Hoolest Mini support center

Welcome to your Hoolest Mini

Everything you need to get started: the quick start guide from your box, answers to the questions owners ask most, and a real person when you need one.

Not feeling it, or does it sting? See quick fixes

Have a VeRelief Prime? Go to the Prime video center

Hoolest Mini with two clear gel tips on top

Quick start guide

Set up your Mini in 6 steps

The same six steps as the printed guide in your box, plus a few extra tips from our support team.

Before your first session: read the safety information below (or the Warnings insert in your box). If your Mini doesn't turn on, or the battery light is red, charge it first.

Start in 60 seconds

With a fresh pair of gel tips in place:

  1. Hold (+) for about 1 secondUntil the lights come on.Read step 1
  2. Press the gel tips just under your earlobeWith medium to firm pressure.Read step 3
  3. Turn it up until you feel the buzzIt should never feel uncomfortable.Read step 4

What you should feel

  • NormalMost people feel a buzzing or tingling that runs up into the ear. It's a steady buzz, not a strong shock, so don't wait for a jolt.
  • Also normalFirst time? A tingly, pins-and-needles feeling is normal. If it's uncomfortable, turn the strength down.
  • Stings or feels sharp?It should feel strong but comfortable, never painful. Press (−) to lower the strength. Dry or worn tips can feel sharp, so try a fresh pair.

Top questions

How do I know it's working? What should I feel?

Most people feel a buzzing or tingling that runs up into the ear. You may feel it only in your earlobe or all the way to the top of your ear, and both are normal. It's a steady buzz, not a strong shock, so don't wait for a jolt. It's something you feel, not a sound you hear. The first time, it can feel like pins and needles, which is also normal.

The buzz tells you the gel tips are on the right spot. When you finish, sit for a minute with your eyes closed and notice how your mind and body feel, especially your head and neck.

Where exactly does it go?

Find the soft spot right under your earlobe, just behind your jawbone. Touch your earlobe, then move straight down and slightly back until you feel the hollow. Hold your Mini upright, in line with your neck, and press both gel tips in with medium to firm pressure.

If you're pressing too far behind your ear, you're not on the right spot. No buzz? Move slowly, a few millimeters at a time.

It stings or feels sharp. Is that normal?

No. It should feel strong but comfortable, never painful. Press (−) to lower the strength.

A sting or sharp feeling usually means the gel tips are dry, worn or not pushed all the way in, the strength is too high, or your Mini has slipped off the spot. Put in a fresh pair, press it in fully, adjust your position slightly, then go back up one step at a time. If it still feels sharp with fresh tips, stop and email support@hoolest.com.

  1. A hand holding a Hoolest Mini with its lights on and two gel tips in place

    Step 1

    Power on

    Press and hold the plus (+) button for about 1 second, until the lights come on. A quick tap won't turn it on.

    Your Mini always starts at strength 1, the gentlest setting.

    If you don't press a button within 2 minutes of turning it on, your Mini switches itself off. Press (+) or (−) once and that limit goes away. It also switches off after 15 minutes with no button presses. Tip: put your gel tips in first, so it doesn't switch off while you get ready.

  2. Fingers pressing a clear gel tip into a port on top of a Hoolest Mini

    Step 2

    Insert your gel tips

    Slide off the magnetic cap to reveal the two gel tip ports.

    • Place a fresh pair of gel tips into the ports, narrow side down.
    • Press until they fit snugly, all the way in. Tips that aren't fully seated can feel sharp, or like nothing at all.

    A pair lasts up to 2 weeks or about 20 uses. Replace it sooner if the tips get dirty or the session starts to feel sharp.

  3. Close-up of a Hoolest Mini held upright with its gel tips pressed to the soft spot under the earlobe

    Step 3

    Find the spot

    Feel for the soft spot right under your earlobe, just behind your jawbone. That's the target.

    • Hold your Mini upright, with the gel tips lined up along your neck.
    • Press both tips in with medium to firm pressure, so they make good contact with your skin.
    • You can start on either side of your neck.

