InTENSity 5000 Hybrid TENS- Review of the Analog/Digital Tens Device
All About The InTENSity 5000 Hybrid
In this InTENSity 5000 Hybrid tens review we will talk about how this unit operates, what it comes with, and all other important details about it. The unit is a product of Current Solutions which is now owned by Roscoe Medical.
Other tens unit brands from Roscoe Medical include the InTENSity 12 and the InTENSity 5000. We have covered other units in the InTENSity Line including the InTENSity 10 and InTENSity Twin Stim III which you can also view.
InTENSity 5000 - Hybrid TENS
Both Digital and Analog Unit
Dual Channel TENS Technology
5 Pre-set TENS Modes
10 Intensity Levels
Use with 2 Pads or 4 Pads
InTENSity 5000 Hybrid - Features
Five Modes
The InTENSity 5000 Hybrid tens unit includes five modes of operation – Burst (B), Normal (N), Modulation 1/Pulse with Modulation (M1), Modulation 2/Pulse Rate Modulation (M2), and Strength Duration (SD).
Five modes is a good number, a lot of units I see tend to have five modes—sometimes a couple more or less.
Two Channels
This unit, like many Tens devices, is a dual channel unit. You can use either one channel or, if you prefer, you can utilize them both. You might want to use both channels if there are two areas that you wish to stimulate simultaneously.
Ten Intensity Levels
There are ten intensity levels for this device. Aside from the pulse amplitude/intensity level, the pulse rate (or speed) may be adjusted from from 2 to 150 Hz , and the pulse width may be adjusted from 30 to 260 microseconds . Rosco Medical seems to produce a lot of quality tens units which are extremely customizable.
Many other units on the market are pre-set, meaning that you can't adjust things like speed and pulse width, only the intensity level and mode itself.
Of course, the unit also has a timer which comes in extremely useful for anyone using the unit. Timers keep you from forgetting that the unit is on or over-using the device, thus keeping you safe.
The timer can be set for: 15, 30 and 60 minutes or continuous. This is a pretty good range depending on whether you want a short session, a long session, or a really long one. Many tens unit manuals recommend not exceeding a certain amount of minutes per day, such as 20 minutes.
This ultimately depends on you and it may be wise to ask a medical professional for their opinion if you want to use the unit for an hour or longer.
Made to be Easy to Use
The InTENSity 5000 hybrid tens machine has analog and digital properties which definitely factors into ease of use.
You won't be able to see all of your settings such as the timer and mode with this device, but some people find displays to be confusing and difficult to read. You will, however, be able to see the intensity level with fair clarity and that is more information than most analog devices clearly display.
The unit only has a few different buttons so it appears to be relatively easy and simple to use. You can also rely upon the instructions for added help. Many reviews rave about how easy it is to operate this machine.
If you need help with tens unit application check out the online manual here. Manual doesn't include any details about electrode placement but it provides all other usage and technical details.
The unit is called a hybrid because it is both analog and digital, as you can see in this short video.
Digital vs. Analog
Simply put a digital unit will have a display screen and an analogy unit won't. Whether or not you prefer a screen kind of depends on personal preference, but some people find that digital units are easier to use than analog, and vice versa.
If you have impaired vision you may find an analog unit easier to operate.
Dimensions and Weight
This unit is pretty small with dimensions at 4.6" x 2.6" x 11.2" it only weighs .2 pounds without the battery.
The InTENSity 5000 Hybrid also comes equipped with a carrying case. Obviously this will make it pretty easy to take the unit with you whenever you are on the go, as you can just pack the machine and its accessories and you are ready. Its small and compact size also make it easy to take with you.
9V Battery and AC Adapter
This tens unit device can be charged with either a 9V battery or AC adapter, and it is a great advantage having two different ways to power the unit. A lot of people like to use the AC Adapter as it tends to be cheaper than going through batteries.
According to one user review the battery will last for about 30 15 minute sessions before losing power. This seems to be a fairly good battery life.
