When buying something as premium as a massage chair, it pays to know what you’re paying for.
Many people are aware of massage chairs having multiple functions nowadays, such as pressurised airbags and built-in audio systems. However, that’s just scratching the surface of what a luxury massage chair can do. A luxury massage chair of today is powered with so much cutting-edge AI technology that it’s closer to a computer than a chair.
In this article, we’ll be going through the primary differences between a luxury massage chair and a standard massage chair and how you can choose the chair that’s the most suitable for yourself.
Massage Options
There are a huge variety of massages offered by parlous, from the percussive massages by Swedish masseurs, to the ever-popular Ayurvedic massage. Each technique comes with its own benefits and healing properties, and a good massage chair should emulate that.
Standard Massage Chair
Massage chairs usually come with a standard set of preset massage programs. Generally, these programs target specific areas, such as your lower back, upper back, and shoulders. There is very little variation throughout the massage; you don’t get percussive massages or heat therapy.
Luxury Massage Chair
Unlike standard massage chairs, luxury chairs often have a larger range of features, such as a large library of preset massage techniques. Many chairs have about 6-8 presets, and dozens of different customisation options – but there are also models like the Master Drive A.I, which has 26 presets and 500 different possible customisations, making it extremely precise at targeting sore spots.
It also allows for a vast combination of massage techniques, such as combining percussive deep tissue massages with broad strokes to work the aches out of knotted muscles automatically – something that would be impossible to do in standard massage chairs.
Inner Mechanisms
The inner mechanisms of massage chairs vary largely from chair to chair. From the track rollers to the airbags surrounding the feet, every part of a massage chair plays a role in delivering an all-inclusive massage experience.
Standard Massage Chair
Ordinarily, massage chairs feature an S-track that follows the curvature of your spine. These go from your neck down to the base of your spine. They also have brushed motors and weaker processors to drive down the overall price of the chair – at the cost of a better massage experience.
Luxury Massage Chair
Instead of S-tracks, higher-end massage chairs tend to use L-tracks, which are an extension of the S-track that goes down to the thighs. They are largely similar when it comes to function, but an L-track has the added bonus of reaching more areas compared to the S-track.
Rather, the benefit of an L-track is that if you find it on a massage chair, you know you’re looking at something luxurious. Standard massage chairs lack the technology needed to fully utilise the L-track, such as getting the rollers to change directions and go underneath the seat.
On top of an L-track, luxury massage chairs may also include airbags with pressure pads for the arms and calves, so that every part of your body is getting the attention it deserves.
In super-high end massage chairs like the Master Drive A.I, you can also find facial recognition technology that allows the chair to pull up the user’s preferred massage sequence when they walk up to it. This means that you don’t have to keep looking for your favourite programs every time – simply take a seat, and the chair will do everything for you!
Movement of Rollers
Our spine is not a straight line – it curves in an S-shape, and some people’s spines curve more than others. Curved spines mean that everybody’s muscles are in different areas, and a standard massage chair will not be able to address this effectively.
Standard Massage Chair
Most massage chairs on the market utilise 3D rollers, which can go up and down, left and right, and forwards and backwards. This allows them to reach areas of the body that are not usually accessible by 2D massage chairs.
Most 2D massage chairs have already been phased out of the market for lack of efficiency. However, you won’t know if a massage chair is 2D or 3D until you sit in it. That’s why it’s important for you to go down to an outlet to test out any chair you wish to purchase so that you can be certain it meets your criteria.
Luxury Massage Chair
Luxury massage chairs all use 3D rollers, with some even going towards 4D – controlling the speed at which the rollers move. Advanced massage chairs will slow down as they reach more sensitive spots, allowing for a deeper, more penetrative massage.
In certain massage chairs like the Master Drive Series, these rollers are also made out of steel rather than the standard silicone. Steel rollers have a distinct advantage over silicone rollers, as they can press harder and more evenly without losing strength. They also allow for a more penetrative massage experience, as the material is stronger.
Conclusion
Many standard massage chairs are made to be affordable. As a result, they tend to skimp on technology and more advanced programs that would make the massage experience better. Some of these features, such as in-built speakers, are nice to have but not as useful when compared to other features that have a direct benefit to your health (e.g. heated rollers, airbags, L-tracks).
A luxury massage chair is made to give you an all-encompassing massage experience that can knead away your aches and niggles, and turn your stress to sleep. Anything less than that is simply not worth the money – you’re no longer paying for a benefit, you’re paying for the illusion of a benefit.
To check out Ogawa’s full range of massagers, including massage chairs and portable home massagers, head over to https://ogawa.com.sg/online-shop/!
