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The Best Muscle Stimulator

Last updated on February 23, 2023

We looked at the top 15 Muscle Stimulators and dug through the reviews from 74 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Muscle Stimulators.

Best Muscle Stimulator

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If you’ve ever suffered a muscle injury, you probably know the important role your muscles play in keeping your body going. It’s so important, in fact, that many people spend hours at the gym, working hard to tone and strengthen their muscles.

Electric muscle stimulators can be used for a variety of purposes. If you’ve suffered a muscle injury, these devices can send electrical impulses to the target area and possibly provide relief. Known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), this technology has been able to reduce reliance on pain medications for some chronic sufferers, making it a popular form of alternative medical therapy.

But electric muscle stimulators can do more than help with pain. Some have found that using these devices can also help strengthen muscles, especially following an injury. If this is true, it may have the benefit of accelerating healing, possibly reducing the source of pain for quicker relief.

But, keep in mind that using an electric muscle stimulator isn’t a substitute for going to the gym, says physical therapist Tim Fraticelli.

“If you’re looking to build muscle, a muscle stimulator or EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) machine is not the solution,” he says. “EMS machines are best used for pain relief and muscle recovery after a workout.”

In addition to electrical currents, some stimulators provide massaging action and pain relief specific to arthritis. It’s also important to choose a device that has an easy-to-read display screen and settings that can be easily changed to improve your experience. If you feel like portability or having a belt clip will better suit your lifestyle, those are features to look for as well.

The electric muscle stimulation happens through the use of pads that adhere directly to the skin. You’ll need to check into the cost to replace those pads since they’ll deplete on an ongoing basis. You should also look for pads that adhere reliably to the skin without being painful to remove.

Before starting any electric muscle stimulation program, it’s important to check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe. While some doctors will steer patients toward traditional medicine, most will at least let you know if any real danger exists in a particular alternative treatment.

Our Picks For The Top Muscle Stimulators

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Top Pick

MEDVICE Professional Solid Gel Muscle Stimulator

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MEDVICE

Professional Solid Gel Muscle Stimulator

Relieve neck, shoulder, ankle and back pain without medication using this muscle stimulator. Applying the pads and hooking up the little machine is a breeze. Customization is also possible, as the unit offers 16 different massage modes and 20 different intensity levels.

Overall Take

Natural Pain ReliefThis TENS unit uses medical-grade electrodes that won't rust or corrode.

 Runner Up

iSTIM Japanese LCD Screen Muscle Stimulator

iSTIM

Japanese LCD Screen Muscle Stimulator

Fast and natural pain relief is possible with this top-notch muscle stimulator. It's fully customizable and features four channels, five TENS modes, three EMS modes and 24 presets. The battery is rechargeable, which is an added bonus, as it saves money over time.

Overall Take

Easy to ReadThe large LCD screen on this muscle stimulator uses a backlight, so it's easier to read.

 We Also Like

Belifu Portable Muscle Stimulator & Pulse Massager Tens Unit

Belifu

Portable Muscle Stimulator Tens Unit

Reduce pain and muscles spasms with this muscle stimulator. All of the parts fit neatly inside a provided storage bag, which also protects the device when not in use. This model allows you to set the timer, choose between 24 modes and then select one of 20 intensity levels.

Overall Take

Handy for TravelIncluded with this muscle stimulator is a storage bag to keep the device organized and free of dust.

Pros
" It comes with ten pads. Easy to use. Large blue screen."
Cons
"Pads don’t adhere properly."
 Strong Contender

AUVON Professional Electrotherapy Muscle Stimulator

AUVON

Professional Electrotherapy Muscle Stimulator

You'll find this TENS unit is able to run for 10 hours straight in between charges. It's an excellent non-invasive way to manage your pain and receive relief from sore muscles. The unit even uses pin-style electrodes for better conductivity than you'd get with the button-style units.

Overall Take

Pocket SizeThis muscle stimulator is pocket size, which means you can easily pack it in your gym bag or take it on the road when traveling.

Pros
" This is an affordable and compact TENS unit that doesn’t scrimp on features."
Cons
"Careful storage required."
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
22

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the muscle stimulators available to purchase.
15

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

74

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: The Good Body, Top Best Product Review, BestReviews, Best Health N Care, Keep It Wellness.

