Side by Side Comparison of: HealthmateForever

I received the product on time. However it seamed as though the guts of the unit had slipped and it was hard to use the buttons and plug in the usb to charge it. I was able to use it but I had to play with the buttons to get it to work. I called the phone number on the thank you note and was connected to a young man named Matt. He was above and beyond helpful! He told me he would send me a new one first thing Monday morning along with a package slip to send the defective one back. I just spoke to Matt and as promised...the new device is on its way. The unit itself is fantastic! It produces a powerful punch! I could not increase the power above 7 and I have used other units that I wanted more at level 10. I highly recommend this product!

I had ordered two TENS units at the same time and they both work great. What I liked about this one is the portability and the rechargeable battery that can be used by plugging in to the computer or the wall. The control unit is extremely easy to use and is so small you can easily fit it in your pocket and go about your day. I also liked the fact that you can control the time. I don't have chronic pain from any injury, just ergonomic issues so I can't say how it would work if you are dealing with chronic paid. I used this one day for approx. 2 hrs a week ago and I haven't had to use it since. I was skeptical when I purchased these but I'm very pleased with the result. I've already recommended it to several people and I know at least one of them has already ordered and received the product. Highly recommend.

This was a gift to me for issues with my neck and shoulder. It took a little experimenting to really understand it but once I figured everything out it's been a godsend. It also helps me a LOT with my "restless legs syndrome", usually just one cycle with the pads on the backs of my legs and the restless tingling/tickle abates so I can drop right off to sleep. Runs for a really long time between charges!

UPDATE: 8/10/2017
I like to give longer term reviews when I can. I've had this unit for about a year and a half now and it's been used a lot for my restless legs, and also for a chronic pain issue with my left shoulder. It has been a real game changer for me.

At one point I started to notice random "shocks" but a sports trainer friend of mine told me that meant the pads needed cleaning or replacement. Cleaning them (water and dish soap) worked a few times, then I replaced them. Still on only my second set of pads.

Still very happy with this product.

So, I'd decided to order a TENS unit after trying out a friends. His was an older unit, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and only had two knobs that just increased the "shock" intensity. Felt a little crude, but it definitely helped my lower back/Sciatica issues. So, I decided to get one for myself.

I decided to sort all the TENS units by customer reviews for most popular AND highest marks. The Healthmate unit came up first, and after reading everyone's comments, I ordered it.

When it finally arrived and I opened the box, the first thought out of my mouth was, "crap, I've been scammed!" This little unit is JUST that: Little! Comparatively speaking, it's just a little larger than the iPod nano, and weighs about the same too!

Needless to say, after using that older unit, I was very sceptical...until I hooked it up and turned in on. WOW. Talk about a BIG punch in a small package. And the electric therapy is much different than older units. It really feels more like a massage than a shock.

The unit has (8) different electro-massage settings, which is great due to the fact that I'd also decided to use it on my neck for tension headaches. It runs the gambit from constant pulsing massages, to small "ticks-like" massages, to rolling massages. And YES, this unit can definitely put out the voltage if you turn it up! It uses a graduated "bar scale" at the bottom of the screen for the strength instead of knobs. The unit comes with a small assortment of pads, most in the size range of about 2x2 1/2". There are a couple that are smaller, about 1x1.

CONS:
There is a couple of things to note.

First, it uses snaps on the TENS pads; apparently, most units use a male/female plug-type setup. I didn't realize this until AFTER I'd ordered additional pads, that I cannot now use. So, a separate set of cables that have different types of connector tips that would make using any type of pads would've been great. In fact, a great DIY project would be to order an additional set of connector cable from Healthmate, then find another set of connector cable that use the old-style connections; cut/splice the old onto the new, and presto! cables that'll used either types of pads!

Second, it really needs a backlight feature. Trying to see that little screen most of the time is difficult at best.

Other than that ladies and gentlemen, I would STRONGLY and HIGHLY suggest the purchase of this TENS unit. It's worth every penny.

