Author, Expert Board Member
Bio:
Alex Stone is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA). He currently practices orthopedics in Bellevue, Washington, and manages an online health coaching business via social media (@dr.alexstone). He is passionate about health science education and general health/wellness optimization.
ByGreg Szostak
Fact checked by Dr. Alex Stone, DPT, CSCS.
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In this RecoverFun Plus review, we’ll talk about RecoverFun’s top massage gun.
We were intrigued when we stumbled on this gun. The performance specs looked pretty incredible on paper. Our curiosity got the better of us, and we decided to check it out.
We got this gun a while back, used it for a month, and now we can’t wait to tell you about it. By the end of this review, we hope you can make a decision about whether this is your type of massage gun or not.
This is RecoverFun’s flagship massage gun for now. After their first device (RecoverFun T5), they unveiled this new gun to cater to the needs of customers who want something a bit more powerful.
| Features | RecoverFun Plus |
|---|---|
| Stall Force | 62 lbs (advertised) |
| Stroke Length | 13 mm / 12mm (advertised / measured) |
| Percussions | 1500 – 3300 / 1480 – 2960 (advertised / measured) |
| Speeds | 5 |
| Battery Life / Capacity | 3h / 2900 mAh (removable) |
| Attachments | 6 |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs |
| Noise | 55-65 dB (measured) |
| Pros | Good power Good percussion range Well equipped Removable battery Overall quality |
| Cons | Lower than advertised amplitude So-so ergonomics Quite heavy |
| Warranty | 1 year for a device, 6 months for battery |
| Price | |
| Where to buy | recoverfun.com (apply MGA5 coupon for $5 OFF) |
Straight out of the box, this device comes with a nice zippered carrying case. There’s also a soft pouch for carrying the attachments.
There is an instructional booklet (very basic) with information on the device and the attachments. There is a wall charger that looks pretty standard – no USB-C charging here.
RecoverFun included 3 spare gaskets for attachments. Those tend to wear out after some time and once they become loose, the device can get pretty noisy. Fortunately, RecoverFun folks thought about it in advance.
Onto the device itself. It’s a rather stylish black massage gun that looks top quality from the first look. The shape isn’t as intriguing though – if you’ve been with us long enough, you know how we cringe at T-shaped guns.
However, this one might just get away with a slight snarl – it’s not the worst T-shape we’ve seen. It doesn’t look like the first Hypervolt or one of its clones (even though Hypervolt did the T-shape first).
It does, however, look uncannily similar to the very first Achedaway device. If you were to only look at the pictures without touching the device first, you would think it’s a branding mistake. But it’s not a branding mistake, there are differences between this RecoverFun Plus and that Achedaway. We will touch on some of those differences as we go.
There are other things that would make you wonder if this is all Achedaway masked as RecoverFun. The website design and appearance, the logo design, and the attachments, everything looks very familiar.
We are not sure whether this is a coincidence, a bad case of copying or if there is a link between the two. But the two guns look very similar. It’s a fact.
Whether this is “Achedaway 2.0”, we can’t tell for now. But the device looks well put together.
There are no visible screws – except the one below the control panel. The motor shield is aluminum and looks durable – it’s cold to touch. The rest of the device is plastic or rubber – good quality plastic and rubber.
It’s a thick device (because of / around the the motor housing). It’s not as big as Opove Apex but definitely thicker than Ekrin B37 and the slim 365. Thick and bulky isn’t always standard massage gun language, but in this case, RecoverFun is targeting advanced users.
Overall
The first impression here is positive.
It’s hard to get excited here because this is not the revolutionary approach that we recently praised Opove Apex for. It’s anything but.
It’s a full-sized massage gun but the handle isn’t very long (intentionally done? we can’t say). We could say that the handle is long enough to just hold and glide it across the muscle. But, having seen other long handles on devices like Lifepro Sonic LX and Ekrin 365, we’ll say this handle is short.
PRO TIP A short handle isn’t the worst thing. It’s actually good when you want to do a lot of massaging. The short handle makes the device easy to maneuver (especially with the bulkiness). But, you could face problems trying to massage your mid-back over your shoulder. That’s why long handles are slightly better.
