Chirp Halo Wireless Muscle Stimulator review

As the health and fitness editor here at CNN Underscored, I’m no stranger to reviewing products that have the potential to wow, having tested everything from cooling recovery products for post-sweat sessions to foot massagers for at-home use to recovery sandals for unruly aches and pains. So when I discovered the Chirp Halo, I was similarly taken aback: Unlike other nerve-stimulating devices out there, this pain relief gadget uses electrical pulses, rather than massage nodes or heat, to soothe aches and soreness.

Chirp, a brand best known for its percussive therapy RPM massager, created this new at-home muscle therapy kit that uses both electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to diminish muscle and tendon pain, fatigue and soreness.

As somebody who experiences joint pain due to arthritis, I wanted to see if this kit could alleviate some of my soreness. Turns out, my experience with this kit was surprising and somewhat revolutionary.

Getting started using the Chirp Halo is simple: You stick each unit, or puck, onto a reusable magnetic pad, then place the sticky side of each pad onto your skin in an area where you’re experiencing pain. Next, after pairing the remote via Bluetooth, you can choose from among six preset programs — Pain Relief, Massage, Squeeze, Thump, Stretch and Woah Nelly — to find the one(s) best suited to your individual needs. Some modes feature only EMS or only TENS, while others use a combination of both. Here’s a brief rundown of each mode’s functionality:

Each mode lasts 20 minutes, but you can also stop it yourself at any time. My personal favorite setting, Pain Relief, sends out pulsations about every other second. If you happen to feel your muscles contract during this treatment or others listed above, don’t worry; this is normal! You can also opt for different levels of tension, from 1 (a softer pulse) to 10 (more powerful pulsations).

Convenient and affordable

Unlike the EMS and TENS treatments available at physical therapy offices and boutique gyms, the Chirp Halo kit is cordless. This makes it easier to get comfortable and move around at home. Additionally, unlike professional treatments where you typically choose from either just a TENS or just an EMS treatment, this gadget combines both for a 2-in-1 remedy. What’s more, an in-person TENS treatment at a physical therapy office typically costs between $75 and $100, while an EMS treatment can cost between $75 and $150, meaning the Chirp essentially pays for itself after just two or three treatments.

However, Bryn Mota, the senior director of University Fitness Centers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, said there’s a trade-off: You won’t be getting the same quality relief using the Chirp Halo as you’d get from an in-office treatment. There, a health care professional can personalize treatment just to you and use more powerful devices to support your exact physical therapy and/or muscle recovery needs.

Compact and portable

My favorite thing about this HSA- and FSA-eligible gadget, aside from helping to reduce my chronic pain, is how compact and lightweight it is. Once you place the units on your body and select your preferred treatment, you’re set; you don’t have to hold anything or contort your body into awkward positions for targeted stimulation. I usually just sit on my couch or even at my desk during work hours. Its included carrying case is a little larger than a passport wallet and doesn’t weigh more than a few pounds, even with every accessory packed inside, so it’s so easy to throw it into a work bag or weekender too.

The small units are also slim enough to fit under clothes. I’ve placed the biggest pad on my back under a T-shirt and multiple pucks around my knees under sweatpants with no issue.

I’m very impatient and also very forgetful. This makes dead technology a staple in my household. Luckily, the Halo units charge up quickly. I can plug the case in for 20 minutes on a dead battery and get a 30-minute session in. Yes, you read that correctly: The case itself charges the units and remote all at once (you can charge them separately too, though). This was a plus for me, as I often use both units at the same time, and I didn’t have to wait for both to charge individually. Once the pucks are fully charged, they can run for up to six hours.

Sure, we’re in 2025, but I’ve found that many Bluetooth-connected devices require way too much work to set up. First, you have to download an app, then you have to create an account and sign away your life. Only then can you connect it to Bluetooth. This device doesn’t require an app, so to pair them, all you have to do is power on the remote and units, no phone required. A dream come true!

If you are a fan of apps, though, Chirp has one if you want to take your recovery to the next level or peruse its step-by-step guides on where to place the pucks on your body and which pads to use. You can also buy replacement pads directly via the app, read about the various treatments and watch support videos through it.

Once everything is powered up, you’ll pick the program you want to use. As mentioned above, I usually opt for Pain Relief, but I’ll sometimes use the Massage, Squeeze and Thump modes as well.

Because I’m no medical professional, I rely on the brand’s user guides — found here or within the free-to-use Chirp Halo app that’s available on both iOS and Android devices — to figure out where to properly place my units. The guides are simple to follow and helpful, so I feel more confident about correctly using the device on my own.

My arthritis is very stubborn, and so am I. I don’t like taking breaks from working out, especially when I’m running — yes, I’m aware this is a recipe for disaster — but I truly found that using this kit after workouts in addition to my recovery routine has resulted in less pain and soreness. I’m used to experiencing a dull and throbbing pain around my knees and hips when I lie down at night, but it’s been less frequent and less irritating when I use the Halo a few times a week. (Bonus? I love that the pucks are easy to stick on and forget about while watching yet another episode of “Gilmore Girls.”)

Each time you use the kit, you connect the units to pads with sticky sides that adhere to your skin. According to Chirp, the reusable pads last for up to 20 treatments, but I found that they lasted closer to 10 or 15 times. The kit comes with four spot pads, two lower back pads and two trigger point pads to start, and the brand sells a variety of other styles designed to attach to specific body parts like calves and quads. You can also buy additional pads designed for soothing menstrual pain.

While my main wish is that the kit came with a few of these specialty pads for a better value, like the kit itself, the pads are at least HSA and FSA eligible.

It’s not a shock (no pun intended) that it took some time for me to get used to the sensation of EMS and TENS therapy. The slight shocking feeling, as well as feeling my muscles twitch in response, was a bit unnerving at first, but after a few treatments I got more used to it. It also took some time to find the right treatment for me. After using each of the six modes at least once I found the gently rhythm of the Pain Relief one soothing to experience, and it quickly became my favorite.

If you want an easy-to-use muscle and tendon treatment that can help soothe soreness or chronic pain in 20 minutes, this Chirp Halo kit is worth a try, especially because it’s FSA and HSA eligible. Like any at-home treatment, it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor or a medical professional prior to trying something new. This treatment also won’t be a magic fix for pain. I think of it as a helpful tool that provides relief and reduces some of my inflammation.

The following questions have been answered by Bryn Mota, the senior director of University Fitness Centers at Case Western Reserve University, and Darci Bawdon Fistanic, head EMS trainer at Alo Wellness Club.

For this article, we consulted the following medical experts, neither of whom is affiliated with Chirp, for their professional insights.

CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item.

CNN Underscored health and fitness editor Summer Cartwright is always on the run — literally. She is both a cardio fanatic and an RRCA-certified running coach who’s completed four marathons and countless half-marathons.