The 2nd Annual Top Massage Chair List – 2021

Consider the last time you got that relaxing massage, or if you ever have received one at all. A massage is a great way to relieve stress and relax after a long, stressful day of work. But most people don’t have the time to go to a massage studio to receive one. Due to this, a massage can be considered a luxury. Recently, massage chairs have become a product that people can use to receive great, relaxing massages without needing to go to a massage parlor. But most people might not know what massage chair is good for them.

So we’re back again in the beginning of 2021 to share with you our choice of the best massage chairs. We have extensively researched for tens of hours in order to find the best of the best, and to provide the most unbiased opinion we can give. Massage chairs can have a variety of things to consider, but we narrowed it down to a few categories that determined our final choices:

• Price: Price is such a key point of attention. A huge portion of the massage chairs seem to be way overpriced compared to their actual features, which could be due to having multiple middle-men in the process of sales.
• Main Features: Just like previously mentioned, the features are also a key factor in deciding whether or not to purchase a massage chair. There are various features available on the market that some massage chairs might have while others may not.
• Additional Features: Some chairs also have additional features that might help to create a more immersive massage experience, which can enhance the session.

The “Why”

There are tens, maybe hundreds, of massage chairs out on the market, so why this chair specifically? We plan on answering why this chair and others can be unique and different compared to other massage chairs.

We’ve compiled information from the “best” massage chairs, and are looking to show you the information to show you the best massage chair to purchase. There are many massage chairs out there, and most people are shopping online for their products. So it can be hard to decide on which massage chair to purchase for yourself. We plan on explaining exactly why each chair has their place in this list. So without further ado, here is our 2021 list.

#10 – Real Relax Favor-03

Number 10. We had to include this in the list because it offers a variety of options for a very cheap price point. Real Relax released this chair back in 2017. The chair has eight fixed massage rollers located along the back from the neck to the waist. It also has zero-gravity functionality, an air massage system, lower back heating, etc. The chair has six auto programs, designed to work on the muscles around the back and scapula. The Favor-03 also has bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to listen to songs while you receive a massage. The chair is a great deal for what it offers: an affordable massage chair for less than $1000, which there aren’t many that can compare. This chair is seemingly the most popular of the Real Relax Massage Chair line-up, and, with an affordable price like that, we know exactly why the Favor-03 has become popular among customers.

#9 – Osaki OS-4000T

To be honest, we don’t have a clear view on the Osaki OS-4000T. It has a great number of features available: ergonomic S-Track, zero-gravity functionality, body scanning, air massage system, lower back heat therapy, etc.These are typically found in most modern massage chairs nowadays, but keep in mind that this chair was released back in 2014, and massage chairs have greatly advanced since then. Although it was released some time ago in respect to modern massage chairs, it still provides a great massage at a fair price for what it offers. Materials used on the chair seem to be of quality synthetic leather, allowing for comfortable massages, and its small convenient features such as a wireless compact remote controller helps the chair. We can only place it at 9th place because the features, all revolutionary at the time, have now become commonplace in many of today’s massage chairs.

#8 – Kahuna LM 6800

Released in 2018, the Kahuna LM 6800 started to make a name for itself, being popularized within the massage chair market. It contains many features like the zero-gravity positions, L-track, heating therapy, and body scanning technology. There are six auto programs that utilize five massaging techniques in order to give users the relief they need. The mechanism they use has four rollers, which will massage from the neck down to the waist. However, a new design feature that only modern massage chairs seem to have is the space-saving function; this feature allows for the chairs to slide forward as they recline backwards meaning that the amount of space needed for reclining is less than the older massage chairs. This fairly-new chair has quickly gained popularity, and for good reason too.

#7 – RELAXONCHAIR MK-II Plus

To put it simply, this chair was released in 2015, and still continues to remain as a top contender for massage chairs that people will consider for purchase, and for good reason too. The MK-II Plus, sold by RELAXONCHAIR, is a great package for its unbelievably, low price. It has zero-gravity functionality, L-Track, body scanning, heating, air massage, etc. This small, relatively-cheap chair also contains automatic programs as well as a manual customization option. These are great functions to have in a massage chair, but we can’t place it higher compared to the other massage chairs that we have on this list. So we have to give it the 7th spot for its continued popularity for its great price and wide range of functions. It was #1 on our previous year’s list, but many other chairs have come out through research that also have their own advantages.

