Massage Chair Buyer's Guide.
The Big "Top 10 Reasons"

Many of our customers find buying a massage chair a very confusing process, so we would like to help.
Also please see the Consumer's Digest article about our very own Optima.

This guide will discuss the different features that affect the quality of your massage experience in hopes of helping you decide which chair is right for you. Whether you choose a competitor’s brand, or decide to purchase a massage chair directly through us or through an authorized retailer, we have no doubt that this guide will help you find the chair that will exceed your expectations.

Massage Chair Appearances
Each manufacturer has a different idea of how a massage chair should look. It is up to the consumer to decide which design they find most attractive, and how important this is to the purchase decision. Ultimately, it is what’s on the inside that counts when it comes to massage quality, but you can not ignore the fact that your massage chair will also become a very visible part of your décor.

It is this reason that we have designed our chairs to be a more traditional but still modern design because most people believe a massage chair should be as discrete as possible. This means that our chairs are designed to look natural, and very similar to traditional recliners, without sacrificing massage quality. Our philosophy is that a massage chair should look and feel like a fine piece of furniture…not an appliance.

Affordability
Massage chairs can seem quite expensive to customers upon first thought. The fact is that massage chairs really are really quite affordable when you consider the amount of enjoyment that they provide, and that a quality massage chair can last over 10 years without any maintenance.
If two people use a massage chair considering our price of $3995 for an Elite Optima just once a day for 5 years (the length of our warranty), each massage costs just over a buck! Plus every additional massage each day and every massage beyond the warranty period is FREE!
$3995 price / 2 massages a day / 5 years / 365 days in a year = $1.09 per massage, now that’s affordable! And that's not taking into account those individuals who spend $1000s a year on massage therapists.

Features
Many of our customers find themselves overwhelmed with information when shopping for a massage chair and soon lose site of the goal…finding the chair that delivers the most enjoyable massage possible.

To help clear the information clutter, we have compiled a list of the ten most important features to consider.

The Top Ten Features That Will Dramatically Affect Your Massage Experience.

Fluid Motions - Regardless of how many features a given chair has, you will not enjoy the massage unless the chair has fluid, human like movements. Both the Elite Optima and Elite Triumph have some of the most human like, smooth and quiet massage motors and programming on the market today, because, as you may have guessed....we designed them that way.

Stroke Length - Having an adequate stroke length is critical to your massage experience. Stroke length measures the amount of travel that a chairs massage rollers can move up and down your back. Most mid priced chairs offer no more than 20 inch stroke lengths, which will not reach your lower back or up to your neck and head. The best chairs will have stroke lengths between 27-30 inches. Both the Elite Optima and Elite Triumph have stroke lengths of 30"

Body Scanning - This feature measures the exact curves and contours of your back, allowing the chair to focus on your individual pressure points. Body Scanning is one of the most recent and dramatic improvements in the massage chair industry and a feature that has made robotic massage chairs a lot more human. The best chairs can determine where your back ends and your shoulders start and adjust the massage accordingly, lesser models may end up massaging in mid air above your shoulder line. Both the Elite Optima and Elite Triumph incorporate body scanning technology. Not only do we incorporate the standard scanning technology we allow for uses of all heights to also have a base and scalp massage, a feature most massage chairs neglect.

Combination Kneading, Tapping and Rolling - Because of restricted motion and limited computer power and motors, lower range models can only perform one massage technique at a time. It is definitely recommended that you find a model that can perform all simultaneously. One reason, if a chair has a motor that is performing several functions with the same motor it is not likely to last as long as chair that has one motor for each function. Our chairs have between 8-12 motors performing each function separately. One reason our motors and chairs last longer without need of any maintenance.

Massage Strength - It is important to choose a massage chair that is capable of delivering a strong massage. A strong massage chair can always be softened by reducing the intensity, as well as by adding extra pads into the back rest. As your back becomes conditioned to regular massage, you will want a firmer massage. Massage chairs with more motors are better equipped to provide a stronger massage. You can always make a strong chair softer, buy you can’t make a soft chair stronger. Our massage chairs have been rated as the strongest in the industry.

Mechanical Massage - Most massage chairs use one of two different types of massage mechanisms, mechanical or air compression. Although both of these types of massages have value, mechanical massage is the preferred choice. Rather than simply squeezing, mechanical rollers manipulate your muscles for a more therapeutic massage. For the best massage results it is preferable for a massage chair to contain both air and mechanical, and if possible, both at the same time, and even better, integrated. The Elite Optima has the first of its kind 4D air and mechanical reflexology massage to incorporate full body Human Eastern massage technology.

Massage Chair Material - Massage chairs are typically covered in synthetic leather or real leather, so which is better and why? They both look and feel the same, so ultimately the smart choice is the one that will last longer.
Most chairs that claim to be made of real leather are actually covered in only 30% real leather, (only the part your body sits on), The rest of the chair is covered in color matched synthetic leather just like your cars. Unfortunately the different materials will fade and wear unevenly.
Real leather also has the tendency to dry and crack if not properly maintained with frequent leather conditioning. Leather has a difficult time withstanding built in heat pads (if your massage chair has heat). Both The Elite Optima and Elite Triumph have heat.

The Remote Control - Remote controls vary in appearance, visibility and function. Some use a thin remote control design that easily slides into a pocket on the side of the chair for a more discrete appearance, and others are quite large and take 2 hands to manipulate. It is important to feel comfortable with the remote and not overwhelmed, remember, eventually you want to be able to use it with your eyes closed. Both the Elite Optima and Elite Triumph have a one hand remote control that is as easy to use as your TV remote.

Adjustments - If you are a tall user, take into consideration whether the chair can adjust for your height as well as to those who may be shorter. The leg unit should extend, it should not be completely enclosed and it should have numerous intensity settings. Another newer feature that some high end chairs now have is the ability to program your own customized massage that the chair can store in its memory to be preformed later. In this way you can adjust the massage specifically for yourself and the next user can do the same while the chair will remember the differences. The Elite Optima is fully programmable and can accommodate users up to 6' 4" and under 5' 3" with its industry best 9" extendable footrest.

Heat - Although it is considered an extra feature, heat still remains one of the best ways to loosen your back during a massage making the massage more effective. Heat also helps to dilate arteries, thus increasing blood circulation which provides a number of health benefits. Oddly enough, there are very few chairs on the market that contain a heating element. Both the Elite Optima and Elite Triumph incorporate heat.

You may have noticed
That there are other features that did not make it on to our list of the Top Ten Features that will Dramatically Effect Your Massage Experience. We have highlighted the most important factors that REALLY make a difference. Some retailers fit their chairs with “gimmicks” that sound great but in reality don’t offer much massage benefit and cost you a lot more money. If you browse the internet you will find several of these gimmicks such as "voice activation systems", "galvanic stiffness sensors" or "infra-red detection". All of these features sound great, but none of them actually work as nice as they sound. Remember, you are buying a massage chair for one reason, for the massage. And we have designed our massage chairs to give the best therapy massage of any massage chair available....period.

And finally don't take our word for it, do your research. We want you get te best massage chair for your needs. It may not be ours. If you still have questions about any massage chair, we are here to help. Just give us a call. -800-592-0548-