With this past year being trying and crushing for most people, most people have not found a way to get the help that they deserve. Due to lockdowns and restrictions, most people cannot travel very far from their homes for work, much less for their own leisure. However, due to this, people have been turning to massage chairs in order to get their daily needs met. A massage chair provides convenience in the home by providing relief without the inclusion of human interaction–-something that many people fear during these times. It can give you the back pain or foot pain relief that you need anytime right in the comfort of your own home.
But now, hold on a minute. You may be asking yourself how a massage chair could be great for you, but also have no clue where to start. Well, we’re here to help you with that. We’ve extensively researched hour upon hours to find the top massage chairs that could be perfect for you.
But Why Trust Us?
Well, we have been a part of the massage chair industry for over 7 years, and with this being our 3rd annual list of the top massage chairs, we believe we have the expertise to inform you about excellent chairs. Our team of experts have spent the last year, in 2021, finding, testing and comparing new modern chairs to older established models, and we are confident that they have a grasp on what they consider to be quality chairs. And so, in the beginning of 2022, we are bringing you a list of the top massage chairs we believe you can enjoy.
Criteria
Due to the pandemic and its restrictions, they thought about why a massage chair might be a good fit for someone who was locked down, or in quarantine. Because of this, they’ve had a little bit of a change for the criteria from the previous year’s list.
Convenience is now a factor to consider when purchasing a massage chair; this meant not only the features involved, but delivery, customer service, and ease of access.
Price is always a major factor when buying a massage chair, but especially so during the pandemic, where many people were struggling financially. Due to this, they thought about the group of people that would consider buying a massage chair and the money they would spend. On top of this, some massage chairs have fallen out of the list due to an increase in prices.
Features was a criteria in our previous list, but it felt too broad and not specific enough to warrant it as a stand-alone criteria this year because, frankly, many massage chairs nowadays carry much of the same features. However, they have considered unique features such as “3D/4D” technology.
Massage chairs fit a very broad range of categories, and our team of experts believes that these criteria have narrowed down the list to what they consider to be great chairs amongst the hundreds that float around in the market.
The “Why?” Portion
With so many chairs out on the market, what makes this specific chair so unique? We’ve compiled information on what makes this chair different from others, and explain why each chair has its own place on our list. So without further ado, here is our 2022 list.
#5 ] Daiwa Pegasus 2 Smart
Photo credit: Daiwa Brand: Daiwa Cost: $11000
Why the Pegasus 2?
Now you’ve probably already seen the price, and asked why an 11-thousand dollar chair was on our list for the top massage chairs of the year. Well, this chair has been highly anticipated for some time now by our team. Since our team of experts got around to spending time and relaxing in a number of chairs, we also asked them to look into potential chairs that are up and coming. We didn’t want to necessarily stick to ol’ reliable with past important brand names like Inada and Human Touch. And after much deliberation, we came to a conclusion that a $11,000 dollar price tag was too much to safely place it high, but good enough to warrant a spot on this list.
That being said, our team did note a few intriguing features about the chair. The Pegasus 2 is a 3D model that comes with most things a modern massage chair has, such as manual massages, zero gravity, heating, and a variety of customization options. However, the Pegasus 2 has something we have not seen on a massage chair ever; it has the ability to truly fit nearly everyone. The chair has adjustable body width, meaning the sides of the chair will either push outward or inward based on your body size when it scans your body. From being able to fit a large amount of widths, the height is also adjustable with an extending footrest. We were appalled that this chair had the capabilities to fit people as wide as 36-inches and 6 and a half-feet tall. So not only was the chair able to fit you in snugly, it also felt comfortable due to its upholstery material. The material used to make the chair feel comfortable is a Saffiano PU leather, which mimics the feeling of leather without skimping on quality.
There is one last feature our team was split on; the chair also features voice commands, and we could not decide whether or not we liked it. Of course, on paper, the idea is fantastic—being able to tell the chair what to do without touching a remote would be lovely. It would allow people like disabled folks the ability to relax in the Pegasus 2, and tell it how to massage them, much like giving feedback to a massage therapist. However, in practice, it didn’t feel quite there. Sometimes we would have to say voice commands a couple of times in order to get the chair to listen. And maybe another time, we would have the chair start up on its own from our conversations because it picked up our voices. All-in-all, when the voice commands worked, they were delightful, and these problems could potentially be from our limited use of the chair’s voice program. Overall, the Daiwa Pegasus 2, despite having a high price point, was an interesting chair to work with and test, and more in-line with what our team of experts were looking for in this list.
