How to Make a Patriotic 4th of July Poke Cake

Can you believe the 4th of July is almost here? If you’re going to an epic Independence Day party, you’re gonna want to make sure you bring an epic all-American dessert with you. Our suggestion? Celebrate with our Raspberry Poke Cake! Read on for the recipe.

pokecake11

Ingredients:

— 2 boxes white cake mix

— 2 1/2 cups water

— 6 eggs

— 2/3 cup vegetable oil

— 3 cups raspberries

— 1/2 cup granulated sugar

— 1 lemon

— 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

— 1 1/4 cup water

— 3 cups heavy whipping cream

— 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

— assorted berries, to garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs and vegetable oil. Mix. Pour batter into sheet pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool five minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, zest of one lemon, juice of one lemon, 1 1/4 cups water and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke the cake every inch or so. Spoon raspberry sauce evenly over the cake. Chill for one hour.

4. In a stand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Top cake with whipped cream and fresh berries. Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, eggs and vegetable oil. Mix. Pour batter into sheet pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool five minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, zest of one lemon, juice of one lemon, 1 1/4 cups water and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke the cake every inch or so.

Spoon raspberry sauce evenly over the cake. Chill for one hour.

In a stand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Top each piece of cake with whipped cream.

And add a handful of fresh berries!

How GOOD does that look?!

It’s the perfect (+ most patriotic!) way to celebrate the 4th of July.

What are your favorite 4th of July recipes? Let us know on Twitter!

If you do any amount of baking, it's only natural that you'll end up with a few extra egg whites on hand now and again, so what better to use them for than some egg white recipes? While we're big fans of putting them to use in gorgeous pavlovas, heavenly angel food cakes, to-die-for macarons and crisp meringue, those are just four of the many terrific ways out there to use them up.

Try these recipes and see how many leftover egg whites you can use up!

What can I do with egg white?

There are a bunch of different foods you can make with egg whites. You can use them in meringue cookies and macarons, or use them to add a fizzy topping to your cocktail.

How long does egg white last in fridge?

You can keep your egg whites in the fridge for up to four days.

How do you make egg white taste tasty?

There are a few different ways you can make an egg white taste good. You can add some salt and pepper before topping the finished product with hot sauce. Another method is adding your favorite cheese and seasonings for extra flavor.

What tastes good with egg whites?

If you want something savory, cheeses, salts, and herbs will add extra flavor. For a sweet addition to a dessert recipe, froth some sugar into the whites.

Brit + Co Egg White Recipes

Brit+ Co

Pumpkin Magic Cake

We already love plain cake, but this delicious recipe takes the classic dessert to the next level. It features three layers: sponge, custard, and fudge for a mix of textures and flavors we can't get enough of. If you're a pumpkin lover, leave the recipe as-is, but feel free to leave out until pumpkin spice season.

Brit + Co

3-Layer Pavlova Berry Cake

What’s better than one layer of crisp meringue, heavenly whipped cream + fresh berries? The answer: THREE! This sky-high beauty is a refreshingly light dessert perfect to dish out at summer gatherings.

Brit+Co

Patriotic Pavlova

Wanna set off some fireworks at your next Fourth of July party? Whip up our Patriotic Pavlova for dessert! Read on for the star-spangled recipe made with four egg whites.

Brit + Co

Pastel Meringues

The basic egg white and sugar base makes these crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside bites a cinch to whip up, and even easier to trick out to your taste.

Brit + Co

Champagne Marshmallows

Whether you prefer them roasted over a campfire or baked into sweet potatoes, you can't deny that marshmallows are a delicious addition to just about everything. Enjoy these springy homemade versions spiked with a splash of fizzy Champagne at your next birthday bash.

Brit + Co

Twice-Baked Potato Chip Soufflé

We didn't think potato chips could get any better, but then we figured out that they make a pretty awesome addition to everything from oysters to ice cream (yes really!) to soufflés. Using cheddar chips adds some extra cheesy goodness in addition to the bacon, potatoes, and cheese.

