Looking for massage gun? Fed up with exhaustion? Is the physio very expensive?
You can become the physical therapist yourself with a massage gun! Perhaps you have heard of these. Several athletes have uploaded videos of them using a very popular model from Theragun brand.
You see, these pistols are based on the concept of percussion therapy: using a series of impacts on the muscle surface to generate waves that reach the deepest tissue, relieving stress and pain.
We have collected several models in our review, and we hope you get a massage gun that suits your needs.
Percussion therapy is not a new invention, but the use of massage guns for this activity was revitalized by Theragun, the definitive brand, and leader in the area. The Theragun G3 Pro is used by the most renowned athletes for its quality. And the secret to Theragun massage guns is proprietary professional manufacturing.
It has various heads to target different muscle groups. In general, each one has the same "depth" capacity, but how they distribute and focus power can be the difference between massaging the affected muscle or not.
The engine under the hood is Japanese-made, designed to send vibrations of 16 millimeters in amplitude at a rate of 40 percussions per second.
On the other hand, this motor is noisy. Yes, compared to previous installments, this makes less noise, but we do not recommend using the Theragun G3 if people are sleeping nearby.
It has two powers, or rather frequency speeds. The standard is 40 percussions per second, but the low is 29, or that allows working more delicately on parts affected by fatigue or injury.
Apart from the innovative handle, the system allows us to adjust the direction of the head in 4 different positions.
Naturally, a device with so much proprietary technology and quality materials couldn't come cheap. It seems to us that it is a considerable investment, although if you are one of those who spends lots in the physio, you may end up paying off the bills with one of these. For more casual users or those with minor needs, another option on the list may be indicated.
Excellent design (multiple grips)
Modular and very flexible
Very expensive
Choose from its 5-speed adjustment system and ease your muscles for the activity ahead. Speed 1 is used to wake up your muscles, while speed 2 is for fascia release. Choose speed 3 to eliminate lactic acid or speed 4 for a deep tissue massage. If you need to relax after an extreme muscle activity, choose speed 5 for muscle recovery.
With its easy to carry hard case, you can effortlessly bring this hand massager when you need to work long hours at the office or even when you are traveling to your favorite vacation destination. They are lightweight and compact making it easy for you to bring this along when you travel. Carry the kit during a workout and relieve muscle stress right after your exercise.
This vibration massager is equipped with 4 different massage heads. Each massage head is designed for different parts of the body; the fork massage head is designed for the spine; the flathead, for any part of the body; bullet one, for your joints while the round head is used for a large muscle group.
Wonderful design
Very flexible
ABOX brings us a modern massage gun with an updated design and good features. It is a success in Amazon for its impressive value, and is that for a slight increase in the price you get a unit that does everything.
Its grip is T-shaped and carries its downside disadvantage. Now, we think he has a good grip. It is non-slip and ergonomic. It also weighs around a kilogram and a half making it easy to carry.
The LED screen on the back allows you to change the configuration of the device as well as have its status. Shows the speed and battery next to the configuration buttons.
Bring 4 massage heads and a compact case for everything.
The brushless motor is relatively quiet and with good power. It has 20 adjustable speed settings up to a maximum of 3,200 percussions per minute.
The battery is 2500mAh, which gives up to a maximum of 3 hours. On the page it says up to 5 hours, but it should be at much lower frequencies.
An interesting detail of this massage gun is that it dissipates heat very well thanks to its grilles, and it is usually a detail ignored in these devices.
It is cheap, just a few euros more on cheap models, but with much more value. Who do we recommend it to? Who wants the best quality for this price point. There are more sophisticated options but they enter the field of hundreds of euros.
We find the number of speed settings a bit redundant
RecoveryVolt is becoming another representative brand of massage guns. The model we are reviewing offers luxurious features like ergonomic grip, long battery life, and relatively quiet operation. The detail is that it is a bit cumbersome to load.
It has a grip similar to that of the Theragun, although not as good. It consists of a parallel grip with another one closer to the head to massage your back. Besides, you can change the position of the head with 3 different angles.
It includes 5 different massage heads and the truth is that we liked them more than the ones that Theragun itself brings.