#4 ] OHCO M.8 Massage Chair
Photo credit: Furniture for life Brand: OHCO Cost: $9999
Why the M.8?
We did it again. We put another expensive chair on the list despite saying that price is a large factor.
BUT, hold on a minute because our team of experts are convinced that this chair could be worth it despite its high asking price. First of all, it has everything a typical 4D massage chair features. From the automatic programs to a space-saving design that is built to last, this chair seems to have all the bells and whistles. However, our team put particular attention to the rear-swinging armrests—the sides open up to give users easier access getting in and out of the chair. The team noted that this was a huge plus for the chair, especially for older folks who could not easily get into most modern chairs. By creating a door for the chair, they’ve eliminated the uncomfortableness of getting into a massage chair.
Another huge feature of the chair was that it had an amazing headrest. The cushions are very comfortable, but we have to point out three quality of life features that the headrest contains. Firstly, there’s an Air Ionizer—it removes dust and other irritants to provide clean air. On top of this, it contains an aroma diffuser which can diffuse oils into the air, enhancing relaxation. And finally, you can reduce white noise with the calming sounds of waves. This, all together, brings about an exquisite relaxing time, where you can truly go to a different place in your imagination and experience a quality massage.
Overall, the massage chair was greatly favored amongst our team—we just couldn’t get past that huge asking price. Yet, a great addition to our list of massage chairs this year. More about our thoughts on the chair in the closing thoughts.
#3 ] Relaxonchair MK-Classic
Photo Credit: Relaxonchair Brand: Relaxonchair Cost: $2499
Why the MK-Classic?
Let’s take a step back from high-priced chairs, and look towards a lower cost chair.
The #3 spot goes again to Relaxonchair, but to—pun intended—a classic amongst people familiar with them. The MK-Classic takes our bronze trophy due to its variety and range of features despite its cheap asking price relative to quality massage chairs on the market. Despite having nearly the same features as the IT-8500 from Infinity, it is a nearly a third of the price—a comparison of the MK-Classic at $2499 to the IT-8500 at $6999. With a price difference like that, it seems incredulous that a chair this cheap could exist compared to what many consider a quality chair amongst aficionados. One special feature that our experts pointed out is that the MK-Classic does not return to an upright position right after a massage session is done. It may not seem like much, but this quality of life feature makes it so that the chair stays in the same position, so that the user can stay asleep and rest instead of being jolted awake from the sudden movement of the chair back to its upright position. Another plus for taller and shorter users is that the shoulders can be adjusted for your height, able to be adjusted higher or lower to better fit more people. In addition to this, the padding and cushions of the chair create a very comfortable seat, just bringing up the convenience points of this chair. Without having a high price tag, our team of experts have found a chair few and far between the vast number of chairs out in the market.
#2 ] Kahuna LM-9100
Photo Credit: Kahuna Brand: Kahuna Cost: $4999
Why the LM-9100?
So first off before we begin, this chair is listed at a wide range of prices. According to GoodPriceWorld, the chair is priced at 5-thousand dollars, but we’ve seen prices as high as 8-thousand online. While the MSRP is valued at $6499, a price tag of $5000 seems too good to be true. However, we will consider the chair as a $5000 chair.
That being said, our experts agree that this chair is absolutely worth it for a $5000 price tag. It includes 4D technology, a feature that many of the newer, more expensive models have. In addition to 4D technology, one of our experts pointed out that the chair has the ability to remember your massage sessions. With room for memory, this makes massage sessions even more convenient, as you can quickly get to massaging without pressing too many customization buttons. Of course, the chair comes with some automatic, preset programs in addition to the full customization of your massages. Oh, and of course, our experts could not get over the foot massager with their kneading calf rollers.
So for the price? This is an absolutely great chair that our experts could agree is worth it for the $5000 price.
#1 ] Panasonic MAJ7
Photo Credit: Panasonic Brand: Panasonic Cost: $9999
Why the MAJ7?
Now our top spot has to go to a legend in the massage chair industry: Panasonic. Now there is a huge price tag associated with it—$10000 is nothing to sneeze at. But our team decided to examine and test the chair. And clearly, its won the number one spot in their minds. Let’s breakdown why.
