Unfortunately, most of these chairs have been discontinued by Brookstone. In case, you can’t find them and want something similar, we're providing alternative options as well, so read along!
Mach 9
Rock & Recline
Renew 3D
Renew 2 3D
Energize 3D
Brookstone is an American retailer that got its start by advertising in classifieds in the magazine “Popular Mechanics” in the sixties. They ran a successful mail order business for a number of years before opening their first brick and mortar location in 1973. While the company has never been a retail giant, they are an American Icon, and today, have some 240 locations across the US, and are expanding into China as well.
A general merchandise company, they offer a wide range of products, including a small line of massage chairs. We’ll offer a Brookstone massage chair comparison table just below, then take a closer look at each one in the sections that follow, so you can decide for yourself if a Brookstone massage chair is in your future.
Before we get to the Brookstone massage chair reviews themselves, let’s start with a table for a side-by-side comparison:
Brookstone Massage Chairs | Mach 9 | Rock & Recline | Renew 3D | Renew 2 3D | Energize 3D |
Rating | 4.5 / 5.0 | 4.5 / 5.0 | 3.5 / 5.0 | 3.0 / 5.0 | 3.5 / 5.0 |
Price | $$$$$ | $ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$$ |
Dimensions | 62.6" x 31.9" x 46.2" | 23” x 38” x 37” | 31.5” x 55.1” x 50” | 31.5” x 55” x 49” | 40” x 50” x 51.2” |
Weight | 253 lbs | 82 lbs | 253 lbs | 216 lbs | 298 lbs |
Track Design | SL-Track | L-Track | L-Track | L-Track | L-Track |
Airbags | 44 | None | 30 | 42 | 62 |
Zero-G | 1 | None | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Auto Programs | 12 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 14 |
Massage Techniques | Kneading, Tapping, Swedish, Clapping, Shiatsu, and Rolling | Shiatsu, Tapping, Rolling | Kneading, Tapping, Rolling, Thai, Clapping, Shiatsu | Kneading, Tapping, Kneading & Tapping, Rolling, Shiatsu | Kneading, Tapping, Rolling, Clapping, Thai, and Shiatsu |
Heat | Lumbar, Legs, Knee | Lumbar | Lumbar, Calf | Lumbar | Lumbar, Calf, and Feet |
Body Stretch | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Warranty | 3 years | 1 Year | 2 Years | 2 Years | 2 Years |
Brookstone Massage Chairs - Top Pick |
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Mach 9
RATING | |
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PRICE | $$$$$ |
Dimensions | 62.6" x 31.9" x 46.2" |
Weight | 253 lbs |
More Specifications...
Brookstone Massage Chairs - 2nd Pick |
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Rock & Recline
RATING | |
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PRICE | $ |
Dimensions | 23” x 38” x 37” |
Weight | 82 lbs |
More Specifications...
Brookstone Massage Chairs - 3rd Pick |
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Renew 3D
RATING | |
|---|---|
PRICE | $$$ |
Dimensions | 31.5” x 55.1” x 50” |
Weight | 253 lbs |
More Specifications...
Brookstone Massage Chairs - 4th Pick |
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Renew 2 3D
RATING | |
|---|---|
PRICE | $$$ |
Dimensions | 31.5” x 55” x 49” |
Weight | 216 lbs |
More Specifications...
Brookstone Massage Chairs - 5th Pick |
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Energize 3D
RATING | |
|---|---|
PRICE | $$$$ |
Dimensions | 40” x 50” x 51.2” |
Weight | 298 lbs |
More Specifications...
Table of Contents
- 1 Who Makes Brookstone Massage Chairs?
- 2 Mach 9 Massage Chair
- 3 Mach 9 Massage Chair Alternatives
- 4 Rock & Recline Massage Chair
- 5 Rock & Recline Massage Chair Alternatives
- 6 Renew 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair
- 7 Renew 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
- 8 Renew 2 Zero Gravity Massage Chair
- 9 Renew 2 Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
- 10 Energize3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair
- 11 Energize 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
- 12 What About the Brookstone Recover 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair?
