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The GHI put a range of massage guns to the test to find the best for fitness and relaxation

Massage guns have burst on to the fitness scene as a great pocket-sized substitute to a private masseuse. If your body is sore after exercise or you’re just in urgent need of stress relief that only a deep-tissue massage can provide, a muscle gun may be the answer.

Luckily, we’ve put a selection through their paces to find the best massage guns on the market. And there’s options to suit all needs and budgets!

The best massage guns help aid muscle recovery after exercise. We asked Vic Paterson, a soft tissue therapist and co-founder of State 11 Soft Tissue Therapy, to explain how they work in simple terms.

"It’s called a massage gun, but it's not a massage as you might get from a professional," she says. "Instead, it's percussive therapy - pounding, jigging and whacking the muscle. This helps reduce muscle soreness by increasing blood flow to the area, which in turn can help reduce inflammation and soreness."

Using a massage gun is surprisingly simple. Simply switch it on, move it slowly over your muscles and let it work its magic. There’s no need to apply extra pressure to enjoy an effective massage.

"Like any piece of medical equipment, you have to be careful when using a massage gun," says Paterson. "It should come with instructions for safe use, but in short: don't turn it up to full and stick it on your neck!"

"Start at the lowest setting and avoid bone, because that'll hurt. Instead, concentrate on the big, meaty muscles like the biceps, triceps, thighs and glutes, and don't use it for too long - it'll only make things sorer! Don't use it on strains or sprains and speak to your doctor first if you have osteoporosis or high blood pressure."

Your massage gun can be used in any way that is beneficial to your lifestyle. Take it out pre- or post-workout, or even during exercise by incorporating it into your warm-up routine. To promote blood flow, simply focus on each muscle group for between 15 and 30 seconds.

Feeling tight during a gym session? Pause for a short massage to help force lactic acid and toxins out of your muscles. Once you’ve completed your workout, use the massage gun more intensely by spending up to two minutes working on each muscle group to release any tension and prevent soreness.

Massage guns are expensive. Before you part with your cash, ask yourself why you’re buying one, and make sure you know what factors to consider. If you mainly want a massage gun for relaxation purposes, a less ‘punchy’ model will likely suffice, and you won’t need to spend so much.

If you’re a serious athlete wanting a powerful machine, note the amplitude - the higher the number, measured in millimetres, the more deeply the massage gun can hit. Look for a massage gun with a choice of low, medium and high speed settings.

These are usually measured in rpm or ppm, which stands for revolutions or percussions per minute. Choose a model that comes with multiple massage heads, from the standard ball head for bigger muscle groups to cone, wedge and thumb heads for working on smaller and more sensitive areas.

If you’re planning to take your massage gun to the gym with you, consider its weight, portability and battery life.

There are also plenty of brands to consider, with offerings from HoMedics, Theragun and Pulseroll, to name a few.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our expert tester trialled a range of massage guns over a three-week period. They used them after undertaking a wide variety of exercises, from weightlifting and running to HIIT and yoga.

Our tester considered how easy it was to control, how smoothly it moved over skin and if the different massage head attachments were effective, as well as the practicality of each massage gun’s design and how intuitive the controls were.

Here are the best massage guns on the market, to soothe your aching muscles:

This massage gun left our tester seriously impressed — its final score speaks for itself. Packed with innovation; you can heat it up to 47C in less than two minutes or freeze the interchangeable cool gel head for four hours for hot and cold massages. These contrasting temperatures can prime muscles pre-exercise by promoting blood flow and provide a perfect post-workout cooldown respectively.

The HoMedics Pro comes with a carry case, though it is on the larger side so isn’t the best for on-the-go use. However, it was surprisingly light for its size, making it easy to manoeuvre. Whichever head our tester used, it was able to glide smoothly over skin with minimal noise, and they liked the handy diagrams that showed you how to get the most out of the product.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 914g Amplitude: 10mm Speed settings: 3 Battery life: 1.5 hours Warranty: Returns of merchandise purchased from the website may be made within 30 days of receipt for a full refund of cost of the merchandise. Included accessories: 6 interchangeable heads (barrel head, cold head, ball head, arrow head, heat head and smoothing head) and storage case.

This well-designed massage gun earned an instant thumbs up for its long, curved handle that helped our testers reach all their aching muscles. It proved extremely powerful and effective, gliding across skin without pulling for a relaxing massaging experience.

It’s a little bulky and heavy, and the handle vibrates heavily at high speed, but it comes with a decent range of massage heads, a comprehensive user guide and a robust carry case. The accompanying app is basic, but it offered some helpful technique tips. In short: it’s a solid all-round buy at a fair price for the quality.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: Not given Amplitude: 10mm Speed settings: 5 Battery life: Up to 5 hours Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 4 massage heads, charger, recovery massage oil, carry case

Some of the bulkier options on this list may be too cumbersome to take with you on the go, but there was no such problem with this pocket-sized model. The compact design means it easily fits in most gym bags, and has the secondary benefit of making it easy to wield.

The absence of a carry case was disappointing but the Go packs a considerable punch given its modest dimensions, and our tester praised its seamless movement over their muscles and robust build, with the matt finish giving it a premium feel.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 680g Amplitude: Not given Speed settings: 3 Battery life: 2.5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 3 additional plug adaptors, 2 head attachments (flat head and bullet head) and an 18 volt charger.

