The Infinity Riage X3 is a high-end massage chair designed for residential or commercial use.
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Features
3D technology, six massage techniques, 49″ L-track, zero-gravity positions, lumber heat & integrated Bluetooth speakers
Function
Excellent source of stress relief and ease of tension in back, shoulders and neck.
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Price
MSRP is $7,499 although Amazon is selling them for just under $6K.
Ideal For
Those with chronic neck/back pain whether it be personal use in-home or commercially in a spa, chiropractor or massage therapist's office.
Pros
- Check Circle
Cons
Final Verdict
At an MSRP of $7,499, the Riage X3 massage chair from Infinity isn't a must-buy for every consumer as the price is just too unrealistic for many. However, if you are in the market for a high-end massage chair to ease your chronic pain (especially in your neck and back), then the Riage X3 is in our experience the best chair at this price-point. Given that you can purchase it for even cheaper through Amazon, it is HIGHLY recommended for the target market that this was designed for and does an excellent job of providing relief.
One of the highlights of our year is attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas every January. While the show is always a fun atmosphere with tons of new gadgets and innovative technology being shown for the first time, there are still some hidden products that really surprise us.
Since our first CES over six years ago, the massage chair booths have always drawn our attention primarily due to the sheer number of people who are waiting in line to use them especially after several days of being on their feet and dozens of miles walked.
Throughout the years, we have gotten a chance to demo nearly all of the major massage chair models from the biggest manufacturers at the show and it wasn't until this past CES that I decided to bite the bullet and take one home for my own personal use.
In the following review, I will cover my experience purchasing and using an Infinity Riage X3 massage chair on a regular basis during the past six months. While I was about to buy it at a slightly discounted “show price” this chair was not provided by Infinity. They are in no way sponsoring this review so rest assured, I'll be as honest and thorough as possible in my review.
Company Overview – Infinite Therapeutics
According to their website, Infinite Therapeutics is a division of Infinity Creative Enterprises (aka I.C.E) which is a privately held company that has been in business for over 20 years.
Their management team has over 60-years of experience in critical areas like product design, manufacturing and supply chain logistics, so the company has deep roots in the industry.
Infinity Therapeutics first launched their Infinity line of massage chairs back in 2009 and had grown to launch several high-end models offering innovative new technologies throughout the past decade.
The company acts as an “end-to-end” solution meaning they offer everything from pre-sales support to post-sales technical assistance with a heavy emphasis on customer service.
Pricing: How Much Does It Cost?
We first saw Infinity's Riage X3 at CES 2017 as a successor to their popular Riage model which has an MSRP of $5,999. The newer, more advanced Riage X3 has a much steeper MSRP of $7,499 although you can currently buy one brand new from Amazon for just under $6K which is a great deal.
It is an expensive massage chair, there is no doubt about that. However, it is important totake a look at the current high-end massage chair market and see what rival brands like Bodyfriend who just offered a Lamborghini inspired chair with similar specs for a whopping $30K.
Quickly, you'll realize Infinity has done a great job offering competitive pricing for their feature set and quality. While it may not be the right fit for most consumers, but if you are comfortable in the $3.5-7K price range, then this chair provides some serious value on the dollar.
Shipment & Delivery
As I stated earlier, I ended up trying the Riage X3 during CES 2018 on the show floor, and after contemplating investing in a massage chair for years, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered one there.
Since the paperwork was all done in person (not online), it took a little bit longer to get into the system than if I were to have ordered it through their website or a third-party retailer like Brookstone or Amazon.
At the show, I was told my chair would ship out on the 15th of January, but complications in the paperwork caused my chair to ship out on the 23rd and arrive in Tampa on the 26th. From there, the shipment passed hands to an in-home white glove company of which I'll discuss in the next section.
The waybill tracking for our Riage X3 massage chair delivery.
From start to finish it took about three weeks to receive my chair from Infinite Therapeutics directly. You should be able to cut this delivery in half or less buying from Amazon.
Installation & Setup
Over the years, we have had our fair share of white glove deliveries. Many of them are pleasant and helpful thus being worth the extra delivery cost whereas others are downright laughable that they consider it a white glove delivery (we are looking at you, VIZIO).
Fortunately, in a case like this with a product so large and heavy (275lbs), the white glove delivery from Infinite Therapeutics was one of the best that I've experienced thus far.
While the delivery assistant does not actually work for Infinite, we got lucky that he was vastly experienced in the transportation and assembly of massage chairs and it was a fast, efficient assembly.
