Before proceeding to a consideration of either pricey gadget, it would be best to acknowledge what they can and can’t do: 1. If you’re unable to “locate” your consciousness in a secure and positive place (i.e. think relaxing thoughts, reflect upon your good fortunes and the things you have to be grateful for), you’ll do well with either of these little machines. They’ll register a pulse that’s harmoniously synchronized with your breath in a regular, unstressed pattern, and you’ll be doubly gratified to have visibly, quantitatively confirmed what it is you already know and feel. 2. If, on the other hand, you’re under unusual or exceptional physical and/or emotional-mental stress, you’re not going to be able to “force” your pulse and breath stream into a regular pattern that will register reassuringly on either of the devices’ read-outs. In other words, these are potentially useful devices for ordinary people experiencing ordinary stress and likely to be helped to relax with a little bit of extra external motivation and encouragement. But they don’t tell me what I don’t know, and they don’t serve as cause-effect stress reducers. All stress–let me repeat, all stress–is in the last analysis a construction, or creation, of the individual. An external device can’t “cure” stress any more than it can “cause” it.

Now for a few pros and cons of each: The Stress Eraser, though larger, is less conspicuous to use in a public place (especially a dimly lit place). However, the batteries are consumed at a rapid, voracious rate (unless you choose not to use the light), the device can be extremely slow to find a pulse (especially if your hands tend to run cold), and the long-term settings usually wind up being short term. The emWave resembles a mini-slot machine with its bright psychedelic lights. But’s it’s more compact, more stable, and it’s a bit more “fun” to use (but no faster or more effective in producing a desired effect). In fact, the Stress Eraser put me to sleep faster than its rival (by contrast, my wife kept complaining about the lights of the emWave as keeping her awake!). When I’m feeling exceptional stress, I have better success “forcing” a positive reading with Stress Eraser than with emWave. That’s because Stress Eraser produces wave patterns that I can control, to a certain extent, by the manner in which I breathe (or hold my breath). As a result, I’m able to achieve the recommended 30 points and take at least some small measure of satisfaction in my accomplishment. With emWave, on the other hand, if stress is in “high mode,” or close to “panic,” all bets are off. You can huff and puff, hold your breath, think about cuddly warm puppies for dear life, but the gadget continually goes back to a red color, undoing any small accomplishment you might have claimed by raising the row of lights while in a blue or (most desirable) green color.

Both of these gadgets will work, and do so more efficiently and effectively than Herbert Benson’s by-now-famous “relaxation response.” For the reasons stated above, I would be wary of the emWave’s hyperbolic claims (eliminates depression, improves health, provides energy, etc.). Also, neither device will enable the user to avert an all-out panic attack because both require a conscious effort of will, or control, before their benefits can be realized. The emWave comes with a CD which, after a few initially promising moments, proves to be mostly a pitch for Heart Math’s books and associated products. The program is basically: 1. breathe, following the movement of the ball; 2. concentrate on that organ in the center of your chest, the heart; 3. think of a positive feeling (no more specific than that, and consequently a bit reminiscent of “Don’t worry. Be happy”). The Stress Eraser, though eschewing the term “math” anywhere in its literature, is actually the more analytic of the two, providing numerical targets for individual sessions and for the entire day. mWave is colorful, and includes innocuous (but non-objectionable) ambience music to accompany its felicitously focused aerobics; Stress Eraser is black and white, with numbers and no music.

In sum, I’d recommend the emWave over the Stress Eraser for most individuals because of the superior build quality, the production values, and higher motivational component for most users. But the Stress Eraser is also worth a look (it’s going for half the price of a year ago). There’s no color, no flashing and streaming neon-like lights, no support groups and computer soft-ware, but sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to gadgets–themselves the source of more stress than we sometimes care to admit. The Stress Eraser makes it possible, even under adverse conditions, to accumulate 30 points and achieve some small degree of satisfaction; the emWave practically ensures a strike-out during those tense moments–say, after news of a death or bad health prognosis–when you walk up to the plate so frazzled you’d rather not look the pitcher in the eye let alone swing at fast balls.

[Contrary to the emWave's recommendation, the ear lobe clip was not easier to use--in fact, it failed to pick up any pulse whatsoever (but then I rarely wear a cap during Wisconsin's wintry weather, which may be the explanation for bloodless ear lobes). The Stress Eraser, as indicated, can also be non-responsive, especially if your fingers are cold. (Put your hand under hot water in these instances.]

Even though The Emwave is way over priced for what is does, it is the easiest and most convenient to use. You can carry it in your purse or shirt pocket and use it for a few minutes any time. The other devices demand more of your time because they involve headphones, chest straps, and or glasses.

By disgarding the ear clip and putting Emwave on silent, I can use it anywhere several times a day, without removing it from the leather case. Thus, It has brought me the most success in the least amount of time. By using the device on advance mode, I can get real time feedback and excellent results in less than five minutes.

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