- 13 Brookstone Massage Chair Reviews Conclusion
Who Makes Brookstone Massage Chairs?
It’s a fair question, and one that gets asked a lot. Although Brookstone designed them, all of their chairs are actually manufactured in China. That’s how the company can sell them at such modest prices.
There are some drawback to this, of course. Although the overall quality of Chinese manufacturing has been steadily improving, the reality is that a Chinese-made chair isn’t going to be of the same quality, or have the same longevity as a chair made in the US, Japan, or Europe. You get what you pay for.
That’s not to say that there are no decent Chinese massage chairs. There are, but the overall quality is undeniably lower than some others. That’s just the reality of the price/performance tradeoff.
How's the Quality?
The real question then is, “are Brookstone massage chairs good?” The answer is yes, but…(and you knew there’d be a “but,” right?) They’re a decent value for the money. They’re functional, but they fall short of being exceptional.
If you read customer reviews online, you’ll discover that most of the time, the complaints you see don’t center around the functionality of the chairs themselves, but rather, on the company’s post-sales service and support, which is spotty. Some reviewers sing their praises, but many don’t, citing difficulties in getting in touch with the company, problems with shipping, delivery, or arranging service.
It’s possible that if you buy one, you’ll have a good experience. It’s also possible you’ll get the runaround, if the past is any guide. That’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but it is something worth making a note of.
Having said that, let’s now take a closer look at the various models in a series of short Brookstone massage chair reviews to see what makes each one tick.
Mach 9 Massage Chair
The Mach 9 is the latest massage chair by Brookstone, and is exclusively sold by a few massage chair outlets. This is a premium massage chair and comes with plenty of the bells and whistles many want. Here's a quick look on this brand new offering:
Massage Chair Features
Clearly, Brookstone made sure to add as many features as they can to their new massage chair, and we were quite impressed. However, we just hope that the company could keep up with other manufacturers when it comes to post-sales support and customer service, especially for such a high-end massage chair.
Mach 9 Massage Chair Alternatives
Daiwa Legacy Premium Massage Chair
A solid, therapeutic chair with two powerful features you’ll love. The Daiwa massage chair is recommended for chronic pain sufferers up to 6’4” in height. This is not a hobbyist chair designed for casual use.
OHCO M.8 Elite & Limited Edition Massage Chairs
The OHCO M.8 Elite is a cutting-edge massage chair filled with both convenience and therapeutic features. Recommended for anyone who can afford one.
Osaki Japan Premium Massage Chairs 4S & 4D
The Osaki Premium 4S Massage chair is packed with fabulous features, including 4D massage, computer body scan, 12 intensity levels, 41 types of kneading massage, and so much more.
Rock & Recline Massage Chair
There aren’t too many Brookstone massage chairs reviews that center on the company’s entry-level model, so you may not have even heard of it.
It’s a smaller chair, and as its name suggests, it both rocks and reclines, so if you’re looking for a massage chair you can rock in, you’ll like this very much.
It’s specifically designed for two groups of people: Those who don’t have a lot of space, and people on a budget.
Because it’s fairly small and lightweight, if you’re big and tall, this one probably isn’t going to work for you. It’s also worth mentioning that this is the only chair Brookstone makes that only comes with a one year warranty (all their other models come with a two-year warranty), so keep that in mind as well.
Now, with those things out of the way, let’s take a closer look at which the Rock & Recline chair can do.
What We Liked
For an entry-level chair, this one is surprisingly full-featured. In our view, these are its most noteworthy aspects:
What We Didn’t Like
The Rock & Recline chair has a lot going for it, but again, as an entry-level chair, it’s also got its share of limitations. Here are the things it can’t do:
Regarding operation, there’s only a very slight learning curve involved, as the remote is fairly simple and well organized. All the buttons are clearly labeled, and even people who aren’t especially tech-savvy will have little difficulty mastering its use.