Other units from Roscoe Medical, like the TENS 3000, TENS 6000, and TENS 7000 seem to have pretty good battery life.
Included Accessories
This unit comes with electrodes, lead wires, a carrying case, user manual, and 9-volt battery. Basically everything you need to get the unit running and learn how to use it. The carrying case is a huge benefit too and not a lot of other units out there come with one.
You will have to purchase more replacement pads after a period of time.
One-Year Warranty
This seems to be a pretty standard warranty for a lot of tens units. It is also pretty typical for the company this machine comes from, which is Roscoe Medical.
Tens Unit Cost
At the time of this writing the unit is not available on overstock.com. This may change at some point in the future, however, so you may want to check it out anyway. The device can be found at medicalproductsonline.org for $41.99 and it is $29.95 at tenspros.com; this is the best price that I know of. You may also want to check out Amazon.
Social Proof
Reviews claim that this digital/analog tens unit is portable, easy to use, and effective at relieving pain. One of the most positive things that I continue to see regarding the unit is that it is “easy to use,” which I assume must be due to the fact that is is a digital/analog hybrid. On the other hand it seems that sometimes people do not receive the AC adapter and/or battery, but this likely depends on the seller.
Compare Different TENS Units by Roscoe Medical
Below we compare InTENSity 5000 Hybrid TENS with InTENSity Twin Stim III, InTENSity 10 Digital TENS and TENS 3000. InTENSity 5000 - Hybrid TENS |
 InTENSity Twin Stim III |
 InTENSity 10 Digital TENS |
 TENS 3000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modes | 5 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
| Channels | Dual | Dual | Dual | Dual |
| Pads | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Intensity | 10 | - | - | 8 |
| Touch Screen | No | No | No | No |
| EMS | No | Yes | No | No |
| Battery | 1 x 9V & AC Adapter | 1 x 9V & AC Adapter | 1 x 9V | 1 x 9V |
| Size (inches) (H x W x D) | 4.6 x 2.6 x 11.2 | 4.5 x 2.55 x 0.9 | 4.5 x 2.55 x 0.9 | 3.74 x 2.6 x 0.92 |
| Weight (oz) | 3.2 | 4.48 | 4.48 | 4.06 |
| Warranty | 1 Year Warranty | 1 Year Warranty | 1 Year Warranty | 1 Year Warranty |
| Price | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Rating | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.1 |
InTENSity 5000 Hybrid TENS vs Other TENS Unit Brands
Below we compare InTENSity 5000 Hybrid TENS with Zewa Spabuddy Sport, truMedic PL-009 and HealthmateForever YK15.InTENSity 5000 - Hybrid TENS |
 Zewa Spabuddy Sport |
 truMedic PL-009 |
 HealthmateForever YK15 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modes | 5 | 8 | 5 | 15 |
| Channels | Dual | Dual | Dual | Dual |
| Pads | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Intensity | 10 | 30 | 10 | 20 |
| Touch Screen | No | No | No | No |
| EMS | No | No | No | Yes |
| Battery | 1 x 9V & AC Adapter | 3 x AAA | 4 x AAA | 3 x AAA |
| Size (inches) (H x W x D) | 4.6 x 2.6 x 11.2 | 3.8 x 2.5 x 1 | 7.8 x 2 x 0.8 | 7.75x 2.75 x 0.75 |
| Weight (oz) | 3.2 | 4.8 | 6.4 | 5.6 |
| Warranty | 1 Year Warranty | 2 Years Warranty | 90 Day Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Price | $ | $$ | $ | $ |
| Rating | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 6.8 |
InTENSity 5000 Hybrid TENS - Last Thoughts
The Bottom Line
If you want a device that is easy to use this seems to be one of the best tens out there for this purpose. It isn't too very expensive and comes with a carrying case and AC adapter which are some major advantages that many other devices lack. It seems effective and pretty highly recommended. I hope this InTENSity 5000 review was helpful.
Side By Side TENS Units Comparison
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