For those of you who won't be paying the premium to order from the manufacturer and instead buying through Amazon, the actual delivery and assembly isn't as convenient as white-glove, but shouldn't be an issue as long as you are able to have someone help you life the boxes and follow the included assembly instructions.
The chair ships in three separate boxes and it only requires a few steps to be fully assembled. This is because the chair's seat portion comes packaged separately from the footrest as well as the side panels.
One person can definitely assemble this model by themselves without running into many problems, but the transportation of the three large boxes may require the help of another person depending on your size/strength.
Keep in mind, you'll need plenty of space in a room for the Riage X3. It is relatively compact when upright and not in use measuring in at 56″ in length and 47″ in height. However, reclined it extends to 74″ in length and dips down to 37″ in height.
Design & Build Quality
When paying thousands of dollars for any type of furniture, you should expect a high-quality build. When it comes to a $5K massage chair, the craftsmanship should be reflective of this price-point.
At CES, we've examined and tested dozens of massage chairs. The unfortunate truth is that many companies out there offer generic models manufactured in foreign countries that provide a mediocre build while still pricing them in-line with more premium competitors.
Infinity's range of massage chairs differs from this offering a premium build, feel and look that matches the price-point without cutting corners. Most of you will be making a serious investment into a chair such as this so choosing one that is built to last and stands behind a quality manufacturer with a solid warranty is a significant advantage in the long-term.
Base
The base of the Riage X3 is heavy to support the weight of the seat and massage components. Fortunately, it is on wheels to help you maneuver the chair throughout your home or business.
On the back of the base is where you'll find a master on/off switch, the power supply cable port as well as where you'll plug in the included remote.
Each of the sides of the base is protected with large plastic covers which are branded with the Infinity logo. They give off a classy look that makes the chair look elegant while covering up all the base components.
Leg Support
As stated earlier, the leg rest ships in its own individual box and must be attached to the base of the chair for proper operation.
The majority of the leg rest is covered in quality leather and the bottom of this component has some rubber pads for preventing wear when it is rested on the ground and not in use.
Each leg has a designated cut-out which you place your feet and legs into. Unlike the exterior which is leather, this is a soft mesh-like material which hides the various massage components underneath.
Seat
The most significant component of the Riage X3 massage chair is going to be the seat portion which resembles a Lazy-boy style recliner.
With a design that immerses yourself deep into the seat, there are integrated armrests built into the sides of the chair that have airbags for massaging and squeezing your arms.
The seat itself is mostly leather with two strips of fabric down the middle. Under this fabric is the massaging rollers which keeps the wear to a minimum as a full leather back would result in cracking or notable wear over time.
All areas of the seat are nicely padded and plush leaving you with no pressure points and a truly comfortable resting spot regardless of size and weight.
Headrest
Since the massage track is so large, you have the option of not using the headset padding and allowing the rollers to come all the way up your neck or utilize the included padding to help prop your head up and give it an excellent soft base for resting.
There are two different headrest pieces to choose from. There is a thin-leather pad which allows you to get a little support while still being able to feel the rollers at a lighter touch.
A thicker pillow-like pad is also available will cover the thin-leather pad and allows you to have more posture, but will drown out any of the massage from the neck up (or shoulders depending on your height).
Depending on the type of massage program that you choose, the rollers may not come up to your neck or head so you can use these optional padding without having any effect on the outcome. Both pads can be folded back and hung loosely when not in use.
Remote Control
From my understanding, Infinity provided a more traditional remote when the Riage X3 first shipped. However, now they include a more feature-packed remote that is easy to use while offering a sleek appeal.
The remote is made up of a relatively high-quality plastic offering a silver exterior chassis along with a black interior inset which houses the LCD screen and operating buttons.
Measuring in at 2″ by 2.5″, the display is full color and gives you an entire heads-up display of the chair's current settings without feeling overwhelming.
There is a wide array of buttons below the screen which mimic a touch-screen, so you don't have to press hard as just a light contact with your fingers is enough to sense a push.
Each button is clearly labeled with both a related icon in addition to descriptive text, so there is no confusion for the user. Keep in mind, this remote is not wireless, and the relatively thick cable will need to remain attached at all times.
When the remote isn't being used, you can place it into a conveniently made leather holster that is attached to the left side of the chair.
Features
The Riage X3 is a top of the line massage chair, so you'll get a lot of advanced features over a cheaper model that is in the $500-$3,500 price-point. In this section, I'll touch on some of the distinguishing capabilities that make this chair stand out from the competition.
