A trip to the gym can leave your body crying out for a sports massage, while several sports massages can leave your bank balance crying out for a break. A massage gun can’t compete with a fully-fledged masseuse, but it can be a more cost-efficient way to relieve post-workout soreness after lifting weights.
If you’re not familiar with these products, these pistol-looking machines use something called percussive therapy – a more intense approach than something like acupressure, which slowly and consistently targets pressure points. In layman’s terms, they pummel you repeatedly – we promise it’s more pleasant than it sounds. Honestly – nothing quite compares to that unique feeling of having your muscles attacked so vigorously. All in the name of recovery, right?
The aim is to increase blood flow to the targeted area, with a systematic review published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology finding they could “improve short-term range of motion, flexibility and recovery-related outcomes” such as stiffness reduction.
Massage guns apply percussive therapy at different speeds, measured in percussions per minute (PPM). A good massage gun head will move anywhere from 1,400 PPM to 3,200 PPM. Many also come with several head attachments to choose from, as well as occasional swish bonus features like the Carmen massage gun’s cold compress head, but what’s most important is that they do the basics right.
Alongside packing a powerful motor, the best massage guns need excellent ergonomics, allowing you to comfortably manoeuvre them to target any muscle that ails you. It’s also worth taking noise into consideration – the last thing you want when recovering from a heavy gym session is a complaint from the neighbours.
But it’s an highly saturated market, with hundreds (if not thousands) of options to pick from, some with varying degrees of intensity. Below, some of our experts have tested some of the best massage guns available, reviewing them against the must-have points above. Read on to find out more about our favourites.
How we tested the best massage guns
Our testers used each product over several months, before and after visiting the gym, and other strenuous activities. They assessed numerous things, including:
- How each tool eased pain of DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness): These massage guns were used before and after gym workouts. This was key for judging how useful each tool would be for regular gym-goers dealing with next-day stiffness.
- How they worked out knots from hiking and running: The days after running can be painful, especially if you’re packing in long distances. We paid close attention to how well the massage guns tackled tight, stubborn muscle knots – especially in the hamstrings, calves and lower back.
- How they eased stiff muscles from a day at work: Sitting at a desk all day can cause stiff, tired muscles, and many people experience upper back and neck tightness from sitting at a desk all day. We used each massage gun in the evening to assess how well it eased that kind of stiffness, and how quickly it worked.
- Ease of use: We assessed how comfortable each massage gun was to hold and manoeuvre, especially when targeting hard-to-reach areas like the upper back or shoulders. We also considered the weight and grip for reaching those sore muscles.
- Range of attachments and speeds: We tested the different heads and speed settings each massage gun offered, and whether they made a notable difference on individual muscle groups.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Claire O’Reilly has more than 20 years of experience as a features writer and editor. She is a keen fitness fanatic, having recently run a 100km ultra-marathon. She has tried and tested all kinds of exercise products, from women’s trail running shoes to the best headphones for running. Owing to her extensive fitness knowledge, she knows the types of products needed to aid recovery and has become an expert in massage guns.
Harry Bullmore is the Independent’s resident fitness writer. His average week is filled with a wide variety of workouts from gymnastics to Olympic weightlifting, and when he’s not training or writing he can be found coaching CrossFit and studying for a NASM personal training qualification. With a schedule this busy, recovery tools have become part and parcel of his routine, so Harry has become a massage gun expert.
The best massage guns for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Bob and Brad M7 plus mini massage gun with heat therapy: £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for ergonomics – Renpho reach massage gun: £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget massage gun – Homedics portable vibration massage gun: £24.86, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for recovery – Myomaster myolite: £89, Myomaster.com
Bob and Brad M7 plus mini massage gun with heat therapy
Best: Massage gun overall
Attachments: Five
Weight: 400g
Speeds: Five
Why we love it
- Powerful
- Heat and blue light therapy available
- Lightweight
“I’ve had multiple friends and family members ask where they can buy this massage gun after giving it a try – it’s that good,” says Harry Bullmore.
Despite being a lightweight (395g, by my scales) and compact option, it packs a lot of power, with five speed settings from 2,000 to 3,000 RPM and 9mm of amplitude – how far the head moves with each percussion.
In more relatable terms, this means a massage that feels incredibly deep and, subjectively, offers quick relief from sore and aching muscles.
