Human Touch WholeBody 8.0

Human Touch's FlexGlide 3D orbital technology works the back, neck, and shoulders with a gliding motion the company compares to a warm oil massage, and BodyMap PRO lets you point to where you want the massage focused. Patented warm-air technology adds heat, seven auto-wellness programs cover the presets, and a retractable ottoman houses the foot-and-calf massager. The headrest pad has a sliding pillow adjustment, and the whole chair swivels 55 degrees on its base — something almost no track-based massage chair can do.

That recliner format is the point. At 44 by 28 by 40 inches upright and 114 pounds, the 8.0 is closer to an armchair than a massage pod, though it does need 9 inches of rear clearance to recline to its 66-inch full length. It supports users up to 285 pounds and comes in Bone or Charcoal SofHyde. The 3-year limited warranty is shorter than the 5 years on Human Touch's bigger chairs, and there is no L-track, body scan, or zero-gravity positioning — this is targeted upper-body and foot massage in furniture form, not a full-body roller system. At its $1,999 street price, that is a fair trade for anyone whose space or budget rules out a flagship chair.