6 Massage Techniques
A cheap chair will only offer one massage technique which means you'll be limited to a single method of muscle stimulation. While this may be suitable for some people's needs, it can get old over time and cannot manipulate your muscle tissue in different ways.
For the Riage X3, Infinity has incorporated six different massage techniques:
- Rubbing
- Kneading
- Tapping
- Knocking
- Shiatsu
- Combination
The truth of the matter is in most cases when you sit in a massage chair, you'll clearly tell the difference in the quality of the massage when compared to a real human hand.
However, Infinity's massage chairs have always impressed me as their design and execution have come the closest to feeling like a human hand than any of their competition from my experience. This is a massive advantage if you are really looking for a beneficial and quality massage experience.
Automatic Massage Programs
Most of you who purchase a high-end massage chair like this will want to utilize the built-in automatic massage modes. These take the guessing or complicated setup out of operating the chair and allow you to just sit back and relax after choosing a program that fits your pain or stress areas.
There are nine different integrated massage programs, and each can be adjusted concerning the massage depth to fit your individual needs as some people prefer a real deep massage while others cannot handle a high amount of tension.
Here are the nine included pre-programmed massages offered:
Massage Extension
An enjoyable program that mixes a variety of massage techniques with its popular “extend” mode. The gist of an extension movement is that the airbags will grab your feet and chest and the chair will recline thus extending your body and release tension on the spine.
Since this is an L-track chair, you won't get the full range of motion on the extension like you would with an S-track. This is why the Riage X3's extension mode isn't as good overall as their IT-8500 X3.
Extension
Similar to the massage extension program without the emphasis on the massage portion. This relies more on using the airbags and recline functionality along with shiatsu techniques to push your body into spinal alignment.
Working Relief
If you sit at a desk or stand all day at work then working relief will give you great comfort as it works to ease tension on your tight muscles and give you a gratifying massage experience from top to bottom.
For my type of use, working relief is a program that I use most often as I am confined to a desk for a good 7-8 hours every day which takes its toll on my body over time.
Sports Refresh
Suited best for those who have a hard day of exercise, an athletic event or a tough workout, sports refresh utilizes a mixture of techniques to get your body back into recovery mode. I use this to recover from my group interval training classes which often leave my legs, butt, and back sore for several days after.
Rest & Sleep
If you are someone who wants to use the massage chair to put yourself to sleep at night or just enjoy a mid-day nap, then the rest and sleep mode is an excellent program for you.
By coupling a rhythmic rocking motion with gentle massage techniques, the chair will put you into a deep state of relaxation that allows you to drift off to sleep.
Unlike the other modes, the rest and sleep mode will stay reclined once it completes so while the massage will end, you'll not be awoken by the chair's sudden incline.
Neck & Shoulder
This program focuses on your neck and shoulder areas primarily so it's best for those who have neck or shoulder pain. Due to the nature of this routine, you won't get much of a massage on the lower end of your body such as your lower back or butt area.
Waist & Spine
Quite the opposite of the neck and shoulder massage is the waist and spine. As you'd expect it takes the majority of the massage areas and focuses them on the lower half of the body. It still will make its way up your spine, but it won't be hitting high on your neck like the previous program which does an excellent job of this.
Deep Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a form of massage therapy that originated in Japan and utilizes a similar approach to acupuncture. What this means is that it focuses on applying pressure to specific points of your body which are triggered to relief and relaxation.
In this mode, the chair will mimic these hand movements and apply pressure throughout your waist, spine, and neck. It is a very relaxing massage and suitable for all types of needs.
Healthy Breath
The only program on this list to offer a 5-minute massage (a 10, 20 and 30-minute option are available), healthy breath is one of the most versatile massages that the Riage X3 offers.
It combined nearly all the massage techniques into one program and focused on relaxation starting with a full spinal decompression sequence.
Manual Massage Setting
If you decide the pre-programmed modes aren't cutting it for your needs or you simply want to focus on a specific problem area then you can utilize the manual settings to hone in on a problem area or just enjoy a particular massage technique without anything interruptions.
49″ L-Track
In modern massage chairs, ‘L' tracks are the latest and greatest design. The benefit of this is that the path where the four massage rollers move across actually can transfer from your head all the way down to under your thighs and butt.
This is compared to a more traditional ‘S' track which follows the sinusoidal shape of the human spine thus following the curative of the spine, but not offering any type of support for reaching your butt muscles. This means that an L-Track will be much more beneficial in helping those with Piriformis Syndrome or Sciatica.
