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 Real Hitachi Wand vs. Fake Massagers

There is nothing worse that buying an item online or in a brick & mortar store, believing that it’s an authentic item, only to realize you have been duped into buying a replica.  Often times, sellers themselves don’t know items they sell to consumers are replicas which is why we have decided to provide an extensive guide on identifying the real Hitachi Wand from the fake versions.

Different countries from all over the world have attempted to replicate the Hitachi Wand and quite honestly have come close.  However, reading this guide will give consumers the advantage over unscrupulous sellers who sell fake massagers and stamp the “Hitachi” name on it.  Today, we will provide pictures, descriptions and other identifying factors for a fake Hitachi Wand, the real Hitachi Wand HV250R and the brand new real Magic Wand Original HV260.

Starting with the boxes of these massagers, the top massager box in the picture above is a verified fake box to the Hitachi massager.  Common areas where this box has been seen from is China, Africa and Korea.  Not to say that these countries don’t produce high quality products, this guide is merely to help consumers identify a fake Hitachi Wand box and what to look out for.  The printing quality of the top box will be distorted and the colors just don’t look correct compared to the middle and bottom boxes which are both authentic boxes for two Hitachi models.

The Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R has been the best selling massager for over 30 years and hasn’t changed much in looks/functionality.  As of June 2013, the HV250R was replaced by the HV260 which is almost identical but has slight changes we will discuss below.  Just to clear the record, both the HV250R & HV260 are authentic Hitachi Massagers which will provide quality performance for years to come.

The picture above shows the replica Hitachi massager (TOP), the verified authentic Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R (Middle) and the verified authentic Magic Wand Original HV260 (Bottom).  From your first glance, these massagers all look very similar but the functionality and performance is only true and consistent with 2 out of the 3 massagers, (HV250R & HV260).  Let us take a deeper look at the differences between these 3 massagers below:

The replica/fake massager pictured to the left is definitely poorly made.  The first and easiest give away that a Hitachi massager is fake from the weight of the device.  As you can see , this replica massager only weighs 15 ounces which is a lot lighter (almost half a pound) than the real Hitachi Wand versions we will describe.  So what else is wrong with it you ask?  Well for starters, this massager is not UL certified which is a very important aspect to look for when buying a household electronic appliance.  Buying a massager that is not UL certified, such as this one, can catch on fire.  Yes, we have heard horror stories about this happening quite a bit.  This replica massager comes in a 2-speed version, just like the authentic HV250R & HV260, but the power is just not there.  We purchased this replica massager from a major online price sensitive site (Name cannot be mentioned but you get the picture).  We turned on the massager and compared it side by side with the real Hitachi Wand versions and quickly noticed how poor the quality really is.  Here is also the big kicker, this replica wand actually stopped working for us just 1 week of purchasing it due to an electrical issue with the cord.  It would not start and was useless within 7 days.

The Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R pictured to the left has been the best selling authentic massager for over 30 years.  This real Hitachi Wand is very high quality and extremely well priced compared to other massagers.  Coming in at 1lb 5 ounces, this massager is heavy duty and packs a big punch when it’s turned on.  Many people keep the massager in the low speed function because it’s plenty but if you are the type of person who needs an aggressive massager, the HV250R is perfect for you.  This massager comes with a 1-year FULL manufacturers warranty and protects consumers from defects if any should occur with this wand.

The Magic Wand Original, also made by Hitachi, is the newest massager to the Hitachi brand.  The HV260 actually is replacing the HV250R and has some very minor changes to the massager itself.  Our sources explained that Hitachi wanted a new colored box, a slight change to the massagers weight which makes it lighter but just as strong as the HV250R.  The Magic Wand Original comes in at 1lb 4 ounces (1 ounce less) which cannot be justified or felt when holding both massagers together (HV250R & HV260).  Consumers should rest assure that this Magic Wand Original is almost exactly like the Hitachi HV250R and also comes with a FULL 1-year manufacturers warranty.

Below are 5 updated reasons in knowing your Hitachi Wand is authentic:

1. The Hitachi HV250R & HV260 does not have a removable foam head.  The head can be removed if forced but is not not supposed to be forced off.  Fake Hitachi massagers actually have the foam head come off easily due to a poor fitment design.
2. Only the HV250R & HV260 are heavy (see weight above) which leaves the replica massagers weighing less than 1 pound.
3. The Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R and the Magic Wand Original HV260 has a rocker switch with the off position being in the middle. It will have the low speed in one direction and a high speed in another direction.  Replica massagers usually don’t have this functionality.
4. The Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) for both the Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R and Magic Wand Original HV260 is $54.95 as of June 2013.  What this means is true Hitachi Wand retailers such as HitachiMagic.com cannot sell a real Hitachi Wand for less than $54.95.  If you see the HV250R & HV260 selling for less than this price, BE AWARE because it could be a replica!
5. The Hitachi Magic Wand HV250R and the Magic Wand Original HV260 is currently (as of June 2013) designed in Japan while being assembled in China.  What this means is the device goes through the rigorous tests and structure improvements in Japan.  All the parts are then shipped to China for assembly.

As always, HitachiMagic.com is here to help answer any questions about these massagers so please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.