Massage Chairs with More Motors are Better: Myth Buster Challenge

The massage chair industry has a few myths that have been sustained over a number of years. One particularly interesting one is the number of motors in a massage chair. The myth claims that the more motors in the shiatsu massage chair the better. Certainly, an increase in the number of motors can enable more functions. Practical reality suggests that more motors means more cost and more real estate and weight of the massage chair. This myth will be explored in this article.

This myth buster will challenge the more motors the better the chair. There are inherent advantages to having more motors, such as more massage movements. As with anything, there are tradeoffs, such as quantity versus quality. Can a massage chair with 18 motors have the same quality motors in a chair with only 3 motors? Keep in mind that motors are one of the most expensive items in a massage chair. Since, motors are not cheap, as the number of motors increases, the cost of the chair increases holding the quality level equal. Obviously, there is a great chance as motors are added; the quality level of the motors will drop.

Space is another constraint like in any product. Motors used in shiatsu massage chairs are not small motors and must be allocated space. As the number of motors increases, then more mechanisms must be installed around each motor taking up more space. Motors weigh from 2 lbs to 5 lbs each. A massage chair having 3 motors would have 6 lbs in motor weight, whereas, as a massage chair having 18 motors would have 36 lbs each or if 5 lbs each 90 lbs, just in motors. More motors equal more weight.

How are high end luxury massage chairs designed with motors? Most manufacturers use 3 high quality motors. One for the kneading massage, one for the tapping massage and the third motor for moving the roller unit up and down. Software synchronizes the movements of the motors and running the tapping and kneading motors together produces the shiatsu massage.

Sometimes, 2 motors are used for the kneading by having them run the left and right side independently, but synchronized. The same can be done with the tapping. This can increase the number of motors to 5 in the roller system, but does the quality of massage increase? In our experience, we have not felt a noticeable difference in massage. Again, the tradeoff is to use cheaper motors since you need to have 2 rather than one or significantly increase the price, which puts the chair at a competitive disadvantage. So are more motors better?

Some massage chair companies started this fad and some how it caught on and became perpertuated into myth. We still see massage chair companies hyping that they have 12 or 15 motors. It is obvious that these motors cannot all drive the massage mechanisms. These companies think that if it moves, we can count it as a motor. Having motors is not enough, what do they actually do? This is a myth built on hype and unsubstantiated facts. Why would someone want an overly complex chair with low quality motors? Simple is the elegant solution.


James carries a large selection of Shiatsu Massage Chairs from Panasonic, Acutec, Omega and Takasima. James writes articles, Massage Chairs Reviews and more to educate and inform his customers.