#6 – Infinity Imperial 3D/4D

Considered to be amongst the best of the best in terms of massage experience, the Imperial, made by Infinity, creates an unrealistic massage experience with the various features and tools it has in its disposal. The massage chair contains the technology for 3D/4D massages. A 3D massage allows the rollers to be adjusted in its level of depth, while a 4D feature allows for the speed of the rollers to be adjusted variably. This is a huge upside for the chair as the addition of the 4D feature allows for a more detailed, tailored massage. And that’s not the end of it! The chair contains other great additions like automatic foot extensions, calf-kneading massage, lumbar heating, airbag compression, zero gravity positions, body scanning, and space-saving technology. The Imperial chair is able to be connected from the Imperial app available on IOS™ and Android™ devices. This allows you to control the massage right from your phone! Or you can simply charge the remote or other devices with the USB port. The space-saving technology makes the chair only require 4” from the wall. All the features for the Imperial allows the user to create an amazing massage experience right from your phone. The only downside is that the chair is very pricey; a 5-figure purchase should only be purchased by people who can financially afford it. This chair may not be for the average consumer, but with its wide range of features including almost everything that is available on the market today, the Imperial will definitely make you feel like a royal sitting in it.

#5 – Kahuna HUBOT HM-078

Making it into our top 5, the HUBOT HM-078 is widely celebrated to be a fantastic chair that looks to provide amazing massages. First of all, compliments to the design; it genuinely catches your eye from the design of the chair. The HUBOT utilizes 3D technology built into the chair. 3D technology allows the rollers to be pushed outward from the chair and back inward, creating deep tissue massages where the rollers can penetrate muscle tissue more effectively. It also contains 100+ air cells, which apply air compression to various areas of the body. The chair also has various other features that we have come across on this list: a 52” SL-track, heating located on the entire back, legs, and feet, zero-gravity functionality, and bluetooth connectivity. The HUBOT features an app to use on your phone in order to control your massages. Using all this in conjunction lets the user pick between 15 different preset programs. There is so much that can be done with this chair; for example, there are 5 different levels of intensity to choose from. Between the numerous air cells to the automatic foot extension, the chair has a variety of tools at its disposal to provide great massages.

#4 – Human Touch Super Novo

We have finally reached one of the brands that aficionados regard as being amongst the top of the massage chair market in terms of quality that Human Touch produces. The Super Novo looks stunning; probably one of the more aesthetically pleasing massage chairs out on the market. Released in 2019, the Super Novo has, you guessed it, the 3D/4D technology built into the system of the chair. It allows the rollers to protrude from the mechanism, and adds the ability for the speed of the rollers to be controlled as the program moves forward. This along with its various other features allows for massages to feel more human-like, bringing in more of that human element of hands moving along your back just like a massage therapist would. This has 38 different programs available for the user, easily accessible with an easy-to-use remote control and user interface built into the massage chair. The massage chair comes with a variety of different features such as air cells located along the body, lumbar heating, a unibody track, zero-gravity functionality, etc. A key feature that distinguishes this chair from others is its built-in virtual therapist, where you can customize and save your massage preferences for the future. This all-in-one package is a bombshell that Human Touch has dropped, and indicative of the praise they receive about their brand. Needless to say, if you have the budget for a Super Novo, this should be considered.

#3 – Relaxonchair ION 3D

This may be one of Relaxonchair’s best massage chairs, It was made available in 2020, and it seems to have garnered a lot of attention due to the relatively-fair price that Relaxonchair Massage Chairs have in common. It offers everything most modern massage chairs have to offer. But as the name implies, it also has the 3D design implemented into the mechanism. This allows the chair to be able to move forward and backwards from the track instead of staying fixed to the track. These additional movements create enhanced massages where you are able to feel the rollers digging into your muscles or have more gentle massages. It comes equipped with most of the features we have come to expect from this list: zero-gravity functionality, air bag systems, preset programs, heating, etc. Now you might be wondering why this chair is in the top 3 of our list: it’s mainly because of the price. When you compare other 3D models that exist out there in the massage chair market, the ION 3D is significantly less cost-wise. The price played a huge role in determining why this chair was chosen to be in the top 3 chairs of 2021. This price is more affordable compared to other 3D massage chairs and  still contains the aspects that many modern chairs have as of now. While it may not contain many of the bells and whistles that more luxurious brands tend to have, this may be a perfect 3D chair for anyone who is looking to buy a massage chair to consider.

