#IREST A303 MASSAGE CHAIR FULL#
#IREST A303 MASSAGE CHAIR PROFESSIONAL#

They noted how far each chair reclined and how easy it was to recline, whether the heating feature was adequately warm, whether the intensity settings were easy to adjust and powerful enough, and whether they particularly liked or disliked any of the massage-style settings. These testers ranged from 100 to 309 pounds and from 5 feet to 6 feet 3 inches tall. None of these features were requirements, but they can be nice to have since they allow you to further customize your experience.Īdditionally, 30 testers (including myself) spent a collective 39 hours testing stationary massage chairs in our Long Island City, New York, office over three rounds of testing in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Worthwhile extra features: We gave preference to massage chairs offering additional features we deemed useful, including built-in speakers, USB charging ports, timers, a setting that lets you linger on a certain spot, and height/width adjustment settings.Generally speaking, we think it makes better financial sense to spend more on a chair that will perform better and last longer.

#IREST A303 MASSAGE CHAIR FULL#

Although we’ve previously tested stationary massage chairs in the $300 to $1,000 range, chairs in that price bracket often lack key features such as heating and full reclining, and those we tested were less sturdily built, less comfortable to sit in, and capable of massaging fewer areas than pricier models. In our 2022 round of testing, in response to reader requests that we consider higher-end options, we opened up our testing pool to include chairs costing as much as $10,000 to see how they’d fare against cheaper models. Considering that breakdown, we think it’s reasonable to spend a few thousand dollars on a massage chair, assuming you use it frequently and get a similar amount of enjoyment from it. So if you get a weekly 60-minute massage, you’re likely spending around $4,000 a year on massages, not including tips and other fees.

#IREST A303 MASSAGE CHAIR PROFESSIONAL#

Less than $10,000: According to a 2021 report (PDF) from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the national average rate for a professional massage is $76.48 per hour.A one-year warranty or longer: A year should be ample time for anyone to fully test out a massage chair’s features and decide if it works properly, but we gave preference to models with longer warranties.To accommodate a more diverse range of body types, we gave preference to massage chairs with even higher weight limits. We chose to set our weight limit a bit higher, since nearly 30% of Americans weigh 200 pounds or more. At least a 250-pound weight limit: On average, adults age 20 and older in the US weigh about 185 pounds.At least one kneading massage setting: The most basic massage chairs simply vibrate, but we wanted at least one kneading (sometimes called “shiatsu” or “Swedish massage”) setting since this more closely mimics the feeling of a massage therapist’s fingers and palms digging into muscles.

We preferred more settings, though, to offer people more customization based on their mood and personal comfort level. At least two intensity settings: At a bare minimum, we wanted each chair to be able to switch from a low- to a high-intensity setting.So we made this a must-have feature for each chair we tested. Heating: Hedge also said that heat-from a warm towel, hot stones, or the warmth of a massage therapist’s hands-is a crucial part of massage, since it gets your blood flowing.Reclining: Since ergonomics expert Alan Hedge told us it’s impossible to fully relax your muscles while you are sitting upright, we required every chair to recline at least partially.Some also extend to the head, neck, and shoulders, as well as to the arms, legs, and feet. Full-back coverage: Some massage cushions, pads, or pillows target only a small area, so we required all of our contenders to cover at least the upper and lower back.

Irest a303 massage chair