Best Massage Chairs to Buy in 2023

Our guide is here to:

• Help you pick a massager that’s right for your needs.
• Tell you everything you need to know about the best massage chairs on the market.

Top-Rated Therapeutic Chairs in 2023

1. Kahuna SM-7300 – Best Massage Chair 2023 (Full Body)

The Kahuna SM-7300 is the best massage recliner for 2023. It has been on the market for a couple of years already and is being highly rated by many satisfied users.

It’s our top choice because of the unique features it comes with: 6 strategically-placed rollers, 9 automated programs, and comfortable design for larger body types up to 320 pounds in weight.

Read our Kahuna review to learn more about this top-performing therapeutic chair!

The Kahuna SM7300 is an exceptional massage chair that can be enjoyed by anyone!

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Type & Comfort

The Kahuna SM-7300 is a full body massage chair and intended to be used as such:

Although it’s large and wide, its rollers are placed just under the seat cushion, so it’s not very comfortable to sit in for long periods.

The SM-7300 comes with just one Zero Gravity position – a surprising move by the company considering other models from the brand have two or three different Zero Gravity positions.

Nothing to worry about though:

You can manually adjust the it in whichever position you want.

Overview of Massage Types & Intensity

The Kahuna massager offers five different massage techniques:

• kneading
• tapping
• rolling
• kneading/tapping combo
• shiatsu

If you’re looking for a robotic chair that offers intense full body massage, then this Kahuna’s model is perfect for you!

The SM-7300 comes with 6 rollers that follow an SL-track:

Four rollers on the S-track follow your spine from your neck to your lower back; two rollers on the L-track go all the way down to your buttocks and thighs.

Tip: 

If some parts of your body are more sensitive than others, then try using a thin pillow or blanket between your body and the chair. If you’re afraid the foot massage feature might feel too strong, wrap a small towel around your feet.

Features

To give you the best massage experience possible, the SM-7300 comes with a unique Acupoint Detection Technology:

As you settle in the chair, the feature scans your body and arranges the rollers accordingly to offer you a customized massage session. If for whatever reason you’re not comfortable in the chair, you can use the remote to adjust the rollers manually.

The Kahuna SM-7300 is our top choice for 2023 because unlike most other massage recliners in this list, it comes with a total of 9 options/programs. You can choose between five automatic programs and four pre-customized modes:

• The ‘Golfer’ to massage your lower back, hips, and your legs.
• ‘Office Person’ for extra focus on your shoulder and neck area.
• ‘Senior Mode’ for a gentle full-body massage.
• ‘Dynamic Sports’ for an invigorating and intense total-body massage.

On top of roller massage, the chair also offers airbag massage with three different intensities. There are heat pads in the lower spine area that can provide relief from back pain. Just so you know, you can’t control the temperature of the heat pads, so if that’s important to you, this might not be the chair for you.

Another feature we love is the ‘Zone massage’ option:

It allows you to adjust the rollers manually to pay extra attention to tighter parts of your body. To use the ‘Zone massage’ feature, press the ‘Zone’ button on the remote.

You should only use the Kahuna chair for up to 30 minutes in one session. Sticking to this timeframe helps ensure your chair doesn’t overheat or break. While 30 minutes may feel too short for some users, proper use of the chair is crucial for maintaining its functions.

Suitable For

The SM-7300 is one of the only massage chairs sold today that can fit large bodies. According to the manufacturer, people up to 6’5’’ and weighing a maximum of 320 pounds should fit in the chair comfortably.

Size & Design

The design of this Kahuna massage chair is as expected:

It’s heavy and bulky, meaning it won’t probably blend in with your living room décor and other furniture. That said, it should look fine in your bedroom or office.

It’s one of the smallest chairs in this list though, fitting through doorways as small as 25” in width before assembly.

It only requires a 3” space from the wall to recline into a Zero Gravity position.

Warranty

Kahuna offers a 2-year warranty for the SM-7300, which includes parts as well as labor costs. During the two-year warranty-period, on-site repairs are also available.

Don’t forget to register your purchase with KahunaChair.com within 30 days from when you receive it! If you fail to register the chair with the manufacturer, the warranty is void.

