Best Epilators

Epilators: some love them, some hate them

The first epilator, the Epilady hair remover, was invented in 1985 by two Israeli engineers. Instead of using blades to cut the hair off, epilators pull hair out of the skin. According to Australia's Choice magazine, a survey finds 40 percent of epilator users think they are "very" or "moderately" painful to use, and 43 percent experience irritation such as itching or redness. Still, epilators are popular among women who have previously waxed their legs, as they are seen as a less messy, more affordable long-lasting option – especially for women who visit salons for hair removal. They also save money because they don't require shaving cream or replacement blades. Lastly, epilators can leave legs smooth for up to three weeks as opposed to just a few days with shavers and razors.

Price doesn't guarantee performance with epilators, according to the reviews we read. In online reviews, many seasoned users offer encouraging "hang in there" testimonials to women new to this type of hair removal. The user reviews also provide helpful tips, recommending patience -- the pain lessens after a few uses -- and exfoliation after use to avoid in-grown hairs. Epilator users say hair re-growth lessens over time with continual use. Several users recommend taking an over-the-counter pain medication at least the first few times you use an epilator. A common theme among the negative user reviews of epilators in general is that women with sensitive skin might not have success with this method of hair removal.

The Braun Silk-epil Xelle 5270 (*Est. $75) is a strong choice that offers several useful features, including a light to guide shaving and massaging- and shaving-head attachments. Braun says it will keep you hair-free for up to a month. The company's claim seems to be borne out by reviews of this product. A tester for Choice raves that it "was by far the best epilator," noting it was the most expensive of five epilators tested. The Silk-epil receives the most positive reviews of all epilators on Amazon.com -- well more than 400 to date -- and manages to keep a 4.5-star average rating (out of five stars). Some say it's noisy, just about all say it's painful to some degree, but the consensus among users is very good. Overall, this epilator seems to be the best performer but is more painful than others.

A potentially less painful option is the Panasonic ES2067 Wet/Dry Epilator (*Est. $130). This epilator with three spinning heads is well-liked by the tester at Which? magazine and most users on Amazon.com and Drugstore.com who had tried other epilators say this model is less painful. It can be used wet or dry, which helps with the pain factor, but several testers say it is quite slow in doing the job, despite the company's claims to the contrary.

If you don't want to spend as much, Braun's Silk-epil Soft Perfection SE3170 (*Est. $50), while not one of the top picks in Choice's epilator test, is highly praised by users and is essentially the same as the 5270 without the included light and shaving attachment.

Perhaps one of the best-known names in epilators, Epilady, receives lower marks in tests. Interestingly, we read reviews from many staunch fans of the Braun Silk-epil who say they are former Epilady users.