Do you have a "Massage" chair?

[FIRE UP]

Hey Gang,
A little history here. A long, long time ago, we were visiting a local fair, (Del Mar CA) and while there, one of the exhibits was advertising and demonstrating a couple of massage chairs. Well, walking around there, sure gets my back and feet really tired and achy. So, I decided to try that massage chair for the heck of it. After about 2-3 minutes, I was in awe. That chair, had the ability to encompass just about every limb and, still do a great job of all kinds of rubbing, vibrating, slapping and more. I felt so rejuvinated when I left that chair, it was tough to walk. But, at that time, a chair like that was round $3,500 or so.

Well, a bit pricy for out taste for sure. But, I've always thought about that chair and, how nice it would be to have one. I'm CONSIDERABLY OLDER now than I was then. So, I'd be considerably more receptive of what one has to offer.

What I'd like to know from anyone out there reading this is, do you have one, either at your stick & brick or, your motorhome? Have you tried different brands? If anyone's had one for a while, how well does it alleviate any soreness or aches, pains etc.? And, finally, how has it lasted? Do they break often? Any warranty issues? How about service after the sale? The wife just showed me one from Sams Club and it looks identical, (beyond the fact that this one looks space age compared to the one in the fair I tested about 25 years ago) to the one I tested.

These chairs are still expensive. No doubt about that. But, you get what you pay for. The older I get, (by the minute) the more achy I get or, let's say, the easier I get achy. So, who has experience with any form of these chairs?
Scott

[Podivin]

We have a Sanyo brand chair, I'd guess it's 7 or so years old. We bought the store demo at half price when the store was closing - cost us $2500.
It doesn't have the 'arm squeezers' like some of them do, but does neck, back and legs.

It was used a LOT for the first few years, now it's used about once a month or so. It doesn't go low enough to work on my wife's sorest spots (sacroiliac joint), so she doesn't use it much, it does fine for me.
No issues at all as far as it's functionality, it still does everything it's supposed to do.

[RichR]

We have two recliners we got from Lazy Boy, heated and vibrating. They quit working a few months after purchase, repaired once then gave up. Not to pricy but its been a while, still have the recliners just do not use the vibrator.

[flamebuster]

Purchased one at the cowboy convention center in Las Vegas during the rodeo finals. It was around 4,500.00 Use it at least every other day. Sometines I just stay in the chair for over an hour at a time. It feels so good on tired muscles. The heat cycle helps a lot and love the way it massages from head to toe..Been using it for almost 9 months now with no problems..

[Jake21]

Well this is a surprising thread. I own a massage chair company and contribute here quite a bit. Feel free to PM me. I can offer all kinds of insight without trying to sell you on my brand or any other brands.

Or, i am happy to post my insight here as well.

J

[Podivin]

Jake, please post your insights here, I think others of us would be interested in what you have to say.

[lenny-shawna]

Originally Posted by Jake21

Well this is a surprising thread. I own a massage chair company and contribute here quite a bit. Feel free to PM me. I can offer all kinds of insight without trying to sell you on my brand or any other brands.

Or, i am happy to post my insight here as well.

J

Hey Jake,
Kindly post here

[Isaac-1]

I too own one, an Osaki brand chair, bought it on sale about 5 or 6 years ago when the model was being clearanced out for around $2,500. I fell and broke my back in 2010, spent 4 months in a turtle shell brace, I am now back to being relatively back pain free, ok maybe not, pain free, but not in constant pain. I used the massage chair extensively for a while, but as my back slowly recovered over the years I have used it less and less. I sometimes wish I had bought one that was a bit better, mine is ok, but there is always something nicer.

[Jake21]

Massage chairs have come a long way in the last few years. Like just about anything else, you get what you pay for. But, like mattresses, some companies have higher prices for their product to cover the high marketing dollars they spend (think tempurpedic). Online, you will find a ton of different chairs at all kinds of prices.

There are basically 3 different types of tracks. That is the “path” the robotic massage mechanism makes while traveling up and down your back. Straight track. It is a flat track with no bend. This is found in lower price chairs. S track. This track has a slight “S” curve to it so the massage mechanism follows more of the natural curve of your spine. “SJ” track. Same as the “S” but a little bit of a bend at the bottom so the mechanism can hit your upper glutes. “SL” track. Same as the “S” but with a 90 degree bend at the bottom so the mechanism hits your lower glutes.

Here are a few more common brands in no particular order:

Human Touch: Good quality. They source from very good factories in China. A little on the high side as far as price due to marketing, but they generally stand behind their chairs. FYI, The Venture Capitol company that owns them also owns Relax the Back.

Cozzia: I started this company by partnering with the factory that makes their chairs. They are now factory owned and are manufactured in China. A little under the quality of Human Touch and also high in price for what you get. They have a few design issues which lead to questionable longevity, but these are cosmetic.

Inada: Japanese factory with a USA distributor. Good quality, rather small chairs, sold mostly in back care stores. In the area of 8-9K retail. Good massage. I don’t know about their customer service.

