Oakworks Pro-Luxe Electric Lift Table

[paradoxical.lustre]

I have the Oakworks Pro-Luxe Electric Lift table with the flat top and thought I'd leave a little write-up here.

I LOVE my table. Absolutely love it. Best purchase I've made. If you call Oakworks, they will do their best to find a practitioner in the area who has one, so you can see it in person. They have been a fantastic company to deal with.

I tried to order another less expensive lift table prior to this. This was a major and well-known table company with an extremely low-cost table option. They delayed my order for 10 weeks, even though they had charged my card for the full amount on day one so I could pay 2.5 months of interest. Everytime I called they would say "it will ship on Thursday," then I'd call back on Monday after it was "supposed" to ship so I could get the confirmation number and they'd give me some cockamamie story about how they 'didn't have a part, and had to order it and the legs were being handcarved by monks with seashells living in the darkest Alps of South America using only the light of flickering fireflies..."

I finally cancelled the order. Called Oakworks, and the sales rep called me back the NEXT DAY with the contact of someone on the other side of town with the table I was interested in. She had already called and asked if I could come look at it...

Anyways, this table is super quiet. My clients half the time don't even notice they are going up and down. It's also extremely stable. I have a couple of larger 250 lb + people I work on, and if they sit on the edge it doesn't even shift. The motor doesn't bog down either, it runs just as smooth when loaded as when it's not.

I practice Shiatsu, and don't have any issues climbing up on the table and standing over my client. I won't tell what I weigh, let's just say that I'm very muscular and kind of tall, NOT a featherweight, and with a 200 lb person lying on the table, and me standing over them, there was absolutely no feeling of instability, no cracking or squeaking. I also often will kneel on one edge of the table to do deep diaphragmatic breathing assisted presses, and there is no side shimmy.

I got the aero-cell top upgrade, and it's super plush. I also have an arm rest that doubles as a table extender. I've never used an armrest before, but now I use it in almost every session because it's so easy to attach and remove.

The face cradle took some getting used to, but if you've used oakworks, you know what I'm talking about. It's a double-ratchet system and extends out from the table when placed in the flat position. IMO, Stronglite and Robert Hunter make superior face cradles with their double action and staying tight to the end of the table, but they don't fit this table. My face rest pad is from Boiance and I can't recommend this enough. I ordered my table with no face cradle pad, since I already had the Boiance.

What else... this table comes with TWO foot pedals... STANDARD. One for each side of the table. However, I am right/left impaired, so it took some getting used to regarding which pedal goes up and which down. (Even though there are arrows. LMAO!)

I got the regular terratouch, instead of the upgraded duratouch, it is still good quality and soft. The duratouch will not hold its shape quite as well if I am standing/kneeling on it, I was told by the rep, so I was concerned about making it out of shape considering I stand and kneel on my table during treatments. It probably wouldn't be a problem, but I'm pretty particular, so went with the regular vinyl, which is PVC-free.

I can move it fairly easily to one side due to the wheels at one end. The wheels are necessary for it raising and lowering. Since it wheels, you may not be able to use the same rug under the table, you will either need "wheel grooves" or an especially grippy no-slide rug. Otherwise it will bunch after a few adjustments.

Cons: I can no longer store anything under the table, this necessitated me rearranging things quite a bit. I had several totes under the portable table with pillows, table covers, and other "junk." (This is also a "pro" because my room looks nicer. LOL!)

You MUST remember to lower the table after therapeutic work. I had one lady get "stuck" up there because I was working on such specific small muscle problem I had the table raised up to my bellybutton height, and I am tall.

I have heard from one client that the split top can be uncomfortable at the seam, depending on where it hits when they are lying face down. I can't verify that. I have a single rectangular top, no split.

It is expensive. All told, mine was $2088. That included a new pneumatic stool, the arm rest, the padding upgrade, face cradle but no pad, and premium delivery service. (They brought it right to my treatment room, set it up and hauled away the junk. Well worth the extra $100 if you ask me.)

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat and 6 months sooner. Yes, there is a tax credit. I believe it is only on the table itself, but it is still $730 for me. The rest is a straight expense. You can use a sched 179 to take the expense all in one year, or you can take depreciation of the remainder over 5 years. I don't know which I will do yet.

Hope that helps any who are looking for a lift table.

By the way, I received my table 4 weeks after ordering instead of the stated 3. It was actually sent on time by Oakworks, but the shipping company got bought right in the middle of my shipment, so my table was sitting on their dock for a week. I called Oakworks, and they called the freightline and lit a fire under their butts to get my table delivered. : If it weren't for Oakworks' follow-through, even after the table left their hands, it might still be sitting on a freight dock somewhere. HA!

