be too dang hot to wear! (I'm at that hot flash age, so I don't usually want more heat.)
My Suggestion to the Manufacturer for improvement: Add one Higher setting for the heat, but keep the current setting as an option, for Low heat. Also, it would be nice if you could use the heat setting, without also having to turn on the massager.
3. People complain it is too big. I thought so too, at first; my neck is somewhat slender. But the massage benefit was so great in relieving my stabbing pain, that I wasn't going to let that keep me from using it. THEN I READ THE DIRECTIONS (why do we usually do that LAST, if at all?) -- and the directions said that there is a wire frame inside this unit, which is easily bendable, so you can adjust it to fit perfectly and comfortably on your neck.
I tried bending it around my neck, and guess what, it's TRUE! Prior to discovering this, I could not have worn it while walking the dog and cleaning the kitchen, but now, I can wear it all over the place, all the time if I want to, and, like Goldilocks bed it fits me Just Right, not too loose, and not too snug, either!
4. Finally, people complained that it was uncomfortable to wear. Not for me, especially after I adjusted the hidden wire frame so that it fits me like it's Custom Made! This adjustment can be easily changed, too, so when I'm using this while leaning back in a chair, or reclining in bed, I can make it comfortable for the position I'm in.
My Bottom Line: If your neck is in really bad pain, get this TODAY, Read and Follow The Directions, and you will love it, especially on the Low, gently humming massage setting.
I AM WEARING IT RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE THIS, and for the FIRST TIME IN YEARS, I AM PAIN-FREE WHILE SITTING AT THE COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HALLELUJAH!
25 of 28 found the following review helpful:
 UselessJan 14, 2009
By Mary Wenzel
I purchased this item on sale for $10 at a big box store. It's not worth $10. The small heating units at the back don't sit against the neck and can't be turned on without the vibrating function. I was hoping for something warm and comfy like the microwaveable neck warmers (but with lasting warmth)--this isn't it.
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
Zipper Broke, Then Battery Compartment BrokeJan 14, 2009
By Steven T. Fink
I'm not happy with this product. To open the battery compartment requires unzipping the zipper. The zipper broke in the process of opening it when it got stuck. Opening the battery was just as difficult and that compartment door broke when trying to open it. The product itself does not throw out heat as advertised. The product did not come with instructions. I would not buy from this seller.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Not a massagerDec 29, 2009
By Sara Claire
This product does not massage your neck or your back. All it is capable of is causing your head to vibrate at different speeds. You cannot adjust it, so if you want it to stay on (which you won't after you turn it on), you have to either hold onto it or prop yourself up against something.
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