The charging case is compact but with enough capacity for the entire kit.
The battery lasts around 5 hours of use, although in the end it depends on the rate of use. However, it is possibly the longest lasting battery on the market for these pistols. It has a color indicator to check the remaining charge: full, medium, and low.
It has three adjustable speeds to adjust the percussion frequency, the highest being 3000 percussions per minute.
The motor keeps the gun body relatively cool and low noise, all without detracting from the power of the unit.
As we are already talking about a higher performance pistol we have changed the price category. Is this gun worth it? In our opinion, yes. It is more like an "entry model" to the high-end of this world. If you want something like the Theragun but don't want to pay a fortune, you might like the RecoveryVolt gun.
Its size and weight make it cumbersome to maneuver the device
Faviye brings us one of the cheapest muscle massage guns on the market and the truth is that it is not bad. At the performance level it may not shine as much as other models, but for the price you cannot demand too much.
Unlike many massage guns, it is available in a variety of colors, and is readily available: Navy Blue, Fuchsia, Red, White, Carbon Fiber, and Black.
It has the usual T-shaped handle, with its range disadvantages. On the back is an LCD screen that gives the status of the device and allows the user to change the settings.
Bring 4 massage heads in the package along with a case to carry everything.
It has 30 adjustable speeds up to 28000 percussions per minute. The engine is moderately powerful and designed with noise reduction in mind. It has multiple ventilation slots to prevent overheating and dissipate heat.
The lithium battery is 2500mAh, which gives it a good 3-4 hours with everything to a minimum of use.
The disadvantage of this device lies in the depth of its vibrations, about 12 mm maximum.
For this cost, it is difficult to demand too much. That said, we feel that it offers much more than we expected. We recommend it for those on a tight budget and just want an accessory to deal with fatigue or muscle injury from home. For "deeper" results it will be better to look elsewhere.
The quality of its parts is below average
Wirhaut brings an interesting massage gun with a very good set of additional heads. Its design although fundamentally the one we have seen in various models is refreshing and also uses non-toxic materials in its construction.
Well, as we already said, it has the usual T-shaped grip style, but the paint finish, the brand's screen printing and in general the feel to the touch is one of the best we've seen.
Apart from these aesthetic details, we have six massage heads in the package. We think they are well thought out since it brings one for all kinds of situations.
Bring a very resistant mesh case and with the capacity to carry additional objects.
On the back it has an LED screen that indicates the status of the battery and the selected speed.
It has 20 configurable speeds divided into five groups: 1-4 for a gentle massage, 5-8 for a professional massage, 9-12 muscle relaxer, 13-16 lactic acid stimulant, and 17-20 "professional mode".
The rechargeable battery lasts up to 4 hours per charge, although it depends on the intensity of use. Similarly, the usage time per session should not exceed 10 minutes.
It comes at a very affordable price, and the truth is that its features do not make us want other things. The only aspect we don't like is its size as it can be a bit cumbersome to handle. However, it is an excellent option in this price category.
Something cumbersome to handle
Hyperice offers an effective massage gun for muscle recovery, although we must limit that it does not come cheap. It has a great finish and excellent vibration distribution.
It is one of the most minimalist massage guns we have seen. Both depending on its design and its appearance. The handle is ergonomic and feels good to the touch
It has several slots and grilles to dissipate heat from the engine with ease, but what we like the most is that its weight is light, around 1 kilogram.
Bring 5 heads and the truth is that it has one of the best to treat large muscles such as arms and thighs.
3 adjustable speeds where the maximum is 3200 percussions per minute. It is worth mentioning that it is super quiet and stays cold.
The battery lasts about 3 hours per charge and recharges at a good speed.
For muscle relaxation we think it is fine, but thanks to its weight and overall portability we think it is an excellent training partner. Whether for recovery after exercise or to warm up.
Again we talk about a more expensive model. Not at the Theragun level but more expensive. However, the truth is that it is an excellent tool for athletes, and it is to them that we recommend this massage gun. It is designed to alleviate injury and to accelerate warm-up and recovery after exercising.
