Make sure that you double-check the dimensions of the space that you would like to put your chair in. There are many newer “space saver” chairs that are able to be placed within a couple of inches to the wall. You will want to put your chair in a place that you will use it regularly—you don’t want to place it somewhere that is hard to get to, you don’t feel relaxed in or in a place that you’re likely to pile things (such as clothes and books) on top of. It’s also important to consider the décor of the room you’ll be placing your chair in. Many chairs now come with beautiful color pallets and even leather on body touchpoints. We now even carry a couple of models with genuine wood and smooth lines along the outside. Some chairs offer retractable ottomans so that the chair will blend into your living room without looking too obtrusive.

According to several chiropractors, the Zero Gravity position is the most important advancement in the industry. Originally developed by NASA in order to help astronauts reduce the compression of the spine during take-offs of the shuttle, the zero gravity position allows the body to assume a position of weightlessness. Thus, dramatically reducing tension in the spine and back, creating a feeling of weightlessness. The knees are typically raised to at least heart level, with a 30-degree angle to the spine. Some newer chairs now offer two or three different stages of Zero Gravity position, creating a bigger recline in the back.

S-Track Massage Chairs follow the curvature of the spine starting from the neck all the way down to the bottom of the spine in an S-shaped pattern. S-Track Rollers range in length from 26 inches all the way up to 32” long. The longer rollers will actually be able to massage from your neck all the way down to the top of your glutes. An S-Track is actually what is seen in the majority of high quality chairs currently available. Don’t let an S-track roller deter you from certain massage chairs—some of our very best massage chairs (award-winning massage chairs) are S-Tracks.

As you can see from this diagram, the rollers of an L-Track chair typically begin just below the neck, follow the curvature of the spine and around the gluteal muscles and hamstrings. The rollers of L-Track chairs range in length from 42 inches all the way up to 53 inches in length. The most common L-Track roller length is 50 inches. Roller length is really only a small part of the equation when trying to determine the quality of the massage a chair will deliver.  

Some of our manufacturers claim to have an SL track roller, which means that they believe the rollers to be as effective as an S-track at completely covering the back and spine area while also covering the glutes and lower hamstrings. We tend to think of these chairs as simply L-tracks to be honest.

The OHCO line of Massage Chairs features a 49" MaxTrack (similar, but much better, to an L-Track). Your chairs seamlessly move from the upright position to zero gravity, bed-position (lying flat) and even inversion. While still allowing the seat, back, and legs to adjust independently, the MaxTrack design ensures a precise massage throughout every point of contact. As a result of the flexibility of the Maxtrack design, the Ohco massage chair can seamlessly execute massage in the zero gravity position and the lie-flat posture, and also offer exceptional range during back extension movements for a superior stretch function. This is the most versatile track function that we have seen to date.

Until recently, almost all massage chairs were 2D. With this type of roller, you cannot adjust the intensity of the massage very well as the rollers are just able to move back and forth + up and down because the rollers remain on a flat plane in two dimensions.

3D rollers allow you to access the Z-plane and 3rd dimension of a massage, creating the most realistic experience possible. The depth of the rollers can be adjusted forward or backward to increase/decrease the intensity of the massage. This flexibility allows each user of the chair to create and customize the intensity to their liking. If you prefer a very deep massage and your significant other wants gentle, you have the flexibility in this chair to cater to both of you! The 3D Roller Technology found in premium massage chairs provide outstanding deep tissue massage to the lower back and neck area.

4D massage chairs are not really different from 3D massage chairs, except the user has more control over the depth and rhythm of the massage. There are often more strength adjustments with 4D chairs, as well as the ability to adjust roller speed. Speed can’t really even be considered a dimension. THAT’S IT! If you thought a 4D chair was some type of technological wonder propelling you into the 4th dimension, you’ve been sold some very good lines. In all honesty, 4D is more of a marketing play than anything else.

