Buying Guide: 5 Questions to Ask While Shopping for a Massage Chair

Woman relaxing in her massage chair as the sun gently streams in through the large windows

by Sleep First 4 min read

Shopping for massage chairs is not easy and can be downright daunting at times. There are thousands of models available and they all sound great online and on paper. But the reality is, there are many nuances that are often overlooked when you get past all the fancy extra features like Bluetooth, chromotherapy and body scan technology. 

 

To help you make sense of it all, here are 5 Questions to ask or to look for when shopping for the right massage chair!

 

How much does the massage chair weigh?

This question is important! A good massage chair is designed for quality, not mobility. Many massage chairs look great online and in pictures, and have a ton of bells and whistle features. However, a lighter chair weight usually equates to a smaller chair mostly composed of plastic to replace sturdier steel parts. Though massage chair manufacturers will assign a weight limit rating for each massage chair they produce, a good rule of thumb is to never buy a chair that weighs less than any of the expected users. No one wants to hear the sound of plastic stretching while the air compression therapy is being used. 

 

What type of massage chair “track” is right for me?

The “track” is referring to rollers that go up and down the back. An “S track” will roll from the neck down to the lower back and spine. The “L Track” will roll down the entire spine and go further down massaging the glutes and hamstring. An “S/L Track” is just a fancy alternative name for “L Track” and has no major difference. 

 

Pro Tip: If you need an ultra-low massage that hits the hamstrings you want to find a track length at or above 44 inches. 

 

Does the massage chair offer a “Spot” or “Custom” massage?

If you are someone that needs a specific part of the body massaged more than others for therapy, comfort or rehabilitation, you want to be able to control where the massage chair focuses on. If you just get a chair that only has a few programs, you may have to go through an entire massage cycle for the chair to hit that one sore spot just for a minute or two. Being able to customize where the rollers and air compression focuses on goes a long way in massage therapy.

 

Do you prefer deep massages or light massages?

There are a variety of types of massage chairs: 2D, 3D & 4D. Think of these as depths the rollers push into the body. Though there are more complicated features stepping up from 2 to 3 to 4 D chairs, the basic concept is, the higher the number, the stronger the massage can generate by pressing into the body at a further depth. 

 

Is the number of airbags in the massage chair important?

The simple answer is yessssss! When a chair has more individual airbags, it can replicate the feeling of a massage therapist’s fingers. As an example, some massage chairs only have one airbag in each arm. The chair will just compress the whole bag giving your entire arm the same compression, while some chairs have up to 10 + airbags in each arm allowing the massage chair to compress the arm in various places and focusing on certain therapeutic techniques. This concept is the same for leg and hip massages the chairs are capable of performing. Airbags can completely transform the massage experience.

 

 

When you're in the store (or online) shopping around, lots more questions might come up (that's another reason why it's helpful to talk with an expert!). We know a massage chair is an important investment, so don't be shy in asking anything that comes to mind! Curious about a specific chair? Need help deciding between chairs? Feel free to call, email or click the chat icon in the bottom corner of your screen-- we're here for you!

 

 

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