The 7 Best Massage Chairs for Full-Body Relaxation

Best Overall

Real Relax Massage Chair

$935 at Amazon

Real Relax’s 2024 Massage Chair with Dual-Core S Track model is our best overall pick for its innovative features packaged at a reasonable price point. Its dual-core S track and full-body airbags rival the designs of higher-priced models on our list. 

The S track moves the massage nodules along the length of your spine, providing a more effective and realistic massage than those with fixed nodules. Similarly, the full-body airbags gently compress your shoulders, arms, hips, and feet.

We also love that this chair has a heating function on the lower back and rollers in the foot wells. It has six massage modes—kneading, Shiatsu, flapping, tapping, kneading, and tapping, plus kneading and flapping—which you can adjust to focus on different areas. 

You can adjust all of the settings on the attached LCD screen, and there’s a phone app for more flexibility. We love that this chair has an adjustable neck massage setting, so the nodules hit the right spot on all users. The footrest can also extend an additional 5.9 inches for taller users, but unfortunately, users over 6 feet tall may not comfortably fit in this chair. 

This chair requires assembly, and it arrives in two boxes, so we recommend having an additional person available to help and taking your time when unpackaging the parts.  

_{Dimensions: 27.6 x 52 x 43.3 inches | Weight: 143.3 pounds | Upholstery Material: Faux leather | Heat: Yes | Recline: Three positions (initial zero gravity, comfort zero gravity, deep zero gravity)} 

Best Value

Costway Wingback Massage Chair

$470 $205 at Target

Simple and sleek in design, we also love Costway’s Wingback Recliner Massage Chair because it’s compact yet still has several thoughtful features at a lower price. The upholstered recliner can adjust between 90 and 160 degrees for optimal comfort, and the footrest raises to 90 degrees. 

In terms of massage, this chair comes with ample choices; it has eight massage modes, two vibrating lumbar nodes, and three intensities, all controlled with a corded remote, so the luxury is in your hands to provide you the exact relief that you’re looking for. Additionally, you have the choice between 15- and 30-minute massage timers. 

In addition to the massage options, this chair features high-density sponge-filled polyester and elastic springs, so it’s focused on your comfort before you even turn the chair on, which we love. Other details that stood out for us include the wider armrests and the curved backrest to accommodate the natural shape of your body.

Where this chair falls short is the 275-pound weight limit, which is lower than many other options on our list. The seat also could be deeper to accommodate taller people. Additionally, you won’t find as much tension relief from this chair since it lacks kneading massage nodules, which you'll find in the most expensive options on our list. However, we still love this chair’s size and simplicity, making it great for small apartments.  

_{Dimensions: 32.5 x 27 x 40 inches | Weight: 54 pounds | Upholstery Material: Polyester | Heat: No | Recline: Up to 160 degrees}

Best Portable

HoMedics Total Recline Shiatsu Massage Cushion

$320 $200 at Amazon View on Homedics.com

For convenience and feeling good on the go, it’s hard to beat Homedics’ Total Recline Shiatsu Massage Cushion. We tested this pick and loved the four massage nodes that target your entire back while you're working or relaxing.

This compact and portable massager comes with a controller that keeps the massage in your hands, literally. There are two intensities, three massage nodes, and vibration options to choose from. We love that you can choose where to target on your back, simultaneously and individually. It's also clear to see where you're targeting on the remote, which lights up different parts of the mat as you adjust the settings, so you always know the location and intensity of your massage.

The sleek design fits most chairs, allowing you to bring comfort into whatever room you’re in. Two velcro straps attach the cushion to your office chair or couch, and we never felt the cushion slipping or sliding while using it. All you need to do to set it up is plug it in, and we found the cord long enough to enjoy anywhere you need.

We love customization when it comes to massage since not every user will enjoy the same experience. Therefore, we love the optional heat function but found it rather faint. Also, there is no feature to massage your legs or feet, so if you have tension in the lower body, this won’t be able to accommodate you.