The RecoverFun Plus massage gun weighs 2.57 pounds or 1167 grams with the flat attachment mounted. We have to say that is anything but light – especially with the standard we have come to expect for guns in 2022. The metal body probably adds to the weight.
We also believe that the 2900mAh capacity battery adds to the overall weight of this device. But all that weight is not for nothing. It actually helps to add to the pressure applied when massaging. That’s why we believe the bulkiness is intentional – a sort of “gun for guys” approach.
But the combination of a T-shape and more weight rarely works for everyone. It messes with a lot of things, including maneuverability and balance.
When we recently reviewed Opove Apex, we spoke about how the manufacturer achieved a good balance for that device. We also know of Ekrin B37’s great balance.
But again, the added weight, vertical handle, and the bulky approach are intentionally made to target more demanding users (big boys). However, we still hold that an angled handle and much less weight would’ve made it a superb device given the performance specs.
Despite all this, RecoverFun Plus still holds comfortably. We feel the handle diameter is okay for most people. However, for folks with small hands this may not be the ideal device. Perhaps Ekrin 365 will hold better (it’s slimmer). The handle is rubberized to help with the grip.
Remember how we said there is a slight difference between this device and the original Achedaway device? Well, here it is. That Achedaway device had rubber all the way up the handle and closer to the motor casing. This one is different. The rubber doesn’t go all the way up. It would’ve been better if it did because sometimes you need to hold it near the casing. You can still do that, only it won’t be as comfy.
Overall
We are not very excited about what this device has to offer, especially with ergonomics. We have seen and interacted with better devices. However, since the target audience probably won’t mind, we will hold our horses as well.
The controls are simple and intuitive.
There is a main switch at the very bottom of the device – handle. To turn it on, flip the switch and then go to the back of the casing to activate it using the main button there – it’s the only one, right in the middle. When you click the button again, the speed goes a notch higher.
There are 5 LEDs just above the main activation button that indicate the speed level. They all light up in blue. The funny thing is that they light up from right to left – the opposite way to all other massage guns we reviewed before.
The other 5 LEDs, those underneath the main button, indicate the battery status.
RecoverFun Plus comes with 6 attachments – more than enough to massage the whole body (here’s why). All the attachments here are not new (nothing we haven’t seen before) except for the one they’re calling “The super-soft and bouncy head.”
It’s not very new. It looks like a modified cushioned head. But we’ll give them that, they wanted to achieve something unique. Indeed it’s soft enough, and you can use it to massage sensitive and bony areas. It will also be perfect as the massage attachment for the neck and shoulders.
Here’s what you can expect:
READ MORE Learn more about using massage gun properly and effectively.
This is what intrigued us to try out this device. The power promised in the advertising was very interesting for us to pass up. So here’s what we found out.
Amplitude refers to the distance traveled by the massage gun’s head during percussion. Find more tech details in our glossary.
When we read the specs for this RecoverFun gun, we were impressed that it has a decent 13mm amplitude. Usually, that is good enough for a percussive device.
However, we did our own measuring when we got the device. It’s not 13mm as RecoverFun claims, but rather 12mm.
But perhaps that is not a big issue – 1mm isn’t that much of a big deal here. This means RecoverFun Plus is a good percussive massage gun if the stall force is good enough.
However, we have to say that sometimes the 1mm can make a huge difference, especially in the market right now. Many devices struggle to get to 12mm; 13 mm is considered high-end, per se. To put it into perspective, even the highly praised Hypervolt 2 only has a 12mm stroke length.
To us, 12mm amplitude is a sweet spot; you can get a deep percussive massage with it and still enjoy a relaxing massage because the punches are too hard.
On the other hand, if you’d rather use a Theragun-like device with a higher stroke length, we recommend having a look at Opove Apex – one of the alternatives below.
Stall force refers to the amount of pressure the device can withstand without stalling or stopping.
RecoverFun advertised a stall force of up to 62lbs. – that makes it one of the top devices on the market. But is it really that powerful? Well, we had to find out if that is true.
