The Incredible Donnerberg Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager – Review *

AD | One of the best things you can do for both your mental and physical health is to get outside in Nature, even if only for 15 minutes a day. And one of the best ways to do this is gardening. But a hard day’s digging and planting also yields me a very stiff back, neck, legs, sore feet, and let’s not mention the parlous state of my nails. So, with regular professional massages out of my budget, when Donnerberg got in touch to ask me to review their Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager with Heat* at home, I’m sure you can guess my response. But first…

Gardening and Back Pain – Why Does Your Back Hurt After Gardening?

Let’s take a moment to think about this. Gardening involves a lot of bending, lifting, pushing, and physical movement (deadheading flowers doesn’t really count here). And if you were going to do this level of activity in the gym, or an exercise class, or go running, you’d most likely do some kind of warm up first, no? But I’ve never yet met a gardener who bothers with this, and I include my husband and me here. So, it stands to reason your body is going to suffer, protest, and sometimes even refuse to work at all the next day.

How Can You Prevent Back Pain When Gardening?

When I Googled this, these are the most common suggestions for preventing back pain, neck pain, and general muscle pain:

• Do some stretches to loosen up before you start.
• Adopt the correct lifting procedure, ie, bend your knees and not your back.
• Don’t bend or twist your back when carrying something heavy.
• Use kneelers and stools (like my favourite One Leg Stool) for support.
• Use long handled tools (like my stalwart Long Handled Bulb Planter*).
• Take regular breaks – every 30 minutes or so.

Common sense really, but with the exception of the gardening gadgets, I’d be amazed if any gardeners actually bother with any of them 🙂 Hence it’s not at all surprising that we end up needing to seek some form of pain relief after a day in the garden. Which brings me neatly back to my Donnerberg Shiatsu Back Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat* review.

Who is Donnerberg?

Donnerberg* is a German-based company that specialises in high quality wellness and relaxation products.  Their neck massagers use the principles of Shiatsu massage and provide help with eliminating muscle pain and complete relaxation. So, you can safely enjoy a massage without even leaving the comfort of your home.

Donnerberg Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager with Heat Features

I was kindly sent the cordless handheld massager from Donnerberg’s Premium Range of neck massagers, which comes with the following features:

• Cordless Massager – a Samsung rechargeable battery, which charges up in 3 hours, providing up to 2 hours of relaxing Shiatsu massage anytime and anywhere! (Although you can plug it into the mains and use it that way too). Also included is a car charger, so you can charge up whilst driving and plug in for a soothing massage when you arrive.
• Adjustable functions – there are 3 different speeds for a personalised experience. The 8 deep kneading massage nodes glide flexibly over the areas of tension, giving you a real deep tissue massage.
• Infrared + Vibrations – Thermotherapy has a number of beneficial effects and this adjustable heat function with 2 intensity levels warms the muscles, increasing their ability to stretch and loosen up. Then the vibrations gently promote blood circulation and stimulate the nerves to get rid of knots and muscle stiffness.
• German Quality & 7-Year Warranty – because, you know, Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen…. And the massager is TUV certified which guarantees safe usage too. The 7-year warranty covers the outer material, motor and cable and 2-year warranty is for the rechargeable battery.
• Also included – a power adapter, a car adapter, a soft cloth cover for sensitive skin, a protective bag made of environmentally friendly material, a user manual, and two spare covers. All 3 covers can be hand washed or run through the washing machine at 30°.
• Recommended – added to all this, the Shiatsu Massager is recommended by none other than the German Olympic Sports Association “DOSB”, as well as leading sports therapists and experts in the field.

How to Use the Neck and Back Massager

Assuming you’ve charged up your Shiatsu massager, it’s really very easy to use. You simply place the massage heads on the area to be treated. Your hands need to go into the handles/loops at each end, which is where the controls are located – see below. Pressing the relevant symbols and then pulling the handles/loops allows you to customise the intensity of the massage, the heat, and the vibration levels. It’s really a case of trial and error to find out what works best for you.

