ComScore

Why Am I So Calm? Because I’m Using My Favorite Foot Massager of All Time as I Write This Headline

And don’t sleep on the calves!

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

A foot massage obsessed editor poses with her favorite contraption: the RENPHO food and calve massager
Dara Katz
  • Value: 20/20
  • Functionality: 19/20
  • Quality/Ease of Use: 20/20
  • Aesthetics: 17/20
  • Massage Quality: 19/20

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.

Photo of me using the Renpho foot massger
Dara Katz

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. 

I took a photo of my Renpho foot and calf massage machine.
Dara Katz

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. 

Fast Facts

  • Power Source: corded electric
  • Weight: 19.69 lbs
  • Dimensions: 22.99" x 15.55" x 9.69"
  • Massage Size: fits up to men size 14; chamber width up to 7.7"

DaraKatz

Executive Editor

  • Lifestyle editor and writer with a knack for long-form pieces
  • Has more than a decade of experience in digital media and lifestyle content on the page, podcast and on-camera
  • Studied English at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Why You Should Trust Us

PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.