Top 10 Back Massagers Under $100

A Review of the Best Quality Units for the Price

Whether you suffer from chronic back pain or are just lookig for relaxation, percussion massagers offer a great way to loosen tense muscles. By using a percussion massage machine, you are effectively simulating some of the same sensations felt during a real-life therapeutic massage.  Massage therapy can become expensive an expensive activity; most therapists charge between $45-$60/hour. The machines in this list offer a cost-effective alternative.

If you are unfamiliar with percussion massagers, you should first know that just as with a deep tissue massage given by a therapist, these units stimulate blood flow to the muscles.  This can cause redness and even swelling with extended use.  My suggestion is to use them for only brief periods of time until you can gauge what a suitable exposure time is.

While there is little clinical evidence, it is likely that using such machines can also cause the soft tissue to release certain toxins (such as lactic acid) into the blood stream (the same way a professional deep tissue massage does).  It is therefore highly advised that if you’re using these percussion massagers for long periods of time, you should drink plenty of water to assist the body in flushing these chemicals out of your system.

Advice for the novice shopper: durability is a big factor. Most consumers will be subjecting these units to considerable stress. I personally have broken more than my share of massagers while trying to get “the spot.”  I’ve always believed that the manufacturers of percussion massagers have a poor concept of just how much people put these things through. Specifically, I would shy away from the HoMedics PA-100.  Nowadays, this model can be found at large Housewares retailers such as Bed Bath N’ Beyond. 

I listed other HoMedics units because I’m not quite ready to rule the brand out completely yet.  I would just urge caution—if you intend to beat your massager up, I would advise a better brand.