The best massage guns for soothing aching muscles, tested

Score: 100/100

This massage gun left our tester hugely impressed; its final score speaks for itself. Packed with innovation, you can heat it up to 47C in under two minutes for a warm massage, or freeze the interchangeable cool gel head for four hours for the ultimate cool down. These contrasting temperatures will help prime muscles pre-exercise by promoting blood flow and providing a perfect post-workout cooldown respectively.

The HoMedics Pro comes with a carry case, but as it's on the larger side it isn’t the best for on-the-go use. However, it was surprisingly light for its size, making it easy to manoeuvre at home.

No matter which head our tester used, it glided smoothly over skin with minimal noise. They also liked the handy diagrams that showed you how to get the most out of the product.

Score: 98/100

Powerful, easy to use and affordable, our expert tester was blown away by this sleek little massager.

Unlike many of its pocket-friendly competitors, it has five speed settings and five attachments for targeting different areas, plus it comes with a sleek carry case that has plenty of room for all the accessories (handy for travel). In the box, you’ll also find an insightful user guide, packed with step-by-step routines showing you how to soothe all manner of aches and pains.

According to our tester, it’s a pleasure to use from the get-go thanks to its ergonomic design. It’s lightweight (no aching arms here) and the buttons are perfectly placed for easy access mid-pummel. Performance-wise, our massage experience was extremely smooth, with no painful jogging or juddering when it was moved over our joints.

If that wasn’t enough, the device automatically turns off after 10 minutes if it’s not in use to preserve battery, and it supports USB-C charging. For some, the petite handle may feel a bit short, but that was our one and only niggle.

Score: 95/100

Massage guns don’t come more compact than the Theragun Mini. Weighing just 450g, this palm-sized device is easily grabbable on the go – simply hook the stylish travel case onto your bag for sweet relief anytime, anywhere.

Our expert found it ultra quiet, so you can tend to sore muscles with minimal fuss, and its small stature doesn't make it any less powerful. It moved smoothly over skin, with no irritating dragging or pulling, and it was effortless to switch between settings mid-use. The Therabody app particularly pleased our tester; it’s packed with beginner-friendly follow-along routines for exercise recovery, sleep, work, travel and more.

Reaching trickier areas such as the lower back can feel a bit awkward, and you can only fit one head in the case, but these are minor flaws for an otherwise exceptional product.

Score: 95/100

Dedicated athletes, look no further. Though a considerable investment, the new iteration of the Theragun PRO comes with a host of clever upgrades, including a brushless motor for reduced noise, two new attachments, USB-C charging and a high-resolution OLED screen for following pre-set routines – a feature that earned high praise from our tester. There are four routines to choose from on the device, but they recommend connecting to the user-friendly Therabody app for myriad personalised options that target specific aches and pains.

Despite all its techy features, this sleek massager is surprisingly simple to use thanks to a handy quick-start guide and video tutorials. Its intuitive controls meant no fumbling about changing the speed or turning it on and off, while the triangular shape affords excellent grip and the adjustable arm helps you tackle those harder-to-reach areas. Though bulky, the well-designed carry case means it’s also travel-friendly.

This hero model is hard to fault; it’s a little heavy and our arms started to ache after a while, but that’s a tiny quibble. If you're ready to ramp up your relaxation efforts, the PRO is a worthy choice.

Score: 93/100

This well-designed massage gun earned an instant thumbs up for its long, curved handle that helped our testers reach all their aching muscles. It proved extremely powerful and effective, gliding across skin without pulling for a relaxing massaging experience.

It’s a little bulky and heavy, and the handle vibrates heavily at high speed, but it comes with a decent range of massage heads, a comprehensive user guide and a robust carry case. The accompanying app is basic, but it offered some helpful technique tips.

In short, it’s a solid all-round buy at a fair price for the quality.

Score: 92/100

Coming in just behind its older brother, the MuscleGun Carbon, it was hard to find fault with this pocket-friendly massager. Not only does it pack a lot of power for such a small machine, but it’s also relatively quiet, comfortable to hold and is able to glide seamlessly over sore muscles without dragging. Weighing in at just over 500g, it’s also a good option for keeping in your gym bag or taking to the track.

