The best massagers offer an easy way to relax tense muscles, soothe aches and pains and improve circulation. Massagers are so much more than fancy treatments you get at a spa and they don't have to cost a fortune. If you deal with muscle pain or tightness, or you simply want tension relief after a long day, the best massagers do this for you and in the comfort of your own home – plus there's a huge variety of devices to choose from.
To soothe tightness or tension at home, the best massagers cover everything from massage mats and cushions to full massage chairs that knead away pain and discomfort. Or, if you need something more portable to take to the gym, smaller massagers range from handheld devices to balls and sticks.
Beth Girdler-Maslen is T3's Home Editor with an affinity for wellness. She runs a lot so she's tried plenty of massagers for aches, pains and comfort.
04/11/25: We've updated the best massagers guide with a top three and FAQ section.
Best massagers ranking 2025
T3's Top 3
The best home massager overall
+ Suitable for a range of areas
+ Effective massage
+ Heat function
- There are more stylish looking massagers
Our pick for the best massager is the Beurer MG 149 Shiatzu Massage Cushion. A versatile all-rounder, this is compact enough, not to annoying to store, but will deliver a satisfying massage when you need it. There's an elasticated strap that you use to attach the pillow securely to chair back, and you can place it as high up or low down as you need – from your shoulders to your lumbar region.
The Shiatzu style massage heads are firm but effective, and you can switch between clockwise and anticlockwise rotation. It'll also gently heat up if you want it to. While there are cooler looking and more techy options in our ranking, so a no-fuss, effective home massager, this won't let you down. Head to our Beurer MG 149 Shiatzu Massage Cushion review to find out more.
The best home massager runner-up
+ Kneads well and is super relaxing
+ Simple set-up and easy controls
+ Small price tag
- Not cordless
For a quick and comforting fix for any pain or knots, the The Homedics Everybody Shiatsu Massage Pillow is a brilliant device and our runner-up for the best massager. Best used on the back, neck and shoulders, the Homedics Everybody Shiatsu Massage Pillow delivers focused pain and knot relief that hits all the right spots.
While the cord and strap is a little limiting, the Homedics Everybody Shiatsu Massage Pillow is easy to set up and get started with, and it won't break the bank either. Read our full Homedics Everybody Shiatsu Massage Pillow review.
The best sports massager
+ Extremely powerful percussive massager
+ Brushless motor is quiet
+ Works with a dedicated app
- Overkill for many
If you need a sports massager, you wouldn't find many as powerful as the Theragun PRO Plus Massager. One of the best massage guns around, it delivers strong bursts of pressure to blast away knots and tension while improving blood flow.
Ultra-fast pulses of around 40 a second penetrate muscles on a much deeper level than rival devices, and those keen to get the most out of their massager will love its Bluetooth capability, allowing it to be synced with the Therabody app to create synchronised wellness routines. We also love the ultra-quiet brushless motor. It's quieter than the average electric toothbrush, so you can relax fully without being bothered by the noise. Read our full Theragun Pro Plus review.
Other best massagers
The best sports massager for non-athletes
+ Small and portable
+ 150-minute battery life
+ Good for neck massages
- Not pocket-sized
If you don't need an expensive, athlete-level massage gun, the Theragun Mini may be a better bet than the Theragun Pro. Smaller, lighter, gentler and much cheaper than its more serious sibling, it's still a good way to ease up a stiff neck or sore calves whenever you get a twinge.
It's not quite 'pocket sized', as its makers claim, but it's certainly very portable, and nice and light at just 1.43 lbs (650g). It's easy to operate, with just one button, and even the lowest setting will provide a strong enough massage experience for you to feel the difference. Read our Theragun Mini review to learn more.