Stacey

 

[jambajuice22]

Thank you so much for posting a review of this table! I did a search and was so happy to find it. I value your feedback as I have really learned a lot from your posts in particular from lurking over the past few months. I am still in school and will graduate in December but I have plans to start my own business soon after so it's nice to know shipping takes a while. I was also interested in the arm rests and a few of the other things you mentioned so that also helped a bunch!

Now all I have to do it send your great review to my husband and I am sure he'll be convinced that this is a good investment too!

Thanks again! I'm sold!

 

[just my opinion]

Thanks... this will definitely be an investment as soon as I am making a little more money!!!

As for the carpet, have you ever thought of putting one of those office chair pads down to protect the carpet?

And they only sent you the frame for the face cradle??? I didn't see that in the ad...

 

[Eric]

Yes Stacy, thanks for the review. I had forgotten about the tax credit. I could get a table like this for the about same price as a portable one when you take the tax credit into account.

I do like the split top table because I like to sit up pregnant women when I work on them face up. I have a fleece pad on my table right now with a split, so that keeps stuff from getting pinched in the split.

Any idea if there is an arm rest option with this table?? I have it on my current table, and it gets used once in a while. Not having it would mean having a folding chair on hand.

Personally, I since I started using my fleece pad 2 years ago, I dislike getting on a table without one. Just having a sheet over the vinyl cover isnt enough for me.

 

[crayzblonde]

Glad you are happy with your table Stacy.
Making the committment to a fixed electrically height adjustable table is a big thing but very worth it
I have had an Athlegen Access table for about 8 years, bought it when I had NO money and I still get favourable comments from clients on how comfortable it is, how they just want to go to sleep on it etc.
No creaks and absolute stability.
I am sure having the instant height adjustment has saved my back and it maked it possible to incorporate a variety of techiques using different table heights in one session.
Anyone in a clinic situation should be looking at this sort of table, in the long term it is so worth it.

 

[YA Junkie]

If you get the table with the split, can you put it into a jack-knife position?

Robyn

 

[Donta]

Hey guys! I still love LOVE my table.

Face rest without pad... I specifically ordered it that way because I use a Boiance face pad.

Rug... I got a felt backed rug, and it sticks pretty good to the low-pile carpet in the space. It bunches a little and I have to smooth it out every few weeks, but it's not bad at all.

The Oakworks split does not jackknife, it adjusts at the head only. This table definitely has a head and foot, so keep that in mind for positioning. You will not be able to point people in either direction if you get bored. :

Armrest... yes, the armrest doubles as a table extender. I use it for both purposes far more than I thought I would. I bought a pack of those white costco handtowels, which cover perfectly over the armrest.

I highly recommend it for all therapists. This is the best money I've spent, bar none. It saves my back and my hands, makes it easy for less-mobile clients to get on and off the table, I can do MET work with the client in a sitting position without having to deal with a chair, and I use a lot more compression on big guys because I can lower the table waaaaaaay down and use nearly my full weight on them.

Plus, people love it. Everyone remarks how comfortable it is, "more comfortable than my bed! Can I have it???" :

 

[Hayley-May]

"No you can't have it... it's mine!!! Get your own!!!"

OK, that is out, I definitely can't wait till I get my electric table, I am so jealous.

After I started looking at these tables, I often wonder why the center where I work did not invest in these... they bought the stationary 150 lb. Spa Clinician for $2,000!!! I curse when I have to adjust the height on the table... which happened often when I first worked there... in MY room no less (each practitioner has their own room)...

I just wish I had the money, but I will be counting my pennies till I can get it!!!

 

[??Rock Star??]

Might be a good idea to do it in middle December. That way it could still be on 2006's taxes and I will be ready to file them in early January so I would get my credit back sooner.

Christine

 

[gemgem279]

Stacy would you mind shareing which arm rest you bought that doubles as a table extender? There are several options and I want the one you said was easy to take on and off! Thanks!!

 

[arvecar]

It's the "stationary table armrest shelf."
http://www.oakworks.net/accessories/arm_rests.asp

It fits into a mounted bracket. I was worried at first that the bracket would be in the way when doing seated work at the head of the table, but it's actually only about 8-9" wide, and I have never banged my shins on it. The armrest doubles as a table extender, it just fits in the holes at the foot end of the table.

It does not look like the picture on that page, it's a much more solid design. The bracket is steel and it holds the armrest very securely, even if clients push up on it. Because of the way it mounts, I can just lay a handtowel over the arm rest and push it in all the way to hold the towel in place. The Costco 12 pack white hand towels work great for this.