The 9 Best Back Massagers of 2023

If you suffer from back pain, you’re not alone: the American Chiropractic Association says that back pain will be a problem for up to 80 percent of the population sooner or later. Why is it so common?

“Back pain typically comes from accidents or injuries [or] wear and tear with underlying genetic predisposition,” says Ehsan Jazini, MD, a spine surgeon with Virginia Spine Institute. “Factors that can exacerbate back pain include being overweight, having poor posture, living a sedentary lifestyle, not exercising, smoking, and regularly lifting heavy objects.”

Whether the cause is your lifestyle, your genetics, your vices, or just a random accident, the reality is that a back pain-free existence is pretty rare. While the ideal treatment is regular massage or physical therapy with a trained professional, recurring appointments aren’t always accessible or affordable—and that’s where a personal back massager can really come in handy.

These devices come in many shapes, sizes, and massage styles, making it easy to take on back pain whenever and whenever you need to. Some are designed for full back coverage, and others are smaller, more targeted, and more portable, allowing you to use them at home, at work, and in the car.

We asked three experts to tell us what they think are the most important things to consider when shopping for an at-home back massager; using their tips, we researched several different types of massagers to find a variety of styles across different budgets. Here are the best back massagers of 2023.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

HoMedics Heated Massage Cushion at Amazon

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Best Budget:

Mighty Bliss Deep Tissue Back and Body Massager at Amazon

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Best Heated:

Comfier Heated Massage Belt at Amazon

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Best for Lower Back:

Homedics Massager at Amazon

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Best for Neck and Upper Back:

Resteck Neck and Back Massager at Amazon

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Most Portable:

Therabody Theragun Mini Massager at Amazon

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Best Handheld:

RENPHO Rechargeable Handheld Massager at Amazon

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Best Massage Gun:

Mebak Handheld Massage Gun at Amazon

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Best for Chairs:

Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager at Amazon

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HoMedics Shiatsu Pro Plus Heated Massage Cushion

Amazon

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Why We Like It: It’s a well-loved and expert-recommended brand that offers a good amount of customization for a comfortable experience.

It’s Worth Noting: It may be too intense for some people, even on its lowest settings.

If you’re looking to replicate a professional massage at home, we love how accurately the HoMedics Shiatsu Pro Plus Heated Massage Cushion captures the experience: not only can you massage your whole back with this cushion, you can also set your massage to only focus on the upper or lower back, depending on where you most need relief.

In fact, this cushion was recommended by one of our experts, Karena Wu, MD, owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy, as both a trusted brand and a versatile product: “[This massager] should fit well on a chair or sofa, [and] it comes with heat and should target your muscles, not hit your bones.”

Yes, it’s heated, though it doesn’t have to be. You can choose to employ the soothing heat feature or not, just as you can choose where on your back to receive the kneading, Shiatsu-style massage and vibration. In other specs, this cushion comes with straps so you can securely attach it to your office chair or favorite recliner, built-in cord storage to help it stow away easily when not in use, and a vibrating bottom section that can provide additional comfort to your hips and thighs.

Price at time of publication: $109

Product Details:

Massage Type: Shiatsu
Targeted Area: Neck, upper back, lower back, thighs
Style: Seat cushion
Cordless: No

Mighty Bliss Deep Tissue Back and Body Massager

Amazon

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Why We Like It: It’s affordable and rechargeable, and it can help you get to hard-to-reach places.

It’s Worth Noting: The lower price means that it might not last as long as more expensive options.

This nifty handheld device scores our best budget pick, because it can go anywhere and massage literally any part of your body, all for a lower-than-average price. The Mighty Bliss Deep Tissue Back and Body Massager is portable and rechargeable but powerful, offering six different heads for a customized massage.

The Mighty Bliss relies on percussive massage, like a typical massage gun, delivering 3,700 pulses per minute to the targeted area of your choice: your back, your shoulder, your knee—you name it. We love that the handle is long enough to make targeting even those tough, middle-of-your-back knots and cramps easy to reach, and that the changeable heads (designed for large muscle group, deep tissue, and even your scalp) allow you to pinpoint different body parts and enjoy different types of massages without needing separate devices.

