Soothe Stiff Muscles With the 5 Best Expert-Approved Massage Chairs (2024)

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Key Specs:

Number of Massage Functions: 5 | Targeted Massage Areas: Full body (including calves, feet, and arms) | Heating Capabilities: Yes | Reclining Capabilities: Yes | Dimensions: 30 x 57.1 x 44.1 inches | Upholstery Material: Faux leather

Why We Recommend It

Our best overall pick, the Osaki OS-Champ Massage Chair is incredibly effective at relieving pain and tension in all of the right places. It’s a full-body massage chair that delivers cloud-like comfort the moment you sit down, with extra cushioning and rollers that span your entire body (even down to your feet).

This chair is ideal for those who prefer more intense pressure relief over a gentle massage. When we tested it, the roller system moved downward from our neck to our glutes and back up again, which felt divine against our tightly wound muscles. The zero gravity feature allowed us to lay all the way back and helped us relax more during the process, which was effective for breaking through tight knots. Our editor who tested this chair suffers from major neck and back aches (as a result of sitting at a desk for long hours at a time) and she emphasized that this chair gave her unrivaled relief in just 20 minutes. It has five automatic massage settings as well as heat therapy for added relaxation.

Keep in Mind

The remote wasn’t very intuitive, which made using it a little confusing. Also, the foot massager was very intense and may be too aggressive for some.

Key Specs:

Number of Massage Functions: 3 | Targeted Massage Areas: Shoulder, back, neck | Heating Capabilities: Yes | Reclining Capabilities: No | Dimensions: 4.75 x 16.38 x 25.38 inches | Upholstery Material: Plastic, fabric

Why We Recommend It

The Homedics Shiatsu Elite II Massage Cushion is a portable, over-the-seat massager that's lightweight and fits most types of chairs. We think this is a great option for people who find themselves on the go, whether it’s long-distance travel or frequent commuting. It weighs only 1 pound and is fairly compact, however, we did notice it works better for chairs with significant depth as it can hang over the edge of shallow chairs. We particularly love that it offers lumbar support to help you maintain better posture during long bouts of sitting.

During testing, we first noticed that the instructions were simple, easy, and illustrated. The massage settings can be personalized depending on your needs. Regardless of the settings we chose for our massage, we were pleasantly surprised at the effectiveness of this portable massager. We found relief up and down our back, especially on our neck, where we felt the most intensity. The heat therapy feature also gets pretty hot and offers a welcome sensation of relaxation.

Keep in Mind

We feel that it’s a little pricey given that it lacks extra comfort features such as arm and footrests. However, we think it's worth the price if you require something portable yet effective.

Key Specs:

Number of Massage Functions: 5 | Targeted Massage Areas: Neck, back, legs | Heating Capabilities: Yes | Reclining Capabilities: Yes | Dimensions: 44 x 28 x 40 inches | Upholstery Material: Polyurethane

Why We Recommend It

If you’re tall and you’ve struggled to find a massage chair that doesn’t feel awkward, the Human Touch WholeBody 7.1 Massage Chair may be the best option for you. During testing, we noticed this full-body ergonomic massage chair is slimmer than most and has a longer backrest that can fit longer torsos very well. The neckrest is also angled so that taller people may benefit. And even though it's suited to longer bodies, it's not too bulky and will fit well in smaller living spaces.

We loved this massage chair during testing because it offered a customizable experience. We could change the intensity levels of the three massage settings (stretch, tone, and flex) to get the exact level of pressure we needed to soothe our achy bodies. The most intense setting applied hard enough pressure that it could work out tougher kinks and knots. The foot massager also stood out to us because it swiveled and massaged our calves in an upward motion that relaxed us. There’s also a gentle setting as well that gives average massage pressure.

Keep in Mind

We thought the manual was a bit too comprehensive, and the remote wasn't particularly intuitive. We also wished there was more lumbar support in this chair. However, if you're tall and tech-savvy, this is a solid option for you.

