best massage gun

6 Best Massage Guns for 2024 (+Buying Guide)

By Lisa S

Do you know when we exercise, we are making our muscles do certain activities which they do not perform normally. This causes the formation of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) or lactic acid.

Massage guns particularly prove helpful in this regard. They help to relax the muscles and seperate the lactic acid from them.

A Massage can be done by hand or by using a machine. While it is painful or rather involves an extra effort to do it using hands, in such cases, massage guns come in handy.

They help to relax the muscles by improving blood circulation.

It sends signals to the nervous system about the pain and blocks the unwanted ones, relieving us from the pain.

So before you buy one for yourself you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of buying it.

Also, you need to know what parameters you should consider before buying it.

In a hurry? Already aware of the parameters to look into?

Well, here are our suggestions then.

If you are in a hurry, here is a quick look at our suggestions.

Name RPM Accessory (pieces) Speed adjustment (levels) Battery capacity(mAh) Indicator  Weight (pounds) Case Battery efficiency (hrs)
Sonic 3300 6 30 2400 LED 3.85 yes 6
Viwik 3200 6 20 2400 LED 3.4 yes 5
Precision 3500 6 3 LED 5.4 yes 4+
Powergun 3400 6 5 LED 3.7 yes 4+
Pleno 5 9 LED 4.41 yes 3
Evieun 3200 5 9 2600 LED 2.2 yes 5

Having learnt that, now let’s turn our attention to some of the best models of massage guns we have shortlisted for you.

1. Sonic Handheld Percussion Massage Gun 

 

sonic massage gun

PROS:

It is a multi functional gun which can particularly help in preventing fasciitis.

Often we confront the problem of heating of the motor when massager is used continuously, but in this case, you can be rest assured.

It has a strong heat dissipation function due to which the motor does not get heated.

Different body parts have different tolerance limits and different needs. Considering the same, it has six different pieces of accessories meant for massaging.

sonic massage gun

The accessories that are suitable for palm, foot and joints are really unique to this gun.

They are made from a sturdy material and not metal. In case it was a metal there would have been danger of injury.

One of the most distinguishable feature of this product is that it comes with a 30 adjustable speed level ranging from 400 to 3300 RPM per minute. Depending on your tolerance level, you can adjust the speed of the massager.

Level 1-6    :Mild massage

Level 6-12  :Muscle relaxation

Level 12-18  :Muscle arousal

Level 18-23  :Decomposition of lactic acid

Level 23-30  :Professional mode

Some massagers are delivered in cartons which makes it difficult to keep all the accessories at one place. If you wish to order one, you need to spend extra bucks.

But fortunately, this gadget comes with a kit to keep all the accessories and the main equipment safe and without damage.

sonic massage gun

It has got an LED display and a battery which can last for 6 hours after charging.

The high-definition LCD touch screen also works as a battery indicator to warn you in time for the next charge.

sonic massage gun

Another great thing about the product is that it comes with anti-slip silicone grip. This is particularly helpful to hold the massager when you turn it on. Due to vibrations, it is possible that it might slip from your hands or even there are chances your palm may have a feeling of numbness. But here, with the anti-slip silicone gripper this issue is eradicated.

CONS:

The front side of the gun is a bit smaller in size and it cannot be rotated.

This might be  a problem if you are trying to massage your own back.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute) 3300
Accessories 6 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 30 levels
Battery capacity 2400mAh
Indicator LED
Weight 3.85 pounds
Case yes
Battery efficiency 6 hours

2. Viwik Massage gun

 

Viwik massage gun

PROS:

It comes with a case and 6 pieces of accessories to suit different body parts.

Viwik massage gun

It has an anti-slip firm grip. This firm grip not only helps you to hold it tightly in your hands, but it also prevents you from experiencing a sudden jerk when you switch on the massager.

It creates less noise.

Viwik massage gun

It has 20 speed adjustments to fit your needs. You can personalise it too.

The battery once fully charged has about 3 to 5 hours of efficiency.

It has an LED display which helps you to stay updated about the level of  battery discharge and when you need to recharge it again.

CONS:

LED display is too sensitive and one should be careful enough to not switch it on accidentally.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute) 3200
Accessories 6 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 20 levels
Battery capacity 2400mAh
Indicator LED
Weight 3.4 pounds
Case Yes
Battery efficiency 5 hrs

3. PRECISION THERAPEUTICS( Deep Tissue Professional Percussion Massage Gun

 

precison

PROS:

It is a deep tissue massage gun with a powerful motor having 1800 to 3500 strokes per minute.

It comes with a grip to hold it firmly and also an anti-drop glass fibre. Due to which the product has high durability.

To further add feathers to the cap, it has an additional warranty of 1 year.

precison

It comes with 6 massage heads and 3 different speed settings. Depending on your tolerance level you can adjust the stroke from 1800 to 3500 per minute.