82,278

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 15 Muscle Stimulators and also dug through the reviews from 74 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Muscle Stimulators.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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Our Expert Consultant

Tim Fraticelli  
Physical therapist and founder of PTProgress.com

Tim Fraticelli, DPT MBA  is a physical therapist and founder of PTProgress.com. PTProgress provides career development resources for physical therapists to improve their lives in and out of the clinic.

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Belifu Portable Muscle Stimulator & Pulse Massager Tens Unit

Our Expert Score

9.6
3 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.2
8,652 user reviews

Our Take

Reduce pain and muscles spasms with this muscle stimulator. All of the parts fit neatly inside a provided storage bag, which also protects the device when not in use. This model allows you to set the timer, choose between 24 modes and then select one of 20 intensity levels.

What other experts liked

It comes with ten pads. Easy to use. Large blue screen.
- Best Rated Docs
Free dustproof drawstring storage bag. Reusable fastening cable ties. Automatic shut-off timer. Long battery life.
- Style Craze

What other experts didn't like

The problem with wires starts to show itself when you have ten different pad connected at different places.
- Best Rated Docs
Pads don’t adhere properly.
- Style Craze

What to Look For

  • Before using an electric muscle stimulator, check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. Those with pacemakers and other implanted metallic or electronic devices should steer clear of them, as well as those with heart rhythm issues.
  • While you’re recovering from an injury, strengthening your muscles can help you heal faster and prevent future problems. Some models operate as both a TENS device and an electrical muscle stimulator to do both at the same time.
  • Frequency can make a difference in the relief you’ll get. Some simulators use high-frequency stimulation to improve results.
  • With electric muscle stimulators, you’ll usually rely on a display to find out what’s going on. Look for a stimulator that has a display that shows the massage style, the time remaining and the intensity of the current stimulation. Others have a bright, easy-to-read, backlit display to make it easy to monitor activity.
  • When you’re in pain or recovering from an injury, the last thing you want to do is struggle with an electronic device for hours.
  • Consider a muscle stimulator that clearly spells out the difference between its various settings, Fraticelli advises. “Look for EMS machines with easy-to-adjust settings and clear instructions on how to use for pain relief versus active muscle recovery after a workout,” he says.
  • A timer can come in handy when you’re starting any sort of muscle therapy program. Look for a stimulator that has a timer you can set for between 5 and 60 minutes.
  • A belt clip can come in handy if you’re wandering around while using your stimulator.
  • Electric muscle stimulators rely on battery power, so check into what yours requires before you buy. Some stimulators run on three AAA batteries, which are included with your initial purchase. Others rely on rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones that you can change out, and you’ll get up to 10 hours of continuous use on one charge. When you have to replace those batteries, though, you may have trouble tracking them down since they aren’t available everywhere.
  • For a wide variety of pain relief options, pay close attention to the stimulators that have specialized modes for arthritis, strength and recovery.
  • If you’re interested in going beyond pain relief, you may want to consider a model that offers 14 different massage modes.
  • Muscle stimulators work through pads that attach to the skin.
  • Portability is a consideration if you plan to use your device at the office or while taking care of errands.
  • Electric muscle stimulators are surprisingly affordable.

Muscle Stimulator Rankings

1. MEDVICE Professional Solid Gel Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.8
Reviews Included: 1

2. iSTIM Japanese LCD Screen Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.7
Reviews Included: 1

4. AUVON Professional Electrotherapy Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.5
Reviews Included: 6

5. AUVON LCD Multi-Mode Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.4
Reviews Included: 1

6. NueMedics User Friendly Whole Body Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 6

7. Kedsum 2-Output Rechargeable Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 6

8. iReliev 2-In-1 Recovery Tens Unit Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 11

10. Health Mate Forever High-Frequency Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 11

11. NURSAL Blood Flow Increasing TENS Unit Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 14

13. AccuRelief Dual Channel Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 9.1
Reviews Included: 7

15. TENS 7000 Drug-Free Pain Relief Muscle Stimulator

Overall Score: 8.8
Reviews Included: 9

More to Explore

To understand how electric muscle stimulators work, it can help to compare it to the brain, which sends messages to the nervous system via currents. A muscle stimulator uses similar types of currents to get into muscle tissue, effectively redirecting the pain signals a person is experiencing. A good device will allow the user to adjust the intensity of those currents to get the desired results. Some devices claim to be able to use the same technology to stimulate muscles in order to increase strength and speed up repair after an injury. Still others add massage to the device’s features in order to provide even more relief.

More to explore