3D Massage Technology
A common buzzword that you'll hear in the current massage chair industry is something called “3D” massage. Similar to the term 3D in animation, this means that the chair can literally extend outward and have greater depth to the massage.
This means the chair can adjust the width, length and depth (aka the intensity) of the rollers for a more personalized massage for each user.
Beyond this, it also makes the built-in automatic massage modes much better as they can incorporate all these adjustments to create a program that better mimics the feeling of human hands giving you a real massage.
Four Wheel Massage Rollers
Each side of the track utilizes two rollers which means that it can make up to four contacts with your body at one time.
Two Zero Gravity Modes
The term “zero-gravity” refers to a state in which your knees are elevated above your heart which allows your spine to decompress. This ultimately gives you a sense of weightlessness and allows the rollers to get deeper into your back muscles.
The Riage X3's first and default “zero gravity” reclining mode.
The Riage X3's alternative “zero gravity” mode which reclines further and raises your legs higher.
Foot Rollers & Reflexology
Within the footrests are foot rollers which are designed to mimic the “thumb and finger” techniques used within reflexology. These rollers are able to apply pressure points to the feet that are triggered to relief in other areas of your body.
Unfortunately, these foot massage rollers cannot be adjusted regarding pressure, but you can always turn them off entirely or utilize a thicker sock to ease the tension on your foot.
Lumbar Heat
Since heat is so commonly used to treat tense muscles, the Riage X3 comes packed with heating modules built into the back of the chair.
These modules can be enabled or disabled to apply heat to your back (mainly the lumbar region) which aids in soothing and loosening muscles to be more prepared for the benefits of massage therapy.
Bluetooth Connectivity For Mobile App Remote & Speakers
One of the cool things about the digital world we live in today is the vast integrations of consumer products with our smartphones and massage chairs are the latest industry to dive in on this trend.
While the included remote is suitable for virtually all of your adjustment needs, there is a mobile app which allows you to connect to your chair via Bluetooth and take full control of its capabilities via the touchscreen on your smartphone.
There are also dual built-in speakers which allow you to playback any form of audio such as music, audiobooks or ambient noise to help you relax or enjoy during your massage (see the next section for my rant on these).
Body Scanning Technology
A standard feature in chairs at this price-point, the Riage X3 will automatically scan your body when seated to determine the height of your neck and shoulders.
It will then use this data to ensure that the massage rollers are appropriately positioned to hit all of your pressure points and tailor them perfectly to your body's shape.
Air Compression Therapy
Throughout the design of the chair particularly in the arms and leg cubbies are individual airbags which will inflate and deflate to provide compression therapy on your muscles.
The matter in which these airbags are operated is designed to simulate the feeling of human hands. You can choose the amount of air that is used within the airbags thus giving you more or less compression (or you can disable them entirely).
Performance & Function
To give you a little more of a backstory, I purchased my massage chair from Infinity's booth at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 after spending the last few years contemplating investing in such an expensive product.
The reasoning as to why I actually went through with a massive purchase and needed relief from something like this will be explained in more detail below along with my experiences using the Riage X3 on a more frequent basis.
Why Does A Seemingly “Healthy” 27-Year-Old Need A Massage Chair?
The primary reason why I decided to pull the trigger has to do with a medical condition called Crohn's Disease which I was diagnosed with back in 2012.
For those unfamiliar with the disease, it is an inflammatory disease that typically affects your gastrointestinal tract but often results in inflammation throughout the body including in my joints and muscles.
In my case, I have had chronic pain in my back and neck for years. Having paid for several sessions of real massage therapy and seeing beneficial results to my overall pain levels, I knew that I sought relief through the use of massage.
However, rather than signing up for a massage program at my local business for $75 a session for a 1-hour massage, I decided to invest in a massage chair to allow for unlimited massages any time of the day.
My thoughts were that this will eventually be cheaper than hiring a real massage therapist when you add up the cost of what it would cost for me to book a table massage even just at 7-10 times a month.
Massage Performance
I'll start with the initial test that I did while at the show to see how good I felt after using the Riage X3 massage chair four days in a row for only about 15 minutes each.
For the record, I have tried virtually every brand of massage chair (Panasonic, Human Touch, Positive Posture, Inada, Varier, Luraco, etc.) at CES throughout the years and nothing has compared to the quality and performance of an Infinity from my personal experience.
For those of you not familiar with the Consumer Electronics Show, it is a massive tech convention held every year in Las Vegas with tens of thousands of vendors and hundreds of thousands of attendees.
