I've never experienced a workout quite so rigorous as the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. The world's largest innovation event spans 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space. For three eight-hour days, I schlepped my laptop and camera bag across the thinly carpeted floors. My body, fueled by coffee and Clif bars, ached and fatigued quickly. Unsure how I would survive the convention, I set out to review every luxury massage chair I encountered at CES. My mission gave me an opportunity to break from walking and receive much needed, therapeutic relief. It was a wild success. Here are my favorite chairs, ranked least to best: 4. Daiwa's Relax 2 Zero Chair Pro: The Relax 2 Zero chair by Daiwa uses air bag technology to relieve muscle tension from head to toe. The bags inflate and deflate, gently pushing the body from side to side. Con: The pressure was a little much for me, however, and I winced several times when the bags pinched my arms and legs too tightly.
The materials felt cheap, as well, which became the most apparent during the foot massage. The rollers in the foot cradle felt like a bag of marbles held in a Ziploc baggie. 3. Adako's Zenith Chair Pro: Adako's "zero-gravity" Zenith chair is a dream for those who appreciate a good glutes massage. The chair's L-shaped roller track travels from the neck to the hamstrings, delivering concentrated pressure at the body's intersection: the buttocks. Plus, with a price tag under $8,000, the Zenith chair is the most affordable one I tried. Con: While the glutes massage was out of this world, the chair provided an unmemorable experience for my other body parts. Plus, the L-shaped track limits its reclining capability. 2. Inada's DreamWave Chair Cost: $9,499 ($10,499 for the TruBlack Leather model) Pro: Stepping into Inada's DreamWave chair is like getting a hug. The chair provides 1,200 square inches of coverage — more than any chair on the market, according to Inada USA President Cliff Levin — so it gives the illusion of cradling you.
Its 16 pre-programmed sessions means there's an experience for everyone. I prefer a gentle Shiatsu massage, and the Stretch session tugged at my limbs lightly and comfortably. Con: The DreamWave chair's pervasive coverage trapped my body heat and made me sweaty. My biggest concern, however, is the near $10,000 price. Pro: Infinity is massage chair royalty, and in fact, a sales manager at a rival company's booth recommended I check them out. After a few minutes in the IT-880, I understood why. Infinity chairs feature one of the longest roller tracks on the market, so it cups the head and gives a mind-blowing crown massage. The chair also inverts, lifting the legs above the upper body and improving circulation and blood flow. The clincher here is in the price tag: Infinity's IT-8800 comes in more than $3,000 cheaper than Inada's DreamWave chair. Con: N/A — If I had that much money sitting around, my first call would be to Infinity. Pro: Tware's AiraWear is a massage vest that fits underneath your jacket.
Small, inconspicuous motors inflate and deflate the vest from the inside, providing for a therapeutic compression massage. The wearer can choose a program from the company's app, which communicates with the vest over Bluetooth, and select the intensity. Con: The vest doesn't apply much pressure, and instead, replicates the feeling of an iPhone vibrating in your back pocket. While it's a fun novelty item, you're better off booking a massage appointment.A massage is one of the best ways to relieve stress at the end of a busy day. Unfortunately, not many people can afford to hire a professional masseuse, and full-sized massage chairs can cost many thousands of dollars.I recommend Zyllion ZMA-14-BK Massage CushionsDeep kneading and rolling massages at the neck, upper back and lower back help relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation. Built-in double vibrating motors at the hip relaxes the body and strengthen metabolism. Unique up-down motion of the massage nodes was designed with the concept of somatology.
Multiple massage heads work together to imitate real full body kneading and rolling massage with human hands. This massage cushion has three massage variations-full back, lower back, and upper back massage-making it versatile and perfect to use in the office or at homeSource: Best Massage CushionsMassage chairs allow massage therapists to have access to pressure points and massage areas much more easily, making it possible for them to provide a more effective massage.Especially since massages are billed per time (half hour or hour normally), using a massage chair is a much more efficient way to accomplish what needs to be done during a session.There are other products that be great supplements and improve upon the old fashioned manual massages performed on a flat table. For instance, many physical therapists, chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals who deal with muscle injuries use a massage chair in conjunction with Clinical Massage Equipment to get the effect they want.
