Electric or traditional cupping: which should you choose?
- A traditional (manual) cupping set consists of cups and a hand pump: you pump the vacuum yourself, and while the cup is in place, the suction stays constant.
- An electric cupping device creates the vacuum itself, can be adjusted in levels, alternates in a rhythm and also provides heat.
- The strength of a manual cupping set is the wide range of cup sizes: with cups from 2.6 to 5 cm, the 19-piece Cuppsett covers several body areas at once.
- The strength of the electric device is precise, repeatable settings and convenience: no pump and no tube, you can put it on with one hand, and it switches off by itself.
- To start, the same rule applies to both: lowest level, no more than 5 minutes on one spot, and the same area again only after 2–3 days of rest.
- Do not use cupping on damaged or inflamed skin, on areas with varicose veins, while taking blood thinners, during pregnancy or with an implanted electronic device without talking to your doctor.
Contents
- What is the difference between the two?
- Traditional cupping set: what can it do?
- Electric cupping device: what can it do?
- Cuppsett, CUPPER, Smart Cupper: what can the three cupping devices do?
- Which is the best cupping device? Which one suits whom
- Using an electric cupping device, and how the manual set differs
- Cupping device reviews: how are they rated?
- Is it worth having both?
- When should the cup stay in the box?
Short answer: if you want to work on many body areas at once, with several cups in one session, the traditional set is the better starting point. If you want to do cupping on your own, comfortably, with precisely adjustable strength, go electric. For professional work, the two together make the strongest pair.
For the longer answer, we look at what the two types of device can really do, what numbers they work with, and how using them differs. You can find the basics of cupping (static and moving technique, the round marks) in the cupping and fascia knife guide.
What is the difference between the two?
With a traditional cupping set, you create the vacuum with a hand pump, and the suction under the cup stays the same until you remove it. In an electric cupping device, a motor creates the vacuum: you set the strength in levels, the suction rhythmically increases and releases, and most devices also provide heat, some models red light and vibration as well. The working principle is the same, the difference is in the control and the convenience.
People search for them under many names: cupping set, cupping kit, vacuum cups, cupping machine, electric cupping, smart cupping device. Under the cup, the same thing happens with all of them: the reduced pressure lifts the skin and the soft tissue beneath it.
Traditional cupping set: what can it do?
A traditional vacuum cupping set (also searched for as a cupping kit) consists of cups, a hand pump and a connecting tube. The strength depends on the number of pumps, and you remove the cup by pulling up the valve on top. Its advantage is the many cup sizes: you can place several cups at once, on both large and small areas. It needs no power and no charging.
What is in the Cuppsett 19-piece cupping set:
- 13 cups with a 5 cm diameter for larger areas (back, thighs);
- 1 cup of 4.5 cm, 2 of 3.9 cm, 2 of 3.3 cm and 1 of 2.6 cm for smaller, more curved areas;
- 10 magnetic inserts, a hand pump and a 56 cm connecting tube;
- an aluminium carry case.
If a cup or the pump wears out, you can replace it separately: the cupping pump and the larger 8 cm MAX cup are also available.
Electric cupping device: what can it do?
An electric cupping device (many call it a cupping machine) is a standalone, battery-powered device that you place on the skin together with the cup. You set the vacuum in levels, the device rhythmically alternates the suction, provides heat and switches off by itself after the set time. There is no pump and no tube, so you can put it on with one hand, and the settings can be repeated from one session to the next.
CUPPER cupping device
- suction from 0 to 60 kPa in 12 levels, starts on level 3 by default;
- two modes: deep negative pressure and a calming mode;
- heat in 12 levels;
- LCD display and remote control;
- 20-minute timer, then it switches off automatically;
- built-in 1800 mAh battery, 3+1 interchangeable cups, including a curved head.
The CUPPER is also available in packs of 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8, so you can work on several spots at once.
Smart Cupper smart cupping device
- four suction modes, suction strength adjustable in 5 levels;
- heat in 5 levels, between approx. 38 and 48 °C;
- red light (630–670 nm) and vibration, which can be switched on and off separately;
- mobile app that lets you set the session time from 1 second to 12 minutes and control up to 6 devices at once;
- stops by itself after about 12 minutes of continuous operation;
- 200 g, 9.4 × 9.4 × 7.2 cm, with a safety cord.
Cuppsett, CUPPER, Smart Cupper: what can the three cupping devices do?