This is perhaps the greatest thing I have ever ordered.... period!! I suffer from a degenerative disc issue in my lower back and have been going to PT for the same. I found the most helpful part of PT to be the last 10 minutes when they applied the TENS therapy to my back. Most of my time at PT was spent waiting for the therapist to instruct me to do more of the same exercises that I was already doing at home. So I decided to give this device a try.... and thank God I did! It has been so comforting and effective. Not saying that it has healed my pain... it is a life-long chronic issue. But this is truly a pain reliever like no other. And for someone that does not like taking pain relievers (prescribed or OTC), this is a life-saver. The device itself is very lightweight and easy to use. I was initially worried as to whether or not it would be strong enough for me (like the one used in the PT office).... but no worries there... this little device is just as powerful as the professional ones. Don't wait to order this!!

This is my second Tens unit. I wanted a back up because sometimes my husband is using my other one (different make/model). This has many settings but I typically just use setting 1. I can't really feel any certain difference when using massage mode. The only con was it doesn't have a clip on the back like my other one so that you could attach it to the waist of your pants. You either have to carry it around or stick it in a pocket. But otherwise it is a good product and would recommend it. Tens units, if you've never use one, reallyhelp a lot for muscle spasms and pain.

The unit is small, yet powerful. I can handle up to level 4 / 10 leaving plenty of room to acclimate to stimulation. Easy to read instructions. Pads are sticky and comfortable, no need for additional gel. 10 modes of which I enjoy 4 giving me options to differentiate each use. USB charging battery a plus.

I had to remove a star due to an inaccurate discription / image. I did not receive the "bonus 2 wires and bonus 4 pads" that were present in product description and image. This dampens my otherwise complete satisfaction / enthusiasm regarding this TENS unit.

I will add a star and update header / review if manufacturer sends the "bonus 2 wires and bonus 4 pads" that I should have received with my purchase.

This 'little pocket miracle' has been a very valuable addition to my post surgery healing for knee joint replacement. My orthopedic surgeon, at the recommendation of my physical therapist told me he though I would benefit by having my own TENS unit at home since the treatments I'd received at physical therapy were so beneficial. I ordered this product and took it with me to a physical therapy session and my therapist helped me learn how to use it. She was quite impressed at the power of such a small unit. Not only does it benefit the healing process from the knee replacement surgery which was don just over 2 months ago, I've also learned to use it for a recurring pulled muscle and sciatica in my lower back...My only 'wish would be to have more detailed instructions on the how to use the various settings and placement of electrodes.....my sessions with the physical therapist have concluded, but I now continue my own version of physical therapy and utilize this unit daily.

Overall, it works as it should. A few of the functions are actually quite painful. Generally I use 3 of them. I have not been able to figure out what makes this and EMS as well as a TENS. The battery life seems decent.

I purchased the Icy Hot TENS for $35 last summer. I was on vacation and the plane ride killed my back. After a few days, I bought it out of desperation. It really saved the day for me. I bought it in July and it was garbage by October. I thought it was the batteries so I bought new ones. I bought the correct battery, but it would not work. Then the old one started working for a bit. I decided I needed to replace it and purchased this unit because I thought it would last far longer and would be a better investment.

The Icy Hot was cheaper. It was convenient that there was only one piece to peel off every time you use it. This unit has between 4 and 8 depending on how many you use. The plastic sheet you put the Icy Hot on had more room for error. With this you are trying to accurately place each one and it is time-consuming and annoying. I wish they had given one big sheet for all or at least made them bigger. The icy hot had more variations in how high you could set it. It was easier to move around because it was just one big pad. It was far easier to discretely use the Icy Hot and move it around when I wore it at work. There were no wires hanging and I could easily use it at work or out in the yard.

It is nice to be able to see what I am doing with this unit. With the Icy Hot, I had to feel behind my back to turn it on and increase/decrease the settings - I couldn't see what I was doing. l couldn't even tell it was on until I tried increasing the level.

I feel like this unit is a far better investment because of how short the life of the Icy Hot was and the price of batteries and additional pads. For some reason, this is not nearly as effective though. I am hoping that the issue is placement and that eventually I will figure out how to get the same results with this unit.

