There’s no such thing as the perfect massage table but there is the best table for you and your clients’ needs. Your treatment table will likely be the biggest investment of your career (outside of your education) but this is not the place to cut corners. Your table has to reliably hold hundreds of pounds of weight and pressure while being comfortable enough for your client to feel relaxed and safe.

If you also offer other spa treatments, you may want to consider getting a facial bed.

The Earthlite Spirit package is the flagship of Earthlite and for good reason. It’s portable, lightweight, attractive, and very strong. Earthlite starts with hardwood maple construction for improved strength compared to lighter woods.

For even more stability, they use aircraft-grade steel cables and half and half endplates. This level of construction means it has a static weight capacity of 3,200 pounds and a working load of 800 pounds.

The cushion is spa-grade, triple-wrapped foam for a 3.3-inch layer of padding. The Natursoft upholstery feels as soft as glove leather but is water and oil-resistant against massage lotions. The included face cradle with face pillow is set on a moving hinge allowing you to adjust the angle of the cradle for maximum comfort.

The Spirit Table, and Earthlite in general, is eco-friendly which is important to me. Their tables are made in America and their wood is sourced from renewable forests. Earthlite’s foam padding and PU upholstery are biodegradable and eco-friendly. This massage table comes with a carrying case and is available in 30 and 32-inch widths.

Earthlite offers a lifetime limited warranty if you ever have problems with the frame and a three-year warranty on the cushion and upholstery. I’m featuring their Mystic Blue table but they have several choices for upholstery colors including Black, Amethyst, Burgundy, Latte, Sterling, and Vanilla.

Find more Earthlite Spirit Premium Portable Package information and reviews here.

If you’re looking for a sturdy electric table, the Stella Table by Skin Act is ADA compliant for wheelchair transfers and has a motor with a 400-pound lift capacity. It lowers to 16 inches off the ground and lifts to 35 inches tall making it handicap accessible for a wide range of clients.

This also eliminates the need for you to be crouched down fiddling with wheels and knobs every time you need to adjust the height of your treatment table. The upgrade in stability from a folding table to a stationary steel table is remarkable. There’s no rocking or wobbling and the steel frame has a lifetime warranty.

Some sticker shock is normal but since it is ADA compliant, Stella is eligible for an ADA tax credit for businesses that will cover 50 percent of the cost of an ADA compliant table.

The Stella has a very smooth and quiet motor and the lift is operated by a hand-held remote. A detachable headrest makes face-down work much more comfortable for your clients. 

The five-inch foam cushion provides comfortable padding and the durable PU upholstery is soft and both water and oil resistant. While it’s definitely not a portable table, the locking wheels on one side make the table much easier to move around your office as needed.

It comes in dark brown or white.

Find more Stella Electric Treatment Table by Skin Act information and reviews here.

The heated surface and luxe black upholstery of the Master Massage Galaxy Thermatop brings a professional and stylish look to your treatment room. The built-in heating pad is certified to American safety standards and is adjusted using the small digital control on the cord. I like that the heater is one fewer thing to have to worry about when you’re setting up your table.

It’s antimicrobial, scuff resistant, and oil and waterproof making it easy to keep clean. The high gloss reminds me of Italian leather and the black stain on the beechwood frame makes this table fit right in whether your services are massage, spa, medical, or tattooing.

With a 30 inches width, 750-pound working weight, and full massage endplates, this is one of the stronger and most stable portable tables on here. The three layers of small cell foam and memory foam make for a deeply comfortable cushion over the double-layer wooden deck.

For a portable table, it’s a little on the heavy side at 38 pounds, but that’s not unreasonable given the durability you’re getting. The Galaxy LX comes with an adjustable face cradle, face pillow, suspended arm shelf, and carrying case with four pockets. The expensive look of this table gives an extra luxuriant feel for all your clients.

Find more Master Massage 30-Inch Galaxy Portable Table information and reviews here.

If you’re on a budget and don’t need your table to hold up to a lot of heavy use, the Sierra Comfort Portable Massage Bed might be the way to go for you. For under $200 you get a portable table, face cradle, face pillow, and sheet set.

And at 28 inches wide and a working weight of only 400 pounds, this table won’t be able to accommodate the wide range of body types that some practitioners will be seeing. It’s fairly lightweight at around 30 pounds and the two-inch high-density padding, while not as long-lasting as small-cell, is certainly comfortable.

So if you’re starting out and strapped or cash or you need an extra portable table on the cheap, this is a great option. For the money, it’s an amazing deal but you shouldn’t expect this table to last you your whole career.

Find more Sierra Comfort Portable Massage Bed information and reviews here.

This SpaMaster stationary treatment table has a working weight of 1,000 pounds and a static weight of 2,500 pounds. This is what I mean by the huge jump in support and durability when you start looking at stationary tables. The hardwood mahogany frame with a triple-thick plywood base is 31 inches wide making this a great table for working with larger patients.

