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The 6 Best Massage Guns of 2024 Will Have You Feeling Better in No Time
Buy yourself an at-home deep-tissue massage.
There's one big winner in the massage gun revolution: you, the consumer. These little health gadgets are like a physical therapist at your bedside. If you're sore from a killer home workout, HIIT-ing (he-he) the gym hard, or going for three long sets, you can blast away lactic acid, no problem.
But which should you buy? Admittedly, it's a two-horse race at the moment: Theragun vs. Hypervolt. While we've praised previous generations of the Theragun, the race has never been closer. Hyperice (maker of the Hypervolt) has a few great offerings, and there's a growing crop of outsiders claiming market space. As we said, the real winner is you. None of these options are a bad buy. And as the field becomes more competitive, the best massage guns will only get better.
So whether you're hitting the rowing machine until every muscle in your body is vibrating or building an affordable home gym, punch your muscles back into working shape with one of the best massage guns we've tested and reviewed.
Pros
- Enough massage power for casual fitness types
- Built-in guided breathwork exercises
- Has same PPM as other Theragun models
Cons
- Might be underpowered for serious athletes
When asked to pick a "best overall," I'm thinking of the massage gun that's going to have the widest possible appeal. For me, that massage gun is the Theragun Sense.
In terms of power, I found it comparable to the Hypervolt 2 Pro. Only Therabody provides amplitude figures—12mm here, 16mm on its flagship—but I'd wager they're about the same, or the Hypervolt hits slightly deeper. Either way, the Sense is enough power for me, a grown man who lifts weights about three times a week. But it's not overkill for someone like my mom, who just needs to massage out back pain every once in a while. This massage gun finds a nice middle ground.
What this massage gun does that none of the others do is give you breathwork exercises. After you loosen up your sore muscles, you can go through a five-minute breathing routine. Haptic feedback tells you when and how to breathe, and a heart-rate monitor shows you the results. Truthfully, that's the most valuable feature of all. Massage guns are great for improving circulation, but you could do that with a regular massage. The ability to help you lower your heart rate, control your breathing, and clear your head will probably do just as much good for you as the muscle recovery stuff.
| Weight | 1.6 lbs. |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 5 Between |
| Included Attachments | Dampener, Ball, Thumb, and Micro-Point |
Pros
- The best massage gun money can buy
- Hot and cold therapy for specific needs
- Preset routines—like relax, warm up, recovery, and sleep—make it easy for the user
- Incredibly quiet
- Ergonomic triangular grip
Cons
- A lot more features than most people need
- Cold attachment is sold separately
Like Kleenex for facial tissue and ChapStick for lip balm, Theragun has become the general term for percussion massage guns. It was the first to really blow up, and Therabody still makes the best massage gun on the market, for our money. It's the real deal.
The downside is that the Theragun Pro Plus, the top-of-the-line model, is easily the most expensive massage gun out there. If you're a serious athlete or aspire to be one, go ahead and invest in its variety of attachments, preset massages, and easy-to-read OLED interface. Previous Theragun models were a bit noisy, but this new big-dog version is whisper quiet. Plus, Therabody has added hot and cold treatments to this gun. Heat therapy is great for circulation and limbering up sore muscles. Cold therapy helps take down inflammation and pain. Considering all the things it can do for you, no other massage gun will serve you better.
Obviously, the market for this level of intense massaging is small. This is clearly more than the average person with a bit of back pain needs. For that, there are cheaper options.
| Weight | 3.6 lbs |
|---|---|
| Speeds | Variable Between 1750 and 2400 PPMs |
| Included Attachments | Dampener, Standard Ball, Thumb, Micro-Point, and Wedge |
Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro
Pros
- High-end performance
- Beats the Theragun on price
- Great attachments included
- Love the dial that controls this massage gun
Cons
- Grip is a bit awkward
- Not as powerful as the Theragun
As I said, the Theragun was the original, and for my money it's still the leader in the category. But in recent years, the Hypervolt has become an increasingly close competitor.
The Hypervolt Plus was $200 less than the Theragun Pro when it debuted a few years ago. Now that Therabody has gone all in on its Pro Plus model, the Hypervolt Plus is almost $300 cheaper than its top-of-the-line competitor. Is it as good as the Theragun Pro Plus? Not for me. It's not as strong and doesn't match the Theragun's 16mm stroke length. The main thing, however, is the Theragun's triangular ergonomic grip. When I tested the brands head to head, that's what set them apart.
