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10 years ago car seat massagers were all the hype, and every guy or girl would be sporting one. Fast forward to present day, and these devices aren’t half as popular as they once were. There’s a few reasons for this, but I think the main reason is that vehicle seats ate now able to heat and massage. Unfortunately these features are still limited to higher end cars. In fact, most budget cars don’t have heated or massage seats….believe it or not!
If you’re fortunate to own an expensive vehicle that comes with both heated and massage capable seats, this post may not be of particular interest. However, if you’re like me and own a budget Japanese vehicle, definitely keep reading! Before I tell you about my best car seat massager, let’s look at some of the things you should consider before buying one.
In my mind, these are the 6 main factors you ought to consider and understand before buying a car seat massager. Go through each of the 6 and decide what’s important to you specifically! (infographic created using Canva)
Reasonably priced….check, heated Massage…..check, intensity control…..check, auto shut off….check. The best car seat massager in my opinion!
You can change the speed for the 4 shiatsu kneading nodes from either low to high. These are the nodes that massage your back. For the seat part of the cushion, you can alter the vibration from low, medium, to high. Intensity control is a big deal for me, simply because it’s one of those things I always change depending on how I feel!
This device has 3 main massage features:
The combination of kneading, rolling, and vibration provides for a complete experience that targets the major back muscles.
Because of the way it’s designed, one could use the Gideon seat cushion at home, work or in the car while driving. Included in the package is a home ac adapter, and a car dc adapter. This gives you the freedom to use the massager however you wish. It also has a Velcro strap to strap to a chair pretty easily.
Most devices have a preprogrammed shut off (15 or 20 minutes usually), but in this case you have the flexibility to select when the device auto shuts off. Your choices are 5, 10, or 15 minutes.
If you were to consider all the features such as the 3 massage modes, intensity control, heat and everything else, the Gideon massager is quite reasonably priced in my opinion (click here to check latest pricing on amazon). Competing products will typically run for much more!
If you’re 6 foot and over, you may have some issues. The problem is that the massager itself is not tall enough to accommodate larger torsos. Width isn’t a problem, it’s more so height. I wouldn’t know about this myself as I’m well below 6 foot, but some of the reviews make mention of it. That being said, if you’re really tall this device may work well to massage your lower and upper back, but shoulder and neck coverage may be a bit of a problem. If you’re okay with this limitation, go ahead and consider the Gideon massager. If not, you may want to consider other alternatives (see below).
Almost identical to the Gideon massager we discussed previously. Just like the Gideon, it has 3 massage techniques (rolling, kneading, and vibration) with an option to toggle heat on/off. Also, it can be used at home or in the car. There’s really 2 big difference between this Naipo massager and the one by Gideon:
This post wouldn’t be complete without including a budget friendly option. The Snailax massage seat cushion is that option! It features 6 vibration motors: 4 to cover the upper and lower back, and the remaining 2 to cover the hips and thighs. Before I go any further, let me clarify one thing: this is only a vibration massager. It doesn’t do kneading or rolling techniques. What do I love about it? First and foremost, I love that it doesn’t burn a hole in my wallet! Its also has a heat on/off option, and variable intensities for the vibration. But by far my favorite thing about this is the soft cushy plush material!
| Massager | Types Of Massage | Auto Shut Off | Versatility | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gideon Body Massaging Cushion | Shiatsu Kneading, Rolling, Vibration | Yes (5, 10, 15 minutes) | Home & Car Friendly | $$ - CLICK TO CHECK LATEST PRICING ON AMAZON |
| Naipo Back Massager | Shiatsu Kneading, Rolling, Vibration | Yes (15 minutes) | Home & Car Friendly | $$$$ - CLICK TO CHECK LATEST PRICING ON AMAZON |
| Snailax Vibration Massage Seat Cushion | Vibration | Yes (15, 30, 60 minutes) | Home & Car Friendly | $ - CLICK TO CHECK LATEST PRICING ON AMAZON |
Use it properly and it’ll last you years, use it poorly and you’ll be lucky if it lasts you a couple months. Below are my 6 tips for seat massager use, maintenance, and care!
What’s the difference between a car seat massager and any other massager? A car seat massager is more so an everyday massager, and as a result it sees much more use. If you’re like most, you leave it strapped on to your car seat and that’s that. It’ll stay there until it breaks basically. Because of how much it gets used, car seat massagers must be cleaned frequently. Regular cleaning can prolong the life of the material (polyester, leather etc.). When cleaning, you need to be extra careful to not damage or short any of the electrical components or massage nodes. Use a damp microfiber cloth and thoroughly wipe the massager down until dry.
This one’s just plain old car advice. Sounds easy, and guess what? It is! If your car is clean, then your seat massager will also be clean. Avoid eating or drinking in your car, and if you do you should at least try to be careful. One way to completely toast a massager is by spilling sugary coke on it! I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never eaten fries or drank coffee/soda in my car. We’ve probably all done it at some point or another! My point here is just minimize the food and drinks, and clean up after you’re done.
For household electronics, it’s common sense to unplug a device once you’re done using it. Unfortunately, it’s not that obvious when it comes to car appliances. Most of us have a tendency to leave our chargers, GPS, and seat massagers plugged in at all times. This is bad for a number of reasons:
This next tip is optional. However, if you live in regions with extreme weather conditions such as freezing winters or scorching hot summers, you’ll definitely want to take this seriously. Where I live, it sometimes gets as cold as -40 degrees Celsius. No, i’m not kidding, although, I wish I was!
Extreme weather can and will wreck your electronics. There’s no question about this. It’s a well known fact that electronic batteries do not operate properly in extreme conditions and if left in these conditions for prolonged periods, they eventually start to malfunction. Here’s an interesting write up from Accuweather that talks about this in greater detail. I encourage you to check it out! So what should you do? Unplug and remove the seat massager from your car, and store inside your home. If your car is parked in a heated garage, no need to remove the massager.
Most car seat massagers are meant to be used without a pillow or blanket. In fact, most have a spongy cushion built into the massager to begin with. Why should you avoid using additional pillows or blankets? For one, it’s not the same experience! You don’t get the same massage experience because you restrict the nodes from fully working your body. Secondly, if there was any excessive heating and the device failed to auto shut off, you increase the risk of fire by adding cotton pillows or blanket to the mix.
Last but certainly not least, read the operating manual…..for Pete’s sake! Don’t assume you know it all, even if it seems pretty simple. There may be something you’re overlooking that will cost you should your device malfunction. It only takes 15 minutes to quickly read and skim through most manuals. I’m sure you can spare a measly 15 minutes from your day!
You know what my best car seat massager is! If you disagree or believe there is something better out there, please leave a comment and tell me about it. Leaving a comment helps all of us! I hope you enjoyed reading and if you did a share would be appreciated. See you in the next blog!
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