It has an adjustable height of 25 to 35 inches which isn’t as variable as the electric tables and has to be done by hand. For cushioning, Master Massage used 3.5 inches of padding with a foundation of small cell foam topped with memory foam. Both the foam and the PU upholster come with a five-year warranty. The tilt-top has 11 angles to choose from and opens up your treatment options to spa offerings such as facials.

The SpaMaster comes with an adjustable face cradle, memory foam face pillow, neck and leg bolsters, arm shelf, 75 disposable face cradle covers, and even a CD of calming nature sounds. The armrests are removable as well to customize your table further.

For a stationary table, the SpaMaster is fairly light coming in at only 84 pounds. I love the built-in storage space below the table that helps keep your treatment room tidy and your tools convenient.

Find more Spamaster Stationary Treatment Bed information and reviews here.

For those looking to buy American, go with this Shasta Portable Table Package by Stronglite. This California-based company’s tables are well-made, built to last, and attractive. 

These Shasta tables have a unique split-endplate design with a standard plate on one end and a reiki endplate on the other so you get the benefit of the standard end’s stability while not sacrificing the ability to sit with your knees under the table for seated treatments. The folding leg design expands the number of ways you can use your table even further. Its legs fold completely flat so the table can be set directly on the ground for floor treatments or physical therapy.

The sturdy table has a working weight of up to 400 pounds which is a little low, but still respectable for a portable table. It’s also narrower than more expensive brands at only 28 inches across. This is good for house calls and beginners, but it’s not exactly height-of-luxury quality. 

At 33.5 pounds, it’s a great weight for carrying but a massage table trolley will make carting this around easier. 

Find more Shasta Portable Table Package by Stronglite information and reviews here.

The Harmony DX from Earthlite is an affordable option for people who want a lightweight portable table but don’t want to sacrifice strength. This treatment table has a working weight of 600 pounds and a width of 30 inches which is a comfortable size for most clients.

The maple wood frame is backed by a limited lifetime warranty so you can feel confident it will last you. A cushion of 2.5-inch dual-density foam is wrapped in oil and water-resistant Natursoft PU leather and is backed by a three-year warranty from Earthlite. The Harmony comes with an adjustable face cradle, face pillow, and carrying case.

As far as portability, the Harmony is one of the lighter tables at only 34 pounds. Full massage endplates create extra stability and prevent any wobbling. The only downside is that they make it difficult to do treatments in a seated position.

It’s also available in black, teal, and mystic blue.

Find more Earthlite Harmony DX Portable Massage Package information and reviews here.

If you need a table that works for massage but also is a good fit for facials, skin treatments, or other spa offerings, consider the Mar Egeo Electric Spa Table by DIR.

The Mar Egeo has a neat solution to wanting a high level of stability from your stationary table but also wishing you could move it around. This table has retractable caster wheels so when you need stability, the wheels lift off the ground, leaving the table on the solid metal frame. When you want to roll it to a new location, a button lowers the wheels, lifting the bed up. Pretty clever.

It has a motor for smooth electric height adjustment going all the way down to 20 inches tall. This can make it easier for clients with mobility issues to get on and off the table. The height can be adjusted from the hand remote or the foot remote. The backrest can man manually raised up to a 45-degree tilt and has a removable headrest revealing a face cut-out for face-down work. 

This treatment table has a working weight of 500 which is good, but not especially sturdy given that it’s a stationary table. The 28-inch width could also preclude larger clients from using the treatment table.

 The clean lines of this one look very professional and if white isn’t your style, it also comes in grey and black.

Find more Mar Egeo Electric Spa Table by DIR information and reviews here.

If your concern is a table that is long enough for your tallest patients, this Saloniture Massage Bed is a full seven feet after adding the face cradle. At 34 inches wide with the added armrests, this is one of the largest portable tables on the market.

The downside to that is it’s bulkier to move around so while it’s only around 36 pounds, you definitely would want to pick up a treatment table trolley if this is the table that best fits your needs. 

The PU synthetic leather upholstery isn’t as soft and realistic as higher-end brands but it’s oil and water-resistant and definitely not sticky. This table comes with most of the accessories you can ask for including a face cradle, face pillow, removable armrests, suspended arm shelf, half-round bolster, tilt-top, and carrying case.

If black is too bland for you, it also comes in several brighter colors including Hot Pink, Baby Pink, Lavender, and Cream.

Find more Saloniture Portable Massage Bed information and reviews here.

There are several factors that you need to consider when shopping for a massage table. Let me break down the most important of them here for you.

The first question has to be, what will you be using your table for? Massage therapy? Physical or Occupational Therapy? Reiki or other energy workings? Facials or other spa services? Eyelash extension support? All these different services have different needs that certain tables will meet and others won't.

Will you be using your table as your full-time business or is massage something you're doing on the side or only at events? When you're just starting out, you may not know the answers to all these, but try to keep the question in mind as we continue.