Price at time of publication: $27

Product Details:

Massage Type: Percussion
Targeted Area: Any
Style: Handheld
Cordless: Yes

4.2

Amazon

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Why We Like It: Some added safety features make this pad a good choice if heat is one of your top priorities.

It’s Worth Noting: You’re not going to get a professional-quality massage with this pad.

There’s no question that heat can be beneficial for back pain, but you do have to be careful with how much heat you apply; with a few extra safety features, the COMFIER Heating Pad is one of the better heated options out there.

Not only does the heating element have two adjustable settings for comfort, it also includes a 30-minute automatic shut-off. This way, if you accidentally fall asleep with the pad on, it won’t overheat or injure you. We like many of the other features of the COMFIER pad, too: thanks to velcro fastening on each end, it can be positioned in multiple ways (diagonally across the center of your back or horizontally around your lower back, for example), and it can be extended up to 62 inches for a customized fit.

Of course, let’s not forget about the whole massager part of this pad—four different motors distributed throughout the pad provide three levels of vibration intensity for a soothing and relaxing massage with heat.

Price at time of publication: $40

Product Details:

Massage Type: Vibration
Targeted Area: Back
Style: Strap-on pad
Cordless: No

Amazon

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Why We Like It: It’s like a back massager and a lumbar pillow in one.

It’s Worth Noting: The power cord is only six feet long, so it’s likely you need an extension cord.

Technically, this HoMedics massage pillow isn’t just for your lower back—it can also be used on your legs, neck, or upper back—but its compact, lightweight design makes it a perfect fit for nestling into the lower half of any chair you spend a significant amount of time sitting in.

With the shape and contour of a lumbar pillow, the HoMedics Back and Neck Massager fits easily into the crook of an office chair, recliner, or sofa to provide both Shiatsu massage and heat to your lower back; in fact, its lumbar-supporting design may even help relieve some back pain when the massage features aren’t being used. Although it needs to be plugged in, and that limits its portability a little, the setting controls are right on the pillow itself (so no extra pieces, like a remote, are required).

Price at time of publication: $43

Product Details:

Massage Type: Shiatsu, vibration
Targeted Area: Any
Style: Pillow
Cordless: No

4.6

Amazon

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Why We Like It: Customization combines with a unique design to create a massager that’s stable and effective for the neck and upper back.

It’s Worth Noting: You’ll have to sacrifice a little mobility here, since the massager requires you to loop your hands or arms through the straps to keep it in place.

Both the neck and upper back can be hard areas to target with at-home massagers, but the RESTECK Massager for Neck and Back solves some of the most common issues. With a unique U-shaped design, this massager is less likely to slip out of place than pillows and pads, and it won’t tire out your arms while you try to reach behind your back with a handheld device.

The RESTECK is designed almost like a sling—the massage and heat features are located in a pad around the back of the device, while two elongated straps hang over the front of each of your shoulders and down to your chest. From these shoulder straps, you can adjust the heat and massage features, which are pretty comprehensive. The Shiatsu nodes can be moved in different directions to target specific areas and can be set to various intensity levels, too. The heat is adjustable, as well.

While it could be a hindrance in some situations, the RESTECK massager straps include loops for your hands or arms to fit through; this helps keep the massager in place rather than slipping and sliding around, but you also won’t have as much mobility as you might with other devices.

Price at time of publication: $60

Product Details:

Massage Type: Shiatsu
Targeted Area: Neck, shoulders, back
Style: Sling
Cordless: No

4.9

Amazon

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Why We Like It: It’s small, quiet, and rechargeable, meaning it’s ready to go with you anywhere you need on-the-spot relief.

It’s Worth Noting: It’s not as fancy as full-sized massage guns, with only one attachment and three settings.

Most of the massagers on this list are technically portable, but the Theragun Mini is one of the few that could actually be tossed in a duffel bag and used literally anywhere. With a petite, but powerful, design and a rechargeable battery (no power cord needed!), the Mini is a great choice for athletes, students, travelers, or really anyone who needs discreet, on-the-go back pain relief.

While the Mini can be used on many different areas of the body, its small and lightweight size makes it easy to reach around your back and target tough spots. It only has one attachment head and three speeds, so it’s not the most comprehensive massage gun on the market, but it’s quiet, ergonomic, and endlessly packable, making it stand out in terms of portability.

