There's just a few more hours to shop the 5-star device that’s “as good a Theragun” but a fraction of the price.

How many times have you just wished someone would give your neck a little rub or work on that knot on your lower thigh? Enter the massage gun which is spreading through the fitness world faster than you can say “That’s the spot…”

Using percussive massage therapy, massage guns work to treat soft tissue pain by providing concentrated, rapid, short-duration pulses deep into the tissues of the body. Translation: goodbye sore, tight muscles.

While Theragun has been synonymous with the massage gun rise in fame, another brand leading the trend is Renpho.

The US-based company is offering several affordable options, allowing you try the trend without paying top dollar.

Renpho’s C5 Portable Mini Massage Gun is now one of the bestselling massage guns on Amazon, with all products in the range garnering reviews of 4.5 to five stars.

The verdict on Renpho massage guns. Image: SuppliedSource:BodyAndSoul

In short, yes. I put two Renpho models to the test -the R4 Pro Massage Gun and the C5 Portable Mini Massage Gun - and I would highly recommend both.

I’m by no means an athlete but I do worship at the altar of Les Mills and enjoy a lunchtime barre class. I’m also pretty lazy at stretching and I do spend my work days sitting behind a computer, so I’m prone to the odd stiff neck and tight shoulders along with sore thighs when Body Pump has a few too many squats. So the massage gun has been the perfect addition to my fitness regime helping lessen my soreness and allow me to recovery quicker.

Suitable for: People who regularly exercise, office workers who are prone to neck stiffness

Small but powerful and so easy to use! Images: suppliedSource:BodyAndSoul

With massage guns, for me it’s all about the speed and the different heads available. This device comes with four different speed settings which allows you to select between 1600 and 3000 rpm. This gives you a good range of intensity to allow you to work all different muscle groups. I found the top setting was great for my thighs and lower back but preferred the number two selection for my neck and shoulders.

For me, there was enough power to work the muscles I wanted without being too slow or essentially bashing me up.

The device comes with four different heads:

I found myself often gravitating to the flat head as I felt it was easy for me to work into all parts of the body in one sitting. The ball head was perfect around my low thighs that often get tight due to terrible knees. The U-shape is amazing down the spine but is hard to administer yourself, so for best results you’d need someone to help you.

Left: the ball head for all over your body. Left: the spine head which works absolute wonders. Images: SuppliesSource:BodyAndSoul

The device also boasts that it’s quiet, with the motor going as low as 35dB and maxing out at 50dB. I found it to be about as noisy as an electric toothbrush so you can definitely watch TV while using it (very important!).

This model weighs 0.58Kg so it is super light. I actually liked it better than the below model due to this factor. I found you could get the same amount of power but it’s lighter and easier to hold, therefore easier to self-administer.

It’s also super easy to use - there's just one button which you hold down to turn on, then you can use short presses to find your desired speed level. You then hold down to turn it off.

Another feature that I didn’t really utilise but think is great is that it automatically turns off after 15 minutes - this is to ensure you are giving your body a rest, preventing the risk of injury.

Suitable for: Athletes and people working out regularly

Designed for athletes in mind, the R4 Pro massage gun has all the features mentioned above and then some… Instead of four heads it has six:

It also has a handle and five adjustable angles so you can reach anywhere on your body. I was able to reach the middle of my back on my own, which was impossible on the Mini Massage Gun. While it reaches more places, I did however find it got heavy quickly.

Look at that movement! Images: suppliedSource:BodyAndSoul

There are four speed levels on this device as well. Level one is to wake up muscles, level two is for fascia release, level three is for the elimination of lactic acid and finally level four is for deep tissue massage. They go up in 25 per cent increments, and for me these speeds hit the spot, but a few reviewers on Amazon have said that some athletes might need more power.

The battery is removable and charged on a docking station which was great because I have two small kids so didn’t want to leave the massage gun just lying around. The battery life is incredible - it’s only needed charging twice since I got it three months ago. And once again, the noise levels on this weren’t any louder than the TV.

This product has 4.5 out of five star reviews on Amazon (out of 3,682 ratings) and five star reviews on Renpho’s own website (out of 769 reviewers). The general consensus among reviewers is that this is a great, powerful massage gun for the price. Most say that it matches competitors like Theragun who are selling guns for a minimum of $349.

