If your hands ever get achy after a hard day's work or just the passage of the years, the Bob & Brad hand massager is designed to provide a professional hand treatment at home. We put one through its paces and recorded the results with our free hand.
Our hands are things that we use so much that it's almost as if they're part of us. Oh, right. Anyway, we often don't realize how much we depend on them until something goes wrong. An ingrown toenail we can get around by swapping a shoe for a slipper, but an infected thumb hangnail can quickly alter your entire lifestyle.
It doesn't even have to be an injury or infection. Arthritis, tendonitis, neuralgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome can all take their toll or, if you're in my age bracket, you just wake up in the morning wondering why your finger is doing that weird thing.
At any rate, a professional hand massage can help to alleviate the symptoms and can also help with blood circulation, reduce stiffness, improve grip strength, help break down scar tissue, and relieve stress and anxiety. However, finding a professional hand masseuse at short notice isn't easy and can run into significant sums of money.
To get around this, the Bob & Brad company has come up with the "Hand Massager with Heat and Compression" model (H60). Looking like a giant, thumbless mitten, this self-contained device consists of a series of air bladders that inflate around the fingers, palm, and wrist to provide a rhythmic kneading that can be programmed for various combinations, including concentrating on particular areas, soothing heat of around 104 -108 °F (40 - 42 °C), and adjustable intensity.
The whole thing is completely portable thanks to its built-in battery that holds a charge for a running time of about two to four hours and the mechanism is soundproofed to below 50 dB. For safety and to prevent over-massaging, the unit shuts itself off after 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the mode.
Taking it out of the box, the hand massager was refreshingly simple and intuitive. Along with the unit itself was a USB-C charging cable, a cloth storage bag, and some gloves that allow you to apply ointments to your hand before massaging without getting the device greasy.
After charging, the massager was relatively simple to use, though it's a good idea to look at the user manual to get acquainted with the modes. These are color coded on the Mode button for selection. When activated, simply press the Mode button until the proper combination is reached. Then you can add heat, if so desired.
Trying the massager out for the first time took a small bit of courage because I'd seen both film versions of Dune and kept thinking about a certain box with unpleasant properties in the story. That being said, the only tricky bit was making sure my hand was far enough in for the bladders to encompass the fingers and wrist. This was important because once the power is on and the bladders inflate, there's no adjusting or getting your hand back until the cycle is completed short of turning the device off.
I found the massaging pleasant, though I preferred the intensity level set on High and the full hand massage instead of just concentrating on one area. The results were very refreshing, especially since my hand is prone to stiffness and minor aches. However, since this seems to be a more than a casual massage tool, I would definitely recommend consulting your doctor or therapist first before using if you have a serious condition.
The portability of the massager is definitely a plus. It allows you to move about during a session, but it's surprising how much you can miss your hand for even 20 minutes, so it's best to arrange a block of time before starting.
The Hand Massager with Heat and Compression will put you back US$79.99.
Source: Bob & Brad