Lairlux EM03 Deep Tissue Massage Gun review - Livescience.com

[massage]

The Lairlux EM03 Deep Tissue Massage Gun is a therapeutic and targeted recovery tool for anyone who likes to go heavy on the weights without suffering just as heavily from those devilish next-day DOMs (opens in new tab).

This compact handheld massage gun packs a punch using a clever combination of vibration and pressure to tease out niggly muscular knots and soothe muscle soreness with its 20-speed settings, six interchangeable attachments, and superior battery life.


Weight: 3.7lb

Size: 7.08 x 2.95 x 9.17”

Battery life: 2-6 hours

Speed: 1-20 adjustable speeds

Motor: 1,200 – 3,200 RPM

Charge time: 1.5 –2 hours

Number of heads: 6


It’s one of our top picks for the best massage gun (opens in new tab) on the market, so if you’re fed up with feeling muscle fatigue and reckon it's time to ramp up your recovery instead, a percussive massage gun could be the one for you.

Discover 5 benefits of a massage gun (opens in new tab), or read on to see how the Lairlux Deep Tissue Massage Gun could help drill down on DOMs without costing you an arm and a leg.

Price and availability​

The MSRP for the Lairlux is $150, but you can sometimes pick up a handy discount via the Lairlux website that brings the model down to $119. It’s available across the US and UK via third-party retailers like Amazon and comes in black or white.

Size and design​

At first glance, the wireless Lairlux EMO3 could be mistaken for a compact travel hairdryer. Upon closer inspection, however, the beautifully sleek handheld massage gun features a small rear touchscreen that switches on at the base, and a round hole at the front for six interchangeable heads to slot into.

(Image credit: Sam Hopes)

The massage gun is made from ergonomic silicone and coated in a layer of carbon fiber material for a soft and comfy grip. It comes zipped up in a neat travel case with carved compartments for the gun itself, its six interchangeable heads, a handy manual and the charger.

The model feels lightweight at first but it weighs 3.7lb, making it one of the heaviest massage guns in our tested range. It measures 7.08/2.95/9.17 inches and slots neatly among the midrange massage guns. We reckon it still makes a handy travel companion for on-the-go athletes, professionals, or everyday exercisers.

A touchscreen display shows battery power, gear settings, and buttons for incrementally increasing and decreasing speed. A long-press will continuously increase or decrease these speeds until you let go.

Six interchangeable heads include:

• Big ball head: waist, abdomen, bum, and legs
• Flat-head: chest and large areas
• U-shaped head: shoulder, cervical spine, and bilateral muscles
• Small ball head: small muscles of the shoulder, neck, and leg
• Dampener head: tender or bony areas and overall use
• Bullet head: meridians, soles, palms, Achilles tendons, back, and rhomboid muscles

(Image credit: Sam Hoeps)

The impressive 2500mAh rechargeable lithium battery runs between 2-6 hours without faltering (depending on which setting you use) and it only requires 1.5-2 hours to charge. Lairlux recommends keeping the battery above 20% for optimal performance, but we doubt you’ll even see it drop that low for a while.

Functionality​

The Lairlux EM03 Deep Tissue Massage Gun houses a whopping 20 power settings, but this really adjusts the motor speed range (from between 1200 and 3200 in 100 RPM increments), and, unfortunately, the intensity doesn’t differ much. You can increase or decrease these according to the requirements of different muscle groups and their corresponding attachment.

(Image credit: Sam Hopes)

We found the guide incredibly handy. It provides a comprehensive how-to on best practices for using the gun (like covering your skin with light material or a towel during use, for example) and it also shows detailed diagrams of the body with individual muscles labeled and their recommended attachment.

Each muscle group listed in the guide has a suggestion for how to massage – like massaging waist muscles from the middle outwards and in line with the muscle direction. The guide even provides a set number of reps and time limits per muscle.

The time-out feature is smart and automatically switches the gun off at the 10-minute mark to prevent you from overdoing it.

Performance​

We worked through each attachment – adjusting the settings as necessary as we worked around our body – and also measured the noise levels across the highest and lowest speeds.The brushless noise reduction motor lived up to its name and barely crept above 55dB on the top setting (Lairlux estimates between 35 and 55dB.) This meant we could happily power through a full body massage without sending out an advanced warning to the neighbors or disrupting live-in loved ones.

When hammering down on our quads, we used the imaginatively named big ball attachment, which (unsurprisingly) comprised a large foam ball, and whacked it up to the full 20. While the top setting produces a pummelling effect on soft tissue, it’s missing some of the intensity and power of its more advanced peers and we found ourselves struggling to find many variations between the settings in general. The small ball head was better at targeting our tender soleus (calf) muscles and felt far more effective at top speed.

(Image credit: Sam Hopes)

We opted for the U-shaped attachment for our shoulders and spine (on a lower setting) and were much more impressed with how this worked into our muscles to deliver far deeper penetration. Hard-to-reach nooks often get left behind during self-administered massage, so we were glad to see some of the smaller, more targeted attachments could knead into those trickier bony areas.

The EM03 feels lightweight, but we challenge anyone to grip this gun for longer than 15 minutes without developing achy arms. This could be problematic for anyone attempting a lengthy full-body massage, but at least the battery life is up to the task – we’re yet to charge the Lairlux, and it hasn’t even dipped below 90%.

What’s good about it?​

Considering its size and super affordable price point, the Lairlux EM03 is a pocket rocket, and we were impressed it could pack the power it does. If you’re looking for variety, the six diverse interchangeable heads are engineered to tackle every muscle group with vigor. Buyers can also benefit from a free lifetime warranty and a six-month replacement period.

What’s not so good about it?​

The Lairlux EM03 could have benefited from better variation between its 20 settings. The power available when utilizing the larger heads could be improved – like when hitting quads and glutes – with the intensity you’d expect from a deep tissue massage, and the gun begins to feel cumbersome to grip after a while.

User reviews​

The Lairlux EM03 pulled a whopping 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Users rated the impressive battery life and six adjustable heads. One user even stated that “This will probably be the best massage gun you’ve ever tried.” Negative reviews were hard to come by, but one user mentioned they felt the price was too high.

Should you buy the Lairlux EM03 Deep Tissue Massage Gun?​

(Image credit: Sam Hopes)

The compact Lairlux EM02 uses its combination of six specifically designed heads and 20-speed levels for a targeted drill down on tired and overworked muscles and muscle knots. Therefore, Lairlux says this massage gun is suitable for physical therapists and chiropractors, but we reckon it’s more suitable as an at-home bit of kit. The model is compact, affordable, and delivers on versatility, but if you’re seeking high-tech features or a super-powerful blast to muscles – other massage guns could reign superior.

Alternatives​

(Image credit: Joanne Lewsley)

If budget isn’t an issue, the Theragun Pro (opens in new tab) (above) has a powerful motor, six adjustment heads, a rotating arm, and a smart app. It even offers 16mm amplitude to reach 60% deeper into muscles, but the heavy price tag could divide crowds.

Our high-tech pick is the HoMedics Pro Physio (opens in new tab) which comes locked and loaded with heated and cooling attachments to deeply relax and invigorate problem areas, including one head specifically designed to target cellulite.