The 5 Best Massage Chairs of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
At the end of a long day, getting a massage is the best way to relax sore muscles and relieve tension. With the right massage chair, you can have a personal, mechanized masseuse in the comfort of your home. Still, finding the right massage chair for your needs can be challenging.
“A massage chair is beneficial for loosening tight muscles, increasing blood flow, increasing circulation, reducing pain, and relaxing,” says Dr. Karena Wu, owner and clinical director of ActiveCare Physical Therapy. “[A good] massage chair needs to fit into your space for use, be affordable, have an appropriate number of settings for different ailments, and offer neck, back, and lower leg massage and pressure points.”
There are a variety of options at a wide range of prices, so finding the right massage chair can be daunting. We tested six different massage chairs for comfort, pressure, ease of use, effectiveness, design, and value. We also spoke to Wu for expert tips on what to look for and how often to use a massage chair.
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If you’re willing to make an investment, this massage chair is highly adjustable and gives you an effective full-body massage experience.
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It may not be as intuitive for shorter people to use, and the pressure tends to be high.
With two-stage zero gravity, full-body compression, and Bluetooth speakers built into the headrest, the Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair is loaded with features for total relaxation.
In our tests, we found the chair to be extremely comfortable, with good cushioning and a perfect recline—so much so that we almost had to force ourselves to get up from a reclined position. There is ample lumbar support, and we found the chair targeted every part of the body. It uses airbag cushioning, which creates compression around the shoulder, arm, calf, and foot areas, so that can take a little while to get used to.
The pressure also tends to be strong, especially for the foot massage, so if you prefer soft or gentle kneading, this chair may not be for you. But for those who like harder massages, we found the chair to give a thorough full-body massage. It has five auto massage modes and a roller system that moves from your neck to your butt and back again. With the auto mode, you can just press a button, sit back, and relax.
One of our favorite parts of the chair was the zero-gravity position, which helps make the upper body and neck massage more effective. After sitting in the chair for 20 minutes, our shoulders felt great. The chair has an adjustable headrest and extended footrest to accommodate different heights, though shorter people may have to spend a little time to get the headrest in the most comfortable position. The most intuitive adjustments are for taller people, and the manual doesn’t include recommendations for shorter or larger bodies. The chair includes a remote and a remote holder.
This massage chair is on the bulkier side, so you need to have ample room for it, but given how relaxed we felt afterward, it’s a reliable option with nice features that will give you an excellent massage.
Dimensions: 30.5 x 57.1 x 44.1 inches upright, 30.5 x 78 x 33.9 inches reclined | Material: Synthetic leather | Massage Areas: Full body | Heat: Yes | Recline: Yes
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![An Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair in a blue room]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Joy Kim
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![A person places a remote into a side pocket of an Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Joy Kim
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![Close-up of a person's feet inside an Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Joy Kim
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![Close-up of hands holding a remote for an Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Jhett Thompson
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![A person reclines in an Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Jhett Thompson
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![A person reclines in an Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair]()
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PHOTO: Wade Review / Jhett Thompson
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