You know what’s frustrating? Working out and finding yourself held back not by fatigue or ability, but by residual muscle pain and soreness. The best massage guns can help, using percussive massage to ease soreness and improve your range of motion.
Stretching helps, yes, but there’s a reason professional athletes get sports massages, and it’s not just because they feel nice: massage guns’ percussive effect increases blood flow, reduces your perception of pain, and is also just straight-up relaxing. Weave it into your routine and a post-workout massage gun session can start to take on a meditative quality.
A massage gun makes a good alternative to a professional masseuse. and thanks to the rapid rise in popularity of these sports gadgets, competition in the market has brought prices down dramatically over the last couple of years.
You no longer need to spend a fortune to get a reliable massage gun, which is, after all, not that different inside to some DIY power tools. We’re also going to suggest some companion gifts that sit alongside a massage gun like a weight lifter and their spotter. Let’s get started
If you’re looking for more of the best present suggestions ahead of the big day, look at our guides to the best Christmas sales in the US and Boxing Day sales in the UK. These guides are packed with more great holiday and Christmas gift ideas.
Best massage guns gifts
Bob and Brad massage gun Q2 Mini
Pocket rocket
We love the Bob and Brad Q2 Mini Massage Gun for its portability and ease of use. We’d never seriously consider taking a full-size Theragun to the gym, but this? Sure. It’s less than six inches long. The Q2 Mini has five settings, five massager heads, and a peak speed setting of 3000rpm, high for a lower-cost mini model. It head travel and torque won’t cut it for body builders looking to go to town, but for the rest of us? It’s great.
If you want another small alternative, take a look at the Power Plate Mini+.
Recovery champion
Renpho makes lots of health and wellness gadgets. It was only a matter of time before we got a massager like the R3. It’s a mid-size gun that includes a carry case, and the battery lasts up to an impressive six hours at the lower intensity settings. There are five of these settings, and we find it perfect for a workout cooldown. The motor is liable to stall more easily than a top-tier model if you press into your muscles hard, but the 10mm amplitude is decent.
For a similar mid-range massage gun, try the Shavron Vibration Massage Gun instead.
Silent but deadly
We like the Hydragun as a more affordable alternative to big names like the Theragun Pro. It has an aluminum shell, giving you confidence it can take some rough treatment, and both a longer-throw action and better torque than our lower-cost picks. Our favorite part: it’s not noisy at all in use. More massager, less power tool. Unusually, it also includes a trio of metal-capped heads as well as the more familiar styles.
The Homedics Pro Physio is a pricey but robust alternative, with optional heating attachment.
A rocking roller
It looks like a robot ball toy, but this is a clever little massager ball from Therabody. It’s 8.6mm in diameter, letting you work it into localized tough and tight spots around your body. You can control the Wave Solo using the phone app too, controlling its three intensity levels without getting hands-on. The app also shows how to integrate it into all kinds of stretching routines.
If you want a similar lacrosse-ball replacement, consider the SHRINK vibrating massage ball.
Thigh master
You can use any foam roller for effective self-myofascial release, which refers to the massage of your muscles and the associated connective tissue. The Hyperice Vyper 3.0 turbo-charges that process with a powerful 34W vibration motor. We like using one of these rollers for the large muscle groups, and a massage gun for more localized relief. Heck, you could use both at the same time if you have the dexterity for it. They’re not cheap though, especially compared to a standard foam roller.
For a much cheaper alternative, check out the non-vibrating Triggerpoint grid foam roller.
Not just for Yoga
Most workout routines probably shouldn’t rely on a massage gun as a complete replacement for stretching. The two disciplines work together as a way to avoid injury. In most homes, a yoga mat is the perfect canvas on which you get your stretch. This one is a 4.2.mm thick natural rubber and polyurethane mix, for great grip while avoiding sweat getting into the material to make it grimy and gross within weeks.
Want a cheaper eco-friendly option? Try this Navaris cork yoga mat.
More holiday sales in the US
- Amazon: 70% off Kindle, TVs, tablets & clothing
- Apple: AirPods, Apple Watch & iPads from $79
- Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing
- Beauty: 51% off makeup, skincare & hair tools
- Best Buy: $800 off TVs, laptops & headphones
- Cheap TVs: big-screen 4K TVs from $269.99
- Christmas: 40% off decor, pajamas & trees
- Dell: Inspiron and XPS laptops from $260
- DreamCloud: 40% off all mattresses
- Family pajamas: Christmas PJs from $12.99
- Gaming: console bundles from $289.99
- Lenovo: 76% off laptops, desktops & printers
- Lowe’s: up to $800 off major appliances
- Nectar: mattress deals starting at $359
- Nordstrom: 40% off Nike, Levi’s & UGGs
- Patagonia: pullovers starting at $64.99
- Samsung: $2,000 of TVs, phones and appliances
- Shopbop: 25% off sitewide with code Holiday
- Target: 40% off Christmas decor, TVs & toys
- Toys: Disney, Barbie & Lego from $14.99
- Walmart: cheap TVs, air fryers, PS5 & toys
More Christmas sales in the UK
- Amazon: up to 65% off tech and gifts
- Adidas: up to 60% off outlet clothing, shoes, apparel
- AO: up to 40% off vacuums, appliances, and tech
- Argos: up to 70% off toys, Christmas decor, and tech
- Boots: half-price gift sets, gift cards, and fragrances
- B&Q: cheap Christmas trees, lights, decor, wreaths
- Carphone Warehouse: 120GB data for £12 per month
- Currys: up to 40% off TVs, air fryers, laptops and more
- Cotswolds Outdoor: up to 50% off Patagonia, Rab, North Face
- Debenhams: up to 70% off home, fashion, gift sets
- Disney: up to 60% off Christmas jumpers, toys, decor
- Ebuyer: up to 40% off laptops, desktops, and components
- John Lewis: £300 off TVs, Apple, plus Christmas decor
- Jessops: up to £1,000 off Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm
- O2: up to £600 off iPhone, Samsung and Google
- Samsung: up to £600 off TVs, phones and appliances
- Shark: up to £100 off best-selling vacuums
- Very: discounts on tech, appliances, furniture and beauty
- Vodafone: six months half-price SIMs from £11.50