How much power does a massage chair use?

Worrying that a massage chair can cost you a lot when paying the bill? As a person who is strongly interested in all things massage chairs and doing research about that, we will help you to find out.

A massage chair consumes between 150 watts and 300 watts on average depending on models. Power usage is around 5W while idle. A massage chair running with ALL functions for a full-body massage from head to toe uses about the same electricity as a desktop computer.

It’s surprising that despite being a large piece of machinery, even the most advanced massage chair models use less electricity than the average in-home appliance such as the refrigerator or the microwave.

In terms of cost, for a typical energy cost of $0.12/kWh, an idle chair costs around $0.014 to operate per day ($5.00 per year). A chair running at full power for one hour in a day costs around $0.035 ($13.00 per year). If you use your massage chair every day for one full hour – pretty significant use – it will cost just around $18 a year. If you turn off your massage chair at the main power switch (the one in the back of the chair) power consumption goes to zero.

What happens to the massage chair if the power goes out?

In the event of a power outage, the chair will release all pressure and stay in a “lay flat” position. The air compressor requires electricity to fill the air cells, therefore, it will be deflated immediately.

What are the basic power-consumed components of a massage chair?

Let’s dig deeper to see what are the basic components that draw wattage from your standard 110v outlet. These components consist of:

• a power supply
• power circuit board
• motherboard
• three 110v motors
• separate motors for the back recline and footrest
• two air compressors
• an infrared heating element in the backrest and leg massage unit
• the massage chair remote control

What can you do to save on massage chair power usage costs?

Although a massage chair consumes not much electricity as you imagined, there are some ways for you to save on massage chair energy costs. Here are what you can do:

• Look for a massage chair which includes an automatic shut off that will stop the power consumption when it’s not being used.
• Look for a massage chair which includes a session timer so you can limit the duration of each massage session. This is a good feature for those who tend to doze off during their relaxing massage, so your chair isn’t continuing to run a massage session while you sleep through it.
• Ask your retailer about the energy-saving features of your chair before making a purchase. It is understandable to think that you can save money on energy costs by purchasing a less expensive model with limited features rather than a top-quality massage chair with multiple features for head to toe massage. However, most high-end chairs include energy-saving features that aren’t included in cheaper models.

Related Questions

Does massage chair needs special electrical outlet?
A standard grounded outlet is all that is needed for you to use a massage chair so you don’t need a special electrical outlet.

What are some of the required massage chair brands’ consumption power / rated voltage / rated frequency?

Can I leave the massage chair plugged in all the time or will it wear the chair down?
Ask your retailer about this because it depends on different models. Some high innovated massage chairs let you leave it plugged in all the time without damages because it has been engineered to be just like your computer. You can leave it plugged in all the time and turn the power off if you’re not using it.

How often should I use massage chair?
It is recommended using massage sessions up to 40 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes in the evening. The next day, use a Full Body Air session (without the roller component, utilizes air cells only) in the morning, and a Stretch session in the evening. Resume massages the following day.