How to Pick The Best Pedicure Chair

Best Pedicure Chairs: Understanding Your Options

Whether you’re new to the beauty industry or have owned a nail salon for years, it can be tricky trying to figure out which type of pedicure chair and its various options are best for you. And, what may be the best pedicure chair for the salon down the street might not be the best pedicure spa for you.

That’s why Shop Salon City’s experts are here to provide the information you need to make an informed, business-savvy purchase.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the types of pedicure spa chairs available, the parts that make up a quality pedicure chair, and the optional features you can purchase that can help simplify your day-to-day life.

Piped-In, Pipe-less & No Plumbing Pedicure Chairs

As a salon owner, you want your new pedicure chairs to be easy to clean, provide an excellent customer experience, and increase your salon’s profitability. You may have heard there are three types of pedicure chairs, and that fact may have you a bit confused. Is there really a difference between piped-in/traditional, Pipe-less, and no plumbing pedicure spa chairs? If so, which option is best?

Let’s take a quick look at each.

TYPE 1: Piped-In Pedicure Chair | OLD-FASHIONED & OUTDATED

• This traditional type of pedicure chair features internal and external pipes that circulate the water and fill or drain the tub.
• Because piped-in pedicure chairs are built with pipes inside the tub, the pipes cannot be accessed. As a result, it is impossible to properly clean the tub and bacteria can build up in the pipes.
• Because of these cleanliness concerns, this type of tub is no longer actively sold

TYPE 2: Pipe-Less Pedicure Chair | TODAY'S TREND

• Though they still have external pipes that connect to a water supply, the majority of today's pedicure chairs are pipe-less.
• Instead of impossible-to-clean internal pipes, patented Pipe-less Magna Jet technology circulates the water and completely eliminates sanitation issues.
• The jet is attached to the tub by magnet and creates a whirlpool effect.
• The most famous (and best!) brand of pipe-less jets is LURACO. We use LURACO jets in all our spas.

TYPE 3: Compact/Portable Pedicure Chair | FOR SMALL & HIGH-END SALONS

• Compact/portable pedicure chairs are a great choice if you have limited space, or no plumbing/drainage in your salon, or if you prefer to do all the massage service manually for your clients rather than from an electronic massage chair. It is also a great option if you want to start your business at home.
• Because the massage functionality is not built into the chair, the high-end portable pedicure chairs can be thinner and thus more stylish.
• Compact chairs are not recommended for high-traffic salons because everything must be done manually including massage and filling/draining the bowl.

So, which option is best?
Choosing a compact/portable pedicure is easy – it’s the best option for all the reasons we talked about above. But between traditional and Pipe-less pedicure chairs, our experts (and countless customers) agree that Pipe-less is the way to go.

Why?

First, the magnetic jets in Pipe-less pedicure chairs create a whirlpool effect to provide a soothing experience for your clients. The whirlpool contributes to decreasing stress, benefits the appearance of your clients’ skin, relieves sore muscles, and the list goes on. At the same time, the LED Luraco Magna Jet

lights add character to the tub with brightly rotating colors, which creates an even more chic atmosphere in your salon.

Even though you can have a jet on a traditional pedicure spa, cleaning up after a client’s treatment is a lot tougher. With a Pipe-less pedicure spa, you don’t have to worry about water circulating bacteria and dirt trapped in internal pipes back into the bowl. The Pipe-less pedicure tub is an ideal solution for reducing bacteria build-up and keeping pedicure technicians and clients safe and healthy.

Pipe-less Pedicure Chair Components

Component #1: Chair Top

Your job as a salon owner is to provide your customers an incredible experience, keep your employees motivated, and maintain and grow your profit. One way you can do this is by purchasing quality chair tops that incorporate a massage system.

There are two standard massage options for chair tops: basic vibration massage or shiatsu massage. ShopSalonCity solely carries pedicure chairs with the shiatsu massage function. We refer to them as Shiatsulogic pedicure chairs.

Click here to learn more about Shiatsu Massage, Shiatsulogic, and how it all works.

So why Shiatsulogic technology versus the average vibration massage? The Shiatsulogic pedicure chairs give your customers an unforgettable experience by mimicking a masseuse’s hands to work out tight muscle knots and ease stress. The vibration massage only provides a shaking motion to relieve tension in the back.

P.S., If you need to replace your current chair top separately, we have them for you HERE.

