I’ve been a working journalist for nearly 20 years, and my hands aren’t what they used to be.
So for the past decade or so, I’ve been doing what I can to stretch and strengthen my moneymakers with hand, shoulder and wrist exercises. But as I get older, the recovery process is definitely taking longer, and I need all the pain relief I can get.
That’s why I started investigating the world of hand massagers late last year when I had some extra cash burning a hole in my FSA account. I have to spend that money every year or I lose it, so I figured I’d take a flyer on a hand massager to see if it did anything for my aching mitts.
I thought that $200 hand massager was a gimmick, but it turned out to be a game-changer for my pain. While nothing completely eliminates the ache and strain of typing all day, having a hand massager on, er, hand (sorry) is a lovely little luxury that provides a bit of relief after working for hours.
That’s why I started investigating the world of hand massagers in 2025: I want to find the really standout products that provide meaningful relief, because I need that relief, and I bet lots of other people who work all day at a computer do too.
What I’ve learned so far is that every model offers a slightly different array of features, including variable massage strength and heat. Not all of them are designed equally, either—this $89 Bob and Brad H50 hand massager I tested earlier this year can deliver more wrist coverage and stronger massages than the $200 model I bought last year, but the larger $200 hand massager has a wide cutout on each side so you can comfortably rest your thumb while your hand is being massaged.
That kind of cutout might seem like a tiny detail, but once you try a few of these things you start to see how valuable that detail really is because many hand massagers don’t have cutouts on the side—and that means if you have big hands (like I do) your thumb is often uncomfortably crushed alongside your hand inside the massager.
That’s a long way of winding up to say I’ve been testing hand massagers for some time now, and I’ve learned a fair bit about what to look for and what to avoid. So when the folks marketing Bob & Brad’s personal wellness products offered me a chance to test out the new and improved H50 Handspa Pro Hand Massager, I was intrigued.
The H50 Handspa Pro is interesting because it offers you a massage for each individual finger. Whereas most hand massagers I’ve tested have a cavity surrounded by inflatable bladders that you stick your whole hand into, the Handspa Pro refines that design with individual cavities for each finger.
The motors and inflatable bladders, which provide the hand massage sensation, wrap around every cavity of the device, so the pitch is that it feels like you’re getting a per-finger massage.
This little gadget weighs under two pounds and comes with a small cache of accessories that include a carrying bag, a finger massage tool and some disposable gloves you can wear to keep your massager clean when wearing lotion.
The H50 Handspa Pro charges via USB-C and holds enough charge to run at least 3-4 massages at maximum strength for the maximum runtime (15 minutes), so it’s fairly portable to boot.
I’ve been using one for two weeks now, and since it happened to be discounted on Amazon at the moment, I thought now would be the best time to tell you what I think about this hand and finger massager.
This thing really feels a bit like a hand spa
As goofy as the name is, I think the H50 Handspa Pro Hand Massager really does deliver a bit on the promise of being a portable hand spa.
For starters, it has the nicest and softest design of any hand massager I’ve used to date, with a soft foam exterior that ensures you won’t damage anything if you accidentally slam it into something. Unlike its predecessor, the H50 Handspa Pro has a compartment for your thumb. And since there’s no hard plastic between the bladders encasing your hand and the foam exterior, you can actually push your fingers into the foam exterior and extend them an additional inch or so.
This causes a funny-looking effect where you can see your finger pushing through the exterior of the massager, but the upside is you can stretch your fingers out inside the massager to ensure you’re getting full exposure to the per-finger massage.
This is important because if there’s one most important thing I’ve learned about hand massagers this year, it’s that everyone is different and adjustability is key for comfort. My hands are on the larger side of average, for example, so I really like being able to stretch my hands to full finger extension and fill up every available bit of usable space inside the massager.
And while the 3 massage modes, 3 intensity levels and optional heating are required in hand massagers at this point, the per-finger massage is fairly unique and feels pretty good. While I think the strength and heat of the Handspa Pro are a little underwhelming, it’s nice to be able to feel it around each individual finger.
This weak massager is too small for comfort
While the H50 Handspa Pro impresses with its premium design and per-finger massage capability, after weeks of use, I have to admit I’m a little underwhelmed.
In my experience, the H50 is pretty weak in terms of both heat and massage intensity. I’ve tried using all three of its modes at all three strength settings, with and without heat, and I’ve yet to feel a really great massage when using it.
I also don’t love how short and cramped the H50 Handspa Pro feels on my hands. It’s the shortest hand massager I’ve tested to date, and for me, that means it barely comes up to my wrist.
That might not sound like much of an issue for a hand and finger massager, but the problem is that my pain isn’t limited to my hand and fingers—it extends through my wrist. So when I’m massaging the pain away, I hate the fact that my wrist isn’t getting any attention.
What’s extra frustrating about these issues is the fact that the H50 hand massager I tried earlier this year extends farther down the wrist and delivers stronger, hotter massage to the wrist than the H50 Handspa Pro, despite being $10 cheaper.
I also wanted to flag that I’ve read some complaints in Amazon reviews that the H50 Handspa Pro can actually exacerbate carpal tunnel symptoms by compressing the wrist. I haven’t experienced any pain or discomfort myself while using the Handspa Pro, but I can confirm that it applies pressure around the edge of the arm hole — and on me that edge wraps around my wrist, right where the carpal tunnel resides.
Bottom line
The Bob & Brad H50 Handspa Pro isn’t my favorite hand massager I’ve ever tested, but the premium design and per-finger massage capability are pretty compelling.
I’ll probably keep using the cheaper Bob & Brad H50 hand massager (which is also on sale at the moment) over the H50 Handspa Pro because I prefer the stronger, hotter massage of the H50 and I like that it extends far enough to also massage my wrists.
But I also want to flag that hand massagers are a deeply personal choice because everyone is unique when it comes to hand/wrist pain and tolerance for heat and massage.
I have big hands and lots of pain, for example, so I tend to like strong, hot, comprehensive massages for maximum duration. But when my partner tries using one of these massagers at my settings, she complains it’s trying to squeeze her hand off, which can be a terrifying sensation.
So while I find the H50 Handspa Pro a little weak for my needs, I trust that many people will find it far more comfortable to use. I also think that if you have small hands, you’ll have much less issue with the squat length of the Handspa Pro.
But suppose you have carpal tunnel or any kind of condition that would be exacerbated by pressure on your wrist. In that case, it might be wise to steer clear until you talk to a doctor or physical therapy professional about whether one of these discounted massagers would be a good choice for you.