First of all, Panasonic has a reputation for having amazing massages and comfortable chairs. And this chair is no exception to that. With its powerful microprocessor, the chair is able to identify and adjust the massage to your needs, and deliver massages that could rival actual massage therapists. When we first looked at this chair, we thought it odd that it didn’t have any arm massages, and had armrests like a normal recliner. Strange, or so we thought because we discovered that the arm could get massaged underneath the armrest. By popping the top of the armrest up, the airbags are hidden underneath, which is a plus for aesthetics, as most massage chairs have bulky armrests due to arm massage allocation. It also has 3D technology with heated rollers, providing deep, effective massages to your back. despite all this, our team noted that the foot massager was incredible. With their technology, Panasonic has created a sole massage that replicates real massages on your feet, ranging from sole shiatsu to kneading the plantar arch. All of this with their near-guarantee of quality with all their products makes this massage chair the team’s #1 pick of the year.
Closing Thoughts
Our list this year is very short, and that’s due to our decision to search and identify outstanding chairs that our experts can agree on. Why 5? We thought 5 was an appropriate number to achieve two things: 1) Give options for people who were looking to purchase a massage chair, and 2) Go in-depth about the massage chair. Our closing thoughts aim to wrap up this list, and what our experts thought about these chairs.
The Pegasus 2 was a starting point for the team. They had an extensive list of chairs that they had wanted to take a look at, and this was one of them. From the cross-stitched leather to the shoulder adjustments, this chair seemed to have so much packed into the chair. This was truly a gem to find and play with—we just couldn’t get behind the $11000 price point to place it any higher. Our list was trying to avoid big name brands like Inada or Infinity, because they were already considered to be the cream of the crop—a cut above the rest of the massage chairs. We also decided that we wanted to look for interesting chairs: something that could separate them from the majority of massage chairs out in the market. So we began our search.
We quickly came to the LM-9100, made by Kahuna. A $5000 chair that you could pit against major name brands, and have the LM-9100 come out on top. However, in our research, we came across conflicting price points. With different distributors, the chair had a price range of as low as $4699 to as high as $8999. So we had to settle on a price point to place it at, and luckily, there was a price point of 5-thousand on a major distributor of Kahuna chairs (GoodPriceWorld). We, however, think that the price is fantastic for a 4D-model chair, which normally ranges from $6000 and above. In addition to having the ability to remember massage sessions, this chair is seemingly a great deal that our experts were very happy to consider on our top list.
Moving on to the OHCO M.8, this chair was truly unique compared to many other chairs. With the chair being packed with features, the overall reception was positive from the team. The aroma diffuser and white-noise reduction bring a relaxing experience for the user, creating a feeling of being in a different place. But of course, when we talk about the chair, we can’t forget the rear-swinging side panels. The option of having rear-swinging doors creates accessibility for a variety of users—such as disabled folks. It eliminates the uncomfortableness of getting into a bulky massage chair, and provides ease of access for everyone. These points of interest on the chair caught the attention of our team, and decided that this chair was unique enough to place it on the list despite its high price tag.
Let’s talk about the MK-Classic by Relaxonchair. Our team was familiar with other models by the same company, but was excited to look more into the chair itself. After having researched tens of chairs, the team was surprised that Relaxonchair was able to provide a chair absolutely affordable compared to name-brand chairs that costs exceeding more. So our experts just had to test the chair, and they were pleasantly surprised. Having small convenience factors like thicker padding and staying in position until powered off creates a comfortable experience that any user could enjoy. With this chair designed for comfortability, it’s able to produce a relaxing, convenient massage that has both firmness and flexibility. Priced at $2499, the MK-Classic offers a variety of features that other chairs, at least double its price, have.
Finally, the Panasonic MAJ7. It costs a pretty penny—$10000—but the team thought it to be the best out of the chairs they’ve researched. We have to talk about the massaging mechanisms because the massages possibly rival those of an actual massage therapist. The chair is able to identify and adjust to our needs, so the massage is able to feel incredible. If that wasn’t enough, the rollers are also capable of heating and 3D-movement, allowing the massage to heat up and effectively massage areas being massaged. At a first glance, the chair looks very much like a recliner, and to achieve this, the arm massage is hidden underneath the armrests. By simply lifting the top portion of the armrest, it unveils arm massages on both sides. Our experts were all over the footrest, as this foot massager was able to massage the soles of your feet effectively. With the prestigious reputation Panasonic has in the massage chair industry, it was hard to deny it the top spot on our list.
And with that, the top list of 2022 has concluded. Hopefully, this has put some insight on these chairs, as we wanted to also introduce and acknowledge a variety of chairs that might not be as well known. That being said, even though this is a ranking, all of the chairs are on this list for a good reason, and are capable of giving quality massages in their own right. We look forward to seeing how 2023 affects the massage chair market, and be safe out there!