Sportneer Elite D9 and Mini 2 Massage Guns Review: Bringing Affordability and Power to the Portable Massager Space

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The Lowdown

Whether you opt for the larger Sportneer Elite D9 or the more compact Sportneer Mini 2 massage guns, you’ll find that both are well made and extremely affordable; they come in at the lower end of pricing for massage guns of their size, yet they are made with such quality and offer enough features and different massage heads that you’ll feel like you’re getting a fantastic deal!

Overall
4.5

Pros

  • The included chrome massage heads on Sportneer Elite D9 are brilliant
  • Both massage guns’ carrying cases have slots for all the attachments
  • The build quality on both massage guns is excellent

Cons

  • I would have preferred to see USB-C on the Sportneer Elite D9
  • There is not a lot of information in the massage gun’s manuals to showcase what these massage guns can do

We cover many permutations of massage guns here at Gear Diary. I often get asked what makes one stand out from another. It’s not always bells and whistles; rather, it’s about making a solid and easy-to-use device that brings relief. Sportneer has nailed that with their massage guns. Today, we’re looking specifically at the Sportneer Mini 2 and the Sportneer Elite D9 massage guns.

Sportneer Elite D9 and Mini 2 Massage Guns

The Sportneer Mini 2 is on the left, and the Sportneer Elite D9 is on the right.

We’ll cover what makes each unique, but a few things are the same for both that clearly reflect Sportneer’s philosophy and aesthetic. Both guns come with carrying cases for all the attachments as well as chargers. The carrying cases are quite sturdy and attractive, and when you have several accessories to track, it’s key to keep everything together and organized.

In addition, the build quality of both the Sportneer Mini 2 and the Sportneer Elite D9 massage guns is fantastic — nothing creaks, the buttons are responsive, and the attachments feel secure, but they won’t need to be wrestled or attacked with pliers to get them out. Also, critically, neither of the guns get excessively warm with use.

Sportneer Elite D9 Percussive Massage Gun

Sportneer Elite D9

The Sportneer Elite D9 massage gun with its accessory kit and travel/storage case.

The Sportneer Elite D9 is the bigger and beefier of the two devices; it is the device you take with you if you’ve just hiked a mountain or run a marathon because it has excellent battery life, six intensity levels, and plenty of power. The handle is a soft-touch rubbery material that makes it comfortable to grip, which is key because this big boy comes in at a whopping 4.4 pounds!

The Sportneer Elite D9 has a battery life of 2-6 hours depending on your use, and there’s an automatic 10-minute shut-off, so if you fall asleep after working that muscle knot out of your left glute, it won’t be going all night long. The carrying case has slots for all the attachments as well as the charger. It’s a DC 25.5v charger and not as universal as a USB-C, so having a slot for the charger is a big plus.

The buttons on the Sportneer Elite D9

The buttons on the Sportneer Elite D9’s touch panel.

Two things make the Sportneer Elite D9 stand out besides the heft. One, you can set the intensity, and the gun will also indicate the pressure you’re applying. This is helpful because the same intensity with a light touch will feel different than one that’s really pressing into the muscle group, and the more you use the gun, the more you’ll be able to really modulate and personalize the experience. The second thing that surprised me is that it comes with two chrome-covered massage heads.

One of the chrome-covered massage heads that comes with the Sportneer Elite D9

The Sportneer Elite D9 includes two chrome-covered massage heads, which will be handy if you use oils.

According to the manual, these are for “amplified intensity” and “oil application.” Every massage head on every gun I’ve reviewed has been some sort of rubbery or foam material, and they would be nearly impossible to clean effectively if you used them with essential oil or massage oil. These chrome heads are unique, and if you like using massage oils, that should rocket the $129.99 Sportneer Elite D9 to the top of your list for that alone!

Sportneer Mini 2 Massage Gun

The Sportneer Mini 2 with its accessory kit and travel/storage case.

The Sportneer Mini 2 massage gun with its accessory kit and travel/storage case.

If 4.4 pounds seems like a bit too much for you to manage alone, or if you want to travel with a massage gun without it taking up too much weight in your suitcase, the Sportneer Mini 2 is a fantastic option.

It is a much more svelte 1.1 pounds, has a wrist strap, and comes with a much more compact carrying case. Like its bigger brother, the Sportneer Mini 2’s carrying case comes with slots for all the attachments, and there’s a small mesh pocket perfect for the charger cable. The Sportneer Mini 2 uses USB-C, though, so you’ll have to use your own AC plug.

The control panel on the Sportneer Mini 2 massage gun.

The control panel on the Sportneer Mini 2 massage gun

The Sportneer Mini 2 massage gun works similarly to the Sportner Elite D9, with the main difference being that it offers an “AI mode.” This changes the intensity based on the pressure, so you can choose to either set it for one of the four pre-set options or use the AI to have the intensity wane and peak with how hard you press.

If you go with the non-AI option, I recommend sticking with levels 1-2 first, unless you want your massager to make your jaw vibrate just from pressing it to your calf. The Sportneer Mini 2’s High level is crazy powerful, is what I’m saying here.

The Sportneer Elite D9’s travel case on the bottom, with the Sportneer Mini 2’s travel case on top

If I’ve sold you on Sportneer massage guns, you might be trying to decide which is a good buy for you. I’d say if most of your massage gun use is home, and you have someone else to help with your back and other areas that can be hard to reach with one hand, the Sportneer Elite D9 is a fantastic device. I am really impressed with the chrome attachments since, as I said, I’ve never seen anything like that in any other massage gun I’ve reviewed.

The Sportneer Mini 2 is adorable, though, and the compact size and smaller carrying case mean you can really take it just about everywhere. It’s perfect for travel, especially for those “I’ve been on a plane for 6 hours and my neck may never shift from a 45-degree angle” aches.

If I had to knock either of the massage guns for something, it would be that their manuals are quite thin; they don’t include enough guidance on how to maximize your massage gun experience. Luckily, you can read plenty of articles like this one to get a sense of how to get some relief!

Whether you opt for the larger Sportneer Elite D9 or, the more compact Sportneer Mini 2 massage guns, you’ll find that both are well made and extremely affordable; they come in at the lower end of pricing for massage guns of their size, yet they are made with such quality and offer enough features and different massage heads that you’ll feel like you’re getting a fantastic deal!

The Sportneer Elite D9 retails for $129.99; it is available from Amazon. The Sportneer Mini 2 retails for $69.99; it also is available from Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer provided review samples

What I Liked: The included chrome massage heads on Sportneer Elite D9 are brilliant; Both massage guns’ carrying cases have slots for all the attachments; The build quality on both massage guns is excellent

What Needs Improvement: I would have preferred to see USB-C on the Sportneer Elite D9; There is not a lot of information in the massage gun’s manuals to showcase what these massage guns can do

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?