Training hard may be the most important part of getting your body in peak condition. It is, however, not the only thing. After all, you can only train as hard as your body will allow and recovery is a big part of putting your body in the best position to succeed. You can’t be expected to perform your best when you’ve got sore muscles and tight knots, can you?
Right now, there’s no better tool to help speed up the recovery of aching muscles than a percussive massager. You know, those handheld massage guns that look like a power drill, except with a large head that’s meant to put rapid, oscillating bursts of pressure on your muscles in place of pointed drilling tips.
For a long time, TheraGun was the only player in this consumer space, making it the de facto choice for athletes, sports teams, and trainers who found it invaluable in their day-to-day activities. It was a sought-after specialty equipment and was priced accordingly. In the last six or so years, though, more and more companies have released their own take on the percussive massager, giving people more options and, more importantly, driving the price down to a level that’s reasonably affordable even for the average consumer.
These are the best massage guns you can get today.
Medcursor Precision MG01
Most people train casually. That is, they run, lift weights, or play sports a few times a week for the express purpose of staying in shape. For the most part, those folks don’t need a top-of-the-line massage gun. However, they will need some form of tool to help for those times they end up with a pulled muscle here or some tightness in the back. This small and lightweight percussive massager can get the job done with its five speed levels, six swappable heads, and 3200 RPM motor, all while coming in at a very affordable price. While you can feel the difference in intensity (it just doesn’t hit quite as deep as more expensive options), it should get you through the most common aches and pains you incur from more casual training regimens.
LifePro Sonic
There’s nothing special about this percussive massager. From the five speeds (up to 3000 RPM) and four attachment heads to the 12mm amplitude and the 75db maximum noise, it’s pretty average in the category. While it doesn’t sound all that special, it does feel intense enough to deliver serious myofascial release and sore muscle relief, while being effective enough at low speeds for gentle stimulation on more sensitive tissues. The build doesn’t feel premium and the plastic casing even more so, but it gets the job done at a third or less of the price of more high-end options.
Ekrin B37
Ekrin Athletics may not be as well known as other brands in this list. However, their B37 percussive massager quickly became one of the standouts as soon as it hit the market. That’s for good reason, as it offers a combination of features that’s pretty unique, even when compared to more expensive products in the category. For instance, it boasts 56 pounds of stall force, which puts it just a few pounds short of the rating for the best massage guns in the business, while the handle’s atypical 15-degree angle allows you to reach muscles even at the most awkward positions. It has five speed settings, from 1400 to 3200 RPM, all while generating little noise compared to other massagers in this list even at the highest speed setting. Unlike most massage guns that hold four or so hours of battery life, this one can run up to eight whopping hours between charges, allowing you to pass it around among your friends during warm up or recovery without worrying about draining it empty before you get back home.
Hydragun
Boasting an operating noise level of just 30 to 50 decibels, this percussive massager is one of the quietest you will find, generating a sound that’s barely louder than the hum of your air-conditioning unit. That means, it’s the perfect massage gun to use at home, as you can work on loosening your tight muscles while plopped down on the couch with the family watching a game. Yes, you should be able to hear the TV clearly as this thing whirs gently in the background.
It works well, too, putting a decent amount of pressure on whatever muscle you’re treating, with six speed settings allowing you to dial in just the right amount of force to whatever pain or soreness you’ve got. Seven attachment heads are in tow, including three cut in stainless steel for those times you want something to dig into those muscles hard.
Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro
When it comes to build quality, there are few percussive massagers that feel more reliable than this sturdy model, which delivers 60 pounds of pressure at a rate of 2,700 percussions per minute. All that force at that frequency feels incredibly good on any muscle you use it on, while the 14mm of amplitude digs deeper into the tissues more than any other massage gun, save for the final one in this list. A handy dial allows you to tweak the speed to five different settings, while a built-in pressure sensor allows you to see how much pressure is being applied at any point. It comes with an app where you can find video routines that take you step-by-step through warm-up, recovery, and relaxation using the gun, too, making it easier for novices who want to learn how to use a massage gun correctly. On the downside, the shape feels a little awkward when you’re reaching into tougher angles, although you do get the hang of it after a while.
Therabody Theragun Pro
Of course, the Theragun has developed a somewhat bad reputation as a really noisy massager. For the most part, it’s true. However, the newest fourth generation of the model is as quiet as it’s ever been, although it still remains, admittedly, one of the noisier options in the category, as all that power does generate a fair bit of sound.