Bodyfriend Phantom 2 Massage Chair Review 2024

At the end of the day, do you feel fatigued? Do you suffer from chronic back or leg pain and want relief without having to visit the chiropractor? If so, then a high-end massage chair might be what you’re missing in life.

Jam-packed with features and innovative technology, we review the Bodyfriend Phantom 2 massage chair, its innovative features, and whether it gives you that bang for your buck.

Bodyfriend Phantom II Design Overview

The South Korean brand Bodyfriend is making waves with its beautiful, luxury Phantom 2 massage chair. The design was inspired by first-class seating on airplanes, with a durable finish and futuristic appeal.

In our opinion, it’s one of the best-looking recliners on the market and will surely be a conversation starter whenever guests drop by your humble abode.

But what’s behind the synthetic leather exterior? You’ll find an impressive assortment of high-tech features that not only provide a full body massage but also gives you a smorgasbord of therapeutic benefits.

The Phantom 2 is the first chair we’ve seen to offer an XD massage system that includes massage balls with 4D rollers. It also administers a Brain Massage to ensure both the body and mind are sound.

And if you love flexibility, your jaw will drop at the 24 auto programs and the number of adjustable settings for manual use. All of the programs were created by medical doctors in the first-of-its-kind Bodyfriend Medial R&D Center.

The dimensions of the Phantom 2 are 61 in x 33.5 in x 47.2 in, and it weighs 335 pounds. It’s a huge chair that needs plenty of room, so plan accordingly, especially if you live in a tiny apartment.

Despite its size, the Phantom incorporates Space Saving technology allowing the chair to recline fully with a 4” clearance between the backrest and the wall.

We love the automatic leg rest that adjusts up to 8” long. This makes the Phantom 2 a suitable option for users up to 6’3” tall.

Unfortunately, it only holds a max weight of 265 pounds, surprising for a chair of this caliber. This is an average max capacity that doesn’t cater to larger body types.

You can find massage chairs on the market that hold over 300 pounds, so we think Bodyfriend could’ve done better here.

Still, the Phantom II has a heck of a lot to offer, but bear in mind that you get what you pay for. It’s an expensive piece of furniture that costs over $7,000, and not everyone can afford it.

But if you suffer from chronic pain and want to cut down on chiropractor visits, the Phantom 2 is a therapeutic gem that can help you save money on the doctor in the long run.

Bodyfriend Phantom 2 vs. Marvel Phantom II

The Marvel Phantom is a limited edition Phantom II model that shares an identical design and feature-set with the original.

The only difference is that Bodyfriend Marvel puts a fun twist on the massage experience by sporting Captain America or Iron Man patterns and colors on the synthetic leather exterior.

On the company’s website, it’s also $1,000 more expensive. Unless you’re a diehard Marvel fan, the regular Phantom 2 should suffice.

Phantom Massage Chair Features

The Bodyfriend Phantom II aims to deliver a therapeutic experience that redefines well-being from top to bottom. Here’s how it does it.

S/L-Massage Track + 4D Roller System + XD Massage System

The most important part of any massage chair is the track and roller system, and we’re happy to report that Bodyfriend went all out with a top-of-the-line setup. In other words- you’re getting your money’s worth here.

It features an extensive S/L-massage track that starts at the base of the neck and curves along the spine. It then extends underneath the seat to ensure the glutes and thighs don’t miss out on the 4D roller action.

The industry standard is 4D, which means that the rollers move up, down, side-to-side, and away from the track. The rollers will increase or decrease speed based on the amount of tension in a particular area.

This type of roller system closely mirrors the movements of human hands to ensure you receive the most life-like massage possible.

Better yet, the Phantom’s XD system includes a rotating head with the option to use 2-rollers or 4-rollers depending on the area.

Massage balls are strategically placed from the head to the buttocks, administering kneading, tapping, and acupressure.

This allows the rollers to perform from angles you can’t get from a typical 2D or 3D setup. You get to experience more technique diversity, and there are 5 levels to adjust it to your liking.

Auto Body Scan

The auto body scan is a convenient feature that further promotes the concept of a hands-free massage experience.

