As a salon owner, you probably know that a lot goes into owning your business, and you need various things to thrive. With great shampoo chairs, you can wash your clients’ hair after a color job or before trimming it. Check out this ultimate guide to salon shampoo chairs so you can easily make the best purchase for your beauty salon!
What Are Salon Shampoo Chairs?
A salon shampoo chair is exactly what it sounds like—a chair designed to make shampooing clients easier. These chairs are stationary and can recline back, so it’s easier for the customer to keep their hair in the sink as you scrub it.
Types of Shampoo Chairs
When it comes to buying this essential for your salon, you should understand your options:
- Economic shampoo chair
- Electric shampoo chair
- Lever-powered shampoo chair
- Shampoo bowl and chair unit
Each of these is slightly different in design and overall function. The more you know about your options, the easier it becomes to purchase the ideal one for your salon.
Economic Shampoo Chair
This is a popular option, and many salons gravitate toward it because it’s comfortable yet fits into any budget. In addition, the backrest of this shampoo chair will go back as the client leans into it so you can get their hair into the sink.
Electric Shampoo Chair
This may be the ideal chair if you want to give clients a bit of a luxury experience. With electric shampoo chairs, you just push a button, and the backrest will tilt back. Some electric shampoo chairs come with footrests you can put up, and others include massage options.
Lever-Powered Shampoo Chair
Lever-powered shampoo chairs use a lever to lean back, making reclining even easier. Like electric shampoo chairs, some of these come with a footrest. This helps to increase client comfort levels and make them feel even more pampered as you tend to their haircare needs.
Shampoo Bowl and Chair Unit
Looking for a top-quality piece that can help save a bit of space in your salon? With a hair salon shampoo bowl and chair unit, the sink and chair come as a single unit. This way, you only have to worry about connecting the sink to your plumbing system but won’t have to get both pieces separately. These come with many chair options; some recline, but others are already tilted back.
Tips for Buying Shampoo Chairs
The ultimate guide to salon shampoo chairs would be incomplete without mentioning some tips on how to buy the ideal chair. Assets help improve the business, attract new clients, and can help you retain your current ones. Below, we’ve detailed the top tips for buying your shampoo chair.
Establish a Shampoo Chair Budget
The first thing you should do is decide on a budget like you would with any business upgrade. Shampoo chairs come in a wide range of prices, and simply searching without knowing how much you can and want to spend will lead to overwhelming options.
Set a budget by evaluating how much revenue you bring in on a monthly basis and comparing this to necessary spending on bills and employee wages. After accounting for this, note how much money you have to spend on business assets. You’ll also want to decide how much you’d like to pay, depending on other chair factors like comfort, style, add-ons, etc.
Compare Value and Price
As you look at the price of each option, compare that to the value. Although some of us may use these terms interchangeably, they’re different. Price is the upfront cost, but the value is more than this.
For example, a chair may have a higher value if it comes with a footrest and has premium comfort. However, these options usually have a higher price as well, and, in this example, the price is worth the value because it gives clients a better experience.
Buy the Right Style
Now that you know how much you can and want to spend, it’s time to look at styles. Think about the colors and designs that would best align with your brand. Salon shampoo chairs come in a variety of colors and styles. Begin shopping by browsing all shampoo chairs in your budget and note which styles you like the most.
Now’s also the time to settle on what type of salon chair you’ll buy: economic, electric, lever-powered, or a shampoo-chair combo. Consider these differences and decide which best aligns with your salon’s image.
Review Chair Size
You may find an option that seems like the perfect chair, but if it’s too big for your salon or too short for your wall-mounted shampoo bowl, it won’t work. Once you’ve narrowed your options according to price and style, it’s time to weed out more options. Click into the product details and review the dimensions of each shampoo chair, then compare this to the space available in your salon.
Pro Tip
Some of us are more visual people. Although you can’t place the chair before deciding if you’ll buy it, you can make imagining it easier. After hours, measure out the dimensions for the shampoo chair and mark it on the floor with masking tape. This way, you can test how easy it is to get around.
Ease of Installation
If it’s just a shampoo chair, installing it may not be too difficult, but if you buy a chair-bowl combo, you’ll need to hire a plumber for help. Noting this before making any purchases is vital since it affects your budget, especially if you need to hire a plumber.
Signs You Need a Replacement
Like all furniture in your salon, your shampoo chair will need to be replaced eventually. Inspect your chair for signs of wear, like rips, tears, and discoloration. Likewise, you should also test how well it works. Is it easy for clients to lean back? If your chair doesn’t work right, it’s best to replace it so you can keep your customers happy anytime they receive service in your salon.
Shop at Keller
Keller International sells barber and salon equipment. We strive to get your furniture to you as quickly as possible so you can continue working on your craft. Upgrade your salon with wonderful equipment that’ll help take your business to the next level!
