The Definitive Massage Chair Buying Guide

If you’re looking for a massage chair, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s dive right in:

What you need to know and consider before buying
a massage chair

Here’s a complete checklist of attributes, features, and questions to consider before buying a massage chair:

Massage chair reviews

The massage chairs in this guide at a glance:

Brand	Inada	Inada	Luraco	Human Touch	Kahuna	Osaki
Model	Dreamwave	Flex 3s	i7	NovoXT	LM6000	OS4000
S-Track	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
L-Track	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌
Zero gravity	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
3D rollers	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Body scan	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Massage Prog.	16	6	9	34	6	5
Vibration	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Heating	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Body stretch	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Shiatsu	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Noise reduction	✅	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Mech. foot rollers	✅	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌

Inada Dreamwave

The DreamWave (formerly known as the “Inada Sogno DreamWave”) appears in almost all “Best Massage Chairs” lists and is manufactured by Inada, the crème of the crop of Japanese massage chair brands.

Something I like a lot about them is that, rather than have a long line of models, they center their efforts in just one or two massage chairs.

The i7, the seventh iteration of the “iRobotics” model, has to be one of the most advanced chairs in the market right now.

It’s simply a feat of engineering.

Think of anything—this chair most likely does it (well, maybe not coffee… yet); but Zero Gravity? Check. Mechanical foot rollers? Check. Heating? 3D rollers? Body Scan? Check, check and check.

The only thing amiss, for me, would be an actual head massage and a roller glute massage, for this is an S-Track chair.

2. About the Luraco brand

Luraco Technologies is a company located in Arlington, Texas.

Their chairs are developed and assembled in the USA and comply with the FTC’s Made in the USA Standard.

As per their website, Luraco is the selected massage chair brand used on U.S Military Bases.

3. About the chair

• Dimensions: 38in wide x 60in deep (81in reclined) x 47in high. That’s 38cm x 205cm x 119cm.
• Weight: 335 lbs (152 kg.)
• Upholstery: Synthetic leather and genuine leather at all the touch surfaces.
• Colors: Black, Chocolate, Cream.

4. Will your body fit comfortably?

The chair accommodates people as tall as 6’7” and as heavy as 300lbs.

5. Type of massage by body area

6. Massages available on the Luraco iRobotics 7

• Preset massage programs – 9 total (although one of them is just a positioning for watching TV):
  • Health Massage Mode: This program focuses on health aspects like releasing muscle strain and improving blood flow.
  • Soft Massage Mode: For a gentle massage throughout the body. Good for relieving headaches, muscle strain, and improving sleep.
  • Quick Massage Mode: A quick 10-minute full body massage.
  • Morning Massage Mode: A morning massage that focuses on “energizing body organs” by stretching, mobilizing joints and promoting flexibility with muscle exercises.
  • Night Massage Mode: A night massage. This program focuses on relieving postural stress after a day’s work.
  • Sport Massage Mode: This massage is designed to help prevent or treat injuries. It focuses on areas of the body that are overused from repetitive and aggressive movements.
  • Shiatsu Massage Mode: A shiatsu massage; applies pressure on certain points of the body.
  • Stretch Massage Mode: This program stretches the body and helps to relax muscles and improve posture.
  • TV Mode: This puts the chair in a position for watching TV.

• Manual Massage Mode: This mode allows you to manually select what body parts you want the chair to massage, and which technique (kneading, tapping, rolling, heat) you want to apply to them.
  • The i7 allows you to “design” you very own massage sequence and have the chair memorize it and save it to your user profile.

Human Touch Novo XT

If you’re looking for a massage chair that combines zero-gravity with a unibody L-Track, the Human Touch Novo XT is the chair for you.

In other words- do you suffer from lower back pain? The Human Touch Novo XT might just be the chair you’re looking for.

The Novo XT features also include mechanical foot rollers and 34 (yep, thirty-four) preset massage programs; in addition to 3D rollers and body scan tech, although those two are quite common nowadays.

With all that, I bet it won’t come as a surprise when I tell you that the Novo’s price is on the higher end of the spectrum.

