So the other day, one my favorite blog followed emailed me and wanted to know if there is a quiet epilator machine. Well, she told me that she had ordered one online after the manufacturer convinced her that it was the only quietest epilator she would get on the market. Surprisingly, the gadget sounded like a demonic vibrator– she said.
Well, upon further inquiries from my colleagues at work, I got all sorts of complaints. Here are some responses I sampled from five individuals I interviewed randomly at work.
“My epilator sounds like a chainsaw.”
“It sounds like a lawnmower.”
“Makes noise like a torture device.”
“Sounds like a space ship launch.”
“It’s like the electric razor my husband uses.”
What is an epilator machine?
What Is a Quiet Epilator Machine
An epilator is a gadget used for hair removal. The device works by grasping hairs at one and pulling them out. It works similar to waxing, however unlike waxing; an epilator doesn’t remove cells from the skin.
They come in corded, battery operated and rechargeable designs. The battery-operated epilators can be used wet or dry. In addition, these devices come with different attachments to help remove hairs from hard to reach areas of the body (Source).
Epilation can be quite painful, similar to waxing because it involves hair removal out of the roots. Because of the pain experienced during the first epilation, most people prefer to wax first and then epilate to remove regrowth.
Some people resort to using numbing creams (here’s one my wife uses) before epilating to reduce pain significantly. However, wet and dry epilators are less painful compared to dry epilators- this is because removing hair from wet skin is less painful.
What is the quietest epilator machine on the market?
So you’ve just received your brand new epilator you ordered online after reading epilator reviews. You remove everything from the box, and your epilator looks good except the head scarier.
You read the instructions and are convinced that it won’t be bad. Then you plug in the epilator to charge. Then you gather some courage after moments of hesitation, slide the switch on.
But suddenly, the entire mood in the room changes- the once quiet room transforms into a “garage” every sound in the background stops and all you can hear is that freaky noisy epilator. Once scared of the pain, the loudness scares you more, leaves you sweaty and shaking.
Even though I’m a man, there’s one fact I genuinely know about women- women are discreet. If you live with your roommate, you’ll want the quietest epilator so that your roommate won’t ever know you’re using one.
Noise levels comparison chart
| Name | Noise Levels | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braun Face 820 (Quiet Facial Epilator) | 55 decibels | $$ | Check on Amazon |
| Panasonic ES-ED90-P | 67 decibels | $$ | Check on Amazon |
| Braun SE7681 (best quiet epilator for bikini) | 70 decibels | $$ | Check on Amazon |
| Panasonic ES-WD51-P | 67 decibels | $$$ | Check on Amazon |
Best quiet epilator reviews
The loudness of an epilator depends on how powerful it is. The rule of thumb here is: the faster the tweezers, the noisier the epilator gets. Most of the epilators you will get on the market today are as loud as an electric razor. They have a noise rating of around 80 decibels when on the highest speeds.
The lower settings of an average epilator are around 5 to 10 decibels quieter than- so ideally it’d be around 70-75 decibels.
Cordless epilators are bit quieter than the corded ones while battery-operated epilators are not as loud as their counterparts. Facial epilators are quieter because most of them are battery operated. From the tests I conducted, The Braun Face facial epilator was the quietest measuring 55 decibels.
On the other hand, the quietest body epilators I tested was the Panasonic ES-ED90-P with noise ratings about 67decibels and the Braun Silk 7 with noise ratings of 70 decibels.
1. Braun Face 820 (Quiet Facial Epilator)
Sound ratings: 55decibels
According to the manufacturer, this 2 in 1 facial epilator and cleaning brush is the only answer to smooth and glowing skin. Switch the interchangeable head depending on your needs. The slim head offers a state if the art plucking action that gives a high precision when epilating those facing hairs at only 55 decibels.
But the big question is- how well does this gadget remove facial hair? It’s facing cleansing is six times better than manual cleaning. The best part is that this epilator will give you discreet facial hair removal you’ve always wanted and your roommates won’t hear a thing when doing so.
The cleansing brush comes with 10,000 small fine bristles- they are so small, thus allowing them to clean skin pores, therefore, helping your skin absorb product much better. The brushes also remove dirt, oil, and makeup hence cleansing the skin and improving blood circulation.
Pros
- 2 in 1 design at a price of one
- Slim design
- It’s quiet than the average epilator on the market
- Works perfectly on both fine and coarse hair
- The head removes hair in two directions
- It’s waterproof and comes with AA batteries
Cons
- Features one-speed setting
- It’s expensive
- The brush must be replaced every three months
- The battery compartment is poorly designed
2. Panasonic ES-ED90-P
Sound ratings: 67 decibels
The Panasonic ES-ED90-P offers excellent performance at a price that anyone can afford. The manufacturer claims that its epilators offer gentle hair removal experience- but big question: is this the truth?
Let find out.
First, it only gives 67 decibels, something between conversational speech and shower noise (source). This will allow for discreet hair removal. However, it’s slightly heavier than regular electric shaver but with a beautifully feminine color that will appeal to any woman.
It’s compact, making it perfect for travel and comes with a travel pouch to store the gadget and all its attachments safely when on the go. In addition, it boasts an ergonomic shape design that fits any hand size nicely without feeling too bulky.
It contains 48 metal tweezers that will get the job done within the shortest time possible. But because it can be painful to remove too many hairs at once, Panasonic included a soft cap that covers 24 tweezers hence allowing the user to remove less hair.