All things considered, it’s a decent chair at its price point, and on that basis, is recommended. Having said that, if you can save a little longer, and are willing to spend a bit more money, you can get a chair with a significantly more robust feature set.
Rock & Recline Massage Chair Alternatives
Homcom Swivel Massage Recliner
The HOMCOM Recliner Chair rocks, reclines, and swivels 360 degrees, and costs a lot less than the Rock & Recline massage chair. It's an excellent combination of massage, heating, and comfort to suit those with lower-back pain or someone who simply needs to relax after a long day.
Synca Circ Massage Chair
If you are drawn to the modern and compact look of the Rock & Recline massage chair and fine without the rock and recline function, check out the award-winning Synca Circ Massage Chair. It's small enough to fit into even tiny rooms, and yet, surprisingly robust and feature-rich, given its modest price.
HoMedics HMC-100 Massage Chair
Another compact and affordable massage chair packed with almost the same features of the Rock & Recline massage chair minus the rock and recline function. The HoMedics HMC-100 Massage Chair is offered by a well-respected company and has more features than you might think.
Renew 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair
The Renew 3D, Zero-G Massage Chair is much more robust than its smaller cousin, the Rock & Recline chair, but for the price, it’s decidedly middle of the pack compared to competing chairs offered by other companies.
That’s not to say it’s a bad design, simply that it doesn’t have a “killer feature” that makes it stand out from the crowd. Having said that, there’s a lot to like about it.
What We Liked
In our view, it’s best features are:
You don’t find too many chairs offering Thai massage, and if that’s one of your preferred techniques, then its presence here will be a big nod in the Renew’s favor.
What We Didn’t Like
As we mentioned earlier, we don’t regard this as a bad design at all; it’s just that if you compare its feature set with similarly priced chairs offered by other companies, this one is middle of the pack. There’s nothing about it that you could consider a “killer feature” that would make you want to rush out and buy it over and above a competitor’s chair, except maybe Thai massage, but then only if that was super important to you.
While there are a few features that are just plain missing (no MP3 support, for example), our main complaint is that the offered features could be better.
The body stretch is present but unremarkable. The foot massage is present but unremarkable. Zero-G seating is present, but only offered in one position, and so forth. None of these things are deal breakers, however, and if all you’re looking for is a passingly good hobbyist chair, then this one will serve you very well in that capacity.
A Note About Ease of Use
While the Renew isn’t all that difficult to learn to use and master, it does have more of a learning curve than the Rock & Recline chair, mostly owing to its expanded feature set.
The remote looks a little complicated at first glance, but the buttons are fairly well organized, and the LCD screen is helpful. All in all, it might take someone with at least a bit of tech savvy perhaps twenty minutes to master the basics. If you’re not all that tech savvy, you can expect it to take a little longer, but even so, it won’t leave you scratching your head in bewilderment.
Renew 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
Kahuna LM6800 Massage Chair
One of the most feature-rich massage chairs you’ll find at this price point, the Kahuna Massage Chair LM6800 is a superb value for the money! Hobbyist/casual users, chronic pain sufferers, and taller users, almost anybody, will love this chair!
Human Touch ZeroG 5.0 Immersion Seating Massage Chair
The Human Touch ZeroG 5.0 is a true masterpiece. It offers the Ultimate Zero-Gravity Experience with its ergonomic design, 3D massage engine, foot and calf massager, dual lumbar heat, and zero-gravity auto-rocking feature.
Ogawa Touch 3D Massage Chair
This chair looks like it should be fantastic, but despite being feature rich, falls short of greatness. Ogawa Touch 3D Massage Chair is recommended for mostly hobbyist users, though if you have chronic lower back pain, it will provide solid therapeutic benefits.
