ByLuke Deszczulka
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Here’s a late Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun review. Great for treating sore muscles after gym.
We should’ve reviewed this small massage gun for trigger point massage sooner, seeing it has been on sale for a while now. Hopefully, it’s not too late to share what we have found from using the Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun for a while and what you should expect if you haven’t bought it yet.
TIP: If you haven’t heard about Bob and Brad, they are the two most famous physiotherapists on the internet. They have quite a following on YouTube and have garnered over half a billion views.
Key Takeaways:
Now, let’s take a look at this mini massage gun in detail and see if it is a Theragun mini adversary. By the way, we recently tested the new Bob and Brad Q2 Pro mini massage gun released in April 2024, and we can tell you it is quieter and includes a hot and cold therapy attachment.
Our review score:
4.3
| Feature | Bob and Brad Q2 Specs |
|---|---|
| Stall Force | ~32 lbs. (our estimation) |
| Stroke Length | 7 mm (verified) |
| Speeds | 5 |
| Percussion range | 1800 – 3000 RPM (verified) |
| Weight | 1 lb (with a flat attachment) |
| Dimensions | 5.7 x 3.3 x 1.8 inch |
| Attachments | 5 included |
| Noise | ~49 – 52 dB (verified) |
| Battery | 2500 mAh / ~2 hours |
| Pros | Good stall force Good percussion range Pocket massage gun size Low noise USB-C charging Overall great quality |
| Cons | Low amplitude Short, non-angled handle |
| Warranty | 1-year default 2-year for our readers |
| Current Price | Check at Amazon |
Summary
The Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun is a top-rated everyday percussive therapy device that outperforms many similarly priced competitors. It has a vibrational amplitude but a stellar stall force for how tiny it is. It’s also light, well-designed, quiet, and affordable, making it an excellent choice for anyone seeking effective muscle relief.
Below is our own video, which was published on our YouTube channel (feel free to subscribe :).
In the video, we cover the unboxing, provide an overview of the Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun, showcase the massage gun attachments, demonstrate its operation at each speed, conduct stall force tests, understand the meaning of a quiet massage, and explain how to charge it.
This video aims to provide you with a clearer understanding of the Q2 mini massager Amazon before diving into more details. Take a look!
As you’ve seen in the video, we found a case with our muscle massager, and it is the norm with any Bob and Brad massage gun (but not so for other manufacturers, oh no).
It’s a nice compact 7 x 7-inch case. It’s made of some semi-rigid material, and you can expect it to go the distance. The case has a convenient carrying strap.
Apart from the case and the massager machine, there are massage gun head attachments, which we will talk about soon. There is also a USB-C charging cable, a spare gasket for the attachments, and a user manual with specifications and how-to-use instructions.
What about the device itself?
It’s a very small massage gun, as you’d expect a mini massage gun to be. Unlike many other small massage guns we’ve tested, this one stands out with its design. While it’s not entirely a new concept, the rounded edges it boasts are a distinctive feature we haven’t seen on many percussion massager guns.
The handle is vertical but short. We’d say it fits perfectly in your palm.
If you see the device in a photo, you’d think it’s a toy. But it’s not—it feels decent once you touch it. The materials used are also quality. Bob and Brad massage gun brand chose a glossy plastic finish on this one.
But it’s not just plastic. There is rubber where you need it to be. There are no visible screws. It’s a seamless design.
The weight (1 lb) tells you straight away that you are looking at a serious device—not a toy as it appears in the pictures. There are air vents at the top and a charging port at the bottom.
Even though we said it weighs quite a bit, it’s probably just enough not to feel like a toy.
It weighs just 1 pound with the flat attachment mounted. The plastic material used actually makes it lightweight. As seen in many other guns, a metallic casing tends to add to the overall weight. This one is better to hold, plus it has rubber to prevent slipping when your hands get sweaty.
What about its size?
It’s small and compact, which makes it highly compatible. Compared to other mini massage guns like the Theragun mini or a Hypervolt Go 2, this one is miles tinier.
It measures 5.7 x 3.3 x 1.8 inches, which is the same size as an Ekrin Bantam (mini), which we’d say is its main rival, at least as far as overall size goes.
The ergonomics aren’t that bad, but we’ve seen better from competitors. The handle isn’t tilted like the Ekrin Bantam, which means the Bantam generally holds better.
It’s still difficult to massage your back comfortably with a mini massage gun, but Ekrin Bantam’s tilted handle has more reach than the Q2 mini massage gun. The part of the handle under the motor is short and may not offer enough room for massaging hard-to-reach areas.
That said, this is still a portable mini massager. If you have a full-sized muscle massager, you can also use a mini massage gun as a complementary massager for your trips.
There is just one button on the back of the handle. It’s smack in the middle of it; you won’t miss it. But it’s probably not the most convenient of locations to have the only button.
However, it’s an inlet button, which is good news because it’s less prone to accidental pressing. Ekrin Bantam’s button is located underneath the handle. We occasionally press it by mistake when using the device. The same has happened with the Theragun Mini and its side button.