Brit + Co

Gluten Free Cloud Bread

Cloud bread is fluffy, tasty, and the fact that it's gluten-free is just the cherry on top. Top with your favorite jam, or with the classic peanut butter + banana + chocolate chip breakfast combo. Not only are they easy but they'll also take you under 30 minutes to make!

Brit + Co

Eggnog Colada

This recipe combines a classic summer cocktail with a winter staple, and turns them into something that you'll want to drink all year long. Turns out, pineapple and coconut taste great with eggnog.

Breakfast Egg White Recipes

The Girl on Bloor

Grab & Go Turkey Bacon Egg White Cups

These turkey bacon egg white cups are perfect to make and take on busy mornings. They take less than 25 minutes to make and are a filling and savory breakfast option that hits the spot!

Feel Good Foodie

Egg White Bites with Red Pepper

The sharper tang of red peppers pair beautifully with neutral egg whites, and these bites are basically the best breakfast ever. Plus, you can never go wrong with a spinach and cheese combo.

Kathryn's Kitchen Blog

Egg White Bites (Mushroom and Spinach)

This breakfast brings together spinach, mushrooms, cheese, and egg whites for a super simple — and super satisfying — bite.

A Spicy Perspective

Egg White Frittata with Spinach and Peppers

We love that this gluten-free recipe is full of peppers, spinach, and cheese, which means that it's both tasty *and* healthy. Plus it'll take you less than 30 minutes, which makes it a great option for anyone who doesn't have a ton of time in the morning.

Two Peas & Their Pod

Avocado Toast with Eggs, Spinach, and Tomatoes

With a 5-minute prep time, this avocado toast with eggs is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Not only is it easy to make, it's healthy and filling!

Cilantro Parsley

Mexican Huevos Ahogados

This dish is both satisfying and delicious! It serves as the perfect hearty and savory breakfast option and is packed with flavor and spices.

Whole and Heavenly Oven

Greek Avocado Egg White Breakfast Tacos

These breakfast tacos are the perfect choice for anyone who leans towards savory options in the morning. They're loaded up with flavor and light in calories, making them a staple in your breakfast routine.

Appetizer Egg White Recipes

Daisy's World

Spiced Cocktail Nuts

We love snacking on nuts when we're hungry, whether it's during our workday or any time during the weekend, but sometimes we want more than just plain salt. Set these sweet, spiced nuts out for your next shindig, or package them up as a thoughtful gift.

Fifteen Spatulas

Puffed Cheddar Cheese Twists

Egg whites bind these flaky, sharp cheddar cheese twists just so. Pair them with tomato soup, nibble on them one after the other, or even bring them to your next movie night.

Lunch & Dinner Egg White Recipes

Domesticate Me

Shakshuka Egg White Frittata with Turkey Sausage

The punchy flavors of this shakshuka-inspired frittata taste so good that you won't even remember that it's made from egg whites. That's some recipe magic right there! The turkey sausage is a great alternative to pork because it has less calories and saturated fats.

Bowl of Delicious

Homemade Egg Drop Soup

If you're looking for an easy and nourishing dinnertime staple, you can't go wrong with this homemade Egg Drop soup. It takes 15 minutes from start to finish and is hearty and comforting!

Give Recipe

Menemen Recipe

This Turkish dish is a quick and easy dinner recipe for those who don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. It's a different take on scrambled eggs, and includes a generous amount of tomatoes and peppers.

Dessert Egg White Recipes

Clean Cuisine

Sweet Potato Soufflé

We couldn't resist adding another soufflé to this round-up because they're so darn good! This one is super quick and easy to make and is gluten, dairy, and refined-sugar-free - making it perfect for most diets. This is one of those dishes that feels like fall but is great for any time you just want something comforting.

Culinary Hill

Homemade Meringue

This is a classic dessert component that you'll be able to use for all of your cookouts, family gatherings, and holiday parties. It is absolutely delicious, whether you add flavoring or keep it as-is.

