Massage Chairs. Are They Worth The $?

By: David Keam

President of the Best Sleep Centre

There are a few important factors to consider when investing in a Massage Chair.

In this blog, I will walk you through these important factors.

Massage Chairs have come a long way since their introduction in the early 1950’s. Massage Chairs have evolved into medical devices that can sense and accommodate any individual user preferences. Using technologies like optical and pressure sensors, many of today’s Massage Chairs use personal information to customize the range of the rollers so they perfectly fit your height and body contour. These modern-day Massage Chairs are packed with features like an L-Track, full body stretching, Zero Gravity, and more.

ARE MASSAGE CHAIRS WORTH IT: THE COSTS

COSTS OVER TIME

A Massage Chair and a massage therapist are both going to cost you, but how much can vary greatly.

Massage Chairs cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to well over $10,000. And to get a high-quality new Massage Chair, you can expect to pay at least $2,800. However, at Best Sleep Centre we have internet returns and delivery scratched Massage Chairs for as low as $900 as of this writing.

On the other hand, the average cost for a 60-minute massage from a masseuse is $60 to $120, depending on where you live and the type of massage you are getting.

NOW, LET’S CONSIDER THOSE COSTS OVER TIME

Let us say you wanted to get a Massage Chair. At around $2,000, if you used the chair every day for three years you would be spending about $0.50 per day. Now, if you and a partner both plan on using the Massage Chair, you would be spending about $0.25 per person per day for three years.

In general, Massage Chairs have a life expectancy of around 10-20 years.

At under $2000, if you used it once a day for a year, you would be spending around $5 per massage. If you used the chair once a day for three years (the warranty period of new), you would be spending around $1.70 per massage. That is one person, once a day.

NOW, LET’S COMPARE THE HIGH-END NUMBERS TO MASSAGE THERAPY

Let us say the median cost for a 60-minute massage is $120 including tip. To reach the average $2,000 you would spend on one of our Massage Chairs on massage therapy, you would need to have two massages per month (or 24 total) over two years.

BUT HERE’S THE DEAL

After 2 years, you will still be paying for those massages. In fact, you will never stop paying. Think of it like this. With Massage Therapy, you pay per session. With a Massage Chair, you pay per product.

These are totally different concepts. One requires you to pay as you go, which is good if you do not require too many massages and the other requires you to pay a moderate fee up front, which is good if you want or need regular/daily massages, with the second option saving you big money over time.

TIME AND AVAILABILITY

But not all costs are monetary. Perhaps the most valuable cost of all is time. How long does it take to drive to the Massage Clinic and get your hour to hour and half massage? How long does it take to book an appointment? These are questions you should ask yourself when calculating whether a Massage Chair is worth it or not.

With a Massage Chair, your very own "mechanical masseuse" is open and available 24 - 7. You do not have to go anywhere, squeeze time into your full schedule, or make an appointment. You don't need to worry if you wake up in the middle of the night with pain. When you own a Massage Chair, a relaxing massage is only a few feet away.

That said, having to "spend time" getting a massage is not all bad. Some people love getting out of the house to go to the spa or want the full massage experience -- oils, meditation music, calming scents, soft lights. The works.

Sure, Massage Chairs have tried to replicate these experience-enhancing elements including music system, chromotherapy lights, etc. but there is no real replacement for an in-person spa day if that is something you want as part of your wellness regime.

CONSISTENCY

Another factor worth considering when trying to answer the question "is a Massage Chair worth it" is consistency. Since a Massage Chair is a mechanical device it cannot be anything but consistent. After all, it is programmed to be. On the other hand, a massage therapist may or may not be consistent. This is especially true if you have not found your massage therapist, the person who understands your exact needs and preferences, and must see a new one each time you have a session. The fact is, not all massage therapists are the same.

With a Massage Chair, the massage you get one day will be the exact same massage you get the next day and for some users, that is a convincing case for purchasing a Massage Chair.

PRIVACY

Lastly, a Massage Chair in your own home offers more privacy.

ARE MASSAGE CHAIRS WORTH THE MONEY? FINAL THOUGHTS

At Best Sleep Centre right now we are selling a lot of internet and Wayfair return Massage Chairs. These are simply units that have been bought at 3 in the morning by one partner and sent back by the other 15 minutes or 2 days after receipt into the home. You can get a $2800 or a $1900 Massage Chair for less than half the price.

There is one aspect of a Massage Therapist a Massage Chair can never replicate — human touch. But if you are willing to look past that aspect and/or simply not eliminate the human but augment with the chair and focus specifically on costs, a Massage Chair is simply an excellent investment for those in need of an ongoing healthy dose of massage therapy. Myself personally I use both. NOTHING replaces a good therapist, but nothing replaces a good Massage Chair bought at half the price at Best Sleep Centre.