Component #2: Cushion Cover Set

After you select the chair top, it’s time to pick out your cushions. Color and design matter but, most importantly, you want to also make sure your cushions match your chair top in both size and mechanism. The cushions always come with your complete set of pedicure spa chair, so you don’t need to bother to think about figuring out compatibility yourself. But just in case you are buying them separately – or you’re updating your current cover set with a replacement – here’s a quick tip on how to order the correct cover set with your Shiatsulogic Massage Chair:

Shiatsulogic LX Massage Chair	Shiatsulogic EX-R Massage Chair	Shiatsulogic EX Massage Chair
Only compatible with LX Cushion Cover Set	Only compatible with EX-R Cushion Cover Set	Only compatible with EX Cushion Cover Set

Component #3: Pedicure Chair Tub/Base

Now let’s talk tubs/bases! The tub/base is the soul of the pedicure chair because it’s where the magic happens. You can select from a broad array of tubs with options ranging from the design, the material, and the features. Of course, first thing, you want to make sure the style and color theme fits perfectly with your whole salon atmosphere. Material-wise, most of our MAYAKOBA branded bases are made of fiberglass, but for the sink/bowl, you can choose between glass and resin. A big tip to mention here – whatever material you choose, make sure the material is chemical resistant.

Select the tub/base design and its customized features, the top massage chair, and pick your favorite cushion and color to create the perfect look for your salon!

BONUS! Each of our Shiatsulogic pedicure chairs comes with a FREE matching pedicure stool/technician stool.

SHOP NOW our wide variety of quality pedicure chairs for sale.

Pipe-less Pedicure Chair Add-On Options

Discharge Pump

The discharge pump should be number one on your list of add-on parts to consider. Why? The discharge pump affects how your chair drains the water from the tub. Okay, but if it helps drainage, why on earth isn’t it just built in to begin with? Well, needing one or not is dependent on your salon’s plumbing system set-up.

For instance, if you have a floor drain, a discharge pump isn’t 100% needed because gravity pulls the water down the drain. However, if your nail salon does have this plumbing set-up, you can still opt for a discharge pump because it will help your tub drain faster – perfect for busy days!

If your salon has a wall drain layout, you will inevitably need a discharge pump. With wall drains, you don’t have the benefit of gravity pulling the water down the drain. Instead, gravity a works against you by blocking the water from draining or slowing it down because the drain is above ground level. For this reason, whether or not to add a discharge pump is incredibly important to consider.

Air Vent

You’ll also need to determine if you’ll need an air vent. Located on the front of the basin at the bottom, an air vent helps remove harmful exhaust fumes that can cause long-term health problems and leave an odor in your nail salon. Keep your technicians and customers safe and comfortable by adding air vents to your pedicure chairs.IMPORTANT: Make sure that you check your state’s regulations regarding nail salon ventilation to see if opting out of adding an air vent is an option. In some states, having an air vent installed will be mandatory.

Autofill

Autofill is a luxury for many technicians who like to multitask, especially during peak hours. Autofill will allow technicians to walk away from the pedicure station and get any other supplies they need without fearing the tub will overflow. Autofill is a sensor that can detect when to turn the water off when it reaches the perfect level in the tub.

Features of Autofill:

iFill® 5 System can be used with all brands of Jets and Spa tubs.
Can be used with or without a disposable liner.
Touch Keypad and very easy to use.
Display will show digital readout for
a. how many times the pedicure chair has been used
b. water Temperature (F or C)
c. timer to help technicians to track of their work time, so that technicians do not need to carry a clock with them
3 switched-on/off and 1 continuous outlets.
1 drain pump control outlet with a 3-minute timer.
Built-in 1-hour safety timer.
Adjustable manually water level
UL safety recognized.
Made in the U.S.A from U.S. & Global Components.

Our Staff Will Help You Find Pedicure Chairs Perfect for Your Salon

The ShopSalonCity experts team is always here to walk you through your options to find the pedicure chairs that best fit your salon. Team members are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central to answer all your questions and address any concerns you may have. Our team is known for their swift response and dedication to making sure you have the best shopping experience possible.

Please contact the experts at ShopSalonCity by email: sales@shopsaloncity.com or by phone: +1 (213) 973-3566 with any questions you may have related to pedicure spa chairs or any other salon products you have your eye on. We are here to help!