Table of Contents
Human Touch iJOY 4.0 Massage Chair Review
Pros
- One Of The Cheapest Massage Chairs Currently On The Market!
- Compact, Lightweight Design Makes Assembly & Placement A Piece Of Cake!
- Its Sleek, Stylish Design Makes This A Beautiful Addition To Any Living Room!
Cons
- No Foot Massage, No Heat Therapy, & No Airbags
The Definition Of Compact!
According to my research, the iJOY from Human Touch is one of the top massage chairs people search for online. As you can only imagine, I had to review it and see what all the fuss was about!
But what’s so special about the iJOY anyways?
Well, here’s a few things that standout for me:
For those who don’t know, the iJOY lineup consists of 2 different chairs: the 4.0 massage chair & the 2.1 massage chair. In this review my focus will be mostly be on the 4.0, although I will also touch on the 2.1 a little later on. Enough messing about, let’s dive right in!
Human Touch iJOY Massage Chair 4.0—6 Cool Features!
#1 Small But Packs Some Serious Punch!
The big rage with massage these days is intensity. Everyone and their grandma wants to get that deep tissue massage! While the iJOY isn’t quite deep tissue intensity, it’s very close! On a scale of “gentle” to “intense!”, it can do a vigorous massage.
Quite impressive for a budget massage chair!
#2 FlexGlide Duo (Human Touch Technology)
FlexGlide is a Human Touch roller technology. What it does is basically reduce the friction of the rollers, so that when the rollers traverse and massage your back, that uncomfortable “pinch” sensation is eliminated. Instead the rollers glide along your back, making it almost feel like a hot oil massage!
#3 4 Auto Massage Programs To Pick From!
I love auto massage modes because they drastically simplify massage chair operation. With auto modes, there’s no sifting through the manual settings trying to figure things out. You simply push a button to select the mode you desire, and you’re pretty much set!
The 4 auto massage modes consist of 2 different full back modes, and a focused upper back and lower back mode.
As you can see from the snippet below, each of the 4 modes can be selected directly from the remote control.
NB: each mode will only run for a total of 15 minutes at any given time.
For those who are curious, this chair is able to perform 2 different massage techniques: kneading and gliding. Kneading is basically small circular motions around the back. Gliding is more so a combination of percussion (AKA knocking) and rolling massage.
#4 Comes With A USB Port For Charging!
Not something that affects functionality by any means, but having a handy USB port kicking around is definitely convenient!
Do you see it kicking around on the bottom of the tech cradle there? Awesome for smartphone charging!
#5 It Boasts A Minimalist Design That’s Perfect For Tight Spaces!
You’ve probably realized by now having seen all the pictures, but in case you didn’t, the iJOY 4.0 is very much a compact massage chair. Measuring 40” long, 25.5” wide, and 33.5” high, it’s a chair that’s perfect for the minimalist user with tight space constraints.
Because of it’s small size, you don’t need much clearance from the back of the chair to the wall. 5” according to Human Touch will work just fine!
However, there is one downside to its compact design.
And that downside is poor user flexibility. When I talk about user flexibility, I mean how well a chair can accommodate various height and weight ranges. This chair in particular can accommodate a maximum weight of 285 lbs. However, weight is not the problem, height is. It can accommodate a height range of 5’0-6’0 ft, which probably works fine for the average guy or girl. If you fall out of that range however, you may want to seriously consider something else!
#6 2D Rollers With A 30” Track Span!
2D rollers are the most basic roller technology you can find today. Basic doesn’t necessarily mean bad however! Because 2D roller technology has been around for so long, massage chair manufacturers like Human Touch have really understood what it takes to get the best out of them. In general, the massage chair industry as a whole is most experienced with 2D rollers!
So going for “old” technology isn’t as bad as most people will have you believe!
2D essentially means 2 dimensions. In a 2D chair, the rollers move up/down and side to side as depicted in the image above. In addition to these vertical and horizontal movements, roller width can also be adjusted as required.
What is 30” roller track span?
The roller track or roller stroke describes how far a set of rollers can traverse from the neck downward. The longer the roller stroke, the better! The iJOY 4.0 has a 30” roller track span. Again, for a chair that costs this little, definitely a bonus! Most chairs in this price range have a 26” track, so I’ll more than gladly take an extra 4”!
Human Touch iJOY Massage Chair 4.0 Specifications
- Human Touch iJOY 4.0 Specs
- Roller Type: 2D S-Track
- Roller Length: 30 Inches
- Total Airbags: None
- Upright Dimensions: 40"L x 25.5"W x 33.5"H
- Recline Dimensions: 43"L x 25.5"W x 27"H
- Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
- Recommended Height Range: 5’0 – 6’0 ft.
- Maximum Recommended Weight: 285 lbs
- Power Usage: 1.2 Amps
Human Touch iJOY Massage Chair 4.0—Pros & Cons
Pros—A Few Of The Things I Like!
Cons—A Few Of The Things I Don’t Like!
Human Touch iJOY Massage Chair 2.1—A Few Key Features To Know Of!