This massage gun offers excellent value for money at under £100, given that it comes with five massaging heads. It moves rapidly over your muscles, massaging them to great effect without causing pain. The handle vibrates a lot, especially at full power, but the speed can easily be lowered if your arm starts to ache.

It comes with useful instructions, but their translation from Chinese is patchy. It comes with a USB cable for recharging its sizable battery on the go too, but no charging head.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 2 Weight: 0.68kg Amplitude: 9mm Speed settings: 5, from 1800 to 3200ppm Battery life: Up to 6 hours Warranty: None Included accessories: 5 massage heads, USB charging cable, carry case

Our tester couldn’t emphasise enough how powerful this massage gun is for its pocket-friendly size. It scored full marks both for relaxation and immediately relieving soreness, so expect to become quickly attached!

It’s ideal for taking to the gym or track and it comes with a travel pouch to keep it safe, but charge it up before you leave as the charger doesn’t fit into the bag. The handle can be tricky to grip and you can’t fully cover your back, but it’s a top choice for on-the-go massaging.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 3 Weight: 0.65g Amplitude: 12mm Speed settings: 3, from 1750 to 2400rpm Battery life: Up to 2.5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: Charger, carry case

If you’re willing to splash some cash on a massage gun that will deliver long-lasting effects, consider this serious bit of fitness kit. The second of three Therabody products on our list, the Theragun Elite claims to reach 60% deeper into muscle than average massagers, thanks to a hardcore 16mm amplitude.

Our testers found it very powerful and effective, but noisy. They rated its triangular handle, which allowed them to massage a wide range of muscles, with good control. They also loved its app, which guides you through warm-up and post-workout massages and issues warnings if you apply too much pressure.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 3 Weight: 1kg Amplitude: 16mm Speed settings: 5, from 1750 to 2400ppm, plus app-controlled customisable speed range Battery life: Up to 2 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger, carry case

Most massage guns cost over £100, making this entry-level model a savvy buy if you’re on a budget or unsure how much you’ll use it. Its weight is poorly distributed and its chunky handle is a bit unwieldy, but it’s impressively effective.

Its four massage heads fit into the carry case, as does the included charger. It was one of the quietest gadgets on test, so you can use it in the changing room without disturbing others. It feels a little cheap, but it does its job well at a great price.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 0.77kg Amplitude: Unavailable Speed settings: 5, range unavailable Battery life: Up to 1hr 40mins Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 4 massage heads, charger, carry case

For a mini massage gun that’s lightweight and compact enough to take anywhere, look to this surprisingly powerful model that can reach a high speed. It’s small enough to attend to all leg muscles, making it a wise choice for runners, but one tester found it too intense to use for as long as they’d hoped.

It comes with four massage heads for a customised massage, but their quality could be better. The six-hour battery life, however, is unbeatable. If you’d like to try before you buy, it comes with a generous 90 days money-back guarantee.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 0.45kg Amplitude: 12mm Speed settings: 4, from 1500 to 3000rpm Battery life: Up to 6 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 4 massage heads, USB charging cable, carry case

Dedicated athletes, look no further. Though eye-wateringly expensive, this beast of a massage gun has been so brilliantly designed that you can use it all over your back, by yourself. Its arm can be moved to four different angles and its triangular shape affords you the best grip at all times.

It boasts six massage heads, but it’s the heaviest model on our list, and very noisy. The accompanying app is Americanised - you’re unlikely to require "basketball recovery", for example - but it helpfully tells you how much pressure to apply. Our testers found it painful when used on their shins and feet, but any pro will love it.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 2 Weight: 1.3kg Amplitude: 16mm Speed settings: 5, from 1750 to 2400ppm, plus app-controlled customisable speed range Battery life: Up to 5 hours (split between two batteries) Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 6 massage heads, charger, carry case

The shape of this mighty massage gun helps you tease out every last knot comfortably. It offers an excellent five hours of battery life and the six massage heads cover all bases for a versatile massaging session.

It’s a doddle to use, and incredibly powerful, with the option of a very high speed setting. Our testers found it bulky, and some felt the number of attachments was excessive, with most agreeing that it was better suited to a professional gym than home use.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 1.1kg Amplitude: 12mm Speed settings: 4, from 1300 to 3300rpm Battery life: Up to 5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 6 massage heads, charger, carry case

Feeling intimidated by some of the heavy-duty massage guns on our roundup? Try this gentler model, which has a variable speed dial for adjusting the intensity of your massage. Its long handle makes it easy to massage all body parts, even if you have mobility issues.

Its laudable range of massage heads includes a four-finger attachment that mimics a human hand (it sounds creepy, but it’s effective!). For casual use, this tool is a winner, but committed sporty types may find it lacks oomph. Its length makes it a tad tricky to store, too, and it doesn’t come with a case.

Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: Not given Amplitude: Not given Speed settings: Variable, up to 3300ppm Battery life: Up to 3hrs 20mins Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger

This massage gun can reach high speeds, but our tester didn’t find it particularly powerful, making it a better choice for casual use or post-walk massages than as a recovery aid from intense exercise. The round ball head dragged uncomfortably on their skin and they didn’t like that the only instructions are printed on the box.

Qualms aside, it’s lightweight and simple to use, it comes with three massage heads - not as many as other models on test, but enough to address the most common needs without making storage difficult. Its three-year warranty is also the most generous on our list.

Key specifications: Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 0.7kg Amplitude: Unavailable Speed settings: 3, from 2800 to 3900rpm Battery life: Up to 1 hour Warranty: 3 years Included accessories: 3 massage heads, storage bag