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Massage chair, armchair or seat — what's the difference?

Some search for a massage armchair, others for a massage chair or seat. Shops use all three names for the same devices. Short answer: it is usually the same thing. The longer answer is below.

Three names, one device

Manufacturers and retailers use several names for the same product, so when browsing it is worth checking more than one term — the difference is often in wording, not in the devices themselves.

When the name does matter

One exception: vibrating seat pads and office chairs with vibration are sometimes also called massage chairs. They cost a few hundred euros and have little in common with a full-size massage chair, which has a roller mechanism, a back track and a leg massage section. If the price looks too good, it is probably not a real massage chair.

What to look at instead

Mechanism: 2D rollers move in two directions, 3D adds depth, 4D also varies rhythm. Track: an SL-shaped track covers the back from neck to thighs. Zero gravity: legs raised above heart level let the massage work deeper. Dimensions: a reclined chair needs more space than it seems — check the specs of each model.

In short

Whatever you call it, what matters is the mechanism, the track and the size. Compare all iRest models by these criteria.