The Kahuna 7300-SM is definitely deserving of our ‘Best Massage Chair 2023’ title! It comes with nine pre-set and automatic programs, 6 rollers that reach all parts of your body, and is a great fit for larger bodies. If you’ve been having problems finding a suitable chair before, the SM-7300 is the product for you!

2. Kahuna LM6800 – Affordable High-End Massage Chair

Kahuna’s LM-6800 is a great alternative to our main pick if you’re looking for a high-end massage chair at a lower price:

The LM-6800 offers full-body massage with five different massage options, six automatic modes, and multiple Zero Gravity positions.

Type & Comfort

The LM-6800 is a total-body massager that comes with three Zero Gravity positions, which help relax your spine and create a nice weightless feeling.

Like the SM-7300 reviewed above, it is not comfortable for use as a regular recliner as the rollers are too close to the cushions.

Overview of Massage Types & Intensity

The LM-6800 massages your whole body using an L-track with 4 rollers that extend to your neck, back, and buttocks. It has calf and foot massage rollers and also offers air massage with 36 airbags that massage your arms, shoulders, thighs, and buttocks.

This Kahuna chair offers five different types of massage:

• rolling
• kneading
• tapping
• tapping/kneading combo
• shiatsu

The massage intensity is strong, so the chair best suits people who prefer deep tissue massage!

Foot massage with the Kahuna LM-6800 is very intense too. If you’re sensitive in that area, add some padding between your feet and the chair. A thin blanket or a pillow is usually enough.

Features

Despite being lower priced than the SM-7300 and other similar robotic chairs in this list, the Kahuna LM-6800 too comes with high-end features:

• It offers personalized massage through a special Body Scan technology that adjusts rollers according to each body type.
• Three Zero Gravity positions create a weightless feeling.
• Heat pads in the lumbar region and calf area help reduce pain and muscle soreness.

It comes with five different massage types and six automatic programs that target specific areas of your body. You can use the remote control to adjust the intensity of the massage as you like.

Suitable For

Kahuna’s LM-6800 model best fits users around 6’2” in height weighing up to 240 pounds. If you’ve got a larger body, go for the SM-7300 above.

Size & Design

This massage recliner comes in three colors: two shades of black and a nice coffee brown.

It’s slightly bigger than the SM-7300 and should fit through doorways minimum 28” in width before installation. It only needs 3” to recline to Zero Gravity position though.

Warranty

The LM-6800 comes with a 3-year limited warranty:

The first year covers labor costs, all parts, the structural framework plus on-site repair. The second year, you only get coverage for parts and the last year offers a warranty on the structure only. Make sure to register your purchase on KahunaChair.com!

Kahuna’s LM-6800 is a great affordable high end massage chair with lots of satisfied users. It offers five different massage techniques and six pre-set automatic modes, comes with heating pads as well as airbags for air massage. It’s a great pick if you’re looking for a high-quality product from a known brand at a good price!

3. Relaxonchair MK-V – Best Shiatsu Massage Chair 2023 – (New!)

This 2019 edition massage chair by Relaxonchair is a newer and improved version of the already popular MK-II Plus:

The MK-V comes with 6 rollers strategically placed on a 50-inch L-track, dual foot rollers, 9 pre-set modes, and gives you full control over manual massage programs.

Let’s take a closer look at this new model.

Type & Comfort

The MK-V is a full-body massage chair that uses Zero Gravity technology. It reclines back into one Zero Gravity position and allows you to relax comfortably while lying down.

Like other massage chairs on this list, you can only use it as a massage chair – it’s not very comfortable to sit in for extended periods of time.

Overview of Massage Types & Intensity

The MK-V is the newest model of Relaxonchair and certainly an improved version of the widely popular MK-II Plus:

The new chair comes with two more massage techniques, five other automatic programs, extra-long L-track, more airbags, and dual foot rollers among other upgrades.

