Investing in one’s wellness and relaxation is never a waste of money. Different massage techniques have been present in the lives of humankind since the dawn of civilization. Following this, releasing stress, soothing sore muscles, and calming your nerves never seemed more important than in 2021.
Where to start? Are ads to be trusted? How can you know what you need?
It may all look too easy or confusing, but there are five simple rules you should follow for a stress-free purchase of a good massage chair for your needs. Read on to find out what to look for when shopping for the most fitting massage chair.
Consider Your Budget
Determining the amount of money you are willing to spend on these luxury items is the cornerstone of every good purchase. Keep in mind that massage chairs are usually considered an investment. In other words, what you’re searching and paying for is quality, with massage chairs usually falling into one of the following three categories:
- Under $1,500: Value-priced chairs with a basic set of features
- Up to $6,500: Mid-range chairs with updated feature sets
- Over $6,500: High-end/luxury chairs with advanced features and convenience options
Determine Specific Personal Needs
After you decide on the budget, the next step is determining which features are a must-have for you. It helps to write down the initial reasons behind your decision to invest in a massage chair. Is there any chronic pain you are dealing with, a recent injury that is healing, or simply a desire to indulge yourself and relax after a long day at work?
Top-rated massage chairs usually cover all these needs. However, try to sort out your needs to get a clearer picture of the exact features you are looking for.
Look Into the Basic Set of Features
Once you have the first two figured out, the next step is doing your research on the basic features of every massage chair. This means tracks and rollers.
The current industry standard is massage chairs with quad rollers and S-track, so this is most probably what you will encounter a lot. Six and more rollers and hybrid S/L-tracks are features available only in the best massage chairs since they are considered to be cutting-edge options in the industry.
Another thing you should look into is the presence of air pads, i.e., the option of air massage, which is typically available in all massage chairs, regardless of the price range. There is no way of knowing the air pads’ quality until you try them out (which is why online shopping is a bit tricky), but the logic behind this is—the more, the merrier.
Look for Therapeutic Options
When it comes to the best massage chairs, any review will show that therapeutic features are sometimes even more important than other aspects, which is not surprising given that relaxation is the primary purpose of purchasing the chair in the first place.
Therapeutic options are usually present in mid-range and high-end chairs, the most typical being deep-tissue massage, zero gravity, calf and foot massage, and therapeutic heat treatment. Full-body stretch is a rare feature since it is considered the most effective therapeutic treatment as it gives almost instant relief.
Check for Convenience Features
These are basically the features that make your life easier. The highest-rated massage chairs offer a number of these, like space-saving, chromo-therapy, or air ionization. You can usually predict their availability by the price range, as some of them are rare and reserved for the wealthier customers.
Although cheaper massage chairs also come with some of these features, they are usually visibly different in quality or the convenience of usage. For example, most chairs today support the MP3 system, but cheaper ones do so through an SSD card or USB port, while only the high-end chairs offer Bluetooth technology.
