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How we researched this
We did not test these massage guns in person. This guide combines results from independent testers (Wirecutter, which says it has tested 30 massage guns over five years; WIRED; NBC Select; and Consumer Reports’ ergonomics evaluation), safety guidance from Consumer Reports and Cleveland Clinic, the makers’ warranty terms, owner threads on Reddit and the CPSC recall database. Every claim links to its source. Our full methodology. Researched and written by the Dudproof editors. Last updated November 2, 2026.
Quick verdict
DudProof Pick
Ekrin Athletics B37
A DudProof Pick is the product the evidence says is least likely to be a dud for most people. What our badges mean
Dud Score
Coming soon
We publish a Dud Score only after its safety, failure-pattern and support inputs are sourced. Progress for each pick is in the Dud Score inputs table below. How the Dud Score works.
| Pick | Why | Watch out for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for most people | Ekrin B37 | A Wirecutter pick: angled handle, 56 lb stall force, eight-hour advertised battery and a lifetime limited warranty | Heaviest of our picks (2.1 lb); Amazon has two B37 versions, so check which one you’re buying |
| Best for travel | Theragun Mini (3rd Gen) | Wirecutter’s travel pick at 0.88 lb | One longtime owner found it weaker than the Gen 1; isolated burnt-smell reports |
| Best smart features | Hyperice Hypervolt 2 | WIRED’s best overall: pressure sensor, app routines, five heads | Only three speeds; one-year warranty |
| Quietest, most attachments | Mebak 3 | A Wirecutter pick: quieter, with seven attachments | Advertised battery only 2 to 3 hours; one-year warranty |
| Best for deep tissue | Theragun Prime (6th Gen) | A Wirecutter pick with a 16 mm amplitude; NBC Select’s most powerful | Short two-hour advertised battery; one-year warranty |
Bottom line: most of the owner complaints and every recall we found for massage guns involve batteries, charging or power cords. That’s why our pick is the Ekrin B37. Wirecutter recommends it for power and reach, and Ekrin covers it with a lifetime limited warranty (two years on the battery), where most rivals offer one year. If you want something you can throw in a bag, get the Theragun Mini. If you want app routines and a pressure readout, get the Hypervolt 2. Deep-tissue fans should look at the Theragun Prime.
Comparison table
| Ekrin B37 | Theragun Mini (3rd Gen) | Hyperice Hypervolt 2 | Mebak 3 | Theragun Prime (6th Gen) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent picks | Wirecutter pick | Wirecutter travel pick | WIRED best overall | Wirecutter pick | Wirecutter pick; NBC Select most powerful |
| Speeds | 5 (Wirecutter) | 3 (Wirecutter) | 3 (WIRED) | 5 (Wirecutter) | 5 (Wirecutter) |
| Attachments | 4 (Wirecutter) | 3 (Wirecutter) | 5 (WIRED) | 7 (Wirecutter) | 2 (Wirecutter) |
| Amplitude | 12 mm (Wirecutter) | 10 mm (Wirecutter) | Not yet confirmed | 12 mm (Wirecutter) | 16 mm (Wirecutter) |
| Stall force | 56 lb (Wirecutter) | 20 lb (Wirecutter) | Not yet confirmed | Not listed (Wirecutter) | More than 35 lb (Wirecutter) |
| Weight | 2.1 lb (Wirecutter) | 0.88 lb (Wirecutter) | 1.8 lb (WIRED) | 1.8 lb (Wirecutter) | 2 lb (Wirecutter) |
| Advertised battery | 8 hours | 2.5 hours | About 3 hours (WIRED) | 2 to 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Warranty | Lifetime limited; battery 2 years (Ekrin) | 1 year; accessories 90 days (Therabody) | 1 year (WIRED) | 1 year (Wirecutter) | 1 year; accessories 90 days (Therabody) |
| CPSC recalls on this model (checked Nov 2, 2026) | None found | None found | None found | None found | None found |
| Amazon | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price |
Specs in the Wirecutter column come from the comparison table in Wirecutter’s October 30, 2026 update (Wirecutter). Hypervolt 2 specs come from WIRED (WIRED).
Where the testers agree — and where they don’t
Wirecutter won’t name a single winner. After testing 30 massage guns over five years, Wirecutter recommends four models for different priorities instead of one best pick: the Ekrin B37, the Mebak 3, the Theragun Mini 3rd Generation and the Theragun Prime 6th Generation (Wirecutter). We made the B37 our DudProof Pick because it pairs Wirecutter’s recommendation with the longest warranty of the group.