The best part about it is that it can be charged quickly. In almost 90 minutes and has a battery life of 4 hours.

precision

It takes care of your muscles, spine and all the other parts of the body with 6 special massage heads.

The massage heads are designed ergonomically keeping in view their intended use.

It comes with a carrying case and is lightweight; weighing just 2.5 pounds. This makes it easy to carry, wherever required.

It has two metal massager heads which can work better with the application of essential oils.

CONS:

Only 3 speed settings are available and not 20 to 30 speed settings like the similar products that are available.

The product is intended for sale in the USA only, which needs special attention for anyone ordering it from outside the USA.

You need to take care of the points whether the legal rules of your country permit importing such product.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute) 3500
Accessories 6 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 3 levels
Battery capacity
Indicator LED
Weight 5.4 pounds
Case Yes
Battery efficiency 4+ hrs

4. Powergun Massage gun

PROS:

This is a product with 92% of five star ratings on Amazon. It is a hypervolt gun with excellent support from the seller’s end.

powergun

It makes very little noise and weighs only 1.8 pounds.

The design is sleek and it comes with a carrying case. So, it is very easy to carry it elsewhere.

Unlike other massage guns it has a smart power saving mode. Which means that the gun automatically switches off after 10 minutes of usage.

powergun

It has 5 different adjustable speeds to suit your requirements.

It is user friendly and indicates through colours whether it is time to recharge your battery or not.

powergun

It comes with 6 different massage heads out of which two have a metal head.

The Metal head makes it convenient to use oils while massaging.

CONS:

The LED display is located right on the arm, where we hold it while performing a massage. It is possible to accidentally change the speed setting or turn it off if it gets pressed.

The front part of the gun, used for massaging is rigid and makes it difficult to massage certain areas.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute) 3400
Accessories 6 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 5 levels
Battery capacity
Indicator LED
Weight 3.7 pounds
Case Yes
Battery efficiency 4+ hrs

5. PLENO M5.0 Professional Deep Muscle Massager

Noises above 90 db can impair your hearing ability but this massager operates at 70 db which makes it a better choice if you are concerned about your health.

 

pleno

PROS:

Noise levels within permissible limits.

The company claims that the product has a 24V brushless DC motor double bearing transmissions which brings high power and low noise experience…’

pleno Massage Guns

Noise reduction technology

It comes with 5 accessories to suit different needs. The shovel head accessory is specially useful for the back, spine and waist.

It comes with 9 different speed settings to adjust according to your needs. If you aren’t a sports person then even the first 3 settings speed will suffice you.

pleno

According to the company it has Food Grade Silicone Protective Cover which helps to have a anti-slip smooth gripping touch.

Often accidental slipping causes damage to the equipment and this is an excellent feature to prevent it.

It comes with a product guide.

CONS:

It has predetermined speed functions which cannot be tailor-made depending on the tolerance capacity.

Some portion of the massager is of white color which is prone to get dirty after regular use.

The battery life is 3 hours in the highest gear which is low as compared to the  others.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute)
Accessories 5 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 9 levels
Battery capacity
Indicator
Weight 4.41 pounds
Case Yes
Battery efficiency 3 hrs

6. EVIEUN Percussion Massage Gun

This is a massage gun with benefits of both – surface level massage and deep tissue massage.

Evieun Muscle Massage Gun provides powerful and deep vibrations that relax stiff muscles and soothe sore tissues at the same time.

evieeun

The product comes with a 1 year warranty and 30 days money back guarantee. The fact that the product offers 30 days money back guarantee speaks for the genuineness of the product.

PROS:

It comes with 4 different massage heads and a powerful motor to give you 3200 strokes per minute. If you aren’t a sports person, try not to operate it at the highest speed. It is so powerful that you won’t be able to tolerate it.

evieeun

It is lighter in weight and compact in design.

It has 4 adjustable speed variations. Generally a normal person, not a sports person, would love to operate it at first 2 speeds.

It comes with a bag to carry it, which makes it easy to store. Also in case, you are serving as a sports coach then this massager can be a handy tool for you and aid your performance.

evieeun Massage Guns

It has a special spiral attachment for body joints. It can also be used for muscle sprains or any other specific area which causes pain. This is the particular function of the spiral massage head.

It has a power switch both at the bottom and on the LED display. Unless both are switched on, the unit does not start. This is one of the nice safety features this product provides.

It makes less noise although it is very powerful because of the brushless motor.

Massage Guns

CONS:

Stroke length is rigid and a bit small, which makes it difficult to massage the lower back if you are doing it by yourself.