You don’t need to worry about overdoing things either because the massager has an integrated timer and will automatically switch off after 15 minutes of use. Donnerberg recommend you don’t use it for more than 15 minutes on each area though, as your muscles can become sore. But you can use the device every day, which is extremely convenient for hard-core gardeners, and those of us who just fancy a treat.

Of course, there are restrictions on those who shouldn’t use this massager, unless with medical consent, such as pregnant women, or people with pacemakers, implants, etc. As always, if in doubt, check with your medical practitioner first.

Does the Neck and Back Massager Work?

In the interests of a thorough review, I tried out the Neck and Back Massager with 3 different testers: me, my husband, and our neighbour (also a keen gardener). How did we get on?

My Experience

As a complete wimp, I did find the massage nodes to be very strong, even quite painful. Having experienced a sports massage once before, I’m aware this indicates I have a LOT of tension in my neck, shoulders and upper back. But the only way I could tolerate the massager in these areas was through a couple of layers of clothing.

While this was quite relaxing, the layers did mean I couldn’t experience the infrared benefits, sadly. That said, I absolutely ADORED using the device for my feet, where the vibrating warmth left me feeling completely blissed out every time I used it.

My Husband’s Experience

My husband has suffered from a stiff neck, shoulders, and lower back pain for years, harking back to his RAF flying days. Sometimes he can’t even turn his head more than a few inches at a time. He can’t always reach those areas to apply Voltarol either, so having heat, vibration, and deep tissue massage for 15 minutes on each individual area every night has been a game changer.

As an added bonus, the motor is almost silent and doesn’t interfere with watching television or listening to music either. Although to be honest, he usually dozes off anyway, thanks to the soothing effect of the massager 🙂 Safe to say, it will be coming on holiday to Cornwall with us later this year.

My Neighbour’s Experience

My neighbour was bemoaning the cost of her monthly massages recently, so my husband suggested she try out our neck and back massager for her lower back pain. After plugging in for the first time one Sunday afternoon, she also dozed off. And upon awakening, she declared the hand massage feeling and after effects to be every bit as good as those she experienced with her massage therapist!

What Type of Massage Do You Prefer – Back, Neck or Feet?

Although this Shiatsu massager has been designed mainly for the neck, back, and shoulders, other reviewers have found it useful on other body parts as well like the arms and legs. Personally, as mentioned earlier, I absolutely love using it for my feet. At the end of the day, relaxing on the sofa with the soles of my feet resting on the Shiatsu foot massager’s vibrating nodes is enough to unwind me completely. Although an accompanying glass of wine has also been known to help on occasion.

Where to Buy the Donnerberg Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager With Heat

Massage offers many benefits and regular massage can improve your general health and your emotional and physical well-being. Donnerberg pride themselves on having designed a tool that gives you the feeling of a real, professional hand massage, but without the expense and time commitment of regular therapist appointments. You can view all their products on their website*, including back supports, vibration plates, massage guns, and more.

At £180 (at the time of writing) with free and fast delivery from a UK warehouse, the Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager with Heat* may not be the cheapest massager, but I think you need to view this as an investment in your health and time well saved.

And for context, the average cost of a massage in a dedicated salon or spa was £67 for an hour in 2021. So, for less than the cost of 3 massage therapist appointments, you can get your own personal, customisable, Shiatsu massager to enjoy at home, on holiday, and forever. For me, that’s a no brainer, and I’d like to say a big thank you to Donnerberg for sending us their incredible device, which we all think is hands down the best neck and back massager (and feet) we’ve ever tried. Truly every gardener’s best friend 🙂

Have you ever tried a Shiatsu neck and back massager? Or any other kind of vibrating neck massager? Or indeed any kind of infrared heat massage device? If not, do you think you might be tempted to try one now?

* This post features a gifted item and also contains affiliate links, although all opinions are my own unless otherwise stated – please see my disclaimer.