Despite its compact size, it has everything its bulkier counterparts offer, including five different massage heads, with each one designed to target a different muscle group. It also scored top marks for ease of use – there’s just one button for speed control and a handy manual that explains what each head is for and how to use it.

The handle is a little short, making it difficult to soothe aching lower back muscles, but it's compact enough to massage your legs fully, making it a top pick for runners. Overall, it’s an excellent choice if you’re after a powerful mini massage gun.

Score: 90/100

If you’re new to percussive therapy and not sure where to begin, the Turonic G5 is a great option. It comes with very detailed instructions, clearly demonstrating the various massages you can perform with the device.

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. There’s even a head designed to combat and help reduce cellulite – a first in our round-up.

Our tester did experience some discomfort on the lower speed settings due to jolting, and while it does come with a carry case, it’s heavy, so we wouldn’t recommend it for on-the-go massaging. But when you consider the variety of massaging options it provides and how straightforward it is to use, these niggles don't feel like a dealbreaker.

Score: 89/100

This massage gun offers excellent value for money (it's currently under £100), given that it comes with five massaging heads. It moves rapidly over your muscles, massaging them to great effect without causing any discomfort. The handle vibrates a lot, especially at full power, but the speed can easily be lowered if your arm starts to ache.

It comes with useful instructions, but their translation from Chinese is patchy. A USB cable is included for recharging its sizeable battery on the go too, but there's no charging head.

Score: 87/100

Some of the bulkier options on this list may be too cumbersome to take with you on the go, but there was no such problem with this pocket-sized model from Hyperice. The compact design means it effortlessly fits in most gym bags and it's easy to manoeuvre.

The absence of a carry case is disappointing but the Go2 makes up for that with power and ease of use. It packs a considerable punch given its modest dimensions and comes with useful instructions, with our tester praising its seamless movement over their muscles.

The Go2 also ticks the box in terms of aesthetics – its modern design has a decidedly premium feel, and in a sea of black massage guns, the sleek white finish stands out from the crowd.

Note, this machine comes with just two massage heads, which is less than the others on this list, but it you’re after quick and easy muscle relief, it’s no problem.

Score: 87/100

If you’re after a small massage gun that still offers versatility, consider this fuss-friendly Boots offering. There are three speed settings and four interchangeable heads (a ball, fork, bullet and flat head) for alleviating aches and pains, whether you need some post-exercise relief or you’ve been hunched over your desk for too long.

It wasn’t the most powerful massager on test – the first speed in particular was extremely gentle – so it’s not one for serious gym-goers, but it’s still great for releasing tension. It moved seamlessly over the skin with no painful snagging, and it scored top marks for noise level, allowing you to treat sore muscles on the go without attracting attention.

We welcomed the compact carry case, which fits all the different attachments and charger neatly inside, and the device itself was easy to operate thanks to a conveniently placed control button and detailed instructions. It’s on the heavy side despite its small stature and the short handle made it trickier to reach sore spots on our backs, but it's a snip for under £50.

Score: 86/100

Not your typical massage gun, the Vyper 3 is more of a vibrating foam roller, designed to “accelerate your warm-up, speed recovery time and keep you moving better”.

Ideal for those who are after an intense foam rolling experience, it has a smooth shell and diamond-shaped ridges that allow you to get deep into your muscles and address any knots or trigger points.

What’s more, it offers three speed settings so you can vary the intensity, depending on how sore you’re feeling. As it is on the bigger side, we’d say it’s best suited to targeting large muscles.

Note, the Vyper 3 device is rather loud when placed on the floor due to the vibrations, so you’ll have to time your massaging sessions carefully to avoid disturbing others.

Score: 84/100

If you’re willing to splash some cash on a massage gun that will deliver long-lasting results, consider this serious bit of kit. The third Therabody product on our list, the Theragun Elite claims to reach 60% deeper into the muscle than average massagers, thanks to a hardcore 16mm amplitude.

Our testers found it very powerful and effective, but noisy. They rated its triangular handle, which allowed them to massage a wide range of muscles, with good control. They also loved its app, which guides you through warm-up and post-workout massages and issues warnings if you apply too much pressure.