Price at time of publication: $150

Product Details:

Massage Type: Percussion
Targeted Area: Any
Style: Handheld
Cordless: Yes

Amazon

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Why We Like It: We like the variety of the attachment heads—there’s something for everyone.

It’s Worth Noting: There’s no heat element with this tissue massager.

If the RENPHO Rechargeable Handheld Deep Tissue Massager were smaller, it might have given the Theragun Mini some competition in the portability department, but since it’s pretty sizable, we’re picking it for our best handheld option instead.

You shouldn’t read “sizable” as a bad thing: we love the elongated design and anti-slip handle of this massager, which makes it easy to use on any part of your back. We also love the multi-attachment head, which delivers 3,600 pulses per minute of deep tissue massage; choose from a gentle round head, a targeted pointed head, two different three-point heads, or a curved head, made for hugging your calves, arms, and thighs.

No matter what, you’ll get a soothing, percussive massage experience with the RENPHO, plus a rechargeable battery that gives you 140 minutes of massage time without any kind of power cord. A few buttons make this massager easy to operate, allowing you to adjust the intensity up or down as needed.

Price at time of publication: $40

Product Details:

Massage Type: Percussion
Targeted Area: Any
Style: Handheld
Cordless: Yes

Amazon

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Why We Like It: It comes with multiple attachments and speeds but is still quiet and portable, thanks to the rechargeable battery.

It’s Worth Noting: If you’re using it for your back, you may need a partner to assist you.

If you like the idea of the Theragun Mini but want more customization, the Mebak 3 Massage Gun is a full-sized massage gun with tons of attachments and a long running time. Once the Mebak has been charged, it can run for three to six hours, depending on the intensity settings you use.

Speaking of settings, you get to choose from a range of percussive speeds, starting with 640 pulses per minute and increasing to 3,200. You can gently relax and invigorate muscles or get a deep-tissue massage, especially once you find the right combination of speed and attachments. Seven different heads work on sensitive tissue, large or small muscle groups, tendons and joints, and common trigger points. Although the Mebak is larger than mini massage guns, it still manages to be lightweight and fairly quiet. It’s the best of both worlds—portability and adjustability—for a cool price point, too.

Price at time of publication: $100

Product Details:

Massage Type: Percussion
Targeted Area: Any
Style: Handheld
Cordless: Yes

4.8

Amazon

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Why We Like It: With a low-profile design and a velcro strap, you can attach this massager to basically any seat, anywhere.

It’s Worth Noting: It’s not super-customizable in terms of heat and massage settings.

Chairs come in all shapes and sizes, so we think the best back massager for chairs should be able to adapt to nearly all of them. The Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager is compact but effective, with four heated massaging nodes that rotate and knead to provide deep tissue massage to any part of your back.

Some of the key things we love about this massager for chairs: It has a slim, rectangular design that allows it to be positioned behind your upper, middle, or lower back. It also comes with a protective sleeve for travel and a velcro strap, meaning it will stay in place—both on the chair you attach it to and along the part of your back you really want to target. If you have the proper power setup in your car, you can even strap the massager to the headrest for neck relief while driving.

Price at time of publication: $60

Product Details:

Massage Type: Shiatsu
Targeted Area: Back and neck
Style: Pillow
Cordless: No

How We Selected

To find the best back massagers, we consulted with three experts knowledgeable in physical therapy, pain management, and spinal health to find out what people with back pain can expect when using one of these massagers at home.

Our experts noted that your personal comfort with any massager is key. Since different products offer different types of massage, figuring out whether you prefer Shiatsu, percussion, or vibration massage is a good place to start. From there, consider how portable you want your massager to be, how often you plan to use it, and what your overall budget is. Prices start as low as $30.

Using our experience researching other back pain-related products, including the best mattresses for people with back pain and the best massage chairs, we took what we already knew and combined it with what our experts told us, to curate a list of back massagers across a variety of types, massage styles, and budgets.

What to Know About Back Massagers

Types of Massages

There are a few different therapeutic options to choose from with any back massager, but the good news is that there’s no right or wrong style of massage.

