Pibbs Portable Foot Bath Massager for Professional Salons & Spas, Plumb-Free Pedicure Bath with Vibration and Heating, Detachable Splash Shield, PIB-FM3830A

Return-Path: [email protected] Subject: Footbath From: Don Pomplun To: Don Pomplun A few weeks ago I thought maybe my occasionally sore dogs needed some TLC. Bought some Epsom salt at Walmart and dissolved some in hot tap water in an old Sterilite storage box. Convinced myself it was beneficial but the water got cold quickly. Had to scoop out a quart of cold and dump in a quart of hot. This got old quickly. OK what's Amazon got? Read the comments on a number of footbaths. Main complaint was that even those that claimed to keep water hot, didn't. The Pibb was moderately endorsed as having real heating capability, so I ordered one. Showed up today in typical Amazon quick style. I was skeptical so I unpacked the bath and set it up on the kitchen counter for testing. I connected it to a watt meter so I could see what & if it could really heat. Here's the results . . . The instructions are pretty useless (no surprise). There is a 4 position switch: off; vibrating massage only; heat with water circulation only; and massage and water circulation heat. The vibrate massage is nice. The floor of the bath is rigid plastic points. These can be a little harsh. They include a pair of foot-shaped rubbery pads with points that are much softer. Heat & water pump circulation always go together (as they have to so that you don't get hot spots). The sheet talks about Heat, Wave & Massage. "Wave" is just water circulation. My wattmeter shows that the heater is about 400 watts, a respectable amount! I started the test with hot tap water (107 deg). The heater easily kept the temperature up. For Geeks who understand it, it uses a proportional controller for the heater. It says you should start with hot water because it won't heat the water. . . YES it will! I dumped the hot water and filled it with cold tap water (72 deg). It took 25 minutes to get up to 110 deg before it shut off. Note that you can't adjust the temperature (I took it all apart expecting some adjustment on the circuit board, but there isn't any). 110 is a pretty warm hot tub temperature! Later when I started soaking in this, I was working up a sweat just sitting there. So here I sit writing this, soaking with heat & vibrate (and 1/4 cup of Epsom salts). When it starts feeling too hot I turn the knob to Massage Only. As it cools down I switch to Massage & Heat. It takes quite a while to cool down, so this isn't a problem. There a few silly "attachments" that are mostly useless. When I got done, I added a couple spoonfuls of Clorox for disinfection and ran it 10 minutes before emptying. The sheet talks about the fill line - there isn't any. Be careful about overfilling so your feet don't make it overflow! The tub is comfortably big for my size 11 feet. It's deep enough to get the level up to your ankle bone. But there isn't much freeboard, so using it on a waterproof floor is a plus. The whole unit seems durably constructed. I unpacked it carefully, fully expecting to return it. I'm pleasantly surprised.

This is an excellent Foot Bath Massager! Previously had a HomeMedics Brand Foot Spa, which was a complete waste of money - owning a HomeMedics brand is akin to owning a very expensive bucket. This Massager costs about $30 more than the HomeMedics, but is well worth the extra money. Pros: -The Heater actually heats the water (unlike the HomeMedics models) - The heater works so well, you'll have to turn it off because the water will get too hot! -Very good Massager Mode - the unit vibrates providing a very soothing experience. -Yes, you can add foot oil (i.e. Magnesium Oil), Epsom Salt, and whatever into the water. Most other brands (in fine print) will state that adding supplements to the water is NOT recommended (which kind of defeats the purpose of owning a Foot Spa - you normally would want to add at a minimum Epsom Salt). Cons: - Pathetic instruction manual. -Bubble mode is pretty pathetic, however, the Massager Mode is what you'll be using the most of any ways. -Wish it came with a handle. Overall, an excellent Foot Bath Massager. Strongly recommended if you are in the market. Stay clear of the HOMEMEDICS Foot Spa, you won't regret it.

This product did everything it said (in the description) that it would do: 1) Keeps water warm, 2) Vibrates/massages, 3) Create Bubbles. The problem is we, consumers - were hoping it did what we have encountered personally, like the Foot Massage that comes with the Pedicure Chairs at the local Spa which have WATER JETS that exfoliates your feet (lol)....but I looked up the price of those and they are in the thousand dollar range. So - again, the PIBBS Foot Massager FM3830A does "EXACTLY" what it says it will do, my wife and my own expectations were not met because we are looking for something this "good deal" does not do or deliver. Overall - if you are reading this, please note that it does EXACTLY what the product description says just not at the STRENGTH or DESIRE we want. But overall - we are KEEPING IT as I had noted above, it does what it says and we are happy with just that - since we are not going pay a thousand plus for the Pedicure Chairs with Foot/Body massage. Hope this helps. As far as the service from Amazon and it's vendors, well - we are VERY VERY happy with the SERVICE - arrived "before" Christmas 2012 which was a challenge considering a huge or several huge Winter Weather systems which cancelled many flights in the Midwest and Northeast affecting shipments for the Holidays. But this really speaks to Amazon and the infrastructure they've built - PRETTY EFFICIENT, actually, the MOST EFFICIENT of any Online Retailer. Thank you so much.