    If you're pressing too far behind your ear, you're not on the right spot.

  4. A man pressing a Hoolest Mini to his neck just below the earlobe, with the lights on

    Step 4

    Find the buzz and set the strength

    Move your Mini slowly around the spot until you feel a buzzing or tingling that runs up into your ear. Depending on your neck and sensitivity, you may feel it only in your earlobe or all the way to the top of your ear.

    • Press (+) on the right to go up one step, or (−) on the left to go down one step. Strength runs from 1 to 10.
    • Once you feel the buzz, turn it up until it's as strong as you can comfortably tolerate. It should never feel uncomfortable. If it does, press (−).
    • The 5 lights show your strength. Each light turns soft, then bright, before the next one starts. All 5 bright means strength 10.

    First time? A tingly, pins-and-needles feeling is normal. If it's uncomfortable, turn the strength down.

  5. A man in a blazer with his eyes closed, holding a Hoolest Mini below his ear

    Step 5

    Hold it for your session

    Once you have a strong buzz, hold your Mini in place.

    • Full session: for the strongest, longest-lasting relaxation, the guide recommends 5 minutes on each side of your neck, 10 minutes in total.
    • Short on time: 1 to 5 minutes per side (2 to 10 minutes in total).

    You can change the strength at any time. Tip: press (+) or (−) at least once early in your session, or your Mini switches itself off after 2 minutes.

  6. A Hoolest Mini with its magnetic cap lifted above the gel tips

    Step 6

    Power off and replace the cap

    When you're done, take your Mini off your neck.

    • Press and hold the minus (−) button until all the lights are off, about 1 second. This works at any strength.
    • Put the magnetic cap back on. It protects the gel tips and keeps them from drying out.

    Then sit back with your eyes closed for 60 seconds and notice how your mind and body feel, especially your head and neck.

Good to know

Breathe with it

For deeper relaxation, pair your session with slow breathing. Long exhales help your body shift into a more restful state.

  • Set a strength that feels strong but comfortable.
  • Apply your Mini to one side of your neck and find the buzz in your ear.
  • Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, then out slowly through your mouth for 6 to 8 seconds. Keep this rhythm for the whole session.
  • Optional: after 5 minutes, do the other side the same way.

With this technique one side is often enough, but you can do both sides if you like.

Charging

Battery light

Above 25%Below 25%, recharge soon

While charging

Fills left to rightFull: all 5 stay on
  • Use only the USB-C cable that came with your Mini. Other cables, fast chargers or higher-voltage chargers may damage it or be unsafe.
  • A full charge takes about 1 hour. A full battery runs up to about 2.5 hours at full strength.
  • Plug it in while it's off and it starts charging on its own. The 5 lights fill from left to right, and all 5 stay on when it's full.
  • If your cable has a light of its own, ignore it. Go by the lights on your Mini.
  • Battery light: green means above 25%. Red means below 25%, so recharge soon.
  • Unplug it within an hour of a full charge, and fully charge it at least once every 6 months.
  • Charge indoors in a dry, well-ventilated spot, at 32 to 100°F. Not in a bathroom, and not within 10 feet of a bath, shower or pool.

Gel tip care
  • A pair lasts up to 2 weeks or about 20 uses, whichever comes first.
  • Replace it sooner if the tips look dirty, the session starts to feel sharp or stings, or the buzz fades.
  • Put the cap back on after every session. Open air dries gel tips out early.
  • Hoolest gel tips fit every Hoolest device: Hoolest Mini, VeRelief Prime and Hoolest Pro.

Shop gel tips

Cleaning

For the most hygienic experience, clean your Mini after each use.

  • Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth to remove moisture or debris.
  • Wipe it with 70% isopropyl alcohol.
  • Let it dry completely before you use it again.

Use a cotton swab to clean inside the gel tip ports if needed. Your Mini is not waterproof, so never rinse it or put it in water.

Troubleshooting

It won't turn on

  • Hold (+) for a full second. A quick tap won't turn it on.
  • Charge it with the cable from the box, then try again.