Somewhat expensive to have the 'T' design
Europat brings us an affordable massage gun, though it certainly doesn't seem like one. Under the hood there is a super quiet motor and a very efficient heat dissipation system, apart from that its battery is very good.
Beyond the typical problems with its T-shaped grip, we are talking about a lightweight and easy to handle massage pistol. The handle is ergonomic and with excellent touch and the LCD screen gives a clear status with touch buttons.
Bring 4 massage heads and a compact case to carry everything. Very generic these heads but hey, they do the homework.
It uses a very quiet brushless monitor, although it is not the most powerful either. The 20 adjustable settings seem redundant to us but offer more control. The maximum frequency is 3200 percussions per minute.
The battery is 2400mAh, which gives up to a maximum of 3 hours. The truth is that it is not very powerful, but it charges fast.
It seems to us a more suitable gun for body relaxation, although it will also alleviate inflammation and speed recovery from injuries.
With everything and everything, we are talking about a super economic model. We have already examined three options in this category, and this seems to us the best to relax after a day of physical stress. There are better options for recovery and warm-up.
The heads are very generic
The Tronma massage gun seems to us one of the best for recovery and muscle therapy. Offers superior power to mid and high-end pistols with oversized heads for the best vibrations.
It is a T-shaped handle, but it does not seem too bad. Why? Because we think it is an excellent option for professional use, that is, to massage others. When using one, it could present a problem.
It has an LCD screen but we don't like it. In the same way it gives the necessary details and allows you to control everything by touch.
It includes the classic heads but the ball head, in particular, seems very good for its size.
Its engine reaches up to 3300 percussions per minute. Even more often than Theragun. All with a quiet, cool engine.
Its 2500mAh battery lasts around 3 to 4 hours, although the page claims 6 hours. Naturally this is only possible at low speed. By the way, it has 20 speeds.
Its biggest drawback is the depth of its vibrations: 10 mm vs. the Theragun's 16 mm.
This gun is in a difficult position. Why? Excellent frequency but low amplitude of waves. So who do we recommend it to? To those who are professionals in the field of therapy and want an option for their patients, or if you want to do therapy yourself. The effect of several low power waves can be a balm for some conditions.
Low amplitude of waves
The gun Cotsoco massage has an excellent record sales thanks to their performance. We particularly liked its heads and its battery life, and the motor is powerful. Considering its price, it seems to us a massage gun with excellent value.
It weighs about 1 kilogram and has a stiff vertical grip. It has the conventional T-shape but with a smoother finish and rectangular angles.
At the rear are two series of LED lights that indicate the operating status, one light for each speed. It is difficult to read the first time but it is intuitive once it is used.
The package includes 4 massage heads to target different muscle groups. We think they are of good quality, and the plan has a texture that helps stimulate the muscle.
Its 2,400mAh battery is the best, lasting up to 4 hours with automatic shutdown and fast charging. It has 5 adjustable speed levels, the lowest from 1300 percussions per minute to the highest with 4600 percussions per minute.
The motor of the gun is brushless and is kept at a good temperature.
It comes at an affordable price and has adequate features for most users. Worth it? We think so. For users experiencing pain from work or physical performance, this gun could be a positive investment, and with more care, it could help recover from injuries.
Grip makes use uncomfortable for certain muscle groups
As you will see there is from the expensive to the cheap in this world. It is not easy to tell if a model is less appropriate or not for you, but we have tried to classify each gun in a different use case.
Lots of low-quality knockoffs exist as well as companies that run away when something goes wrong, so more caution is needed.
Follow our tips below to improve your purchase.
Although it may seem like the other way around, more expensive models like Theragun's G3 are more appropriate in the hands of a patient who is going to do therapy on himself. Why?
If you are a therapist, you have a lot more control over the gun and the patient can collaborate by taking different positions. That's why T-grip pistols (usually cumbersome for anything other than arms and legs) are good in the hands of therapists.
There are more reasons to use these pistols, but they can be grouped into these 3 groups. For relaxation anything with a frequency greater than 1800 percussions per minute will suffice, but if you want to warm up before or during exercise, you need something more powerful (and light).
On the contrary, if it is for recovery, it is important to have low speeds with enough amplitude to reach the affected tissue.