The Best Massagers for People Who Don’t Have Time to Relax
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Best Massage Gun (That Isn’t a Theragun)
A Mini Massage Gun
A Heated Back Massage
If Massagers Never Have Enough Attachments
The best massagers should be as accessible as your morning coffee—not a luxury you save for special occasions. Between workouts, work stress, and the existential crisis that is life, who isn't carrying tension somewhere? I've spent countless hours trying every type of massager out there. Testing these contraptions might sound like the dream gig, but it's not all bliss. Some felt like a personal massage therapist. Others like they were designed to tenderize meat. A few made me question every life choice that led to this moment.
The good news? I've rounded up the best massagers for every body and budget. Ones that actually deliver on their promises to soothe, stimulate, and shiatsu. Let's get into our top picks—before I need a massager to recover from testing all these massagers. Read our Best Theraguns and Therabody Tools and Everything You Need for Your Yoga Practice guides for more wellness recommendations.
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Do Massage Guns Work?
Massage guns can relieve soreness, but they also increase blood flow for faster muscle recovery. Jacklyn Plonski, an outpatient orthopedic and pediatric physical therapist, likens percussive therapy devices to using a foam roller or getting a professional physical therapy treatment. Here's what she has to say:
Plonksi says there are no apparent negative effects, but she recommends people always talk to a physician before trying a device.
- Photograph: Hyperice
Best Massage Gun (That Isn’t a Theragun)
Hyperice Hypervolt 2Hyperice is Therabody's top competitor, and the Hypervolt 2 does give the Theragun a run for its money. Under $200, it offers great value, especially compared to the Theragun Relief, or the Sense if you catch it on sale. Unlike the Relief, which includes three attachments, the Hypervolt 2 comes with five (fork, ball, cushion, flat, and bullet). It also delivers about three hours of battery life, which is an hour longer than the Relief. Most importantly, it's compatible with the Hyperice app and has Bluetooth connectivity, a feature you'd have to forgo with the former.
- Photograph: Gravity
A Mini Massage Gun
Gravity Move Heated Mini MassagerThe Gravity Move Heated Mini Massager is similar to the Theragun Mini, though it also comes with a heated attachment that can reach up to 126 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat therapy is controlled with a separate button and can be turned on with or without pulsations. You don't even need to attach it to the device at all. (The attachment needs to be charged separately, too, and it comes with its own USB-C charger.) This is former reviewer Medea Giordano's go-to massager, but she does wish the accompanying case was big enough to hold all four attachments instead of just one at a time.
- Photograph: Hyperice
A Heated Back Massage
Hyperice Venom 2 BackThe Venom 2 Back provides consistent heat distribution across the lower back with three adjustable levels (113, 122, and 131 degrees) that can be paired with three different vibration patterns. It's great for relieving back pain or warming up before mobility workouts, as it stimulates circulation and loosens the muscles in your lower back. I especially appreciate the auto shut-off function, which lets me sit back and relax, knowing I don't have to worry about turning it off. Too much heat can intensify muscle pain or cause inflammation, and we don't want that.
- Photograph: LifePro
If Massagers Never Have Enough Attachments
LifePro Sonic Handheld Percussion Massage GunThe LifePro Sonic has eight attachments, the most of any percussion massage gun we've tried: round for sore muscles, shovel for back pain, flat for a deep tissue massage experience, air for sensitive spots, wishbone for joints and hard-to-reach muscle groups, bullet for trigger points, spinal to loosen up the lower back, and a textured tip for extra pain relief. The Sonic is a little heavy—about 2.5 pounds—and doesn't have a digital display like the Theragun Pro+. But it's equipped with five intensity levels and a battery indicator, which is plenty for a massage tool.
- Photograph: Sharper Image
Cryotherapy Anyone?
Sharper Image Powerboost Pro+Sharper Image's Powerboost Pro+ is Giordano's favorite massage gun. It includes six silicone attachments, including a dual-temperature add-on that offers both heat and cold therapy—with a range from 38 degrees to 115 degrees. Like the Gravity Move, you can use the Pro+ for just the hot or cold relief, or accompanied by one of the six speed settings. The Pro+ is one of the quieter models in this guide too. It gets louder as you increase the speed, but even then it's not blaring.
- Photograph: Gravity
For Your Eyes
Gravity Eye MassagerThe Gravity Eye Massager (8/10, WIRED Recommends) combines multi-frequency air compression, kneading motions, and heat therapy to relieve the pressure points around your temples and alleviate eye strain. Giordano says this massager helped with her chronic headaches. It's also a fabulous tool for relaxation or to unwind after a day of staring at screens. Personally, I find it especially helpful when I'm feeling stressed or congested (flu season!). It's also Bluetooth compatible and is equipped with speakers, so you can listen to a guided meditation or soothing soundscapes in the process.
Note that it's not suitable for people with major eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, or retinal detachment.
Honorable Mentions
Turonic GM5 Massage Gun for $160: The Turonic is less than 2 pounds (much lighter than the LifePro Sonic above) and has one of the lowest intensity levels. That's good for people who generally feel that “low” isn't quite low enough on massage guns. It's still quite powerful, too, with around eight hours of battery life.
Synca Corron Rollup Massager for $190: The Synca has rolling nodes that knead into muscles with or without heat—think of those full-body massage chairs at the mall or nail salon. Giordano liked it for her back and shoulders, but it's not as easy to lie down on as some of the photos depict. It can actually kind of hurt that way, so it's better to lean against it. It's also not cordless, so you'll need to be near an outlet.
