comparing massage chair vs hot tub
Health and Wellness

Which is the Best Stress Reliever: Massage Chair vs Hot Tub

Jan 26, 2023

After a long day, what’s better than to come home knowing you have stress relief tools to wipe away the day? Which is the ideal stress reliever, though, when it comes to a massage chair vs hot tub? No doubt both are relaxing, but when you dive into it, the differences become apparent.


Today, we’re comparing a massage chair vs hot tub to show you which is best for your lifestyle. Read on, and let’s talk about melting your stress away!

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Which Do I Want?


When it comes to stress relief, two of the most popular tools are a massage chair and hot tub. Both these types of stress relievers offer physical relief from muscle tension and mental relief from stress by providing soothing sensations. Which is better, though? When it comes to comparing a massage chair vs hot tub, the answer is in the details. We’ve compared a few elements of each to show you which is the better investment and will provide you with the results you’re looking for including:


  • Cost comparison
  • Better stress relief
  • Which is healthier
  • Ease of use
  • User restrictions
  • Overall cost of ownership
  • Maintenance requirements

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Cost Comparison


First up as we compare a massage chair vs hot tub, let’s talk about the cost comparison. These two stress relief tools often come in at around the same price points, but the setup brings hot tubs in at a higher cost overall.


With a luxury massage chair, you can simply have it delivered and you’re ready to go! After it’s set up, you can have it anywhere in your home, ready to use when you need it. A hot tub, however, requires a large outdoor space that has been leveled and fitted with a firm base structure to support the hot tub itself. It also requires much more overall space, which can take away from other uses in your backyard.


Average hot tub prices can range from $3000 to upwards of $20,000, depending on size and features. By comparison, luxury massage chair price points may start around $2000 and may range up to around $10,000, based on which model and features you choose. A luxury massage chair, however, has much more versatility to provide different types of stress relief massages as well as a variety of other massage chair features that hot tubs simply can’t match.

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Stress Relief


One of the biggest points when comparing a massage chair vs hot tub is how they measure up in providing stress relief. Sure, getting in a hot tub is relaxing and soothing, but the additional setup, maintenance, and operational costs could put a damper on how much you really enjoy it. Additionally, the jets of hot tubs cannot compare to the physical contact of massage chair rollers.


A massage chair, on the other hand, provides a plethora of methods for stress relief ranging from different massage techniques to heat therapy, chromotherapy, and beyond. A full body massage chair offers you a personalized experience to melt your stress away and leave you feeling more relaxed than ever. At the touch of a button, you can choose from Swedish massage, Thai massage, deep tissue settings, and more.


Furthermore, the benefits of massage chairs with zero gravity reclining features deepen your relaxing experience. The zero gravity position enhances how the body heals itself, boosting your mental and physical wellness.

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Which Is Healthier?


Thinking about the stress relieving properties of massage chairs vs hot tubs should mean they’re both healthy, right? While it’s true, providing stress relief is healthy, there is a major difference between the two that skews the comparison in favor of massage chairs for sure: chemicals.


With a hot tub, you have to add chemicals to keep the water clean and prevent bacteria buildup. This means that while you’re immersed in the water, your skin is also soaking up some of those chemicals, which could lead to dry skin or other discomforts later. The chlorine needed may have unsafe vapors for those living with asthma or other respiratory issues. It may also cause hair to become brittle if not thoroughly washed and hydrated right after use.


Luxury massage chairs, however, don’t have the additional chemicals and are perfectly safe to use! The lack of these potentially harsh chemicals means you can simply sit and relax without having to worry about preventative or post-care measures.

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Ease of Use


Next up as we compare a massage chair vs hot tub is the ease of use. While neither is particularly difficult to use, they do come with different requirements that make massage chairs the clear winner, once more.


Hot tubs require consistent maintenance for clean water, plus they take time to warm up to your desired temperature. This means planning ahead and having to wait around for your stress relief method instead of being able to jump right in and use it on a whim.


A massage chair, conversely, is ready to go at the touch of a button. Simply choose your massage type and any additional features you want to engage (like heat therapy) and you’re ready to go! Massage chairs are much better for instant relief and don’t come with the added chores of setting it up and closing it down the way hot tubs do.

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: User Restrictions


Other issues when comparing a massage chair vs hot tubs that you might not have considered are user restrictions. For example, those with a bad back may have an issue sitting on the harder surface seats of a hot tub, whereas luxury massage chairs are designed to alleviate back pain. Mobility issues may also prevent you from getting in and out of a hot tub, limiting its use to certain individuals. 


On top of mobility and back pain, another difference between massage chairs vs hot tubs is their recommended use for pregnant individuals. If you might be pregnant and plan to use a hot tub, or you choose to use a hot tub during pregnancy, experts suggest limiting time in the hot tub to less than 10 minutes. This helps avoid raising your internal temperature too high, which can be a danger to you and your baby. A massage chair, however, most often poses no health threats during pregnancy, as there are no widespread recommendations against massages while pregnant.


As with all health decisions, consult your doctor before using a hot tub or massage chair to ensure it's safe for you to do so.

Massage Chair vs Hot Tub: Cost of Ownership


Cost of ownership is a consideration most users have when making a major purchase. A comparison of a hot tub vs massage chair will show you they have models available at similar price points for both. That said, the cost of ownership and operation is very different.


A luxury massage chair requires very little maintenance to stay in perfect working order. This means you can effectively use it whenever the urge strikes. It’s ideal for coming home and wiping away the stress of the day without having to wait. The only ongoing cost of ownership is plugging it in, which will be a relatively negligible cost.


Hot tubs, however, require a lot of water to use and electricity to heat. This means their operational costs continue and can mount up to noticeable figures. Add in the cost of necessary chemicals for upkeep and you’re looking at a much higher cost of ownership. Where’s the stress relief in that?


As you can see, in the comparison between a massage chair vs hot tub, the clear winner is the massage chair. Not only are these stress relief tools better equipped with more features to help you relax, but they also offer much more versatility, ease of use, safety to all, and lower operational costs. Get your massage chair and see what you’ve been missing!


Ready to choose your massage chair? Check out the Ogawa massage chair lineup and see which model is right for you.
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