Post-workout massage helps with less soreness, better range of motion and faster recovery says physical therapist Megan McLain, PT, DPT. If you can’t afford a professional massage, a massage chair can help. Experts say the best chairs have real massage techniques and settings you can customize.

We looked at many top massage chairs and tested six in our lab. We sat in each for 20 minutes, trying all settings. We rated how comfy they were, how easy to use and how much relief they gave. Our top picks are comfy, easy to use and effective.

Our recommendations are trusted because a physical therapist and an athletic trainer reviewed this article. They verified accuracy and safety of using a massage chair.

What to Know Before You Get Started

Massage chairs can help with stress and tension. But, they’re not for everyone. If you have serious injuries, talk to your doctor first. This is to avoid any discomfort or injury.

1- Osaki OS-Champ

Specs

Massage Track: L-track | Dimensions: 30.5 x 57.1 x 44.1 inches | Weight Capacity: 260 pounds | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes | Our Rating: 4.7/5

Who It’s For

Great for taller people who have enough space for a massage chair. It’s a bit larger than others.

Why We Like It

After trying many, we chose the Osaki OS-Champ. It’s affordable and gives great relief. The L-track massage covers your back, neck and hamstrings.

The 18 airbags massage your arms and legs. It’s super comfy even before you turn it on. The remote makes it easy to pick settings or auto-modes.

The zero-gravity recline makes the massage feel intense. After one session we felt full-body relief. It’s designed for different users, with adjustable headrest and footrest. It also has a remote holder and a built-in lumbar heater.

Downsides

• 260-pound weight capacity is lower than others on our list.
• We found the chair to be quite intense and bordering on too intense when we tried certain settings.

Most Valuable Quote

“I never thought I’d say this about a massage chair but I want this for my house. But I also don’t—because if I had it, I’d never leave it.”—Donaroma it, associate director of product testing and iGOHEALTHYY! product tester

2- iRest Zero Gravity Massage Chair

Features

Massage Track: L-track | Dimensions: 61 x 29.5 x 45.1 | Weight Capacity: 330 lbs | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes | Our Rating: 4.7/5

Who It’s For

For those who like light pressure, especially if you want a full immersion.

Why We Love It

iRest’s A306 Massage Chair has three zero-gravity modes—the most of any chair on our list. It’s also the only chair with five massage types: shiatsu, kneading, knocking, tapping, and kneading and tapping. Each one targets different muscle groups and we found all of them comfortable—not too light or too intense. Adjustable speed and intensity, 12 massage modes and a built-in lumbar heater give you targeted relief where you need it—back after a hot yoga class or calves after a marathon.

We like the Bluetooth speakers and AI voice controls but note that we had trouble setting up voice commands during testing. After using the chair we felt the light pressure was soothing and relaxing. One of our editors even had better circulation in her hands and feet. We also like that it has the highest weight capacity on our list.

Cons

• We think the remote and control panel is easy to use. But you have to sit up mid-massage and take your arms out of the armrests to adjust the chair’s settings.
• The thick padding makes the seating, arm and leg areas pretty narrow.

Best Feature

“Heat on the back is so soothing and comfortable: it’s like taking a hot bath after being out in the cold.”—Jennifer Morales, iGOHEALTHYY product tester

3- Real Relax Massage Chair

Features

Massage Track: S-track | Dimensions: 52 x 27 x 43 | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes | Our Rating: 4.7/5

Who It’s For

For those who want an S-track and like light pressure.

If all you want to do after the gym is just chill, we recommend Real Relax’s Favor-03 ADV Massage Chair. We like that the backrest is supportive and comfortable at every angle even in zero-gravity mode. Six massage programs plus customizable speed, intensity and target area settingsake it easy to tailor the chair’s features to your needs.

We like how easy it is to use with a clear manual, an LED screen that shows which body parts are being massaged and Bluetooth that took us less than 2 minutes to set up. Since this is an S-track massage chair, the dual-core rollers stop at the lower back. We found it to be plenty good, but the air compression in the arms and legs wasn’t as strong as we would have liked. But we think the chair’s features, mid-range price and design make it a good buy.

Cons

• Real Relax’s Favor-03 ADV has lighter pressure, if you want deeper massage try Osaki’s OS-Champ.
• This S-track massage chair doesn’t cover as much as our L-track favorites. S-track chairs stop at the base of your spine, L-track chairs reach your glutes and hamstrings.

Most Valuable Comment

“This chair is really easy to use. I like that you can see which body part it’s targeting on the LED screen.”—Krisha Jarwa, iGOHEALTHYY! product tester

4- Human Touch Massage Chair

Specs

Massage Track: Not listed | Dimensions: 44 x 28 x 40 inches | Weight Capacity: 285 pounds | Zero-Gravity: No | Heated: Yes | Our Rating: 4/5

Who It’s For

For those who want intense pressure, a chair that fits with their furniture and doesn’t take up much space.

Why We Like It

Human Touch’s WholeBody 7.1 Massage Chair is good for deep pressure. It targets knots, stiff necks and sore feet. Even on the lowest setting it provides relief.

