Some of the best portable massage tables on the market are made by Oakworks. There’s no doubt about that.

But the downside of Oakworks is that they are usually in the $500 – $700 range (with accessories like carry case, face rest, etc.) on average.

If you are just starting out this might be too much for your budget.

While I sincerely believe that if you’re in business long enough Oakworks is actually cheaper than most other brands (because it will last longer, so you get more years of usage), I understand that for some people it’s just not a good idea to spend money like that.

You can start of with a cheaper table and then once you have established a good customer base and a steady income and you notice that your massage table starts to give in a bit, you can still switch to Oakworks.

So what is a good one to start with?
Earthlite Harmony for example.  It’s lightweight (33 pounds = 15 kg), very easy to set up and take down (if you do outcall you don’t to spend ten minutes each just to set up and take down the table) and retails for around $300 (you can often get it a bit cheaper on ebay – at the time of writing this it’s selling new for $289 with free shipping, including case, face rest, arm sling & headrest cushion).

If you want to spend even less than that, Sam’s Club   is selling a wide range of massage tables for pretty competitive prices. They currently (May 2008) are selling 15 different models of massage tables ranging from $100 to $1,128.

At the low cost end you find the Lincoln™ Portable Massage Table (27″), at the high end you find the Mission Powerlift™ Stationary Massage Table (it’s an electric massage table that is best suited for Spas and the like).

I would suggest the Skyline™ Portable Massage Table (28″) for $140 if you are really low on cash. Master Massage Tables are still offering good value for the money. But again, do not expect it to be professional quality.