I’m not exactly a “no pain, no gain” type when it comes to exercise, despite being a fitness writer, yet even I am not immune to sore, tired muscles after a run or a session in the gym. Luckily, recovery is possible via some of the best massage guns on the market.
In the fitness world, “recovery” is the current buzzword, commanding as much attention as other key pillars of good health, such as nutrition and sleep (the ultimate in recovery). Premium gyms and fitness studios are devoting whole rooms to recovery tools to provide relief from the dreaded DOMS, the delayed onset muscle soreness you may experience a day or more after exercise. But these bulky contraptions aren’t exactly convenient for quick relief at home or while on the move. It’s also expensive to book a regular sports massage to keep you pain-free. This is where a handheld massage gun could be just what your body needs.
These gadgets deliver a form of percussive therapy where rapid, concentrated pulses penetrate deep into the muscle and surrounding tissue. Joanne Kelly, a soft tissue therapist at Pure Sports Medicine who has treated elite athletes and office workers for more than 15 years, says they can be a useful tool both pre- and post-workout: “Massage guns prepare the body before exercise by increasing blood flow to muscles and helping with short-term range of motion. Post-workout, they deal with the aftereffects if muscles are feeling tight, and can help [reduce the severity of] DOMS.”
She recommends choosing one that offers multiple intensity settings and attachments to target different areas of the body. She also suggests going for trusted brands that detail their safety testing and offer a warranty.
To see whether it’s worth shelling out for one, rather than relying on a bit of stretching, I tested massage guns from brands including Therabody, Renpho and Pulsio. The massagers below are the ones your sore, aching muscles are crying out for.
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The best massage guns for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Medisana MG 560 hot and cold body massage gun: £52.99, Currys.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Reviber active relief shiatsu massager: £29.99, Argos.co.uk
- Best for deep-tissue massage – Pulsio air massage gun: £69.99, Pulsio.co.uk
- Best for serious gym-goers – Power Plate pulse massage gun: £171.75, Powerplate.co.uk
- Best for hot/cold treatment – Renpho active mini thermacool massage gun: £79.99, Renpho.uk
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Medisana MG 560 hot and cold body massage gun
Best: massage gun overall
Why we love it
- Comfortable to hold and manoeuvre
- Easy to switch between settings mid-massage
- Hot and cold options
- Protective carry case included
Take note
- Subtle difference between speed levels
Powerful, easy-to-use massage guns with numerous options often come with big price tags, yet Medisana (new to the UK market) offers all of that for less than £60. Its traditional gun shape felt comfortable to grip and ergonomically satisfying to use: I could scroll up and down the 10 speeds with ease, although the difference between levels was often too subtle to notice, negating the need for such a wide range (albeit the widest of the massagers tested with an intense top speed).
I could easily swap between the round, bullet and fork heads, which all pummelled my sore muscles without feeling too sore. A fourth attachment delivers this gadget’s USP: the hot/cold feature. Switching between hot and cold (with variations for each) was instantaneous, with barely any wait for it to heat up or cool down. The metal disk felt good on the skin, particularly the cool setting during the summer. Overall, the Medisana MG 560 hot and cold body massage gun is great for being multifunctional, without being intimidating, at an affordable price.
Key specifications
Buy now £52.99, Currys.co.uk
Reviber active relief shiatsu massager
Best: budget massage gun
Why we love it
- Affordable
- Wide speed range with intense maximum speed
Take note
- Limited variety from the heads
- Not the most comfortable to hold and operate
- Not particularly attractive
- No carry case included
As the cheapest in the test, I wasn’t expecting high-end design (it’s fairly squat) or sophisticated functions, but the Reviber active relief shiatsu massager does well with six speeds up to an intense 3500rpm (higher than other pricier massagers). The five heads aren’t the ubiquitous round, bullet or fork heads: Reviber’s are like cups with different knobbly bits on the surface that fit under the fabric cover; the instructions labelled them for needs such as boosting circulation and draining lymph fluid, not just muscle stimulation.