Just for comparison, the powerful guns on the market today (Theragun Pro and Achedaway Pro) have a stall force of approximately 60lbs. It’s hard to believe there would be a gun more powerful than that.
We also know of Ekrin B37S, one of the best stall force guns. Since we have tested dozens of massage guns, we can always do a comparison test.
When we tested RecoverFun, we found out it couldn’t measure up to the strength of those powerful guns. It appeared weaker than the aforementioned guns – Ekrin B37S, Achedaway Pro, and Theragun Pro.
The accurate number would be the upper 40s – likely a 45-50lbs. range.
Be aware, however, that the device only achieves top power at the highest speed setting. On first gear, the gun stalls very easily – it almost bounces off the skin. But we’ve seen this kind of thing with other guns as well.
The higher the speed setting, the higher the stall force as well. But we’ve also seen devices that are stronger even on lower speed settings; Ekrin B37S is a good example. Maybe future iterations of RecoverFun will try the same thing.
We also compared it to Ekrin B37 (weaker than Ekrin B37S), Theragun Elite, and Hypervolt 2 Pro. It performs better than Hypervolt 2 Pro but more or less the same as Theragun Elite and Ekrin B37.
What does this mean then, is this a powerful gun? Yes, despite the slightly exaggerated stall force by RecoverFun, this gun can provide a serious percussive massage. Most amateur athletes and some pros will find it effective.
We expected a 13mm amplitude but only got 12, which isn’t bad either. With more than 40lbs. of stall force, you can press it hard against large muscle group areas like quads and hamstrings for a deep tissue massage.
The speed setup here is the normal kind – just 5 speeds. We love that it’s not more (some devices come with up to 30 speeds).
With 5 speeds, you can easily change and use it as you want. You’ll still have to go through all speeds to get back to the lowest, but it’s practical with this setup.
For the percussion range, we expected something generic given the 12mm amplitude. Here we have a setup of 1500-3300RPM. We know that guns with a 12mm amplitude tend not to be too vibrational. That means the number of percussions is often limited to about 3000-3200RPM.
We did our own measuring to confirm the setup here. Our tachometer readings indicated 1480RPM at the lowest speed and 2960RPM at the highest speed. To get a perspective of the readings on each gear, here’s what our tachometer showed:
There’s perhaps just a slight discrepancy between RecoverFun’s numbers and what our tachometer showed, but it’s nothing too shocking. From this, we can deduct the following:
We believe the RecoverFun Plus is a powerful massage gun with reasonable performance specs. We have always praised devices that can offer 12mm amplitude, mid 40lbs. of stall force, and more than enough percussions per minute.
We also have to note that the advertised 62lbs. of stall force is not what you get here, but it’s not easy to stall it at the highest speed setting. The amplitude is also 1mm less than advertised, but not really bad if you consider the stall force.
We didn’t encounter any noise issues with this device. We often expect less noise from medium-amplitude devices. This one is still louder than a 10mm amplitude gun, but nothing too disturbing.
Our decibel meter gave us 55dB at lower speeds and about 64-65dB at higher speeds.
It’s still not as quiet as say, Opove Apex or Achedaway Pro, but we are not complaining about what we experienced.
Expect some minor rattling from speed 4, but that is nothing unusual. The rubber on the handle effectively absorbs vibrations to the handle.
It’s a 2900mAh battery. That explains the extra weight – it’s a large battery. They say it can last for 3 straight hours before you may need to charge it again.
However, while that is accurate, you may not get all three hours if you use the device on high speeds and apply more pressure constantly.
We have seen devices with batteries that can perhaps do more than 3 hours, including the original Achedaway that we compared to this device. However, that original Achedaway device did not have a removable battery.
A sticker indicates where you need to press to release the battery. You can purchase an extra battery if you want, but a better deal is to buy a set of a device with a spare battery included. You will save $20 this way.
There is no USB charging here. You’ll have to do with a wall charger.
TIP The battery fits both RecoverFun Plus and the previous T5.
