Theragun, Hypervolt & more: The best percussive therapy massage guns - CNET

[massage]

Theragun

If you follow any athletes on social media, there's a good chance you've seen enthralling videos of their muscles rippling under the pressure of a vibrating self-massager that uses a recovery technique called percussive therapy.

Everyone from professional athletes to recreational gym-goers to people with chronic pain tout the benefits of percussive therapy: reduced muscle soreness, speedier recovery, improved range of motion and more.

OK, so you're convinced you need one (who doesn't want to recover from a grueling workout faster?). Before you buy, you should know that these devices can cost you upwards of $500. If that's too steep, you can definitely find less expensive options, especially if you don't need the intense force of a pricey one.

Also, keep in mind that the research on percussive therapy is limited. There's some evidence that suggests it does help with muscle soreness and recovery, but not enough to make a conclusive statement.

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What to look for in a percussive massage gun


Speed and power: If you work out a lot and often experience soreness, you should opt for a device with at least two speed and power settings -- one being less intense so you can still use it on very sore, painful muscles.

Type of motion: Do you want just vibration, vibration plus thumping, vibration plus a circular motion, or some other combination? When shopping for a percussive device, make sure to take note of how the device delivers the therapy.

Portability: If you're going to be traveling with your massage gun, you'll want one that can easily fit into a bag or suitcase. Not all fit that bill.

Attachments and accessories: Where on your body will you use your massage gun? If you'll only use it on just your large muscles, such as your back and legs, you probably don't need many attachments or accessories. But if you intend to use it on specific areas, such as the arch of your foot, you'd benefit from attachments intended for those specific areas.

Battery life: A long battery life is always beneficial. The last thing you want is for your massage gun to die when you need it most.

Cost: Of course, you'll want to look for a device within your budget. Expensive massage guns usually offer more speed, power and motion settings. Less expensive options might only come with one mode, but can still be effective.

These products and services are independently chosen by our editors. CNET may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. Prices are accurate at the time of publishing and may change.
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Theragun G3 Pro

Best for competitive athletes

Theragun
The Theragun G3 Pro is expensive, but it's received high praise from professional athletes in a wide range of sports, from basketball to CrossFit to golf. It's high-powered and efficient, delivering a max force of 60 pounds at 40 beats per second.

If you are looking to save some money, there's also two cheaper models, the G3 for $399 and the Liv for $299.

What buyers say: "If you're thinking about buying this, GET IT!" This reviewer continued, "I got it to get over chronic tightness in my back and hamstrings. It's better than I hoped! … Bottom line: get it. You won't be sorry."


$599 at Theragun

TimTam Power Massager

Best for everyday exercisers

TimTam
The TimTam Power Massager delivers a powerful percussive therapy similar to that of Theragun, but at a fraction of the price. This TimTam model would be great for people who exercise intensely and experience muscle soreness often, but don't quite have the budget for a Theragun.

What buyers say: "I've been suffering from chronic shoulder, back, and sciatica pain for many years, trying tons of different instruments and balls for some help with the pain," one buyer wrote. "The TimTam is lightweight and easy to use to target the specific areas that need relief. It does the work of a half-hour massage in five minutes. Completely amazing and life-altering.


$200 at Amazon

Hyperice Hypervolt

Best quiet massage gun

Hyperice
A common theme within Amazon reviews for percussive therapy devices seems to be something along the lines of: "I love this, but it's loud." A few reviews on the Theragun and TimTam even mention that the devices frighten their pets.

Hyperice set out to solve that with the Hypervolt, which uses patented technology to reduce noise. A quieter massage gun might be the best choice for you if you actually want to relax while using it.

What buyers say: "I had to try someone else's before I would fork out the dough but I'm super glad we did. Works amazing on my shoulders and my wife's lower back. We sleep better, travel better, and just feel better using this thing a couple times a week."


$349 at Amazon

Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Massager

Best budget pick

Wahl
For less than $30 (although it runs for $40 on the Wahl website), this percussive massager allows you to adjust the massage intensity from light to intense, and it comes with four unique attachment heads to provide super-targeted relief. The only downside to this device is that is uses a cord, not batteries, so it's not very portable.

What buyers say: One reviewer called it the "best hand-held massager I've ever had," and went on to say, "I have had IT band syndrome in my right leg and this massager has made a huge difference in my ability to move without pain."


$28 at Amazon

Homedics HHP-350 Percussion Massager

Best massage gun with heat

Homedics
This percussive massager combines heat therapy and dual pivoting heads for serious deep tissue relief. Heat helps to loosen and relax tight muscle fibers while the percussive massage heads dig into the deep layers of your muscles. This is another that needs to be plugged in, so it may not be best for you if you want to travel with your massage gun.

What buyers say: "This is the best purchase I have ever made for back and neck pain! I have bought moist heat pads, inversion table, lumbar braces, etc, but this is by far the best item for relieving discomfort."


$37 at Amazon

Thumper Sport Percussive Massager

Best for ergonomics

Thumper
The Thumper massager features a long (16-inch) design that makes it easy to target hard-to-reach spots like in between your shoulder blades. A common issue with self-massagers is that you must use your muscles to massage them, which is pretty counterintuitive. Thumper's design reduces the amount of effort you actually have to put into moving the massager around your body.

What buyers say: One reviewer said, "I can't write enough adjectives that describe how I feel about this!!! AMAZING comes close to describing how I feel after using it, but I actually feel better than that."


$149 at Amazon

Purewave CM7 Percussion + Vibration Therapy Massager

Best value

Purewave
The Purewave device is easily the best value out of all of these. It's not expensive enough to give you sticker shock, but it still delivers impressive percussive therapy of up to 3,700 beats per minute. It's compact, cordless and lightweight (just 1.75 pounds), making it great for travel.

On top of that, it comes with six attachment heads, including a facial massage stick. It takes one hour to charge the Purewave's battery, which lasts for 180 minutes, or 20 to 30 minutes of use each day for a week.

What buyers say: Even professional massage therapists love this one, with one saying, "I love these so much that I use one in my practice and I also sell them. I looked for a long time, to find a massager that really had some punch to it and was a decent price. I found that with Pure Wave. It has great, adjustable percussive strength"


$125 at Amazon


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