It turned itself off

  • That's normal. It switches off 2 minutes after you turn it on if you haven't pressed a button, and after 15 minutes with no button presses.
  • Hold (+) for 1 second to turn it back on, then press (+) or (−) once early in your session.

I don't feel anything

  • Press (+) to turn the strength up.
  • Move your Mini slowly along your neck to find the spot.
  • Make sure the gel tips are pressed all the way in, or try a fresh pair.

It feels uncomfortable or sharp

  • Press (−) to turn the strength down.
  • Adjust your position until it feels comfortable.
  • Dry or worn tips can feel sharp, so try a fresh pair.

Still stuck? Email support@hoolest.com.

Safety

Read this before your first session

This is a plain-language summary of the Warnings and Guidance insert in your box. Please read the full insert too. Hoolest Mini is intended for people in good health. It is not intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, or prevent diseases. Use it only as described in this guide, with Hoolest accessories and replacement parts. If you have any medical condition or concern, talk to your doctor before you use it.

Do not use Hoolest Mini if you
  • Have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted medical device
  • Have metal implants in your head or neck, or a metal stent, bone plate or bone screw at or near your neck
  • Have known or suspected heart disease, or are being treated for a heart-rhythm problem
  • Have carotid artery disease
  • Have a history of seizures or epilepsy
  • Are pregnant
  • Are under 18
  • Have had a recent stroke, or facial trauma in the last 3 months
  • Have had surgery to cut the vagus or great auricular nerve in your neck (cervical vagotomy)
  • Have abnormal cranial nerve or other neurological signs or symptoms that need prompt medical attention
  • Have extremely sensitive skin, or sensitive skin where the device goes, or a rash, open wound, blister, swelling or inflammation, bruise, tumor, eczema, psoriasis, lesion or active infection there
  • Have abnormal skin conditions caused by diabetes or another systemic or metabolic disease
  • Have any condition that electrical stimulation could make worse
  • Feel strongly uneasy about the idea of electrical stimulation of any kind, or are extremely reactive to external stimuli
  • Have a chronic nervous system condition or a diagnosed chronic neurological condition, such as long COVID, chronic fatigue, brain fog, vertigo, dysautonomia or POTS, or tinnitus, or any condition that makes your nervous system hypersensitive. Hoolest Mini is not intended for these conditions and may feel too intense. If you're managing stress related to a chronic illness, speak with your healthcare provider first.

Talk to your doctor first if you have

You may need to change how you use your Mini.

  • Controlled high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Diabetes
  • Osteopenia or osteoporosis
  • Varicose veins
  • Bony areas where the device goes
  • Numbness or other unusual sensations
  • Sensitivity to pressure
  • A recent injury or surgery
  • Scoliosis or another spinal deformity
  • Medicines that may change how things feel

Don't use it
  • While driving, operating machinery, or doing anything where you could get hurt
  • With wet skin, in the water, or just after a shower, bath or swim
  • On an open wound, rash, infection, swelling, cut, sore, drug patch or surgical scar where the device goes on your neck
  • At the same time as another device, such as a TENS unit or muscle stimulator, or a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone
  • Near microwave sources, or MRI, X-ray, CT or RF surgical machines. Hoolest Mini has not been evaluated for safety in an MRI environment, and an MRI exam with it may cause injury or a malfunction.
  • In an explosive atmosphere, or near flammable gases
  • Under a blanket or pillow, where it can overheat
  • If it has been dropped, damaged, left outdoors or dropped into water, or isn't working properly

Stop using it right away if you notice
  • Shortness of breath, hoarseness or a change in your voice
  • Muscle twitching, discomfort or pain
  • A change in taste
  • Skin irritation or inflammation
  • Tingling, pricking or pins and needles where the device was, that lasts after your session
  • Fainting, light-headedness or dizziness
  • Sweating
  • Fatigue or a low, depressed mood
  • Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
  • Headaches that get worse
  • Diarrhea
  • An abnormal heart rhythm
  • The device getting uncomfortably hot

If symptoms continue, seek medical care.

