Guides
Should a massage therapy business buy new or used equipment
Buying new or used massage equipment depends on service history, warranty cover, client volume and how many sessions your therapy table must survive weekly.
What to take away
- The buy new or used equipment decision for a massage therapy business comes down to parts. A used table from a supported brand beats a cheap new one with no spares.
- Oakworks, Earthlite, Custom Craftworks and Pisces Productions still sell replacement parts, and that supply is what keeps a secondhand table working.
- Hydraulic lift tables hold value and are worth buying used. Foam and vinyl are the parts that wear out first.
- Bolsters, face cradle covers and linens are cheap enough to buy new every time.
- Ask for the serial number and call the maker before you send money.
A used table is only a bargain if you can still get parts for it. That single question decides most new-versus-used calls in a massage practice, and you can answer it before you pay.
Start with the parts supply, not the price
Oakworks, in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, still sells replacement cushions, cables and hardware for tables it built years ago. Earthlite, part of the same group and based in Vista, California, publishes a parts list by model. Any maker that supports older units is a maker worth buying from secondhand.
Custom Craftworks in Oregon builds stationary tables that rarely need more than a new pad. Pisces Productions, also in Oregon, is known for its Pro and Aquarius lines and keeps spares available.
Call the manufacturer with the serial number before you commit. Ask three things: is this model still supported, what does a replacement cushion cost, and how long do parts take to ship. A table with no parts path is a table you throw away.
Typical prices help you judge a quote. A replacement pad for a common Oakworks or Earthlite table usually runs $150 to $300, and a hinge or cable kit for a portable often costs under $60. For budget imports sold as Master Massage, Sierra Comfort or BestMassage, confirm the part number with the seller first.
What holds value and what does not
Hydraulic lift tables keep their value because the frame outlasts everything bolted to it. A used Oakworks ProLift or a comparable electric table from Living Earth Crafts at half the new price is often the best money in the room.
New electric lifts typically list between $4,000 and $8,000, depending on width, built-in heating and foot controls. Used units from the same makers commonly appear between $1,500 and $3,500. Portable tables lose value faster because the hinge and cable go first.
A new mid-range portable such as the Earthlite Harmony DX or the Oakworks Portal Pro typically sells for $350 to $600. Entry-level imports under names like Sierra Comfort or Master Massage often list at $150 to $350, and used portables from supported brands usually fetch 40 to 60 percent of new.
Foam and vinyl are the wear items. A flattened pad changes how the client feels the session, and recovering a top is a real cost you should price before you buy. New pads from Oakworks or Earthlite typically run $150 to $300; an upholstery shop often charges $100 to $250 plus material.
Ask the seller for the year of manufacture and a photo of the pad edge, where compression shows first.
Where to actually buy used
- Massage warehouse clearance and trade-in pages.Massage Warehouse and Earthlite's own outlet list refurbished and returned tables with a short warranty. Ask what the warranty covers before you pay.
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.Best for local pickup, where you can lie on the table before paying. Meet in daylight and bring a friend.
- School and clinic closures.Accredited bodywork training programs turn over equipment when they refit. Ask the program office directly.
- Estate and practice-closure sales.Often the cheapest route to a full room setup, including bolsters and linens.
- Auctions from spas and hotels.Good for lift tables, poor for anything upholstered, because you cannot inspect the foam.
The new-versus-used table
Best when
- New, supported brand (Oakworks Portal Pro, Earthlite Harmony DX)
- You need a warranty and a known delivery date
- New, budget import (Sierra Comfort, Master Massage, BestMassage)
- You need a spare table for occasional use
- Used, supported brand
- You can verify the serial number and parts supply
- Used, unsupported brand
- Almost never
- Lease or finance
- You need the table now and cash is tight
What it costs you
- New, supported brand (Oakworks Portal Pro, Earthlite Harmony DX)
- Highest cash outlay; typically $350 to $600 portable, $4,000 to $8,000 electric lift; immediate depreciation
- New, budget import (Sierra Comfort, Master Massage, BestMassage)
- Typically $150 to $350; confirm parts availability before the warranty ends
- Used, supported brand
- Inspection time, reupholstery typically $150 to $300
- Used, unsupported brand
- No parts, no resale, landfill
- Lease or finance
- Total paid exceeds the purchase price
Run the numbers with your own figures
Do not guess at a break-even. Write it out. Let P be the new price, U the used price, R the cost of reupholstering or replacing the pad, and S the number of sessions the table must survive.
Your cost per session is (U + R) ÷ S for the used table and P ÷ S for the new one.
Add the value of the warranty as a separate line if you want it counted.
A worked example: a used Oakworks table at $900 with a $200 pad, spread over 3,000 sessions, costs about 37 cents a session. A new table at $2,400 over the same 3,000 sessions costs 80 cents.
The same arithmetic works for a hydraulic lift table, a bolsters set or a mobile chair. Substitute your own quotes.
Check the rules before you buy
Cleaning and disinfection practice follows the product label and the setting, and the CDC guidance on cleaning and disinfecting separates cleaning from disinfecting. A used table arrives dirty. Know what you will use on the vinyl before it enters the room.
Work practice and injury prevention sit with OSHA safety management, which is where to look if you are setting up a written program. Therapist pay, employment status and hours data are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Licensing and scope of practice are set by your state massage board, not by this article.
For the full room setup, including linens, oils, storage and the mobile kit, see the massage therapy equipment and setup guide.
Common questions
Is a used massage table worth buying?
Yes, if the maker still sells parts for that model and you can inspect the pad. A supported Oakworks or Earthlite table at half price beats a new table from a brand with no spares. Skip anything you cannot get a serial number for.
Which brands hold their value?
Oakworks, Earthlite, Custom Craftworks and Pisces Productions all support older units and sell parts. Hydraulic lift tables from these makers hold value best. Portable tables and anything upholstered lose value fastest.
What should I never buy used?
Upholstered items you cannot inspect, and any table from a maker that has stopped supporting the model. Bolsters, face cradle covers and linens are cheap new, so buy those new every time.
How do I check a table before paying?
Ask for the serial number, the year of manufacture and a photo of the pad edge. Call the manufacturer and ask about parts and shipping times. Lie on the table in person if the sale is local.
