All Joy U Neck G1 Shoulder and Neck Massager Review: Enjoy Shiatsu Massage at Home

I grew up in suburban NJ, and while I try to dispel most stereotypes, I did spend a lot of time hanging out at the mall as a teenager. Nothing beats wandering the mall and then spending a few minutes getting pummeled by the massage chairs at Brookstone. I’ve been reliving the electronic shiatsu experience while testing the All Joy U Neck G1 Shoulder and Neck Massager, but how does this budget massage pad stand up to fancier offerings?

The All Joy U Neck G1 is shockingly budget-friendly, coming in at just $69.99. I had pretty low expectations for any massage pad under $100, but All Joy had quality in mind when they designed this.

The U Neck G1 uses a vegan leather material for the outside, and the pad that comes in contact with your skin can be unzipped for easy washing. I was also impressed by the little carry bag that came with the massager. The bag is thin, and while I wouldn’t toss it around like a football, the fact that you can fold the All Joy U Neck G1 up, pop it into a small bag, and carry it with you or store it with ease is a nice touch.

A 14″ Lenovo laptop neck is placed to the All Joy U Neck G1 storage bag for scale.

Programming-wise, you’re looking at a fairly simple set of options. There are three shiatsu speeds that you can control from the panel on the left side of the pad. There’s also a control to change the node rotation direction, as well as an on/off for the heat setting.

The buttons have raised rubber covers that allow you to operate them by feel, and if for some reason you get so relaxed you fall asleep, there’s a 20-minute auto-shutoff for safety. It’s also surprisingly quiet! I left it running to test the auto-shutoff, and I couldn’t hear it going once I was a few feet away.

There is nothing fancy here, but that also makes it super easy to pick up and operate. I found the heat setting to be pleasant but not terribly hot; if you’re looking for this to have the same heat signature as a dedicated heat pad, you’re going to be disappointed, but if you just want a slightly warm massage, it’s great.

The sides are very flexible with no structure, and there are wide and generous loops sewn into them so you can hook your hands or arms through to hold the pad in place.

There is no velcro or other strap to keep the pad in place, so you need to either adjust the way you’re seated or use the handholds to keep the pad in the position you want.

Since the All Joy U Neck G1 is wired and not battery powered, this is more of a minor annoyance than a big issue since you’re not going to walk around wearing the pad.

It’s clear that All Joy put a lot of care into the U Neck G1’s design. There are two rotating nodes, and their placement offers a wide enough space that you can position them on either side of your spine or neck; if you’ve had a particularly tough upper body workout, you can rest your arms right in the gap between them for a targeted massage.

I found the All Joy U Neck G1 to be mostly great to use, with a few caveats. The biggest issue is that the massage pad portion is fairly stiff, so if you’re looking for a massager that you can wrap tightly around a sore leg or tight against your neck, that’s not going to happen.

I also wish it either came with a longer cord or offered a more universal connector like USB so that you could extend it yourself. I measured the cable to be around 6′, which is respectable but also plants you pretty close to the outlet. Another few feet would eliminate issues like shifting and accidentally pulling the plug.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with the All Joy U Neck G1 neck and shoulder massager. It’s simple, but it feels good on sore muscles, and you can store/transport it with ease. For the low price, it’s a great deal!

The All Joy U Neck G1 Neck and Shoulder Massager retails for $69.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Liked: Well-built; Easy to clean; Comes with a carrying case; It’s great at working out kinks in your neck, back, arms, and legs; It’s very affordable

What Needs Improvement: The massage pad itself is a little stiff; No velcro or other straps to secure it in place; The power cord is a little short