Barley & Sage

Robin's Egg Macarons

Egg whites will help you make seriously airy macarons. A little bit of blue food coloring (as well as flicking some black food coloring once they're on the pan) gives these treats that recognizable robin's egg look. Just make sure you save enough of the chocolate buttercream filling to lick the spoon!

Love and Olive Oil

Chocolate-Glazed Almond Horns

Chewy-crispy almond cookies are an absolute pleasure to nibble on, especially when they're half covered in a delicious dark chocolate glaze. Just consider this a sophisticated version of chocolate-covered almonds!

Pink Out Kitchen

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

This old-fashioned banana pudding is authentic and seriously delicious. The fluffy meringue coupled with the sweet vanilla pudding and bananas makes for a rich and delectable treat you'll want spoon after spoon of.

Vikalinka

Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

These waffle ice cream sandwiches are seriously the best of both worlds. The waffles are soft and buttery and the ice cream is the perfect sweet treat. The recipe is super easy to make and follow, allowing you to whip up the ultimate dessert in less than no time.

Foodie Baker

Egg White Chocolate Brownies

You won't even notice the absence of yolks in these unbelievably fudgy brownies. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar, some chopped walnuts, or both!

Getting My Just Desserts

Caramel Crunch Cake

Meringue layers make this heavenly whipped cream and caramel cake ever so slightly more virtuous… at least that's what we'll keep telling ourselves.

Desserts with Benefits

Gluten-Free Healthy Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Greek yogurt and egg whites are just two of the healthy hacks employed to make this delicious cake. If you're someone who enjoys eating bananas slathered with peanut butter (or with a spoonful instead), then this one's for you.

Half-Baked Harvest

Easy Vanilla Sugar Dusted Macaroon Trees

These sugar-dusted macaroon trees taste as magnificent as they look! They're so easy to make and elevate any holiday party spread.

Saveur

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse

Tangy cream cheese and sweet white chocolate balance one another out to create a tempting mousse that everyone will want to try.

Half-Baked Harvest

Honey Butter Stone Fruit and Blackberry Meringue Tart

This meringue tart is so buttery and flakey that you'll find yourself wanting to make it over and over again. When served with ice cream, it becomes a symphony of flavors and textures that is simply to die for!

Woman Scribbles

Filipino Style Egg Pie

What could be better than creamy and milky egg custard in a buttery and oh-so-flaky pie crust? This dish feels like comfort on a plate and truly can't be beat in the pie department.

Woman Scribbles

Ube Cupcakes with Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream

These cupcakes are delicate and moist but packed with flavor. The ube swiss meringue buttercream is light and fluffy and serves as the perfect match to the purple-hued ube cake. Despite the flavor complexity, the recipe is surprisingly easy to make!

The Bossy Kitchen

Walnut Cake with Egg Yolk Glaze

This dessert is so easy to whip up but tastes simply luxurious. It is made with all-natural ingredients that allow you to indulge without guilt.

Takes Two Eggs

Dalgona Matcha

Not only is this Dalgona Matcha seriously delicious, but it's also a unique way to use up egg whites! This fluffy drink is going to become a morning must-have, trust me.

The Bossy Kitchen

Meringue Cheesecake

You may not find egg whites in the name of this recipe, but rest assured that they're in the meringue! How else do you explain the perfectly fluffy texture that sits atop the creamy goodness underneath?

Takes Two Eggs

Mango Cake

As much as we love eating delicious mangoes, we didn't know how tasty they are in cake form! This makes for the perfect spring or summer wedding dessert because it's light, yet flavorful!

Barley & Sage

Heart Shaped Macarons

These macarons are for the lovers! Whether you're planning a sweet Galentine's Day brunch for your friends or a romantic date night dinner for your beau, this recipe will win over any guest!

Amanda Wilens

Strawberry Lemon Cake

We've got another tasty summer treat for you to make! This strawberry lemon cake blends sweet and sour elements for an inviting taste that won't overpower tastebuds.

P.S. We highly recommend baking this cake for a baby or bridal shower!

Check out our baking classes and email newsletter for more egg white recipes!

This article has been updated.


