Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Review: Best Budget Chair Option?

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Marco Gentile, CHC, CMT, CTP, CETS · Spa Director at Burke Williams, Los Angeles
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Hooga PEMF Chair Mat: THE SHORT VERSION

3.7out of 5The Hooga PEMF Chair Mat is a budget chair mat that covers the essentials. It’s well designed, easy to use, and it’s a very good way to get PEMF therapy during those long hours at your desk.

Right for

  • PEMF users and people with back pain that are looking to improve the quality of their time sitting at their work chair

Pros and cons

What I liked

  • Price & value for money
  • Preset Programs & functions

What I didn’t

  • It’s stiff and there’s no conver included

Price range:$400–$500

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Welcome to my review of the Hooga PEMF Chair Mat. Ten Gauss of intensity, a frequency range of 1-50 Hz, and a three-year warranty. At first glance, the Hooga PEMF Chair Mat specs look like they belong to a much pricier mat.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical. Budget PEMF products usually cut corners somewhere, and you end up with weaker coils, limited programs, or flimsy build quality. But Hooga seems to have taken a different approach.

After testing this chair mat, I started to wonder why you would pay double for similar features somewhere else.

Hooga Chair Mat Specs and Features

Reading the Spec Sheet

1-50HzPEMF Frequency Range

PEMF frequency is the number of times the field cycles every second, in hertz (Hz). The Hooga Chair Mat goes from 1 to 50 Hz. That’s a wide range, which means good technology, more treatments to choose from, and more conditions you can use it for.

10GaussPEMF Intensity

The strength of the magnetic field that a mat puts out is called intensity, and it’s measured in Gauss. On the Hooga Chair Mat it reaches 10 Gauss. At this medium-low level, the treatment starts to be more effective than at lower intensities.

2PEMF Coils

A coil is hardware, not a setting: copper wire wound in loops inside the mat, which creates the pulsed field when the controller powers it. More coils don’t make the field stronger but spread it more evenly over the mat, so the number is about coverage.

Accessories

Carry Bag

Buyer protection

60-Day Return Policy

3-Year Warranty

HSA and FSA eligible

Size & Weight

Chair-Mat39 x 20 in11 lbs
Chair-Mat100 x 50 cm5.2 kg

Price range

$400–$500

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Other Therapies

Heating / Far Infrared Rays Therapy (FIR)

Up to 158°F

The mat emits far-infrared light (5-14 μm) to warm the gemstones and its surface up to 158°F (69°C). The heat is soothing and goes deep into muscles and joints, so the comfort lasts.

Crystal Healing Therapy

2 Gemstones Types

The mat has two types of gemstones that will emit negative ions when heated:

  • Amethyst2.5 lbs
  • Tourmaline2.5 lbs

Negative Ion Therapy

N/D cc

When heated, the gemstones release negative ions that may help with detoxification and freshen the air. However, Hooga doesn’t say how many ions the mat produces, so it’s hard to tell what the actual effect is.

What It’s Like to Own the Hooga Chair Mat

The rest of this page is about things you can measure. This part isn’t, and none of it will tell you whether the Hooga PEMF Chair Mat is a good mat. But it might tell you whether you will still be using it a year from now, and that’s a question worth asking.

Portability

Fair

It’s not a lightweight mat, and it needs a plug. Hooga gives you a bag to carry, but i’d rather leave it on my working chair.

Versatility

Good

It lack red light therapy, but you have PEMF and FIR. Also, it’s big enough that you can you it as a body mat and lie on it.

Comfort

Fair

The payer of gemstones isn’t very nice to seat on, and Hooga doesn’t provide a cover. I suggest you use your own pillow.

Price range

$400–$500

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Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Functions and Controls

How you control it

Hooga Controller

The controller lets you adjust frequency, intensity, session time, and heat. It also comes with 8 preset programs for quick access. It doesn’t let you save custom routines, but you can still tweak the frequency manually. That’s enough flexibility to set it up your way.

Hooga PEMF Chair Mat controller – adjustable settings for budget infrared PEMF therapy

What Settings Does the Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Have?

Frequency control

FULLY ADJUSTABLE UP TO 30 HZ

The Hooga controller lets you adjust the frequency freely, but the manual selection only gets you to 30 Hz. To use a higher frequency you have to use the preset programs.

Intensity control

FIXED

The intensity is fixed at 10 Gauss and there is no way to adjust it.

Preset programs

ProgramDescription
110 min at 1.2Hz + 10 min at 4.5Hz
220 min at 7.83Hz
320 min at 9.6Hz
420 min at 14.4Hz
520 min at 39.6Hz
610 min at 33.0Hz + 10 min at 30Hz
720 min at 21Hz + 10 min at 14.4Hz + 10 min at 7.83Hz
810 min at 14.4Hz + 10 min at 7.83Hz

Price range

$400–$500

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Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Accessories

The Hooga PEMF Chair Mat includes a travel bag, so it’s easy to store or to take with you. You don’t get a protective cover, and I would have liked one. Considering the price, though, it’s a fair trade-off.

