As this pandemic continues without signs of recovering soon, most of our recreational activities are on hold. Malaysian households have turned to indoor alternatives like massage chairs, treadmills, and exercise bikes.
Using the massage chair, you can enjoy a relaxing massage to relieve your stress, both physically and mentally, without leaving your home.
In the past, a full body massage chair easily cost an arm and a leg. Thankfully, recent years have seen the emergence of affordable health and wellness brands like Snowfit that offer massage chairs at a reasonable price. In turn, this forces other brands to lower their prices as well.
I compared the most well-known massage chair brands, including Osim, Ogawa, Snowfit, Gintell and even Itsu. In my opinion, these are the top 7 best massage chairs for Malaysians:
- Best Full Body Massage Chair: Osim uDivine V Premium
- Best Affordable Massage Chair: Snowfit Oasis
- Best Massage Chair for Lower Back: Gintell DéSpace Star X
- Best Value Zero Gravity Massage Chair: Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime
- Best Massage Chair for Neck & Shoulders: Snowfit Fantasia 2
- Best Massage Sofa for Small Space: OSIM uDivine Mini 2
- Best Portable Massage Cushion: OGAWA Mobile Seat XE Duo
Best Full Body Massage Chair
Osim uDivine V Premium Massage Chair
Osim uDivine V Premium Massage Chair Features Highlight:
- V-Hand Technology With 720° Roller Balls
- 4-Hand Massage
- New Massage Programme through smartphone app
- Built-in Speaker
- Auto Shoulder Detection
- 5 Intensity Level
- Lower Back Heat Therapy
Reasons to buy:
- Head-to-toe massage include arm and shoulder
- Lower back heating feature
- V-hand massage feature
Osim uDivine Premium is the upgraded version of the OSIM uDivine V massage chair.
Standing at 127 x 72 x 111cm, this is a great full body massage chair that comes with Osim’s V-Hand Technology with 720° roller balls. It emulates human hand massage movement, an improvement to the single roller massage mechanism.
There are 2 sets of such V-Hand rollers incorporated in the uDivine V Massage Chair. Osim calls it the 4-hand massage system. You can enjoy two different parts of your back being massaged at the same time for maximum comfort.
Its Intelligent auto shoulder detection is able to identify the position of your shoulder position at the start of any program. Then, it will adjust its massage position to fit your body height and build.
The uDivine V Massage chair has an airbag massage feature to massage your shoulder and upper arm, lower arm, thighs and hips, as well as your calves. It is a truly outstanding full body massage chair that covers all parts of your body.
Other than that, its back massager has a heating feature which can be warmed up to relax your stiff muscle and reduce muscle ache.
The Osim Massage Chair also has built-in speakers that you can stream relaxing music while enjoying the massage.
However, the OSIM’s uDivine V App has been rated poorly by many users. Many complained that it is hard to use and has frequent disconnection issues. So, don’t put high expectations on the smart features of this massage chair..
Nonetheless, Osim uDivine V Massage Chair is a great choice for full body massage chair. It covers the head, neck, shoulder, lumbar, hips, thighs, arm, calves, and leg. And it comes with a 2 years local supplier warranty.
Best Affordable Massage Chair
Snowfit Oasis Massage Chair
Snowfit Oasis Massage Chair Features Highlight:
- Zero gravity simulation in 3 different levels
- Multi-cavity airbags
- Back heating function
- Adjustable neck roller
Reasons to buy:
- Cheap full body massage chair
- Back heating function
- Zero gravity position
If you’re tight on budget but want a full body massage chair, you should not miss out on the Snowfit Oasis massage chair that costs only RM2500+.
As compared to the Snowfit Fantasia 2 model, the Oasis model includes hand, shoulder, arm and foot sole massage which Fantasia 2 Standing does not offer.
The massage chair is quite bulky with a size of 72 x 148 x 110cm at an upright position.
The Snowfit Oasis utilizes a combination of 10 rollers and airbags to provide a thorough full body massage experience. This roller can reach up to your hips area, so no part is left out.