The slim remote allows you to customize your massage or choose from 5 auto modes. The footrest massages your calves in a figure-eight motion.

This chair has a classic design, fits in small spaces. Choose from black, brown, gray or ivory leather to match your home.

Cons

• We wish it had more lumbar support like others on our list. But it has neck and feet massagers for full body massage.
• The remote is small but has many buttons. You might need to check the manual to get used to it.

5- Homedics Shiatsu Elite II Massage Cushion

Specs

Massage Track: Fixed | Dimensions: 30 x 7.8 x 19.6 inches | Weight Capacity: Not listed | Zero-Gravity: No | Heated: Yes | Our Rating: 4.8/5

Who It’s For

For those who need relief but can’t afford or don’t have space for a full-sized massage chair.

Why We Like It

Homedics’ Shiatsu Elite II Back Massager With Soothing Heat is perfect for small spaces and budget. It has great lumbar support and heated massage elements. It even scored higher than some massage chairs we tested.

Works for most body types and can be used with most chairs. Strong pressure targets deep knots and tension. Great for hotel armchairs, office desk chairs or your couch at home.

Flaws

Since this is a thicker cushion we recommend using it with deep chairs or armchairs.

Best Part

“I was really impressed with how well this massage cushion works for a portable one! The shiatsu pressure was intense in a good way.”—Abby Moore, Verywell Fit product tester

6- Latitude Run Vegan Leather Heated Massage Chair

Specs

Massage Track: Fixed | Dimensions: 57 X 30 X 46 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes

Who It’s For

If you’re on a budget but don’t want to sacrifice features.

Why We Love It

Latitude Run’s Vegan Leather Heated Massage Chair is a great value. It has 6 massage modes and an extendable footrest. It has zero-gravity. Like Real Relax’s Favor-03 ADV it uses air compression for your arms and legs. It has a built-in lumbar heater and Bluetooth speakers. You can customize your massage. And it’s way cheaper than our top pick.

Flaws

• Users note the chair isn’t as adjustable so it can’t accommodate as many heights and body types as some of our other top picks.

7- Inner Balance Wellness Jin 2.0 Massage Chair

Specs

Massage Track: L-track | Dimensions: 60.3 x 29.5 x 44 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes

Who It’s For

For those who want to splurge a little on a compact L-track chair with lots of tech.

Why We Love It

The Inner Balance Wellness Jin 2.0 Deluxe Heated Massage Chair is unique. It scans your body for a custom massage.

It has 2 far infrared heaters, one for your back and one for your calves. The footrest extends 6 inches. It fits in small spaces because it only needs 2 inches of clearance.

Flaws

• 300 pound weight capacity and 6 foot height capacity is lower than some of the others on this list.

Specs

Massage Track: L-track | Dimensions: 71 x 29 x 45 inches | Weight Capacity: 285 pounds | Zero-Gravity: Yes | Heated: Yes

Who It’s For

For tall people who want a larger chair that doesn’t sacrifice tech.

Why We Love It

Fits people up to 6’9”. Has an extendable footrest and many massage settings.

Has S- and L-track rollers for your neck to hamstrings. Zero-gravity mode, lumbar heaters, USB port and Bluetooth speakers. Worth the price.eck to hamstrings. It also has zero-gravity mode, lumbar heaters, a USB port, and Bluetooth speakers. These features make it worth the price.

Potential Flaws

• This is one of the priciest chairs on our list, although we think you get what you pay for.
• The 285-pound weight capacity isn’t the lowest on our list, but we wish it were higher, considering this chair’s height-inclusive design.

How We Chose and Tested the Top Massage Chairs

We talked to four physiotherapists – a massage therapist and three physical therapists. We’ve also researched many chairs on the market and have tried six so far in the Verywell Testing Lab. Our editors who test massage chairs have muscle stiffness after sleeping in certain positions and sitting at work all day. During the research and testing process, we rate each chair on:

• Comfort: As we sit in each chair we rate how comfortable they are before we even turn them on. We’re checking how cushioned and padded each part of the chair is, from the headrest to the footrest (if there is one). We also test out the lumbar support and adjustable elements if the chair has them.
• Pressure: Once we turn the chair on we try all the settings to see how intense the massage feels. We note how customizable each massage setting is and if the chair lets us choose between different massage techniques (kneading and tapping).
• Ease of Use: Throughout the testing period we consider how easy the chair and its controls are to use. Is the remote intuitive or do we need to refer to an instruction manual to find the right settings? Is everything labeled clearly and is the user guide written well?
• Effectiveness: When we’re finished testing the chair we rate how effective it was at relieving tension, pain, and soreness. Do we feel more relaxed than before? How do our muscles feel?
• Design: Since most massage chairs are big and will be in your home for a long time we also consider how each one is designed. Does it take up a lot of space? Does it look sleek and stylish or bulky and clunky?
• Overall Value: After we’ve tested all the chairs and rated them in every other category we check the price tag. If we think the price is fair considering how the massage chair performed in our test we give it a high overall value score.