#2 – Luraco iRobotics 7 PLUS

Luraco really started making headway in the massage chair market with its introduction of the iRobotics massage chair. This is the only chair to be designed and manufactured in the U.S. with U.S. and foreign parts. The massage chair uses a touch screen remote, which not many chairs have, to allow users to navigate programs and options easily. The 3D technology allows the rollers to push forward and back, creating a deeper massage experience. In addition to this, the chair features 5 different levels of intensity. Along with zero-gravity functionality, full body heating, air cell system, 9 preset programs, and bluetooth connectivity, the massage chair is able to provide an amazing massage experience. However, the chair also has personal user memory settings, allowing the individual to set up to 5 settings to be personalized for that individual. This all comes together in order to provide a personalized massage experience with a key point in comfortability and convenience with features like genuine leather and noise-reduction technology. The Luraco iRobotics 7 PLUS deserves our #2 spot because the design and technology built into the chair makes this chair worth it for the nearly $9000 price point.

#1 – Inada Robo

An AI driven massage chair. The massage chair was built to replicate in-person massages. By detecting muscle stiffness and unique pressure points through a detection system, the Robo chair is able to use 4D technology to push the rollers forward and backwards while having the rollers vary in speed, bringing in the human aspect to the rollers. The chair is able to uniquely identify the stiffness of your muscles, and be able to adjust the massage according to your needs. The arm massager also looks so unique compared to other massage chairs. The arm is able to move back and forth along the length of the side of the chair in order to provide a 5-finger kneading massage to the arms where the arm is compressed with airbags, much like a person massaging the arms slowly along the length of the arm. The same technology found in the arms are found in the calf massager as well, allowing the airbags to dynamically massage the calves. Not to mention the compression on the glutes, where there are airbags found along the buttock and along the thighs to apply compression massages. However, the foot massager is something we have yet to see from a massage chair. The air bags found in the foot compress the foot from all around, while a roller circulates the entire base of the foot to stimulate shiatsu pressure points. And yet despite all this, the biggest feature that puts this up to the top is the fact that this chair has facial recognition in order for the chair to be able to identify who the user is and what their personal settings are. The chair automatically adjusts to your needs, and that is something that we just can’t see in massage chairs 100% of the time without the use of an AI like the Inada Robo. So the Inada Robo takes our spot for the #1 massage chair of 2021 as an AI massage chair that can provide very detailed massages.

Closing Thoughts

We believe that this list isn’t definitive; after all, this is only our opinion and what we believe from what we’ve found after hours of research. Obviously, some of the products were not testable; we could only make deductive judgements based on what the chair provides and how consumers reacted to many of these. Most of these chairs are highly rated, and favored by the community, especially with certain name brands like Inada or Human Touch. Comparing our top 5 choices, many of them are expensive, probably quite a bit more expensive compared to the budget chairs like Kahuna LM 6800 and Real Relax Favor-03.

Starting with the Kahuna HUBOT HM-078 at #5, the chair looks great; it has a very elegant look to the chair, and comes with a variety of options. It is a tad less expensive compared to luxurious models, which only gives it a plus in our books.

Moving on to our #4 spot, the Super Novo also looks great with its pod-like design. The chair is able to provide a lot of features including 4D massage technology. It is able to use the virtual therapist in order to have massages tailored to your exact needs, which is why it beats out the HUBOT, taking the #4 spot for itself.

Number 3. The Relaxonchair ION 3D. The chair that we believe beats out the HUBOT and Super Novo. The design looks great, also mimicking a pod-like design. It just doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that the other top brand massage chair models might have. However, the chair can still provide the great quality massage that you and anyone else would be looking for in a 3D massage chair with an insanely-low price point. Instead of having a 6-thousand or 7-thousand price tag associated with the product and having more bells and whistles, the chair just provides a great massage for an affordable price. That is why it takes our number 3 spot.

The Luraco iRobotics massage chair is the only chair to be designed and manufactured in the U.S. The Luraco beats out the other 3 chairs because it has technology that just enhances the overall massage experience. Along with quiet operation and accessibility with touchscreen remotes, the Luraco is able to provide extra features that help make massages as painless as possible and can keep the user feeling relaxed. The price point is definitely greater than the ION 3D, but if people have the ability to spend more and indulge, those extra features could be a game-changer to really allow for that increase in price.

Now the number 1 spot goes to the Inada Robo. There really isn’t much else to say about this. The most uniquely-designed massage chair we have had yet to see, along with the addition of an AI, made this chair pique our interest. It seems like, if you can afford it, this is the chair to get your hands on. It may be able to provide the best, most relaxing massage possible with the help of an AI to access your physical needs. This chair truly seems revolutionary, so this can only be named as our best chair of 2021.

We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2021 has in store for us within the massage chair market. With that being said, please comment down below and subscribe to our blog in order to see what else happens in 2021 in order to stay notified about current massage chair events. We look forward to hearing your comments and questions, and thank you for reading this all the way through! We look forward to bringing you another list next year, with hopefully more chairs being introduced throughout the year of 2021.