The new model offers five different massage techniques: kneading, tapping, rolling, kneading/tapping combo, and shiatsu. It’s perfect for massaging all parts of your body, including:

• shoulders and the neck area
• both upper and lower back
• arms
• buttocks, thighs, calves, and feet

Compared to the two Kahuna chairs reviewed above, massage with Relaxonchair MK-V is milder and not as intense. The dual foot rollers together with the heel acupressure function may be too strong for some people though, so use a thin blanket or thick socks if you’ve got sensitive feet.

Features

Its high-end features are the reason we love this Relaxonchair massager so much:

• It comes with a II generation Body Scan technology that scans and measures your upper body from buttocks to shoulders. The chair then arranges the rollers accordingly to offer a fully personalized massage experience.

• It has 38 airbags, which help stretch and twist different parts of your body such as your shoulders, lower back, hips, and even thighs. You can choose between three intensities.

• The chair comes with an excellent shiatsu function, which pins your body in place and stretches your leg and back muscles. The stretching feature is very efficient, making the MK-V the best shiatsu chair available today.

Perhaps one of the best features of the MK-V massage chair is the ability to fully customize manual settings:

• You can choose between three roller positions and three speed levels for a personalized back massage.
• There are three specific massage zones, which set the rollers to offer extra relief in tight areas.
• You can choose between two foot massage intensities.

Suitable For

The MK-V suits people up to 320 pounds in weight and 6’5″ in height – the same as our top choice Kahuna SM-7300. Choose Relaxonchair if you prefer moderate massage intensity.

Size & Design

The MK-V is also similar in size to the two Kahuna chairs on this list: it’s large and bulky and definitely won’t blend in as a piece of furniture.

The chair is 32” wide, so it won’t really fit through smaller doorways. That said, you can unscrew the side panel and reattach it after to reduce the width to about 28”.

It’s using a space-saving technology for the Zero Gravity position and slides forward, so it only needs about 3” behind it to fully recline.

Warranty

All Relaxonchair massagers come with a 3-year limited warranty:

The warranty covers the structural framework for three years, but parts only for the first year. Labor prices are not included in the warranty.

The Relaxonchair MK-V is an excellent massage chair for people who are looking for a softer massage experience. It comes with an excellent shiatsu feature, heating pads in the lumbar area, lots of pre-set programs, and allows you to fully customize manual programs in terms of speed and intensity. It’s a great choice for tall or heavy users!

4. iDEAL – Best Massage Chair For The Money

‘iDEAL’ may not be a widely known brand, but the company has designed a simple yet high-quality massage chair that comes with plenty of features.

Read our review if you’re looking for the best chair for the money!

Type & Comfort

This massage chair by ‘iDEAL’ is a full-body Zero Gravity recliner that also comes with a vibration function, which stimulates blood flow and the dilation of blood vessels.

You can’t really use it as a regular chair because sitting in it for longer periods is not very comfortable.

Overview of Massage Types & Intensity

Besides the vibration function, the ‘iDEAL’ chair uses three different types of massage techniques:

• rolling
• kneading
• shiatsu

Massage strength is medium and much less intense than that of the Kahuna massage chairs reviewed above.

The rollers move up and down of an S-shaped track, massaging your upper body and airbags apply pressure on your shoulders, arms, thighs, calves, and feet. There are also 6 ball-like rollers in the foot area, offering foot massage in the kneading technique.

The neck area is somewhat lacking as it doesn’t offer a lot of support and may leave your neck in an uncomfortable position. You can use a pillow to fix this issue, but unfortunately, you still won’t get a good neck massage as the rollers don’t reach the neck area at all.

Features

Surprisingly, the ‘iDEAL’ chair offers three Zero Gravity positions, which allow you to sit or lay down comfortably without any stress on your back.

It comes with four pre-set massage programs that use different combinations of massage techniques such as spinal rolling, shiatsu, kneading, and vibrating.

When you use the manual mode, you can adjust the rollers on your upper or lower back as you wish and control the massage techniques, their intensity, speed, and also the intensity of the airbags.

Despite its moderate price, you get a good-quality massage experience with this chair:

• The rollers are great for massaging your back
• The kneading balls in the foot area feel nice on the soles of the feet
• Airbags offer air massage for your upper body, thighs, and calves
• The vibration function gently massages your lower back and buttocks
• Heating pads in the lower back area offer heat therapy effects

Suitable For

The ‘iDEAL’ massage chair best fits people below 6’ and less than 280 pounds in weight.

