TechRadar Verdict
If you’re looking for a place to start with a massage gun, or you simply need a new high-performance model the D6 Pro from Bob and Brad is a fantastic model. It’s powerful, relatively portable, and comes with plenty of guidance on how to make the most of it. A straightforward, oustanding device.
Pros
- +
Plenty of power
- +
Bevy of attachments
- +
Carry case
Cons
- -
No companion app
- -
The instruction manual is dense
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Bob & Brad D6 Pro: One-minute review
Massage guns are growing in popularity, and Bob & Brad are one of the brands leading that charge. We loved the smaller Q2 Mini last year, awarding it five stars in our review.
Our only complaint is that it needed a bit more power. If you were looking for something that packs more of a literal punch, then the D6 Pro is its bigger brother, and boy does it deliver on this promise, while building on everything that made the Q2 Mini so good.
It’s much less portable than the Q2 Mini, but still comes with a carry case for easy transportation, with a bunch of attachments for various muscle groups. The massage gun is outstanding in every way: it's simple to set up, easy to use, and can really hit the spot, delivering percussive relief from exercise-induced soreness anywhere on the body with its flexible grip and rotation.
There’s a definite learning curve, both with the relatively basic on-device button layout and the pretty thick instruction manual, but I’ve been using it for a few weeks as a post-gym treat and it’s helped me work on an injury, improving ROM and reducing soreness. A terrific device.
Bob and Brad D6 Pro: Specifications
Component | Bob & Brad D6 Pro |
Price | $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$380 |
Dimensions | 26.8 x 19.4 x 8 cm |
Weight | 1.27 kg |
Force | 85 lbs (38.5 kgs) |
Heads | 7 |
Bob & Brad D6 Pro: Price and availability
- Available now
- Priced at $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$380
The D6 Pro arrived back in 2022 and retails for $249.99 or £249.99, which equates to around AU$380 in Australia. It’s available pretty much anywhere in the US and Ul, including Amazon, but Austrailian outlets are scarce.
At some retailers, we’ve seen discounts down to around $180 / £170, so there's scope to score a deal during sales events such as Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday.
This is remarkably cheap for a five-star gun of this caliber. Therabody, the biggest name in percussive message, tends to price higher than Bob & Brad, but both this device and the compact Q2 Mini earned their five stars by offering comparable performance and outstanding value for money.
- Value score: 5 / 5
Bob & Brad D6 Pro: Design
- Pretty large for small hands
- Minimal buttons
- Multiple attachments
The Bob & Brad D6 Pro is portable, in that it comes with a carry case, but it’s still much larger than the Q2 Mini. That does mean it has much more power (more on that shortly), but if you’re using it on yourself, you may struggle. Especially if you have smaller hands: it's clearly built for men, and some women may struggle to hold onto it and hit their shoulders or back.
I’m blessed with pretty large paws and even then it can be a little unwieldy. However, it's a small gripe: the massage gun is remarkably well put together with a matte finish that makes it easier to grip. However, if you are worried about this sort of thing, the Q2 Mini is the perfect solution.
It’s also very easy to switch the attachment heads out. Just pull and they come out, and you can push another right in, sharing the same push-lock mechanism as other Bob & Brad guns. The carry case has enough room for the D6 Pro and all of the heads, so it's easy to transport and sling into the back of a car when needed.
On the upper grip of the gun, there are two buttons and a small display. One button increases the speed and powers it on, while the other can lower the speed and switch to a different mode setting. It’s nice and simple, but when it springs to life it can take a second to get it in position afterward.
I think I’d have liked a dedicated power button to get myself ready before switching it on, but such gripes are small potatoes compared to the efficiency of the gun.
It’s also got a button that allows the neck to be stretched out so it’s more linear, making it ideal for self-massage in harder-to-reach spots.
The D6 Pro charges via USB-C and there’s a cable and power adapter included in the box. Thank god it's USB-C, as close a thing to a universal charger as we have these days. No specailist cable means it's easy to find a way to charge it when you need it.
- Design score: 4.5 / 5
Bob & Brad D6 Pro: Performance
- Long battery life
- Attachments can offer completely different massages
- Packs a punch
I’ve had a few sports massages in my life and used massage guns before, but none have hit as hard as the D6 Pro. It offers plenty of force (over double the Q2 Mini’s output) at such a pace that it regularly and reliably hits the spot after a gym session.
While I’ve been using it post-squats to massage my quadriceps and glutes, I was most impressed with it on my upper arms. I’ve been carrying an injury on my left deltoid, and in lieu of booking a massage appointment, I’d just been living with it. It flares up with shoulder press exercises, but for the most part, I’d been trying to ignore it.
I set the D6 Pro to tackle it and, despite it being in a pretty awkward position to self-massage, was impressed with the results. It’s still an issue, but it gets better after each session with the massage gun. I’m not saying the D6 Pro can cure whatever it is that ails you, but for my specific use case, I found it very useful indeed.
It doesn’t hurt (well it does, but in a good way) that the heads themselves are softer than some alternatives.
I did find the instruction manual pretty dense with detail. That’s no bad thing, and there’s a lot of information in there, but I think I’d have preferred a companion app to triage a muscle issue and recommend the attachment for the job rather than thumbing through each time. Still, it’s a small nitpick.
- Performance score: 5 / 5
Bob & Brad D6 Pro: Scorecard
Value | Oustanding value compared to its rivals. | 5 / 5 |
Design | Ergonomic, flexible and USB-C charged, but big and bulky. | 4.5 / 5 |
Performance | Powerful, with over double the output of its smaller sibling, and perfect for reducing soreness, treating muscular injury, and boosting ROM. | 5 / 5 |
Buy it if...
You’re new to self-massage
With everything included right out of the box, the D6 Pro is an ideal place to start learning about self-massage.
You’re a regular gymgoer
If you’re working your muscle groups regularly, this will feel like a genuine treat when you get home.
Don't buy it if...
You want something more portable
The Q2 Mini from Bob & Brad is fantastic and much easier to slip into your gym bag.
You’re not interested in reading
The instruction manual is full of detail, but you may prefer a companion app for helping you learn the ropes of self-massage.
Also consider
Component | Bob & Brad D6 Pro | Bob & Brad Q2 Mini | Renpho R3 |
Price | $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$380 | $69.99 / £79.99 / AU$109.99 | $139.99 / £119.99 (about AU$190) |
Dimensions | 26.8 x 19.4 x 8 cm | 14.6 x 4.6 x 8.6 cm | 17.07 x 21.25 x 6.13 cm |
Weight | 1.27 kg | 431g | 680g |
Force | 85 lbs (38.5 kgs) | 32lbs (14.5 kgs) | 50 lbs (22.7 kgs) |
Heads | 7 | 5 | 5 |
Bob & Brad Q2 Mini massage gun
If you need a smaller solution, Bob & Brad's compact gun is perfect.
Lloyd Coombes is a freelance tech and fitness writer for TechRadar. He's an expert in all things Apple as well as Computer and Gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, and Live Science. You'll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games at Dexerto.