Reminders of Him isn't the only Colleen Hoover movie we're getting next year — we finally have the Verity release date! After confirmation that Dakota Johnson was starring as Lowen in Colleen Hoover's Verity, I totally wasn't expecting to open my phone and see a video of Dakota in the middle of New York City...covered in blood. It was even more shocking than seeing that crazy The Summer I Turned Pretty leak that's not in the books! If this Verity movie leak proves anything, it's that this movie is going to be just as insane as the book — if not more.

Here's your first look at Dakota Johnson on the set of Verity, coming to theaters May 15, 2026.

When is Verity coming out?

Verity is coming to theaters May 15, 2026 thanks to Amazon MGM Studios. We already know Reminders of Him is coming February 13, which means we're getting two Colleen Hoover movies in the same year! And I'll be seated for both.

Who does Dakota Johnson play in Verity?

Dakota Johnson plays Lowen, a writer hired by Verity's husband Jeremy to finish the author's work. Here's the rest of the Verity cast:

  • Anne Hathaway as Verity Crawford: a renowned author who's hiding a secret.
  • Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford: Verity's husband.
  • Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh: a struggling writer given the chance of a lifetime to finish Verity Crawford's work.

Ismael Cruz Cordóva, Brady Wagner, Irina Dvorovenko, K.K. Moggie, and Michael Abbott Jr. will also star in unconfirmed roles.

And the first leak tells us just how crazy the 'Verity' movie is going to be.

@mickmicknyc Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett filming a graphic accident scene for 'Verity' in NYC 🎬🙈 #dakotajohnson#joshhartnett#verity#bts#behindthescenes#entertainmentnews#nyc♬ original sound - New York Mickey

We got our first look at Dakota Johnson as Lowen when she walked around New York City in burnt orange trousers, a beige top, and a gray coat. But there's one accessory that low-key makes my stomach turn: a splatter of blood on her face.

In this extended leak from @mickmicknyc on TikTok, Lowen's taking a stroll through Manhattan when a car accident with a biker covers her (and a few very-expressive extras) in blood. The movie nerd in me immediately clocked that the camera does a 360 around Dakota as she looks at the accident, and I LOVE a 360 so I'm excited to see this in the final movie! Especially if the composer gives us some incredible music!

We also see Josh Hartnett's Jeremy approach her and make sure she's okay before the leave the scene.

"This is exactly how I pictured it," says one TikTok user in the comments, while another adds, "I actually forgot this is how the book started with how crazy the rest of the book was."

"The way I just screamed ahhhh I’m so excitedddddddddd," a third user says. I cannot wait!

Stay tuned for even more Verity movie updates on Brit + Co and our TikTok!

Where can I watch the Verity movie?

Verity is coming to theaters, which means you can relive the craziness of the book surrounded by 150 of your closes friends ;).

Loving these set leaks? Check out Zendaya Throws A Drink At A Car (Before Robert Pattinson Drags Her Away) For New A24 Movie The Drama for more.

This post has been updated.

You’ve got your annual Fourth of July cookout responsibilities down pat. One friend brings the pasta salad, another gladly takes care of the grilled veggie sides, and then you are happily in charge of the patriotic flag cake. But this year, you might want to shake things up. We’ve got 15 red, white, and blue cupcakes and cakes with broad stripes and bright stars to celebrate Independence Day in style.

Flag Cake

Oh Sweet Basil

No dessert is more patriotic than a full-blown flag cake adorned with white icing, ruby raspberries, and blueberries. (via Oh Sweet Basil)

4th of July Cupcakes

The Little Blonde Baker

Red, white, and blue are twirled to perfection to give you these slightly psychedelic vanilla cupcakes; they’re topped with a finger-lickin’ buttercream that you can easily make on your own. (via The Little Blonde Baker)

Red, White, and Blue Funfetti Cupcakes

Treats and Trends

Funfetti has become a birthday *must,* but we’re bringin’ it for the Fourth of July with these gloriously festive cupcakes slathered in buttercream frosting. (via Treats and Trends)

Red, White, and Blue Cake Pops

Love Maegan

With a white chocolate coating and festive sprinkles, these gorgeous cake pops are a total crowd-pleaser. They’re also really fun and easy to make, so get the kids to help! (via Love Maegan)

Red, White, and Blue Cake

What Should I Make For...