But all these features aside- do you know what sets this chair apart, for me? The design.

Massage chairs are usually not… let’s say, easy on the eyes. The Novo XT, however, is slick and cool and wouldn’t look too out of place in a modern interior.

Not only that, but it also has built-in speakers and Bluetooth connectivity.

How’s that for a chair that will also provide you with a thorough glute massage?

2. About the brand

Human Touch is an American massage chair brand with years of experience in developing wellness solutions. As per their mission statement, Human Touch is innovation-oriented. In fact, they’ve won numerous Design Journal Awards for Design Excellence. The Novo XT, in particular, won the 2017 ADEX Platinum Award.

3. About the chair

• Dimensions: 31in wide x 63in deep (71in reclined) x 43in high (38in reclined).
• Weight: 273lbs (124 kg.)
• Upholstery: Synthetic leather.
• Colors: Black, Brown, Cream, Gray, Red.

4. Will your body fit comfortably?

The chair accommodates people taller than 5’0” and shorter than 6’0”, and as heavy as 285lbs (129 kg).

5. Type of massage by body area

6. Massages available on the Human Touch Novo XT

• Auto massage programs – The chair’s manual explains that the user will be able to choose from 32 Auto Programs. However, only 11 are listed by name. I assume the rest is a combination of them.
  • Awake: This program provides a morning massage.
  • Energize: This program provides a full body stretch.
  • Performance: This massage program will gently rock you while providing a more intense air massage.
  • Recovery: Focuses on relieving tension in the neck and shoulders.
  • Upper back: Focuses the massage on the upper back.
  • Lower back: Focuses the massage on the lower back.
  • Demo: This program demonstrates all of the chairs’ techniques.
  • Shiatsu: A shiatsu massage; applies pressure on certain points of the body.
  • Swedish: A moderate massage using soft to medium intensity.
  • Sports: A massage that starts soft and increases to an aggressive intensity.
  • Thai: A massage that begins aggressively and decreases to a soft intensity.

• Manual Massage Mode – You will be able to choose the massaging technique and where to apply it.
  • Modes include kneading, tapping, percussion, Shiatsu, and Audio Sync (this is a pretty cool feature that synchronizes the massage with the music you’re listening to).
  • The focus of the massage can be on your whole back, on a limited zone or on a single spot.

Inada Flex 3s (HCP-S373A)

The Inada Flex 3s is a solid choice. Let’s see: it’s made by Inada (Japanese manufacturer? Check), which directly guarantees a well-designed chair AND massage.

I feel people often oversee that aspect—a good massage chair is much more than sound engineering. In that respect, Inada works with what they call “choreographers” –that is, massage experts— who design their massage programs. The Flex 3s, in particular, comes with six preset sessions and 11 different techniques like Shiatsu or tapping and kneading.

Buy the Inada Flex 3s if you’re interested in a well-manufactured Japanese massage chair for household use that relieves fatigue and muscle pain and improves blood circulation.

Also important: it’s not as bulky or heavy as other chairs, and you can buy it for a sensible price.

2. About the brand

The Flex 3s is made by Family Inada, a Japanese manufacturer established in 1962 in Osaka.

They have more than 50 years of experience in creating massage chairs and pride themselves in their quality control, product performance and after-sale service.

3. About the chair

• Dimensions: 32.7in wide x 52.4in long (76.8in reclined) x 41.7in high (29.5in reclined).
  • That’s approximately 83cm x 133 cm (195 cm) x 106cm (100 cm).
• Weight: 165lbs.
• Upholstery: Synthetic leather.
• Colors: Black, Brown, and Cream.

4. Will your body fit comfortably?

The chair accommodates people taller than 5’0” (150 cm) and shorter than 6’0” (180 cm), and as heavy as 220lbs (100 kgs).

