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12 of the best massage guns for all budgets
Soothe aching muscles with our 2024 picks (trust us, you won't regret it)
Tested by Yanar AlkayatFormer Fitness Group Testing Manager
Most of us love a good ol' massage now and then, but sadly hitting the spa to have a personal rub down every week is but a daydream.
Anyway, massage guns aren't just for your quads when they're feeling stiffer than a brick post-HIIT class either. Muscle massage guns also come in handy for when your back is giving you grief after an awkward sleep, or for when you're feeling a little tight in the shoulders.
Yep, these powerful bits of kit can really help you to recover and relax by pummelling your muscles… Trust us, it's nicer than it sounds! And whether you’re here because you’re an athlete who wants to soothe aching muscles or your partner just isn’t making the cut on those weekly full-body massages (let's give them a break, ay?) think of a massage gun as the answer to your next *self care* treat. And we promise there's a machine for everyone – no matter your budget.
What is the best affordable massage gun?
Tbh, if you’ve ever looked into buying one of these handheld masseurs you’ll know they can be spenny. Luckily, we’ve made it our mission to track down the best massage guns that are budget friendly for everyone and good value for money. AND, if that’s not enough, we also asked our resident health expert to put most of them to the test, making sure they met our stringent soothing standards.
How we test massage guns
Our expert fitness tester used each massage gun for three weeks to recover from their ridiculously active schedule of HIIT, gym-trips, yoga, running and much, much more.The best ones were easy and comfortable to use, moved smoothly over skin, soothed our muscles effectively and served up a few fancy features to keep us entertained.
Best value for money massage gun: RENPHO Massage Gun
Best massage gun for relaxation: HoMedics Deep Tissue Percussion Massager
Best mini massage gun for travel: Theragun Mini Massage Gun
Best massage gun for a gentle touch: Wahl Deep Tissue Massager
Best massage gun for everyday use: Wahl Mini Massage Gun
How to use a massage gun
Well, we know these back massagers look intense, but the way to use them really is by pounding and jiggling your limbs. By hitting all of your deep tissues, a massage gun encourages blood flow to the impacted area, helping reduce soreness. Not bad, eh? Your own personal back massager.
So long, tired body! You will not be missed.
Here are the top 12 Cosmopolitan approved massage guns...
Unfortunately, hiring a personal masseuse is slightly out of our price range. Thankfully, our budget can stretch to this nifty bit of kit from RENPHO (muscles, you owe us one).
A smooth operator, it’ll leave your muscles feeling fresh after a thorough massage and comes with five swappable massage heads to target all manner of aches. The handle vibrated quite a lot when we cranked the speed to the max, but it still does everything you’d expect of a top massage gun for a more than fair fee. Another great option to add to your Amazon basket!
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 2
Weight: 0.68kg
Amplitude: 9mm
Speed settings: 5, from 1800 to 3200ppm
Battery life: Up to 6 hours
Warranty: None
Included accessories: 5 massage heads, USB charging cable, carry case
Juuuust in case you wanted to go high end and splurge a little, the Therabody PRO works a little differently to any other massage gun. The arm and head rotate with 4 unique positions to choose from, helping hit different spots along the body without moving your own arm too much. The triangle shaped handle also allows a better grip without putting too much strain on the wrist and fingers as it pulsates.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 3
Weight: 1.3kg
Amplitude: 16mm
Speed settings: 5
Battery life: 300 minutes
Warranty: N/A
Included accessories: 6 massage heads, protective carry case, 2 rechargeable batteries, battery charger
Wahl has interpreted the massage gun brief completely differently here, but we kinda like it. It might look a bit...different... to the traditional pistol design, but this has its pluses. The long handle made it easy to reach those irritating tight spots on our back, and a massage head shaped like four fingers (sounds gross, but don’t knock it 'til you try it) actually did wonders on our sore spots.
It hasn’t quite got the oomph seriously sporty types are after, but if you just want to enjoy a relaxing massage, it’ll do a bang up job.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: Not given
Amplitude: Not given
Speed settings: Variable, up to 3300ppm
Battery life: Up to 3hrs 20mins
Warranty: 2 years
Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger
We’re not sure about you, but when someone says massage, we start to dream up the ultimate relaxing scene: think candles, oils, soothing music...you get the picture. And, while stronger massage guns are great at untying knotted muscles, many of us won’t want our bones rattled in the name of recovery.
This HoMedics model offers a lighter touch, better suited to less intense recovery sessions after a long walk or day on your feet. We found the ball massage head dragged on our skin slightly, causing some discomfort, but the lightweight design and easy-to-use controls helped us re-find our zen.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: Not given
Amplitude: Not given
Speed settings: Variable, up to 3300ppm
Battery life: Up to 3hrs 20mins
Warranty: 2 years
Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charge
If you'll only be using your massage gun from home, this Wahl device is mains powered and well under £100 – a perfect pick if you're on a budget. Still offering a deep tissue massage via vibration and heat, there are seven heads and three intensity settings to really get into those knots and aches.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: N/A
Amplitude: N/A
Speed settings: 3 frequency levels
Battery life: N/A, mains powered
Warranty: 1 year
Included accessories: 7 attachments
Looking for something a little different? The Venom Go heat and vibration pad is totally hands-free, sticking to your body and controlled by the clever Hyperice app. With three vibration patterns and three levels of heat technology, stiff and sore muscles will be gone in no time.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: N/A
Amplitude: N/A
Speed settings: 3 massage levels
Battery life: N/A
Warranty: N/A
Included accessories: USB charger, magnetic pod, pads
Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2
Looking for quick relief from muscle tension, knots and fatigue? This massage gun is great for both warming up and relieving pains after your workout. Lightweight and extra quiet, the Hypervolt's ergonomic design makes it a go-to gun for your routine.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: 0.68kg
Amplitude: 40W motor
Speed settings: 3 settings
Battery life: 3 hours
Warranty: N/A
Included accessories: Power supply and adaptors, 2 heads attachments
This mini handheld muscle massager is one of the best massage guns on Amazon, coming with 4 unique attachments – a great option for every day use.