According to Leia Rispoli, MD, an interventional pain management specialist and physiatrist, as long as you can choose the frequency and intensity of your massage, whether you prefer percussion to vibration or vibration to Shiatsu is just a matter of personal preference.

Shiatsu. This is a Japanese style of massage where varying degrees of pressure are applied to the body through kneading, pressing, tapping, and more. Shiatsu massage is typically done with the hands and fingers, so massaging machines will try to mimic this feeling with rollers or nodes.
Percussion. Massage guns utilize percussive massage; the massager head delivers a series of rapid taps or pulsing beats to loosen stiff muscles and reduce soreness and pressure.
Vibration. Vibration massage is similar to percussive massage, but the movements are both smaller and faster. Vibration can also cover a wider surface area of the body and often comes with more intensity and speed settings than percussion.

What You Can Expect to Pay

There’s a wide range here, and a higher price doesn’t always mean a higher-quality product. Smaller, handheld massagers can easily be found for $30 to $50 says Dr. Rispoli, but prices can increase steeply from there: massage guns often cost closer to $100, a full seat cushion can cost around $150, and full-body massage chairs typically require an investment of several thousand dollars.

The most important thing to do, says Dr. Rispoli, is to vet the product reviews and try to get a good idea of the quality and longevity of the massager you’re planning to buy.

How to Use a Back Massager

It’s important to always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use with any back massager you buy, but in general, there are a few guidelines to follow for maximum safety.

Frequency: Dr. Rispoli says it’s important not to over-utilize massage therapy at home, especially if the area you’re targeting is already sore. It’s better to aim for one to two shorter sessions per day, at the most, unless you’ve been using the product for a while and know you can handle more frequent sessions.
Duration: If you’re just starting out, you can use a back massager for as little as five minutes until you get acclimated. As long as you’re not uncomfortable, Dr. Rispoli says your one or two sessions per day can last as long as 60 minutes.
Comfort: Speaking of comfort, there may be a slight adjustment period: “A lot of patients have to get used to a massage from a machine versus a person,” warns Dr. Rispoli. “There may need to be some personalized trial and error, with you being the judge of what feels good for you.”

Your Questions, Answered

Do back massagers really work?

According to Dr. Jazini, back massagers can definitely help relieve back pain and stiffness, as long as your back pain isn’t caused by something more serious than a strained muscle or joint (in which case, you need to see a healthcare provider).

“Vibrating back massagers can help with blood flow circulation, muscle relaxation, and [stress relief],” he explains. “Athletes, especially, can benefit from back massagers before or after workouts, to help loosen up joints, relax muscles, increase range of motion, and decrease soreness.”

Are back massagers safe?

Most people can use a back massager safely without side effects, but it’s important to listen to your body, says Dr. Jazini—using your back massager with too much force can both cause new injuries and exacerbate existing ones.

If your back pain increases or becomes chronic, stop using the massager, and see a healthcare provider.

Can you use a back massager every day?

You can, but remember that a little goes a long way if you’re planning to use a massager daily. While 60 minutes is probably the upper limit, you certainly don’t have to spend that much time (and you should always check your manufacturer’s instructions, as some products—especially those with heat—should never be used for more than 15 minutes or so).

“I guide my patients to use them for no more than 15 to 20 minutes, to really target the whole back and [any other] tender points people have,” says Dr. Wu.

How long can you use a back massager?

We’ve explained how long you can use a massager in the short-term (anywhere from five to 60 minutes, max), but what about in the long-term?

“You can use a back massager for the remainder of [your life],” says Dr. Wu. “They are a handy at-home tool to get a quick release to the soft tissues.”

If you’re extremely active, using a massager frequently to recover from intense workouts can play a role in your long-term fitness and health. If you only ever reach for the massager sporadically, says Dr. Wu, you’ll still reap its benefits (especially if you can’t afford or make time for a professional massage therapy session).

Who We Are

Sarah Bradley has been a freelance writer since 2017, tackling health commerce articles, product reviews, and shopping guides on everything from dry skin moisturizers and wart removers to menstrual cups and toothbrushes for braces. She has written about back pain products many times, from the best back braces and pillows to the most comfortable desk chairs, so she knows how to look for products that offer real symptom relief.