Matt Kollat
The best massage guns are no longer just for soothing sore muscles and improving blood flow after a tough workout, they can also help boost endorphins, alleviate stress, and everyday aches and pains.
Having been strength training for the past four years, I’m regularly reaching for a massage gun to give my muscles some TLC from lifting heavy weights— the Hydragun Atom Mini remains in my gym bag at all times as it’s an excellent small massage gun for on the go— so, you could say I know a thing or two about what to look for in a good one.
I’ve tried half the massage guns in this guide for a minimum of two weeks, and I always keep ease of use, noise, attachment heads, and speeds at the forefront of my mind when testing. For the best massage gun— like the Theragun Pro Plus— you are going to have to be willing to splash a bit of cash. However, I’ve come across some brilliant budget options— like the Bob & Brad Air2 Mini — which is a fantastic dupe of the Theragun Mini.
Whatever your needs or budget, we’ve hopefully got something in this guide for you, and if you need some extra info about what to look for, check out the FAQs at the bottom of the page.
Best massage guns to buy right now
The Theragun Pro Plus is without a doubt the most innovative massage gun I’ve tested, and I’d be bold enough to go as far to say on the market. It’s a recovery and wellness tool in one. It has percussive and vibration therapy, a red LED light to boost circulation, a heated massage head, a cold head (although this has to be purchased separately), breathing programs, and even a heart rate monitor.
After three weeks of testing, I was sold. The Pro Plus was easy to navigate, offers a decent variety of five different speeds, and comes with six attachment heads for different niggles and pains. In terms of muscle recovery, it’s brilliant. One week I was testing my three-rep max on my squat, deadlift and bench press— so my body was getting the ultimate battering— but I ran the Pro Plus over my muscles each night and managed to hit a new personal best on all three lifts! The breathwork program (which initially I was adamant I wouldn’t use), was also lovely to wind down to before bed and the heated head melts away aches.
It's not perfect though. Weighing 1.65kg it’s a pretty hefty item, even I found my arm tiring when trying to reach areas on my upper back, and there’s no shying away from its eye-watering £500 plus price tag. That being said, if you’re looking for a massage gun that's the ‘best of the best’ with all the futuristic features and you have the money to play with, the Pro Plus can’t be beaten.
Read my full Theragun Pro Plus review
The Hypervolt GO 2 is the iPhone SE of the Hyperice family; sure, you can get the all-bells-and-whistles flagship model, but do you need all the features it comes with? Or are you better off paying half as much and getting a massage gun that's not too bulky but does the job just fine?
Smaller it might be than your average massage gun, but the Hypervolt GO 2 feels like a premium device. The updated physical design is more sophisticated, feels good in the hand and looks more premium than its predecessor. Not to mention, the button is more ergonomically placed; finally!
There is no Bluetooth connectivity, so if you're desperate to use the Hyperice App with your massage gun, get the Hypervolt 2 or Hypervolt 2 Pro. The same goes for the pressure sensor. We strongly recommend the Hypervolt GO 2 for people who never tried massage guns before and think they can benefit from it but don't want to spend hundreds on a device they might only use a handful of times a week/month.
Read our full Hyperice Hypervolt GO 2 review.
The Theragun Pro has always represented the most cutting-edge technology Therabody had to offer; it's their most powerful, customisable, professional-grade massage gun. The fifth-generation Pro delivers a flawless, firm massage experience that professional athletes crave and that can help speed up recovery or prevent injuries by readying the muscles for exercise before the session.
The redesigned brushless motor is quieter and delivers a lot of force. The high amplitude movement of the Theragun Pro (5th Gen) ensures you get a refreshing massage experience time after time. For those who find this level of percussive power too offensive, the SuperSoft head (included in the box) will help them ease into the 'proper' Theragun experience.
Some of the new features (e.g. pre-set workouts) are probably aimed at less experienced users, which is slightly contradictory, considering the Therabody Pro is the pro's choice, who most likely don't need them. The two new attachments are a bit hit-and-miss, with the thumb being an excellent addition and the Micro-Point – well – pointless.
If you have the previous-gen Pro, there isn't much point in upgrading to the new version, as it offers more or less the same massage experience, only quieter. The reduced noise level is a nice touch, and so is the removable battery (and the USB charging), the latter of which pros will surely appreciate.
Read our full Theragun Pro (5th Gen) review.
Therabody came up with a great idea to make the entry-level model of its Theragun range accessible but not cheap, indeed a fine line to walk. The Teragun mini was not designed for athletes but for everyday people who might have a stiff neck or want to quickly blast their sore calves after having to stand all day at work.
It might be advertised as 'pocket-sized', but the Theragun mini definitely won't fit in your jean pockets. You will be able to shove it in your handbag or backpack pockets, though, so it might just be the phrasing that's slightly misleading.
The mini is surprisingly not as quiet as the Hypervolt but quieter than the Elite, and if you want to, you can even use it in public. You might get some funny looks, but who cares when you can relieve your muscles anywhere, anytime? Let others be jealous of your Theragun mini.