The best versatile cordless massager
+ Four modes and five speed settings
+ Five interchangeable heads
+ Infrared light therapy
- Weird looking design
This cordless massager from Renpho is great value, and offers plenty of ways to give yourself an invigorating deep tissue massage. It has a powerful motor delivering up to 3,600 pulses per minute, with 5 speed settings so you can find the right level of intensity for you. It also has 5 interchangeable head attachments, including a one-point head for massaging acupressure points and round ball head that simulates tapping for relieving deep tissue pain.
The Renpho Cordless Handheld Massager uses infrared light to help improve blood flow and its rechargeable battery will last for 140 minutes on a full charge, but to prevent you overdoing things, it'll automatically shut off after 20 minutes.
The best home massager for stretching
+ Multiple programmes and intensities to choose from
+ Supported stretches
+ Folds up for good storage
- Noisy
- No heat function
The Homedics Stretch XS is a stylish, innovative and effective home massage solution. Rather than pummelling your muscles, this massage mat has air chambers that inflate and deflate to guide your back, shoulders and hips through a series of supported stretches that you can relax right into. There are four sequences to choose from, each of which can be bumped up in intensity depending on your personal needs.
It's surprisingly effective and soothing – it's not designed for medical use, but reviewers have commented that it's great for relieving back pain, delivering a satisfying stretch (head to our Homedics Stretch XS review for more).
The best massage mat
+ Four programmes
+ Three intensity levels
+ Optional heat and vibration
- Fairly bulky to store
As an alternative to the Homedics Stretch XS massage mat, the Beurer MG 280 yoga and stretch mat has a lot going for it. Like the Homedics option it's designed to imitate yoga and stretching exercises, and it has seven air chambers that inflate in order to give your shoulders, back and neck the attention they need.
There are four preset programmes with three intensity levels, so you can find just the right mix of stretching and massage for you, and if you want to turn things up a bit there's also a heat function and the option to have a gentle vibration massage. The Beurer MG 280's also foldable for putting away tidily, and has its own carrying handle for easy transportation.
The best full-back massager
+ Strong pressure
+ Different massage settings
+ Whole back massage
- Bulky when not in use
Those with serious back pain need to find a massager built to apply strong pressure to the whole back and this one from HoMedics is one of the best you can buy. Designed like a chair, this home massager offers up 14 different massage programmes of varying style and strength. A remote control also allows you to add heat and customise your massage with adjustable height and width settings.
The best thing about this massager is it can be secured to any car seat or office chair, so you don’t have to be at home to use it and instead you can get relief from aching muscles throughout the day. Read our Homedics ShiatsuMAX 2.0 Massage Chair review to find out more.
The best portable massager
+ Small and versatile
+ Two intensity levels
+ Easy to clean
- Smells a bit rubbery
- Requires 3xAAA batteries
For targeted relief of tense muscles wherever you are, the Beurer MG 10 massage ball is just the thing. It's a small (7.5cm diameter) vibrating ball that's designed to activate and regenerate tense muscle groups through trigger point massage, and it's versatile enough to be used anywhere, whether you're standing, lying down or sitting.
The MG 10 uses three AAA batteries and has two speed settings, and it can relieve fasciae agglutinations and hardness as well as loosening up muscles wherever you care to place it. Its soft-touch surface is easy to clean (however it smells a little rubbery for a while after you unpack it), and it's perfect for slinging in your sports bag.
The best foot massager
+ Massaging nodes
+ Bubble features
+ Luxurious experience
- Not suitable for larger feet
If you know that your feet need the most attention, then focus on a device specially built to give them a little TLC. The Beurer FM90 Foot Massager is a shiny black half-dome you stick your feet into, and it then blasts them with compressed air to massage them.
It's a little bit like one of the best foot spas, then, only without having to get your feet wet or fill the machine with water. It offers a choice of programmes – shiatsu, shiatsu with air, air only – and optional heat. While it's a little noisy, and quite expensive, overall we think it's the best foot massager you can buy today. For more information, read our Beurer FM90 Foot Massager review.
