Flow NANO Review 2023

Flow NANO is a particularly small, handy massage gun. However, this does not make it unique. But according to the product description, the NANO is the “world’s first massage gun that combines vibration massage and heat therapy in one device”. Accordingly, it is said to be well suited for relaxing massages. To what extent this is true, I would like to explain to you in the following review. Since I have tested the mini-massage gun myself, I report here from my own experience.

First of all: I received this product free of charge for testing purposes from Flow Recovery*. Nevertheless, I have tried to evaluate the massage gun as objectively as possible.

View on flowrecovery.com*

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Contents Show

Scope of Delivery and Attachments

Flow NANO is delivered in a compact white cardboard box. On it, there is a picture of the massage gun.

Inside the package is the following:

1 x Flow NANO Massage Gun
1 x Ball Attachment
1 x Flat Head Attachment
1 x Fork Attachment
1 x Bullet Attachment
1 x Carry Bag
1 x USB-C Cable
1 x Manual

In principle, everything you need to use the massage gun is included. However, I would have liked a power adapter in any case. Thus, you have to use an additional power supply (e.g., from the cell phone) or charge the battery on a laptop, PC, or similar.

The attachments also only cover the basics:

The ball attachment is the standard attachment that is initially attached to the massage gun. It has a medium size and a spherical shape. It is suitable for massaging all muscles, but especially for large and medium-sized muscle groups.

The flat head attachment is similar in size to the ball attachment. However, it has a flat surface instead of a round one. Nevertheless, this attachment can also be used for almost all muscles. However, it is particularly suitable for large muscle groups, such as the thighs.

The fork attachment has two small ends with a gap in the middle. This makes it possible to leave out ligaments, tendons, and bones during the massage. For this reason, the attachment is used mainly along the spine but also on the calves.

The bullet attachment is quite narrow and has only a small surface. It reminds me a bit of the human thumb. Accordingly, the attachment can be used to specifically massage individual muscles.

In my opinion, a cushion attachment is still missing here, enabling the massage of sensitive areas. Otherwise, I can’t say anything negative about the attachments. The massage heads make a very high-quality impression throughout and are cleanly processed. Likewise, the material feels very pleasant on the skin. At this point, the manufacturer relies on a type of rubber instead of plastic, which most other manufacturers use for their attachments.

Functionality

The following three power levels are available for the Flow NANO:

1st Level: 1,800 rpm – Relax
2nd Level: 2,300 rpm – Refresh
3rd Level: 2,800 rpm – Recharge

It is noticeable that the frequency spectrum could be a bit larger. On the other hand, it would have been nice if more power levels were available to better adjust the intensity to one’s own needs.

The other Flow Recovery massage guns have another level – the “Flow Mode”. In this, the different levels alternate to massage the muscles in a wave-like pattern. This is something I missed with the Flow NANO.

The stroke length of the Flow NANO is only 6 mm. Of course, this does not allow for massaging deeper tissue. However, the NANO is not designed for this. The manufacturer already writes in the description that the massage gun is designed for a relaxing vibration massage. This does not require a large impact depth.

The massage actually felt very pleasant in my test. It was only minimally noticeable on the first level. However, the second and especially the third level felt very intense. Here, the NANO almost approached the intensity of classic massage guns. This is also not surprising with the powerful 40-watt motor.

Another feature is the heating function. I haven’t found this on any other massage gun, which actually makes the Flow NANO unique. When using this function, a metal plate on the back of the massage gun is heated.

This can be set to the following temperatures:

1st Level: 38°C / 100.4°F
2nd Level: 42°C / 107.6°F
3rd Level: 46°C / 114.8°F

The metal has warmed up within a few seconds. The heat was very pleasant and relaxing.

Usability and Handling

The entire operation of the Flow NANO massage gun is done via a single button. This surprised me at first. After all, the massager has both a massage and a heating function.