Key Specs:

Number of Massage Functions: 5 | Targeted Massage Areas: Legs, hip, waist, back, neck | Heating Capabilities: Yes | Reclining Capabilities: Yes | Dimensions: 61.02 x 29.53 x 45.08 inches | Upholstery Material: Faux leather

Why We Recommend It

While a massage chair isn't a replacement for physiotherapy if you're experiencing arthritis symptoms, studies show massage chairs can be cost-effective and helpful for pain control. If you struggle with arthritis pain, we particularly like the iRest Zero Gravity Massage Chair. The pressure massage delivered effective pain relief and increased our blood circulation.

For those struggling with pain, an aggressive massage can be daunting. However, even on the highest setting, we'd characterize this chair's pressure as gentle. It delivers equally balanced pressure through the five massage functions—knead, tap, knock, knead and tap, and shiatsu. The bottom chamber offers compression, which helps us alleviate our exhausted feet from constant walking. We also noticed increased circulation in our hands and feet. To top it off, the heat feature offers added relief and soothed us into a warm, meditative state which can often aid in pain reduction.

Keep in Mind

The massage chair itself is very narrow, so this may not be the best option for larger bodies. Additionally, the manual wasn’t very useful for troubleshooting so you may have to do some extra leg work if you run into problems with the massage chair.

Key Specs:

Number of Massage Functions: 6 | Targeted Massage Areas: Neck, back, waist | Heating Capabilities: Yes | Reclining Capabilities: Yes | Dimensions: 52 x 27 x 43 inches | Upholstery Material: Laux leather

Why We Recommend It

The Real Relax Favor-03 ADV Massage Chair is the best budget massage chair, easy to use, comfortable, and effective. We were surprised to find just how much value this massage chair offers at its low price point. It has three different intensity levels, an LCD screen controller, and features like zero gravity and Bluetooth. We found that during testing, the right amount of pressure was applied to all the targeted areas, leaving us feeling comfortable and loose.Not to mention, it's well-cushioned with great lumbar support.

We noticed that even though there were different levels of intensity, it still wasn’t as harsh as other massage chairs we tried. Thus, it's also a good option for people who prefer a gentler massage. We were impressed by the foot roller setting, which felt great on our sore feet. Plus, this chair looked more aesthetically pleasing than other options (to ease sore eyes).

Keep in Mind

The heating function wasn’t very powerful. If you’re looking specifically for heat therapy, this may not be the best option for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it okay to use a massage chair daily?

  A massage chair can be used for brief sessions once a day or several times per week in most cases; there are exceptions, though, depending on your condition or the reason you’re using the chair.Dr. Prestipino says you shouldn't sit for longer than 15 to 20 minutes, and if you need a longer time do more frequent shorter sessions throughout the day. She also says if you have muscle soreness or tightness, it's okay to use a massage chair several times per week for several months at a time but to be careful if you have herniated discs, neuropathy, vascular issues, or osteoporosis or bone density issues as it could worsen symptoms.

• Can massage chairs help with injury recovery?

  Yes. According to Dr. Prestipino, massage chairs can help with injury recovery by reducing stress and promoting relaxation, which can speed up the recovery process. She adds that they can also help with injuries by increasing circulation and blood flow, decreasing post-exercise soreness, assisting in tissue repair, and decreasing inflammation.

• Are massage chairs good for your health?

  Massage chairs are good tools to help alleviate aches, sore and tight muscles, and pain. Related, Dr. Abraham suggests that theoretically because stress levels are higher when you are in pain, your blood pressure could lower post-massage when you're freshly relaxed, both mentally and physically.

• What are S-track and L-track rollers?

  Both types of rollers refer to the massage rollers in the back of the chair. S-track rollers move between your neck and lower back, following the curve of your spine. L-track rollers, similarly, also follow the curve of your spine, but reach even lower and can massage areas like the glutes and thighs.

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