WIRED and NBC Select pick different winners. WIRED’s best overall is the Hyperice Hypervolt 2, which it calls the best value on its list, praising the pressure sensor and three-hour battery while noting it has only three speeds (WIRED). NBC Select’s best overall is the Theragun Sense 2nd Gen, and it lists the Theragun Prime 6th Gen as its most powerful option, recommended by a physical therapist and a strength coach it interviewed (NBC Select). None of the four testers we read picked the same overall winner.
Consumer Reports says you probably need less power than you think. CR evaluated 13 percussive massagers from Ekrin, Hyperice, Renpho, Therabody and Toloco. It reports that many owners it talked to found their gun’s lowest setting sufficient, and that grip style and weight matter more day to day. Triangle and partial-triangle grips were the easiest to hold in different positions (Consumer Reports). CR’s full rankings are for members only, so we don’t cite them.
The Theragun Mini splits opinion. Wirecutter recommends the 3rd Gen Mini for travel (Wirecutter), and WIRED picks the heated Mini Plus as its best portable (WIRED). But one longtime Mini owner on r/TheraBody returned a Gen 3 because it felt much weaker at top speed than their Gen 1 (r/TheraBody thread).
How to choose a massage gun that won’t be a dud
- Read the warranty before the specs. Therabody covers devices for one year and accessories (including chargers and removable parts) for 90 days, and it can reject claims for products bought from unauthorized sellers (Therabody). On Amazon, check that the seller is the brand or an authorized reseller. Ekrin’s B37 carries a limited lifetime warranty with a two-year battery warranty, but open-box units get one year (Ekrin).
- Grip and weight beat raw power. Consumer Reports found triangle-style grips the most ergonomic, and many owners never use the top setting (Consumer Reports). Cleveland Clinic suggests a model in the 2- to 4-pound range that you can hold for up to 10 minutes (Cleveland Clinic).
- Amplitude means how deep it hits. A physical therapist quoted by Consumer Reports says a cheap grocery-store massager might plunge at a fraction of the depth of a high-end one (Consumer Reports). Deep-tissue fans should look at 12 mm or more.
- Attachments. A bullet head suits a single trigger point, and a fork suits a muscle group like the calves, according to a physiatrist quoted by Consumer Reports (Consumer Reports).
- Don’t expect performance gains. Cleveland Clinic’s physical therapist says the research is clear that these devices haven’t been proven to improve speed, power or endurance, though they may help range of motion and perceived fatigue (Cleveland Clinic).
Use it safely
These points come from the clinicians quoted by Consumer Reports and Cleveland Clinic. They’re general guidance, not medical advice.
- Muscles only. Stay off bones and joints, and never use a massage gun directly on the spine or neck (Consumer Reports, Cleveland Clinic).
- Start low, go slow. Start on the lowest setting, let the gun do the work instead of pressing down, and spend no more than a couple of minutes on any one muscle group (Cleveland Clinic).
- Know when to skip it. Avoid surgical wounds, areas with a suspected blood clot (deep-vein thrombosis), and areas near a pacemaker or other implanted hardware. People with low bone density should be cautious, and overdoing it can cause bruising or, in severe cases, rhabdomyolysis (Consumer Reports). If you have a medical condition or are recovering from an injury, ask your clinician first.
Who each pick is for (and not for)
Ekrin B37 — best for most people
- For: gym regulars and runners who want one gun that lasts, and anyone who hates charging gadgets.
- Not for: travelers (it’s one of the heavier guns here) or people who want app features.
- Evidence: Wirecutter pick with a 56-pound stall force and an eight-hour advertised battery (Wirecutter); lifetime limited warranty, two years on the battery (Ekrin). Amazon lists both an original B37 and a newer “B37v2”, and we couldn’t confirm which one Wirecutter tested, so our button opens an Amazon search.
Theragun Mini (3rd Gen) — best for travel
- For: frequent flyers, desk workers with sore shoulders, gym-bag carry.
- Not for: deep-tissue work on big muscles (20 lb stall force per Wirecutter).
- Evidence: Wirecutter’s travel recommendation, 0.88 pound (Wirecutter).
Hyperice Hypervolt 2 — best smart features
- For: people who like guided routines and want feedback on how hard they’re pressing.
- Not for: anyone who wants lots of speed settings, or a travel gun (WIRED says it’s too large to travel with).
- Evidence: WIRED’s best overall: 60-watt brushless motor, five heads, about three hours of battery, 1.8 pounds (WIRED). Amazon has several Hypervolt 2 listings (with and without a case, plus Pro models), so our button opens an Amazon search.
Mebak 3 — quietest, most attachments
- For: shared spaces and evening use; people who like trying different heads.