They all felt good, but I found it difficult to differentiate between them and underestimated how firmly I had to press the main head into place to secure it (a lesson I learnt after the head flew off when switching on for the first time). Operation is via a button in the base, so not as user-friendly as the Medisana. However, for occasional use, or if you just want to see if a massage gun is for you without paying a lot, this is a good option.
Key specifications
Buy now £29.99, Argos.co.uk
Pulsio air massage gun
Best: for deep-tissue massage
Why we love it
- Stylish design
- Comfortable to hold and easy to move
- Maximum speed is highest in the test
- Long battery life
Take note
- Base position of button isn’t the easiest to use
- Carry case sold separately
The Pulsio air massage gun looks great with its green aluminium casing, and it comes in a huge range of nine rather beautiful colours including rose gold, indigo, red and run-of-the-mill black. The smooth compact cylinder shape felt nice to hold, but the single button (to switch on/off and select speed) is on the base, so it wasn’t as easy, ergonomically, to operate as Medisana or Power Plate.
It has just four speeds, but with a maximum of 4000rpm, this was the most intense massager in the test – I even found its lowest setting to be pretty fierce. It switches off after 15 minutes of continuous use, but with this intensity, I never went that long.
After a long-awaited gym workout, I used the flat head around my shoulders (the bullet head felt too intense for more than a few seconds), before trying the fork head around my spine (hard not to catch bone here), and the versatile round head on my quads and glutes. And hey presto, my anticipated DOMS never appeared.
Key specifications
Buy now £69.99, Pulsio.co.uk
Myomaster myolite massage gun
Best: massage gun for your gym bag
Why we love it
- Stylish design
- Comfortable to hold and easy to move
- High maximum speed
- Protective carry case included
Take note
- Base position of button isn’t the easiest to use
Those who spend their weekends at HYROX or training for a triathlon would do well with MyoMaster’s portable MyoLite massager. Its compact size makes it great for throwing in your gym bag. And despite its size, it packs a punch, delivering more oomph than the similar stick massager Lola, but a bit less intensity than Pulsio.
It felt good in my hand and was easy to manoeuvre, although the button on the base meant operation wasn’t as user-friendly as those that can be operated with a thumb or forefinger mid-massage. I found the ball, fork, bullet and flat heads easy to swap between, with the bullet and fork really helping to tackle knots at higher speeds.
MyoMaster was founded by a professional sportsperson, and it shows, even in this ‘mini’ massager. It’s got more power than the Power Plate Pulse, yet it’s less than half the weight, but it doesn’t have as many speed levels or attachments. MyoLite is a portable, well-designed gadget for sporty people who take their recovery seriously.
Key specifications
Buy now £89, Myomaster.com
Lola unwind air massage gun
Best: for a relaxing massage
Why we love it
- Light and compact
- Comfortable to hold and easy to move
- Attractive design
Take note
- Only a fabric bag included (no hard case)
- Base position of button isn’t the easiest to use
If you could call a massage gun “cute and pretty”, it would be Lola’s unwind air massage gun. It has a stylish ribbed shell which gives it an air of that kind of vibrating gadget, but it’s comfortable to hold and move, particularly as it’s the lightest massager I tested.
It comes with a fixed flat head which felt good. I could easily pop one of three silicone heads onto this base for different needs: the sphere for larger muscles, a slightly pointed one for precision, and (different to any others in this test) what I can only describe as a sea anemone head, designed for sensitive areas, which worked a treat on bony areas like my ankles.
The four speeds deliver a good intensity, considering its compact size. But this isn’t the first massager I’d reach for after a heavy gym session: it’s best for relieving regular aches and pains after a Pilates class, a day hunched over a laptop, or after a bad night’s sleep. It’s light enough to pop into your bag for some relief on the go.
