• Where was the Massage Chair designed?

• Were the Massage Chair’s parts made in the same location?

• Was the Massage Chair assembled at the same place?

Different massage chair brands answer these basic questions in different ways.  It helps to understand the strategies that each company deploys.

Many companies locate the entire process—design, engineering, and assembly of their chairs —in China. Made-in-China chairs tend to be less expensive because the costs of manufacture are much lower there.  The catch: proper, dependable quality control.  Chairs made in China may cost less upfront.  But be more expensive to maintain, and come with a shorter lifespan.

Other companies follow a hybrid strategy.  Choosing to design and engineer their chairs in one location.  Japan and the US, usually, produce vital components in those same advanced countries and then assemble the product in China—cutting their costs in the end.

Finally, some do the majority of their production—design, engineering, and assembly—in Japan or the US, but outsource less critical components in China. These tend to be the luxury massage chair brands with more dependable, durable products.

Knowing all that, it falls to you to decide what you want in your massage chair.

What Are You Looking For?

If price is a concern, then the massage chair brands you may want to consider will be the ones where all the work is done in China.  But remember: Cost isn’t a one-shot deal. If you choose a cheaper chair but it breaks down or doesn’t last, you haven’t saved money.  In fact, you may have spent more, with less satisfaction along the way.  And why do you purchase a massage chair in the first place if not for dependable, quality relaxation?

If you’re more interested in quality and support and you’re willing to pay a bit more, then you should consider brands made with only the non-critical components sourced from China.

Also, if the price is of primary concern, be sure to explore our Massage Chairs Deals and our Factory Certified Used Massage Chairs pages to see what is available.  These pages get updated often, so be sure to check back if you do NOT see the specific massage chair you desire today, as it may be there tomorrow…

What Else to Keep in Mind

Beware of a development process that occurs outside the confines of the actual factory that produces the chairs.  The vast majority of the branded product you see are bought off the shelf at an Asian factory.  The brand owner then has to simply stencil their name on the product.  95% of what you see in the market fits this description.

What kind of a warranty do the best massage chair brands offer?

Companies tell you how much they think of their own quality by the warranty they offer.  A good warranty is long, comprehensive, and offers a long at-home service period.  Avoid any massage chair brand that offers less than a 3-year, in-home service period for their premium products.  It’s that simple.  Read the fine print.  Even those brands that offer 5-year warranties will oftentimes cover only major medical and/or refuse to offer in-home service.  Requiring the customer to bear massive shipping costs to send the chair to an offsite service center.

A warranty also tells you what a massage chair brand thinks of you, as the customer, consumer & user.  The industry’s best massage chair warranty treats you with dignity and respect.  If a brand won’t invest in you, don’t invest in them.

Look for a promise to support the product.  With parts even AFTER the warranty expires.  The “best” massage chair brands, with any pride in their own product line, will maintain the ability to service their chairs at least 5 years after they discontinue the product. The benefits of this go without saying.

Pay attention, as well, to the commitment to after-sale service.  A warranty signals an intention to do this.  But look for friendly people who are helpful upfront.  That also tells you that the company will invest in you.