Due to the show being such large scale, the show floor is literally miles long. Covering the show as a representative of the media, we are often hauling heavy bags of camera head over our shoulders and covering up to 15 miles of walking in a single day.
The first day or so isn't so bad but by day 3 or 4, your feet are usually beaten up to the point where even standing hurts and back tends to get thrown out of alignment from hours of holding a heavy camera bag over your shoulder.
I actually threw my back out on the second day of the show two years ago and had to hire a chiropractor to come to my hotel room to help ease the pain for a $200 emergency visit.
I decided to put the chair to the test and stop by the booth to get a 15-20 minute massage once or twice a day. By the end of the week, if I didn't have the soreness and aches that I'd had in the previous four years of attending CES, I'd pull the trigger on a massage chair.
As you can tell by this point, it worked. My feet felt infinitely better due to the daily use of the massaging foot rollers. My back, shoulders and neck still had some tension in them by the last day however it was much less than I had anticipated. An indirect benefit of the daily use of the Riage X3, was that it allowed me to sleep a lot better during my trip as I was more relaxed and less tense.
Since being able to use the chair on a daily basis over the past 6+ months, my chronic back and neck pain has been diminished significantly from about an 8.5 – 9 out of 10 pain level to about a 1-3 on any given day although I still need to stretch to “crack” my back regularly as I have for years.
In the event that I feel like my back could get thrown out (sometimes happens after a hard workout session or when doing heavy lifting of furniture, etc.), I immediately jump into my chair and after a 20-30 minute session my back feels less tense and no longer on the verge of being able susceptible to injury.
Ease Of Use
Having never owned a massage chair before, I was a bit skeptical as to how hard it was going to be to set up and control the massage experience.
Infinity has done an excellent job packing in all the high-end features and build in this chair while keeping the operation procedure simple and easy to understand.
The remote is really easy to pick up and use for the first time thanks to the efficent organization and detailed indications as to what each button does.
For most of you who just want to use the pre-programmed massage modes then taking a seat, grabbing the remote and turning it on with instantly put you into a massage.
You can then transition through the types of massage programs by clicking the ‘auto' button over and over. Once you've chosen your automatic program of choice, the chair will begin to recline, and your body will be scanned to determine the precise location of your neck and shoulders for optimal effectiveness.
Bluetooth Speakers
One of the features that are touted during the marketing of this chair is the two included Bluetooth speakers that are found at the top of the chair near where your head will rest.
I thought it would be a cool feature as I am an avid listener of podcasts and eBooks through services like iTunes and Audible. Being able to get in a really relaxed mood to listen to something while enjoying a nice massage seemed like a perfect end or start to my day.
So far, these speakers have been very underwhelming for two reasons. My first gripe is the reliability of the connectivity. Since Bluetooth is supposed for both the mobile remote and the speakers, two separate Bluetooth modules are within it and you must be connected to both to have access to both audio and controls.
The module which controls the connection between the massage chair and the iOS app has worked flawlessly for me. However, the module that connects to the Bluetooth speakers is very finicky, and I can get it to connect less than half of the time that I am trying to.
However, I don't ultimately consider this a huge deal as to my surprise the actual quality of the speakers themselves are pretty horrendous when they do work. I'm not a crazy audiophile nor am I usually picky about the quality of sound when listening to music or podcasts in a casual setting however integrated within a massage chair over $5K, I think we deserved some higher quality speakers.
Due to this, you are better off either having a Bluetooth speaker or smart assistant to play some audio in the room for you or simply throwing on some headphones or earbuds which will supply better quality audio and also not disrupt anyone in your close proximity.
Conclusion: Is It Worth The Price?
At this point, you've heard all the advantages and downfalls that I have experienced throughout my time owning an Infinity Riage X3 massage chair. Would I recommend it for everyone? No, of course not. Anyone telling you that all consumers should buy an expensive massage chair like the Riage X3 is blatantly lying to try to earn a sale or affiliate commissions.
However, I would highly recommend this chair for the select group that this massage chair is designed for. This is primarily those with specific muscle issues, injuries or who have chronic neck or back pain. I have seen significant relief in regular use of my chair, and it is one of the best investments that I have made for my overall health and well-being.
At the $7.5K MSRP, I would say the Riage X3 is a more difficult buy to make although, with the significant discount that you can get through retailers like Amazon and Brookstone (who just filed for bankruptcy so Amazon is likely your best bet), the Infinity Riage X3 is a much more reasonable purchase to warrant coming in at just under $6K.
