Are Massage Chairs All They're Cracked Up To Be, And Why Are They So Expensive?

Massage chairs, you may be surprised to learn, have been around since the 1950s. Predictably, perhaps, it was the Japanese who were the pioneers of massage chair technology.

More and more people are becoming aware of not only the relaxation and stress relief a massage chair can bring, but also the health promotion benefits like lowered blood pressure and improved skin tone a good massage provides.

Unlike some consumer goods emanating from Japan, the massage chairs holds an almost universal appeal, from stressed out office workers to young mothers, sports enthusiasts to senior citizens.

When you think about it, there can be fewer experiences that are more pleasurable after a hard day's work than to go home, flop into a comfortable massage chair and have all the stresses gently massaged away. Sounds blissful.

Massage chairs do range in price, but this depends on the functionality, features and control offered by the chair. The largest impact on the price tag, though, is the quality of the internal rollers and the precision-engineering that goes into making a high quality, durable product.