Is reflexology a bogus science?

Well, we’re not exactly the authority to settle these kinds of questions, but we can promise you that a good foot massage feels amazing.

Also, it’s been in use as a form of therapy for over 4,000 years, so it has that going for it.

Shiatsu techniques, which this machine is designed to replicate, have an interesting history too: it was one of the few jobs blind people could do in medieval Japan, and sighted people were at times banned from entering the profession.

This automatic foot massager will make a great gift for anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet – restaurant employees, take note.

People with certain types of illnesses will also benefit – some of the claims about foot massages, and especially those done by a mechanical device, seem a little “out there”, but there’s plenty of evidence that suggests that it at least relieves pain and soothes anxiety.

You can choose how vigorously the machine kneads your footsies and also adjust the heater to stimulate blood circulation.

Unfortunately, this otherwise great product won’t produce the same results as an actual human masseuse, even one without any training. There are 26 bones and 33 joints in a human foot; effectively working the kinks out from them requires sensitivity and flair. Force is also an issue: since the amount of pressure you’d normally apply to stronger parts of the foot will easily dislocate a toe, it’s probably for the best that this massager barely tickles your heel.

Once you get over the idea of a robot giving you a footrub, though, this is a good massager, comparable in performance to models that cost a great deal more. The removable, washable covers inside also allow multiple people to share it without giving each other athlete’s foot – though who’s turn it is may result in some argument.