It utilizes sensors to identify the body’s main pressure points, then automatically aligns the rollers with the user’s unique dimensions. This not only improves the accuracy of the massage but ensures that every area is sufficiently covered.

It isn’t anything new and exciting- numerous chairs on the market have an auto body scan. And bear in mind that it’s known to miss its mark, and you may end up manually adjusting the rollers yourself anyways.

Zero Gravity Seating

Zero Gravity Seating is one of the favored features of the modern massage chair, reclining to an angle that makes the user feel weightless.

It’s a concept inspired by NASA, slightly positioning the user to elevate the legs above the heart. The position takes the pressure off the spine and joints, facilitating blood flow throughout the body and relieving tension.

It’s especially beneficial for those who suffer from chronic back pain. While suspended, your back is naturally pushed firmly against the rollers for a deeper massage.

Most low range chairs only offer one position, with mid to high range chairs offering 2-3 positions. The Bodyfriend massage chair Phantom 2 did a phenomenal job with their Zero-G Seating by giving the user a 170-degree recline and full control to adjust the exact angle they want.

Heating & Cooling Mode

Bodyfriend stepped outside of the box by offering a Cooling Mode alongside a Heating Mode. This is the first time we’ve seen this type of temperature variation, and it does make sense for those hot summer days.

However, the 140°F heating element offers the most therapeutic benefits, melting away tension and pain. It is a common feature you’ll see in many chairs, but it’s rare to have control over the temperature.

The Phantom 2 lets the user choose between three levels for heating and cooling, which is marvelous since not everyone has the same preferences.

We were let down by the fact that the heat is only located in the lumbar region. Most high-end chairs have heating in the lower back and footwells- at least.

You can find chairs with full-body heat that give you temperature control over the areas, and this system is unparalleled. The Phantom 2 could’ve stuck some heat in the footwells, and we would’ve been happy…oh well.

Bodyfriend Phantom 2 Massage Chair Accessories

There are two types of massage chairs on the market, which dazzle users with a bunch of fancy accessories and focus on massage technology and introducing new design concepts.

The Bodyfriend massage chair Phantom 2 falls into the second category. You won’t get an Air Ionizer or Chromotherapy lights, but you do get built-in Bluetooth Speakers that can connect to your playlist for an enhanced sound experience.

The chair comes outfitted with a slim LCD remote to easily control all of the massage programs and functions from the palm of your hand.

Phantom 2 Massage Chair Programs

Get ready to salivate. The massage programs and manual settings are where the Phantom 2 massage chair truly shines.

The sophisticated 4D+XD roller and massage ball systems create more techniques, including kneading, tapping, chopping, combination (knead & tap), acupressure, and rhythmic.

The Phantom 2 can perform 24 auto programs, including eight brain massage programs.

The manual settings are generous, giving the user plenty of freedom to finetune their massages. There are six intensity levels to choose from, with an adjustable massage width that provides a narrow, medium, and wide berth.

There is an auto-timer of 15 minutes for massages, or you can adjust the duration between 10/20/30 minutes.

You can even choose the area of your body that you want the massage by selecting Massage Spot Mode.

Next up, let’s look at three specialty massage programs offered by the Phantom 2 massage chair: Air Massage, Leg/Calf Massage, and Brain Massage.

Air Massage

Air Massage is a common program you’ll see on the market. This function utilizes airbags that inflate at different intensities to compress the muscles for relaxation and pain relief.

The Phantom 2 provides a basic full-body setup, with airbags located at the shoulders, arms, hips, calves, and feet. There are five different intensity settings.

Leg/Calf Massage

Another standout feature of the Phantom II is the leg-calf massage. Rollers and airbags are strategically placed to caress the lower extremities simultaneously. There are three different intensity levels to choose from.

Bodyfriend meticulously designed the footwells utilizing three different functions to treat chronic foot and leg pain:

1. Calf Roller: The objective of this function is to reduce swelling in the calves.

2. Calf & Feet: Airbags compress the calves and feet.

3. Sole Roller: This is an acupressure massage that intensely kneads the acupoints on the painful soles of the feet.

Any recliner that massages the calves and feet using both airbags and rollers is top-of-the-line. The only thing that would make this an exceptional setup is heat. Unfortunately, Bodyfriend missed the mark on this one.