Hooga Carry Bag

Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Warranty and Returns

The Hooga PEMF Chair Mat is covered by a 3-year warranty, which is a good sign that the company trusts its product. You also get a 60-day return window, so you have plenty of time to test it with no pressure. That helps if you are still on the fence about PEMF. Together, the two show that Hooga cares about keeping its customers happy.

Warranty

3 Years

Good coverage, but they don’t say much about it beyond the number itself. Check policy.

Returns

60 Days

No fee, and you get a discounted shipping label with the cost taken out of the refund. Check policy.

HSA and FSA

Eligible

If you have funds in a health savings or flexible spending account, you use them to pay and effectively save whatever your tax rate is. For most people it’s somewhere around 30%.

Is the Hooga PEMF Chair Mat Worth it?

3.7out of 5

My FInal verdict

The Hooga PEMF Chair Mat is a budget-friendly option that doesn’t skimp on the essentials. It may not be one of the best in its category, but it holds its own. The performance is good, and the preset programs make it easy to use from day one.
You get 10 Gauss of intensity, and that’s plenty for everyday use. The 60-day return window gives you time to find out if PEMF is for you. And if something breaks later, you have a 3-year warranty.
There is no protective cover, which I find a fair trade-off for what you pay. You can’t save your own routines either, but you can still adjust the settings by hand.
Given the features and build quality at this price, it’s a very good choice if you want to try PEMF therapy without breaking the bank.

Price range

$400–$500

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Frequently Asked Questions

It compares well for its price, even if it’s probably not one of the top chair mats in the category. The Hooga has 10 Gauss of intensity and a frequency range of 1-50 Hz. Those are specs I would expect from a chair mat that costs a lot more. It is also easy to use, thanks to the preset programs. On top of PEMF you get heat, negative ions, and two types of gemstones, plus a 3-year warranty.
I’ve ranked every chair mat by warranty, price, features, accessories, therapies, and technology. You can see where this one lands in my guide to the best PEMF chair mats.

Yes, Hooga is a reputable wellness company with a very good track record. Many budget brands cut corners to keep the price low. From what I have seen on this chair mat, Hooga doesn’t. It also gives you a 3-year warranty and 60 days to send the mat back if you are not happy with it. A company that didn’t trust its own products wouldn’t offer that, since returns and replacements cost money. The mat is also HSA/FSA eligible, so you can pay for it with your health savings or flexible spending account.
For more details, see my Hooga reviews or go to their official site.

PEMF chair mats can work, but the results depend on your condition and on your own situation. There is a good amount of scientific research behind PEMF therapy. A chair mat uses the same technology as a full-size mat, only in a smaller size. Some health problems respond very well to PEMF, and others much less. The internet is full of exaggerated claims, so be careful with what you read. If a product promises to fix everything, you have a reason to doubt it.
To tell fact from fiction and see what PEMF can really do, read my article on the proven benefits of PEMF.

It depends on the condition you want to treat. Each condition has its own frequency and its own session length, and you get the best results when both match what you are treating. On the Hooga chair mat, the 8 preset programs come with the frequency and the time already set, for example 20 minutes at 7.83 Hz. Some of them run two or three frequencies one after the other, and between them they cover from 1.2 Hz to 39.6 Hz. You can also set the frequency and the session time yourself on the controller.
My PEMF frequency chart lists the settings for each condition, so start from there.

Yes, it can help, as long as you use the chair mat consistently. Bones change slowly, so a session every now and then won’t do much. With 10 Gauss, the mat has enough intensity for regular therapeutic use. It also comes with a travel bag, so you can take it with you and keep your schedule when you are away from home. PEMF doesn’t replace the treatment your doctor prescribed, though. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, talk to your doctor before you start.
I’ve written a guide on PEMF therapy for osteoporosis that goes through the scientific evidence and gives you an easy weekly protocol to follow.

Yes, it’s a good fit for back pain, because you sit with your back right against the mat. That way the treatment goes directly where it hurts, and you don’t even have to lie down. You can do a session while you work or watch TV. Most of the preset programs run for 20 minutes. You can also turn on the heat, which reaches deep into the muscles. It goes up to 158°F (69°C), so start low and find the level you like.
The research on PEMF therapy for back pain is in my guide, together with a weekly protocol made for it.

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About the author

Marco Gentile

Marco Gentile (CHC, CMT, CTP, CETS) is a certified PEMF professional with over 10 years of experience helping clients achieve optimal health and longevity. Currently he works at the Burke Williams Spa in L.A., where he continues to inspire and support individuals on their wellness journeys.

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