Life today can be physically taxing and psychologically stressful. But you don’t simply have to grin and bear it. When it comes to pain relief and relaxation, nothing beats an advanced massage chair. The easing of aches and pains and the calming effect a chair produces can be truly life-changing.
That term may sound a little cliche, but it is accurate in this context. The massage chair features in the latest models do an exceptional job of relieving minor pains while also creating a profoundly relaxing experience. Nothing positions you to overcome obstacles, seize opportunities, and enjoy a better quality of life than being pain- and stress-free.
If you don’t already own a massage chair, you should consider making this wise investment in the year ahead. This article covers trends and provides a list of 2024’s top massage chairs.
What To Expect From the Massage Chair Industry in 2024
Here are some massage chair trends we are following this year:
Advances in pain relief
Massage chair manufacturers continue to work with medical experts, people experiencing body aches and pains, and other stakeholders to enhance chair functionality to better address various types of discomfort.
Enhanced session tailoring
The ability to customize a massage session to your wants and needs isn’t new. However, massage chair manufacturers continue to make breakthroughs in this area. For example:
- The KOYO 303TS has 30 massage intensity levels that can be adjusted in any program.
- The OHCO M.8 NEO allows you to independently adjust the air cell intensity of each body part, or deactivate each body part entirely.
- The MAK1 lets you deactivate particular sections of the back and customize the massage styles employed for each section.
Overuse of “artificial intelligence” and “AI”
Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) today, and many in the massage chair industry are looking to capitalize on those terms to draw attention to products. It’s true that features like back autoscan and Panasonic’s real-time 6-position and force microprocessors demonstrate an impressive level of “intelligence,” but even “smart massage chairs” aren’t driven by actual AI.
For our part at Furniture For Life, we’re refraining from overusing these terms. Rather than touting “AI massage chairs,” we remain focused on helping customers understand the benefits a particular function can deliver.
Misleading marketing with descriptors like “5D massage chair” and higher
We never cease to be amazed at how massage chairs evolve from year to year. However, in rare cases, the expectations and marketing get ahead of the R&D. The term “5D massage chair” is one example.
While it’s true that 4D massage chairs exist and introduce the notion of pace into massage sessions, 5D massage has no defined value as a massage feature. It may someday denote an actual capability, but for now, it’s most often used in an attempt to make existing features sound more advanced. The same is true for 6D, 7D, and 8D. None of those descriptors currently indicate new or unique functionality. They simply function as attention-getters. We caution you to view massage chairs labeled “5D” or higher with a measure of skepticism.
Furniture For Life’s Perspective on Top Massage Chairs for 2024
At Furniture For Life, we carry a curated collection of The World’s Best Massage Chairs®. The work we’ve done to research and select the top massage chairs gives us a unique perspective on the industry. The challenge is choosing the products that can be considered the best of the best.
While we can enthusiastically recommend every massage chair we carry, here—in no particular order—are four that stand out for various reasons.
- KOYO 303TS. We’ll start with a massage chair that makes our list for being one of the best chairs made in Japan at its price point. Some of the most innovative massage chair designs and creative uses of technology emanate from Japan, and this chair is a tremendous example. It has a long list of features, including full-body air massage, auto body scan, and an advanced 4D massage mechanism. It also has zero gravity recline capability, an intuitive touchscreen remote, and a Bluetooth sound system.
- OHCO M.8 NEO. This gorgeous and feature-rich chair was designed by luxury sports car legend Ken Okuyama with choreography by Shiatsu master (sensei) Akira Okabayashi. It provides incredibly lifelike massage sessions and has sought-after features like gentle neck traction, lay flat and zero gravity positions, deep calf kneading, aromatherapy, an air ionizer, and a white noise generator.
- POSITIVE POSTURE BRIO SPORT. This chair is a favorite of active people and athletes. It is the first and only massage chair specifically designed to speed and improve recovery after exercise by reducing inflammation and improving lymph drainage and blood circulation. Users find they can enjoy more strenuous workouts more frequently, knowing that their massage chair will help them recover quickly and be ready to keep putting in the work.
- PANASONIC MAK1. This chair has a full array of features and functions but has earned a loyal following from people who enjoy deep tissue massage therapy. These sessions are excellent for relieving muscle pain. The chair achieves that goal by drawing real-time data from body sensors, and adjusting its speed and intensity to your body’s unique needs at the moment,
Picture Yourself in One of the Industry’s Top Massage Chairs for 2024
People sometimes ask us, “Who needs a massage chair?” The shortest answer is, “Everyone!” If you enjoy being thoroughly relaxed, free of minor aches and pains, and at the top of your game physically and mentally (and who doesn’t?), a massage chair can be a great tool for body and mind transformation.
However, if we had to identify the people who most often own massage chairs, four groups come to mind. One of them is people seeking relief from pain and stiffness. They want and need the type of frequent and personalized massage therapy that an advanced chair can provide. Living life free of minor aches and with full range of motion or bringing severe pain to a manageable level tends to be their goal.
Another group is those seeking whole-body relaxation and relief from stress brought on by work obligations, challenges in their personal life, etc. They see a massage chair as an in-home oasis and know that it can deliver remarkably lifelike and relaxing sessions. From understanding where you are positioned in the chair using body scanning technology to making it simple to tailor a session to meet specific wellness needs, an advanced massage chair is an incredible feat of design and engineering.
The same characteristics appeal to health-conscious people who are proactive about caring for themselves and consider a massage chair an essential element in their long-term wellness plan. They understand the therapeutic benefits of massage chairs (pain relief, improved circulation, and several others) and also appreciate how easy it is to obtain those benefits.
And finally, people wanting to facilitate better sleep often find that regular massage chair sessions, and the mind and body relaxation they deliver, support more and better sleep. A massage chair’s carefully developed routines, heat therapy, and other features are like having a skilled massage therapist on call 24/7/365—and most importantly for this group, just before bedtime.
The good news for anyone interested in improving their health and well-being is that massage chair manufacturers continue to enhance their products based on their research and development and the availability of cutting-edge components.
Test Drive the Best Massage Chairs of 2024
Terms like “best massage chair” or “top massage chairs” will always be subjective. The list we provided above is based on our knowledge of the field, customer feedback, and other factors, so we feel it is helpful and instructive. Still, the only way to know which massage chair is best for you is to try several models.
If you want to be more relaxed, healthier, and happier in 2024, we encourage you to find the Furniture For Life location near you and visit at your earliest convenience. One of our friendly and knowledgeable Comfort Consultants can walk you through informative, no-pressure demonstrations of models best suited to your wants and needs. Then, if you decide to purchase a massage chair, you can look forward to the many benefits it will provide in 2024 and for many years to come.
