The Best Massage Chairs for All Your Aches, Pains and Soreness (2024)

This massage chair is as close as it gets to the real deal. Unlike other models, it automatically scans your body once you turn it on, according to the brand, so it can give you the most ideal massage for your height and size. If you want advanced tech features like voice control, it can listen and respond when you ask it to adjust your massage. "This chair is really like heaven on earth," says one online reviewer, while others claim that it feels as good as a real massage.

Our pros like that the SL track (which covers your entire spine and buttocks) has the potential to reach allover aches and pains you may have. On top of the three levels of zero gravity offered that tip you back and make you feel weightless, plus a soothing foot massager, there's a yoga stretching function that helps stretch out your entire body — the perfect solution after a long day.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: Yes (zero gravity) | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 61.02 x 29.53 x 45.08" | Warranty: 3 years

There's a reason this massage chair has more than 3,600 reviews on Amazon with an average 4.2-star rating, and it's not just for its excellent value. It's feature-rich, offering a zero gravity mode among six auto-massage modes, heating, Bluetooth speakers and more.

Along with an LCD remote control that's easy to operate, you're able to use voice control to adjust settings without having to interrupt your massage. Though we do wish that this S-track chair reached the buttocks and hamstrings, we like that it has a built-in foot massager for days when your feet need a break. One online reviewer describes it as the "best investment I’ve made to pamper myself!" and we couldn't agree more.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: Yes (zero gravity) | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 63 x 30 x 34" | Warranty: 1 year

We love that this massage chair hits the right spots, from your upper back to your hamstrings. It has 18 airbags built in to help soothe tight muscles with compression, and it reclines to two different zero gravity positions so your body can be at its most neutral state. "I can't get my husband out of the chair so I can have a turn!" says one online consumer.

It also features five auto-massage modes to choose from, including relax, stretch and lower back. Though we wish more auto-massage modes were available, we like that it has an extendable footrest, so even tall users can take advantage of the built-in foot-roller massager. "This chair is great for maintenance in-between" massage therapy, notes one online reviewer.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: Yes (zero gravity) | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 30.5 x 57.1 x 44.1" | Warranty: 1 year (parts/labor), 3 years (parts only)

True, the Kyota Yutaka is the most expensive massage chair on our list, but sitting in it will almost certainly make you feel like you're at the spa. This chair massages muscles in your body from your neck to your feet and suits a wide range of users, from five feet to 6.6 feet tall. We've had the fortune of testing it in our Lab for the past two years, and we can't get enough of the 4D design that's meant to mimic a deep-tissue massage and the touch of a human hand, with various movements, intensities and speeds.

"I have a lot of lower back pain, so the extensive reach of this massage chair was very effective at alleviating tension in that region," says Dan DiClerico, director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. "I was also impressed by the chair's solid construction and quality materials, suggesting it should hold up nicely over time."

It comes with extra bells and whistles, too, such as mood lighting, an air ionizer, a wireless charging pad for your phone, Bluetooth connectivity and an intuitive remote control, which you can use to customize your massage to your liking.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: Yes (zero gravity) | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 67 x 35 x 49" | Warranty: 4 years

Just because you’re tight on space doesn’t mean that you can’t own a massage chair. Our pros like this portable option, which you can move around your home or put away in a snap when guests come over.

It features three massage styles, including deep tissue, rolling and spot, and with the included remote you’re able to target the zone that needs the most work, whether it’s your entire back, upper back and shoulders or your lower back. "The option of kneading versus rolling is helpful since it lets you better target the kind of massage you need," shares Sarah Gregory Wharton, Deputy Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She points out that the neck rollers can be lowered to accommodate for more petite figures, and finds the built-in remote holder to be a nice addition.

Our pros also like that you can add light heat to your massage to help relax strained muscles even further, but keep in mind that this chair doesn't recline.

Massage area: Shoulders, back and neck | Recline: No | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 30 x 7.75 x 19.63" | Warranty: 2 years limited

This L-track massage chair was designed to relieve pressure throughout the body and may be helpful if you have arthritis or other chronic pain, thanks to eight auto-massage programs with various methods that aim to replicate human hands.

Not only does it have an all-black, sleek look, but it's also user-friendly, according to the brand, and offers heating as well as zero gravity to potentially help with full spinal relief. Our pros like that various massage techniques are offered, including Swedish and Thai massages.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: Yes (zero gravity) | Heating: Yes | Dimensions: 45 x 32 x 53" | Warranty: 3 years

Our experts agree that this massage chair's compact design might make it easily mistaken for a classic recliner in your living room. We like that it features a retractable calf massager, which can be folded up to take up less space when you're done with your massage.