We found that this mini was powerful for its size, and was the perfect size for taking anywhere. The six speed settings were a great addition that could be used for a gentle massage to a solid deep tissue rub for muscle recovery. At under £100, what more could you want?
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: N/A
Amplitude: 6mm
Speed settings: 6
Battery life: 200 minutes
Warranty: N/A
Included accessories: 4 attachment heads, protective case
Small but mighty, this muscle massager comes with six speed settings and four heads to target tensions and aches all over your body, including your back, shoulders, legs, thighs and bum. A perfect mini massager for those on a budget.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: 471g
Amplitude: N/A
Speed settings: 6 frequency levels
Battery life: 1 hour +
Warranty: NA
Included accessories: Travel pouch, USB charger, 4 heads
Theragun Mini Massage Gun
This simple, compact design is easy to pop into your gym bag, but don’t underestimate this pocket rocket. It’s got three speed settings, and the top one is hella-powerful (great if you’ve got any stubborn aches and pains that just won’t go away).
It’s a bit noisy, so you might have to have a slightly awkward conversation with housemates to explain what you’ve been up to, but it scored top marks with our tester for relieving soreness and relaxation. Don’t be surprised if you quickly find yourself hooked on this mini masseuse.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 3
Weight: 0.65g
Amplitude: 12mm
Speed settings: 3, from 1750 to 2400rpm
Battery life: Up to 2.5 hours
Warranty: 1 year
Included accessories: Charger, carry case
Combining heat and percussion therapy, this mini massage gun is the world's first to offer a deep tissue massage through both vibration and heat. Ultra-light and super quiet, choose from three frequency levels and three heat settings.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 2
Weight: 320g
Amplitude: 6mm with max force of 15 lbs
Speed settings: 3 frequency levels
Battery life: 2 hours
Warranty: None
Included accessories: Travel pouch, USB charger, 4 heads
This massage gun is seriously powerful. We're talking, good luck to you if you select the strongest of the three vibration levels powerful - so you don't need to worry if you were concerned about how much oomph you get with just a few settings. That said, a couple of gentler options wouldn't go amiss for those of us who like to work our way up to the more intense settings.
There are four interchangeable message heads, though, which definitely makes a difference when you need to find the level that's just right for you.
Key specs
Sizes: 1
Colours: 1
Weight: 1,080g
Amplitude:14 mm
Speed settings: 3 percussion speeds: 30, 40 and 50 Hz
Battery life: Minimum running time of 45 minutes
Warranty: 2 years
Included accessories: Charger, 4 heads
Priyankaa is our sleep and wellness expert, specialising in expert-tested reviews and roundups on the latest health and fitness products. From walking boots to running machines, Priyankaa has written about hundreds of products and is passionate about providing in-depth, unbiased reviews. Plus, as an avid runner and gymgoer, she knows exactly what to look for when finding the right gymwear, fitness tracker or earphones.
Priyankaa has an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and over five years’ experience in health and fitness journalism. Priyankaa has written for Stylist’s Strong Women Training Club, where she regularly wrote about diversity in the fitness industry, nutrition tips, training advice and her experience completing various fitness challenges. She has also written for a variety of publications including Business Insider, Glamour, Bustle, Metro, HuffPost UK, gal-dem and more. Outside of work, Priyankaa can usually be found trying out a new gym class, seeking out London's best eats or watching a Spanish TV show in a bid to keep up her language skills.
Chloe Bowen is Cosmopolitan UK’s former Features Intern. She holds undergraduate and masters degrees in journalism, and ever since joining the Cosmo team, Chloe writes about everything from sex and dating to mental health, culture, body image and books. In her spare time, she’s likely to be cooking up tasty vegan food, in a yoga class, binge-watching crime documentaries or going on long walks with an over-priced oat milk flat white.
Amber O’Connor is Cosmopolitan UK’s former junior features writer, who covers everything from breaking news, women’s safety and real life features to fitness, travel, and cultural trends. She works on first-person features, reports, and long reads, plus the hottest stories of the day (if you want to know about the latest wellness craze or TikTok trends, she’s your girl). Amber has previously worked as a reporter and a lifestyle writer, with her work appearing in numerous publications, including The Mirror, Red Magazine, Evening Standard, Indy100, and Yahoo News. When she’s not working her way through her TBR list, Amber loves dancing, running, and going on adventures with her dog.
Yanar was our former health and wellness tester.
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