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Our top pick and the best massage tool you can buy today is the VYBE Percussion Massage Gun. This cordless, handheld electric massage tool offers flexibility and power in one convenient, compact form. It has a broad speed range of 500 to 2400 strokes per minute. Interested to learn more about other tools that you can use in your health and fitness routine? Open our health wellness guide.
To help you choose the best massage tool for relaxation, stress-reducing, and relief of tension and soreness, we’ve compiled reviews and performed tests on the top-rated electric massage tools and physical therapy deep tissue massage tools. We looked for easy-to-use options that gave consistent results, whether you’re an experienced physical therapist or a beginner looking for good self-massage tools. Keep reading to learn more about the VYBE and the other products on this list.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This battery-powered massage gun offers three different massage tips and a wide range of speed options, plus a very ergonomic design that works for self-massage, making it the best handheld massage tool on our list.
With three different tips included and a speed range of 500-2400 strokes per minute, this powerful electric handheld massage tool is one of the most flexible and versatile tools on our list. The strong percussion and the availability of a large ball attachment delivering up to 60 lb of force per stroke make it the best massage tool for the shoulders we’ve tested.
It also includes a cone attachment, making it one of the best physical therapy deep tissue massage tools that we tried. It’s easy enough to use that experts and novices alike will find it intuitive and relaxing. The battery lasts up to 2 hours on a charge and the VYBE comes with two interchangeable batteries in the box. It also comes with a handy travel case so you can pack the different attachment heads. Now you don’t need to worry about being sore from too heavy of a workout with the best dumbbell rack.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This massage tool is easy to carry and convenient to use with a one-handed, long-reach design. It offers high-speed pulse massage to undo knots and relieve tension, plus a variety of attachments to relax large and small muscle groups.
This curved, long-handled electric massager is among the best self-massage tools if you’re looking for smooth, high-speed vibrations to ease tension in deltoid and trapezius muscles. With a 14-inch reach, it’s also one of the best back massage tools for solo use.
The Mighty Bliss comes with six different attachment heads, more than most competing models offer. While not all of them will be useful for everybody, it’s nice to have options. However, unlike the VYBE massage tool, this one doesn’t offer a percussive back and forth motion, but only rotation, relying on the shape of the heads to simulate percussive pressure. If you want to keep track of your next workout, take a look at the best fitness tracker too.
Award: BEST ERGONOMICS
WHY WE LIKE IT: A one-handed massage tool for shoulders, back, and waist as well as arms and legs, this electric massager offers 5 different heads and provides the option of high-speed vibration at 3600 rpm as well as percussive action.
This handheld massager offers the flexibility to work as a physical therapy deep tissue massage tool or as a self-massage tool to ease leg cramps, relieve shoulder and back tension, and help you relax and recover. It offers 5 different massage heads including a solid, weighty ball that’s good for large muscle groups. It also has a rather unique curved plastic head designed mainly for calf massage.
Speed range is up to 3600 rpm, and like the best electric massagers, it does both percussion and rotation. While it lacks the amplitude and the 60-lb force of the VYBE massage gun, it does have a highly ergonomic design that makes it easy to maneuver and lets you reach your lower back. This massager will be perfect the next time your best Fitbit clocks a several-mile run.
Award: BEST MANUAL DESIGN
WHY WE LIKE IT: This handheld self-massage tool is made of BPA-free hypoallergenic plastic and has a well-designed shape that lets you reach common Fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome trigger points with ease.
Our pick among the best self-massage tools that don’t require batteries or electric power, this massage cane benefits from a well-thought-out design, eco-friendly materials, and a very lightweight of less than one pound. This lightness helps make it more user-friendly for those with fibromyalgia or complex regional pain syndrome.
Compared to the electric massage tools on our list, this simple plastic curved rod may seem primitive, but it does have the distinct benefits of quiet operation and never running out of batteries. The design lets it reach the common trigger points for pinched nerve pain and makes it a handy self-massage tool for relaxation and pain relief. If you like this massager, you might also want to look into the best weight lifting gloves.
Award: BEST FOR TRAVEL
WHY WE LIKE IT: Sold in a pack of two, this rolling massage ball fits in the palm of your hand and offers a uniquely relaxing sensation as well as added leverage for breaking up knots and relieving sore and tense muscles.
