When everyone just rushes around doing one thing or another, one needs to go get a break once in a while and have a good dose of a message. Usually taken in spas, massage sessions have recently been gaining popularity.
Not everyone, however, has the luxury of time to go to a spa to get a message. Some would be home from work late at night when spas are already closed. There are others that live so far from spas they do not have the time to travel. It is no wonder most people have now shifted preferences and choose to get a chair massage for its convenience.
Average Cost of Massage Chair
On the average, it costs a few thousand dollars in the market. There are others that would cost around $800 but these are usually chairs that have basic massage techniques and may not be the kind that you need.
Some chairs would be as expensive as $15,000 and would have all the features like specialized massages and a built-in heat massage. You should be careful, however, with your choice of chair. You may be faced with a $15,000-chair but the features you need may actually just be in a chair that costs $4,000. That’s a lot of savings for you!
Medical Breakthrough 6 has recently been released which promised to help fix your posture, reduce body pains, and improve your sleep. It also moves your hips sideways during the massage. The original price is at $11,999 but once in a while goes on sale for about $4,499. Luraco Technologies, on the other hand, has their own iRobotics 7 Medical Massage Chair for $8,490. This has other medical-related features that read blood pressure and heart rates. They say this model provides outstanding lower back and neck massages.
There is a wide gap between the cheapest and the priciest in the market and it would be wise to see what features you need/prefer before you finalize the purchase.
Remember, the most expensive may not be the best for you. Do not make the price the only determining factor before you purchase. Check on the features you really want/need, then hunt for the perfect massage chair you’d go home with.
What are Included
Now, how does a massage chair work?
The mechanisms of massage chairs are simple. They have knob-like features that mimic a therapist’s hands and provide that stress-relieving massage.
In recent developments, massage chairs are equipped with heating systems that are essential for a heated massage. There is also a zero-gravity feature where the recline of the chair goes all the way up to the point where your legs get to be higher than your torso. It is just how astronauts are seated during take-off on space missions, the reason why this specific massage feature is called zero-gravity. According to its manufacturers, this position results in the even distribution of your body weight. It is thus easier to reduce your bodily stress. This also promotes good circulation in your legs and reduces swelling.
Massage chairs may be quite pricey but they provide a relaxing and soothing feeling from a day’s work and responsibilities, right in the comforts of your own home.
With massage chairs evolving from just doing simple massages in the 1950s to offering other types, like shiatsu massages, it is no wonder why people’s choices have changed.
Convenience, health, relaxation, and variety are just some of the benefits of the massage chair. With all these perks that come along with it, one might wonder how much it costs.
Additional Costs
- To make sure its exterior is clean, you can take the smudges off by soaking soft cloth into lukewarm water with detergent. Depending on the brand, prepare to shell out about $7 to $19 for the detergent.
- Avoid damaging your equipment by purchasing a surge protector. In the market, it is priced at around $8 to about $23. This is needed to protect your massage chair from electrical surges during power outages. Because again, how does a massage chair work for you if it is already damaged? You know that most equipment damages are caused by surges. You do not want your massage chair to be one of the casualties.
- One of the greatest features of modern massage chairs is that you can have your seat reclined to an angle of your choice. There will, however, be instances when you’d hear some squeaking in the process. You can fix this with a little grease. Whether it is grease in cream form or grease spray, a little application would get rid of the squeaking noise. One thing to think about though is the pros and cons of using these types of grease. Grease in spray form is able to reach the innermost parts of pivot points. The danger, though, is that the grease that you spray would sometimes go to the external parts of the chair like the synthetic leather; destroying them in the process. And while you are not faced with the same threats when using grease in cream form, it, however, cannot penetrate the inner parts of the pivot points.
Whatever mode of greasing you choose, it is for you to decide. Remember to call your manufacturer first before anything else. A tube of grease in cream form costs about $7 while a can of spray, depending on its size, would range from about $8 to $18.
- You may also want to buy a care plan for your massage chair for $69 good for three years, or $105 good for four. Coverage includes failures due to normal wear and tear, breakdowns due to dust and humidity, or power surge damages. File a claim using their website, ship the product, and they send you back the repaired product. There are times you would get a reimbursement or even a replacement. This, you can avail, when purchasing from Walmart.
Shopping for Massage Chairs
Online shops like Amazon, eBay, and Brookstone sell massage chairs. Their websites have a wide array of choices when it comes to massage chairs. You can choose to see the results from the least expensive to the priciest chairs, or the other way around. Walmart also sells massage chairs in their stores and from their website.
Human Touch, on their website, has a store locator where you only need to key in the product of your choice (a massage chair), and it would give you a listing of stores that sell them. Aside from this feature, they also have a Help Me Choose tab where you answer four questions like as to the place you intend to put your massage chair, the amount of space reserved for your chair, and some direct questions about your needs. After the four questions, you will be given options to choose from based on your preferences. True to the tab’s word, they would help you choose the massage chair that fits you well.
Getting yourself a brand new massage chair may be expensive, so you may opt for pre-loved items. You can get them from online retail stores like Brookstone. You may also choose to buy the second-hand massage chair from another individual. Make sure, however, that you only get from somebody you really know and trust. This avoids rip-offs especially since purchasing a massage chair involves a lot of money.
When purchasing from online stores, be also wary of the kind you buy. Always read through the comments and make sure to do a lot of research before deciding.
And when purchasing from stores, do a test run first to see if you get the comfort that you need from using them. If you have other preferences in mind, talk to the distributor. They would be a great help in identifying the massage chair of your choice.
Factors That Matters
- Panasonic and Adako massage chairs cost from around $2,500 to about $8,000 while Cozzia’s prices range from $1,800 to $13,000. And how much does a massage chair cost when it is by Elite massage chairs? They actually have relatively low-priced designs that sell from about $3,000 to $5,500. This already comes with 3D massage and acupressure air bags that are more expensive when with other brands.
- Some massage chairs have extra features and these additions always come with a price. The more features a chair has, the more expensive it is in the market. A massage chair for example that is below $1,000 most likely has basic types of massage for the back. For this amount, you also cannot expect to get a heated massage.
Anything that is worth more than $2,500 would mean you get to have a chair that reclines into a zero-gravity position. Some would offer a heated massage while some models do not.
Massage chairs that cost around $3,500 to $5,000 or higher usually offer a heated massage and a zero-gravity recline positioning which is good for the spine. These chairs most likely would have a variation of massage types available, like shiatsu, Swedish, and kneading.
Additional Information
Massage chairs, on the average, would consume about 150 to 300 watts. This is dependent on the kind of massage chair as well as the brand. If you want to compare it to any other appliance, the usage of a massage chair is about the same as that of a computer.