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Percussive massage therapy is the new foam rolling – here are two tickets to the literal gun show Smart Massage Gun
This article was updated in February to reflect the latest prices and deals, including over £70 off the top-rated HoMedics Pro and £20 off our Bob and Brad runner-up.
If you haven’t tried percussive therapy yet, where have you been? The best massage guns are all over Instagram – hit #recovery and you’ll find everyone from boxers to runners pummelling their muscles in the quest for peak performance.
They may look intense, but they're a really effective recovery tool for bringing tired muscles back to life. In the age of self-care, this science-backed method increases blood flow and loosens up tight spots – ideal for combatting DOMS and making your rest days work as hard as you do (it's only fair, right?).
The Men’s Health Lab put a range of top tools to the test to find the best massage guns on the market.
Invest in a high-quality massage gun and you can use it before training to prime your muscles for a session, or post-workout to ward off any potential DOMS. It will help you recover faster, boost your circulation and lymphatic drainage, increase your flexibility and extend your range of motion – ultimately improving your performance across the board. Think of it as foam rolling turned up to eleven.
‘Percussive therapy has a variety of benefits, helping to prevent body aches and pains, greatly reducing muscle tension in seconds, boosting mobility and range of motion, and increasing blood flow to the area to reduce soreness, tightness and pain,’ explains Dr Jason Wersland, chiropractor and Therabody founder. ‘It can also assist with accelerating the repair and growth of tissues.’
It's the definition of simple. Just point the gun at your fleshy target – around an inch away from your skin over whichever muscle you’re trying to loosen or warm up – and hit the trigger for instant relief.
Move slowly up and down the length of the muscle for around 30 seconds – if you find a particularly sore spot (or ‘trigger point’), spend a little more time on it, but there's no need to apply more pressure. Try not to wince.
Keep your gun away from your neck (decapitation ain't the aim here, lads) and avoid bone and any sprains. Start on the lowest setting and build up once you get the hang of it. Don't overdo it – a few minutes at a time is plenty – or your muscles may end up sorer.
When you're browsing the best massage guns, ideally your purchasing priorities should centre on noise control, battery life and quality.
Generally, a higher price tag will indicate a more reliable product and, when fully charged, a decent massage gun should last for a few days to a week, based on around 15 minutes' use per day.
Our experts at the MH Lab tested the mettle of the best massage guns on the market. And, as the list below shows, they were more than up to the challenge.
Each massage gun was trialled for a three-week period, used to prime and relieve our experts' muscles around their fitness-filled schedule of weightlifting, HIIT, running, yoga and more.
They were judged on how easy they were to control, the impact they had on sore muscles, their ability to move across skin and muscle smoothly, and the effectiveness of any interchangeable massage heads included. The design (how ergonomic the handle was), portability and any other innovative features were also taken into consideration when deciding the final hierarchy. Our winning massage guns boast the Men's Health Lab Approved logo below.
If you’re ready to banish your foam roller for good, read on for the 15 best massage guns money can buy. Allow us to drill into the details...
Finding fault with this near-flawless massage gun was like hunting for a needle in a haystack, with our expert awarding it top scores for ease of use, design and performance. It moved smoothly over the muscles, working quickly to dissipate aches without causing any additional discomfort — in short, less pain, more recovery gains. It earned a few bonus points for its instructions too, which contain handy diagrams to help you get the most out of your percussive pistol.
The case it comes in may be slightly too big to carry around comfortably, but the gun itself is lightweight and surprisingly quiet, considering its size. This makes it easy to wield, and a perfect partner for an evening recovery session in front of the telly. We also loved the option to crank up the heat or use the frozen massage head, providing hot and cold massages – ideal for a pre-workout muscle primer and thorough cool down, respectively.
The brainchild of renowned YouTube physical therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck, we had high expectations when the Q2 landed on our desks, and it didn’t disappoint.
It may be the size of a small water bottle, but it’s brimming with impressive features. You get five interchangeable heads (most mini massagers come with just one or two) and there are five speed settings to flit between, giving you a whopping 25 massage combos to try. If you need some guidance, there’s a handy user manual, which provides step-by-step routines for warm-up, mobility and recovery. According to our tester, these were genuinely useful.
The definition of a smooth operator, it glided over our muscles seamlessly, the speed button was well placed and easy to reach while in use, and the brushless motor proved pretty darn quiet. If on-the-go-massages are on the agenda, there's a slick, lightweight carry case that will fit neatly into your gym bag or suitcase.
We rated the 10-minute auto-off mode for conserving battery and liked that it charges with a USB-C cable and a regular phone adaptor, so you don’t have to carry around an extra plug. The handle was on the short side, making it a touch awkward for our tester with larger hands, but that wouldn’t put them off using it again. Plus, when you consider the affordable price tag, it’s hard to complain.
From the sleek black and grey colourway alone, you can tell this massage gun means business. The massage arm packs one hell of a punch and proved effective at flushing testers' aching muscles with blood, helping them recover from high volume sessions.