The massage chair can be reclined from 90 degrees to 180 degrees. You can have a quick nap on it while having a massage. It also has heating functions which are great for improving blood circulation and muscle relief.
Snowfit Oasis is a great value for money massage chair. If you have a bigger budget, you might like to check out their premium model, the Snowfit Romeo, which features calves stretching and a convenient wireless charging phone holder!
Best Massage Chair for Lower Back
GINTELL DéSpace Star X
GINTELL DéSpace Star X Features Highlight:
- AI SENSES technology
- ViTec – Voice Intelligence Technology
- 3D Bluetooth speaker
- 12 healthcare auto programs
- 230° back stretch
- X-Flexology foot massage
- Massage protrusion 30% more than usual
Reasons to buy:
- 230° back stretch
- Full body massage
- Zero gravity recline
The GINTELL DéSpace Star X Massage is great for helping with lower back pain with its 230° chiropractic stretch feature.
Measuring at an upright position of 155 x 85 x 120cm, this high-tech massage chair is equipped with AI SENSES technology with voice control. You can use voice commands to control and choose the massage programme you want.
This Gintell Massage Chair has sensor technology that adjusts the massage posture accordingly to give you a comfortable and more human-like massage experience.
Gintell claims it can perform 8 humanized massage techniques including kneading, tapping, knocking, kneading+knocking, knead+tap, shiatsu, knead-press, knocking and rolling. The long 135cm roller track provides users with the best coverage area for back massage.
This massage chair has the unique feature that it can perform a 230° chiro-stretch which helps prevent hunchback, corrects body alignment, and improves body posture. It is beneficial in improving blood circulation too.
Besides that, it can be reclined to a comfortable zero-gravity position for your body to relax. Also, there’s an X-Flexology function that ensures 100% coverage for your foot.
GINTELL DéSpace Star X comes with 2 years local manufacturer warranty.
Best Value Zero Gravity Massage Chair
Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime Massage Chair
Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime Massage Chair Features Highlight:
- Zero gravity feature
- SL-track type of rollers
- 7 auto programs
- Heating function
For those who prefer to stick with a well-established brand, the Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime Massage Chair is the best value for money zero gravity massage chair. Due to fierce competition from emerging brands like Snowfit, Ogawa has priced this model as low as RM6900+!
Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime Massage Chair comes in a size of 76.5 x 112.5 x 140cm. It can massage all the right spots from your neck, shoulder, waist to hips and finally to your feet.
The massage rollers are fitted on an SL-track system which can massage continuously from the neck to the hips area. Also, there are 7 auto programs perfect to suit your every need throughout the day:
- Night – a gentle massage mode that uses tapping and kneading to help promote blood circulation
- Thai – a strong and distinct all-over massage that is meant to help flexibility
- Recovery – consolidates various techniques to help relieve body tension while relaxing you at the same time
- For Him – a full-body massage with a focus on stronger kneading and tapping
- For Her –mainly kneading and tapping motions, focused on the waist
- Circulation – making use of all airbags with gentle tapping
- Refresh – soothing massage meant to help the user relax
And it has a heating function along your lower back which is great for the elderly with lower-back aches.
There’s also a Bluetooth music function on the chair, where speakers play your favourite music right next to your head.
Ogawa Smart Vogue Prime Massage Chair comes with a 2 years local manufacturer warranty.
Best Massage Chair for Neck & Shoulders
Snowfit Fantasia 2
Snowfit Fantasia 2 Features Highlight:
- 6 Rollers
- Zero Gravity
- 3D Massage Built-In Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
- Heat Therapy
- Super Long Massage Track
Reasons to buy:
- Affordable back massage chair
If you only require back and shoulder massage, SnowFit Fantasia II is an affordable option you can go for.
The Snowfit Fantasia 2 has a dimension of 55 x 120 x 110cm. It requires no complicated installations and you can use it immediately upon unboxing and plugging in the power cord.