Thanks to the three-speed settings and the high-amplitude percussions, using the Theragun mini will feel powerful enough for people who are not used to sports- or deep-tissue massage. However, for athletes who are, the mini might not be able to effectively relax muscles after rigorous workouts. They can just get a Theragun Elite instead.
Read our full Theragun Mini review.
The Bob and Brad Air 2 Mini Massage Gun is an excellent option for those who are looking for an affordable massage gun. It almost looks identical to the Theragun Mini (pictured above) and it pretty much performs the same too. It has double the amount of battery time (around three hours), comes with five attachment heads and has almost identical speed settings. Despite being small, it still packs a punch with a 12mm amplitude and the ergonomic handle is easy to hold and manoeuvre over the body. It all comes packaged in this smart travel case, so it's perfect for taking with you on the go, or giving as a gift.
If you're a more experienced athlete or are after an extremely powerful massage gun, you'd be better off opting for a larger model from this guide. However, if you're looking for your first massage gun, or are looking for something compact to throw in your gym bag then, for under £100, you can't go wrong with the Air 2 Mini.
Hydrogun's tiny Atom massage gun doesn't have any cool tech features to connect the massage gun to an app on your phone, like some of the Thergun and Hyperice models, but that's part of the appeal. What it does – relieve pain and tension – it does well, considering the compact form factor of the device.
Hydragun put all their effort and time into the design and mechanics of this massager. Whenever we used the Atom Mini Massage Gun, it was a genuine joy. It's easy to operate, is quiet, switches off automatically, and, most importantly, fits in your gym bag easily.
Read our full Hydragun Atom review.
The Hyperice Hypervolt Plus (as in hyper-ice, not hype-rice) is the quietest percussion massager I tried yet it is almost the fastest one too: the Hypervolt Plus' max setting is 3,200 percussions per minute. The Hypervolt is not only faster than the Elite but also a bit heavier, not much though, but enough to help you apply some pressure on the body.
Much like Therabody, Hyperice has its own app now and it’s ‘powered by HyperSmart’, a data-driven approach that recommends massage routines based on your workout activities which are being fed into the app through Apple Health and Strava (the app is only available in the Apple App Store at the moment). You can also control the latest generation, Bluetooth-enabled Hypervolt and Hypervolt Plus devices through the app.
The Hypervolt Plus has three-speed settings, the max setting being 3,200 ppm which is pretty fast but even on this setting, the Hypervolt Plus remains quiet thanks to the brushless motor and the Quiet glide technology. To make sure you apply enough pressure on your muscles, there is a LED pressure indicator on the back of the device so you know how firmly the Hypervolt is being pressed against your skin. You can probably feel it too but it is surprising to see how much you need to press the massager gun against the body for the sensor to be triggered.
The five heads included provide slightly more variety than in the case of the Theragun Elite: the flat head covers larger areas easier and the forked head works the muscle around the spine better, but you must get someone else to do that for you as you can’t apply much pressure on your back holding the Hypervolt Plus. On the upside, even if the Hypervolt Plus is being used by multiple people, the battery will last long enough so you won’t need the charge the massager too often.
Theragun has been dominating the percussion massager market for a couple of years now, and with its latest Theragun range, the brand offers even more versatility to its customers. Of the four Theragun percussion massagers currently being sold, the Elite represents the Goldilocks zone in terms of features and price: the high-end PRO is more expensive and aimed at mostly professionals, while the Prime lacks the OLED screen.
The Theragun Elite offers deep percussion strokes – 16 mm in amplitude, to be precise – and five-speed options as default: 1750, 1900, 2100, 2200 and 2400 ppm. These speed options will be more than enough for most users, but in case you need some more versatility and would like to set the Elite to 1837 ppm, for example, you can do that through the Therabody App.
The Elite connects to the Therabody App via Bluetooth, and targeted massage sessions can be started through the app plus, you can also update the firmware of your Theragun too. There are quite a few different massaging options available in the app, including wellness, sleep and more. Once the Elite is connected to the app, you can control the massager via the phone, such as starting and pausing sessions.
Thanks to the ergonomic handle, the Elite is excellent for self-massaging specific areas such as the lower back. By shifting from one side of the handle to the other, you can apply pressure even to hard-to-reach areas such as the shoulder blades and the back of the thighs.
How to choose the best massage gun for you
A lot of percussion massager guns not only provide a similar massaging experience, but they look pretty much the same too. This is understandable as ergonomics pose certain limitations to design: you need a handle so you can apply force with the guns, and said handle would probably also house the battery, making it grip thicker and longer.
Our top pick is the Hyperice Hypervolt GO 2 because it strikes a good balance between price, functionality and power. It might not be the biggest or the most powerful massage gun, but it's powerful enough for most people who use massage guns to treat a sore neck or calves.
Try the Theragun Pro (5th Gen) if you need something more powerful. It features a unique triangle-shaped handle, which helps you apply pressure anywhere in the body, even if you aren't a contortionist. Plus, it has enough power to batter away any and all muscle pain and stiffness, even if you're an athlete.
The bronze goes to the Theragun mini, a super portable percussion massager that's small enough to be carried in a handbag but still packs enough power to be effective. This no-frills percussion massager is great for everyday people who want a simple enough device to treat a stiff neck or massage their feet.