5. Type of massage by body area

6. Massages available on the Inada DreamWave

• Preset massage programs – 6 total; 4 “Healthcare” programs and 4 “Conditioning” programs.
  • Healthcare programs, designed to recover from muscle fatigue:
    • Full Body Massage: A comprehensive full body massage. Recommended for people who feel fatigue or lack of energy.
    • Full Body Stretch: This program focuses on stretching the body.
    • Massage & Stretch: This program focuses on a light stretching in a full-body massage.
    • Low Body Focus: This program focuses on the lower half of the body.
  • Conditioning programs:
    • Warm up: This program is designed to gently stretch your muscles before exercising. It also works as a morning massage.
    • Cool down: This program is designed to gently stretch your muscles after exercise. Recommended to prevent next-day fatigue.

• Manual selection – You get to combine your favorite massage types, which include kneading, tapping, rolling, human hands, stretching and air.
  • It’s possible to adjust the speed, intensity, and roller positions.

Kahuna LM6800

The Kahuna LM6800 is a “budget” massage chair equipped with two very surprising features: the foot rollers and an L-Track.

You don’t see these two often, much less combined. Not even in chairs that are 3x the price of this one.

On the “downside”? (and I say “downside” because this might not be an issue for you) –It’s Chinese-manufactured.

It does come, though, with a 3-year limited warranty (1-year Full Part and labor warranty) and, if we go by its reviews online, the after-sales support by the US dealer is quite good.

2. About the brand

AJX.LLC in an American distributor of massage chairs and other massage and relaxation products like foot massagers and air purifiers.

There’s not a lot of info online about it, but the Kahuna chairs seem to be manufactured in China.

3. About the chair

• Dimensions: 31in wide x 46in long x 48in high. That’s approximately 79 cm x 117 cm x 122 cm.
• Weight: 200lbs (91 kg).
• Upholstery: Synthetic leather.
• Colors: Brown.

4. Will your body fit comfortably?

I found this chair’s manual lacking, and this is the sort of info it didn’t provide.

That said, going by Chinese-chair standards, I’d say it must not properly accommodate very tall people.

Same for weight—going by online reviews, the LM6800 is for people as heavy as 220lbs.

The shoulder position is adjustable.

5. Type of massage by body area

6. Massages available on the Kahuna LM6800

• Preset massage programs – 6 total:
  • SH-Chiro, Athlete, Refreshing, Anti-stress, Rejuvenate, Yoga.

• Manual selection: You get to combine your favorite massage types, which include kneading, tapping, rolling, stretching and Shiatsu.
  • It’s possible to adjust the speed and the intensity.

Osaki OS-4000

The Chinese-manufactured Osaki 4000 is on the cheaper side of the spectrum… and it shows.

This model does have a lot of buzzy features, like “zero gravity” or “shiatsu” or “body scan,” but they do seem quite limited when compared with other chairs.

Same with its massage programs and techniques.

Add to that the fact that it lacks stuff like 3D rollers or a roller glute massage (it has a 30” S-Track), and you have a chair that, as I was saying, is worth exactly what you pay for it.

No more, no less.

It’s also worth to note that the Osaki OS-4000 is being discontinued.

So, if you’re interested in buying one, you might like to check out newer versions like the Osaki OS-4000T or the Osaki OS-4000CS and 4000LS.

2. About the brand

Osaki is an American distributor of electronic massage chairs and other pain-relief and relaxation products like handheld massagers, foot massagers, and fitness machines.

Most of their massage chairs, like the Osaki OS-4000LS, are manufactured in China; although they also have chairs made in Taiwan (“Osaki TW” line) and Japan (“Osaki Japan”).

3. About the chair

• Dimensions: 32in wide x 46in deep (76in reclined) x 47in high.
• Weight: 214lbs (97 kg.)
• Upholstery: Synthetic leathers.
• Colors: Black, Brown, Cream.

4. Will your body fit comfortably?

The chair accommodates people taller than 5’2” and shorter than 6’4”, and as heavy as 265lbs (120 kg).

