American vs Chinese vs Japanese Massage Chairs Comparison

Just like owning a car, a massage chair is quite a status symbol. You may also liken it to possessing a gadget clad with all the modern apps to explore, and where your unit was made is also a big thing.

So, who are these leaders in massage chair manufacturing? When it comes to massage chairs, three countries stand at the helm - Japan, China, and the US. Features are usually similar across massage chairs from these three different countries. When searching for the best massage chair, does the country-of-origin really matter? Should you look for a massage chair that’s American, Chinese, or Japanese made? Let’s find out.

Effectiveness

Why do many people trust things Japan made?

Efficiency is probably the aspect where Japan-made massage chairs are most famous. After all, massage chairs started in Japan and the Japanese are the first ones to mass-produce these chairs. When a massage chair is branded "Made in Japan," the expectation is quite high. Japan-made products are popular for accuracy, reliability, and precision, which are surely carried on to their massage chairs. Some of the best Japanese models come from the big brands like OHCO, Panasonic, Synca, Inada, and others.

Are made in China massage chairs durable or worth buying?

Massage chairs made in China, especially professionally made ones, can already outdo their counterparts from Japan and the US. Well-knowned, trusted and some of the biggest Chinese brands like Osaki, Titan and Human Touch runs right in American soils. China is currently the leading producer of most of the massage chairs in the world.

However, you might want to be careful when choosing a massage chair made in China from unknown brands, as some may not be produced with good quality. These unknown Chinese massage chairs are observed to have a higher failure rate than Japanese-made ones. So it's always wise to stick to established brands so quality is assured.

What about the US counterparts of Japanese and Chinese massage chair manufacturers?

US-made massage chairs today are also having rave reviews from clients on how effective their massaging features are. Luraco massage chairs are the only ones in the market that qualify as made in USA. Aside from this, Luraco massage chairs such as the i9 Max and Model 3 Hybrid, are the first and only medical massage chairs researched, developed & assembled in America and are FDA, CE, and UL listed in the world.

These chairs have won several awards and have gained the trust of many customers and we highly recommend them. You can never go wrong with American-made massage chairs because its locally manufactured and customer support is one of the best.

Innovation

What do you think makes China-made massage chairs sell? Despite the quality status of China-made massage chairs, if there is one thing you can count on is their innovativeness. Foot massage rollers or the L-shape is a Chinese concept and is one of the most preferred technologies there is. It will be wise to watch out for innovation from Chinese massage chair manufacturers.

Design

When choosing your massage chair, is design a big item on your list? Massage chairs, whatever country they may come from, typically comes as a piece of huge bulky furniture. Bulkier machines do not necessarily mean they are effective enough or a sleek design does not mean they cannot have as many massaging benefits as the traditional ones. You are the one to balance between function and design.

What is your personal choice, a chair which would blend in with your home design or a chair with all the massage features that you want? Or something that has both? When it comes to design, it doesn't matter where your massage chair was made, as long as it ultimately serves your purchase's purpose. There is no distinct design style that differentiates the massage chairs from the three countries.

Durability

An inside view of Luraco's manufacturing site showing a massage chair going through a noise and durability test.

Massage chairs don’t come cheap, so it is important to consider durability. In this aspect, Japan-made chairs are in the lead. Japanese massage chair companies consistently produce high-quality chairs. Does this mean that massage chairs made in the US and China are not durable? Definitely not!

If you are considering buying, make sure to check that the company has been in the massage chair business for a long time with consistent results. Do thorough research first on the product and the manufacturer before you give it a go – no matter where it is from. It can be easy to get stuck on limiting your search to chairs that are made in a particular country. But you may end up confused as it is now common to outsource some stages of a massage chair’s production.

Would you still know which is 100% Japan-made, 100% made in China, or 100% US-produced?

A lot of massage chairs that you will get now is the contribution of these three leading producers. It is possible that a Japanese massage chair has a Japanese design, with parts manufactured in China, and finally assembled in the US.

Ultimately, associating a chair with a particular country shouldn’t be the only deciding factor on your purchase. What is more important is to get to know the brand and its history, as well as read the reviews. On a personal note, you should always go back to why you need an effective and durable massage chair and how it should benefit you in the best possible ways, whatever country of origin it may reflect.

You can talk to us for an expert and personalized recommendation as we have been in the industry for several years now and we know which brands and models most of our custmers are happy with. Afterall, it is our goal to make your massage chair shopping easy and convenient! Don't hesitate to reach out to us because we're happy to help you get the best massage chair for you.