Mechanical massage chairs promise comfort, relaxation, and self-indulgence, but shopping for one can be stressful. There are seemingly endless models to choose from—many of which merely vibrate, rather than knead, or tout dubious features like “air ionization,” “body scanning,” and “chromotherapy.” After testing 21 models from some of the top brands, we think the Osaki OS-Champ is the closest thing you can get to a real massage. This chair is comfortable to sit in and sturdily built, and it massages the entire body. Plus, it outperformed more expensive massage chairs in key areas like heating and reclining.
The Osaki OS-Champ reclines until you’re fully supine, and it envelops your body in pillowy, faux-leather padding. Internal mechanisms massage your neck, back, and thighs, and airbags on the front and sides of the chair apply pressure to your shoulders, arms, calves, and feet. Its heating feature warmed our testers’ bodies better than that of any other model, and this massage chair is as luxurious and well constructed as chairs costing up to four times as much. Also, Osaki backs it with a generous, three-year warranty. Our only complaint is that the OS-Champ (like most massage chairs of this size) looks like a prop from Star Trek and is sure to dominate the decor in any room.