5. Type of massage by body area

6. Massages available on the Osaki OS-4000

• Preset massage programs – 5 “Full Body” and 3 “Localised”:
  • Full Body:
    • Healthcare
    • Relax
    • Smart
    • Circulation
    • Demo: For a brief demonstration of the features of the massage chair.
  • Localised:
    • Neck/Shoulder
    • Back/Lumbar
    • Full Air

• Manual Massage – This allows you to manually select which technique to apply to certain parts of the body:
  • For a full or partial back massage techniques include tapping, clapping, kneading rolling, heat, shiatsu and Swedish.
  • An air massage is available for the neck, back, seat, arms, and calves.
  • Vibration is available in the seat.

Osaki OS-4000 vs 4000T vs 4000LS vs 4000CS

If you’ve been doing your research online before arriving at this page, you already know these Osaki models are one of the best bang for the buck massage chairs in the market.

If you’re on a budget, but still looking for good features, these might be the chairs for you.

Take a look at what the 4000 series has to offer:

Osaki 4000	Osaki 4000T	Osaki 4000LS & 4000CS
2D rollers	2D rollers	2D rollers
30” S-Track	30” S-Track	42” L-Track
Needs 18” to go into full recline	Needs 18” to go into full recline	Needs 4″ to fully recline == “Space Saving Technology.”
No foot rollers	Foot rollers	Foot rollers (only the 4000LS)
Synthetic leather	Synthetic leather (upgraded)	Synthetic leather (upgraded)
Air compression	Air compression (upgraded, adjusted PSI)	Air compression
Body Scan tech	Body Scan tech	Body Scan tech
Heat (lower back)	Heat (lower back)	Heat (lower back)
Vibration	Vibration (seats)	Vibration
Zero Gravity	Zero Gravity	Zero Gravity
5 auto programs	5 auto programs	6 auto programs
Stretching	Stretching	Stretching
38 airbags	38 airbags	24 airbags
Three-year limited warranty	Three-year limited warranty	Three-year limited warranty

Where’s the difference?

The straight answer to this is strangely hard to find online, but very simple:

• The Osaki OS-4000T is the upgraded version of the Osaki OS-4000.
• The Osaki OS-4000LS and OS-4000CS are newer models in the Osaki 4000 family. They’re basically the same chair, but with one difference that has to do with the foot massage:
  • The 4000LS has mechanical foot rollers, while the 4000CS does not (it uses the airbags).

1. About the chairs

Osaki 4000	Osaki 4000T	Osaki 4000LS	Osaki 4000CS
Dimension	46″ (76″ reclined) x 32″ x 47″	46″ (76″ reclined) x 32″ x 47″	63.4″ (78″ reclined) x 30.7″ x 47.2″ (33.9″ reclined)
Weight	214 lbs.	214 lbs.	272 lbs.
Upholstery	Synthetic leather	Synthetic leather	Synthetic leather
Colors	Black, Brown, Charcoal, and Cream	Black, Brown, Charcoal, and Cream	Black, Brown, and Ivory

The Osaki 4000T comes with an upgraded upholstery. It’s still synthetic leather, but it looks nicer.

2. Will your body fit comfortably?

Accommodates	Osaki 4000	Osaki 4000T	Osaki 4000LS & 4000CS
Height	5’2″ – 6’4″	5’2″ – 6’4″	5’1″- 6’4″
Weight	265lbs.	265lbs.	285lbs.

But, if you’re big or have broad shoulders, then the Osaki 4000LS and 4000CS are the chairs for you: they come with three levels of shoulder width: 9.85″, 8.66″ and 7.09″.

Most people will fit properly in all four.

3. Type of massage by body area

Model	Back	Arms	Seat	Calves	Feet
Osaki 4000	Rollers, Airbags, Heat (lumbar)	Airbags	Airbags, Vibration	Airbags	Airbags
4000T	Rollers, Airbags, Heat (lumbar)	Airbags	Airbags, Vibration	Airbags	Rollers, Airbags
4000LS & 4000 CS	Rollers, Airbags, Heat (lumbar)	Airbags	Rollers, Airbags, Vibration	Airbags	Airbags, Rollers (4000LS)

If you’ve read Osaki 4000 reviews online, you already know that people complained about the air massage being too hard.