This equipment allows them to target specific areas of the body to reduce pain and speed patient healing. Choose from a variety of back massagers and enjoy the benefits of massage in the comfort of your own home. Portable Back Massage Cushion Massage Comfort Cushion with heat 3D Shiatsu Select Massage Pillow with Heat Comfort Pro Elite Massaging Vibration Wrap with Heat Thera-P Shiatsu Massage Cushion with Heat Back & Shoulder Percussion Massager with Heat Dual Shiatsu Massage Cushion Shiatsu Pro Back Massager with Heat Triple Shiatsu Massage Cushion with Heat Quad Shiatsu Pro Massage Cushion with Heat Shiatsu Elite Pro Massage Chair Cushion with Heat Perfect Touch Masseuse App-Controlled Massage Cushion with Heat Save up to 60% OFF on select sale itemsSingapore’s a global city — take a walk down any major shopping street and you’ll see familiar brand names from the world over, but look a little closer and you’ll find some home-grown gems.
While the modern market’s awash in a sea of international start-ups, we highlight eight long-standing local brands that embody the Singaporean entrepreneurial spirit. OSIM is a brand name synonymous with massage chairs, handheld massagers and other wellness products. Established in 2003, OSIM has since established its franchise across the globe (with stores in Hong Kong and London), and seen a multitude of high-profile endorsements from international celebrities such as Fan Bingbing, Gong Li and Andy Lau. What to buy: The super sleek and portable OSIM uGem handheld massager Where to buy: OSIM stores island-wide, including #03-21 Raffles City Shopping Centre and more This trusty herbal pain rub is a medicine cabinet staple of many Singaporeans. Its beginnings in Singapore hark back to 1908, when Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par (The ‘Haw Par’ brothers) brought their Chinese herbalist father’s ointment recipe to our island. The cure-all ointment has been a household name since, used by locals to treat muscle aches, rheumatic pains or colds.
What to buy: The classic version of the pain relief rub — Tiger Balm White Where to buy: Any Guardian, Watsons or Unity pharmacies island-wide Axe Brand dates back to 1928, when founder Leung Yun Chee came into possession of the axe oil recipe during a chance meeting with a German physician. He then produced, marketed and sold the range of medicated oils under the Axe Brand name in Singapore. Axe Oil’s signature smell is a blend of menthol, camphor oil and eucalyptus, and the sharp scent is said to keep headaches, muscle pains and an array of other ailments away. What to buy: Axe Brand Universal Oil Where to buy: Any NTUC FairPrice outlets island-wide Need to beat the tropical Singapore heat? Take a swig of quintessential Singaporean brew, Tiger Beer. Launched in 1932, Tiger Beer has become the beverage of choice for many a local over the years. It’s currently brewed in 11 countries and enjoyed in more than 75 the world over, but is also a staple beverage of your friendly neighbourhood hawker centre regulars.
So the next time you swing by a hawker centre for local fare, don’t forget to order a Tiger beer to wash down your hokkien mee (stir-fried prawn noodles), or try pairing your laksa (spicy noodle soup) with the tangy fruity flavours of the Tiger Radler, a bottled version of the classic lemon and beer mix. What to buy: Tiger Beer or Tiger Radler Founded in 2006 by brothers Ryan and Reuben Lee together with Barry Choo, X-Mini is a manufacturer of audio products best known for their pocket-sized capsule speakers. Don’t be fooled by their size — these miniature speakers pack a punch with their full, rounded sound. Enjoy your music on the go in a variety of styles — have a pick from their range of mini speakers and other audio tech. What to buy: Get the best of both worlds with the X-Mini wireless hybrid headphone and speakers Where to buy: Harvey Norman at #03-22/23 Raffles City Shopping Centre and more Founded in 1981, Creative helped launch the multimedia revolution in Singapore and has held its own in a competitive international market.
The Creative ZEN Neeon multimedia players, though now discontinued, were a favourite of young Singaporeans when they first burst onto the market in 2005. Now, Creative is still going strong with its new innovations in audio technology, MP3 players, and other audio accessories. What to buy: Sound Blaster X7, a powerful audio amplifier with Bluetooth connectivity Where to buy: Harvey Norman at #03-22/23 Raffles City Shopping Centre, Challenger Superstore at #02-34/35 VivoCity, and more Razer had its beginnings in a tiny shared office of gamers back in 2005. The brand was born when CEO Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff wanted to create high quality products by gamers, for gamers. Over the years, Razer has earned its place in the gamer community, evolving into a gaming lifestyle brand with a devoted following. What to buy: Razer’s latest cutting-edge tech, the Razer Blade Stealth Ultrabook Where to buy: Best Denki at #05-01/05 Ngee Ann City Podium, Harvey Norman at #03-31 Centrepoint and more