Convenient carry case. Images: SuppliedSource:BodyAndSoul

If you are serious about your fitness and training I’d go with the R4 Pro Massage Gun but for me (as an active everyday person but not a serious athlete), the C5 Portable Mini Massage Gun gives me enough power and attachment options to ease tightness and pain without spending a bomb and having to store a bulkier device.

I found that it does what it says on the tin - massage sore spots that are tight or stiff. It was easy to just work it into my lower back as I checked work emails, or massage my quads with it as I sat on the couch. It was very easy to use and easy to work into your routines.

One thing is, I would like more guidance on ways and methods to use the device in the manual. I found I was turning to YouTube clips to find techniques. So be prepared to have to do some of your own research.

One happy (and knot-free) customer. Image: suppliedSource:BodyAndSoul

Theragun Prime. Image: Therabody.Source:BodyAndSoul

Featuring the QX65 Motor with QuietForce Technology so you're not deafened by the experience, this option from leading brand Therabody gives you everything you need in a massage gun. It's their second cheapest offering, but it still packs in plenty of bells and whistles - it's quieter than an electric toothbrush, reaches 60 per cent deeper into the muscle than average massagers, and has a 120-minute battery life. It also has five built-in speeds, can connect to the Therabody App via Bluetooth for guided treatment routines, and comes with four non-porous foam attachments that can be easily cleaned and can suit any area of the body.

The superior older sibling of the Hypervolt, this massage gun elevates the experience with 30 per cent more power while still featuring the QuietGlide technology. It comes with five massage head attachments, two and a half hours of battery life, a built-in pressure sensor for a more accurate therapeutic session, and Bluetooth connectivity so you can take advantage of auto-adjusting routines from the app.

According to the Renpho website the massage guns enhance performance, aid recovery, offer deep pain relief by breaking up knots and relaxing tight muscles and help overall wellness.

“Massage as a treatment exists in many different forms and has a wide variety of proven benefits across the different systems in our bodies (musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular etc),” explains Australian sports physiotherapist Charlotte ‘Floss’ Brolsma.

“When it comes to massage guns, these benefits include reduction in muscle pain, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, increase in blood flow (delivering more oxygen and nutrients to muscles, removing toxins), increase soft tissue flexibility and thus increase joint range of motion. Massage does not improve muscle strength directly, but can assist if this is limited by other factors such as muscle pain. These factors combined improve recovery and performance.”

Expanding on the overall wellness benefits Brolsma also says: “In respect to other body systems, massage can increase parasympathetic activity, improve sleep, improve fatigue, reduce blood pressure, improve respiration measures (FEV1), improve mood and reduce depressive or anxiety symptoms. Many of these factors will in turn improve recovery and improve performance.”

“When using a massage gun start on the lowest setting and gradually increase the pressure as you can when you get used to the sensation,” says Broslma.

“Some discomfort is okay, like a firm massage, but you don’t want to feel pain. Start working along the muscle, back and forth from near its origin to near its insertion (the two ends where it attaches to the bones) but not hitting the bony areas. Aim to work on each area for around 60 seconds.”

Broslma suggests to stretch after using the massage gun for best results, particularly during recovery/post-exercise.

While a fantastic tool to use between sessions, she cautions that percussive therapy can’t replace the specialised assessment and treatment able to be provided by a registered therapist (like a physiotherapist).

“I don’t use my massage gun on my clients as I prefer to use my physiotherapy manual therapy skills but regularly teach people how to use their gun on their own. Always ask for support or advice from your physiotherapist if you are not sure how to use your massage gun to ensure that you do it safely.”

“I advise my clients to keep their massage gun on the soft tissues of the body and stay away from body prominences around the joints (bony bits that stick out) such as the greater trochanter of the hip or the medial and lateral epicondyle of the knee,” says Broslam.

“I would stay away from sensitive areas like breast tissue, abdominal/reproductive organs, the anterior neck and or the face/head. I would also stay away from massaging acutely injured areas of the body until these have been assessed and treated by a medical professional, such as a physiotherapist, and they advise you that it is safe to do so. Many injuries can become worse if massaged too soon after occurring.”

Want to check out more massage guns?

Read our full review of the Theragun mini, Theragun Prime and Theragun PRO

9 best handheld massagers for sore muscles

Looking for more useful at-home fitness tools? Check out our round ups on:

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