The Best Massage Chairs to Help Relieve Back Pain

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There’s nothing quite as relaxing as a massage after the end of a long week, whether it’s in a massage chair or at a luxurious spa. Fortunately for you, this therapeutic activity does much more than help you unwind and reduce stress. Massages offer both physical and mental benefits, from improving circulation and decreasing joint inflammation to reducing anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic. But if you’ve noticed that in-person massages always seem to add up or you’re struggling to fit them into your schedule, consider investing in a full-body massage chair that you can use whenever you want from the comfort of your home. Below our pros have narrowed down the best massage chairs you can purchase today and ship straight to your front door.

The engineers and product analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute test all sorts of therapeutic essentials for your home, from heating pads to massage guns and compression boots. To choose the best massage chairs for your home, our experts not only researched the most popular models on the market with rave consumer reviews, but we spoke with a chiropractor to help us vet each massage chair for its ease of use, settings and performance. We also considered feedback from GH Institute analysts who tested massage chairs and reported back on their comfort. According to our pros, these are the best massage chairs of 2023 that you’ll never get tired of.

After checking out our top picks, continue reading to learn what to look for when shopping for a massage chair as well as some expert tips on how to use one effectively.

A306 Massage Chair

If you're looking for a massage chair with advanced tech features like voice control, this one can listen and respond when you ask it to adjust your massage. It also 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. Our pros haven't tried this chair yet, but we like that the SL track (which covers your entire spine and buttocks) has the potential to reach allover aches and pains you may have. And on top of the three levels of zero gravity offered, there's a yoga stretching function that helps stretch out your entire body: the perfect solution after a long day.

2022 Favor-03 ADV Massage Chair

This massage chair comes with a lot of useful features and is more affordable than other premium massage chairs. Though we haven't tested it in the Lab, we like that it features a zero-gravity mode, 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.

Shiatsu Elite II Massage Cushion with Soothing Heat

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 arrive. 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. Our pros also like that you can add light heat to your massage to help soothe the muscles even further, but you unfortunately won’t be able to recline.

Yutaka M898 4D Massage Chair

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 three months, 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.

InstaShiatsu+ Massage Chair MC-3500

This massage chair from TruMedic has an L-track design — which reaches your back, glutes, hamstrings and calves — and makes you feel like you're floating on a cloud after just a few minutes. Not only is this massage chair super comfortable, but we also love that you can choose among 12 massage modes, such as shiatsu, kneading, knocking, tapping and more. Testers like how easy it is to adjust intensity levels and save custom massages. "I love that the chair is able to adapt to various body types," says Rachel Rothman, executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "I'm 5'2" and my husband is 6'1", and we both benefited equally. The chair does an excellent job on the feet and arms in a way more budget models I've tested have fallen short."

We also like that this chair features a zero-gravity recliner, which tilts you back so your feet are elevated slightly above your heart to help reduce pressure on your spine by putting you in a neutral position. Though you'll need sufficient space in your living room for this chair, it comes with bells and whistles like a USB charger and Bluetooth connectivity, so you can listen to your own playlist as you wind down.

OS Champ

We love that this massage chair hits the right spots, from your upper back to your hamstrings. It reclines to two different zero-gravity positions, so your body can be at its most neutral state, and it features five auto-massage modes to choose from, including relax, stretch, lower back and more. Though our experts haven't tested this pick yet and 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.

Revival Zero Gravity Massage Chair

This L-track massage chair was designed to relieve pressure throughout the body and may be helpful if you have arthritis, thanks to eight auto-massage programs with various methods that aim to replicate human hands. Not only does this all-black chair look sleek, 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. Although we haven't yet tested this model in the Lab, we can't wait to try out the various techniques offered, like Swedish and Thai massages.

WholeBody 7.1

Though we haven't tested this chair yet in the Lab, our pros agree that its 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, our pros love that it comes with a swivel base, so you can rotate it to the angle that best suits you.

How we choose the best massage chairs

Though we haven't formally tested massage chairs in the Media & Tech Lab, the GH Institute's product-testing experts and engineers have road tested several massage chairs and know what to look for when it comes to buying a great one: ease of use, performance, comfort and design, as well as a variety of features like heat, massage functions and Bluetooth connectivity. To make our recommendations, we looked for brands that typically perform well in our evaluations, features that would be most useful and top consumer reviews with feedback on performance and comfort.

What to look for when shopping for the best massage chairs

✔️ 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 soft and sleek? 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 Sinett, who 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; 2D rollers move only up and down, while 3D rollers move up, down and diagonally; 4D rollers are similar to 3D rollers, 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.

Is a massage chair worth it?

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 Todd Sinett, applied kinesiologist, author and creator of Backbridge, an at-home spine-decompression device. "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." And 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. There's no feedback or communication like you would have with a massage therapist," Sinett says.

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."

How much should you spend on a massage chair?

The best massage chairs are expensive. According to Sinett, you should expect to pay a minimum of $2,500, but he cautions against spending more than $9,000. "While you don't want the cheapest option, you don't need the most expensive either," he says. Most importantly, Sinett advises buying a massage chair from a reputable company. "Your massage chair should have a good return policy," he says. "It's a big investment, and you need to make sure you're happy and it's working for you. You don't want to be stuck with a unit that you can't use."

How long should you use a massage chair for?

Though many of us could spend hours in a massage chair, Sinett recommends trying out your massage chair for five to 10 minutes when you first get it. Once you've made sure you're feeling OK, you can build up time. He advises staying in a massage chair for 15-minute sessions — or 30 minutes max if you really want to relax. You should always make sure the massage chair isn't aggravating you. "First and foremost, listen to your body!" Sinett says.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Olivia Lipski covers everything from consumer electronics to smart home devices and appliances, health, home and fitness. She continues to stay on top of the industry’s latest innovations and helps readers make better buying decisions by testing and reviewing the best gadgets to hit the market. Although she doesn't have a massage chair of her own, she does like to take a break whenever she can in the zero-gravity massage chair at the fitness center in the Hearst Tower.

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