I've Suffered From Hand Cramps for Years—this Massager Actually Helped

I spend every workday typing on a keyboard, many evenings playing the flute or embroidering, and more hours than I'd like to admit texting friends or scrolling on my phone. All of these activities have one thing in common: they cause discomfort in my hand, wrist, and fingers. I've been experiencing some cramps in my hands for a few years now (and my dad has carpal tunnel syndrome, which can be hereditary). Hand stretches and braces help, but the best pain relief I've experienced was from a quick hand massage during a manicure.

While I'd love to get a personal hand massage every day, that's obviously not realistic. Instead, I looked to the internet for help and stumbled upon hand massager gadgets. After doing my research, consulting the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute, and reading online reviews of the best hand massagers, I decided to test the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager to see if it could improve my hand pain. I tested this gadget out after long days of typing at work and after one particularly bad hand cramp from playing the flute, and I have some thoughts. So, if you have hand, wrist, or finger pain, you're going to want to read this.

Bob and Brad Hand Massager with Heat and Compression

Now 22% Off

$90 $70 at Amazon

$90 $130 at Bob and Brad

Pros

• Can add heat to loosen stiff joints
• Three intensity levels
• Cordless and lightweight
• Compresses the entire hand, including each finger and the wrist

Cons

• Not much of a difference between the intensity levels and massaging mode buttons

The Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager is priced at $90 or less when on sale on Amazon, which is a great value when you consider other similar hand massagers from reputable brands being sold for upwards of $150 (like this gadget from Sharper Image, which is a brand we trust and recommend).

This gadget comes with a simple storage bag filled with a handheld finger massager, an instruction manual, plastic gloves, and a charging cord (but it can be charged with any USB-C cord). I was able to run about three or four massages before the low battery light came on, which felt sufficient to me. You don't need to use the plastic gloves, but they're nice if you let someone else try the machine out or if your hands sweat from the heat.

DISCLAIMER: If you have severe pain or you were diagnosed with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, using a massager like this without medical guidance could actually worsen symptoms. Before trying any new pain relief treatment, it's always best to speak with your doctor or a health professional.

Here’s a guide to the buttons, which make the machine easy to use.

The instruction manual provided clear explanations and instructions, making it easy to learn how to use the machine. You can click the heat button to add or remove heat. There are three different modes and intensity levels, represented by blue (lowest), green (medium), and red (highest). While I understood the literal difference between the mode and intensity buttons, I didn't feel a difference between the two. More specifically, I didn't notice much of a difference between a strong intensity level and the strongest mode. However, I most certainly noticed a difference between a low mode and a high mode, or between a low intensity and a high intensity.

Beyond just pressing buttons, the machine provides a massage by utilizing TPU airbags to compress your wrist, hand, and fingers within individual finger compartments. The massage lasts 15 minutes and then shuts off automatically, so you don't have to worry about accidentally leaving it powered on with heat.

I'm going to be honest: I didn't think this gadget would have much of an impact or any significant effects. However, I (and my hand) were pleasantly surprised by how relaxing the hand massage felt. The compression motions of the gadget helped relieve some stiffness and discomfort in my palm near my thumb, and the heat helped loosen up my stiff hands. I loved that I could use this machine with either hand, but I mostly only needed it for my right hand. The gadget appears to be designed for the left hand, but you can simply flip it over to use your right hand.

Inside the machine, there are grooves and sections for each finger to be separated. This allowed each finger to be compressed and massaged, which made my hands feel much looser and better when the massage was over. I mostly loved the compression in the wrist and the section of my palm near my thumb that hurts the most. Other hand massagers that I researched did not include a section for the thumb, which was a must for me, considering that's where I experience the most discomfort.

For some people with mild pain higher up in their thumb and closer to their fingertips, this machine may not provide the relief they want. My coworker, Updates Editor Elizabeth Berry, came over to my desk to try the machine, and she thought it was a "very cute" gadget at first glance. "I like the heated setting, and while the compression feels nice on my hand and fingers, I wish there was more pressure on my thumb, which is where I get the most muscle tension at the end of a workday or after texting/scrolling a lot," Berry said.

However, for me, this relieved a ton of stiffness in my wrist, palm, and knuckles after just one use. While the highest mode and intensity level were too strong for me (it compressed my wrist a bit too much), I really enjoyed the low and medium levels. I found the effects of the massage lasted for about two to three hours. It's most certainly not a permanent fix, especially if you have severe hand pain or a diagnosis like arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. But it provided a decent amount of relief after a day of typing at work, whereas my hand sometimes feels stiff and achy.

The machine is also cordless and lightweight, which is nice if you want to lie comfortably in bed or sit on a couch nowhere near an outlet. It makes a bit of noise, but is mostly quiet—which is perfect for me because I don't want to disrupt coworkers while using it at my desk.

Our tech and wellness experts in the GH Institute have tested other Bob and Brad massaging devices, and the brand has performed well (we named it our top pick for best back massagers). So, I'm not surprised the hand massager was also a great product.

Overall, I think this machine is well worth the money for those with moderate to severe hand, finger, or wrist discomfort—especially if hand massages tend to improve your symptoms. For me, my hand issues aren't detrimental (at least, for now). On the other hand, I know what it's like to have severe pain that affects your day-to-day life. After herniating two discs in my lower back, I was willing to try anything and everything to feel better.

At $90, this machine is a splurge, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone until they've tried a few hand stretches, swapped a keyboard for something more ergonomic, or spent less time scrolling on their cellphone. But when your hand is cramping or feeling achy, and you are looking to try something in addition to braces, medicine, and stretches, I think this can provide some much-needed comfort and relief.

Most importantly, this product can't replace physical therapy. However, you can't go to physical therapy every single day of your life: That's where this machine can come in handy. You can loosen up stiff muscles and achy hands with this gadget after typing on a keyboard all day at the office, painting a picture, working with power tools, rock climbing, or doing whatever it is that causes you hand pain. All you'll have to do is find a comfy spot, turn on a movie, and let the machine do its work.

The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Tech Lab and Fitness Labs have tested all sorts of massaging devices over the years, including the best neck massagers and massage guns.

The author of this article, Isabella Cavallo, is the GH Institute's Assistant Commerce Editor. She regularly tests and reviews tech gadgets, fitness gear, and other products. To write this story, she personally used the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager to evaluate its performance. She considers her hand discomfort mild, but it can escalate to a six out of ten on the pain scale after a long week of typing or a bad day.

Isabella Cavallo

Assistant Commerce Editor

Isabella (she/her) covers commerce and product-related content in the home, lifestyle, fitness, technology and beauty. She graduated from Binghamton University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in English: Literature & Rhetoric. Before joining GH, she was an editorial assistant at Prevention, where she covered health topics and celebrity news.