The upgraded Osaki 4000T has tried to correct that by adjusting the air cell’s PSI.

4. Massages available on the Osaki 4000 series

Massages	Osaki 4000	4000T	4000LS & 4000CS
Auto Programs	5 Full-Body Massages: Healthcare, Relax, Smart, Circulation, Demo	5 Full-Body Massages: Muscle relief, Thai, Stretching, Anti-Stress, Demo	5 Full-Body massages: Deep Tissue, Stretch, Energy, Relax, Full Air
Manual	Kneading, tapping, Shiatsu, rolling, combination, Swedish	Kneading, tapping, Shiatsu, rolling, combination, Swedish	Kneading, tapping, Shiatsu, rolling

Frequently asqued questions

1. Why should I buy a massage chair instead of booking an appointment with a massage therapist?

The main reason here is convenience.

Ideally you would want to do both, but, sadly, you can’t actually have a massage therapist at your beck and call.

It would be really great to get a massage every day right after work or just to relax before going to sleep, but that’s simply not realistic.

With a massage chair, it’s possible.

In addition to that, if a good massage chair has a life-expectancy of 10,000 hours, even the really expensive ones that cost ~$8,000 will end up going for something like 80 cents per hour of massage.

Not bad.

Of course, one of the benefits of actual (human) massage therapists is that you can communicate with them: “hey, this specific spot in my left leg hurts, can you pay more attention to it?”

The good news is that massage chairs have buttons for that. However, not all chairs can work their magic in every part of the body, so you need to find one that adapts to your needs. Your lower back hurts? then you should find a zero-gravity massage chair with an L-Track, and so on.

2. Are massage chairs are expensive?

Yes, they are. And, honestly, I wouldn’t buy a massage chair that cost me less than $2,000.

The Family Inada (a massage chair brand) website answers this question in a no-nonsense manner, so I’m just going to quote them here:

“Self-Evident Truth #6: There are no good massage chairs out there for less than $2,500. You can believe this, or you can find out the hard way. Save your money. Find the best massage chair.”

3. Which are the best massage chair brands?

It’s always subjective. However, people do tend to value American and Japanese massage chair brands higher. This is especially true for Inada (Japan) and Luraco (US).

Massage chair features you absolutely need to know

1. S-Track vs. L-Track

This one always feels like the first important decision every potential massage chair-buyer has to make.

However, it’s not really the difficult either-or situation some websites make it out to be.

Nowadays if you buy a massage chair you’re likely already getting an S-Track. That is—a chair that will massage your back.

Think of and L-Track as an add-on: a chair that, in addition to massaging your back, will also massage your buttocks hamstring area.

The names have to do with the shape of the roller tracks within the chair.

The rollers, which resemble small wheels, will be in charge of most of the actual massage (like kneading or tapping), so it’s important that they can properly roll along our backs.

Old massage chairs had straight roller tracks, which were great for massaging the middle of the back, but, since our backs are not 100% straight, they couldn’t properly reach the neck or the lumbar area.

That was solved when the S-Track was introduced. It’s called like that because the roller rails are sinusoidal. That is, shaped like an S.

The L-Track, which has been introduced relatively recently, is an extension of the S-Track.

In an L-Track the rails continue down under the seat so the rollers can also access your butt and hamstring muscles.

2. 3D (and 4D) roller technology

Since we’re on the topic of rollers, let’s talk about the ones of the 3D variety.

Yet another term you might encounter on your quest for the perfect massage chair, but fear not, because “3D” basically means that the rollers can move back and forth to increase or decrease the intensity of the massage.

As opposed to the “2D” traditional massage, in which the rollers could only move vertically (up and down) or horizontally (left and right) along the tracks.

The most recent development in this area, however, has been the 4D roller.

Keeping with the analogy, the 4D roller technology brings time into the mix, making it also possible for the user to control the speed and timing of the rollers. Physics!

3. Body Scan technology

This one is a great “we’re living in the future” feature.

One of the most frequently asked questions in massage chair reviews has to do with size: “does this chair fit all sizes?”