Score: 83/100

The MyoPro’s sheer variety of unique massage heads (eight!) sets it apart from the others listed here. Beyond the standard heads you’d expect, there are some unusual options to experiment with – we particularly liked the bull head for targeting small, niggly areas, and the scraper, which gets deep into large muscle groups in minimal time.

This massager may be bigger and bulkier than many of our other picks, but it’s certainly powerful and makes for a satisfying massage experience. We also rated the design features: LED lights indicate the battery level, each attachment has its own compartment in the case, and it even comes with a charging stand, which gives it a sleek, premium feel.

In short, a strong option for anyone looking to invest in a powerful, well-designed massage gun at a decent mid-range prince.

Score: 80/100

Feeling intimidated by some of the heavy-duty massage guns on our roundup? Try this gentler model, which has a variable speed dial for adjusting the intensity of your massage. Its long handle makes it easy to massage all body parts, even if you have mobility issues.

Its laudable range of massage heads includes a four-finger attachment that mimics a human hand (it sounds creepy, but it’s effective!). For casual use, this tool is a winner, but committed sporty types may find it lacks oomph. Its length makes it a tad tricky to store, too, and it doesn’t come with a case.

Score: 79/100

This aesthetically pleasing device from up-and-coming massage gun brand Lola is all over the internet right now and after testing it, we can see why. Not only does it look the part, but it also scored highly for design, ease of use and performance.

It comes with four interchangeable heads for providing relief in different areas, including a flat head to target niggly spots such as the neck, ankles and calves, and a cone to get deep into your muscles and hit your pressure points. Our experts found it easy to operate and switch between the four speed settings thanks to the responsive, user-friendly buttons on the handle.

They also said it was sufficiently powerful, providing instant relief from soreness, even at lower speeds. There were no issues with jolting or juddering over their skin, making for an extremely smooth massage experience.

Even better, it’s the same size as an iPhone and comes with a sleek travel pouch, so it’s a great one to take on holiday or to the gym. The quiet motor means it won’t attract any unwanted attention, either. Lola offers a 30-day money back guarantee for peace of mind when investing.

Score: 78/100

Like our winning HoMedics massager, this shiny new Pulseroll model boasts a heated head, with two temperature settings (45C or 55C) that deliver heat and percussive therapy to your tired, achy muscles. Our tester also loved the unique ‘invigor’ head, a soft attachment designed to stimulate the nerves in your hands and feet.

Unlike the larger devices in this round-up, this one is lightweight and easy to hold during lengthy massage sessions. It’s also a cinch to use, with one ergonomic button for all the functions and a clear LED screen to keep track of the speed settings and battery level. The attachments are simple to swap and the novices among you will appreciate the accompanying videos that show you how to use each head properly.

If all that wasn’t enough, the motor was super quiet (so you can massage while watching the telly), it has a USB-C port for convenient charging, and it comes with a neat travel case if you want to take it with you.

Note, the heat settings aren’t particularly strong, and our tester found the power button a touch slow to respond, but these are minor niggles. All in all, it’s a supremely impressive bit of kit, whether you’re an avid exerciser or want to soothe long-suffering muscles.

Score: 75/100

If you’re tempted by the Theragun Mini 2 above but can’t justify the spend, this Bob & Brad design is an excellent alternative. Coming in at £89.99, it’s significantly cheaper, yet comes with a host of impressive features.

Our expert was blown away by how powerful it was given its pocket-friendly size. They rated the ergonomic design, which was easy to grip, and loved how lightweight it was – there's no risk of aching arms with this featherweight model. It was exceptionally quiet, so you can massage discreetly in the gym, on the sofa or even at your desk, and the single control button means you’ll get to grips with it in no time.

It comes with five attachments (two more than the Theragun Mini 2), so you’re bound to find one to soothe your specific aches and pains, and our tester said each one moved smoothly over their muscles, with minimal catching or juddering.

There’s a decent three-hour battery life and a quick-charge feature if you’re in a hurry – plus, it turns off automatically after 10 minutes to prevent overheating and preserve its charge. It also comes with a travel pouch so it’s ideal for popping in your bag. Tick, tick, tick.