This naked layered red velvet cake skips the festive sprinkles and replaces them with fresh berries. (via What Should I Make For…)

Fourth of July Peanut Butter Cookie Cake

Sweetest Menu

What your Fourth of July party REALLY needs is an oversized peanut butter cookie cake covered in red and blue chocolate candies. (via Sweetest Menu)

Firecracker Cake

Love Bakes Good Cakes

With red, white, and blue drips of delicious frosting, this vanilla cake is as exciting on the inside as it is on the outside, thanks to some crafty yet simple techniques. (via Love Bakes Good Cakes)

Patriotic Swirl Cupcakes

Two Sisters Crafting

It’s hard to beat colorful swirls of buttercream sitting atop moist and crumbly chocolate cupcakes, amirite? Follow the simple tutorial and WOW your pals. (via Two Sisters Crafting)

Low Carb 4th of July Vanilla Berry Cake

It's Autumn's Life

If this vanilla berry cake proves anything, it’s that you can still be festive while keeping things clean and simple. Decorated with sweet strawberries and blackberries, this dessert is low in carbs but big on flavor. (via It’s Autumn’s Life)

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Our Family of Seven

This recipe brings cupcakes to a whole new level by filling ice cream cones with batter before baking. They’re then topped with icing as usual, and a maraschino cherry for good measure. (via Our Family of Seven)

Easy July 4th Ice Cream Cake

Just A Taste

This cooling ice cream cake is made with frozen pound cake, your choice of raspberry or strawberry sorbet, and a whipped topping that’s decked out in fresh berries and patriotic goodies. (via Just a Taste)

Red Velvet 4th of July Cupcakes

Your Cup Of Cake

These ruby cakes are brimming with red velvety goodness and whipped cream icing, and topped with fresh blueberries for a touch of blue. (via Your Cup of Cake)

Red, White, and Blue Cake

Preppy Kitchen

Bring this gawk-worthy petal cake to your Fourth of July cookout and treat your friends to three decadent layers of spongy cake and buttercream. (via Preppy Kitchen)

Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Cupcakes

Pack Momma

Speared with sparkling stars, these cupcakes boast American pride with colorful icing and cake layers. (via Pack Momma)

American Flag Cake

Cooking Is Messy

This cake might seem run-of-the-mill at first glance, but when you cut into it and reveal your mad baking skills, guests will be left in a complete state of awe. (via Cooking Is Messy)

This post has been updated.

Millennials are defined as being born between 1981 and 1996, but if you were born at the tail end of that time frame and endured your teenage years during the 2000s or early 2010s, you most definitely suffered through some arguably rough fashion trends.

Wearing Abercrombie or Aeropostale brand name t-shirts, sporting chevron dresses, and going to parties with "concealer lips" was (regrettably) the vibe at the time! Today, most teens wouldn't dare wear the outfits and accessories us millennials wholeheartedly loved.

We're here to revisit fashion's past and call out the top 8 millennial style fails that are just super cringeworthy today.

1. Flower Crowns

Etsy

Rainbow Flower Crown

When millennials wanted to look 'boho chic,' they immediately busted out the flower crowns. This accessory infiltrated practically every occasion, from high school dances and music festivals like Coachella – or even (sigh) regular trips to the mall.

While the trend might've felt fun and carefree at the time, flower crowns are super cliché today and just remind me of Tumblr's heyday (IYKYK).

2. "Geek" Glasses

Amazon

Black Nerd Glasses

It's funny to think about how popular wearing fake "geek" glasses was, particularly since so many teen movies of the time, like Mean Girls, sensationalized being "cool" and "popular."

Nonetheless, plenty of millennials set out to appear quirky by topping off their outfits with thick, oversized hipster frames, even if they didn't actually need glasses. Some people even used their leftover 3D glasses from movie theaters and simply popped the lenses out – guilty!

