Buying massage chairs online or in retail stores might confuse a lot of shoppers given how wide the range of prices for them is. For example, you could get a massage chair in the furniture section of wholesalers like Costco or Walmart for around $1000, which might seem like a steal compared to other stores that offer massage chairs at well above $10000. But hold on, you’re missing the bigger picture by choosing your massage chair by price alone. That’s not to say that massage chairs on the cheaper end are objectively bad, but it is important that you know what drives up the price of massage chairs, and what you might be missing out on if you cheap it out.
Why are massage chairs so expensive?
Shelling out several thousands of dollars for a massage chair might seem excessive until you realize that you are buying a product that will help keep you from paying heart-stopping medical bills in the future. Massage chairs do more than relax the body – which is already valuable for a lot of people who suffer from stress on a regular basis – it also helps improve blood circulation for people with irregular blood pressure, or prevent spine-related complications that often result from poor posture or overexertion. In order to achieve this, and countless more health benefits, massage chairs need the proper mechanical and operational components. Naturally, these parts cost more money, so the more features fit into a massage chair, the more expensive you can expect it to be. Not to mention the upholstery that could be made out of high-quality leather for some chairs.
What do you miss out on when you cheap out?
As we said, you won’t necessarily have a bad product, maybe you can even strike a good deal on a second-hand massage chair that just needs some parts replaced. What you will be missing out on though are the more advanced features that professional massage chairs have. These features include the following:
- Multi-dimensional Massage Tracks – No, this isn’t some sci-fi jargon. This refers to the method by which the rollers of a massage chair, responsible for the majority of the massage therapy experience, move around the body. Cheap massage chairs will probably only give you linear repeating motion which will feel comfortable at first but is likely to fall short if you are experiencing muscle pains in other regions of the body. A 3D or 4D SL massage track like that found in the Daiwa Supreme Hybrid massage chair can deliver a deeper and more holistic massage. As a bonus, this massage chair also has bendable massage tracks that allow it to effortlessly move along the natural curves of the body.
- Automatic Programs and Body Scans – The former refers to pre-programmed massage therapy sessions that you can choose from if you want a specific relaxation experience. They differ in technique, motion patterns, speed, and intensity that usually involve all parts of the massage chair working in tandem with one another. Among these parts is the body scan most professional massage chairs are equipped with. They automatically measure the dimensions of the person using it so it can adjust other parts of the massage chair accordingly. An example of this feature, when implemented, is with the AmaMedic Hilux massage chair which has an adjustable shoulder massager and auto-extendable footrest that allows it to provide the same level of comfort regardless of the body mass index of the person using it.
- Zero Gravity Recliner – Being able to recline in zero gravity is a must-have feature for any massage chair that you will be using for extended periods. It adjusts the weight distribution along your body so that you can get a feeling of weightlessness – hence, the name. Most high-quality massage chairs offer some form of this feature with varying degrees of effectiveness. What is important to know is that the mechanisms involved in making this possible in such a heavy machine aren’t cheap. That is why you’ll often see a wide margin in price between a massage chair that has it, and one without.
- Warranty – repairability is something you never want to ignore when it comes to expensive machinery. Even the most expensive massage chairs experience a few hiccups a few years along the line of their service, and you can’t disregard the possibility of human error, natural disasters, or electrical malfunction to damage your massage chair. That is why you should always be keen at analyzing the length, coverage, and other terms concerning your massage chair warranty.
Massage chair prices
Unless you are on a tight budget, we highly recommend skipping out on massage chairs below $3000. They are not entirely without use, since you can keep one at your office or living room as a substitute for an armchair but it is clear that the service they provide is trivial compared to the average massage chair. You are safe around the range of $3000 – $10000, with most massage chairs having the features listed above with additional features the higher the price gets. A luxury massage chair, with prices going as high as $15000 is considered the apex of current technology. They are fitted with advanced components and premium upholstery that is sure to make you feel like royalty. A 15-minute session in one of these massage chairs is comparable to an entire day at your local massage parlor. The prices of massage chairs very rarely go above this range, but you can expect that anything of the sort is on a completely different level.
Obviously, you also have to make sure you are buying from an authentic seller, otherwise, you might find yourself with either a faulty product or an overpriced one. For massage chairs near Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and West Palm Beach in the state of Florida, be sure to check out the Modern Back’s live showroom. It is packed with branded, high-quality massage chairs that are completely free to test out before the purchase. It is the ideal way of shopping for massage chairs.
To sum it all up
Decent-quality massage chairs often have intimidating prices attached to them, but it is not without good reason. Their functionality is reliant on many different interconnected parts that cooperatively give you the best massage therapy experience they can possibly provide. If you are equipped with the right knowledge and mindset, you should be well on your way to getting the massage chair of your dreams.
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