Are you looking for a handheld percussion massager to relieve your sore and achy muscles?
These fancy electronic massage devices are becoming increasingly popular!
Since you landed on this page chances are that you have read a lot of good things about them before.
I have been a massage junky for as long as I remember, and I remember a time when the majority of these devices were mostly gimmicks.
At best they didn’t do much and in bad cases felt like torture instruments.
Luckily, this is not the case any longer!
I have taken a thorough look at many different percussion massagers on the market and listed the best below.
Summarizing Comparison Table
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Theragun G3 Pro
The G3Pro is like the “Ferrari” of percussion massagers. It has a good-looking design and packs a lot of power. However, not unlike the Ferrari it also comes at hefty price tag.
Theragun is a popular brand that has been featured in several online magazines, one big reason being that famous sports athletes use and endorse their products.
After the success of the G2 Pro, Theragun launched the G3 Pro eliminating minor issues of its predecessor.
Theragun G3 Pro offers two speeds options of either 1750 RPM or 2400 RPM (revolutions per minute).
Improvements have been made to battery life, enhancing it to 75 minutes. The noise from the motor unit has been reduced significantly – about 50 %.
There are 6 attachments included in the purchase and according to the company, this should make you able to cover 90 % of the body.
There are also 2 powerful batteries included each with a battery life of 75 minutes. It takes about the same time to fully charge the battery because of the fast charging unit so you can essentially keep using it for many hours in a row.
Check out the G3Pro in this cool promo video.
Pros:
- 90 degree adjustability.
- The light weight makes it easier to use.
- Covers 90 % of your body.
- Includes a lot of things: 6 attachments, 2 batteries, and carrying case.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- A little bit noisy (even considering recent reduction).
- Some complaints that is it not as powerful as its predecessor.
User Experiences
Users have rated the product very high, and you will see many people talking about getting great results.
It does have a high price tag, and I believe that most consumers would be fine picking a cheaper alternative.
Hyperice Hypervolt
If you feel that the Theragun is just a little too expensive for your budget, then the Hyperice Hypervolt is a great alternative.
The Hypervolt is faster and quieter but with less adjustability. According to the company, the Hypervolt is the most quiet massager on the market.
The massager has four attachments and three speed options with the fastest being 3200 RPM.
It has an incredible battery life of up to three hours per charge so you won’t have to worry about charging all the time.
Pros
- 3 different speed settings.
- Long battery life of up to 3 hours.
- Quieter when operated.
- 4 head attachments included suiting most needs.
Cons
- No way to adjust the angle of the massaging head.
- Some complaints about the battery getting loose over time.
User Experiences
The product is generally rated very high. There have been some complaints about the quality of the “product build” and that the battery gets loose.
TimTam All New Power Massager
In Australia, they make a delicious chocolate cookie called Timtam, but there is no relation here (at least not my knowledge).
If you want to enjoy deep tissue massage at a low price point, then the Timtam Power Massager All New Power Massager is a great choice. It is a very powerful massager that some people say is even more intense than the Theragun.
The massager has a similar design to the Theragun but has only has one speed option of 2500 RPM. Also, only one massage head and one battery is included in the price and more can be purchased separately. Battery life is about 60 minutes.
Similar to the Theragun, it has a 90-degree rotating arm, you can easily massage different spots on your body.
Pros
- Powerful
- Quiet
Cons
- Not many things included
This is the TimTam All New Power Massager
User Experiences
The easy-to-use nature and the great price point of the product make it popular amongst users, although it doesn’t include as much as others.
Pure Wave CM7
Pure Wave CM7 is the flagship model in a serious of massagers by the company Pado. The CM7 is a very popular percussion massager at a relatively low price.
The CM7 has a unique “dual motor design” which means it has two massagers in one unit. Its main massager is works in the speed range of 1500 – 3700 RPM, and its second massager operates at 11000 RPM micro-vibrations, which is great for delicate tissue like your scalp or around joints.
This design is special and not seen on many other massagers. What it means for you and is that the unit is much more versatile and that you can get a broader range of “massage options” treating different needs.
6 different massage heads are included and it has a battery life of up to 3 hours. However, if used at max power it last for perhaps 40 minutes – 1 hour.
Pros
- Affordable yet highly versatile
- Design make it easy to reach back by yourself
Cons
- Some complaints about battery life degrading fast
- A bit noisy
- Doesn’t pack as much power as others
User Experiences
The Pure Wave CM7 customers are generally very positive towards this massager. It has a ton of positive reviews on Amazon. However, there does seem to be a pattern in complaints about the battery life worsening over time at a faster rate than should be expected.
Another critique is that it can’t work as deep into muscle tissue as other massagers. So if you got big muscular legs and massaging them is a high priority, then this massager is probably not the right choice for you
A percussion massager won’t be able to replace this, but it is the next best thing.
