Recovapro Lite review - Livescience.com

[massage]

In this Recovapro Lite review, we’ll be walking you through the features and functions of this electric massage gun, taking a look at recent user reviews, and seeing how it performs at home.

Recovapro calls the Lite a ‘pocket-sized, on-demand massage therapist that gives you quality massage treatment with unparalleled portability’. There’s no doubt that the Recovapro Lite is small - at just 1.5 lbs, it’s one of the lightest massage guns we tested at home.


An attractive carry case allows you to store and transport the Recovapro Lite to the gym or the office, or even take it on holiday with you. The gun itself is available in four attractive colors: sky blue, space grey, rose gold, and midnight black. It comes ready-charged so you can start using it straight out of the box, and simple design and functionality means it’s a cinch to get up and running straight away.

Something we noticed straight off the bat for the Recovapro Lite is that there is no companion app available yet. This is despite a card included within the packaging, promising that a ‘Recovasmart’ app would be available from December 2020. It looks like this is something Recovapro is still working on, so watch this space.

Recovapro Lite review: size and design


There’s no doubt that the Recovapro Lite is one of the most stylish massage guns we tested. With an expensive sheen from its matte aluminum composite body, and a selection of colors to choose from, this feels like a massage gun that has been designed for women. It looks expensive and sleek, and with an ergonomic handle, minimal buttons and a chrome trim, it’s simple and chic too.

At the back of the gun there is a single power button, which users can also press to toggle through one of the five speed settings, and power off. Under this button, there are also four tiny lights that show battery life left.

(Image credit: Joanne Lewsley)

Weighing in at just 1.5 lbs, it lives up to its name too. The Recovapro Lite is one of the lightest guns we tested at home. This makes it more comfortable to use for longer sessions, especially around the lower back.

What makes Recovapro Lite stand out from its peers is the protective carry case it comes with. Every head attachment has a special slot in which to store it, alongside the gun, and there’s even a slot for your charger and multiple charging adapters, so everything is in one place. The carry case also features a mesh compartment in the lid that stores a charging mat, but this feels a little unnecessary given that you could just use the case as a mat. A manual, and series of cards explaining the attachments and a quick start guide, is also included.

There are four head attachments with the Recovapro Lite:

• Fork: For longer muscles such as calves and forearms, and for the spine and neck
• Ball: For sore muscles and a great attachment for treating plantar fasciitis
• Flat: For larger surface areas, such as quads, hamstrings, back, and chest
• Bullet: For targeting trigger points and releasing muscle knots

That’s two more attachments than the equally portable Hypervolt Go, but one less than the Hypervolt 2, which also includes a sensitive cushion head.

The battery is designed to last for three hours after a full charge. We didn’t have the time to test this at home, but we used the massage gun for around an hour in total, and there was no impact on speed or performance during use.

Recovapro Lite review: functionality


There are five speed settings with the Recovapro Lite, ranging from 1500 up to 2800 percussions per minute (PPM). Recovapro boasts ‘omnidirectional’ movement, meaning that each head rotates in its socket 360 degrees, unlike other massage guns which tend to move in a bi-directional way. The Recovapro Lite has a stall force of 40lbs, meaning that you’d have to apply this level of force before the massage gun motor stops.

The charger connects magnetically, and the carry case includes a soft leather charging mat, which also has holes for each attachment head. So you can set up your mat at home if you wish, instead of keeping everything in the carry case.

It’s super easy to add the head attachments to the massage gun too, simply click them in or pull them out as you wish.

Recovapro Lite review: performance


As with all the electric massage guns we tested, we checked out how noisy the Recovapro Lite was during operation. Using a flat head attachment, we measured the decibels of this gun, at three speed settings:

• Level 1: 45 decibels
• Level 3: 50 decibels
• Level 5: 52 decibels

(Image credit: Joanne Lewsley)

During operation, we found that the Recovapro Lite was one of the quietest massage guns we tested, even at its highest setting. 45 decibels is just slightly louder than a quiet library, so the Recovapro Lite is perfect for taking on flights, using in a quiet gym, or at work.

Unfortunately, with no companion app, users are left to work out how to use their new massage gun on their own. There are lots of general massage gun routines available online, and if you wish, you can even download a competitor app and use the same routines. However, it’s one element that Recovapro is missing from the whole experience.

The heads are easy to swap over and use, and the massage gun gives a great and thorough massage. People who are used to a massage gun with a higher PPM may be left disappointed though. With some massage guns racking up as much as 3200 PPM, you could feel short-changed by the Recovapro Lite’s maximum 2800 PPM.

However, that didn’t stop it giving us a great massage, and really reaching down into knotty areas when using the bullet attachment.

Recovapro Lite review: what’s good about it?


The best thing about the Recovapro Lite is its handy carry case. It’s well-designed so that nothing rattles or falls out of place, and it’s small enough to throw into a gym bag if you wish, though it has its own handle too.

The overall design of the massage gun is also impressive. With its sleek, aluminum body and range of colors, it really is a massage gun that looks good, as well as performing well.

Finally, we also enjoyed how discreet the Recovapro Lite could be, especially in a busy gym or at work. The low volume during operation makes this a gun you can whip out any time for a quick and soothing massage, even at your office desk.

Recovapro Lite review: what’s not so good about it?


The user experience of having a card in the packaging promoting the app, and then finding there isn’t one available, isn’t a positive one. However, this aside, it’s hard to find fault with the Recovapro Lite. It’s attractive, works well, and the carry case is a great bonus feature.

If we are being really picky, we’d look for a slightly different texture on the handle, to increase grip during operation, and perhaps slightly larger head attachments. The flat attachment was a little smaller in diameter than others we have tested at home, though there wasn’t a great deal of noticeable difference during use.

Recovapro Lite review: User reviews


The Recovapro Lite scores an excellent 4.8 stars out of five from reviewers on its website, with over 97% of users saying they would recommend the massage gun to a friend. Users rate its ability to ease tension while being light and easy to maneuver around the body, with one happy purchaser saying they have “more flexibility and less stiffness”.

Although it only has a handful of reviews so far on Amazon, it scores well there too, with 3.6 stars out of 5. However, one reviewer described their experience in dealing with Recovapro as “one of the worst customer experiences I ever had” after their massage gun stopped working in under a year.

Should you buy the Recovapro Lite?


If you want a massage gun that’s attractive, and simple to store away and transport, as well as a device that’s light enough to move easily around the body, the Recovapro Lite will suit you well. It is easy to use and operate, and the results are immediate.

However, if you’re a complete newbie when it comes to massage guns, and you’re worried about poor technique impacting how much you get out of your device, you may benefit more from a gun that comes with an accompanying app and video tutorials.

If this product isn’t for you


If you like the portability of the Recovapro Lite, but you want an app to show you how to get deep down into all those aches and pains, then why not try the Hypervolt 2? With a connected app and Bluetooth connectivity, this massage gun works in tandem with online tutorials to give you a great massage.

The Hypervolt Go is another lightweight massage gun that packs a punch performance wise. It weighs the same as the Recovapro Lite, at 1.5 lbs, and is small enough to be slipped into a gym bag too.

For a full-on professional massage experience, give the HoMedics Pro Physio a look. It comes with no fewer than six massage heads, plus a heated head feature that delivers warmth directly to areas that need a little more TLC.

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