If you've ever wanted to "remember" your favorite massage, you're in for a treat with our Memory Function Collection. You'll be able to save up to five different user profiles within the smart system, bringing you into your favorite relaxed massage that much quicker for the entire family. This is a very advanced feature only available in the best massage chairs today. The nice thing about the memory function is that it sidesteps the body scan and allows you to quickly get into your favorite massage in seconds.

All 3D chairs come equipped with a full body scan which serves to optimize the roller in order to detect acupoints along the neck and back to fully customize and improve the overall massage experience. The best massage chairs available today offer features that allow you to save multiple user profiles so that the body scan can be saved into memory, and you can get right to the massage without waiting for the chair to complete a scan before each use. Almost all of our chairs now come with the Body Scan Function.

You will find that most chairs in the market have some type of air compression included in the massage chair. Air compression gently (or tightly) squeezes the body in different areas to provide pressure and relief to many parts of the body. When coupled with the rollers, the airbags really intensify the overall massage experience and also serve to hold the body in place. Next generation airbags require fewer airbags to handle the same surface area, as well as decrease the amount of sound and moving parts in the chair. Now, there are even kneading airbags which closely mimic the feel of rollers in different areas, such as the calves.

Foot rollers are different from air compression within the calf and foot region. Only the premium massage chairs include foot rollers, while very few include calf rollers and/or a calf acupressure ball integrated within the airbag system. We currently carry a couple of models with the calf roller option. If you’ve sat in “newer” massage chairs, you probably noticed that while the squeezing feels quite good, rollers could make the experience even better. Foot rollers coupled with a complete body scan help the massage chair to truly deliver healing reflexology, which is an amazing health benefit.

We now have a few different chairs that have actual calf rollers within their mechanism. It's been standard to have calf airbags that will gently knead the calves, but calf rollers can really take things to a whole new level.

The Multi-functional footrest can be used for three purposes which are foot and calf massage, flipped to become an ottoman like a recliner, or stored to save space and look more like a normal chair. We have several different chairs that offer this feature, which allows your massage chair to seamlessly fit into virtually any decor.

It’s no secret that heat can help to loosen sore muscles and promote blood-flow, which makes it a logical addition to any good chair. As the muscles warm up, the tissue will loosen and allow the massage chair to provide a better, more therapeutic massage. Many massage chairs come with a lumbar heat option and a few premium chairs feature heat in the foot, calves, seat and arm regions. We even have a chair with "blanket heat" that wraps around your chest. In the last year, many new chairs have offered an extended heat option to the lumbar, feet, calves and seat region. We also now have several chairs with heated 3D and 4D rollers.

Many chairs now include and integrate a Bluetooth connection seamlessly into their massage chair design with discreet, crisp speakers and even USB charging stations. This will allow you to listen to your favorite relaxing music, a podcast or even an audible. Many of our premium chairs come equipped with a touch screen remote and matching apps similar to your favorite cell phone—this new option has really made the remote easy to operate and very user-friendly.

Chromotherapy, or color light therapy, has become a popular addition to many massage chairs. The thought behind it is that the soft hues serve to further relax the mind and improve the overall ambiance. Common colors typically used are blue, green and red in a soft, illuminating hue. Color therapy helps bring balance to the mind and promotes better health and well-being. We even have a luxury chair with "M-Pool" lighting which senses when you are walking towards the chair in order to welcome you and light your way.

Enjoy each fresh breath you take as the Air Ionizer removes dust, dander, spores, and other irritants. Located in the headrest, a small fan moves ionized air through the vent port, echoing the sound of faint ocean waves. Clear the air and clear your mind.

Space Saver massage chairs have been specifically designed to fit into tighter spaces. These chairs rotate down and out, creating a much smaller footprint than traditional chair models.   The beauty of the space saver massage chair is that they can be placed within 2 inches of a wall. We carry many different Space Saver options across all of our manufacturers. Click here to check out all of our Space Saver Massage Chairs.

There are even some chairs that carry the Durable Medical Equipment designation that can be helpful with insurance companies if you have been prescribed a massage chair by your physician or specialist. The Luraco iRobotics i7 Massage Chair carries this designation and is one of the only DME chairs available.