Power Plate® Mini+™ Black, Lightweight, Quiet Handheld Massager, with Carry Pouch and 5hrs Battery Life

Product Information

Hydragun also advises always keeping the massage gun moving rather than leaving it in one place, and not using it in one area for longer than a couple of minutes to avoid bruising. Its five power settings are simple to control, and range from a gentle massage to a vigorous pummelling that's suited to large, particularly tight muscles. It's seriously fast, delivering between 1,400 and 3,200 pulses per minute.

As its name suggests, the Power Plate Mini+ is a compact massage gun, measuring 15cm x 9cm for the device alone, with no attachments. The box includes the gun itself, two massage attachments, a USB-C charging cable, and a robust drawstring carry bag. If you find a particularly tough knot, the bullet attachment lets you really target that, too. Each attachment has a different shape or density, designed for targeting muscles and knots in different intensities and locations on your body. The All-New Power Plate Pulse has improved performance on every measure - plus the first ever with antimicrobial coating, for the Ultimate User ExperienceTheragun recommends using a massage gun for at least 15 seconds and up to a maximum of two minutes per muscle group, with a full-body session not exceeding 15 minutes. Carried out two to three times a day, your aches and pains should feel noticeably better, and you'll be well on your way to muscle recovery. Can massage guns get rid of knots? A massage gun favoured by athletes and Olympians alike (we're talking Tokyo 2020 gold medalists here), the Hydragun is one of the most technologically advanced massage guns around right now. Designed with a Smoothdrive motor, it's as quiet as massage guns come, making between 30 to 50db of noise with each use (which, to put that into context, is just slightly louder than a whisper). The massage gun’s round attachment (approximately the size of a golf ball) is good for hitting larger muscles, while the smaller one works well for targeting knots. So even if you’re not the sporty type, a massage gun can do wonders for your physical and mental health, and even help you wind down for a good night’s sleep. We examine and rate each of the massage guns for price, availability, design, features and battery life. We go hands-on on each percussive device by trying out the different heads across their specified uses, as well as any additional features such as heated or cooling functions. At the end of each review, we’ll tell you what kind of use, and individual, each gun is best suited for as well as a list of any weak points we found. Frequently asked questions: How do I use a massage gun the right way?

What impressed us most was that, even when used on its highest settings, the Hydragun was extremely quiet during our tests, perhaps even quieter than our otherwise top-scoring Power Plate Mini+. We measured its noise output at 30dB, which is approximately the same as most electric toothbrushes. You also get five interchangeable foam attachments (dampener, standard ball, wedge, thumb and cone) and five speeds (1,750-2,400ppm), giving you many different combinations of surface and intensity for different muscle groups and parts of your body. You’re guided through these combinations and helped to achieve your perfect massage programme by the app.This lovely lightweight massager moves easily over your muscles to provide a thorough, satisfying massage, without penetrating so deep that it causes pain. It comes with an impressive set of speed options and foam attachments (ball, ‘air-cushion’, fork, bullet and flat head), and uses USB-C like almost all modern Android phones. With an excellent battery life of up to six hours, you won’t need to charge the gun too often anyway. It’s also much quieter than the Theragun, and easier to fit into a gym bag or travel bag. Amplitude: This means the depth to which the massager can penetrate your muscles. If you’re an athlete wanting a powerful machine for effective muscle recovery, go for an amplitude of at least 12mm. A couple of our best sports massage guns have an amplitude of 16mm. Amplitude on a massage gun basically describes how deep it can get into those problematic areas and give you that deep-tissue massage experience. A top-end Theragun offers 16mm amplitude, for example, while the PulseRoll alternative delivers 12mm. The higher the number, the deeper the massage gun can go to work, particularly on really problematic parts of the body. How much does a massage gun cost?

The power button is located on the bottom of the handle, and is also used to control the gun’s speed. There are four intensity settings, which you can cycle through by pressing the power button while the gun is on. The power button is surrounded by eight LEDs: four red ones on the right that indicate the battery charge level, and four white ones on the left show the intensity.

The Pulse now bests the competition on every measure: It has an industry leading six vibration intensity levels, a longer-lasting 6-hour battery life from a single charge, is the quietest among leading brands and is 20% lighter than its predecessor. The Pulse also includes six unique attachments to optimize preparation and recovery. Each feature has been thoughtfully designed to ensure users are getting the best-in-class experience. Another significant feature of the new Pulse is the addition of the new antimicrobial coating, which helps stop the spread of everyday germs and bacteria*. The Pulse now gives consumers ultimate bacterial protection when in use at the gym or in group settings. READ NEXT: The best foam roller The best massage guns to buy now 1. Theragun Elite: Best massage gun for deep sports massage What’s important is that you have a few speeds to choose between, so you can opt for low-intensity massage for everyday muscle relief, medium to boost recovery, and high intensity to get rid of painful knots. Look for three or more optional speeds, which are easy to switch between while you use the device.