Brain Massage

Brain Massage is a new concept that gives people who suffer from anxiety and stress a chance to receive therapeutic benefits. It is a health area we rarely see targeted by other chairs.

This technique fuses gentle massage with binaural beats embedded in healing music to bolster brain activity.

But what is a binaural beat?

It is a third sound that forms when two other sounds enter each ear. The third sound positively impacts the brainwaves, inducing a deep state of relaxation.

This patented technology is clinically proven to improve moods, improve sleep, sharpen concentration, and relieve stress.

Bodyfriend Phantom Pros vs. Cons

PROS

CONS

At the top of the massage chair market, you have the recliners with all of the bells and whistles. Not only do they provide a relaxing massage, but it rivals what you might experience at the hands of a masseuse.

The Bodyfriend Phantom 2 massage chair is no different, distinguishing itself from the others with high-quality programs developed by their very own team of medical experts, a highly sophisticated 4D+XD roller system, and tons of manual settings.

One of the standout features is the Brain Massage, which uses binaural beats to soothe the mind and foster positive thinking.

Eight different auto programs utilize Brain Massage, giving people with severe anxiety and stress a more targeted approach to feeling relief at home.

Overall, we love what the Phantom 2 has to offer, with so many massage options that you’ll probably never get bored.

However, you won’t find many accessories offered with this model. Recliners in this price range are usually chock full of fancy relaxation trinkets, but honestly, you don’t need them.

What matters most is the technology- and the Phantom 2 has got that down pat.

The other drawbacks, such as a lack of full-body heat, are minor and most likely won’t affect your massage experience.

The two biggest drawbacks are the high price and the fact that larger body types might not fit comfortably in this chair.

We Recommend the Phantom 2 Massage Chair for…

Bodyfriend Phantom Massage Chair Warranty

Bodyfriend offers a fantastic 5-Year-Limited Warranty on the Phantom II. Parts, labor, and framework are covered for the first three years, and structural framework is covered at no cost for five years.

You can read the fine print in the Bodyfriend Phantom 2 massage chair user manual.

Comparable Products

If you’d like to see how the Bodyfriend Phantom 2 stacks up against similar massage chairs, check out a few of our favorites below. Each one falls within the same price range as the Phantom.

It is considered the creme de la creme of massage chairs, with meticulous programs designed by a Shiatsu master. You get all sorts of features with the M8, including Inversion Therapy, aromatherapy, chromotherapy lights, full-body heat, and rear swinging doors- just to name a few.

For a few thousand less than the Phantom, the Kahuna Exquisite also boasts a first-rate massage implemented by 3D rollers and massage balls. Kahuna is renowned for its quality and also for catering to the tall/large crowd with a max weight capacity of 300 pounds.

This is another 4D chair with an extensive L-track to cover every inch of your back, glutes, and thighs. Two features make the Maestro stand out. First, it features heated rollers that heat the entire back and thighs as the rollers travel down the track. Second, it features innovative knee massage, which is rare on the market.

Bodyfriend Phantom 2 Review Conclusion

Life gets stressful, which is why massage therapy is a highly beneficial way to keep those endorphins pumping. The luxury Phantom II massage chair by Bodyfriend takes this into account by implementing a new Brain Massage program with binaural beats.

It also is designed with precision, with the best 4D roller technology on the market to render the most human-like massage possible.

To conclude this Bodyfriend Phantom 2 review, it’s certainly expensive, but you get your bang for the buck. It’s an ideal recliner for those who suffer from back pain, foot/calf pain, and anxiety or stress.

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Official Manufacturer Support

References & Resources:

• Bodyfriend, Official Brand Website.
• Massage Therapy, VA.
• Exercises and Stretches, NIH.
• What are the Benefits of a Chair Massage?, Minnesota School of Cosmetology.
• Zero-Gravity Body Posture Influences Acupressure Massage Chair, NASA Spinoff.