You can get the device from the RecoverFun store. Use the MGA5 coupon to get $5 OFF, and buy it for $164 instead of the regular $169. The version with a spare battery will cost you $214 when used with the same promo code.
PRO TIP The RecoverFun Plus offers a more affordable alternative to the original Achedaway, which looks very similar and sells for $204 after applying the MGA25 coupon for a $25 discount.
You will only get a 1-year warranty for this device and 6 months for the battery. That is very basic in today’s market. We don’t know about the long-term performance of this gun. If you are concerned, you may want to check out other options with longer warranties and more cover from the manufacturer.
Not Best For
The Ekrin 365 is a decent massage gun with plenty to offer the user. It’s the latest release from Ekrin Athletics – an American-based company with plenty to offer.
For starters, it has better ergonomics than what the RecoverFun massage gun offers. You should expect lower weight, just 1.7 pounds, a long and slimmer handle that will be comfortable to hold for those with small hands. The handle is also slightly angled to allow for a natural grip.
In terms of power, about 40lbs. of stall force (highest speed gear). That makes it nearly as powerful as the RecoverFun Plus.
It may feel slightly more vibrational given the 3200RPM. However, you will still get a percussive massage with this device and even apply pressure when you need to.
There are 4 great quality attachments. You get a nicely done fork attachment (the prongs are wider) and a super-soft ball attachment. It’s softer than RecoverFun’s half-ball attachment.
The attachments are lockable, meaning you will need a twist to lock them into position. This is better and ensures the attachments can last longer. You won’t need to replace the attachment gaskets.
You get a pressure sensor that can help you monitor the applied pressure when massaging a friend. You also get a USB-C charger which we feel is more convenient.
Overall, this is a safer bet because you are dealing with an American company that field-tests all their devices to make sure they are true to specs. You also get US customer service and, above all, a lifetime warranty.
Ekrin 365 is cheaper. It normally costs $179.99 but you can get it for $143.99 if you use the MGA20 coupon that gives you a 20% discount. You save a few dollars and still get a very versatile massage gun.
READ MORE Refer to our hands-on Ekrin 365 review for more details.
This is a new device from Opove. It has some very decent specs for a modern percussive massage gun. Its strongest points are its performance aspects. We’ll talk about those first.
The amplitude is 14.5mm. To put that into perspective, Theragun has 16mm amplitude which we consider perfect for a deep-to-the-bone massage. The hits will be harder and deeper with this kind of setup.
The stall force is mid-40s, or about the same as RecoverFun Plus. Because the stroke length is high, the number of percussions is low. Instead of 3000RPM, this one revs up to 2300RPM – just enough for this kind of setup.
But it’s not just the performance that makes this gun an attractive alternative to RecoverFun Plus, there are other aspects as well.
For instance, it weighs 2.27 pounds – which is lighter than RecoverFun Plus. The handle is aggressively tilted and rubberized. There is a special hold because of the handle design – you can comfortably hold it at the top.
Opove Apex is quieter than RecoverFun Plus. Our decibel meter registered 60dB at the highest speed. That is more peace of mind while massaging.
It has a 1-year warranty.
Opove Apex costs $165 thanks to a very generous introductory discount. Otherwise, you would have to spend $199 if you hope to buy it. Buy it right here.
READ MORE Check out our in-depth Opove Apex review.
This RecoverFun Plus review has come to an end. We will note a few things.
If you decide that this is your massage gun of choice, then you will like what you are getting.
However, in terms of being the best bang for your buck, there are some other devices that we feel may offer more value. We have shared two alternatives that are worth checking out.
Cheers!
Summary
RecoverFun Plus is a solid massage gun with a lot to offer the user. It takes the conventional massage gun shape that comes with its own challenges. However, it does offer some fascinating performance aspects. The 12mm amplitude and more than 40lbs. of stall force make it a very decent massage gun for a wide group of users. It’s probably not the perfect value-for-money device, but it does the job alright.
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.
February 13, 2024 Minor content updates and adjustments to internal and external linking for improved readability.(Author: Greg)
Published on:
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Written by:
Greg Szostak
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