The button activates and deactivates the device when you press it for at least 2 seconds. Once activated, you can tap the button to change speeds.
Below the button, there are 5 LEDs to indicate the speed settings. Just below them, there is also a lightning icon to indicate the battery charge level.
There are 5 attachments included with this device.
They include:
Does the set offer a nice variety? We’ll say yes, it does.
We love that Bob and Brad massage gun brand included one soft attachment—the air-filled head. Manufacturers often overlook soft heads, especially in small and cheap massage gun. We assume it’s due to the costs of production—after all, it’s easier to make something out of plastic and call it a day.
Also, the flat massage gun attachment is reasonably large – you don’t see that often with mini massage guns. Kudos.
When it comes to the number of massage gun attachments, the 5 heads are enough. You probably won’t need more. Some manufacturers throw in a bunch of similar massage gun head attachments uses just to up the perceived value. We don’t buy into that, and we hope you won’t either!
How does this small massage gun perform? We look at amplitude, stall force, percussions per minute (PPM=RPM), and the combination of all three, as this matters the most.
Also known as stroke length, this is the distance the massage gun head travels during percussion.
Bob and Brad massage guns brand advertises it as 7 mm. We measure it, just to be sure. As seen in the photo below, our digital caliper displayed 7.57 mm, in line with the specification, and even a hair more. This doesn’t happen often.
With a 7 mm amplitude, the best this Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun can offer is a vibrational effect3. You shouldn’t expect heavy punches. Even so, it’s 1 mm longer than the Lifepro DynaMini and Recoverfun Mini, which are direct competitors of the Bob and Brad Q2.
But it’s lower than Ekrin Bantam’s. Even though the Ekrin Bantam is more expensive, it has over 9 mm amplitude. Now, that may sound like only ~2 mm more, but it translates to about 20% punchier. It’s not something you can ignore.
Clearly, it falls behind the amplitude of the Theragun mini and even the Hypervolt Go 2, both of which dominate in this aspect. The former boasts a 12 mm amplitude, while the latter offers 10 mm.
But even with a low amplitude, a good stall force can turn the fortunes of the Q2 mini massage gun to give you a Pro massage. So, does the Bob and Brad Q2 come with a strong motor? Let’s see…
Stall force is the pressure it takes to stop a device from percussing.
Fortunately, the stall force here is pretty good, especially for a mini device. We managed to compare it with known stall force from other muscle massagers, and, to our surprise, it performed better than expected.
The company says it has 32 lbs, and well, it feels more or less like that. While we usually take Bob and Brad massage gun advertisements with a pinch of salt, in this particular case, they haven’t exaggerated the stall force. For this one, if the Bantam has 35 lbs of stall force, this one really isn’t far behind.
For such a small massage gun, 32 lbs is a very good stall force. It’s actually interesting that being so tiny, it has more stall force than the much bigger Hypervolt Go 2.
Now, how does this number translate into your everyday massage experience?
At higher speeds, you can press it firmly against your forearms, shoulders, and calves. This means you won’t have the problem of percussions slowing down when for a trigger point massage.
However, don’t push your luck too far and expect it to perform a more aggressive Pro massage; it’s a mini, after all.
This is the first mini massage gun we have seen with 5-speed settings. It’s quite surprising; we didn’t even think about it before.
It’s awesome to have a bit more speed, which is true. But is it really an advantage over the usual 3-speed setup we see with many other minis? Not really. Let us explain why…
Here’s the math: the RPM range is 1800-3200 RPM (more on that just below), which is a 1200 RPM difference. Divided by 5 speeds, that’s a 240 RPM difference per speed. Now, with 3 speeds, you get 400 RPM per speed. Honestly, you won’t notice much difference between 240 and 400 RPM on your body.
Now, back to the percussion range. As mentioned, it spans from 1800-3000 RPM (1735-2933 RPM to be very precise), and we confirmed this with our digital laser.
The maximum RPM means the Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun can rev fast enough to get you a top massage. However, it’s worth noting that this speed is slightly slower than what we’ve experienced with some other mini massage guns.
For instance, both Hypervolt Go and Ekrin Bantam can rev up to 3200 RPM. While an extra 200 RPM might not seem like much (remember, we just discussed the 240 – 400 RPM gap ;), when combined with their high amplitudes, you’ll definitely feel a noticeable difference.
And, for even a broader perspective, the Theragun mini reaches ‘only’ 2400 RPM, but it boasts a substantial 12 mm amplitude. Do you see these nuances?
Our Take on Performance:
You’d expect most small massage guns to have a low amplitude; the Bob and Brad Q2 isn’t different. Surprisingly, the stall force here is pretty impressive. This sort of makes up for the lack of amplitude. The percussions are also okay but not spectacular.
Bob and Brad Massage Gun have always delivered quiet devices; this one is no different.
The sound feels smooth, with no crackling or rattling. Bob and Brad claim it only goes up to 55 dB at maximum speed, which would be pleasant for a super quiet massage.