Size & Design

It is available in four stylish colors: beige, light brown, black, and red.

Like all chairs on this list, this product too is large and heavy, weighing in at around 200 pounds. Because of its size, it won’t fit through door frames that are less than 32 inches wide. It doesn’t recline forward, which means you need at least 13” behind it for Zero Gravity positions.

‘iDEAL’ doesn’t offer White Glove Service but curbside delivery only. Keep this in mind when purchasing this chair as you’ll need the help of multiple people to get in your home and assemble it!

Warranty

‘iDEAL’ offers a 3-year warranty for this product, which covers the electronic parts as well as the steel frame and body for the whole three years.

If for whatever reason you want to return it, you can do that within the 10-day return window, but keep in mind there’s a 20% restocking fee if you do.

 ‘iDEAL’s’ massage chair is definitely not a match to the premium quality therapeutic chairs reviewed above, but it is one of the best in its price range. It comes with three different massage techniques, three Zero Gravity reclining options, heat therapy, and airbag massage options.

If you’re looking for a basic massage chair and don’t care much about being able to customize it 100%, then it’s the right product for you.

5. Real Relax Favor2019 – Best Cheap Full Body Massage Chair

The new Real Relax Favor2019 looks and feels like an expensive, high-end massage chair, yet it’s the cheapest chair on our list!

It uses Zero Gravity technology and offers airbag massage, heat therapy, and vibration – it’s a great product for anyone looking for a powerful but simple therapeutic massager.

Type & Comfort

The Favor2019 massage chair works on your whole body by using different technologies in different areas:

• rollers in the backrest and foot area
• airbags in the calf area
• heat, vibration, and air squeeze in the seating area
• pulse massage in the arm section

It’s a good chair for relaxing, but not really suitable for sitting in for extended periods.

Overview of Massage Types & Intensity

Here’s what you should know before considering purchasing this massager:

Instead of rollers that move up and down your back, you get eight fixed massage points in the backrest.

The massage heads work in a kneading technique, but you won’t get all the other massage types like rolling, tapping, etc. Massage with this chair feels more like a static massage that works together with airbags to offer relief in different areas.

Massage strength is medium, and you can adjust it for speed and intensity. Some people find the airbag massage in the calf area a bit too strong though.

Features

Because the massage heads are static, you can’t adjust them to fit your body type. What you can do is recline the chair to adjust how the massage points feel on your body:

• When you use it in an upright or in the higher recline position, the rollers will feel more intense on your lower back and neck.

• Reclining it to lower positions will adjust the rollers to hit the upper back.

There are no massage heads in the seat area, but the Favor2019 uses heat, vibration, and air squeeze for your buttocks and hips. It massages your calves by squeezing them with airbags, and there should also be so-called ‘shiatsu points’ in the calf area too. The chair uses rollers to rub your feet.

Considering the price range, it’s somewhat surprising that the chair is a Zero Gravity recliner with three Zero Gravity positions. The ‘Deep Zero Gravity’ position lifts your feet over your heart and allows the spine to decompress fully.

Real Relax uses 50 airbags in the shoulder, hip, arm, and calf area to relax muscles and stimulate blood flow.

The chair comes with 4 pre-set programs, but you can also use the remote to manually select areas of your body you want to target specifically.

You can use the built-in speakers with Bluetooth connectivity to listen to music for an even more relaxing experience.

Suitable For

The Favor2019 model comes with an extendable footrest, which supposedly makes the chair suitable for people up to 6’1” in height.

The truth is, the footrest only extends by a couple of centimeters, and taller users may find the chair massages their ankles instead of their calves. For this reason, I’d say the chair best suits people around 5’6” to 5’8” in height.

Weight wise, the limit is around 260-270 pounds.

Size & Design

This Real Relax’s massage chair comes covered in synthetic leather and is available in three colors: black, dark tan, and silver.