The hotplate is started by pressing the button twice in quick succession. Each new push on the button switches through the heating levels. The function can be switched off by holding the button for a few seconds. The current heating level is indicated by a small lamp at the top of the gun. Here, the following applies:

green Light – 1st Level: 38°C / 100.4°F
yellow Light – 2nd Level: 42°C / 107.6°F
red Light – 3rd Level: 46°C / 114.8°F

The heating and massage functions cannot be used simultaneously. So you have to turn off the heating function to be able to use the massage function.

The motor of the massage gun is switched on by holding the button for a few seconds. Again, the levels are cycled through by pressing the button again. The motor turns off when the button is held again for a few seconds. In that case, the current level is displayed via an integrated light in the button as follows:

greeen Light – 1st Level
yellow Light – 2nd Level
red Light – 3rd Level

Overall, the controls are very easy and quick to learn.

I also have no complaints about the handling. The handle is nice and narrow and can be grasped very well. The weight is also very low. It is only 0.71 lbs (321 g) without the attachment or 0.74 lbs (334 g) with the ball attachment. This means that even long massages are possible without any effort.

Power Supply

In my eyes, the power supply is the bigger point of criticism with the Flow NANO. But let’s start with the positive features:

The battery has a capacity of 1,500 mAh. Admittedly, this is a low value. Still, the massage gun lasts about 2 to 3 hours on a full charge, which is a good average.

However, the positives are offset by three negative points:

The battery inside is not replaceable. This means that if the battery is defective, the entire massage gun has to be replaced. After all, you have a two-year warranty with the purchase, in which such defects are covered.
There is no battery life displayed on the massage gun. Accordingly, you cannot estimate when the battery needs to be charged. So it may happen that the massage gun runs out of power in the middle of the massage.
The Flow NANO does not come with a power adapter but only a USB-C cable. Therefore, the massage gun can only be charged on a PC, a laptop, a power bank, or similar if you do not have a suitable power adapter from your cell phone or another device.

For the above reasons, I had to deduct points in this category.

Noise

I measured the volume of the Flow NANO from a distance of 40 cm. I obtained the following values for the different power levels:

1st Level: ~ 46 dB to 48 dB – similar to birds chirping
2nd Level: ~ 50 dB to 51 dB – similar to a TV or radio
3rd Level: ~ 55 dB to 56 dB – similar to a loud conversation

According to the values, the Flow NANO is rather a quiet massage gun. Especially on the first two levels, the volume is barely perceptible. Only the third level could be quieter, even though it is still within limits. Thus, nothing stands in the way of using it for relaxation in view of the volume.

Material and Quality

The material of the Flow NANO is almost exclusively plastic. Nevertheless, the massage gun does not become cheap or inferior at all. Despite its low weight and the selected material, it makes a solid, high-quality impression on me.

The same goes for the workmanship. The massage gun is processed without any defects or flaws. Even the gap dimensions are first class.

The smell is often a problem with cheap massage guns. These smell strongly of chemicals. With the Flow NANO, I could only notice a slightly unpleasant smell at the beginning due to the rubber attachments. However, this quickly disappeared.

Price Performance

As mentioned at the beginning, I was given the Flow NANO free of charge for testing purposes. If I had bought it myself at the time of this test, the price would have been $124.99. With a coupon, I could have even lowered it to around $99.99. Thus, the model is priced in the upper midfield of massage guns. Surely there are better massage guns for a similar price. However, there are also worse ones that are more expensive. I would therefore rate the price-performance ratio as “Good”.

Conclusion – Flow NANO Review

Summary

The Flow NANO is advertised as a massage gun for relaxation on busy days. That’s exactly what it is. Thanks to the combination of heat and pleasant massage, tensions can be loosened well. In addition, the NANO is small, compact, and very light. It can therefore be taken almost anywhere. The low volume also provides a pleasant environment during the massage.

On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages. However, this is unavoidable for this price. I can recommend the Flow NANO to anyone who wants to pamper themselves after a hard day at work. For (competitive) athletes and Co. I would rather advise other massage guns.