As mentioned earlier, the iJOY lineup consists of 2 massage chairs: the 4.0 & the 2.1. Before we look at the differences between both, let’s look at the 2.1 in greater detail.
#1 2D Rollers With A 25” Track!
Earlier on in the post we spoke about 2D rollers and how they function, so I won’t say much else here. The iJOY 2.1 has a 25” roller track that does really well at massaging the neck and back region.
#2 Has A Total Of 3 Auto Massage Modes
These are relax, perform, and recover. All 3 modes are designed to target different areas of the back. As mentioned earlier, the more auto modes in a massage chair, the more variety a user will have!
#3 FlexGlide Technology Included
Much like it’s bigger brother, the iJOY 2.1 features Human Touch FlexGlide technology. A system that aims to minimize roller friction which results in an experience akin to a warm oil massage!
#4 Same Compact Design!
You get the same compact design with the iJOY 2.1 as you do with the 4.0. In fact, if we compare overall dimensions of both chairs, the 2.1 is less in length. Also worth noting is the overall weight. If you thought the 4.0 was light, boy you’re in for a surprise. The 2.1 weighs…..brace yourself……45 lbs!
Human Touch iJOY Massage Chair—Key Differences Between The 4.0 & The 2.1!
- Human Touch iJOY 2.1
- $$
Price - 25'' S-Track
Roller Track Span - No
USB Port - 3
Auto Modes - 32"L x 27"W x 37"H
Upright Dimensions
- Human Touch iJOY 4.0
- $$$
Price - 30'' S-Track
Roller Track Span - Yes
USB Port - 4
Auto Modes - 40"L x 25.5"W x 33.5"H
Upright Dimensions
Let’s discuss some of the key differences!
#1 Price Difference ($$$)
There isn’t too much of a price difference between both chairs, but to keep things simple: iJOY 2.1 is the cheaper alternative. 4.0 is slightly more expensive.
#2 Roller Track/Stroke
Here’s a big difference: the 2.1 has a roller stroke of 25”, whereas the 4.0 has a roller stroke of 30”. Is 5” significant enough? Absolutely! The extra 5 ” means the rollers will be able to reach down past the tailbone to the glutes. It makes a world of difference!
#3 USB Port
It’s worth mentioning that the iJOY 4.0 features a convenient USB port on the side of the chair. This feature is absent on the iJOY 2.1. Is this a deal breaker? Absolutely not! A USB port is convenient to have, but by no means does it impact my buying decision!
#4 Auto Modes
iJOY 4.0 has 4 auto modes; iJOY 2.1 has 3 auto modes. I’m all about auto modes, so even an extra 1 influences my buying decision.
#5 Overall Dimensions
4.0 is bigger when it comes to length, but slightly smaller in width and height. If space is a big concern for you, there is something important you need to understand. The iJOY 2.1 requires 9” of clearance from the back to the wall; iJOY 4.0 only requires 5”. Something to be wary of before making a decision in haste!
So Which One Should You Buy: iJOY 4.0 Or 2.1?
Both are budget chairs, both are compact, and both come with the same 2 color schemes: espresso and bone.
MY RECOMMENDATION AND PERSONAL ADVICE IS TO GO WITH THE iJOY 4.0 FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS!
- A 5'' longer roller stroke makes a massive difference!
- The additional auto mode gives users more variety!
- The reduced 5'' wall clearance makes placement easy!
A Few More Housekeeping Items To Think About Before Buying!
#1 Do You Meet The Recommended Height/Weight Range?
A lot of people jump the gun and purchase a massage chair without even considering height/weight recommendations.
If you’re buying online, this is something you must pay serious attention to!
Especially given that you haven’t actually sat on or tried the chair.
#2 Have You Thought About Placement?
If you haven’t already, start thinking about placement.
Walk around your home and try to understand where the chair will fit best.
It shouldn’t only be about space, you should also think about aesthetics and how the chair will blend in with the rest of your furniture!
#3 Extended Warranty: Buy Or Pass?
Extended warranties are a long debated topic. It’s always interesting to see how people are divided on extended warranties. They’re either 100% for, or 100% against. My thoughts are as follows:
If you’re buying a chair that’s $2K or over, then it definitely makes sense to protect your investment for an extra 2-3 years.
If it’s anything less than $2K, it’s a little hard to justify the extra money it costs to purchase an extended warranty. Just my 2 cents for what it’s worth!
#4 Color: Espresso Or Bone?
Bone or espresso….which should you pick? Both are beautiful if you ask me. However, when it comes to furniture in general, I have this rule of thumb.
The rule of thumb is simple: pick darker shades if possible!
That means go for black instead of cream, or brown instead of white. In this case, I suggest going for espresso instead of bone. Espresso is darker and in time it’ll appear “less” dirtier than bone. That’s my logic, and it’s worked like a charm thus far!
If You Enjoyed Reading, Please Share!
That’s it from me! I hope you got some value out of this review post. If you enjoyed reading, please consider sharing on the socials. Oh and last but not least, let me know if there’s a specific massage chair you’d like me to review next. After having reviewed close to 30 massage chairs, I’m running out of ideas on what to review next, so let me know ! Your suggestions are definitely appreciated!