Like other chairs on this list, Favor2019 is large and heavy too, but it comes with wheels, which makes it easy to move from place to place. When assembled, the chair is about 31” in width, so keep this in mind.

You also need to know that it doesn’t come with space-saving technology, meaning it slides back when reclining into Zero Gravity positions and not to the front. Make sure you have at least 12” of space behind it in your chosen room!

The chair will come in multiple boxes and you have to use a YouTube video to assemble it yourself. Most people find it very easy to be put together though.

Warranty

Real Relax offers a 3-year limited warranty for the Favor2019 model:

Parts and service fees such as for maintenance and repair are covered for one year. After that, the warranty only covers shipping if you need to get it replaced or fixed. The warranty then does not include the parts required for fixing or labor fees.

Real Relax’s Favor2019 is certainly a great deal if you’re looking for a cheap full body massage chair. You won’t get all the bells and the whistles you would with other more expensive chairs, but you’ll be getting your money’s worth: decent massage on your shoulders, neck, and back; strong enough airbag massage in the arm and calf area; and different techniques to handle your buttocks and hips.

What To Consider When Buying a Massage Chair in 2023?

Before you choose your massage chair, I want to share 7 key features you should consider when deciding which therapeutic chair to buy.

This small overview will help you understand the features of each chair and make it easier to find one that fits your needs.

Here are 7 things to consider when choosing between different models:

Budget range

Knowing your budget range will determine which models and even which brands are available to you:

• Cheaper chairs cost about $500 or less but offer basic relaxation functions on the upper body only.
• Pricier chairs (starting from $700 or so) are mostly full body massage chairs and come with different features and massage types.

Chair features

Depending on the model, a therapeutic chair might:

• Offer different types of massage techniques like tapping, kneading, shiatsu, rolling, Swedish massage, vibration, etc.
• Let you choose between different massage intensities or patterns.
• Come with pre-customized and automatic massage modes.
• Let you manually target specific parts of your body.
• Come with heat pads in the seat, lumbar, or calf area.
• Offer multiple Zero Gravity reclining positions.

Before making a purchase, think about which of these features you don’t want to compromise on.

Comfort

Are you looking for a 2-in-1 massage chair that could double as a regular chair or just something to offer relief for sore muscles?

Some chairs are comfortable for longer use although I’ve found most are quite uncomfortable and suitable for massage sessions only.

Chair design

If you’ve spent a lot of time and money on decorating your home, you might want to get a massager that could also double as a piece of furniture.

Some brands (such as Human Touch) put a lot of effort into designing beautiful chairs while others put most of their efforts into developing premium features.

Chair size

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not taking into account the size of the chair!

Reclining and Zero Gravity massage chairs are very big and take up a lot of space. They need between 3”-13” from the wall to recline into lower positions.

Some people are looking for a chair that they could use in different rooms of their home, but most chairs are very heavy and make that impossible. Even if a chair comes with wheels, narrow doors or stairwells may prevent you from moving it around.

User height and weight limits

Each manufacturer provides details about the ideal height and weight range for their chairs. Considering the limits is super important, especially if you’re on the taller and/or heavier side. Not all chairs can accommodate people over 6’ tall or weighing more than 250 pounds.

Warranty

Perhaps the most important thing to consider is the length of the warranty. You want to buy something that lasts a good while, so make sure your chosen product has a minimum one-year warranty on ALL of its parts. In most cases, the warranty is between one to three years.

Now that you know how to pick the right massage chair, it’s time to look at our top picks for 2023. They all stand out for different reasons, whether it is because of their premium features or their price.

Frequently Asked Questions

* This information here is provided for informational purposes only and is not expressed as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor about your personal health care needs (even if it’s something you’ve read on this or any other website). Ask your doctor whether it’s safe to use a massage chair if you have any health conditions. Visit our Terms and Conditions page for more information.

Wrapping It Up

These were our top massage chair picks for 2023. Although pricier chairs seem to have more features, some of the budget options on this list offer serious competition to high-end brands.

The main thing is to identify your needs and expectations and then decide which chair can live up to them. I hope you find our reviews useful when considering which massager is right for you!

Have any questions or comments? Let me know below.

Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API