I am impressed with the results I got, when working with this one. I have some issues with edema and especially in my feet, swelling, after working at my desk for a while. I had gotten this one, because of the temperature setting, at it's highest, is 110 degrees. I also used some Teatree oil epsom salt bath, putting the salts in the water and letting them dissolve, before turning on the circulation pump. No clogs and no issues, as I saw posted before, that they clogged theirs up on the first run. Not an issue at all, if you let the salts dissolve in the hot water "before" turning on the circulation pump. The heat of the water and the salts really helped me, a lot. When I have my spells of swelling, my feet literally go round, just like a latex glove that is blown up like a balloon. After using this foot bath unit, with the Epsom salts for the feet, the very next morning, my swelling had gone down by 75%. Two days after having used the unit and salts, I have no more swelling and I haven't adjusted anything in my diet or my time working at my desk. It made a huge difference for me, in reducing the swelling. I am so glad that I bought this unit. It is well made and designed, very easy to work with, has a long cord and is also quiet. I put it to use, just sitting in my living room, watching a movie. I highly recommend getting one of these, even if you just want to relax at the end of a hard day on your feet. It really does help relieve the stress in your feet and the heat does wonders for doing your pedicure, also. Next test case, my husband, who is a hard critic on any and everything. Although, I must say, he was very impressed with the immediate improvement on the swelling going down in my feet, so fast. That says a lot, especially, coming from him. One of the best purchases I have made, so far.

This was a waste of money, for me. It gets too hot, so I have to turn it off after 10 minutes. It would be a lot better to just fill a dish pan with warm water from the tap and soak in that for 15 minutes—if you have big feet, use two dish pans and save yourself $80. The “massage” is just annoying. The “bubbles” are imperceptible. The “accessories” are of no value what-so-ever. Instruction booklet is meager, mainly just a list of what NOT to do.

I am pleased with my purchase. The foot bath I received today is different from the one pictured, but does match the box it came in. I was displeased to see the price today, $68. I paid $79 four days ago. The foot bath weighs five pounds. Adding one gallon of water adds 8 pounds. This brings the water level to below my ankle bone. I wear a size eleven shoe and there is plenty of room in length and width. The foot bath will comfortably accommodate a foot that measures 11 3/8 inches long. So get out your tape measure. I tried using cold tap water first. After one hour on level 3, and no perceptible heating of the water, I gave up and dumped the water out and replaced it with hot water from the bathtub. The foot bath was able to maintain between 104 degrees and 105.5 degrees for the two hours I kept it running. The foot bath feels and looks well-made. It has two small holes in the bottom of each foot section that provide bubbles. The nubs on the bottom are invigorating. Two rubbery gray foot pads are provided which can be used nubs up or down, providing softer nubs or a smooth surface. Three plastic inserts are included, a rounded cone-shape, a tall nub-shape, and a roller with nubs. I like the roller attachment, but the built in nubs are sufficient to provide accupressure. There is also a hood to prevent splashing, although I didn't use it. The more water you use, the more likely you are to need it. This foot bath vibrates. It is not too loud. It is easy to carry, dump, rinse and pat dry. I have posted pictures.

The model pictured on this page is the 2015 model. What I received and what numerous others have recently received is a much older model. Blue squiggly lines in the bottom for bubbles = new. Red dots on the bottom for water circulation =old We are getting an older model that does not have bubbles it has "Wave" which is just water being circulated through the red holes at the bottom. I took the time to read other reviews and I am NOT the only one. The old model I received came from the seller "Britt & Jules" but I don't think they are the only seller passing off old models as new. People are still rating it with 5 stars even though they got the older model. Why? Well the older model is good as well but I believe I would prefer the bubbles and I like to get what I pay for so I'm not happy when I get some older model. After all why do manufactures come out wiith new models? Because manufacturers make improvements. Now do I want the new and improved model or a model that was around 4 or more years ago? The new and improved model of course!!! Especially when I'm paying top dollar for it. The Pibbs brand costs twice as much as any other on Amazon. The picture on the box matches what is inside the box and the model numbers are the same but the model is an older model. They are showing us the picture for the new model. They are describing the new model. We are paying the price of a new model WE SHOULD BE GETTING THE NEW MODEL! Here is a link to their 2015 catalogue in case you want to confirm what I'm saying is true (you will find the foot bath on page 13 (14th page including cover): http://www.pibbs.com/images/Final_SKINCAREANDSPA_2015web.pdf Now to review the older model I received: It heats up great, actually gets too hot to where I need to turn it off and on to regulate the temperature but I wanted hotter rather than cold or luke warm. No I'm not a wuss either. I like hot water, so hot my skin is beet red and you have to ease your feet into it and not move them once they are in... so when I say it gets hot... it gets HOT. I wish it were a little deeper. Easy to pick up and dump out. Has a pour spout. The instructions are crap and will have you staring at the accessories for a while then laughing at what people think they are for. (the cheap black mystery loop is my fave. Differing opinions on what it's for (cord management or holding splash guard on).

I am a teacher on my feet, running around my classroom all day. I've been in the market for a foot bath that heats and massages well. After reading reviews for cheaper products, I decided to pass and spend a little more on the Pibbs fm3830a. Although there were only a handful of reviews, I took a gamble and spent the extra $ 30 bucks. I am glad I did! I just took it out of the box and filled it with warm water. In less than 5 minutes, the water was HOT! ( 112 F, to be exact). It had 3 settings- 1=massage only, 2= heat and waves and 3= heat, waves and massage. After 15 minutes on setting 3, it became too hot and I put it on setting 1 to cool off, but still massage. I love it!! I just got it, so I don't know how it will hold up over time, but it seems durable. I also have size 10 feet and I have plenty of room. It comes with 3 attachments that fit in the middle of the bath to give an individual foot a massage. As for the instructions, the product is made in china. They are typical of Chinese made products-spelling errors and awkward sentences. However, one shouldn't need instructions to figure out what goes where. The rope/ gasket thing another reviewer mentioned seems to be a faux leather drip guard that wraps around the perimeter of the bath, in the event that water splashes on the edge. Probably not necessary. Overall, I highly reccommed this product!