- Not for: anyone chasing maximum intensity.
- Evidence: a Wirecutter pick with seven attachments, 12 mm amplitude and a one-year warranty (Wirecutter).
Theragun Prime (6th Gen) — best for deep tissue
- For: lifters and athletes who want the deepest hit, and fans of Therabody’s triangle grip.
- Not for: long sessions away from a charger (two-hour advertised battery).
- Evidence: Wirecutter pick with a 16 mm amplitude and more than 35 pounds of stall force (Wirecutter); NBC Select’s most powerful pick, praised for its triangle grip and for being quieter than many guns its reporter tested (NBC Select).
Who should skip it
If the person you’re shopping for has a pacemaker, a history of blood clots, low bone density or a recent surgery, a massage gun is the wrong surprise gift (see the safety section above). And if they just want to relax rather than work on sore muscles, a heated blanket or a weighted blanket is a gentler choice.
Owner Proof: common complaints and problems to know about
These come from owner forums, testers and warranty documents, not from Amazon reviews.
- Batteries that stop charging after the warranty ends. An r/TheraBody owner says a Theragun Pro Plus bought as a gift stopped charging a little over a year in, and Therabody first said it was out of warranty and couldn’t be repaired. In an edit, the owner adds that Therabody later offered a replacement anyway (r/TheraBody thread). Another owner on r/MassageGuns says a warranty replacement Theragun also broke and wasn’t covered again (r/MassageGuns thread). This lines up with Therabody’s terms: replacement units keep the original warranty period rather than starting a new one (Therabody).
- Burnt smell and odd noises. A two-week-old Theragun Mini Gen 3 owner reports a weird noise and a burnt-battery smell after a few minutes of use (r/TheraBody thread). WIRED also notes that some online buyers have flagged battery and charging issues on the Mini Plus (WIRED). Stop using any lithium-battery device that smells burnt or overheats, and contact the maker.
- Loose battery contacts. A Hypervolt 2 Pro owner describes a gun that worked only when the removable battery was pushed in harder, then stopped working, and was stuck because they’d lost the proof of purchase (r/Hypervolt thread). Keep your receipt, and gift receipts too.
- Weaker than expected. As mentioned above, one longtime owner found the Theragun Mini Gen 3 much weaker than the Gen 1 (r/TheraBody thread).
(Forum posts are anecdotes, not failure rates. See the Dud Score note below.)
Dud Alert: recalls to check
We searched all 3,733 CPSC recalls published since 2015 (via the CPSC Recalls API, data through October 29, 2026). None of our five picks has been recalled, and we found no recalls from Ekrin, Therabody, Hyperice or Mebak. Every handheld percussion-massager recall we found involved overheating batteries or damaged power cords:
| Date | Recall | Hazard | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4, 2024 | HoMedics Therapist Select percussion massagers (model HHP-715), about 46,000 units | Can overheat while charging (fire and burn hazards) | CPSC recall |
| Jan 6, 2021 | Massimo percussion massage guns (model EM003), sold at Costco | Lithium-ion battery can overheat (fire hazard) | CPSC recall |
| May 2, 2017 | HoMedics corded handheld percussion massagers (HHP-375H, HHP-250, PA-MH-THP), about 400,000 units | Cord can break near the base and expose wires (shock and burn hazards) | CPSC recall |
Black Friday: deal or dud?
Therabody and Hyperice both sell several generations of their guns at the same time, so check which generation a “deal” is for. Make sure the “deal” is on the current generation (Mini 3rd Gen, Prime 6th Gen) and that the seller is authorized, or the warranty may not apply. Check the price history on a tracker such as camelcamelcamel before you buy. See all our Black Friday picks.
Dud Score inputs (in progress)
We don’t publish a final Dud Score until the inputs are sourced. Status for this guide:
| Input | Ekrin B37 | Theragun Mini (3rd Gen) | Hypervolt 2 | Mebak 3 | Theragun Prime (6th Gen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPSC recalls (5 yr) | 0 ✅ | 0 ✅ | 0 ✅ | 0 ✅ | 0 ✅ |
| SaferProducts.gov incident reports | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| Failure patterns (coded) | Pending | Pending (battery and smell reports need a systematic count) | Pending (battery-contact reports need a count) | Pending | Pending |
| Owner survey: would not buy again | Pending (survey not yet run) | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| Warranty & parts | Lifetime limited; battery 2 yr (Ekrin) | 1 yr; accessories 90 days (Therabody) | 1 yr (WIRED) | 1 yr (Wirecutter) | 1 yr; accessories 90 days (Therabody) |
| Dud Score | Coming soon | Coming soon | Coming soon | Coming soon | Coming soon |
How we researched this guide
Sources used for this guide: Wirecutter’s massage gun guide (updated October 30, 2026); WIRED’s massage gun guide (updated March 2026); NBC Select’s massage gun guide; Consumer Reports’ massage gun evaluation (updated March 3, 2026) and buying guide; Cleveland Clinic’s massage gun explainer; Therabody’s and Ekrin’s warranty pages; owner threads on r/TheraBody, r/MassageGuns and r/Hypervolt; CPSC Recalls API (3,733 recalls since 2015, searched Nov 2, 2026). Wirecutter blocks our page fetcher, so its findings come from the text of its page as returned by web search on Nov 2, 2026.
