Steps to Buying a Massage Chair

When attempting to purchase any product in the 21st century, the options are seemingly endless. Even when shopping at the grocery store, there are just too many choices. How do you begin? Selecting the best quality and value for each purchase you make, whether big or small, is a foremost priority.

A massage chair is more of an investment than anything you can buy at the grocery store. Most of us don’t know much at all about the ins and outs of purchasing one, let alone anything about the massage chairs themselves. Deciphering the individual features, warranties, and included services for your massage chair options will help you choose the right massage chair to best suit your personal needs.

Choose Your Budget

Massage chairs can have a wide range of prices. When researching your massage chair options, you may see a range from $1,000 to $10,000. The price will depend on the features and technology you want.

Consider how often you plan to use your massage chair. There are a ton of health benefits that you can achieve from a regular massage routine. 30 minutes in the morning can loosen up your muscles and increase flexibility. An additional 30-minute massage right before bed can help you relax and increase circulation to help you sleep better.

Buying a massage chair is a financial investment, albeit one that offers numerous health benefits in return.

We recommend that you test various massage chairs before making your decision.

Testing Out Massage Chairs

While on the surface, most massage chairs seem similar. There are a few differentiating factors and critical features though, that will help you choose the massage chair that’s best for you. Additionally, because the chair will be a permanent fixture in your house, the look, color, and style of the massage chair are also important considerations.

Understand the Advanced Technology Features Available in a Massage Chair

L Track or S Track

Massage chairs have a track along the backside of the chair that holds the mechanisms that perform the kneading, tapping, and rolling during the massage. This track typically comes in either an S shape, designed to mimic the contours of your back, or an L shape, which is essentially an S track that also extends under the seat of the massage chair.

An S track massage chair, like the Positive Posture Sol, is standard for providing a neck, back, and shoulder massage. If you want to also get your massage into the glutes and hip area, an L-Track massage chair like the OHCO R.6, extends the track under the seat to massage the hips and glutes.

3D or 4D Technology

Most massage chairs typically offer kneading, tapping, or rolling up and down along the spine, and sometimes the legs. Higher-end massage chairs, like the OHCO M8LE, have the technological capability to mimic the fingers and hands of a professional massage therapist by adapting the depth of the massage. During a 3D massage, such as what the Panasonic MA73 provides, rollers travel up and down along the track and move from side to side. This get at a greater surface area of the body, such as the outer shoulders and lower back.

A 4D massage feels ‘next level’. It not only moves up and down and side to side, but the rollers can also move in or out along the track. 4D massage chairs, like the Brio Sport, will help create a human-like massage sensation. This provides relaxation that you never thought possible with a massage chair. The L track four-dimensional massage will deliver a full-body retreat for all the hard-to-reach places along your neck, back, shoulders, and glutes.

Advanced Body Scanning

Body scanning technology makes your massage chair seem brilliant compared to your smartphone. Advanced body scan programming inside the “brain” of the massage chair will perform a comprehensive scan to gauge the curvature of your spine and the length of your torso. Some massage chairs, like the Panasonic MAJ7‘s Real Pro Ultra Massage System, can even detect pressure points and muscle tension using body sensors to target exactly where you need pressure applied. The OHCO M8 massage chair will even determine your shoulder position and allow you to customize where the rollers are placed, if they aren’t already in the perfect position.

Overall, body scanning technology, like the Positive Posture Brio+, allows the massage chair to get to know your body type quickly and effectively.

Body scanning helps boost the human-like quality of the massage, target pressure points, acclimate to your current condition, and adapt personally to you.

Air Bags

Compressing parts of the body, like arms or legs, boosts circulation, stretches the body, and loosens tension or stress. Compression therapy within a massage chair utilizes airbags to squeeze the arms, legs, calves, and feet. Some massage chairs even have shoulder airbags. The airbags press down on tight muscles to loosen them, forcing stale blood out and allowing new blood to rush in. This brings fresh nutrients and endorphins, ideal for mind and body healing. The airbags also help the massage chair perform stretch sessions to boost circulation, increase flexibility and relieve pain.

This unique feature performs less kneading or rolling. It is perfect for soothing and soft massages that are suitable for sore or injured areas. Compression massage can be gentle, if preferred. Medium or high pressure intensity is an option on many massage chairs, like the Panasonic MAJ7, because they use 37 individual airbags to provide full-body air massages. Many chairs with airbags offer multifaceted massages by performing kneading, tapping, or rolling simultaneously with compression therapy. This even allows you to save time in your routine by massaging your upper and lower body at the same time. Something physically impossible from a typical human massage!

Space Saving and Convenience

Most people prefer to put their massage chairs in either the office or the bedroom. We recommend placing it in a quiet location to provide a tranquil environment to relax and enjoy a massage. Some massage chairs can be a bit bulky and take up a bit of space inside the room where it is placed. Many massage chairs, like the Positive Posture Brio+ and Brio Sport, have a wall-hugging structure.

These massage chairs are designed to fit just about anywhere, needing only about 4” of space between the backrest and the wall after fully reclining.

The ease of getting in and out of your chair is also a factor, especially if you have chronic neck, back, or leg pain or mobility issues. The OHCO M8 and OHCO M.DX massage chairs have opening rear-swing doors. This thoughtful design feature adds eye appeal and the convenience of easy access. Simply press the button on the door to open it up on the side of the chair.

Consider Value and Payment Plans

Massage chairs, especially the fancier models, can give a bit of sticker shock. Consider a massage chair as an investment that pays for itself within months of regular use. If you visit a professional massage therapist once a week for 5 years, that will cost you up to $40,000 in the total cost of travel and added tips. Not to mention wear-and-tear on your vehicle. In comparison, a $5,999 or even a $9,999 massage chair is much more affordable and valuable than you probably imagined. Plus, you don’t have to limit how many massages per week or month you get! The cost breakdown may come as a surprise but shows that a massage chair is a wise investment that becomes more valuable the more you use it. Plus, specialty locations, like Mattress World Northwest, offer no-interest financing with low monthly payments for up to 48 months, making the decision to buy a massage chair even easier!

Scheduling Delivery

Your new massage chair routine will provide relaxation, body harmony, pain and stress reduction, improved sleep, and many more health benefits. The most thrilling part of the shopping experience, other than actually enjoying massages in the store, is having your very own massage chair delivered to your home!

Mattress World Northwest takes pride in its industry experience and excellence in providing the best delivery and customer service for your massage chair purchase. Mattress World Northwest is locally owned and operated. We only offer massage chairs for sale that are supported by massage chair experts, industry-leading warranties, and a price-match promise.

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