Best massage guns

The best massage guns are a handy tool for a self-applied deep tissue massage, especially before or after workouts when relieving muscle stiffness.

We've put popular massage guns from Theragun, Renpho, Physion, HoMedics, Amazon and more to the test to see which gun massager is the most comfortable and convenient to use.

Our results found that your personal needs for power, battery life and adjustability will somewhat dictate which is the best massage gun for you. However, we found one massage gun that was the favourite of all our testers. It's recommended below as a Which? Best Buy and, if you're looking to buy your first massage gun, the good news is it's not the priciest we tested.

The best massage guns

Only logged-in Which? members can view the massage guns test results below. 

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The massage guns we tested

All the massage guns we've tested are listed in alphabetical order below. 

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best massage guns from our tests. 

Join Which? now to get instant access to our test results and recommendations.

Aerlang EM8

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Stated speed range and amplitude 1,200-3,200ppm; 12mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, arc-shaped head, U-shaped head, shovel-shaped head, flat head, bullet head, ball head

Need to know 23x6.5x17cm (HxWxD), 0.82kg, stated charging time: 3 hours, one-year warranty

Bodi-Tek Deep Tissue Sports Cordless Massage Gun

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Stated speed range and amplitude 900-2,100ppm; 12mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, round head, flushing head, flat head, curved head, finger point head, flat head, curved head

Need to know 21.3x7x16cm(HxWxD), 0.75kg, stated charging time: 3 hours, two-year warranty

Boots Deep Tissue Percussive Massage Gun

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Stated speed range and amplitude 1,600-2,400; 6mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, bullet head, flat head, ball head, fork head

Need to know 14.6x4.5x11cm (HxWxD), 0.367kg, stated charging time: 3 hours, one-year warranty

See our reviews of the best foot spas. 

HoMedics Pro Physio Heat Massage Gun

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Cons Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Stated speed range and amplitude 2,100-3,000ppm; 10mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, ball head, barrel head, cool head, arrow head, heated head, cellulite head

Need to know 22.4x6.4x20cm (HxWxD), 1kg, stated charging time: 2 hours 30 mins, three-year warranty

Mebak 3

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Cons Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Stated speed range and amplitude 640-3,200ppm; 12mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, bullet head, flat head, shovel head, round head, fork head, cushion head, bump head, attachments case

Need to know 24.9x6.6x17.5cm (HxWxD), 0.89kg, stated charging time: 3 hours, pressure level indicator, one-year warranty

MuscleGun Carbon

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Stated speed range and amplitude 1,400-3,200ppm; 10mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, firm ball head, fork head, flat dampener head, bullet head

Need to know 24.2x6.2x18.8cm (HxWxD), 0.98kg, stated charging time: 1 hour, two-year warranty

Physion Pro

Available from Physion (£79.95)

Pros Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

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Stated speed range and amplitude Minimum range not stated, maximum speed 5,000ppm; amplitude not stated

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, ball head, thumb head, spade-shaped head, U-shaped head, bullet head, flat head

Need to know 24.3x6.8x17.2cm (HxWxD), 1.23kg, stated charging time: 6 hours, warranty length not stated

Renpho RP-GM171

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Stated speed range and amplitude 1,800-3,200ppm; 10mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, bullet head, flat head, air cushion head, ball head, fork head

Need to know 18.5x5.8x14.5cm (HxWxD), 0.68kg, stated charging time: 3 hours, one-year warranty

Theragun Mini (2nd Generation)

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Stated speed range and amplitude 1,750-2,400ppm; 12mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Soft case, dampener head, standard ball head, thumb head, USB-A to USB-C charging cable

Need to know 14.1x1.93x4.92cm (HxWxD), 0.45kg, stated charging time: 1 hour 20 mins, two-year warranty

Theragun Pro

Pros Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Cons Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Stated speed range and amplitude 1,750-2,400ppm; 16mm

Tested battery life (highest setting) Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results

Accessories included Carry case, travel pouch, 2 x li-ion batteries, battery charging station, supersoft head, dampener head, standard ball head, thumb head, cone head, wedge head

Need to know 25.5x7.6x18cm (HxWxD), 1.3kg, stated charging time: 1 hour 15 mins, OLED screen, customisable speed range (app required), two-year warranty

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How we test massage guns

We pick popular massage guns sold at leading UK retailers and enlist panels of testers of varied ages and genders to try out each massage gun after vigorous exercise and see which ones they prefer. Each tester tries all of the massage guns. 

We buy every massage gun we test.

Ease of use and adjustability

While using each massage gun, testers rate them for how:

• Comfortable they are to handle
• Easily they cycle through the speed settings
• Ably they can massage tricky-to-reach spots.

While some of the best massage guns make it easy to reach tricky areas such as your lower back and shoulders, others are more difficult to handle, and we even find it difficult to cycle through the speed settings on some of the worst ones.

Each massage gun is separately rated for its range of speed settings and attachments.

Comfort and power

Testers try out the various settings on each massage gun and rate them for how comfortable and effective they feel to use, and if they provide the desired level of power.

Everyone has different preferences and thresholds for power and speed, but some of the massage guns we test are so lacking that our testers feel they lack effectiveness, even on the highest settings.

Battery life and noise

• We run each massage gun on its highest setting and record how long each one lasts before running out.
• We use a decibel meter to record how noisy each massage gun is on its highest setting.

Do massage guns work?

Massage gun brands state that their products provide a wide range of benefits, from promoting blood flow and accelerating muscle recovery to improving flexibility and encouraging lymphatic drainage.

There is inconclusive research about some of the longer-term scientific benefits of using massage guns, as they are relatively new products that are still being investigated and debated.

What we do know for sure is the percussive therapy that massage guns provide helps with instant relief from muscle soreness, and reduces onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by encouraging blood flow to affected areas. Percussive therapy is a fancy name for a massage that's rapid and repetitive and uses vibrations. 

For example, a 2014 study from the National Library of Medicine in the USA confirmed that percussive therapy 'significantly' reduces DOMS at 24, 48 and 72 hours after exercise.

If your aim is to get some satisfying relief from post-workout muscle strain and to help reduce soreness in your muscles in the days after a workout, the best massage guns are likely to work well for you and are well worth buying.

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Massage gun extras - do you need them?

Massage guns tend to come with a variety of massage heads of all shapes and sizes. Each feels different and are intended for use on different muscle groups.

These are the intended areas of application for each massage gun head we came across (under various names) in our tests:

• Ball/round - for large muscle groups such as quads and glutes
• Barrel - for forearms and calves
• Bullet/arrow/thumb/cone - for deep tissue, joints, trigger points, lower back, meridians, the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet
• Cellulite - for legs, glutes and arms
• Flat/bump/dampener - for all-round general use
• Cushion/soft - for sensitive or sore muscles and areas near bones or joints
• Arc-shaped/curved - for your biceps and shoulders
• Fork/U-shaped - for around the neck, shoulders, spine, calves and Achilles tendon
• Shovel/spade/flushing/wedge - for your neck, shoulders and lower back

Whether or not you really need these attachments is a matter of opinion. During testing we tended to default to the all-rounder attachments such as flat, bump or dampener heads as it saved us the effort of having to swap them around.

It's all about preference, though. Read the intended use of each attachment, give each a go, and follow what feels right for you.

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