Obviously, this is important because the massage is not going to be successful if some of the moving pieces can’t properly reach the body area they’re supposed to be massaging.

An incorrect alignment of, say, a roller with your back can go from inconvenient to downright painful.

Here’s where body scanning technology comes in to save the day.

It works pretty much as advertised: A massage chair that includes this feature will “scan” your height, shape, and size and adapt the massage to your body type.

This is especially useful for shiatsu massages (I’ll talk about them in a bit).

3.1. But what if my massage chair doesn’t include body scanning?

This feature sure is useful, but people over 5ft (150 cm) and under 6ft (180 cm) shouldn’t worry too much about it.

Even if you’re taller or shorter, you’ll be able to adjust most chairs manually to make them properly fit you.

4. Zero Gravity massage chair

“Zero Gravity” has got to be the most popular term associated with massage chairs.

I suspect it must have something to do with the cool name, but it’s actually a pretty simple concept:

Zero-Gravity (or “anti-gravity”) is the name of a position in which the massage chair tilts back and elevates your legs above your heart.

A benefit of this is that it promotes blood circulation in the legs and reduces swelling.

The zero gravity position also distributes your weight evenly over the chair’s surface. This is supposed to provide a feeling of “weightlessness” that helps with relaxation.

4.1. A bit of history of the Zero Gravity Posture

The Zero Gravity posture was first “discovered” back in the 1970s, thanks to the data collected about the crew members living on NASA’s Skylab Station.

This info is pretty interesting as a whole, so I’m just going to quote directly from NASA’s website:

“Measurement recorded in orbit by NASA astronauts have shown, in its most unstressed and relaxed state, the human body assumes a trunk-to-thigh angle of 128 degrees. This zero-gravity posture was found to place the musculoskeletal system in its most rested condition. Specifically, this natural posture fosters a non-stressed muscle system, correctly aligned vertebrae, better breathing, improved digestion and enhanced circulation.”

5. What is “Shiatsu”?

Shiatsu is a Japanese massage modality.

It literally means “finger pressure” (shi – finger; atsu – pressure), and that’s a pretty apt name because Shiatsu practitioners use their fingers, thumbs, and palms to apply pressure into the skin.

Other shiatsu techniques also include stretching, joint manipulation and leaning body weight into various points along the body.

Shiatsu, which evolved from a type of Japanese massage called amma, is rooted in the belief that an energy called ki flows through a network of meridians in the body.

6. Types of massages you’ll get with a massage chair

Almost all massage chairs come equipped with two “massage courses”:

• Preset programs: These are complete massage courses that have been pre-programmed into the massage chair.
  • Each massage is the result combination of the different techniques the chair has to offer.
  • Each program is usually designed to cover a “need.”
  • For example, the super-popular Family Inada DreamWave massage chair has preset “Well-being programs” like:
    • “Morning” – for a morning massage which is recommended for people (and I quote) “who have a bad morning or who have not recovered from their fatigue.”
    • “Night” – a massage recommended to use before going to bed.
    • “DreamWave” – a massage designed for relaxation.
• Manual selection: This mode allows you to choose individual massage techniques like kneading, stretching or tapping.
  • Some chairs will also let you adapt each massage to your needs, allowing you to toggle variables like intensity or speed.

7. Massage types and techniques

Here’s a list of most massage types you can expect to find in a massage chair:

Kneading, tapping, “human hands,” rolling

These are all related to the rollers within the chair.

The rollers move vertically and horizontally (2D), and in and out (3D) in multiple patterns to reproduce each technique.

Shiatsu

Tries to replicate a Japanese Shiatsu massage.

Applies pressure to different body points.

Airbags

Multiple airbags inflate to compress or move certain body parts.

Those airbags are also directly involved in the stretching feature.

Stretching

A program designed to stretch your spine.

It usually consists of the chair reclining back and the airbags deploying in order to “grab” your legs and shoulders and pull to elongate your back.

Vibration

The chair vibrates (pretty straightforward).

Heating

Maybe not a “technique,” but useful and comfortable nonetheless.

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