_{Dimensions: 29.9 x 8.3 x 17.9 inches | Weight: 18.5 pounds | Upholstery Material: Fabric | Heat: Yes}

Best Zero-Gravity

Osaki Massage Chair

View on Osakiusa.com View on Costco.com

Osaki massage chairs are some of the most luxurious designs on the market, and the OS-Pro Maestro is packed with features—including zero-gravity recline—that make it a compelling investment. We love that this chair has a body-scanning function that applies appropriate pressure to different parts of your spine. This scanning function automatically extends the footrest for the perfect leg length for taller users. 

Unlike other chairs that only have airbags for leg massages, this chair has a deep calf kneading function and air massagers that rotate on the upper calf. The chair has 32 compression airbags and an SL-track with massage rollers that can move up and down your entire spine. The 4D massage mechanism can also be adjusted between eight functionalities and five strengths, intensities, and speeds. 

Although this chair takes up space, we love that it can sit 5 inches from a wall and fully recline to a zero-gravity position. However, it has a surprisingly low weight capacity of 260 pounds. You can control the chair with the attached controller or through the smartphone app, but there’s also a convenient shortcut panel on the inner arm to power it, pause the massage, and enter zero gravity. 

_{Dimensions: 31.9 x 61.1 x 48.1 inches | Weight: 244.6 pounds | Upholstery Material: Not listed | Heat: Yes | Recline: Zero gravity}

Best Space-Saving

Synca Wellness CirC Premium Massage Chair

$1,000 at Amazon $1,000 at Wayfair $1,000 at Home Depot

If you’re looking for a massage chair with multiple settings in a compact size, the Synca Wellness CirC Massage Chair is a great choice. Its silhouette is the most attractive on our list, blending perfectly with modern decor. 

This chair has an SL-track, which offers a more thorough massage along the length of your spine, similar to other chairs on this list. The remote control allows you to access the five massage settings—compression, kneading, rolling, tapping, and infrared heat therapy. 

This chair does not recline, but we don’t consider this a downside to its design, given its versatile size for smaller spaces. We also appreciate the ambient lighting on the headrest for a soothing massage experience. This chair may not be best for taller users since it has a compact, non-extendable frame. However, we think it’s a valuable, lightweight, and space-saving design. 

_{Dimensions: 21.6 x 39 x 37 inches | Weight: 70 pounds | Upholstery Material: Faux leather | Heat: Yes | Recline: No} 

Best Full-Body

iRest SL Track Massage Chair

$1,699 $1,349 at Amazon

A massage chair is no replacement for an actual massage, but a full-body massage chair can provide close to the same relaxation. This model from iRest has compression airbags in every part of the chair, including the arms and neck, so you can experience muscle relief at home. 

The massage mechanisms along the SL track are also width adjustable to offer soothing pressure exactly where you need it on your back. Rather than reaching for the remote, you can easily control the chair's main functions on an armrest control panel. Foot rollers, lower back heating, and zero-gravity recline round out the chair’s immersive massage experience. 

Our only complaint is the chair requires 20 inches of clearance from a wall, so it will take up a decent amount of room space. Otherwise, we think it’s a comparable, reasonably priced chair design to the more premium options on our list.  

_{Dimensions: 29.92 x 50.39 x 46.46 inches | Weight: 183 pounds | Upholstery Material: Faux leather | Heat: Yes | Recline: Three positions (initial zero gravity, comfort zero gravity, deep zero gravity)}

Best for Taller Users

Human Touch Certus Massage Chair

$3,999 at Amazon $3,999 at Wayfair View on Humantouch.com

The Human Touch Certus Chair is suitable for users up to 6 feet and 9 inches tall and offers some of the most extensive massage programs of any chair on our list. It has 11 auto-wellness programs that include stretching and recovery functions, dual calf and lumbar heating, and 3D massage mechanisms that allow you to adjust the massage’s width, speed, and intensity. 

The extendable footrest automatically adjusts to your height, and we love that this chair requires no wall clearance to reach its full zero-gravity recline. The AcuPoint Detection feature identifies the best massage programs for your back, similar to the body-scan feature on the Osaki OS-Pro Maestro (best zero-gravity). 

Our only note about this chair is that it involves an assembly process. The instruction booklet looks detailed and has illustrations; however, we recommend having a helper available to lift the heavy pieces.  

_{Dimensions: 32 x 63 x 47 inches | Weight: 252 pounds | Upholstery Material: Not listed | Heat: Yes | Recline: Zero gravity}