Charging, battery and device care
  • Charge only with the USB-C cable that came with your Mini, indoors, in a dry, well-ventilated place. Not outdoors, in a bathroom, or within 10 feet (3 m) of a bath, shower or pool.
  • Don't use or charge it on wet surfaces, don't let the charger get wet (rain, snow or moisture), and don't keep it where it could fall or be pulled into a tub or sink.
  • Charge only between 32 and 100°F (0 to 38°C), and don't leave it on the cable for more than 1 hour after it's full.
  • The USB-C plug fits only one way. Don't force it.
  • Fully charge your Mini at least once every 6 months. For long-term storage, store it fully charged.
  • Unplug the cable when you're not using it, and pull the plug, not the cable. Don't use a damaged cable, and don't handle it with wet hands.
  • Hoolest Mini is not waterproof. Don't put it in water or any liquid. After a spill, wipe it completely dry before you use it again. If it falls into water while plugged in, unplug the cable before you reach for it.
  • Store it somewhere cool and dry, never above 100°F, such as in direct sun or a hot car.
  • Don't crush, drop, puncture, open or try to repair it. Keep fingers clear of moving parts.
  • Keep it away from coins, keys and other metal objects in a pocket or bag, which could short-circuit it.
  • If it gets very hot, smells, or looks swollen or misshapen, stop using it and contact us.
  • If the battery leaks, keep the fluid off your skin, out of your eyes and out of your mouth. Use rubber or neoprene gloves to dispose of it. On skin, wash with soap and water, then rinse with vinegar. In eyes, flush with water for 20 minutes and get medical help. Take off and throw away any clothing the fluid touched.
  • It contains a lithium-ion battery. Recycle it according to your local rules, and never burn it.
  • If it ever catches fire, don't use water. Use a CO2, dry-chemical or foam extinguisher.

Hoolest Mini is not a toy. Keep the device and its charging cable away from young children, and don't let children play with them. It isn't meant for people with reduced physical, sensory or reasoning abilities unless a responsible adult supervises or instructs them. If your device seems to malfunction, keep up your usual care and get medical help if you need it, then contact us. Our support team can help with your device, but can't give medical advice.

Technical specifications and warranty
  • Waveform Biphasic pulse train
  • Frequency 100 Hz
  • Pulse width 500 µs
  • Typical maximum output 4 mA rms and 2 V, at 500 Ω
  • Modes 1
  • Dimensions 59 x 45 x 23 mm
  • Weight 1.4 oz (40 g)
  • Battery Li-ion, 200 mAh, 3.7 V
  • Charge time About 1 hour
  • Runtime Up to about 2.5 hours at full intensity
  • Operating temperature 41 to 104°F (5 to 40°C)
  • Humidity 15 to 90%, non-condensing
  • Air pressure 50 to 106 kPa
  • Gel tip temperature Stays below 104°F when the room is 95°F

Warranty

Your Hoolest Mini device has a 1-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Accessories such as cables, gel tips and power adapters are not covered.

See our Warranty page for full terms. To start a claim, go to hoolest.com/pages/returns or email support@hoolest.com.

FAQs

Answers to common questions

The questions owners ask us most, answered for Hoolest Mini. Tap a question to open it.

Top questions are at the top

Using your Mini

How long should a session be, and how often can I use it?

Full session: for the strongest, longest-lasting relaxation, the quick start guide recommends 5 minutes on each side of your neck (10 minutes in total).

Quick relief: use it any time you feel stressed or overwhelmed, for 1 to 5 minutes per side (2 to 10 minutes in total).

Daily routine: try it twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed, for 2 to 3 weeks. After that, once a day or a few times a week is fine.

Tip: if you turn it on and don't press a button, it switches itself off after 2 minutes. Press (+) at least once early in your session.

Do I need to do both sides? Why does one side feel different?

You can start on either side. A full session does both sides, but one side on its own is fine too, especially with slow breathing.

