It’s hard to wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you feel like someone put a vice clamp between your shoulder blades. Stretching helps, but it doesn’t completely offset the side effects of spending over eight hours a day in front of a computer. Sometimes, you need someone — or something — to get in there and break apart those stubborn knots with the massage equivalent of a hammer and chisel. Enter the Nekteck Shiatsu Massager, a glorious device that has given me back my pain-free mornings.

Why is this a good deal? 💰

At $50, this handy device is a lot more affordable than a high-strength massage gun and is even more affordable than similar models on the market. Sure, there are others that don’t cost quite as much — but those also haven’t been bought by more than 20,000 people in the past month.

Why do I need this? 🤔

I love this gadget for two reasons. The first, I already mentioned: Spending all day at a desk typing can lead to quite a bit of neck and shoulder pain. The second reason is that I sleep with a CPAP at night, and that means I don’t move around a lot. When you spend between six and eight hours lying in one position, well, it hurts.

Aside from the actual physical massage this provides, the massager also heats up to an impressively warm temperature. That heat spreads into my muscles while it’s in use, which helps to loosen up even the toughest knots. There are three speeds to choose from depending on how sensitive you are (and sometimes you don’t want to feel like a 400-pound bodybuilder is trying to count your vertebrae), while the built-in handles make it easy to reposition the massager in even hard-to-reach areas, like the center of your back.

The material is made of faux leather and has a mesh fabric on the massager itself. It’s easy to clean and plenty durable. Despite my kitten’s best attempts, he hasn’t been able to chew through it. Now he’s just learned that it heats up and will sleep on the massager when I’m finished using it.

The Nekteck Shiatsu Massager works for 15 minutes at a time. This is part of its built-in overheating protection, but it also works as a timer. You don’t want to overwork muscles, or you can do more harm than good. If something does go wrong with the massager, it comes with a one-year warranty as well as lifetime support.

What reviewers say 💬

If you want more than just my input, see what more than 41,000 five-star reviewers have to say.

Pros 👍

This is more than just a surface-level massage, fans say. “I bought this because I work on a computer all day, so my shoulders and back tend to feel the strain after a while. When I say this thing gets DEEP into those muscles … they really get deep!”

Trouble sleeping? This can also help on that front. “I get so much relief I’m actually sleeping better at night and I only use it once in the morning and once in the evening.”

Many fans also testify that it’s a phenomenal tool for treating pain from an injury. “Exceeded every expectation! You need one. You need two. I have chronic migraines and a limited range of motion in my neck from an old whiplash injury [from] decades ago. I love this massager.”

Cons 👎

This isn’t a super-portable massager, though. Sure, you can take it anywhere, but once hooked up you need to stay still. “The only downside is you have to be hooked up to an outlet but other than that great massager.”

Another reviewer wished this was the type of massager you could lay down on. “As long as you are in an upright position and hold with both hands/arms it works just fine. It’s too bulky to place under back while lying down. Can only be placed under neck while lying down.”

Amazon

Neck need a good kneading? With eight modes for a deep, effective massage, this gadget will help loosen up tight muscles in your neck and back. There are three different intensity settings, too. 

$50 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

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