Back in the '50s, Spoolies were created as an easier way to get the look of pin curls without bobby pins.

And a handheld option that fits in a gym bag is great for its portability, for hitting smaller muscles (such as your neck or ankles), and for partner work, if you’re lucky enough to have someone who’ll use the roller on you. Michele Olson, PhD, CSCS, a senior clinical professor of sports science at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, recommends it because it’s so compact that she can take it anywhere. It rolls nicely and provides a firm density and good self-myofascial release, though no one could really feel much of a difference from its ridged, foam-covered plastic over a regular foam roller. Our tester thought this OPTP roller was super comfortable and gentle on the body, giving it a perfect score of 5 out of 5 for comfort and ease of use. Some rollers are made of “natural” materials, such as cork or bamboo, but they’re not necessarily more sustainable than a roller made of synthetics.Still, “I feel the same as I do about all knobbly rollers: I don’t think it is for the average user,” she cautioned, as knobbly rollers can increase the risk of bruising. If you want to get fancy, you can also get rumble rollers with different vibration settings, or collapsible muscle rollers for easy portability. The fewer and further apart the points of contact, the greater the pressure on the muscle you’re rolling.

We focused mainly on rolling out our quads (lying in a forearm plank position with the roller under our quads), hip flexors (in the same plank position), calves (sitting on the floor with our legs extended, foam roller under calves, and using our arms to lift our body weight up onto the roller) and hamstrings (also sitting on the floor with legs extended, this time with the foam roller under hamstrings). However, one thing emerged in our testing: Those firm, black EPP (expanded polypropylene) rollers aren’t all that different from one another, at least when it comes to at-home use. Best added that if people enjoy the vibrating sensation, they may be more inclined to foam roll for longer and more often, potentially boosting the therapeutic effects of the self-massage. The firmness or density of a roller will tell you a lot about the level of pressure it can apply to your body.

Foam rollers can, however, cause normal levels of discomfort when working on particularly tight areas or knots and that's OK. You can use these rags to tie up your hair at night in a similar way to the foam rollers to help maintain blowouts or just give a little 'model-off-duty' texture to the hair. The VulkRoll Vibrating Foam Roller’s 18-inch length was enough for Amy to roll two legs at once (though the VulkRoll is still shorter and more expensive than our top pick).

With its aggressive-looking studs, the RumbleRoller Full-Size Original can look awesome or awful, depending on your deep-tissue needs. Rollers are a great option whether you're trying to get beach waves or more defined coils," says Anthony Dickey, hairstylist and founder of the Hair Rules salon and brand. Durable enough to last while also being affordable, this Pro Fitness foam roller is a standard option that you can’t really go wrong with. It doesn’t have ridges, so it won’t dig as deep into knots as grid foam rollers do, but the smooth texture allows for even pressure when rolling out.Anyone can benefit from foam rolling, says Noelle McKenzie, CPT, and co-founder of Leading Edge Personal Trainers, because both exercise and everyday life contribute to uncomfortable, tight, and sore muscles. Whether you're a professional athlete or a casual gym-goer, these versatile rollers are designed to enhance your recovery and flexibility. I find somewhere in the middle is ideal for most people because you need it to be deep and therapeutic but not uncomfortable or pain-inducing. With how-to guides and demonstration videos, the ebook is a helpful tool for both beginners and experienced rollers alike. But our tester says it’s still easy to use and fairly comfortable once you get accustomed to its unique design.