We measured the noise decibels, and it was even quieter. We measured 49 dB to 51.6 dB – we held the dB meter about 8 inches away, as is our common practice (pictures below).
This means it’s a very quiet device, especially at lower speeds. We did hear some rattling at top speed, likely from the attachment, but nothing too loud. Also, there are some vibrations to the holding hand, but nothing you can’t live with.
The Q2’s battery has a 2500 mAh capacity, according to the manual. We didn’t see any information on the device itself. It’s hard to believe it has that much capacity given the overall size and weight. That’s simply because many full-sized massage guns have batteries this size.
So, we can’t say for certain whether Bob and Brad are being entirely truthful here.
But, for time on battery, expect it to last for more than 2 hours if you use some pressure and high speeds to treat trapezius muscle pain, for example. This is a good result, actually.
There is a USB-C charging interface to make charging convenient. We like it, as you can even use a power bank sometimes.
There is a lightning icon that is blue when there’s enough juice. It turns red when there’s 30% or less juice. It starts flashing when the level drops to 20%.
When it’s charging, the light is solid green, and it goes off when the battery is fully charged.
This is a very decent everyday mini massage gun that gives you a pro massage.
You can use it to treat tension in neck and shoulders, smaller muscles, and even larger ones at top speed with some pressure, generally for any muscle soreness and fatigue. It should be good enough to improve blood circulation4 and lymphatic drainage.
It’s great for folks who work behind a desk for long hours. You can also take it with you on your travels (even a plane).
Also, if you don’t like punchy guns, this gun is for you. You’ll love its performance balance.
It’s an excellent choice for women and individuals with smaller hands. Its small size and lightweight design are a plus, making it easily portable. It even fits snugly into a small women’s handbag. And thanks to its shape and balance, it sits comfortably in the hand.
The elderly will also find it beneficial. Its simple operation with just one button, absence of displays, and lack of extra features reduce complications. Additionally, it offers easy charging with USB-C (we discuss more options in our guide on massage guns for the elderly).
Are there any limitations?
Well, yes. It’s not the perfect massager at all (we are looking for The One in this post). Despite its decent power, it’s still a mini massager with a relatively low amplitude. You also won’t find advanced features like LCD displays, Bluetooth, progressive modes, or pressure sensors.
It’s also less powerful than the Ekrin Bantam and Theragun mini, but it remains a reasonable choice thanks to its attractive price – it’s more budget-friendly compared to the former options.
So, this one is a real bargain, not a cheap massage gun, considering how well it’s built and compact. Last time we checked, it was only about $69.99, with a coupon available on Amazon.
It comes with a 12-month warranty by default.
However, Bob and Brad massage gun brand has recently launched an exclusive one-year warranty extension promo for our readers!
To benefit from this two-year warranty offer, simply email [email protected] with your order number and include the phrase ‘Massage Gun Advice Warranty Extension.‘ Your warranty will be extended. Enjoy!
Want an even better warranty? Check out our alternative below.
The Ekrin Bantam will cost you slightly more but offer you slightly more.
For starters, we love Ekrin as a brand. We recently voted it the best brand. Their Ekrin Bantam outshines many other portable mini massagers out there – including those from premium brands such as Therabody.
The Bantam is tiny, about the same size as the Bob and Brad Q2 mini massager. It weighs 1.1 pounds – a shy heavier. It has an angled handle and may be better for massaging your back than Q2.
The handle is also rubberized to prevent slipping when your hands get sweaty.
It has better performance specs. A 9 mm amplitude and ~30 lbs. of stall force. Believe it or not, these are better specs than some full-sized devices. It has 3200 RPM maximum percussions – better than the Q2’s 3000 RPM.
You get 4 attachments here and a carrying case as well. The Ekrin Bantam also comes with a USB-C charger for convenience.
The battery is Samsung branded, which we can confidently say has served as well for over a year – it still works like it’s new. What’s even better is that Ekrin offers a lifetime warranty.
It usually goes for $149, but with the MGA20 coupon, which gives you a 20% discount, you can get it for $119.
Read More: Our in-depth Ekrin Bantam review.
We’ve come to the end of our Bob and Brad Q2 mini massage gun review. This is a very well-executed small massage gun from the well-known Bob and Brad massage gun brand.
Even though it has a low amplitude, the above-average stall force makes up for it – or at least to some extent.
It’s a good everyday device. It’s light, tiny, and quiet. It also comes at an attractive price.
However, the Ekrin Bantam is a perfect alternative if you prefer more power and a better warranty.
Take care!
Here's a quick rundown of all the tweaks and edits we've made to this article to keep it accurate and up-to-date!
Current version.
October 2, 2023: Big update. Added our in-hand video of Bob and Brad Q2 and refined text for a fresher and clearer reading experience. (Author: Greg)
July 27, 2023: Minor linking update. Added information about an extra 1-year warranty extension available to our readers. (Author: Greg)
August 1, 2024: References section updated. (Author: Greg)
Published on:
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Written by:
Luke Deszczulka
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