The silicone coating on the handle makes it comfortable to hold, five head attachments provide plenty of variety and it’s surprisingly quiet in action.
There’s also the heat therapy feature available on one of the head attachments, which provided an enjoyably warm sensation during post-workout massage gun sessions.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Renpho reach massage gun
Best: Massage gun for ergonomics
Attachments: Four
Weight: 635g
Speeds: Five
Why we love it
- Ergonomic
- Incredibly versatile
- Great price point
Take note
- Not the most powerful (2,800PPM max)
Of all the massage guns on test, this product stood out because of its non-slip, detachable, angled extension handle. This makes it easy to reach (and apply pressure to) the neck, as well as the mid and lower back. Meanwhile, muscles in my legs, chest and arms could be targeted by removing the extension.
The four massage heads (ball, U-shape, bullet and flat) are well designed, and the gun delivers five intensity levels, which are easy to control and clearly signposted on a large display. I also really liked the auto mode, which cycles up and down through the intensities depending on how much pressure is applied.
This massage gun is incredibly quiet in operation, great value and the manufacturer has also managed to keep the weight down, which only adds to the tool’s overall usability.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
Homedics portable vibration massage gun
Best: Budget massage gun
Attachments: Four
Weight: 130g
Speeds: Two
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Good design
Take note
- Not powerful
This battery-operated gun is the least powerful on test, with only two settings (high and low). But it makes up for this by being miraculously light, with excellent ergonomics. The four heads weren’t fiddly to change and the design made it very easy to apply more pressure when needed.
This model is well suited for anyone who’s after a little distraction from aches and pains rather than going full tilt to relieve intense exercise-related soreness and stiffness. It would also suit elderly users, who might not want to wield one of the larger models.
Buy now £27.95, Amazon.co.uk
Wahl mini massage gun
Best: Gym bag massage gun
Attachments: Four
Weight: 730g
Speeds: Six
Why we love it
- Gym- and travel-friendly
- Easy to operate
Take note
- Some performance fade under pressure
- Heavy
I found this gun’s lower speed settings (1,600-2,800PPM) were particularly good at getting the muscle recovery process under way. As a result, it’s great for chucking in your gym bag for impromptu post-workout sessions, lessening the effect of DOMS in the coming days.
Furthering its credentials, the Wahl mini massage gun is light, compact and comes with a carry case that holds all four attachments, from a round head for deep massage to a U-shaped spinal head for the back. Changing the speed setting was quick and smooth too, making it versatile and easy to use.
Buy now £64.99, Amazon.co.uk
Beurer PhysioLine MG99 massage gun
Best: Massage gun for a relaxing massage
Attachments: Four
Weight: 620g
Speeds: Five
Why we love it
- Quiet in operation
- Good value
Take note
- Slightly clunky ergonomics
- Plastic heads
The first thing I noticed about this massage gun was its volume, or lack thereof. Even at the most intense of its five speed settings, which range from 1,800-3,000PPM, it was very quiet. This intensity range means there’s plenty of scope to dial in the right level for a relaxing all-over massage, without the gun drowning out your whale sounds (if that’s your bag).
The four interchangeable heads offer the expected range of applications, and it was easy to turn on and off, with white LEDs showing you which intensity level you’re operating at. Although, we would have also liked an indicator on top of the massage gun, to make it easier to read when we were using it to target areas on the arm and chest.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Lola portable massage gun
Best: Good-looking massage gun
Attachments: Four
Weight: 500g
Speeds: Four
Why we love it
- Choice of colours
- Tactile
Take note
- Performance fade
This is another good option to sling in your gym bag, thanks to its diminutive dimensions. The Lola massage gun also gives you the option to colour coordinate (if that’s your thing), with a total of nine different colourways to choose from. It’s a good little tool too, with a quiet motor, four speeds up to 3,000PPM and four heads – although we found the cone and U-shaped attachments weren’t particularly forgiving at the top speed. However, the cone attachment did a fantastic job of getting into deep tissue, especially post-run, and the ball offered up a very relaxing all-round massage. Overall, the Lola was easy to operate and felt very nice in-hand.