Necks aren't the same on both sides, so you may need a slightly different spot, pressure or strength on each one. Find the buzz on each side separately instead of expecting the second side to match the first.

I don't feel anything. What should I check?

Check these in order:

  • The spot: move slowly, a few millimeters at a time, and press a little firmer.
  • Gel tips: make sure they're fresh and pressed all the way into the ports.
  • Strength: your Mini always starts at 1, the gentlest setting. Press (+) one step at a time until you feel it.
  • Battery: if the battery light is red, charge it.

Still nothing? Email support@hoolest.com and we'll help you sort it out.

I felt the buzz, but I don't feel any different afterward. What now?

That's common in the first few sessions. Check three things:

  • Strength: once you feel the buzz, turn it up until it's as strong as you can comfortably tolerate, and keep it there.
  • Time: try a full session, 5 minutes on each side of your neck.
  • Routine: try it twice a day, morning and before bed, for 2 to 3 weeks, and pair it with slow breathing (in for 4 seconds, out for 6 to 8).

Still not sure it's working for you? Email support@hoolest.com before you send it back. We'll go through the spot, gel tips and strength with you.

How do I turn it off?

Press and hold (−) until all the lights are off, about 1 second. This works at any strength. Then put the magnetic cap back on to protect the gel tips.

Your Mini also turns itself off 2 minutes after you turn it on if no button is pressed, and after 15 minutes with no button presses.

Gel tips

When should I replace my gel tips?

A pair lasts up to 2 weeks or about 20 uses, whichever comes first. Replace it sooner if the tips look dirty, the session starts to feel sharp, or the buzz fades.

You don't need a new pair every session. If your Mini worked well and then the buzz faded, try a fresh pair first: worn tips can feel just like a dead battery.

How do I put in new gel tips?

Slide off the magnetic cap and pull out the old pair. Place a fresh pair into the ports narrow side down, and press until they fit snugly, all the way in. Tips that aren't fully seated can feel sharp, or like nothing at all.

How do I keep my gel tips from drying out?

Put the cap back on after every session. Open air dries a pair out early. Keep your Mini capped somewhere cool and dry, not in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill.

Lost your cap? Get a replacement cap and choose the Hoolest Mini option.

Which gel tips fit my Mini, and where do I get more?

Hoolest gel tips fit every Hoolest device: Hoolest Mini, VeRelief Prime and Hoolest Pro. When you need more, shop gel tips. They're sold by the pair, for example 6 pairs (12 gel tips).

Charging & battery

How do I charge it?

Use only the USB-C cable that came with your Mini. Other cables, fast chargers or higher-voltage wall blocks may damage it or be unsafe. A full charge takes about 1 hour.

Plug it in while your Mini is off and it starts charging by itself. If it's on when you plug it in, it stays on: hold (−) to turn it off and it starts charging. Unplug it within an hour of a full charge.

What do the lights mean?

While it's on: the row of 5 lights shows the strength, from 1 to 10. Each light turns soft, then bright, before the next one starts. Strength 1 is the first light soft, and strength 10 is all 5 bright.

Battery light: green means the battery is above 25%. Red means it's below 25%, so recharge soon.

While it's charging: the 5 lights fill from left to right, and all 5 stay on when it's full. If your charging cable has a light of its own, ignore it and go by the lights on your Mini.

How long does a charge last?

A full battery runs up to about 2.5 hours at full intensity, and a full charge takes about 1 hour. To look after the battery, fully charge your Mini at least once every 6 months, and store it fully charged if you won't use it for a while.

My Mini won't turn on, or it doesn't hold a charge.

If it switched off by itself, that's normal: it turns off 2 minutes after you turn it on if no button is pressed, or after 15 minutes with no button presses. Hold (+) for a full second to turn it back on, because a quick tap won't do it. If nothing lights up, charge it with the cable from the box for about an hour and try again.

Still no lights, or does it seem to lose its charge between uses? Make sure it's fully off after each session (all lights dark), then email support@hoolest.com or start a claim at hoolest.com/pages/returns and choose My device isn't working.

