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Total: 95/100
Why am I so relaxed right now? Because as I type these very words, I’m getting a foot massage. Nope, I’m not being pampered at a spa or indulging in a pedicure. I’m just sitting at my desk with my feet plopped into my beloved foot massager. More specifically, it’s the RENPHO Foot and Calf Massager with Heat. Here’s our love story.
To the best of my memory, I’ve always been on the search for a fabulous foot massage. From $30 for 30 minute walk-ins to otherworldly reflexology experiences, I am pretty much game. Why? Because my feet hurt! They were always flat, but two pregnancies essentially turned them into pin cushions—as in, they always hurt and feel swollen. My husband would rub my feet while we watched TV at night, but my demands became untenable. Enough so that for my birthday he put his head down and researched “best foot massager.”
One would think that a simple Google search would be adequate, but no. He’d done something similar a few years ago and surprised me with a medical-grade plantar fasciitis massager that turned up in an internet search. But it was less a massager and more of a vibration plate…the type of vibration you feel in your teeth and brain. Not very pleasant. We wound up giving that contraption away.
This time, after scouring reviews and coming across “the machine used by professional ballerinas” (or something of the like), my husband landed on the RENPHO, and boy has it saved our marriage. The machine, which arrives fully assembled, is robust enough to provide real pressure through air and kneading, plenty of customizable features–including a rotating arm that can switch its position into a calf massager–without being too bulky. I can plop it in front of the couch during TV time or, as I’m doing right now, hoist it upstairs and under my desk.
As for the other customizable modes, the machine has heat, time, knead intensity, air intensity and air mode options. I like a lot of pressure, so I put the kneed intensity on high, but tend to keep the air intensity (which goes up to 4) on 3—otherwise it’s too much pressure for even me. I also like that, unlike some competitive models, this particular gizmo has an open top design. You don’t have to blindly stick your feet into pressurized boots and hope for the best. Instead, you can see your feet and adjust accordingly. For example, the tops of my feet can feel super nervy when massaged in the wrong way. With the RENPHO I can easily adjust where my feet get the most traction.
My one issue with the device is the heat element. Even on the lowest heat option, it gets a little too hot for me. Though come -13 degrees in February, maybe I’ll feel differently.
The RENPHO foot massager ain’t cheap. It comes in just under $300, so it’s certainly an investment. But considering how frequently I use it (and our guests!—which, psst: the sleeves are removable and washable), I feel like I’m MAKING money with this thing at this point. Best birthday gift ever.
