Epilators are the holy grail of hair removal: unlike shaving, you don’t have to do it every few days and, unlike waxing, you don’t have to wait for the hair to grow back to the perfect length before your next session. Combining the best – and eliminating the worst – of both methods, many women turn to epilators in search of a better option. Suffice to say, very few of them go back to wax and razors.
The only downside? It will probably be a little uncomfortable at first – for both your body and your bank balance. A good epilator can cost upwards of £50, and some of the top-flight models stretch well into three figures. That might seem like a lot to spend upfront, but it’s a small investment given the time and money you’ll save down the line. If you’re used to waxing, you’ll easily recoup the costs within a year, and may work out cheaper than the cost of a quality razor and several years’ worth of refill blades.
If you need some advice on choosing the right epilator for you, then have a read through our buying guide below. If you’re ready and raring to take the plunge, then scroll down and you’ll find our pick of the best epilators at the bottom of the page.
How to buy the best epilator for you
If you're new to the world of epilators, here's everything you need to know.
How does an epilator work?
An epilator works by plucking hairs from the follicle using a rotating heads of tweezers. That sounds pretty painful, but there are now plenty of epilators designed to be as pain-free as possible. Because hair is plucked from the root, it usually takes around 3-4 weeks to grow back, meaning epilation is one of the most convenient hair-removal methods around. Epilation won’t lead to permanent hair removal, but the hairs could take longer to grow back and will be noticeably finer and sparser when they do.
Will using an epilator hurt?
Like any hair-removal method that removes the hair at follicle level, there may be a level of discomfort, but this will vary from person to person and from epilator to epilator. The best epilators will minimise the pain and some may not even cause any discomfort at all, so it’s worth spending a little extra if you’re especially sensitive to pain.
Which is better: a corded or cordless epilator?
You have two options when it comes to choosing an epilator: a mains-powered tool or a battery-operated model. As you’d expect, battery-operated epilators will need their batteries replaced after a certain amount of use, and the lower price reflects this slight inconvenience. They also tend to be less powerful than their mains-powered counterparts, but have the added advantage of being much more portable so you can use them almost anywhere.
What’s the difference between ‘wet and dry’ and ‘dry’ epilators?
Most epilators work best on dry skin, but wet and dry models provide the option to use in the shower or bath, where the heat can open your pores and make the process a little less painful. Unless you have a particularly low pain threshold, though, a dry epilator is all you really need. Plus, although it may be easier and less irritating to the skin to epilate in the shower, doing will make the process slower and less effective.
What other features should I look for?
You can pick up a basic epilator for less than £40, but spending a little more can get you some handy attachments and extras. The most common – and possibly the most useful – is an in-built light that will help you see the area of skin you’re working on without needing to twist your body towards a window or other natural light. If you choose a corded epilator that can’t be used in water, a removeable head is another useful feature to look out for as it will make it much easier to keep your epilator clean.
The best epilators to buy from £30
1. Braun Silk-Epil 9 SkinSpa 9-961v 5-in-1 Epilator: The best epilator you can buy – if you can afford it
Price when reviewed: £130
The Silk-Epil 9 by Braun is the priciest epilator to make the list and, at just less than £130, you’d (rightly) expect a lot for your money. You won’t regret splashing out, though: the Silk-Epil 9 is a 5-in-1 tool that exfoliates and massages as well as epilating. It also comes with a shaver head that turns the device into a fully functioning electric shaver, so you’ll only ever need one tool to cover all your hair-removal needs.
Although the 12 attachments and accessories that come with it may be verging on overkill, the Silk-Epil 9 has a number of winning in-built features that set it apart from other epilators on the market. The pivoting head is by far the most useful, and is so effective at catching hairs on difficult areas such as knees that you’ll probably find it hard to live without it once you’ve used it. The Smartlight also makes it possible to epilate in badly lit rooms with little light, so you can see what you’re doing wherever you are.
Key specs – Number of tweezers: 40; Corded or cordless: Cordless; Wet or dry: Dry; Speed options: 2
2. Remington EP7010 Dry Epilator: The best budget epilator
Price when reviewed: £30
The Remington EP7010 makes our list because it’s great value. You don’t get any extra attachments or features, but it’s tough to find better for the money. For less than £30, you’ll get two speed options and an angled cap to help with any hard-to-reach areas. The EP7010 also comes with a total of 40 tweezers, which is twice as many as you’ll get with most other models in this price range.
The removeable head makes cleaning super easy, but the placement of the protective shield can slow down hair removal in some areas. That said, the EP7010 is a lightweight model which, combined with Remington’s non-slip handle, means you won’t mind holding it for longer periods of time.
Key specs – Number of tweezers: 40; Corded or cordless: Corded; Wet or dry: Dry; Speed options: 2
3. Philips Satinelle BRE650/00 Prestige Wet and Dry epilator: The best epilator for minimal discomfort
Price when reviewed: £110
The Philips Satinelle is one of the most comfortable epilators to use – for both the skin being treated and the hand holding it. Its innovative ergonomic S-shaped handle sits snugly in your palm, and the wide head helps you cover as much skin as possible.
It’s one of the less painful epilators to use, too: its patented ceramic disks are gentle on the skin and the SmartLight makes it easy to see even the finest hairs, so you won’t discover missed hairs later in the day.
The cordless design provides a runtime of around 40 minutes, which should be enough to cover everything you need to. And if it’s not, it charges fully in just 1hr 30mins, and you can get a quick boost of hair-pulling power from its 15-minute Quick Charge function if you’re in a hurry.
The Satinelle also comes with eight accessories and attachments, including a body massager, exfoliator and a skin-stretcher cap to prep skin for epilation, which is a bonus.
Key specs – Number of tweezers: 32; Corded or cordless: Cordless; Wet or dry: Wet and dry; Speed options: 2
4. Braun Silk-Epil 5 Power 5780 Epilator: The best corded epilator
Price when reviewed: £72
The Braun Silk-Epil 5 is proof that dry epilation doesn’t have to be painful. The built-in high-frequency massage system stimulates the skin to minimise discomfort, making the Silk-Epil 5 much less painful than many wet and dry models. The pivoting head also makes it easy to catch hairs in difficult-to-reach places, so you won’t have to irritate the skin by going over areas again and again.
The Silk-Epil 5 comes with seven attachments, including a facial cap that turns it into a facial epilator with one click – if you can bear the discomfort. The aptly named efficiency cap also makes it easier to catch shorter hairs, which the Silk-Epil 5 can otherwise struggle to remove. All in all, the Silk-Epil 5 is a great epilator that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Key specs – Number of tweezers: 40; Corded or cordless: Corded; Wet or dry: Wet and dry; Speed options: 2
5. Panasonic ES-ED96 Wet & Dry Epilator: Best all-in-one skincare tool
Price when reviewed: £80
The Panasonic is the Swiss Army knife of hair-removal products. For starters, it doubles as a sonic cleansing brush – a product that can retail for upwards of £50 by itself – thanks to the 37,000-bristle facial-brush attachment. And if that weren’t enough, it also transforms into a foot exfoliator, bikini comb and electric shaver.
This versatility doesn’t come at the expense of efficacy, but – although none of the attachments can claim to be the best of breed – the epilating function alone is enough to justify the cost. The ES-ED96 comes with more tweezers than epilators (48 in total) and effectively removes most hair on the first attempt. Admittedly, the LED light isn’t as bright as that of similarly priced models here, but the wide, pivoting head makes it fairly easy to catch every hair without too much effort.
Key specs – Number of tweezers: 48; Corded or cordless: Cordless; Wet or dry: Wet and dry; Speed options: 2