Top 10 Best massage chair Reviews – Buying Guide 2020

You and I would agree that nothing feels as relaxing as a good old massage – whether just for your own relaxation, or to deal with various tension and pressure points in the body. 

Massages are generally considered to be a form of alternative and complementary medicine, often offered along standard treatment for various conditions. Studies have shown that it works as a highly effective method for reducing pain, stress and muscle tension.

Massages are also helpful in dealing with:

Aside from helping provide relief for specific medical conditions, most people simply enjoy massage because of the feelings of comfort, caring and connection that it produces. This therefore means that massage is not just limited to being an alternative means of medical care, you can also make use of it as a feel good factor.

One of the most popular massage devices currently is the massage chair. Developed in the 1960’s as a means to perform chair massages safely without the client falling to one side or the practitioner having to hold them up, the chairs now come electronically enabled with vibrators that can massage a person just by sitting on it and turning it on.

While there are numerous types of massage, the massage chair is designed to offer an experience that can most closely be compared to Shiatsu or Swedish massage. Shiatsu uses pressing, sweeping, rolling, rotating, and patting movements and focuses on releasing tension in specific points of the body.

Swedish massage is typically comprised of long strokes and kneading motions, aiming at encouraging strong and proper circulation.

Massage chairs are generally designed around three main components that are meant to match these two techniques of massage as closely as possible. These are:

1. Massage chair nodes and rollers:

These are designed to emulate fingers and hands. The larger the rollers and nodes, the more general the massage approach. Smaller rollers and nodes tend to give a more specific and targeted experience. These are generally adjustable to fit the user's’ needs

2. Massage Chair motors:

Are the most essential and mechanical aspects of the chair, and are used to power and move the nodes and rollers to the necessary areas. Most chairs come with pre-programmed patterns and programs, but still allow for the user to modify these as the may feel necessary.

3. Computer assisted adjustability:

This is a very essential factor that allows the chair to automatically adjust to the users’ weight, height and width. It also locates specific areas on the anatomy of the back, making the necessary adjustments for the height and width of the user.

Here is Why You Should use a massage chair?

There are so many different types of massage chairs in the market, giving you a wide variety of choice. Each chair comes with its own unique design, style and features, and the choice you make would be greatly determined by what your needs are, as well as how much money you have to spend.

Below is a list of the top 10 best massage chairs to guide you in your search. This list is based on each chairs design, features, convenience and ratings by users.

There are many factors that come into play when you are making the decision as to whether to buy a massage chair or not. And even once you have made the decision to buy, you still need to weigh more options in a bid to help you decide which chair would be best suited for you.

 In order to avoid making the wrong decision and to ensure you select a chair that is most suitable to your needs, I would advise you go through the below tips that we’ve put together for your to help you make the best decision:

Granted you have made the decision to buy your own massage chair, but have you figured out what your exact need is? Do you need it to treat specific ailments? Do you need it to relax after a stressful day? Do you just want one because everyone has one? It is important that you remain objective when trying to make sense of your needs, and to rank your priorities accordingly. This will help you decide whether your should focus on functionality or aesthetics, and ultimately to decide what model would be best suited for you.

This is also a very important factor to consider, because your choice of chair is highly dependent on how much money you have at your disposal to spend on it. Once you have determined what your budget is, it will be much easier for you to narrow down your choice of chairs. In case you are on a really tight budget, there are some great chairs which are equipped with basic features for under $500 that you can purchase (check out our top 5 chairs under $500 here). If you are able to spend more money on the chair, you can also check out our top 10 recommendations for some of the best chairs in the market. Always remember that price doesn’t always equate quality - that is, the most expensive chair is not necessarily the best chair and looking through reviews would help you narrow this down.

Generally, it is advisable to pick a chair from a recognized brand. The reason the brand is recognized is because they have proven their products over time and you are therefore more likely to be guaranteed of a quality chair.

It is important to take time and read through reviews, especially of real customers who have actually used the chairs. These are likely to give you a more objective review of the chair than reviews prepared by the company as those may be highly subjective. A good place to check for reviews is on Amazon, and other independent massage product reviews sites. such as massagehub.org.

Another important factor to consider is whether the manufacturer of the chair offers a warranty for the chair and its parts. In an ideal world the chair would work perfectly for a long time, but you always want to ensure your investment is protected in case some parts of the chair don’t work too well

A good massage can work wonders for your system if you are suffering from tension or back pain, or even if you are just looking to relax after a long day or week. However, not many people are able to visit a massage therapist whenever they’d like to. This makes massage chairs a great substitute as it can provide you with all the benefits of a human touch massage from the comfort of your home or office.

The massage chair has been around for over 30 years, and its designs and functions have greatly changed and improved through the years, providing you with a massage that feels as close to human touch as possible. Many people still believe that a massage chair is a luxury, but I can assure you that the benefits you receive from the chair far outweigh the cost. The chair helps you relieve tension and stress, and provides various health benefits such as treating anxiety, depression and treating headaches.

1.Helps sore muscles.