But again, if you're not a pro-level athlete who relies on their muscles for a paycheck, or you're not training for a marathon, an Ironman, or some other incredible feat of human strength, you don't need a whole lot. The Hypervolt 2 Pro offers a suite of attachments, including a forked one for nailing down specific muscle groups, and enough power to take care of most recreational athletes' aches and pains.
| Weight | 2.6 lbs |
|---|---|
| Number of speeds | Five |
| Included attachments | Five heads: Fork, ball, cushion, flat, and bullet |
Pros
- Incredible price
- Reasonable performance
- Nice set of attachments
- I was pleasantly surprised by its LED interface
Cons
- Not as durable as high-end models
- Loud
- Not as efficient as a Theragun or even a Hypervolt
The thing about massage guns is they all really do the same thing. Therabody pioneered percussive massaging way back when, but these days every brand does percussive. Sure, someone like me who tests products for a living will tell you that Therabody does it better than Hyperice, which does it better than the third-tier brands. But the third-tier brands are generally good enough for most people. That's where Renpho's R3 comes in.
It retails for just $90, a perfect price to entice the percussive-massage freshman, casual gymgoer, or desk jockey with back pain. It does everything expected from a massage gun. There’s enough power and amplitude, five massager heads, and an easy-to-use interface. Sure, it's a tad loud, and it doesn't make quick work of your sore muscles like a Theragun or Hypervolt does. But if you're just as happy massaging for five minutes as for three or two, no worries. This is the massage gun for you.
| Weight | 1.5 lbs |
|---|---|
| Number of speeds | Five |
| Included attachments | Five heads: Fork, ball, dampening, flat, and bullet |
Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2
Pros
- Great price, incredible value
- Super lightweight
- Much simpler than higher-end models
Cons
- Only two heads included
- Theragun Mini is better for travel
Where Hyperice really wins is in the portable gun category. The Hypervolt Go is $70 cheaper than Therabody's competitive model (the Theragun Mini, which is more "travel-sized"). For $130, you get a nice little massage gun. It's actually our favorite for golf because Hyperice makes a nifty little bag holster, and this model has enough power for the back and arm pain that most golfers will experience.
The only real downside is that the Hypervolt Go only comes with two head attachments, though you can of course purchase more. Also, this one doesn't connect to an app via Bluetooth. For some athletes, this really doesn't matter. If anything, it makes the process simpler. You get a reasonably portable three-speed massage gun, no bells and whistles.
| Weight | 1.5 lbs. |
|---|---|
| Number of speeds | Three |
| Included attachments | Two heads: Flat and bullet |
Pros
- Ultralight
- Easily packable shape
- Three heads is great for such a bare-bones model
- Bluetooth connectivity
Cons
- Grip is not as great as on other Theraguns
- Hypervolt Go 2 is a more well-rounded massage gun
The Theragun Mini is the winner in the travel category. The Hypervolt Go 2 is just a tad too big to compete here. Convenience is still the real draw: The Mini has limited attachments and a more packable shape than the classic Theragun triangle.
It's small enough to toss in any bag while being powerful enough to take care of sore muscles. This is a great one for dealing with your hip flexors, lower back, and feet on a long flight.
| Weight | 1 lb. |
|---|---|
| Number of speeds | Three |
| Included attachments | Three heads: Dampener, standard ball, and thumb |
Benefits of Massage Guns
Okay, we, unlike the Huberman Lab, will keep this short and sweet.
What do massage guns actually do?
The literature on the full benefits of massage guns—on musculoskeletal performance, flexibility, and recovery—is ever-increasing. Therabody itself is putting a ton of resources into the research. But the known benefits are similar to those of a regular massage, like increased blood flow, muscle recovery, and relaxation. Essentially, they help reduce muscle pain whether from soreness or something chronic.
How We Picked the Best Massage Guns
Well... we worked out until we were sore, then we used all these massage guns. Simple but effective! We also ran side-by-side tests to compare the nitty-gritty, and these are the attributes we looked for.
Ease of use: The display should be easy to read, and the app should be easy to navigate. We're not all physical therapists, so the guided massages need to be simple to follow, with diagrams showing where to massage for each muscle group.
Design touches: The Theragun's triangle handle is the best example, but the Hypervolt 2 Pro has a lovely dial to control speed. These are the small things that make a big difference when you're actually massaging.
Percussion performance: How hard and how fast can the gun actually hit your muscles? It doesn't take a lot, but the higher-end guns, specifically the Hypervolt and the Theragun, just feel that extra bit nicer. They hit your muscles with more even and consistent force.
Why Trust Esquire
Because we actually test this stuff. I've used a bunch of different massage guns for over a decade now. The physical trainer who worked with my high school athletic department had an early-days Theragun model. I've seen this category explode into what it is today, and I've been testing all the new iterations along the way.
On top of that, we've got connections here at Esquire. We talk to these companies, their doctors, and our own sources to figure out what's real science and what's just made up to sell you stuff.
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