3. Hair Feathers

Etsy

Feather Hair Extension Clip

Similar to flower crowns, hair feathers emerged as a bohemian-inspired way to add a pop of color and texture to your locks. Some people opted for thinner solid or multicolored strands; meanwhile, others went full-throttle with larger feather shapes or even bead attachments.

This is another "hipster" trend that, while maybe still appropriate for some music festivals, should stay in the past when it comes to everyday wear.

4. Jeggings

Halara

Halara Flex High Waisted Stretchy Leggings

Jeggings were supposed to be the perfect blend of comfort and style... or so we thought. The idea seemed genius at the time, but in retrospect, they were just a fashion mistake.

This pant style attempted to blend two completely different types of garments and created a result that's now considered a fashion faux pas. Jeggings are just too tight to ever be flattering and don't deliver that same classic denim look.

5. Converse Sneakers With Anything

Converse

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Canvas Sneakers

Skinny jeans, skirts, maxi dresses, and mini dresses. Today, you'd probably pick different shoe choices for all of these outfits, but millennials undoubtedly had a go-to: Converse.

These sneakers were the perfect footwear for practically any look, but the trend quickly became overused. Even celebrities were showing up in low-cut Converse to walk the red carpet, a statement that would leave younger generations scratching their heads today.

6. Belts Over Shirts

Amazon

Grommet Leather Belt

Along with the excessive layering of tank tops and t-shirts came the addition of belts on top. While this might've been an attempt to add some structure or flair, many belts in the 2000s were more clunky than chic.

This trend is making a comeback, particularly with oversized outerwear. But, again, younger generations today are making more pattern- and color-conscious decisions (and not just cinching their waists while wearing Hollister v-necks, LOL).

7. Ombré Hair

Polina Semernina / PEXELS

Ombré hair is often associated with balayage, a hair-painting technique that remains insanely popular in 2025. However, many millennials didn't hit the salon to achieve their ombré – and took matters into their own hands at home.

Regardless of whether they tried to darken or lighten, it typically resulted in a not-very-well-blended horizontal line of color across their hair.

8. Fedoras

Julia Volk / PEXELS

Finally, I believe that you should be entitled to compensation if you've been personally victimized by a fedora. Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Paris Hilton wore these hats, making millennials think they were cool. In hindsight, perhaps everyone (including the A-listers) blundered with this fad.

Subscribe to our newsletter for more fashion throwbacks!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

I’ve done everything in my power to try to alleviate my back painstretching, self-massaging, hot baths, self-cracking my bones (don’t come for me), yoga — but nothing has truly given me the relief I've been looking for more than the Theragun.

And it’s not just my back pain that irks me. It's symptoms of tech neck from working long days at my desk (or, more often than not, my couch), muscle soreness from indoor bouldering 3-4 times a week, and honestly, the movement everyday life requires, like walking my dog and taking care of household chores that mandate multiple trips up and down three flights of stairs in my old sans-elevator apartment building.

What Does The Theragun Do?

Meredith Holser

The Theragun (more specifically, the Prime model) claims to provide a multitude of benefits. According to Therabody, the Theragun Prime can:

  • Relieve pain and soreness
  • Reduce tightness and tension
  • Accelerate recovery
  • Improve circulation and flexibility

All great stuff, right? After seeing and reading lots of rave reviews about this beloved percussive therapy tool, I just had to put it to the test.

Can The Theragun Help With Back Pain?

Meredith Holser

More than anything, I was concerned with two major problems – back pain and muscle soreness – I hoped the Theragun would help with. I attribute a majority of my back pain to a slight bout of scoliosis along with an unfortunate compression fracture I experienced a couple of years ago. These two reasons are likely to have exacerbated my tech neck aches, too. I’m talkin’ stiffness around my entire neck and some chronically achy traps.

Piling on my passion for indoor bouldering only adds to the discomfort: sore forearms, lats, and calves and sharp knots along my shoulder blades. The sport requires that I put my body in all sorts of odd positions, use my muscles to sustain those unnatural stances, and brace for 6-foot falls (albeit safely, on well-padded floors). Needless to say, it all takes a physical toll.