This Snowfit massage chair covers the neck/head, back, hips and calves. It has a total of 6 sets of rollers that perform kneading, rolling and tapping massage motions at the back. Then, there are airbags massage for the calves and hips area.
Besides that, the Fantasia 2 Massage Chair has a heating feature like other premium massage chairs. It can even be reclined into zero gravity posture which your body will be able to enjoy deep relaxation.
Snowfit Fantasia 2 comes with a 1-year local manufacturer warranty.
Best Massage Sofa for Small Space
OSIM uDivine Mini 2 Massage Sofa
OSIM uDivine Mini 2 Massage Sofa Features Highlight:
- Ideal for compact spaces
- Two sets of 360° roller balls
- Elongated L-shaped massage track
- Inflated airbags
For anyone who has space constraint issues, I recommend buying the OSIM uDivine Mini 2 Massage Sofa. Measuring at 70 x 89 x 119cm, it provides you with back and calves massage at a very compact form factor.
With uDivine Mini 2, you can use it as a single-seat sofa in your living room, without sacrificing any sofa seating space. It is also one of the more affordable massage sofa models from Osim.
The uDivine Mini 2 incorporates two sets of 360° roller balls at the back. The rollers run on an L-shaped massage track (117cm) which offers extensive massage coverage.
Despite its compact size, this massage sofa has included massage airbags for 3 areas: hips, arms and calves. It not only massages your back but also take care of your sore arms and legs.
OSIM uDivine Mini 2 Massage Sofa comes with 2 years local supplier warranty.
Best Portable Massage Cushion
OGAWA Mobile Seat XE Duo Portable Massage Cushion
OGAWA Mobile Seat XE Duo Portable Massage Cushion Features Highlight:
- 8 deep kneading massage nodes
- Heat and cold functions
- 2D upper back massage
- 3D lower back massage
- 2 adjustable vibration levels for hips and thighs
Reasons to buy:
- Affordable
- Can install it on any sofa/chair/car seat
- Portable
OGAWA Mobile Seat Xe Duo Pro Portable Massage Cushion is great for anyone who wants an affordable and portable massage solution.
The OGAWA Mobile Seat XE Duo Pro measures 70.5 x 42 x 17.5cm. It has 8 fixed deep kneading massage nodes that cover your whole upper and lower back area. For the hips and thighs area, it uses vibration to help relieve your tired muscles.
Besides that, the roller has a built-in heating feature which can soothe your body.
With all the features, you can get a pretty decent massage for your back, waist, and thighs with this Ogawa Massage Cushion. We can’t expect it to perform as good as a full-sized massage chair but it helps greatly to soothe your body ache.
Another notable feature of the Mobile Seat XE Duo Pro is the car adapter. It can be placed on your passenger car seat and turns a normal seat into a massage car seat! So the passenger can enjoy a massage throughout a long road trip.
OGAWA Mobile Seat XE Duo Portable Massage Cushion comes with a 1-year local supplier warranty.
Massage Chair FAQ
Which massage chair brand is the best?
Osim is the best massage chair brand in terms of quality and function. The brand certainly isn’t the best value for money out there.
What is the best value for money massage chair brand in Malaysia?
Snowfit is the best value for money massage chair brand. Their massage chair models often only cost about half of other more established competitors.
What’s the benefit of using a massage chair?
In the daytime, having a massage is good for improving blood circulation and keeping your body energized. In the evening, having a rub-down helps to calm and relax your mind, relieving your tensed muscle so you get better sleep quality.
Is it worth it to buy a massage chair?
Yes, you only need to pay once for a massage chair, and you can enjoy it until it is broken. You can save a lot of money by buying a massage chair if you frequently visit massage or wellness centres for body massages.
A Korean study shows that a massage chair is effective in easing lower back patients’ condition. Massage is as good as physiotherapy treatment but it is 40% cheaper.
Can I use a massage chair daily?
Yes, but over massaging for a prolonged period can cramp your muscle. It is best to stick with 20-30 minutes per massage session and not more than 2 sessions per day.
To me massage chair is a luxury. 🙂 Then again to would be nice to have one at home.