Safety

Who should not use Hoolest Mini?

Don't use Hoolest Mini if you have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted medical device, metal implants in your head or neck, or a metal stent, plate or screw at or near your neck. Don't use it if you have heart disease or a heart-rhythm problem, carotid artery disease, a history of seizures or epilepsy, a recent stroke, or a chronic nervous system or neurological condition, or if you are pregnant or under 18. Skin problems where the device goes rule it out too.

See the full list in our safety information. If you're not sure, ask your doctor first.

When should I stop a session?

Stop right away if it feels painful or uncomfortable. Also stop if you notice shortness of breath, hoarseness or a change in your voice, muscle twitching, a change in taste, skin irritation, dizziness, light-headedness or fainting, sweating, ringing in your ears, a headache that gets worse, an abnormal heart rhythm, or pins and needles that lasts after your session.

If symptoms continue, seek medical care. The full list is in our safety information.

Is Hoolest Mini waterproof?

No. Don't put it in water or any liquid, and don't use it with wet skin, in the water, or right after a shower, bath or swim. After a spill, wipe it completely dry before you use it again. If it has been dropped into water, don't use it: email support@hoolest.com.

How do I clean my Mini?

For the most hygienic experience, clean your Mini after each use. Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth, then with 70% isopropyl alcohol, and let it dry completely before you use it again. Use a cotton swab to clean inside the gel tip ports if needed. The alcohol wipe is for the device, not the gel tips.

Orders, returns & warranty

What if Hoolest Mini isn't right for me?

You have a 30-day money-back guarantee, counted from the day your order is delivered. Email us before you send it back: we'll check the spot, gel tips and strength with you, in case it's an easy fix.

To start a return, go to hoolest.com/pages/returns or email support@hoolest.com with your order number. Full terms are on our Shipping & Returns page.

What does the warranty cover?

Your Hoolest Mini device has a 1-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Accessories such as gel tips, cables and power adapters aren't covered.

If your Mini stops working, start a claim at hoolest.com/pages/returns and choose My device isn't working, or email support@hoolest.com with your order number and what's happening. Full terms are on our Warranty page.

How do I reach a real person, or change my order or subscription?

Email support@hoolest.com and a real person will reply. Support hours are 9AM to 5PM MST, Monday to Friday. We reply to active customers within 24 hours during business hours, and to all other questions within 1 to 2 business days, not counting weekends or holidays.

To change an order or a gel tip subscription, email us and we'll take care of it.

Gel tips and accessories

Keep a fresh pair ready

Hoolest gel tips fit every Hoolest device, and a pair lasts up to 2 weeks (about 20 uses).

A pair of clear Hoolest gel tips

Gel tips

Fit every Hoolest device: Hoolest Mini, VeRelief Prime and Hoolest Pro. A pair lasts up to 2 weeks. Order by the pair, for example 6 pairs (12 gel tips).

Shop gel tips
A Hoolest Mini with its magnetic cap beside it

Replacement cap

The magnetic cap protects your gel tips between sessions. Choose the Hoolest Mini option.

Shop the cap
A capped Hoolest Mini slipping into a jeans pocket

All accessories

Gel tips, caps and more for your Hoolest devices, all in one place.

Shop accessories

Video guides

Videos are coming soon

We're making short how-to videos for Hoolest Mini. Until they're ready, the written guide above covers every step.

Support

Talk to a real person

Questions about your Mini, an order or a gel tip subscription? Email us and a real person will reply.

Support hours
9AM to 5PM MST, Monday to Friday
Response times

Active customers: within 24 hours during business hours. All other questions: within 1 to 2 business days. Weekends and holidays are not included.

Thinking of sending it back? Email us first. We'll check the spot, gel tips and strength with you, in case it's an easy fix. To change an order or a gel tip subscription, email us too.

Send us a message

Tell us what's going on and we'll reply by email.

Have a VeRelief Prime? Go to the Prime video center