Warranty: We love lifetime guarantees as it shows the company is willing to stand behind their product. Some have 1-year and 2-year warranties.

Put simply, it’s a handheld device that sends vibrations through your muscle at a high frequency of around 40 percussions per second”, says Jonathan Codling, a physiotherapist at luxury health club Third Space in London. “These vibrations are called percussive therapy, which is based on the principles of massage, vibration therapy and foam rollers.”The Hypervolt 2 offers speeds of up to 2,700 percussions per minute and three levels of pressure to help alleviate post-workout aches, soreness, and stiffness. Plus, it’s lighter than the original Hypervolt, has a longer battery life, and features a more streamlined design. In our exploration of heated massage guns, we’ve had the opportunity to test the Aura Revive. This massage gun holds the distinction of being the only one on our list that’s FSA/HSA eligible, allowing you to reap some tax benefits by purchasing it as a medical device. The best part about this mini massage gun is that the size doesn’t mean compromising on speed. Though smaller than my iPhone, the Myti can still reach 3,000 PPM on its highest setting, the top one of four. It’s also quiet, at only 55db at top speed, and lasts for up to three hours on a single USB-C charge. As with all our massage gun tests, we tested the decibel levels of each setting to see how noisy the HoMedics Pro Physio could be during operation. The gun comes with three speed settings:

For starters, we measured the Aura Revive’s stroke length (amplitude) to be 9.5mm. This is a low amplitude that will offer vibrational feel rather than deep, percussive punch. Urikar Pro steps it up with a 12mm amplitude, delivering more intense impacts. To be fair though, this hype is not just hot air, these devices have been proven to work. With many people, especially fitness enthusiasts, looking for a convenient way for muscle recovery, these devices have been a welcome blessing.It comes in a nice travelling case and you’ll also find in there five attachments. Its 2600mAh battery is on par with other devices in our review, providing between 3-5 hours of use on a single charge. The battery is also removable, adding to its convenience. If you intend to bring your massage gun to the gym or studio, consider its size and weight. Some models are more compact and travel-friendly than others, and some come with carrying cases. Generally speaking, I found that miniature massage guns weighed anywhere from 1 to 1.5 pounds, while full-size massage guns weighed 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. Smart Features Massage guns truly don’t come lighter or more practical and compact than this. It weighs just 650g and still offers the same vibration speed as the other, larger Theragun models – a maximum of 2400 PPM over 3 speed settings. That’s not as many options as other, full-size massage guns, but for such a lightweight device, I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker. Our advice here is that you choose to support Lifepro – an American company that cares about their customers with top notch customer support and are willing to stand behind their products with lifetime warranties. Konrad A, et al. (2020). The acute effects of a percussive massage treatment with a hypervolt device on plantar flexor muscles' range of motion and performance.

Even though everything else is similar and perhaps standard, there are certain compromises made with the heated massage gun.

Sams L, et al. (2023). The effect of percussive therapy on musculoskeletal performance and experiences of pain: A systematic literature review. Compared to smaller, lighter massage guns, such as the Recovapro Lite or the Hypervolt Go, the HoMedics Pro Physio feels like a bit of a beast. We found it a little unwieldy to start with, and we did get tired moving it around awkward and hard-to-reach areas during longer massage sessions. My first impression of the Prime is wholly positive – I like the sleek, streamlined build, ergonomic handle and how easy it is to use. One button on the top of the device is used to switch it on and off and control the vibrations, which can be set at speeds ranging from 1750 to 2400 percussions per minute (PPM). It has a fair battery life of 120 minutes with continuous use. However, with most heated percussion massagers, the stall force rarely goes beyond 30lbs. Apart from one heated massage gun, the Urikar Pro 2 and also the Bob and Brad X6 Pro (which surprised us to be honest) no other gun that we’ve seen in this niche can handle anything over 30lbs. There are three power modes as well allowing you to choose the intensity of your massage. Plus, it boasts minimal noise levels even on its fastest speed setting (it’s not completely silent but it’s not as loud as some of its competitors) meaning you can easily use this massage gun in a public space as well. It’s TSA-approved too so dump it in your carry-on before you head on your next trip.