Though we wish it offered more auto-massage programs and that it had a foot massager, we love that it comes with a swivel base that makes it easy to rotate to the angle that best suits you, like when you're watching TV. Our pros also appreciate that it's available in four colors to match your room decor: white, black, brown and gray.

Massage area: Full body | Recline: No | Heating: Yes (warm air technology) | Dimensions: 44 x 28 x 40" | Warranty: 3 years limited

The GH Institute's product testing experts and engineers have been hands-on with therapeutic essentials for decades, including the latest massage chairs. When selecting the best ones, we evaluate everything from a chair's ease of use and operation to performance, comfort and design, as well as a variety of features like heat, massage functions and Bluetooth connectivity.

To make our recommendations, in addition to testing several of the picks that made it onto our list, we considered brands that typically perform well in our evaluations, features that would be most useful and rave consumer reviews.

✔️ Comfort: A great massage chair should always be comfortable. If you have the chance, spend as much time as you can sitting in a chair you like before purchasing it and ask yourself if you like the way it feels. Is the headrest supportive? Is the material sink-in soft and plush? Is the chair the right size for your body? Is it easy to get in and out of the chair?

✔️ Massage tracks: All massage chairs hit your entire back, but an S-track chair stops right above your buttocks. An L-track chair, on the other hand, reaches your glutes, hamstrings and calves. "If you're spending the money, you should invest in a chair that hits your buttock and hamstring muscles, since these affect back pain," says Todd Sinett, applied kinesiologist, author and creator of Backbridge, an at-home spine-decompression device. He advises spending a bit more for an L-track chair. "The farther down the massager goes, the better for your body." You can also choose an SL-track massage chair, which focuses on your entire spine and lower muscles.

✔️ Massage types: "Initial massage chairs were rollers, but now we're seeing various levels of compression and angles, like 1D, 2D, 3D and 4D," Sinett says. "The highest level is the more interactive and will have better angle support, like hitting you from the sides and impacting all muscles." He suggests opting for a 4D massager, which will be much closer to a manual massage than 2D rollers that only move up and down. 3D rollers also move up and down as well as diagonally, while 4D rollers are similar to 3D rollers but with the added bonus of being able to produce various speeds and motions.

✔️ Settings: Make sure you purchase a massage chair with several massage modes, like kneading, compression, rolling and more. Also check whether you can adjust settings like the chair's massage intensity, target zones and duration. Most massage chairs will let you customize (and sometimes save!) favorite settings, so you can create the ideal massage for you.

✔️ Extra features: Today's massage chairs offer unique features like Bluetooth-enabled built-in speakers that play the music of your choice, charging ports, mood lighting, heat settings, cupholders and footrest extensions. Some massage chairs even have a zero gravity reclining feature that tilts your chair back for a more profound experience, like feeling weightless.

✔️ Warranty: In addition to purchasing a massage chair with a good return policy, you should also double-check whether it comes with a warranty. A massage chair is pricey, and you'll want to make sure you're covered should something break or malfunction.

According to the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University, about 8% of all American adults have chronic or persistent back pain. Whether or not you fall into that category, a massage chair can be a worthy investment if you experience stiffness, soreness or tight muscles.

"The technology in massage chairs has significantly improved over the years, so you can come close to mimicking a hands-on massage," says Sinett. "Now you're able to program the chair to increase intensity or focus on a specific body area." Plus, he says, "who doesn't feel better after a massage?"

Before investing in a massage chair, Sinett suggests first ensuring your body is in alignment: "Massage chairs can be helpful, but they can also aggravate conditions. If you have back pain, don't spend tons of money on a massage chair without first figuring out what's going on with your back. Figure out the issue, and then see if you can benefit from a massage chair." Remember, a massage chair is expensive and won't offer all the perks of an in-person massage. "The drawback would be that if you're sensitive in your right shoulder, you cannot tell the massage chair to go lower or higher," Sinett says. "There's no feedback or communication like you would have with a massage therapist."

Last, before you invest, Sinett recommends getting realistic about how often you'll actually use your massage chair. "People think they will use their massage chair regularly, but it ends up being like gym equipment that's never used," he says. "If you'll use the chair and stay committed to it, a massage chair can be a great investment in your health with tremendous benefits."