Review on Theragun Mini 4th Generation: Powerful Portable Muscle Treatment Massage Gun by Karen Johnson

TLDR: The Mini is perfect for most people who want an ultra-portable percussion massager and can afford the $200. The Prime is for those who don't want to travel and want a better triangular grip and more reach (in and out) for an additional $100. Elite is designed for athletes or trainers who plan to use the device on other people and want extra maximum downforce. The Pro is for those who use such a device for a living and can afford $600. If $200 is still too much, buy generic. The effect of the massage is about the same. You just don't get an elegant design/appearance. The review is long overdue as I have been using massagers for my post workout routine for a number of years. One of my favorite devices so far is my autobuffer, which gives me a very powerful self-massage. It's just not portable and I need to connect it to the network. I have used the full line of Theragun massagers. Prime and Elite were basically the same to me when I used them on myself. The Elite has an OLED screen instead of LED, but I don't care. If I were to spend over $300 on a massager I would choose the Prime over the Elite. Pro is the best, but I wouldn't pay $600 for it unless I was a professional trainer and using it on clients. The Pro has a removable battery, but to be honest I've never had to use this device for more than 20 minutes at a time, and the Mini's battery lasts at least 3-4 hours of continuous use at max settings. So I ended up buying a Mini even though I had a regular one for about $100. The massage effect is about the same between the mini and the regular, which is more like a pistol-grip Hypervolt. What made me choose the $200 Mini was that it was ultra-portable. It even has a nice carry case and I travel 6-8 months a year so I take it everywhere with me now. As for the small differences. Here: design. The triangular Elite/Prime grip is more ergonomic. The swivel head and large handle/design allow me to reach hard-to-reach areas like my shoulders more comfortably. If I'm using Elite/Prime on someone else, it's easier too. But MINI had less of an impact on my finger/grip strength after a 15 minute session. It's smaller and therefore easier to handle, especially if you have weak grip strength. Perfomance. Power ratings (PPM) are the same for all models, but that's not the whole picture. The amplitude on the Mini is 12mm versus 16mm on the larger Theraguns. That's what I feel the most. The speed is the same, but when you need to cover more distance, that nanosecond difference between head on your body and head off your body feels different. Maximum contact pressure. This is the amount of force you can apply to the device before it overpowers the motor and shuts down. I've never done this myself between all devices, so it's not a problem for me. If I was using it on someone's shoulders or back and they wanted a lot of pressure it could make a difference so I chose Elite or Pro if you were a trainer. For personal use, Prime or Mini will do. Price. At $200, it was only $100 more than the regular versions and less than the Hypervolt, so it was a good Goldilocks zone for this type of device. A regular jigsaw hacked to do the same thing costs about $60-$80 after you mod it, so I was happy to pay the extra money for portability and a device that won't break and won't put a hole in it makes my thigh look like a racquetball puzzle attached to the tip. I personally think this is the best of them all because of the price, size and portability. As for the benefits of using this type of massager, each device gives you roughly the same type of massage. What you pay for as you grow is a better product with a better design. For me it's absolutely worth it.