Ok first off I ordered two of these.
And they didn't send the second only had sent one. I guess they got confused in shipping. So I called Amazon and they had me call Health mate forever; which I did. They were very nice and sent out a unit to me immediately along with extra pads and a belt...

I ordered one for myself and for my mom. I love this unit!! My loves hers as well.
My sons are always borrowing mine.
So it gets the job done and my back feels better after using it!!

My only issues are one it's not holding a charge like it should & my cord to charge it broke :( And my cord that hooks up to the initial abs backs cracked.
I plan on calling the company and hopefully they fix the issue..
I gave it 4 star because of these issues other wise it would I been a 5 star!! Maybe if they fix the issue I can revise to 5 star!!!
Oh my mom hasn't had an issue with hers yet so maybe I just got a bad batch.

Make sure to pick up some Tens conductive gel. It helps prolong the life of your tens pads. I bought the Parker Labs conductive gel it works great just a little messy is all so use sparingly.

The massage does not seem very strong, love the size, just got it everything else not sure.

this really helps with tight muscles. the only problem is that when you plug in both cords, one of them gets less of a pulse, it's not an even distribution between the two leads....also, it's not quite as strong a pulse as I would like overall, but in general it's a good product, i especially like it being rechargeable.

Product good. Customer service on phone available but not very patient or eager to help. So if you are visually impaired I recommend you have a fully cited friend read the instruction manual for you it'll make life a lot easier

Works good but loses power when you try to use the second port and the 4 way wire on one port does the same but don't know if it's my unit because if you move the plugs around it gets stronger but that shouldn't happen. For the money and size it's not a total burn but the best tens and ems units out there is stimrx.com and copex.com these things are starting to catch on in the body building world what a lot of people don't know is Bruce lee was using these ems units in the seventies it definitely helps with sore muscles has 8 different modes and does help retain muscle if your injured in a certain area until it heals works great on the legs i notice on large body of muscle it tends to get the best muscle stimulation effect i'm looking for because i'm a bodybuilder and some exercises don't get at those slow twitch mucsles this little gizmo will do the trick.

I had to give this unit more of a neutral rating... even though there are a lot of reasons to give it 5 stars for it's performance.

I am new to using a TENS unit. I was exposed to this for the first time at a Chiropractor's office that charged me 50 dollars for 15 minutes and decided to see if they could be purchased for the home. I was really glad that I found them available for purchase on Amazon. When researching these units you will find literally hundreds of different kinds with just as many functions... when, to me, the most valuable functions are intensity (being able to "turn up" the power of the stimulation) and duration of the wave (can you set it to just deliver continuous massage). This unit does both... sort of.

This unit has 8 different modes or "massages" you can choose from. Every single one of them allows you to increase the intensity. And, for me, it is *extremely* powerful. I was shocked at just how effective this little tiny unit is with it's built in battery. I have experimented with every one of the modes and intensities on different areas of my body. I have found a couple that I prefer and mostly use those few. The numerous pads that are included are of super high quality and truly do stick without any painful glues or tapes. (just don't get them dirty or use them after you apply any kind of rub or oil... it ruins them immediately) The wires that connect to the pads are not flimsy or stiff and seem to be of high quality. This is important as you will always get wires snagged on something eventually and you don't want to be in a situation where you need the unit but your wires are broken. This unit has been amazing at helping alleviate minor aches and pains in my back, neck, shoulders and legs. The screen is super bright and easy to read too. The start/pause button is super easy to find and feel in the dark.

So... why 3 stars? Because it's too small. Way too small actually. I am a guy with large hands and finding the buttons in the dark is a nightmare and it is really easy to hit the wrong button and increase intensity possibly causing pain or violent contractions of muscle groups. You have to be very careful. The unit can be very confusing to operate (especially for an older person that might not be tech savvy) The on/off switch is clunky at best (it is a slider that doesn't really "slide" well at all. It is also located right next to the lead wire inputs so if you have both leads hooked up, it's nearly impossible to turn the unit off or on at all if you have large hands. (The on off switch should be located on the side of the unit... simple re-design would fix this problem completely). There is no option to keep the screen on for more than a couple of seconds which, for me, is an inconvenience. The intensity buttons, mode button and time button are hard to find and feel. The unit feels light and cheap to me, though it seems to be relatively well made.

