We Tested 14 Epilators for 6 Weeks—These 5 Deliver Super Smooth Skin (And Won’t Cost You as Much as Laser Treatments)

Best Epilator Overall

Philips Epilator Series 2000

$40 at Amazon $59 at Best Buy

Target Areas: Arms, legs, underarms, back, bikini | Speed Settings: 1 | Number of Tweezers: N/A | Type: Cord 

We suggest epilator newbies start with an affordable option to see how they get on with this type of hair removal before potentially investing in a more pricey tool. This one is budget-friendly and effective. One feature that stood out the most was the massage cap, which is designed to ease users into the epilation sensation. It’s also palm-sized and has a nonslip grip, which makes it great for beginners. Admittedly, the first session felt like hundreds of strong zaps and shocks against the skin, which was quite uncomfortable; however, we’re happy to report that it became less painful with each subsequent session.

It effectively removed the hair, yielding smooth skin and a hairless result that lasted over two weeks. It created some redness and itching on the legs, where the hair was particularly thin. However, it worked beautifully in this area, which is why it’s one of the epilators for legs. There is only one speed available, so it may take some time to complete the entire body.

Melody, tester (not shown): “There was a massaging cap attachment I used, which minimized the pulling sensation of epilation during use. Although the epilating process was still painful, the device never snagged or pulled the hairs in a way that was unpredictable or uncomfortable. It worked as expected.”

Best Face Epilator

Braun Face Epilator Facespa Pro 911

$140 at Amazon

Target Areas: Face | Speed Settings: 2 | Number of Tweezers: Not listed | Type: Cordless rechargeable

If you’re looking to take a break from shaving, dermaplaning, and waxing your face, this is the best facial epilator to consider. The compact design is great for targeting small areas, such as between your eyebrows and above your upper lip. We also love that it has a cleansing brush head and a micro-vibrator head to help massage in serums and toners. It’s lightweight and easy to maneuver, and we were pleased with how well it removed hair. Though it wasn’t nearly as painful as other options on our list, this face epilator did create some redness and bumps, which is something to keep in mind if you have sensitive skin. The results weren’t much longer-lasting than waxing, but we appreciate that this tool can remove hair shorter than the hair you can target with waxing. Bonus points for coming with a cleansing brush that gently exfoliates the skin before epilating.

Wendy, tester (not shown): “It’s small and fits perfectly in my hand. I also have arthritis in my hands, and it wasn’t too heavy, nor did it hurt my hands to hold up while using it. It’s very easy to use around my brow area. It’s small enough for spot removal, so I just glided it to the places where I wanted to remove excess hair.”

Best Multipurpose Epilator

PURSONIC 6-in-1 Smooth Glide

$40

$30 at Amazon

Target Areas: Arms, legs, underarms, back, bikini, face | Speed Settings: 2 | Number of Tweezers: 36 | Type: Battery  

This hair removal tool blew us away with how many things you can do with it. It comes equipped with six interchangeable attachments, including an epilating head, shaver head, massage roller, exfoliating brush, and callus remover, allowing you to tailor your grooming routine to various areas of the body. Our tester was also impressed with the built-in LED light, which made it much easier to see the fine hairs on her legs and arms. It’s also waterproof, allowing you to use it on both dry and wet skin. It also doesn’t require a cord, so you can travel with it and reach hard-to-reach areas (like your back) more easily. 

Shauna Beni-Haynes, former senior editor (not shown): “Compared to my usual sugaring method, this product works great and fast. There’s also no downtime and it requires no cleanup. I like how fast it works. If you can stand the pain, you can finish your arms in minutes.”

Best Epilator for Beginners

Emjoi eRase e6

$30 at Amazon

Target Areas: Face, bikini | Speed Settings: N/A | Number of Tweezers: Six | Type: Battery-operated

If you’re new to epilating and unsure where to start, we recommend this tool from Emjoi. It has six tweezers to deftly remove hair on the face, legs, and bikini line, and it doesn’t have any complicated settings that could cause confusion. All you have to do is switch it on, and you’re all ready to go. Our tester didn’t find the pain to be substantial, and the small tool was lightweight and easy to use. It didn’t lead to any ingrown hairs either, so it’s a great pick for trimming the bikini line. While it was slightly irritating on the legs, our tester noticed that her hair grew back much slower than usual with continued use.

Wendy, tester (not shown): “I noticed a reduction in the hair growth in my legs after the first use. It’s a simple device that’s easy to clean.”

Best Splurge-Worthy Epilator

Braun Silk·épil 9 Epilator Beauty Set with FaceSpa

$206 at Amazon $240 at Target

$280

$230 at Braun.com

Target Areas: Face, underarms, bikini | Speed Settings: 2 | Number of Tweezers: 40 | Type: Battery-operated

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on an epilator, but this tool comes with multiple attachments—like a shaver head and massage pad—which add to its value. Aside from the additional attachments, the main head is flexible, making it effortless to maneuver across the skin and use on curved parts of the body. The epilator’s cutting-edge SensoSmart technology, which allows you to use it in the shower or the bath, applies just the right amount of pressure and is a real game-changer.

Like most epilators, we found it to be pretty painful—think burning and tingling—though these sensations subsided quickly after use. It created redness and bumps, which is also not uncommon for epilators, but it effectively removed the hair. Once the bumps subsided, the results were soft and smooth. It also has two speed settings, so you can use the more intense one on less sensitive parts of the body and the more gentle one on more sensitive areas.

Sophie, tester (not shown): “The epilator is pretty easy to use; there are a ton of different heads and attachments that were a little challenging to figure out what to do with, even when referring back to the directions. Ultimately, I tried a couple of different heads and ended up sticking with the largest/most classic one.”