6 epilators (for smooth and silky skin) that'll replace your razor

For most of us, our hair removal rituals have remained the same since we were teenagers. 

But if you're over the haphazard nature of shaving or paying for regular waxing appointments, perhaps it's time to try something new. 

Introducing: the humble epilator. 

The first modern, hand held epilator designed for at-home use was invented in the '80s and it used tightly-coiled springs to pluck multiple hairs from the body at once. 

These days epilators are more efficient and less painful than their predecessors, they're also equipped with interchangeable heads that allow them to be used on multiple areas of the body. 

Although contemporary designs have abandoned the coiled springs of the '80s for more advanced tweezer mechanisms, the idea behind the mechanical 'plucking' technology has stayed the same.

Epilators, like waxing, can help to thin out body hair when used repeatedly over time and unlike shaving, they don't make hair grow back thicker and darker. Epilators can help to extend the time in between hair removal sessions by up to four weeks, because it takes hair longer to grow when the root of the hair follicle is removed. Plus, they can be used to remove shorter hairs, which one might typically struggle to remove with wax.

Most epilators are designed to be used on leg hair too, so if you want to remove thicker hair on your bikini line or finer hair on your face, we'd encourage you to find an epilator with multiple attachments. There are also specialty epilators for the bikini area and face if you're open to buying multiple tools. 

They're not perfect though. They can be painful to use the first few times, and if you use the device too quickly or against the growth of hair, you can run the risk of breaking the hair and developing ingrown hairs or an infection. 

Want to know which epilator's right for you? Keep scrolling for our top picks in the category...

2024's top 3 epilators

Braun Silk-épil 9 Epilator, $269, Shaver Shop
Panasonic Double Disc Premium Wet & Dry Epilator, $229, Shaver Shop
Philips Satinelle Advanced Epilator, $199, Shaver Shop

Braun Silk-épil 9 Epilator
from $269 at Shaver Shop

This epilator from Braun is completely waterproof so the tool can be used in the shower or bathtub because epilating in water is meant to be less painful than using an epilator on dry skin. It's also equipped with a massage cap that further helps to reduce pain during hair removal. The tool has a wide head and 40 tweezer heads to help speed up the process too. There's also a shaver and trimmer attachment that can be used on sensitive areas of the body as needed. SensoSmart™ technology ensures you use the right amount of pressure while epilating and there's a smart light on the handle to help you spot super fine hairs too. 

Key features:

Completely waterproof
Wide head and 40 tweezer heads for efficiency 
Massage cap to minimise pain
Shaver and trimmer attachment
SensoSmart™ technology 
Smart light

Available at:

• $269 from Shaver Shop
  
• $249 from Bing Lee
• $199 from JB Hi-Fi

Panasonic Double Disc Premium Wet & Dry Epilator
from $229 at Shaver Shop

Panasonic's double disc epilator technology ensures that no hair gets missed because the second disc catches any hair longer than 0.5mm missed by the first disc. The tool has 60 tweezers, which have long and wide openings to ensure they can grip and remove more hair. It has three speed settings (Soft, Normal or Power), which allow you to customise your hair removal treatment to the type of hair you are dealing with. It can be used wet or dry. Plus, it comes with a gentle cap, a small epilation head, a foot care head, a deep scrub brush, a pouch and a brush.

Key features:

Double disc technology catches any hair longer than 0.5mm
60 tweezer epilator head
3 speed settings
Can be used wet or dry
Comes with several attachments including a small epilation head, a foot care head and a deep scrub brush

Available at:

• $229 from Shaver Shop
  
• $199 from Bing Lee
• $199 from Harvey Norman

Philips Satinelle Advanced Epilator
from $199 at Shaver Shop

Like tools that can do it all? Meet the Philips Satinelle Advanced Epilator. The waterproof tool boasts 70,000 hair-catching actions per minute, while still being gentle on skin thanks to an extra wide head and a light-fitted handle. It also comes with a shaving head, trimming comb, trimming head, bikini comb, body exfoliation brush, pedicure foot file, a delicate area cap, an optimal contact cap and a storage pouch. 

Key features:

Waterproof
70,00 hair catching actions per minute and extra wide head for efficiency
Light-fitted handle for hard-to-see hairs
Gentle on skin
Comes with 4 additional hair removal attachments, two caps, an exfoliating brush, foot file, and storage pouch

Available at:

• $199 from Shaver Shop
• $169 from Bing Lee
• $249 from MYER

Epilady Speed Corded Epilator
from $106.34 at Amazon Australia

The inventors of the first-ever epilator, Epilady has reimagined their history-making tool for the modern person. The tool has a cord for maximum power and speed, and has two operational speed settings and can complete 31,000 tweezes a minute. Plus, the angle guide cap ensures the tool is always positioned correctly for maximum hair removal and minimal discomfort. 

Key features:

Cord for maximum power and speed
2 speed settings
31,000 tweezes a minute 
Angle guide cap

Available at:

• $106.34 from Amazon Australia
• usually $222 now $133.20 from Ninth Avenue

VINSENA Epilator
from $75.71 at Amazon Australia

The Vinsena epilator is portable and USB rechargeable and it can remove hair for up to 120 minutes after two and a half hours of charging. It's equipped with two heads, one is an epilator head with 18 rotating tweezers and the other is a shaver and trimmer  with stainless steel blades and a painless floating foil head. The multi-purpose tool has two speed settings and an LED light to optimise hair removal too. 

Key features:

Portable
USB rechargeable
2 interchangeable heads (epilator head and shaver/trimmer)
2 speed settings
LED light

Available at:

• $75.71 at Amazon Australia

VOGOE HR310 Epilator
from $72.28 at Amazon Australia

This hair removal device has four functions. It has an epilator attachment with 21 hypoallergenic tweezers with 33,000 hair-catching actions per minute. A foil shaver head for stray hairs or trimming longer hairs. A massage head roller and a callous remover for pedicures. The tool has two speed settings, plus, it's cordless and USB rechargeable.

Key features:

Epilator attachment (21 tweezers/ 33,000 hair-catching actions per minute)
Foil shaver head attachment
Massage head roller attachment
Callous remover attachment
2 speed settings
Cordless and USB rechargeable

Available at:

• $72.28 from Amazon Australia

Need help perfecting your at-home hair removal routine? Read on for BEAUTYcrew's solutions to common hair removal problems.

Main image credit: @hoskelsa