CONFIGURATION:

RPM (per minute) 3200
Accessories 5 pieces
Speed adjustment Yes – 9 levels
Battery capacity 2600mAh
Indicator yes
Weight 2.2 pounds
Case Yes
Battery efficiency 5 hrs

BUYING GUIDE FOR MASSAGE GUNS

Well, before you purchase the one that is best for you, it is better to consult a doctor in case you have any problems relating to the heart or if you have been operated on for a bone or any other injury.

Massagers have different capacities and may cause further damage to you, if not used properly.

You need to take care of some technical features and other features that are enlisted, before you buy a massager.

The technical factors include:

Length of the Knob:

The distance of the knob from the main unit. Large distance between the knob and the main unit will cause the connecting rod to be big in size.

Due to this it will have more impact and might be a bit harsh.

Whereas if the knob is very near to the main unit it will be gentle in operations conducted.

Amplitude:

The second factor to look into is the amplitude. Amplitude is measured by the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium.

The gun with a large amplitude will hit hard and the one with a lesser one will be gentle.

Normal users can benefit by using a Hypervolt gun. Whereas sports persons might have more pain tolerance and can use the Thera Gun.

RPM:

The third very important aspect to be considered is the RPM ( rounds per minute).

If you have witnessed any boxing championship, you must have noticed how fast a boxer hits his opponent.

Similarly, RPM indicates how many times a gun can hit in a minute. Generally all Hypervolt massage guns come with a speed setting unlike TheraGuns.

Generally all guns have RPM between 2000 to 3200.

Having considered the technical factors, now let us consider some other functionality factors:

Noise:

All massage guns make noise. You particularly need to pay close attention to this feature if you are going to use it in clinics.

Battery life:

Another aspect is battery life. These units often run off a battery which needs to be charged.

It can be annoying and time consuming if you need to charge it after every use.

So this point needs a close look.

If you are going to use it in a clinic or a spa then it is possible that you might not even get time to charge it.

Depending on where you are going to use it, you can finalise the type of gun.

Thera Guns generally have a more powerful battery life and manufacturers provide an additional battery with the unit itself so that it can be charged when lying idle.

This is not so with Hypervolt guns.

Attachments:

Massage guns often come with attachments like a ball or bullet head.

Depending on which body part you are going to use it on, you need to shortlist it. For example, Fork attachment allows us to work closely near bones and tendons.

Weight of the gun:

You are either going to hold and use the massage gun yourself or ask someone else to do it for you.

Have you ever seen a person working with a drilling machine? How tedious it is! Just think of a massage gun, a small device similar to that. So before you buy it, you need to analyse whether you will be in the position to bear its weight and hold it for a long time.

Some guns have an adjustable head whereas in others it is fixed. You need to study whether it will be comfortable for you to use.

Design of the gun:

The design of the gun should be such which isn’t hard on your wrist and is able to reach the body points for massage. Otherwise it won’t serve the purpose.

Heating feature:

Before buying, test the equipment or read reviews whether it heats up or emits some burning smell.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What are the benefits of using a massage gun?

It helps to relieve stress, improve muscle contraction, improves blood circulation, separates the lactic acid from the muscles and helps to rehabilitate the injured muscles.

2. How long should you use a massage gun?

Well, it depends on which type of gun you are using. For example, if you are using a Theragun then a minimum usage of 15 seconds and a  maximum of 2 minutes will be sufficient.

3. Do massage guns break scar tissues?

Yes, it does break it irrespective of the fact which type of gun you are using. They help to increase blood and lymphatic flow, break up scar tissue, activate muscles and reset the nervous system.

4. Who should not use a massage gun?

If you are suffering from muscle strains, sprains, broken bones or any of the chronic conditions like

  • Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon)
  • Bursitis (inflammation of the bursae, or fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones from tendons and muscles)
  • Fasciitis (inflammation of the fascia, or connective tissue, most commonly diagnosed in the heel as plantar fasciitis)
  • Periostitis (inflammation of the periosteum, a layer of connective tissue that surrounds the bone)

Then you should not use a massage gun without consulting a doctor.

Do let us know which massage gun you liked the most and any other special feature which you noted while using it. We will be glad to see your comments!

SOURCES:

Who should not use a massage gun?

https://www.cnet.com/news/sprains-strains-and-injured-veins-when-not-to-use-a-theragun/

Top 10 benefits of a massage gun

https://achedaway.com/blogs/massage-gun/top-10-benefits-of-a-massage-gun

All You Need To Know About Massage Gun

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/245189/20190831/all-you-need-to-know-about-massage-gun.htm

How long should you use a massage gun?

https://www.theragun.com/us/en-us/faq/getting-started/faq-category-1-faq-2.html

What points to look for when buying a massage gun? (buying

guide)

https://www.armourupasia.com/what-you-need-to-know-when-buying-a-massage-gun/