Renew 2 Zero Gravity Massage Chair
This represents a redesign of the original Renew chair, but there are enough differences that the company has opted to continue selling both versions. We’re not sure what to make of this model.
In some respects, it’s an advancement over its predecessor, but for the most part, it’s a lateral move. In our view, this chair should have been given some other model name, and we’re not quite sure why the company opted not to.
In any case, since it’s functionally similar, this section of our brand review will focus only on what’s different about the two models:
To summarize our Brookstone Renew zero gravity massage chair review, we’d say this: If you’re looking for a chair to soothe your aching feet and sore calves, get the original Renew. If you’re looking for a superior air massage, the Renew 2 is superior to the original design.
Renew 2 Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
Relaxonchair MK-II Plus Massage Chair
The Relaxonchair MK-II Plus massage chair is an entry-level, off-brand chair that stacks up surprisingly well to the mainstream brands it competes with. Recommended for hobbyist users and chronic pain sufferers.
Kahuna SM7300 Massage Chair
The Kahuna SM7300 massage chair is an exceptional massage chair that can be enjoyed by anyone, especially big and tall users.
Osaki TP-8500 Massage Chair
The Osaki TP 8500 Massage Chair stands out with its innovative space-saving design, making it a great choice for people with limited space yet want a feature-rich, multi-functional massage chair at home.
Energize3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair
Although this model should be considered a mid-range chair, the Brookstone Energize 3D massage chair is the company’s most expensive, feature-rich design, and is the flagship of their lineup.
As with the other models the company offers, it’s good, if perhaps a bit underweight compared to comparably priced massage chairs. There’s nothing in the world wrong with it, but again, it just doesn’t have a “killer feature” that makes it stand out in a crowded marketplace.
What We Liked
What We Didn’t Like
Given that this is the company’s flagship model, we’d love to have seen some hard-hitting extras like temperature controls for the heat, and something other than a simple air massage for the feet. These aren’t complaints per se. The chair is fine without them, but again, those are the kind of finishing touches that make the flagship model of a company’s lineup stand out, and they’re simply absent here.
Energize 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair Alternatives
Human Touch Novo XT2 Massage Chair
This feature-rich chair improves on the very few shortcomings of the original Novo design. With a good mix of both therapeutic features and convenience flourishes, the Novo XT2 is recommended for anyone who can afford it.
Osaki OS 3D Cyber Pro Massage Chair
Showcasing high-tech massage technologies such as 3D massage and acupoint-targeted massage, with added features like built-in speakers and chromotherapy lighting, the Osaki 3D Cyber Pro Massage Chair truly has got it all for the modern user in mind.
Luraco i7 iRobotics Massage Chair
The Luraco Massage Chair i7 is an exceptional therapeutic chair, made in the USA and filled with high-value features. Recommended for anyone who can afford it.
What About the Brookstone Recover 3D Zero Gravity Massage Chair?
We’ve seen a few Brookstone Recover 3D massage chair reviews around the web, but the company has apparently stopped offering this model for sale, so we opted not to include it in our lineup here. You can see the full lineup of the company’s currently offered massage chairs here:
Brookstone Massage Chair Reviews Conclusion
Middle of the road.
If we had to pick one phrase that summarized all of our Brookstone massage chair reviews, that would be it. They’re decent chairs, and perhaps even very good general use or hobbyist chairs.
Having said that, if you have a therapeutic need, you’re better off looking at some other brand that’s specifically designed to meet it, and in general, we find that Brookstone’s offerings punch slightly below their weight class. That is to say, for the money you spend here, you’re likely to find a massage chair offered by some other company that delivers a more robust set of features and/or better implementations of those features.
When you combine that with the company’s sometimes problematic post-sales support and customer service, we can’t strongly recommend them. They’re decent, but fall short of greatness, and many, if not most of the other reviews of Brookstone massage chairs you’ll find online will support this.
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