There’s an additional built-in heat function to warm up your toes during the massage, making it the perfect product for people who are always cold, but it does take quite a while to warm up—10 minutes, to be exact. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. We found that massages are such a personal experience, so a pressure that works for one person may be too intense for another. Testers try out the various settings on each massage gun and rate them for how comfortable and effective they feel to use, and if they provide the desired level of power.

The power button has a panel that reads the four speeds (ranging from 1,200 to 3,200 percussions per minute) and the battery level. For some people, this is a major interruption to their relaxation routine while others don’t mind pausing to adjust settings. The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice.

Our testers also found it easy to operate the way down their backs: “It seemed to target all of the right areas. This is great if you plan to use the machine often and want the convenience and ease of keeping it clean. You can toggle between the modes with your feet for a completely customizable hands-free experience. It’s worth noting how intense the pressure is: While we generally liked this level of intensity, it could be a drawback for some since you cannot adjust the intensity.

Being able to change the angling of the massage gun is key because you can target hard-to-reach areas. What’s more, the massage is two-fold—inflatable pads apply pressure, while the machine kneads and vibrates your muscles in one of five different modes. This is less common with heavy-duty massage guns, like the Theragun, because you can feel the intensity at the lowest setting. We love the flexibility the long cord provides, plus the ability to customize your massage with pulsing, kneading, and rolling motions. If you like a highly personalized massage, you may want one with several pressure settings, and an automatic safety shutoff feature is also a big plus.

Both beginners and well-established athletes will get good use from the Elite to break down knots and eliminate sore muscles. Theresa Marko, DPT and board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedics, even if you are moving it around from spot to spot. It earned a few bonus points for its instructions too, which contain handy diagrams to help you get the most out of your percussive pistol.