What we didn’t do: we did not use these massage guns ourselves, and we did not use Amazon customer reviews or ratings.
How picks were chosen: we started from models independent testers recommend, then weighed warranty terms, recalls and owner-reported failure patterns, especially battery failures. Full methodology
FAQ
What is the best massage gun in 2026?
For most people, the Ekrin B37. Wirecutter recommends it for its power, angled handle and long battery life, and Ekrin backs it with a lifetime limited warranty (two years on the battery).
Is a Theragun worth it?
Therabody makes two of Wirecutter’s four picks: the Theragun Mini 3rd Gen for travel and the Theragun Prime 6th Gen for deep-tissue work. But its devices carry a one-year warranty, and owners report charging failures after that, so buy from an authorized seller and register it.
How long should you use a massage gun on one muscle?
Cleveland Clinic’s physical therapist advises no more than a couple of minutes per muscle group, starting at the lowest intensity and letting the gun do the work.
Who should not use a massage gun?
Clinicians quoted by Consumer Reports say to avoid the spine and neck, surgical wounds, areas with a suspected blood clot, and areas near a pacemaker or implanted hardware. People with low bone density should be cautious. Ask your clinician if you have a medical condition.
Have any massage guns been recalled?
Yes. HoMedics recalled about 46,000 Therapist Select percussion massagers in January 2024 because they could overheat while charging, and Massimo recalled massage guns sold at Costco in 2021 for a battery fire hazard. We found no recalls of our picks as of November 2, 2026.
What else makes a good recovery or self-care gift?
A water flosser or electric toothbrush for the everyday routine, or a weighted blanket for winding down.
Related guides
- The best electric toothbrushes
- The best water flossers
- The best heated blankets
- Black Friday 2026: every DudProof Pick
Sources
- Wirecutter, “The Best Massage Guns” — https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-massage-guns/
- WIRED, “Best Massage Guns” — https://www.wired.com/story/best-massage-guns/
- NBC Select, “The best massage guns” — https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/best-massage-gun-rcna245064
- Consumer Reports, “Best Massage Guns of 2026” — https://www.consumerreports.org/health/massage-guns/massage-guns-evaluated-a1174087874/
- Consumer Reports, “Read This Before You Buy a Massage Gun” — https://www.consumerreports.org/health/massage-guns/massage-gun-buying-guide-a1197181514/
- Cleveland Clinic, “Do Massage Guns Actually Work?” — https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-massage-guns-for-percussive-therapy-worth-it
- Therabody, Warranty Terms & Coverage — https://www.therabody.com/pages/warranty-terms
- Ekrin, Warranty Information for Ekrin B37 — https://help.ekrin.com/en-US/warranty-information-for-ekrin-b37-massage-gun-1379967
- r/TheraBody, Theragun Pro Plus not charging — https://www.reddit.com/r/TheraBody/comments/1s1xtay/theragun_pro_plus_not_charging/
- r/TheraBody, Mini Gen 3 smell and noise — https://www.reddit.com/r/TheraBody/comments/1n7zd8i/mini_gen_3_smelling_weird_and_making_noise_2/
- r/TheraBody, Mini Gen 3 vs. Gen 1 — https://www.reddit.com/r/TheraBody/comments/1krpnda/the_theragun_mini_gen_3_is_complete_garbage/
- r/MassageGuns, Theragun repair thread — https://www.reddit.com/r/MassageGuns/comments/vclb4p/anyone_ever_tried_to_repair_a_theragun_i_had/
- r/Hypervolt, Hypervolt 2 Pro not working — https://www.reddit.com/r/Hypervolt/comments/13qiw5o/hyperice_hypervolt_2_pro_not_working/
- CPSC recalls: HoMedics (2024), Massimo (2021), HoMedics (2017), linked above
- CPSC Recalls API — https://www.saferproducts.gov/RestWebServices/Recall?format=json
Changelog
- Nov 2, 2026 — First published.