About Sharper Image
When it comes to finding unique gadgets and gizmos, Sharper Image is a name that instantly comes to mind. For over four decades, this iconic American brand has specialized in developing, marketing and selling innovative consumer products.
Founded in 1977, Sharper Image started as a small store in San Francisco that introduced one of the first ionic air purifiers. They soon expanded into a catalog business, offering all sorts of high-tech toys, electronics and gifts not readily available elsewhere. Massage chairs, voice-activated robot toys, motorized surfboards – Sharper Image carried them all.
The company grew rapidly throughout the 90s and early 2000s, becoming a go-to destination for cool tech across their retail stores, catalogs and website. But in 2008, after some business missteps, the original Sharper Image corporation filed for bankruptcy.
Its key assets, including the website and brand name, were acquired by a joint venture including Bluestar Alliance, Hilco Consumer Capital, and Gordon Brothers. Since 2010, a company called Camelot Venture Group has managed the Sharper Image website and catalog under a licensing agreement.
Today, SharperImage.com continues the brand‘s tradition of offering an array of innovative electronics, air purifiers, massagers, toys, drones, home goods and gifts. While they no longer operate physical stores, their website features hundreds of unique items shipped directly to your door.
New products are added frequently to stay on the cutting edge, making Sharper Image an ideal place to shop for those who have everything. Their assortment has been featured in many major gift guides from CNN, Parade, USA Today, and more.
This Sharper Image review will take a closer look at the brand‘s top-selling items, customer reviews, shipping policies, and overall pros and cons to help you decide if their high-tech gifts and gadgets are worth purchasing. Let‘s dive in!
Sharper Image Best Sellers Review
Sharper Image offers a diverse, ever-evolving selection of products across several key categories:
- Massagers and personal care
- Electronics and speakers
- Cool toys and gifts
- Drones and RC vehicles
- Air purifiers and fans
- Home and lifestyle items
While they sell hundreds of items, this Sharper Image review will focus on a few of their most popular and highly-rated products to give you a flavor of what they offer.
Sharper Image Massager Review
Massage guns, foot massagers and massage chairs are some of Sharper Image‘s bestsellers. Designed to provide customizable relaxation at home, these products incorporate cutting-edge features like heat therapy, air compression, deep tissue massage nodes, and more.
One of their top-rated products is the Sharper Image Heated Massage Gun. Lightweight and easy to use on yourself, this cordless handheld device provides powerful targeted relief on demand. It comes with 6 attachments, including a warmed massage head, and has 4 intensity levels with up to 3200 percussions per minute.
Hundreds of reviews rave about this massage gun‘s effectiveness for easing aches, pains and muscle tension. "No more pain!" and "a lifesaver" are commonly echoed. At $130, it‘s one of the more affordable options out there with premium features and performance.
For an at-home foot massage, the top-selling Sharper Image Shiatsu Foot Massager has racked up a 4.6/5 average rating from nearly 150 reviews. This heated device envelopes your feet with air compression, rolling massage nodes, and raised acupressure points.
Users especially love its adjustable heat settings, durable construction, and sleek design that tucks away easily. At $150, it‘s a reasonably priced competitor to other leading foot massagers.
Customers looking for a full back massage should consider the Sharper Image Massage Chair Pad. This plush memory foam cushion fits over your existing chair and massages your neck, back and thighs simultaneously.
Programmed with 14 massage modes, 5 intensity levels and an optional heat function, this chair pad earns glowing reviews for its impressive massage power and features at an affordable price point compared to full massage chairs.
Sharper Image Drone Review
Remote-control aviation enthusiasts of all ages will want to check out Sharper Image‘s selection of advanced drones and quadcopters. From camera drones to robotics learning kits, there are options for every interest and skill level.
Their most popular drone is the Pocket Video Drone with Virtual Reality Headset. As the name implies, this compact flyer features a built-in camera that streams live video back to your smartphone, which mounts inside an included VR headset for a fully immersive flight experience.
With a 4.7/5 star rating, this intuitive drone is a hit with kids and adults alike. Reviewers praise its portability, easy controls, stable hovering and durable construction. Priced at $130, it‘s a great value for a VR-enabled HD camera drone.
Another bestseller is the Sharper Image Drone Battle game set. Designed for indoor play, this kit comes with a drone target and two foam dart blasters for an action-packed multiplayer experience.
Earning a perfect 5-star rating, the Drone Battle set is described as "awesome fun for the whole family" that "kept my kids entertained for hours". At $80, it‘s an exciting gift idea that promotes active play.
For a next-level drone piloting experience, the Sharper Image Fly & Drive Remote Control Car-Drone hybrid is an innovative 2-in-1 design. This all-terrain vehicle transforms from RC truck into a flying quadcopter at the push of a button.