The Cuppsett is a hand-pump cupping set with 19 cups, no power needed. The CUPPER is an electric cupping device with 12 suction and 12 heat levels and a 20-minute timer. The Smart Cupper is a smart cupping device with 5 suction levels, four suction modes, red light, vibration and a mobile app. The table compares them point by point.
| Feature | Cuppsett (manual) | CUPPER (electric) | Smart Cupper (smart) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacuum | Hand pump, depends on the number of pumps | 12 levels, 0–60 kPa | 5 levels, 4 suction modes |
| Rhythm | Constant suction | Two modes | Four modes |
| Heat | None | 12 levels | 5 levels, approx. 38–48 °C |
| Extras | 10 magnetic inserts | Remote control, LCD display | Red light, vibration, mobile app |
| Cups | 19 cups, 2.6–5 cm | 3+1 interchangeable | Interchangeable cups |
| Timing | You keep track | 20 minutes, then it stops | Approx. 12 minutes, adjustable in the app |
| Best for | Many body areas at once, entry-level price | Personal use, convenience | Professionals, several devices at once |
Which is the best cupping device? Which one suits whom
There is no single best cupping device, the right choice depends on who uses it and how. The traditional set suits you if you want to place several cups in one session, need many sizes and do not mind the pump. The electric one suits you if you want to do cupping on yourself, on your own, with exactly the same setting every time. The smart cupping device is for professionals and anyone who wants to control several devices at once or also use red light.
- On yourself, alone: electric. The pump and tube are hard to handle with one hand, while you simply place the CUPPER or the Smart Cupper and start it.
- Cupping at home, as a couple or family, on many body areas: the Cuppsett. In one session you can place cups on both sides of the back, the thighs and the shoulder girdle.
- Massage therapist, physiotherapist, coach: both. The manual set for its many sizes, the Smart Cupper because six devices can be controlled at once from the app.
In our view, if you are just starting and want to use it on yourself, you are better off with an electric device: thanks to the levels, you know exactly where you started and how much you have increased. With a hand pump, this comes down to the number of pumps, which is hard to judge at first.
Using an electric cupping device, and how the manual set differs
The basic rules are the same: clean skin, a little oil, the lowest level, and no more than 5 minutes on one spot. The difference is in the settings and the removal. You release a manual cup by pulling up the valve, an electric one with the pressure release or pause button. Electric devices also stop themselves after the set time.
- Manual set: attach the cup to the end of the pump, place it on the skin and start with 2–3 pumps. Leave the cup on the skin for no more than 5 minutes, and to remove it, pull up the valve, do not yank it off.
- CUPPER: starts on level 3 when switched on. The first time, or on sensitive skin, go back to level 1. If the suction is too strong, release it immediately with the pressure release button.
- Smart Cupper: starts on suction level 1. Always attach the safety cord, and do not look directly into the red light.
For every cupping device: it does not work through clothing, because the cup has to seal on bare skin. Do not cup the same body area every day, give it 2–3 days of rest. According to the CUPPER user manual, wait 45 minutes after cupping before bathing. The round marks can be visible for days, so if you are going to the beach or the pool at the weekend, schedule cupping for the start of the week.
Cupping device reviews: how are they rated?
If you are looking for electric cupping device reviews, the ratings collected on our product pages are a good starting point. Based on the reviews (as of October 2026), the Smart Cupper has an average of 4.76 from 66 reviews, the CUPPER 4.72 from 57 reviews, and the manual Cuppsett 5.0 from 11 reviews, on a five-point scale.
You can read the current ratings and the reviewers' own words at the bottom of the product pages: Smart Cupper, CUPPER, Cuppsett.
Is it worth having both?
For regular use, yes, because they are not for the same thing. The manual set covers many body areas in one session, while the electric device is made for convenient, everyday work on your own. Many professionals use the two together: the manual cups on large areas, the electric device on targeted spots.
If you also want to learn the technique, the Electric Cupping Course is an online cupping course: in 5 Hungarian-language videos, it shows cupping for each muscle group, the techniques and the contraindications.
When should the cup stay in the box?
Do not use cupping on damaged, inflamed or infected skin, on areas with varicose veins, while taking blood thinners, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, with a fever or under the age of 18 without talking to your doctor. Do not use an electric cupping device with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device.
In these cases do not use it, or ask your doctor first:
- open wound, blister, rash, inflamed, infected or damaged skin, a recent surgical site;
- an area with varicose veins, a history of thrombosis or another circulatory condition;
- a blood clotting disorder or taking blood thinners;
- pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted electronic device (strictly prohibited with electric cupping devices);
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- fever or an infection;
- reduced sensation in the area;
- under the age of 18;
- any existing health condition or regular medication.
Do not use cupping on the face, the head, the front of the throat, near the heart or around the genitals. A cupping device is a recovery tool, not a medical device, and it is not intended for treating health conditions.
In summary
Traditional and electric cupping devices use the same principle, you just control them differently. The manual set wins on the number and size of its cups, the electric device on precise levels, heat and convenience. On your own, go electric, for many body areas at once, the manual set, and for professional work, both together.
If you are unsure whether you can use cupping with your health condition, ask your doctor, and start on the lowest level.