The best portable massage pillow
+ Works wirelessly
+ Soft gel massage nodes
+ Stylish design
- Difficult to get positioning / pressure right
If you want a massage pillow that doesn't require you to sit next to a power outlet, try this gel Shiatsu Portable pillow from Homedics. The massage nodes are made from squidgy gel rather than being solid, to give a more 'natural feeling' massage, and as usual, you can change the direction of rotation if you want to mix things up a bit, and there's a gentle heating function for added relaxation.
This cordless massager is also one of the best-looking we've come across, with simple and effective controls. However, in our Homedics Gel Shiatsu portable pillow review, our tester found it hard to get (and keep) in place for a satisfying massage – other reviewers haven't had this issue, so it might be a personal thing.
The best handheld Shiatsu massager
+ 3 interchangeable heads
+ Use it anywhere
+ Different massage modes
- Some find it heavy
If you’re looking for an affordable massage option and don’t mind putting a bit of effort in, try the Homedics Handheld Shiatsu Massager. This portable and easy-to-use device gives you a feeling of a Shiatsu massage wherever you place it, allowing you to control where you massage, the speed, pressure and even the type of massage you receive from it.
Although this won’t be a good option for those with limited mobility or arthritis because you do need to hold it steady yourself. There are three different massage heads that can be used, including one for muscle stiffness, another for an invigorating massage and the final one for a deep tissue massage.
How to choose the best massager
This might sound reckless, but don’t pay too much attention to the price tag. Take roller sticks, for example: this type of massage tool often comes with the lowest price tag, but these lightweight plastic sticks are still incredibly effective when used correctly.
That said, there are certainly plenty of blow-the-budget options which still offer fantastic value for money. Percussive massagers that use infrared, heated or interchangeable heads are a little more pricey, but the upside is that this type of massager can be a godsend when it comes to soothing muscle pain, reducing post-exercise recovery time and minimising the risk of injury.
How we test the best massager
When it comes to testing the best massagers, we call in the latest pads, guns and other devices for testing. It completely depends who tests them – sometimes our Home team will try them if they have more of a wellness focus, or our Active team will test them if they're more designed for fitness.
Once we have the massager, we try out the different settings it has, including speeds, timing and temperatures, if it has them. We look into comfort, battery life and effectiveness, i.e. if aches and pains are taken away or made worse!
See how we test at T3 for more details.
FAQs
What type of massagers are there?
There are multiple different types of massagers. Depending on where on your body you want to be massaged, you can get models for your back, face, feet and other parts of your body.
Massage cushions are extremely popular, and massage guns are more focused on fitness injuries or needs. Foot massagers are for the feet and lower legs, while face massagers are for the face and neck, and can even be involved in skincare treatments.
Massage chairs are also available, and they're typically more expensive. And of course, you can go to an actual masseuse to get a massage from a professional.
What are the benefits of a massager?
Massagers can ease aches, pains and strains for fitness and other injuries (although you should always talk to a doctor or professional if you've hurt yourself). They're also great for boosting circulation and helping you relax.
What features do massagers have?
Massagers typically have multiple speeds and intensity levels that can be customised to your comfort or muscular needs. Some massagers also come with cool and heat functions, and some high-tech massage chairs will even scan your body with sensors to adjust position and intensity for each person.
Reviewer panel
Ruth Hamilton previously had the role of Wellness and Outdoor Editor at T3, and Sleep Editor at TechRadar before moving to the role of Homes Editor. She's tested many massagers, including models from Homedics and Beurer.
Bethan Girdler-Maslen has covered sleep and wellness on T3 for several years. She has tested many of the massagers in this guide and outside of it, including models for relaxing and for running injuries.
Matt Kollat is T3's Active Editor and has plenty of experience in massagers from a fitness perspective, particularly massage guns and recovery aids.
As T3's Active Writer and resident gym bunny, Bryony is often looking for recovery products, so she's tried many massagers and massage guns.