Most often, the aches and pains you feel in your body are as a result of strained and overworked muscles. A massage chair will help reduce and even eliminate the discomfort. This is especially useful for people who work out regularly and athletes as well who require regular massages to keep themselves flexible. A massage chair is therefore quite convenient for them as they can get these massages from the comfort of their homes. It also helps speed up recovery of injured muscles, as well as improve circulation.

2. Pain Relief

Massage chairs work on painful and stiff joints by increasing their flexibility and thus improving the health of your skeletal system. This is a result of the various techniques that massage chairs combine and use to work on the problem. These techniques include rolling, knocking, and rubbing among others. One of the most effective pain relief that massage chairs offer is for back pain, though most full body chairs will offer relief to various parts of the body.

3. Reduces Stress and Tension

The popularity of massage chairs has greatly increased over the years as a result of their ability to provide relaxation after a long and stressful day. Nothing quite beats the soothing massage that you receive to help relieve stress and tension in your system. In fact, as a result of this, many people are even beginning to see the benefits of having a massage chair at work.

4. Improves blood flow.

People who suffer from impaired blood flow can greatly benefit from massage chairs. As blood carries all the important nutrients It is important for your overall health that your blood circulation system functions properly. The massage chair helps boost the production of red blood cells, and provide correct blood flow by helping the blood vessels dilate. This works to relieve hypertension thus reducing risks of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The massage also helps improve lymphatic circulation, thus helping remove more toxins from your system

5. Improves your posture.

If you find yourself suffering from bad posture, a massage chair can work to fix that. Bad posture can cause you to have breathing difficulties and affect your bloodstream. The massage will work to relax your muscles and therefore improve their flexibility and restore your posture. This can be especially helpful if your job has you constantly sitting at a desk or in front of a computer. The more sessions you have in the chair, the more energized and rejuvenated you will feel.

The principle and idea behind massage chairs is quite simple actually - the chairs have various special devices in built that work together to provide you with a soothing and relaxing sensation when you sit in it. Depending on the brand and cost, some chairs are very simple while others are more complicated and offer more versatility. The various techniques that the chair makes use of include:

Vibrations - The simpler massage chairs use a vibrating surface to give you the massage. The vibrators are generally made of small devices that contain a weighted level or a gear. The devices motor will push and rotate the wheel at high speed, causing vibrations. This is a similar technology to what you would feel with a cellphone vibrator.

Airbags - Airbags will mostly be found in the more high end massage chairs. The chair would make use of multiple airbags that will squeeze your larger muscles, offering you a form of massage. When the massage chair is switched on, the airbags are inflated by a compressor during the massage session.

Rollers - This is another feature that is typically found in the more high end chairs. The rollers work to create a more human-like hand massage. In some chairs the rollers move up and down, while in more complex ones they can move laterally, vertically and even in circular motions

Recliners - Chairs that have the recliner feature can also sometimes offer a zero gravity position to give you a deeper massage. The reclining feature is often motorized and only requires you to press a button on the control system that would automatically change its position. SImpler chairs would however require you to pull a handle and physically push the chair back.

In addition to the massage techniques that these chairs employ, many of them also offer various massage styles. Some of these include:

Kneading - In the kneading technique, the rollers in the chair move in either up and down or circular movements, with specific focus on pressure points. This method is particularly helpful for increasing blood circulation.

Rolling. In this method, the rollers move up and down along the spine massaging the spinal area. This technique is especially useful for those struggling with back aches and pains, and helps to relieve pressure on the spinal discs.

Shiatsu - This Japanese technique is similar to acupuncture as it uses the rollers to simulate fingers stimulating pressure points/acupoints resulting in a soothing deep tissue massage.

Swedish. This technique focuses on muscle relaxation by replicating the feeling of long strokes made by the palm of the hand. This massage style mostly focuses on blood stimulation and muscle relaxation.

Tapping - In this style, the rollers will push in and out of the backrest in rapid movements, in a manner to simulate the “karate chop” technique. This method works to relieve muscle tension and reduce stiffness.

Massage therapy has been practiced for years since ancient times. As times have changed and technology evolved, many advances have been made in the field of massage therapy.

One of the biggest advances made is the massage chair which has grown and has come really close to replicating human touch. This works to the advantage of many who can’t afford to constantly visit a massage therapist, or who may not have the time to do so.

A massage chair is a long term investment, especially for those who visit massage spas regularly as in the long term it will save you money. It also allows you the convenience and comfort of getting your massage from your home or office.

For those who may feel like a massage chair may be out of their price range, you can opt to get a foot massager, massage cushion, or a back/shoulder massager. These products are cheaper and more portable than massage chairs, and are great for those who are looking to soothe specific target areas of their bodies.

Massage therapists and professionals are also not left behind - you can consider getting a portable massage chair or table to help you grow your business by enabling you to move around and go to your clients rather than solely relying on them coming to you.

The health benefits of massages are endless, as we have seen above. And in this time when technology has made massages readily available to us through various products such as the massage chairs, foot massagers, massage cushions etc, there has never been a better time to invest in your health by purchasing a massage product. All the models reviewed in this article have the highest ratings in the market and you will be sure to get value for your money.