Key specifications
Buy now £69, Meetlola.co
Power Plate pulse massage gun
Best: massage gun for serious gym-goers
Why we love it
- Easy to use and manoeuvre
- Comfortable to hold
- Protective carry case included
- Comes with international adapter plugs for travel
Take note
- Expensive
- Heavy
I hate to stereotypically gender massage guns, but where Lola is aimed squarely at the wellness crowd, the Power Plate Pulse screams “gym bro” (website testimonials from Mark Walberg and various billionaires cement this image).
Everything about this massager is big: it weighs almost a kilo and looks a bit like one of those handheld speed cameras the police use. The versatile ball and flat heads handily come in both small and large, along with fork, bullet and flat heads, and I found them all easy to switch in/out.
After thinking this isn’t for the likes of me, I spied a woman in the instructions (it is for me!) and I could follow exactly which head is for which muscle (as specific as lateral quads versus anterior hips), the intensity to use and for how long.
Despite feeling intimidated, it was surprisingly easy to use. It felt comfortable to grip (it has an antimicrobial coating), and I could control the speed via my thumb mid-massage. I found the lower speed levels more than enough, and the instructions never suggested a speed of more than four (five and six are reserved for serious muscle fatigue). This is a solid, well-engineered bit of kit for serious gym-goers.
Key specifications
Buy now £172, Powerplate.co.uk
Renpho active mini thermacool massage gun
Best: massage gun for hot/cold treatment
Why we love it
- Wide range of hot/cold settings
- Protective carry case included
Take note
- Maximum speed is lower than many other massagers
- Not as ergonomic as it claims to be
With its hot and cold settings, Renpho is most similar to Medisana in this test but with more varied temperature settings (eight compared to Medisana’s six). The warm or cool options range from 8C to 45C and they turned on impressively fast when I switched between the two. When I used it without vibration, the warmer settings were silent, while cooler ones were noisy due to the fan. When I wanted to combine it with vibration, I had to set the temperature first before switching on the gun: tiny buttons on the head itself meant changing temperature mid-massage was nigh on impossible.
Four additional heads (ball, bullet, flat, fork) clicked into place securely and the fork head felt good on my back. The box boasts of ergonomic design, but I couldn’t quite get to grips with its thumb loop: for me it wasn’t the most comfortable to hold, and the speed button on the base meant I couldn’t change intensity with the same hand mid-massage. At top speed, it’s a bit noisy, which is surprising considering this is one of the least intensive massagers tested, but it delivers multiple features for a reasonable price.
Key specifications
Buy now £85, Renpho.uk
Therabody Theragun mini 3.0 ultra-portable massage gun
Best: massage gun for travel
Why we love it
- Compact and light
- Simple to use
- You can follow massage routines via the app
Take note
- Expensive
- Limited speed settings
- Lowest maximum speed compared to other massagers
- Only three attachments
- Padded case not big enough for attachments as well
Therabody is one of the best-selling massage gun brands on the market, and this latest iteration of the Theragun mini is its smallest and lightest. Its rounded, triangular shape fits neatly into the palm, feeling easy and comfortable to move and operate via the single button positioned on the top. It was very quiet, making it suitable for discreet relief when sitting at your desk or on the train. You can also follow massage routines in real-time on the app, a bit like doing an online workout.
However, Theragun mini’s functions are limited compared to other massagers tested. There are just three speeds to choose from (the maximum is on the low side), and three heads (ball, dampener and thumb attachment, which I used for targeting knots in my shoulders). It’s clearly well-designed and is perfect for relieving aches and pains from prolonged sitting, whether you’re desk-bound or on a long journey. Annoyingly, the padded zip case isn’t big enough for all the attachments when you’re on the move. The expensive price tag buys you a solid, dependable gadget with a disappointing lack of functions.
Key specifications
Buy now £169, Argos.co.uk
Your questions on massage guns answered
What is the best massage gun?
Considering you could fork out up to £200 for a handheld massage gun, Medisana’s MG 560 hot and cold massager isn’t just affordable (it’s under £60) but offers decent intensity levels and an impressive array of functions, including the fancy hot and cold treatments (the cool disk has become my equivalent of the similar feature on the Shark ChillPill). This makes it our best massage gun overall.
