You have done your research and learned that massage chairs can relieve aches and pains, improve circulation, aid in workout recovery, and support better sleep—to name just a few of the many benefits. Or perhaps you have owned massage chairs previously and fully understand how they can improve your quality of life.
Either way, you are considering the purchase of a new massage chair and wondering about the typical massage chair lifespan. This article answers the critical question, “How long do massage chairs last?”
An Investment in Your Health and Happiness
Let’s start by acknowledging that the purchase of a massage chair is a significant investment. It is the best type of investment, as nothing matters more than your health and well-being. If you suffer from constant aches and pains, poor circulation, a lack of sleep quantity or quality, and other issues, life simply is not as enjoyable as it could be. So, buying a massage chair pays vital dividends.
Still, as with any investment, you want to ensure a high return. That means having your chair working at peak performance for many years. When it does, as any massage chair from leading manufacturers should, it is a very cost-effective form of in-home massage therapy.
Massage Chair Longevity: What You Should Expect From Your Chair
Unsurprisingly, many factors affect a massage chair’s lifespan. Considerations include:
- The type of massage chair you purchase
- The company that manufactures your massage chair
- How often you use your massage chair
- How you care for your massage chair
However, for a high-quality chair that you use regularly and care for well, you should anticipate it faithfully meeting your needs for at least a decade. That’s 10+ years of anytime access to bodywork that relieves muscle tension, reduces stress, promotes restful sleep, etc.
While we suggest a decade as a reasonable estimate of massage chair longevity, there is no reason yours cannot last significantly longer. Compare that to other major purchases like vehicles—which cost considerably more and are typically replaced at least every eight years— and you can see that a massage chair offers tremendous value.
What You Need To Know About Massage Chair Warranties and Customer Service
The primary driver of a massage chair’s lifespan is the quality of its design and construction. However, its warranty is a close second. Getting professional service for any issues that do arise will help ensure the chair can deliver enjoyable sessions for many years. In addition, the fact that a chair comes with a robust standard warranty tells you that the manufacturer is confident in their product.
Before you purchase a massage chair, it is critical that you carefully review its warranty. With a significant purchase like a massage chair, it is worth the time to read about how the warranty protects it. Check out how major massage chair brands stack up in terms of their product warranties.
Any massage chair you are considering should come with three years of parts and in-home labor. As the saying goes, it is crucial that you “read the fine print” rather than simply skimming to find the warranty’s length. Many massage chair brands will advertise a three-year warranty, but you will find that it only covers specific components (such as the frame) for that period, with parts and labor covered for shorter periods.
Other massage chair warranties will cover the cost of the parts but not the cost of shipping the parts to you. Or they will cover labor, but you have to pay to send your chair to a service center, which is expensive and may mean that it takes weeks or months to get it back. These types of deceptive practices are disappointing to companies like ours that pride themselves on fully backing the products they sell, but sadly, they are prevalent.
It is a good sign if a brand offers warranty extensions that reach five years. Whether or not you purchase an extension, its availability shows that the provider believes in their products.
In addition to solid warranties, good customer service is essential in maximizing your massage chair’s lifespan. Ideally, service should be provided by a dedicated, U.S.-based team. Even an excellent warranty is of no value if you cannot reach someone to talk about an issue with your massage chair.
Understanding Massage Chair Maintenance
The term “massage chair maintenance” can mean different things to different people. To clarify: A high-quality massage chair should not require regular maintenance—meaning work performed by a technician or service provider.
People sometimes ask, “Can you do massage chair maintenance yourself?” Our answer is that when it comes to the types of “maintenance” a chair will need, such as simple cleaning and inspections, yes, you can take those steps yourself. But if a massage chair provider ever indicates that your chair will require regular service, that should be a red flag.
Tips for Ensuring Your Massage Chair Meets Your Needs for Many Years
You can help your massage chair live up to its full potential for performance and durability by doing the following:
- Learn to operate your chair before using it. Massage chairs are designed to be very intuitive and forgive “operator error.” Still, your chair will last the longest if you use it as intended.
- Inspect and clean your massage chair periodically. Massage chairs are made from strong, durable materials. However, you should not allow dirt and debris to accumulate. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning your chair, and be sure to look for items inadvertently left there (car keys, etc.) that could damage the fabric.
- Enjoy massages regularly. It may seem counterintuitive, but regular use helps extend the life of your chair. It was “built to serve” and thrives on doing so!
- Arrange for service if needed. Your massage chair might never need repairs. But if an issue arises, addressing it promptly will ensure that a minor problem does not become a major one.
Debunking Myths About Massage Chair Durability
Years ago, the first (and sometimes only) exposure people had to massage chairs was at places like shopping malls. In those settings, the chairs typically did not look good and were often out of order. This understandably led people to see massage chairs as cheaply constructed or fragile. Consequently, it skewed their internal answer to the “How long do massage chairs last?” question.
However, there are several reasons for the poor conditions of those chairs. First, the massage chairs purchased for use at malls, in salons, etc., tend to be low-end models. Decision-makers generally choose the most affordable chairs in these environments, seeing them primarily as replaceable marketing tools.
Second, in these high-traffic settings, massage chairs often get heavy use. In a home—even one with several family members—a massage chair may only be used two or three times daily. A mall or salon massage chair might be used by shoppers or customers dozens of times each day. Again, we are talking about a chair not designed or manufactured to particularly high standards, so this takes a toll.
And finally, it is not uncommon for massage chairs in these settings to suffer from neglect. That is not true of all owners, of course. Still, neither they nor the users are likely particularly concerned about the care a chair needs to continue operating effectively for an extended period.
Find Your Perfect Massage Chair
While massage chairs are built to last a long time, it doesn’t take long to find your perfect chair at a Furniture For Life showroom. Our knowledgeable and helpful Comfort Consultants will help you identify the chairs that best align with your needs and then guide you through “test drives” of them.
We are confident we have the one you are looking for in our curated collection of The World’s Best Massage Chairs®. Find the Furniture For Life location nearest you and stop by today.