It’s a tad heavy and the grip vibrated quite a lot when we cranked the speed setting to its max. But the long, curved handle meant users could easily reach awkward knots on their back, and all four interchangeable heads were able to glide over the skin, making for a remarkably relaxing massage.
Warming up to the idea of heat therapy? This snazzy new Pulseroll model should be on your radar. It features a heating head with two temperature settings – 45C and 55C – to turbocharge your recovery. It also boasts five other attachments including a ‘spinal’ head for larger muscles group and a soft ‘invor’ head for stimulating the nerves in your hands and feet.
For a mini massage gun that’s lightweight and compact enough to take anywhere, our tester thought it was surprisingly powerful. It has four speed settings for more tailored recovery and a handy LED touchscreen to switch between the speeds and keep track of battery level. Our expert was impressed with how quiet it was and appreciated the accompanying video guides, helping them get the most out of the device. What's more, it offers convenient USB-C charging and comes with a smart carry case – ideal for post-flight massaging or taking to and from the gym. If you’d like to try before you buy, it also comes with a generous 90-day money-back guarantee.
There’s no hiding from the fact that most top massage guns will set you back a pretty penny, so we approached this more affordable RENPHO offering with a little scepticism. But, while it may not be much of a looker, it soon put our pessimism in its place.
It comes with a choice of five massage heads, has the longest battery life of the models we tested and moves fluidly over skin without dragging. The handle vibrated a lot on the highest speed setting, causing our arm to ache after a while, but this can easily be remedied by turning the power down for a more soothing percussive therapy session.
The PRO is the Rolls-Royce of the Theragun Range. This 5th gen model has really stepped things up a gear with the addition of an OLED screen, which shows four visually guided routines to really help you nail that ache. Its adjustable arm means you can use it all over your own back, but our testers noted you can’t see the screen if you’re doing that.
The PRO is also slightly lighter and 20% quieter than its predecessor, while still being much more powerful than its fellow Therabody guns. It comes with a range of six heads to soothe any aches and pains, but the battery life is just 2.5 hours, which is half that of the 4th gen model. Thankfully, it does have super-fast USB-C charging, so you won't be left short in your time of need.
While the plethora of features may seem like overkill for casual athletes, we think these premium touches make the PRO an ideal recovery companion for the fitness faithful.
Twee fridge magnets across the UK will encourage you to enjoy the smaller things in life. Luckily, Hyperice makes this advice easy to follow with its latest compact massage gun.
Despite its size, the Hypervolt Go2 can still compete with the big boys, blowing our testers away with its strength. It’s also smooth to use and considerably cheaper than its bulkier brother, the Hypervolt Plus.
Its condensed design means it’s ideal for carrying around, although it did lose some points due to the absence of a carry case. Still, the Go2 makes up for that with its power and premium design. There are two massage heads and access to Hyperice’s comprehensive app comes as standard, too.
Don’t fancy shelling out on a massager you know you’ll only whip out from time to time? For under £50, this could be the gun for you. It may be a wallet-friendly option, but it doesn’t skimp on features – you get four interchangeable tips (a classic ball, bullet, fork and flat head), three intensity modes and a compact travel case for sweet, sweet relief en route home from the gym.
Our expert said it was a cinch to use, with one responsive control button that was easy to reach mid-massage for cycling through the speeds. The lights help show which setting you’re on and will signal when it’s almost out of juice, ensuring you never have to skip a post-workout pummel.
This device offers a lighter touch, so it’s better suited to less intense recovery sessions or general R&R in front of the telly. On that note, it was one of the quietest models we tried, scoring almost full marks in our noise tests.
Testers' massaging experience was mainly smooth and comfy. There was a tiny bit of dragging against the skin when using the ball head and the short handle was slightly awkward for reaching the lower back, but that’s the case with most compact massage guns. Overall, it offers excellent value.
This is Theragun’s second entry on our list, proving the brand really lives up to its hype. Although the USP here is its dinky size, that doesn't mean it isn't a powerhouse machine. It’s even smaller and lighter than the 1st gen model, so it’s super easy to slip into your gym bag for a quick post-session massage, or clip onto the outside of your bag thanks to its handy travel case.
The mini gadget scored an impressive 4/4 for noise control on the in-house decibel test, so you can use it anywhere without disturbing others. The panel said the attachments ‘glide really smoothly, without any bumping, shaking or jarring’, and thought the third setting provided strong power for such a small product.
It's also a great option for first-time massage gun users, not only because it’s a more affordable model, but the LED lights help show which setting you’re on and its simple-to-use Bluetooth app guides you through pain-relieving routines.
Tempted by the Theragun Pro above but can't justify the spend? Coming in at under £250, the Achedaway Pro is a solid alternative.
The sleek, sturdy device has four interchangeable heads (a bullet, a fork, a flat head and a soft head) and five oomph-inducing speed settings for more targeted recovery. The brand boldly claims it reaches 60% deeper into muscles than standard massage guns to banish deep-set aches and pains. Sure enough, it worked wonders on our tester’s sore, knotted muscles. They even felt a difference after just one use.
