Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager review

REVIEW – Recently, I reviewed a hand massager from Comfier (read it here) that gave me some relief from the arthritis in my hands. A few weeks later, I received the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager to review. The two are very similar and yet somewhat unique in their functionality. Still trying to avoid costly shots or surgery, my hands and my wallet have found another helpful gadget to relieve my pain.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $124.99 (Bob and Brad), $89.99 (Amazon)
Where to buy: Bob and Brad, Amazon

What is it?

The Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager is a compact, battery-powered device that utilizes rhythmic compression and heat to alleviate pain in the palms, fingers, and wrists.

What’s included?

• Hand Massager
• USB-C cable
• Rolling finger massager
• Disposable plastic gloves
• Carry bag
• Instructions

Tech specs

Massaging modes: 3
Intensity levels: 3
Heat levels: 1; 108°F (42°C)
Internal Massaging Airbags: 8
Runtime: 15 min
Cycles between charges: 7-8
Charging: 5V @ 1A
Battery Capacity: 2500 mAh
Charge time (empty to full): up to 4 hours
Warranty: 2 years
Exterior material: Medical-grade PU (polyurethane) foam
Internal material: Polyester/Nylon
Noise level: 45 dB
Weight: 1.6 lbs (.73 kg)
Dimensions (LxWxH): 9.25 x 7.01 x 4.45 inches (23.5 x 17.8 x 11.3 cm)

Design and features

Like most hand massagers, the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager massages one hand at a time. It sits on your hand like a baseball mitt. Made primarily from polyurethane (PU), hard plastic, and very smooth polyester/nylon inner lining. It appears to be very durable, yet slightly heavier than the Comfier. This is probably due to the larger internal battery.

The Bob and Brad Hand Massager slips over your hand, with each finger going into its own little massage chamber. The whole hand, just past the wrist, is put inside the massager while using it. It just fits my hands, is great for my wife’s smaller hands, and those with larger hands may need to opt for a different brand/model.

The massager has a control panel for selecting the settings. When it is worn on the right hand, the control panel sits above the palm. For the left hand, it sits on the back of the hand.

The control panel has 4 buttons for: Power, Massage mode, Intensity, and Heat on/off. The power button is just a simple on/off after a 1.5-second hold.

The massager has three massage modes: Vitality, Relaxation, and Intensive. They differ from each other in the pattern of finger, palm, and wrist massaging sequence. It also has three levels of intensity. The lowest is very gentle and comforting. The highest is very strong and intense. It also has heat therapy for up to 113º of heat.

The massager has a UCB-C port that can connect to any charger (at least 5V and not included). The internal battery takes about 4 hours to charge the first time, and will last long enough to complete seven or eight 15-minute massage sessions. The massager will shut off after 15 minutes of continuous use. Note: Higher wattage chargers will reduce the charging time.

The package for the Bob and Brad massager came with a manual, roller-type finger massager. This would be used to give troublesome localized finger pain some relief. This was a nice, unexpected addition.

Also included are several disposable gloves. Using lotion in your hand massage therapy is something that would aid in working with moisturizing cream or pain-relief gel. Using the disposable gloves would keep these ointments out of the massager and confined to your hands.

Performance

Using the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager is very much like the Comfier massager. At first, I didn’t like the smaller size of the Bob and Brad Hand Massager as compared to the Comfier. However, after using it for the past few weeks, the snug fit suits me, and it worked very well. Its outer layer is pliable and soft, and seems durable. Just like the Comfier, it feels like leather, but it is synthetic. This inside material, which your hand touches, is a very soft and smooth polyester/nylon material. It is very thin. I’m a little concerned with the stitching on the very outside edge. It may come apart after many uses if I’m not careful.

This massager has one level of heat. On or off. The temperature gets to 108°F (42°C) very quickly. Just like the Comfier, the heat is concentrated on the palm and back of the hand, just below the fingers. The fingers do not receive heat directly. The heat never gets too hot or uncomfortable. Using the heat does use more battery power.

The massaging is accomplished with eight internal air bladders that fill up and release during the massaging. The fingers, back, palm, and wrist are separate “zones” that are massaged in patterns that cycle according to the mode selected. As a higher Intensity level is chosen, the massaging gets more aggressive. The highest level (3) was not comfortable, especially in the wrist area. It actually was somewhat painful. A less intense level (1 or 2) felt better to me. I imagine if your hand were smaller or thinner, a higher intensity level would be required to massage it adequately.

To make the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager safe, each massage session is limited to 15 minutes. One session per hand was adequate to get a good level of pain relief.

The manual states that the internal battery will power the massager for 2-3 hours. This would be eight to twelve 15-minute massage cycles. I consistently never had more than seven full cycles before recharging was needed.

Just like the Comfier, the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager is relatively quiet, but not silent. The repeated filling and releasing of air in the bladders is about as loud as a personal, automatic blood-pressure machine. During a typical 15-minute massaging session, the filling and releasing of air happens many times. This could be quite distracting if used in a quiet environment (e.g., watching TV, lying in bed, etc.).

As with the Comfier, I would like a memory setting. With the three modes and three intensity settings, it would be nice to store my preferred massage settings for repeated use. Each time the massager is shut off, all the selections reset back to the lowest levels.

Final thoughts

The Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager worked great for my pain relief. It operates very similarly to the Comfier hand massager. Although it has fewer options for Intensity and Heat, it worked very well. After each session, the pain in my hands would be relieved. The size of the Bob and Brad Hand Massager fits well for my hands, but may be too small for larger hands.

What I like about the Bob and Brad HandSpa Pro Hand Massager

• Hours-long pain relief
• Very comforting
• Fits my larger hands (barely)
• Massages the entire hand and wrist

What needs to be improved?

• Needs multiple levels for heat therapy
• The highest intensity level is painful in the wrist area
• It would be nice to have a memory feature

Price: $124.99 (Bob and Brad), $89.99 (Amazon)
Where to buy: Bob and Brad, Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Bob and Brad. Bob and Brad did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.

Check out these other massager reviews!

• Comfier Hand Massager review – a portable, cordless masseuse
• Bob and Brad Zero Pro Eye Massager review – A hot or cold silent masseuse for your eyes