Noise: 40 dB | Stall Force: 30 lbs | Weight: 2.3 lbs | Customizability: 6 head attachments, 6 speeds | Battery Life: 6 hours | Our Overall Rating: 4.5/5

In need of a massage gun...for your face? Meet Therabody's TheraFace Pro. Whether you have irritating jaw pain or facial muscle tension, this innovative facial tool uses gentle percussive massage to ease discomfort. We love that this massage gun effectively reaches specific trigger points and particularly sore spots. It's quieter than Opove's previous model, the M3 Pro, formerly our best overall massage gun. It's also more compact and easier to maneuver than its predecessor, making the Apex an easy choice for our best overall spot. As fans of deep tissue massage, we also love that the device comes with multiple smaller attachments for more intense kneading. Although this massage gun has a hefty stall force of 50 pounds, it's still quite lightweight, only weighing 2.3 pounds.

Best for exercisers who prioritize battery life in a massage gun and favor one with an auto-shutoff feature for added safety. It weighs less than a pound, but on any intensity level, it feels like it’s doing big work to alleviate tension, soreness, and speed up recovery. It comes with two different massage heads: the flat palm-like one and the bullet trigger point. (We prefer the flat one unless working on a very specific pain point.) The motor is super quiet, with a noise level of 39dB, and the battery holds up well to regular use. As its name suggests, the Power Plate Mini+ is a compact massage gun, measuring 15cm x 9cm for the device alone, with no attachments. The box includes the gun itself, two massage attachments, a USB-C charging cable, and a robust drawstring carry bag. Among the six interchangeable heads HoMedics includes with its Pro Physio massage gun are a ‘heat head’, which you can set to heat up to 47˚C in less than two minutes, and a ‘cold head’, which you can keep in the freezer. For many, these will make all the difference to training and everyday comfort. The device is also mercifully quiet, and glides smoothly over your skin or clothes, whichever head you use (barrel, ball and arrow are all included, as well as cellulite, hot and cold).

The power button is located on the bottom of the handle, and is also used to control the gun’s speed. There are four intensity settings, which you can cycle through by pressing the power button while the gun is on. The power button is surrounded by eight LEDs: four red ones on the right that indicate the battery charge level, and four white ones on the left show the intensity. Speed levels: The speed with which the head of the device pounds against you is measured in percussions per minute (PPM). About 2400 PPM is about as intense as most people will want to go, but one of our best-value recommended massage guns goes up to 4800, very much the “up to 11” of the massage gun world. You also get five interchangeable foam attachments (dampener, standard ball, wedge, thumb and cone) and five speeds (1,750-2,400ppm), giving you many different combinations of surface and intensity for different muscle groups and parts of your body. You’re guided through these combinations and helped to achieve your perfect massage programme by the app. If you’re a regular gym-goer who takes training and recovery seriously, then a high-powered massage gun with Bluetooth and a companion fitness app will be a worthwhile investment. If you want a device to soothe sore muscles after another long day at your desk, then look for a lightweight massage gun that offers various easy-to-attach heads and gentler speed settings. Sportneer’s mini massage gun is another one of the top-rated models our editors have tested, and they were impressed by how easy it is to operate and how powerful the motor is despite its small size. It’s about on par with the addsfit gun in terms of motor power, and comes with a large ball massage gun head which definitely makes up for its small size, since it has more surface area and gives you more coverage while massaging.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 Theragun is a powerhouse in the massage gun market, and after testing the brand's most popular massage gun models, the Theragun Prime (4th Generation) was our favorite. In fact, it earned an overall higher rating than the more expensive Theraguns we tested. We felt it was very effective at relieving sore muscles after a workout and was easy to hold and quiet. It's a budget-friendly massage gun option from the brand that still provides all the features you need for sore muscle relief. As mentioned above, cheap massage guns can still be a good investment, depending on what you’re using it for. If you’re a hardcore gym-goer, you’re better off investing in a more expensive gun as the technology. After all, the pressure it will offer will be better. But if you’re just looking to relax your muscles, then a cheaper model will do. If you do want a massager to last for years to come, it's worth splashing out on an expensive model. These devices will usually come with a bigger warranty and will be more cost-effective in the long run.

What’s important is that you have a few speeds to choose between, so you can opt for low-intensity massage for everyday muscle relief, medium to boost recovery, and high intensity to get rid of painful knots. Look for three or more optional speeds, which are easy to switch between while you use the device. I utilised all four heads, but worked mostly with the bullet. After some pre-season training and a gentle cool down, I used the bullet to release tension in tight regions – namely, the hamstrings. I started with the flat head on its maximum setting, focusing on tender areas to bring a layer of warmth to the tissue. I then identified areas for localised treatment and put the bullet to work, pushing deep to work away any nasty knots. Following 10-15 minutes of identifying, warming and treating the tissue, I rounded off with some static and dynamic stretches, allowing the muscle to contract and release through a range of natural movements.Features We Love:Very lightweight, 2 massage gun heads are included, very quiet motor and sleek design