Given its hefty size, it’s not one you can tuck into your pocket, but it does come with a very smart travel case (complete with compartments for the different attachments and rechargeable battery), if you fancy lugging it around with you. It’s also really easy to use, with one control button to turn it on and off and flit between the speed settings.
Though it wasn’t among the quietest designs on test, we’re willing to let this slide given its impressive list of features. For a supercharged experience without the £500+ price tag, we can’t recommend it enough.
It may be a more wallet-friendly option, but this Cotsoco gun doesn't skimp on features. With eight massage heads, seven speed settings and a percussion of 3,200 beats per minute, this is your opportunity to nab a versatile gun for a fraction of the price.
The touch-sensitive LCD screen also means you can switch up the settings with ease.
Take your foam rolling routine up a notch with the Vyper 3, best described as a vibrating foam roller, which Hyperice claims will ‘accelerate your warm-up, speed recovery time and keep you moving better.’ Sounds great, but is it actually better than your standard roller?
Well, yes! The flexible foam cover and slanted ridge pattern mean you can really get stuck in to your muscles. Our tester said they felt ‘thoroughly massaged’ after using the device. They were also impressed with the design – it's lightweight, the controls couldn’t be simpler to use, and there's plenty of power (especially on the highest setting).
Our only gripe is the noise level, which is fairly loud when placed on the floor. Not necessarily a problem, but you may want to warn flatmates before you commence a foam rolling sesh.
MuscleGun pulled out all the stops with this small yet mighty offering. Sure, it’s the size of a standard mobile phone but the Carbon Go has everything its chunkier counterparts offer and more. It packs a formidable punch, you get four different massage heads, and it moves smoothly over skin.
The included travel case means it can be your new gym buddy too, making it easy to pummel the pain away post-session. The short handle does makes it a bit awkward to reach the lower back, and it wasn’t the quietest device, but overall, this is a nifty little machine to have in your gym bag.
This more economical HoMedics model has many of the benefits of the brand's high scoring massage gun – it’s lightweight, a doddle to use and hits the Goldilocks optimum when it comes to attachments (enough to cover all bases, but not so many that it feels gimmicky).
It doesn’t have the innovative heat features of the Pro Physio Massage Gun, and lacks the oomph of its competitors, but if you’re an everyday athlete who doesn't need anything super-intense – think casual use rather than a recovery aid for an intense HIIT session – then it’s more than up to the job.
This bulky gun comes with an impressive six interchangeable attachments that allow you to target all types of aches and pains. Our tester praised the device for its versatility and was a big fan of the softer heads, which are great for days when your DOMS are particularly bad. Testers also rated the bullet head for tackling trigger points and the spine head feels nice on sore neck and back muscles.
As it’s on the larger side, we’d keep this for at-home recovery sessions. It’s seriously powerful and you can choose between five speed settings for optimal pressure. What's more, silent-force technology keeps noise to a minimum. In fact, it was one of the quietest on test.
The Myomaster is no one-tricky pony. It comes with eight head attachments – the highest number on our list – allowing you to target specific areas and fine tune your recovery. Our tester was a big fan of the more unusual ones, including the ‘thumb’, which mimics a human thumb to release tension, and the ‘damper’, which is ideal for gliding over joints. The instructions clearly explain what each attachment is best for and how to use it.
It is one of the heavier options here, but hey, you might appreciate the arm workout. And it comes with a handle on the carry case if you did want to use it in the gym. There’s a 60-day money back guarantee, too.
Priyankaa is our senior health and wellness writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and roundups on the latest health and fitness products. From walking boots to running machines, Priyankaa has written about hundreds of products and is passionate about providing in-depth, unbiased reviews. Plus, as an avid runner and gymgoer, she knows exactly what to look for when finding the right gymwear, fitness tracker or earphones. Priyankaa has an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and over five years’ experience in health and fitness journalism. Priyankaa has written for Stylist’s Strong Women Training Club, where she regularly wrote about diversity in the fitness industry, nutrition tips, training advice and her experience completing various fitness challenges. She has also written for a variety of publications including Business Insider, Glamour, Bustle, Metro, HuffPost UK, gal-dem and more. Outside of work, Priyankaa can usually be found trying out a new gym class, seeking out London's best eats or watching a Spanish TV show in a bid to keep up her language skills. You can follow Priyankaa on Twitter @_priyankaajoshi and on Instagram @priyankaajoshi
Yanar was our former Fitness Group Testing Manager. She managed health and fitness product testing across all the magazines, overseeing all testing processes and ensuring our lab and panel tests are conducted to the highest standards. Yanar spent 15 years as a health and wellness content editor and writer for national titles such as Runner’s World, Men’s Health and Women’s Health. Yanar is a Level 3 qualified PT, trained yoga teacher and a registered yoga therapist. She has been into fitness and wellness her whole life. After many years running races and marathons, she now trains and competes in CrossFit and Olympic lifting. She passionately advocates strength training for women to build a stronger mind and body for life.
Jodie is our Health and Fitness product tester. She runs tests on a wide variety of products, including gym leggings, walking boots, fitness trackers and more. Jodie has managed the testing for 577 products to date, including working with over 600 panellists.
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