If you’re unsure whether you’ll get on with one of these gadgets, Reviber’s active relief shiatsu massager has a wide range of speeds with high intensity for under £30, so it is a decent budget option to try.
How I tested and selected the best massage guns
You don’t have to be completing marathons every month to suffer from aches and pains. I may not be a fan of high-intensity workouts or endurance challenges, but I take health and fitness seriously enough to drag myself to the gym a few times a week, regularly swim, run and practice yoga. I also work at a desk for hours at a time, which is enough to result in a sore back or neck. Over a few weeks, I tested each massage gun before and after exercise, as well as for ad hoc needs such as following prolonged sitting at a desk. Each massager was assessed against these criteria:
How do massage guns work?
Massage guns work on the principle of percussive therapy – the delivery of short, high-speed and intense pulses which go deep into the muscle and surrounding tissue. During exercise, lactic acid builds up in the muscles, causing soreness, but percussion forces the muscle fibres to release the lactic acid and hence reduce the pain and tightness, and promote greater flexibility. Used on the lowest settings, vibrations can also induce feelings of relaxation.
How can massage guns help with DOMS?
You can experience DOMS (‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibres) up to 12 hours after exercise, peaking around 24 to 72 hours after exercise, particularly if you’ve pushed yourself hard or have tried something new. Research has found that percussive massage therapy is more effective for reducing the severity of DOMS than static stretching alone.
What’s the best way to use a massage gun?
“When using a massage gun, it’s important to keep it moving slowly through the muscle tissue,” says Joanne Kelly who recommends spending a couple of minutes on each spot. “For all areas of the body, it’s advisable to start off with a low intensity and increase as necessary. Stop using it if it becomes painful anywhere: it should feel comfortable throughout.”
All the massage guns tested came with a variety of attachment heads suitable for different needs or different parts of the body. The product usually specifies what each head does, with a bullet-shaped head suitable for smaller muscles and precision massage (such as on hands, feet and shoulder area), and the common round ball-shaped head designed for all-over use or larger muscles (such as quads and glutes).
What’s the best way to use a massage gun on your legs?
Kelly believes massage guns work really well on the larger muscle groups of the lower body, such as the quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes. “A deeper pressure and higher intensity are okay in these areas,” she advises.
What’s the best way to use a massage gun on your arms?
“Smaller muscle groups, like the arms, require a lighter pressure and lower intensity. With all areas make sure to avoid any joints and bones, and definitely don't use it anywhere over the spine, including the neck,” warns Kelly. Some of the massage guns tested included a fork head for use around the spine – ensure the prongs make contact with the surrounding muscle and avoid the spine itself.
Can you use a massage gun when pregnant?
Before using a massage device when pregnant, you should seek advice from your GP or midwife, says Kelly: “If you’re cleared, then it can provide some relief for specific areas like the upper back, shoulders and possibly the calves, but never use it on or around the tummy, pelvis or lower back.”
Can massage guns replace all other forms of recovery pre- and post-exercise?
Kelly admits that while massage guns have become increasingly popular as a recovery tool in recent years, they shouldn’t be used as a complete replacement. She says, “I would advise everyone to use them as part of their training programme or rehab, alongside stretching, and soft tissue or massage work with a qualified professional.”
How do hot/cold attachments benefit the body?
Two of the massage guns tested had a hot/cold head. Heat applied to the body helps the muscles relax and promotes circulation, while applying the cold head is said to reduce swelling and help ease muscle fatigue.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Over the years, fitness and lifestyle writer Kerry Law has tested and scrutinised the marketing claims of all kinds of health-related products for national publications, including running shoes, fitness trampolines, juicers, hand blenders and nutritional supplements. She often writes about fitness trends and challenges, such as trying yoga in a weighted vest, seeing what happens when you swim every day for a fortnight, and re-starting Couch to 5K after giving up on running. She is currently training for a yoga teacher qualification, so is a big advocate for building low-impact recovery and relaxation into any fitness schedule.
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