We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The 23 Best Massage Guns for 2024
Beat muscle soreness, back pain or just get your teeth chattering with the best percussive therapy and massage guns, from budget steals to professional favourites like the Theragun range
You want – nay, need – a massage. Maybe your WFH method of laying supine on the sofa isn't doing you any favours. Maybe your decision to jump spine-first into bodyweight exercises has resulted in some unexpected discomfort. Perhaps you want to aid recovery from gym sessions, or just want to take some time for yourself to relax. Well, we've got you covered.
Which is to say, we've rounded up the best massage guns on the market; deep soft tissue manipulators that help recovery, decrease soreness, improve circulation, address posture issues and help you get more out of your muscles. They're also pretty enjoyable, too.
Because the best massage guns are tools for recovery and relaxation. Something you use to get the most of your workouts, sure, but also the first thing you reach for after a particularly stressful day of work (especially if you're tapping away at a laptop on the kitchen table). It's a luxury and one that you deserve in your life.
Problem is, there are just too many options out there. So how can you tell the difference and pick the right machine? We've got all the answers below in our tried-and-tested guide.
Best Massage Guns 2024
Why Should I Use a Massage Gun?
They’re designed to combat muscle soreness and aid recovery. It’s a deep tissue massage of sorts, achieved through rapid percussive movements that stimulate muscles, enhance blood flow and soften knots. You can use them while warming up or post-work out, and they feel good too, hitting all the right pressure points that can enhance the production of endorphins. At the very least, massage guns can provide some short-term relief for problem areas.
“They may often look like power tools, but the benefits of massage guns include decreased muscle tension, relaxed muscles, and promoted blood flow,” says Dr Daniel Giordano, CMO of Bespoke Treatments. “We use one on a daily basis, and it can be used before, during or after a workout.”
How to Use a Massage Gun for Best Results
Once you've got one, what's the best approach?
“For warming up, the massage gun can be used to promote blood flow and circulation to warm up the tissue and to stimulate the nervous system, prepping your body for activity,” says Giordano. “We recommend flushing (floating the gun up and down the muscle) the muscle area for 15 to 30 seconds, back and forth."
When it comes to mid-workout treatments, a similar approach is taken. “During a workout, there are times when someone may feel tight and want to stretch between exercises, which may actually decrease their performance by negatively affecting their force output,” warns Giordano. “Instead try flushing the area for 15-30 seconds to increase blood flow and decrease muscle tension. This should excite the muscle, loosening it again for the rest of your workout."
Massage guns can also potentially help you recover from heavy sessions. “Once the body is relaxed, you will decrease cortisol levels (stress) and create an optimal healing environment for recovery, getting towards an anabolic state of recovery,” says Giordano. “To do that, spend 90 to 120 seconds moving up and down each muscle group.”
Some safety and best practice precautions: make sure you turn it on before you make contact with your skin, and simply rest the head on your muscles when it’s in motion. “There is no need to add excessive pressure or dig it into the body,” says Giordano. “If you find a 'trigger point' don’t dig into the area.”
Make sure to avoid running the machine over bones and joints, and if it hurts decrease the pressure. He recommends moving slowly across the muscle, around 1-2 inches per second.
How We Test Massage Guns
To find out which massage guns cut the mustard, our health and fitness expert trialled each one for a three-week period, using them to prime their muscles and recover amidst a jam-packed routine of weightlifting, running, HIIT, yoga and more.
The guns were judged on their strength and impact on the muscles, as well as how easy they were to control, the effectiveness of the various interchangeable massage heads they came with and how easily they moved over skin and muscles. The practicality of the design, including how ergonomic the handle was, was also considered before we settled on our final rankings.
Don’t see an Esquire logo? The Esquire editors have also chipped in, sharing the products that help soothe their long-suffering lumbars when WFH.
Jodie is our Health and Fitness product tester. She runs tests on a wide variety of products, including gym leggings, walking boots, fitness trackers and more. Jodie has managed the testing for 577 products to date, including working with over 600 panellists.
Yanar was our former Fitness Group Testing Manager. She managed health and fitness product testing across all the magazines, overseeing all testing processes and ensuring our lab and panel tests are conducted to the highest standards. Yanar spent 15 years as a health and wellness content editor and writer for national titles such as Runner’s World, Men’s Health and Women’s Health. Yanar is a Level 3 qualified PT, trained yoga teacher and a registered yoga therapist. She has been into fitness and wellness her whole life. After many years running races and marathons, she now trains and competes in CrossFit and Olympic lifting. She passionately advocates strength training for women to build a stronger mind and body for life.
Watch Next
Best Gins, Tried and Tested
The Esquire Guide to Rosé Wine
29 of the Best Tequilas To Drink in 2024
It's Time to Embrace Eye Cream