This Zongs roller ball massage tool has the advantage of being ultra-compact and thus easy to pack for travel. It’s designed to fit in the palm of your hand and offer a soothing, tension-relieving massage via rolling motion, without pinching your skin or relying on harsh percussion. It works best with a few drops of massage oil or lotion and can be used in the bath as well.
Because of its handheld design and limited reach, it may not be the most effective self-massage tool for shoulder and back massages, but it offers a soothing, tension-relieving option for partner massage. It’s also designed to be friendly on sensitive skin and is easy to clean with soap and water. Speaking of tension relieving, you might want to also grab the best heart rate monitor.
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 16.5-inch plastic massage cane is well shaped to give you added leverage for self-massage and includes both an extra firm tip for deep tissue and relief of knots, as well as a pair of textured massage balls for more gentle relaxation.
With a three-point design and differently textured firm and soft massage heads, this handy 16.5-inch manual massage cane is one of our favorite self-massage tools for dealing with back and shoulder tension. While it may lack some of the versatility of an electric massage wand with multiple modes, such as the RENPHO deep tissue massager, it is much lighter at just .6 lbs, and much quieter.
The two massage ball ends are well situated to reach commonly sore and tense lower back muscles on most adults, and the firm drop tip is angled to allow leverage enough for physical therapy deep tissue massage and to relieve knots. It’s also one of the best budget-friendly massage tools out there. If you suffer from lower back pain, it is difficult to move around the house, let alone run errands. One of the products that you can use to restrict painful movements is the best back brace.
Award: BEST FOR CAR
WHY WE LIKE IT: With reversible directions and a comfortable design for the back and shoulders, this hands-free shiatsu massage pillow is one of the easiest ways to treat yourself to a relaxing Shiatsu style massage at home or even in the car.
This electric massage pillow allows you to enjoy a soothing Shiatsu-style massage at home or in your car, giving you the option of hands-free, high-tech comfort. It’s ergonomically designed and fits neatly on most couch backs and car seatbacks. Great for pain and soreness relief, it’s one of the best relaxation and massage tools we’ve come across for low-effort, hands-free self-massage.
It’s shaped to the contours of the upper back and neck area, and flexible enough to also be used to relieve lower back muscle and abdominal cramps, with a gentle rotating motion that changes directions and helps break up the tension. It’s not as portable as the other electric massage tools on our list and doesn’t offer the percussive deep tissue massage or trigger point therapy that you can achieve with a massage cane, however. Now, in case you want to buy new glasses and you are browsing for suitable vendor websites across the internet, check our best eyeglasses online guide for the ideal places.
In order to bring you the best massage tools you can buy, we limited our selection to massage tools that offered some flexibility and could work as self-massage tools as well as for partner use.
We only picked handheld electric massage tools that offered a choice of speeds, since, for different purposes like physical therapy deep tissue massage, or the relief of pain from repetitive activities, you may want very different rotational speeds. A percussion, as well as rotation setting, was considered a bonus.
We limited our search to massage tools made from hypoallergenic materials and without potentially irritating chemical coatings. We looked for BPA-free plastics and hard resin construction.
For non-powered self-massage tools, we only considered products with an ergonomic curve that provided leverage for neck and back massage, and were between 14 and 18 inches long, so as to be the right size for versatile massage on most adults.
If you’re looking for a great all around massage gun that works for gentle soothing as well as having enough punch for satisfying deep tissue massage, look for one with a broad speed range and at least 50-lb of percussive impact force, such as you can find with the VYBE Percussion Massage Gun, our top pick.
Massage therapists use a wide variety of specialized tools for different purposes, including rolling balls for gentle soothing and to break up knots, hard points for localized pain relief and pressure point therapy, and sometimes various oils and brushes. Most professionals use manual tools, but occasionally find a use for electric massage tools.
If you’re looking for a powered deep tissue massager, we recommend an electric massage gun with a percussion feature and a dense, 1 to 1.5-inch head attachment, such as the VYBE Percussion Massage Gun. For a manual handheld deep tissue massager, look for one with plenty of leverage, like the LiBa Back and Neck Massager.
If you’re looking for a versatile way to take some of the muscular strain out of massage work, a massage gun can be a deeply relaxing investment. It may not offer the reach of a long-handled self massager, but a massage gun is typically more effective at delivering consistent pressure to break up knots and provide deep tissue massage.
