Rankings

The Prime gives you the same 16 mm stroke as the dearer Theragun models for $329.99, with a long battery and a triangular handle that reaches your back. It is not quiet, the stall force is modest, and it has only two attachments. For most home lifters it is the right Theragun, but not the best massage gun per dollar.

The Go 3 is a quiet, light, well-priced massage gun that handles calves, forearms, shoulders and upper back without fuss. Its stall force runs out on big quads and glutes, so a lifter who trains legs hard should pair it with a bigger gun or buy the Hypervolt 3 Pro instead.

A well-made roller that does what it claims: firmer and more targeted than a smooth tube, and tough enough to last. At 13 inches it is too short for lying along your spine, and the ridges are intense for beginners. Start here if you roll regularly and want depth. Buy a cheaper smooth roller first if you are new, and skip a massage gun until you have used one.

Normatec 3 Legs are well built, quiet and easy to run, and they do take the edge off leg soreness. The research says that edge is small, mostly perceptual, and it costs $899. They make sense for high-mileage runners and cyclists with a recovery habit. A lifter training three days a week should buy a foam roller and a massage gun first.

The Mini Plus is a heated pocket massage gun, and that heat is all the extra money buys. It has one attachment in the box, 10 mm of amplitude and about 20 lb of stall force, so it is gentler than the plain Theragun Mini. Choose it for travel and warmth. If you want depth or value, buy the plain Mini or a Hypervolt Go.