But to check the integrity of the motor, we ran the device unattended for 15 minutes straight at various speeds and noticed just a slight bit of warmth. This massage gun can reach high speeds, but our tester didn’t find it particularly powerful, making it a better choice for casual use or post-walk massages than as a recovery aid from renpho massage gun intense exercise. The round ball head also dragged uncomfortably on their skin and they didn’t like that the only instructions are printed on the box. Better still, there are five speed settings and seven interchangeable heads (which you can use with massage oil), allowing you to target different muscle groups and areas of the body.
Consider customization as you think about which muscles you typically need to target and what type of massage therapy you enjoy using on those muscles. Some massage guns come with a handful of head attachments, some offer an adjustable head angle on the device itself, some provide both of these features, and some neglect both. Dr. Wu says that pinpoint, flat, and curved attachments help target a variety of different muscles and tensions. “If you’re really tight and tender, then starting with a flat head attachment would be best to warm up the tissues without discomfort,” she says.
We then wrote detailed descriptions and rated each massage gun, both from our experience using it in the Lab and after using it at home for at least a month. We also gave each massage gun an overall rating renpho massage reflecting whether we would recommend it to a friend or family member. We were then asked to evaluate the safety and noise level of the device and if the included instructions were clear and helpful.
The included travel case means it can be your new gym buddy too, making it easy to pummel the pain away post-session. The short handle does makes it a bit awkward to reach the lower back, and it wasn’t the quietest device, but overall, this is a nifty little machine to have in your gym bag. MuscleGun pulled out all the stops with this small yet mighty offering.
Stall force refers to the amount of pressure the motor can supply before it cuts out – here it’s a claimed 25lbs. While these numbers won’t be enough for heavily-muscled athletes – think boxers, bodybuilders and sprinters – those of a more toned, or whippet-like physiques will find it just fine. The Renpho R3 Mini Massage Gun has met most of my recovery needs handsomely. It’s ergonomically shaped, the kit is comprehensive and it lets you tailor pressure very accurately. With Bluetooth connectivity and the brand’s unique Rhythm Therapy technology, it promises to offer a more relaxing, personalized, therapeutic experience while giving yourself a, well, selfie. You can use the Lyric app and handy touchscreen display to access guided massages and place it on the included charging dock between sessions.
The Theragun Elite is a souped-up, more expensive version of the Theragun Prime (one of our picks). Compared with the Prime, it has five attachments instead of four, a higher stall force (40 pounds versus 30 pounds), and an OLED display (instead of LED lights). Those upgrades might be valuable to some people, but we found the overall experience of the Elite and the Prime to be similar, and we concluded that most people would be satisfied with the Prime. We plan to test the second-generation Theragun Mini, Therabody’s smallest massage gun, which has a 12 mm amplitude and operates at three speeds (1750, 2100, 2400 PPMs). We’ll also test the sub-$100 Sharper Image Power Percussion Deep Tissue Massager, which is heavier than our picks but highly reviewed by customers. The Mebak 3, one of the quietest massage guns we tried, comes with seven attachments (the most of our picks) and has a touchscreen display.
However, athletes and others who are physically active all day would benefit the most from this full-featured massage gun. The Theragun Mini second generation maintains the same solid ergonomic handle that the original Mini has to make up its compact shape. The Mini’s power button also controls the speed and uses lights to indicate the speed level. Another plus is that it’s Bluetooth enabled, so you can connect it to the Therabody app.