YAMAZEN Casual Kotatsu (75cm Square) Black ESK-751(B)

I bought this on a whim because Bitcoin was high and I suddenly was rich. Probably my favorite thing to have bought in that state of mind.I’m gonna explain everything about this kotatsu in this review.I got free shipping via Amazon, and then the Japanese company that sells this said it would arrive in three weeks or so. Then, it arrived in six days. Looking through the other reviews, this is pretty common so props to this company for going above and beyond.The size is about three feet by three feet, and about one and a half feet tall. Of course, you need about five feet by five feet of space to put it in so that people can sit around it.There are things you need to buy with this.One is a power step up converter, as this kotatsu comes with a Japanese cord on the end of it, and is set up for 220 power. Here in the USA we use 110. (Some people don’t know). I only got a 500 watt converter. Keep in mind that you need both the physical converter and the power converter, so make sure whatever you get has both.You don’t need a specialized kotatsu blanket to go with this. Since I got my kotatsu table so early before the other stuff arrived, I ended up just throwing a few blankets I already had onto it. It worked fine. Maybe not pretty, but all you’d need is a king sized blanket to work with this, and that can look nice if you wanted it to. Anyway, you don’t need to spend 120 dollars or whatever for the kotatsu blanket.The last thing you absolutely need with this is either a carpet or something soft to sit on. You sit directly on the floor, and I have wood floors, so i ended up putting camping mats underneath it. The Japanese are more cultrually used to that than us Americans. Just be aware of this.As for the actual functionality of the kotatsu, everything is in Japanese. The instructions are easy to figure out with just the pictures and I had it all assembled in 15 minutes (they even give you a screwdriver so I didn’t have to look for one).To turn the unit on, there’s an on and off switch on the cord. Its in Japanese, but the side of the switch with the 1 etched into the plastic on it is the on side (something that took me almost a month to find, seriously just found it while trying to write this review).Looking at the other reviews, other people also miss the dial heat control on the inside underneath the table.Lastly, watch out for falling asleep under this thing. Its not dangerous, but there have been about seven times where I sat down with my laptop trying to do homework and I woke up four hours later.Edit: 2 years laterThis has survived two moves into new houses and I am still falling asleep under this thing at times when I am supposed to be doing more important things. I have replaced my camping mats with a cheap segmented mattress and it's bliss. In the summer, I just remove the blanket and it's my working desk in my room. I also plugged it into a smart wifi plug so sometimes when I'm on my way home from work I turn it on remotely about ten minutes before I get home so I can just jump under it when it is cold.

I am originally from Japan and have been missing Kotatsu for years. It hasn’t been easy to find to purchase online until Amazon came along. But even then, when I did find Kotatsu Sets (includes a mat and comforter), they were all overpriced (approx $800 ~ $1200). So I was so happy to find this one selling just the Kotatsu Table for under $300. I think mine was $275 but I’ve seen it on sale for under $250!!!Please note that this Kotatsu is made to be used in Japan which would only be plugged into 100v outlets. So if you’re going to use it in the U.S. which common household power outlet outputs 120v, you will need a transformer voltage converter. Otherwise you could fry your Kotatsu heating element. Also it is recommended to leave at least a 100% margin for power surges/spike when buying a transformer. For heating appliances like Kotatsu, it is recommended to leave a power spike margin of 4 times. Since this product runs on 300 watts, I recommend this 1000 watts converter (approx $80) if you’re planning to leave it on for hours. https://a.co/d/aip8m9lYou will also need this adapter plug (approx $8) https://a.co/d/esDpnU5You don’t need a special Kotatsu comforter, you can use any full/queen comforter. This one is perfect for Kotatsu since it’s a 88” x 88” square. (Approx $22) https://a.co/d/cuecXqlI’m using a full size comforter that I already had that’s not square but using the long side on where I sit and like the extra coverage length. :)If you’re over 50 like me, you’re going to want to invest in buying a floor chair. I like to sit in Kotatsu and knit while I watch Japanese TV, so definitely wanted something comfortable with armrest for long time sitting (Approx $120). https://a.co/d/hgBnq7M BUT you can find something for half of the price or less if you don’t need the armrest. ;)My grand total was still much less than buying the whole Kotatsu set. Hope this info helps someone else to invest in Kotatsu in the near future. :)

I love this table so much. Very easy to put together, and comfortable. I basically moved my work space and laptop here. I don't use my standing workstation anymore. I'm typing this from under here. Help I can't get out!A few points:-You'll need to buy a separate transformer to convert the Japanese electricity to American. If you don't buy this it will fry the outlet or something.-You can just use a regular comforter or blanket, or buy a special Japanese one. The special Japanese kotatsu comforters are thicker and keep the heat better, there's even special ones where the corners are cut so you can get in and out of the kotatsu easier. But honestly it feels just the same as a nice regular comforter. Make sure it is large enough to accommodate.-You'll also need to set it on a mat, not just bare ground or carpet. You'll need a rug, mat, or something so it'll be comfortable to sit on.-You'll also need a floor chair so you can lean back otherwise you'll be leaning forward all the time. I set mine against my couch so I just lean against that. Some Japanese use a beanbag to lean against, and that is dangerous indeed, because you'll turn into a useless human. A floor chair is more dignified and better chances of getting work done.-Cats and pets will love it. Careful getting in, because there might be a sleeping cat inside and if you startle it with surprise feet, you'll end up with scratched feet. Ask how I know.This is too comfortable, time for a nap!