If you are looking for one of these type of devices for home use, this unit should definitely be in the running for your hard earned money. After all, performance is the most important factor for sure (and this thing performs wonderfully). But, for the price of this unit, I have a feeling that if I would have done a little more research I could have found a unit designed more efficiently for sure. With the 100's of these devices out there it is difficult to make a decision you will really feel good about. But, you will most likely be relatively happy with the HealthmateForever brand.

Product is OK. Does not work as I expected it to.

I would have given this little gizmo 4-5 stars but the battery in this SUCKS!!!!!!! I can have it fully charged, use once (for 1 round of massage, maybe 20 minutes) and the battery is gone!

The buttons broke after using it about 3 times. Wasn't that expensive... but really?

one years ago, I lent this portable machine, which my friend received from his orthopedic doctor, was really good to treat my back. So I decided to get my own and ordered on amazon. I expected it is....as my friend's machine because look like same with his. But!!! it isn't even though the shape is exactly same. It is too light as toy or plastic imitation goods. You know, when we go to cellular phone market, we can see some imitation phones on the show case. This machine likes that.
No problems...it is still working well (I used 4 times)... But I am not comfortable with.

The unit is small but not cheap at all! There are 2 connectors for each wire. 4 total but they all do the same thing. You can't vary the levels for them. I need to buy another and am looking for something better. It has 256 reviews, which made me think this was a good unit. It averages out so there are many bad reviews. Perhaps all the higher reviews had the product for a short time. I haven't overused it I think and the time and mode buttons are going. The on/off switch at the top is going/doesn't always work. In a few days, I'll have to take it apart to see if there is something loose inside. It charged rapidly and kept its charge well but now that is shotty as well. I DO NOT RECOMMEND AT THIS PRICE. $33, okay. 86? No. Definitely won't do that again. **IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR: # I want the next one to have the different stimulators do different things. At the site of my inflammation, I'd like to use the inflammation function but I also want to develop the muscle I've been keep weight off of to get stronger. # The smaller nickel size attachments are great. I recommend that in addition to the larger ones. # Charger or battery. Not plug in. It's nice to be able to take my kids to school with it on or have it go up my pant leg and hide in my pocket. (my problem is morton's neuroma/foot)

This thing sucks. The actual unit it not bad but the connections are not good and I always like disconnect and then the cable will wiggle and will give you a bad bad shock I would not buy this

I have bought several Healthmate Forever units to give away to friends. The unit I have has served me well in relieving aches and pains. The quality control is questionable. One of the units had the insulation on the leads plugs too deep. This stopped the plug from getting suffiently deep in the plug hole. We had to shave off the rubber to enable the plug to go in.

Today, I am very embarrassed by the purchase. I brought the unit overseas to a friend. When showing him how to operate the unit, I found the four Buttons T, M, - and + all collapsed when pressed. We can't set the time mode or strength. I finished off giving my 3 year old unit away as it will be months before I head this direction again. I am extremely disappointed especially as I have recommended the product to many. Am also wondering if some of the units I gave away were faulty but people are too polite to tell me.

The 3 year unit I had would have been ranked 5 stars for its effectiveness. Now with a unit that is unusable, my ranking has dropped to 1 star.

I had to edit my review, even though the tens unit has been great, the product description says that they include two 4 in 1 so you can use 8 pads at the same time, what I received was 4 cord of two pass each one and the unit only have two holes to connect. False publicity, defrauding customers. You are selling more expensive than the other sellers, you should change your product description. I did pick this unit because I could use 8 pads at the same time.

This would get a much better review from me if, now and then, it didn't hit me with a random taser-like bolt of voltage. It is stressful wondering when the next random bolt will hit.

The product was delivered in a timely manner, all items were included in the package, however the product, or at least my particular one is junk. When using the unit, any movement of the device or the wires shocks me, not the pulse of the machine, but electrical shocks. I used the unit half a dozen times and now it doesn't work at all.