With a built-in camera, trick programming and both manual and self-stabilized control modes, this versatile drone-car has earned rave reviews for its groundbreaking functionality. While not cheap at $200, its high performance justifies the price for serious RC enthusiasts.
Sharper Image Earbuds Review
In the crowded wireless earbuds market, Sharper Image manages to stand out with unique offerings like their OontZ Noise Cancelling Earbuds and Wireless TV Headphones.
One of their most intriguing items is the Sharper Image Language Translator Earbuds. Using Bluetooth and an iOS/Android app, these earbuds provide real-time language translation for 36 languages with up to 93% accuracy.
Ideal for travelers and business people, these translator earbuds also function as high-quality noise-cancelling earphones for music, videos and calls. With 4 microphones and 2 translation modes for 1-2 users, they facilitate easy face-to-face conversations with foreign language speakers.
Reviews describe using the translator earbuds to communicate effortlessly with taxi drivers, shop owners and tour guides all around the world. While expensive at $200, users insist "they are worth every penny" for breaking down language barriers.
For TV listening, Sharper Image offers their own branded wireless TV headphones. Providing high-fidelity sound and a 100 ft wireless range, these over-ear headphones are ideal for private listening without disturbing others.
Setup is a snap thanks to the simple transmitter that plugs into your TV‘s audio output. And with 4 selectable channels, you can connect multiple headphones to the same TV for couple or family viewing.
Priced at just $70, the Sharper Image wireless TV headphones are an "outstanding value" according to reviewers who love the sound clarity, adjustable volume, plush comfort and ease of use. The 4.4 average rating speaks to their quality.
Gifts for Everyone at Sharper Image
In addition to these top sellers, Sharper Image‘s website features hundreds of other fun and functional items perfect for gifting. From toy robots and 3D pens for kids to smartphones lenses and levitating lamps for adults, there are surprises in every category.
For the person who has everything, you can find extra unique items like an outdoor movie projector, virtual keyboard, temperature controlled smart mug, and Wi-Fi photo frame, just to name a few.
With dedicated gift selections for him, for her, and for kids, Sharper Image aims to be your one-stop-shop for finding the perfect present for any age, interest or occasion. And with their regular sitewide sales and discounts, you can often snag great deals.
What Customers Think of Sharper Image
At the time of this Sharper Image review, the brand‘s website hosts thousands of customer reviews with an impressive overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.
The vast majority of items earn between 4-5 star average ratings, indicating a high level of customer satisfaction. Many reviewers rave about Sharper Image‘s unique selection, product quality, and excellent customer service.
Across their various massagers, common praise includes:
- Effective pain and tension relief
- Powerful massage functions
- Sturdy, durable construction
- Ease of use
- Reasonable prices for the features
Their drones also earn applause for:
- Intuitive controls
- Stable flying and hovering
- HD camera quality
- Cool designs and extras
- Awesome fun factor
Among critical reviews, most complaints seem to reference specific product defects or shipping issues rather than brand-wide problems. Sharper Image appears to respond promptly to negative reviews and offers replacements or refunds as needed.
Is Sharper Image Worth It?
After thoroughly exploring Sharper Image‘s products, customer feedback and policies, I believe they deliver a lot of value overall.
With an ever-changing assortment of useful electronics, fun gadgets and unique gift ideas, the Sharper Image website is an exciting place to discover the latest innovations and cool tech.
Especially for tricky recipients, their curated selection provides plenty of crowd-pleasing ideas categorized helpfully by age, gender and interest. You‘ll find something for everyone from kids and teens to parents and grandparents.
While Sharper Image‘s prices lean premium, the majority of items offer high-end features and functionality to match. You get cutting-edge technology, smart capabilities and delightful designs.
Based on thousands of glowing reviews, most customers seem thrilled with their Sharper Image purchases and feel they‘re worth the cost for the quality, performance and giftability. Barring the occasional lemon, Sharper Image products appear to be well-made and long-lasting.
The brand‘s regular sales and promotions add to the value, often taking 20-50% off sitewide. Sharper Image also offers a rewards program, email subscriber perks, and interest-free payment plans to help you save.
When issues do arise, Sharper Image seems to have a responsive customer service team and generous 60-day return policy to ensure satisfaction (a few items are final sale). They clearly stand behind their products.
One drawback is that Sharper Image currently only ships within the USA. Some items also have longer fulfillment times or additional freight surcharges due to vendor shipping restrictions.
But overall, if you‘re looking for delightful tech gifts or personal gadget upgrades, Sharper Image is definitely worth checking out. Just be sure to read the reviews and specs thoroughly so you know exactly what you‘re getting. With their continually updating selection, you never know what cool new gizmo you‘ll discover next!