After just a week of use and 5- to 10-minute-long sessions a day, the Theragun Prime has significantly lessened that burden and provided my back and upper body muscles with some super satisfying relief.

Here’s my full review, including what I loved and everything I didn’t.

Day 1

Meredith Holser

My trial began with lots of sharp pain between my shoulder blades, which I was worried about not being able to reach with the Theragun on my own without someone else to help me. My worries instantly melted away after giving it a go, though – the patented triangular handle design (which claims to help you reach “80% of your body with multiple hand positions”) helped me quickly locate the most painful points in between my shoulder blades. Not only was I able to accurately pinpoint my discomfort, even the lowest of the 5 available speed settings delivered immediate relaxation. I was shocked at just how powerful this tool was!

I felt like a crazy woman in my apartment, groaning alone out of relief, but it felt so good. I also noticed that my back felt warmed after use, which I observed as the improved circulation the Theragun claims to encourage.

Days 2-4

Meredith Holser

My shoulder blade pain carried on into day 2, along with some insane forearm soreness from bouldering. I took the Theragun to my arms at the lowest speed and found the same instant relief I did with my shoulder blades.

I repeated a routine of running the tool along my shoulder blades, entire back, and arms for days 3 and 4, too. By day 4, I could tell that the most painful points weren’t as sore as they were before I started my Theragun trial.

Day 5

Meredith Holser

Day 5 was quite the opposite, though. I had attended a concert the night prior, and I think standing hours on hard floors reawakened every stiffness, soreness, and sharp pain I had been experiencing before. I woke up feeling geriatric as ever (I’m freakin’ 25, for crying out loud!) and knew I’d have to try out the Theragun on my screaming lower back and sore calves.

My neck felt extremely tweaked, too, likely from sleeping on it in a less-than-ideal position (tummy sleepers, unite). I went at all of these areas with the Theragun’s wide-set dampener attachment as I had the 4 days before, but turned the tool up to a higher speed. Oh, it felt like heaven! Again, I was surprised by how powerful of a punch the tool provided. It felt like a luxe massage technique, all possible by my hands.

Targeting my body more globally felt really nice at the faster setting, up until I was hitting my neck. The tool had a very heavy vibration that viciously rattled my teeth, ears, and eyes, which honestly distracted me from the relief I was looking for in the neck and traps area.

Days. 6-7

Meredith Holser

I was met with sore legs from a long bike ride and even more bouldering-induced stiffness on days 6 and 7. I found similar relief to what I experienced the week prior and was able to relax really well after a long, activity-filled weekend. I also tested out the multiple attachments the Theragun Prime came with on my neck and traps, like the thumb and cone toppers, which are sharper-shaped to hit more specific trigger points. I found these more-targeted attachments way more effective than the rounder dampener and ball, which didn't do as great a job at getting into the deep-set knots I deal with.

Theragun Review: The Results!

Meredith Holser

While I can’t claim my back pain and sore muscles are entirely gone with the help of the Theragun Prime, I can say that they’re noticeably lessened after 7 days of consistent use. I think it’s a very effective way to relieve any pains and aches you may be dealing with, especially if you have tried all other avenues of pain reduction.

It was easy and intuitive to use myself, and I really enjoyed the range of relief I got from the tool, thanks to the customizable attachments and varying speed settings. The only quirk I didn’t quite like was the intensely distracting vibration that occurred in my head when I brought it up to my upper neck and traps.

Therabody

Theragun Prime

At an original price point of $299 (it’s also HSA and FSA-friendly!), I certainly understand it can be a steep investment for some, but given that the average cost of a massage or chiropractic visit hits around $100 (sometimes more), I believe the Theragun offers comparable relief to those methods.

Plus, you can use it anytime you like, as opposed to having to wait weeks for an appointment. It definitely is not a dependable replacement for more serious structural or muscular issues (which experts can better address), but it’s certainly appropriate for tackling everyday tightness, soreness, knots, and more.

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.