Another sort of obvious one, but do you need to travel with your table?

If you're just starting out and you're not sure where you'll be or if you'll need to travel, my advice is to get a portable one anyway. It keeps your options open down the line and as long as you get a quality table, a portable one won't be out of place in a permanent office setting.

There's also the option to pick up a portable massage chair for when you travel which is lighter and easier to transport.

If you know you won't need to travel, upgrading to a stationary treatment table may be a luxury you can finally give yourself. 

Stationary tables are durable, sturdy, and attractive. Because they don't have to fold up, they can have higher static and working weight limits.

Since you don't have to lug them around, you don't have to sacrifice features that add to the weight of the table like tilt-tops. Often these tables have storage drawers in the base and if you're anything like me, you're always needing more storage.

While it does seem like a luxury, once they have one, many therapists say they wish they had gotten one sooner.

Going stationary also gives you the option of getting an electric table that allows you to adjust the height of your table with a foot pedal, instead of messing around with knobs under the table. These are perfect for clients who are injured, disabled, or aging and would have difficulty getting up onto your table at the height needed for you to treat them safely and correctly.

Electric tables do come with a big jump in price, but ADA compliant electric tables are eligible for a 50-percent ADA Tax Credit which can offset the price in the long run, as well as opening up your client base to those who wouldn't otherwise be able to work with you.

You can find massage tables out there for $60 or so, but at that quality level, it's going to perform like a $30 table. Remember, that for companies to make a profit, they have to charge more than just what the table cost to make.

As a thought exercise, cut the cost of a table in half and consider the quality of labor and materials (the wood, the cables, the padding, the hinges, the upholstery) that that amount of money can afford. If you think building a table for $30 is going to get you a shoddy table, you're right--and that's what a $60 table is going to be.

Your table has to reliably hold hundreds of pounds of weight and pressure while being comfortable enough for your client to feel relaxed and safe. If you have to skimp on everything else, okay--but skimping on your treatment table can sabotage your career.

It stands to reason that tables with more cushion will be more comfortable to clients, but there is a sweet spot of too little padding feeling like laying face down on plywood and having so much padding it interferes with your massage. Generally, you want something around two to three inches of foam. To a point, it's personal preference and how intense you need your pressure to be.

Tables come in widths ranging from 28 to 35 inches wide. This is a matter of both personal preference and what will make your clients most comfortable and secure.

Narrower tables are good for short practitioners who have a smaller range and wider tables tend to work better for taller folks. It's important to keep in mind that larger clients are going to be more comfortable on wider tables so a narrow table could limit your client base.

There are three weight numbers you'll see when shopping for a massage table: the weight of the table, the static weight, and the working weight.

The weight of the actual table which is particularly important for portable massage tables because you want to be able to carry this thing from place to place without injuring yourself. Expect your table to weigh between 30 and 40 pounds.

The availability of treatment table trolleys, which are like small dolly carts built for massage tables, has made this easier to work with and saved a lot of back pain by allowing you to move your table on wheels. 

Static weight is the amount of weight that can be placed on your table without breaking it. Think of this as a Saturday morning cartoons test--what size piano can you drop on your table before the cables break. This is normally a very high number which is nice but has very little relevance on a day-to-day basis.

Working weight is the number you really need to pay attention to. This refers to the amount of weight your table is built to hold on a regular basis.

This number includes your client's weight, the weight of any bolsters or tools you may be using, and the weight that you'll be adding during your massage. So if the working weight of a table tops out right around some of your client's body weight, it won't be enough since you'll be adding a fair number of pounds of pressure during your massage.

Keep in mind that, according to the CDC, the average weight of adults over 20 years old in the United States is around 185 pounds and massage therapists can exert over 60 pounds of pressure if you're looking at Mosby's Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage.

The endplates on your table affect its overall stability and come in two common styles: Standard or massage endplates Reiki endplates.

Standard endplates are lower legs, closer to the floor, and tend to be fairly big. The lower and larger your endplates are, the more stable your table will be and less likely to rock back and forth.

Endplates that are smaller and near the top of the legs are referred to Reiki endplates and often look more like an arch than a true plate. 

Their called Reiki endplates because while Reiki is a touch therapy, according to the NIH, the touch is light or right above the skin and so these therapies don't have the same physical impact as massage.

Massage endplates are lower and thicker for enhanced stability. The plus side of Reiki endplates is that they weigh significantly less than massage endplates and they let therapists work from a seated position.

Some companies also offer half and half endplates that have a massage endplate on one side and a Reiki endplate on the other for the best of both worlds.

Some tables offer extras like internal heating and tilt tops. All these things add weight, but also add to the experience and flexibility of your table. If you want to offer Shiatsu massage, you'll want to make sure your table comes with Shiatsu release cables that allow your table to lay flat on the floor. Make a list of your priorities and see which table hits your most important ones.

Unlock tips and the latest in beauty — direct to your inbox. ↓