Buy now £79.95, Beautybay.com
Myomaster myolite
Best: massage gun for recovery
Attachments: Four
Weight: 700g
Speeds: Four
Why we love it
- Good performance
- Value for money
Take note
- It’s weighty
The Myolite is the smaller, more affordable version of the MyoPro (£199, Myomaster.com), but it still comes with most of the same athlete-backed specs. It comes with four heads and relies on what the manufacturer calls “ripple effect technology”, which it claims ripples through the full depth of the muscle tissue to help with recovery.
This does seem to work in practice. Even though the Myolite is compact and portable, it packs a real punch with its four speed settings, which jump from 1,600PPM to a mighty 3,200PPM. I really liked how the Myolite was able to translate its impressive power into a supremely effective deep-tissue session. It’s not for the faint-hearted, as there was very little performance fade from the gun, so you can really work the muscle without affecting the PPM. But with its power, excellent ergonomics, easy operation and quiet motor, the Myolite is undoubtedly a top option.
Buy now £89.00, Myomaster.com
Carmen cold compress massage gun
Best: Massage gun for irritated muscles
Attachments: Four
Weight: 590g
Speeds: Eight
Why we love it
- Effective cold massage
- Value for money
Take note
- Noisy
- Some performance fade
Alongside the usual attachments (ball, cone, U-shape and flat) this gun includes a cold compress head, which you can put in the freezer and apply to sore muscles after exercise. It was very effective at easing stiffness in my glutes, quads and hamstrings the day after a very challenging hike, and I was pleased with how long the head actually stayed cold, giving me around half an hour of use before I needed to pop it back in the freezer.
There’s a large LED display on top of the gun which tells you which speed setting you’re using, and this proved easy to read when working on my chest, arms and quads. There are eight speeds in total (with a maximum of 3,200PPM), making it easy to select a comfortable intensity.
Buy now £26.59, Electricalworld.com
Boots deep-tissue percussive massage gun
Best: Value for money massage gun
Attachments: Four
Weight: 367g
Speeds: Five
Why we love it
- Value for money
- Ergernomic
Take note
- Noisy
Even though this gun only has three intensity settings, ranging from 1,600PPM to 2,400PPM, its solid ergonomics and light weight makes it easy to use all over the body. The addition of four well-designed attachments (bullet, flat, ball and fork) make it a good all-rounder that can provide both a relaxing massage and a more targeted approach, if you really want to focus on a specific area of stiffness. In particular, the ball attachment (which is a good size) worked well on my thighs, calves and glutes, while the bullet worked well on trigger points and areas of tenderness.
Buy now £49.99, Boots.com
Your questions about massage guns answered
What is the best massage gun?
Thanks to its compact design, size-defying power and nifty heat therapy head attachment, the Bob and Brad M7 plus mini massage gun with heat therapy takes the top spot. After months of testing, it provided immediate relief from post-workout soreness, and the option to add heat therapy into the equation was an enjoyable bonus. It ticked all our testing boxes and impressed our friends, so it is number one on our list.
Coming in a close second the Renpho reach massage gun with its unique, detachable extension is of the most versatile options on the market. It accessed almost any area of the body, and apply pressure to relieve soreness and stiffness, especially in combination with its good range of percussive intensities. It’s affordable too, so a great option if you don’t want to spend too much money.
If you have a little more cash to spend, our testers were also impressed by Wahl’s mini massage gun, which is ideal for sticking in your gym bag.
How to use a massage gun
Inevitably, each massage gun will be used slightly differently based on its settings, shape and features. Generally speaking, you should target muscle areas that have become sore post-workout or after sitting at a desk all day. Avoid bony areas such as joints and the spine, as well as bruised or cut skin. It’s always a good idea to start on a more gentle setting and work up to the more intense vibrations. Move the gun vertically, in small circles or horizontally, for up to two minutes at a time.
What are the benefits of using a massage gun?
Massage guns can be useful for relieving tension across your whole body. By applying powerful, repeated impacts to a certain spot, they promote blood flow to the area. A 2023 systematic review of research into the effects of these products concluded that “massage guns were shown to be cost-effective instruments for stiffness reduction, range of motion and strength improvements”.
Can you use a massage gun while pregnant?
Sometimes, during pregnancy, circulation can decrease, so massage guns are a great way to aid this. However, it is important to keep use away from the abdomen and instead use it on areas such as your arms and calves.
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