Osaki: Lots of them on the internet. Not great quality. I do not know the factory as I do not see them as my main competition.

In general, most of the other brands you see on ebay and such are pretty low in quality. There are a ton of factories in China making all ranges of chairs. The ones online you see for cheap are just that. Don’t waste your money IMO.

[moderator edit]

I am happy to answer any specific questions regarding a company or a specific chair.

JJ

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Jake21

Massage chairs have come a long way in the last few years. Like just about anything else, you get what you pay for. But, like mattresses, some companies have higher prices for their product to cover the high marketing dollars they spend (think tempurpedic). Online, you will find a ton of different chairs at all kinds of prices.

There are basically 3 different types of tracks. That is the “path” the robotic massage mechanism makes while traveling up and down your back. Straight track. It is a flat track with no bend. This is found in lower price chairs. S track. This track has a slight “S” curve to it so the massage mechanism follows more of the natural curve of your spine. “SJ” track. Same as the “S” but a little bit of a bend at the bottom so the mechanism can hit your upper glutes. “SL” track. Same as the “S” but with a 90 degree bend at the bottom so the mechanism hits your lower glutes.

Here are a few more common brands in no particular order:

Human Touch: Good quality. They source from very good factories in China. A little on the high side as far as price due to marketing, but they generally stand behind their chairs. FYI, The Venture Capitol company that owns them also owns Relax the Back.

Cozzia: I started this company by partnering with the factory that makes their chairs. They are now factory owned and are manufactured in China. A little under the quality of Human Touch and also high in price for what you get. They have a few design issues which lead to questionable longevity, but these are cosmetic.

Inada: Japanese factory with a USA distributor. Good quality, rather small chairs, sold mostly in back care stores. In the area of 8-9K retail. Good massage. I don’t know about their customer service.

Osaki: Lots of them on the internet. Not great quality. I do not know the factory as I do not see them as my main competition.

In general, most of the other brands you see on ebay and such are pretty low in quality. There are a ton of factories in China making all ranges of chairs. The ones online you see for cheap are just that. Don’t waste your money IMO.

[moderator edit]

I am happy to answer any specific questions regarding a company or a specific chair.

JJ

JJ,
OP here, I most certainly appreciate your contributing to this thread with your expertise in the field of massage chairs. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like your evaluation of one of the ones I'm considering. It's from Sams Club On Line. I most certainly am not any form of an expert but, this one, based on the sales literature, seems legit and, it appears to be somewhat comprehensive. In that, it takes care of a lot of muscles etc. I'm not sold on it, just considering it. Sams Club has a few more too.
Scott

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/zerogr...lp_product_1_1

[Jake21]

I have not seen this chair in person, nor do I know the importer. But for 2000.00, you are not going to get a quality chair of this size.

That price means that the importer is paying very little for it. In China, there are many knock offs and you get what you pay for. Only a 1 year warranty and no extended warranty available is alarming to me. If you have a chance, go check it out in person and then try to compare it to another brand that you can see in person. Where are you located? Maybe there is a dealer of another brand near by.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Jake21

I have not seen this chair in person, nor do I know the importer. But for 2000.00, you are not going to get a quality chair of this size.

That price means that the importer is paying very little for it. In China, there are many knock offs and you get what you pay for. Only a 1 year warranty and no extended warranty available is alarming to me. If you have a chance, go check it out in person and then try to compare it to another brand that you can see in person. Where are you located? Maybe there is a dealer of another brand near by.

Hey Jake21,
Again, I appreciate your help in this situation. We are located in Lake Havasu City AZ so, not much by the way of nice massage chairs in this little desert town. Yeah, we do have a couple of furniture stores for beds, furniture, table and chairs and that sort of thing. But, if we really wanted to get into these, we'd most likely have to scoot on up to Flagstaff, a much, much larger town with more than likely, some sort of array of these type chairs.

I don't know just how much we're (I'm) willing to spend on this sort of thing. I might have to get a lower priced one due to budget. We'll see but, again, we'll do some evaluation first, based on your input. Thank you so much Sir.
Scott

[Isaac-1]

I don't know if things have changed much from when I was shopping for a massage chair 5 or 6 years ago, but at that time it seemed the only show rooms with any level of selection were in large major cities (say top 10 or top 20 cities in the US). Medium large cities, at least the ones in my region seemed to have 1 or 2 dealers with at most 3 or 4 display chairs on the floor.


One other thing to be aware of about these massage chairs is that they are very bulky, and heavy. As I recall mine barely fit through a 34 inch wide doorway and weighs around 265 pounds.


This is the model that I have https://www.themassagechair.com/Osak...ntelligent.htm

It was partly picked because it folds up to look mostly like a conventional chair when the foot rest is folded in, as my wife did not want something that looked like it belonged on a space ship.

[Mr_D]

Both the driver and passenger seat in my MH are massage with heated seat and back. Someday I should try them!