Jigsaw Massage Adaptor
Many electronic massage devices can look like repurposed power tools, and this product takes it to the next leve.
It is exactly as the name implies – a massage adaptor for your jigsaw. You simply equip your jigsaw with this adaptor instead of a saw blade and its function should then be quite similar to the Theragun or TimTam.
It was invented by 2014 CrossFit Games athlete who wanted to give his fellow athletes a professional-grade recovery tool at a much cheaper cost.
There is a selection of three different massage heads which you can buy separately or in a bundle.
The speed and power you get as well as cordless or not obviously depends on which jigsaw you use.
Pros
- Good option if you have a jigsaw at home
Cons
- 100 % depends on your jigsaw
User Experiences
Most jigsaws will be much heavier, larger, and noisier. Most people agree that using a jigsaw to massage is more troublesome, but it gets the job done.
A lot of people say that there is an intial uncomfortable feeling of “immediate danger” when using it, but as you get more used to the massage it slowly goes away.
Renpho Massager
As the cheapest product on this list, the Renpho massager is definitely still a decent massager and liked by many.
The massager comes with 5 different interchangeable massage heads and can work at three different “strength modes” and at 4 different speeds maxing out at 3600 pulses per minute.
The battery lasts for approximately 140 minutes, but the massage will stop every 20 minutes to prevent overheating of the unit.
Comparing the massager with others on this list, it is clearly an inferior product, but also much cheaper.
Pros
- Low price
Cons
- A bit heavy to hold
- Massage is less powerful and stops every 20 minutes
User Experiences
Some users say it gets to heavy to hold for longer periods, while others say it can be an advantage when massaging the back.
Even though the massager is not as powerful as many others, it still gives a good massage for the money which is why it is so popular.
What Is A Percussion Massager Really?
Electronic massage devices are nothing new. In fact, they have been around for a very long time and according to Wikipedia, the first electronic massage chair was made in Japan before the second world war.
A percussion massager is one kind of electronic massager that uses very rapid bursts of pressure (percussions). The term “percussion” is also used to describe certain kind of musical instruments like drums.
In massage technical terms, rapid bursts of pressure using the side of a hand is called tapotement, but with these electronic devices we are talking 1000s of bursts per minutes.
Put simply, a percussion massager is unique due to its ability to “hammer down” very fast on your sore muscles.
It might sound like nothing special, but it has shown to be effective at accelerating growth and repair of tissue because it increases blood circulation, relaxes and lengthens muscle tissue and fascia, it breaks up adhesions and scar tissue and in general increases the range of motion.
There is a reason why athletes use them, and even NASA has been using them to prevent bone loss in astronauts.
A percussion massager can take many different shapes and forms, but the recent popular products you see on the market are mostly handheld, cordless and easy-to-use.
An easy way to differentiate the products are on the basis of speed, the level of pressure applied and the different types and sizes of attachments available.
If you want to learn more about how percussion therapy works, then I recommend you take a look at this article from evolve-mma.com.
Do you often have a sore neck after many hours in front of the computer?
Why Get Massage At All?
I doubt that you need much convincing on why you need to get a massage. However, I want to emphasize how massages are not just some luxurious and decadent indulgement but also a very effective treatment method.
Yes… a massage can feel awesome, but sore and achy muscles do inhibit your movement and can make daily routine actions harder than they should be.
Sore and strained muscles or tendon pains can have a lasting effect and turn an important day into an even more challenging one very quickly due to uncomfortable tightness, pain or even spasms.
Massaging overworked muscular tissue can speed up recovery and get you ready for your favorite physical activity faster.
But it is not only about physical exertion because muscle strain and soreness can also occur due to mental stress. Let’s be honest, almost all of us have a stressful environment encompassing deadlines, tests and/or new challenges occurring often.
Both physical and psychological stress will make your muscle tense. If you want to perform well and sustain long hours of hard work and focus, then you can’t afford to lose out because of sore muscles.
In addition, the way we use our body and interact with the environment on a daily basis creates muscular imbalances, e.g. working or studying at a desk, using a computer, looking at a smartphone, watching television etc..
Some muscle tissue gets short and tight while others become overstretched and weak resulting in poor posture like rounded shoulders and forward head posture. This also creates a lot of muscle tension and soreness.
Figuring Out What To Buy
The Theragun, Hypervolt and Timtam are all relatively similar in design and function. If you have no budget restriction whatsoever, the G3Pro is the most premium choice.
However, you can probably get away with a cheaper alternative without missing much. If you can live with the short battery life, the Timtam All New Power Massager is a great tool for the athlete or sports enthusiast.
If you got a good jigsaw at home in your garage, then the massage adaptor could be a good option. But the cheapest option would still be the Renpho.
But if you are just trying to get rid soreness and pain, then the CM7 would be smart and budget-friendly choice.