Pros:
- Quietest and least painful epilator
- Its cordless hence can be used wet or dry
- It’s equipped with a shaver with a trimmer and comes with a two-year warranty
Cons
- It’s still painful
- It can’t be used while charging
3. Braun SE7681 (best quiet epilator for bikini)
Sound ratings: 70 decibels
The Braun SE7681 Wet and Dry epilators is one of the best in Braun’s line of epilators. It’s perfect for the entire body, including legs, face, armpits. It’s also one of the best quiet epilators for bikini and comes with different attachments for different parts of the body and also includes a shaver with a trimmer. With all these fancy attachment, we can conclude that this is one of the best epilators as it does everything, including shaving.
It’s a cordless model and hence can be used for both under the waters, during a bath or with the normal dry epilation. In addition, it features two-speed settings. According to the manufacturer, this model can remove hairs small as a grain of sand.
Its contoured design perfectly fits on hand. The shaver and the epilator head can be easily interchanged with ease with a simple push of the release button on the back.
It’s equipped with 40 tweezers that give 81,000 plucks per minute when on the highest speed. It’s easy to clean- run all the components underwater or clean it dry with a brush dipped into alcohol.
Pros:
- It’s designed for the whole body
- Comes with a shaver and trimmer
- Effective and fast epilating
- Two speeds settings
- Ergonomic design and easy to clean
Cons:
- It’s relatively expensive
- You can use it while charging
- It’s a bit louder than the above epilators
4. Panasonic ES-WD51-P
The Panasonic ES-WD51-P operates at 67decibels, making it a little monster that gets the job done within the shortest time possible and being silent as possible. It’s a quiet epilator that’s less painful compared to other epilators on the market.
It boasts a 3-in-1 hair removal technology– it can shave, trim and epilate depending on what you exactly need. You can use the trimmer to trim the hair to desired sizes perfect for epilating.
Equipped with 48 tweezers, this epilator guarantees faster epilation. The nickel-free hypo-allergenic blades guarantee clean shave and are perfect for sensitive skin. It’s 100% waterproof meaning you can use it dry or under the water when taking a bath.
How to soundproof a room for quiet epilator use
If you aren’t satisfied with how quiet your epilator is or want total discretion- there are different DIY soundproofing hacks you can implement to keep noise levels to a minimum.
Because most of the times you’ll be using the epilator in the bathroom when taking a shower- here are hacks you can implement right now.
You can soundproof the bathroom door using readily available materials such as soundproofing moving blankets. (Read my full guide here on how to soundproof a bathroom).
How to Choose the Best Quiet Epilator
With so many different models to choose from- all which have a varying price tag, it’s always important to know what features should be a priority in your new epilator. Below are some of the factors to consider when choosing the best quietest epilator for you.
Noise levels
Are you looking for a quiet epilator? Well, if that’s the case, you will need one which isn’t noisy.
The quietest epilator in my guide is rated 55 decibels- according to the decibels charts; this is equivalent to the sound of a coffee percolator . All the four epilators in my list are quiet- I’ve indicated decibels rating for each respective product.
Price
Epilators are available in different price tags. It’s possible to get an entry-level for $40-60. They are typically no-frills model but still give the best results in uncomplicated parts of the body like the legs.
If your budget isn’t restricted, you can opt for premium models with a price tag of $100-150. These generally have luxurious features, extra attachments and give excellent results for complicated areas.
Number of tweezers
The more the tweezers, the faster the epilator will get the job done. However, you should note that more tweezers translate to more pain.
If you’re a beginner, it’s recommended you go for one with fewer tweezers for it’ll be less painful to use. Some like the Panasonic ES-ED90-P comes with a cap that allows the user to cover some tweezers and hence limits the number of tweezers in use.
Some models like the Emjoi-AP have up to 72 tweezers to get the job done in a matter of minutes.
Wet versus Dry Epilators
Wet or dry epilators is a matter of comfort and convenience. Epilating with dry hair is more painful but more effective because the hairs aren’t weighed down to the skin by water.
Epilating in the shower tends to sooth the skin hence reduces the pain, and that’s why most people prefer epilating in the shower.
Attachments
Most of the premium epilators include several attachments. Some of these include efficiency cap, trimmer head, facial massage brushes, facial brushes, trimmer head, facial massage brushes, and sensitive skin cap.
Some of the newer models (in my list) include a facial massage brush designed to help your skin relax and rejuvenate. The trimmer head helps trim hair to specific sizes before epilating while the efficiency cap helps in positioning the device for max skin contact for efficient hair removal.
Corded versus Cordless Epilator
A cordless epilator is more portable and will allow you the benefit of ease of use. You can maneuver it in hard to reach areas without having to worry about the cord.
With a corded one, you won’t have to worry about battery life, and they last 30 to one hour after charging.
Final thoughts on the quiet epilator reviews (additional hack)
Using a quiet epilator won’t give total discretion/silence, but will reduce noise levels to a level that a person next door won’t hear you trying to pluck those tiny hairs.
One of the best hacks that I discovered masks out the noise of a quiet epilator is using it while running shower water in the bathroom. If you’ve soundproofed your room or bathroom, you’ll have an added advantage, and you can be assured of total silence.
Alternatively, if you don’t care what other people think, you can invest in some earplugs. You can use the same earplugs to mask out the noise made by your snoring friend (read my guide here on earplugs). While earmuffs won’t stop your roommates from enquiring what you’re doing, it will reduce down the noise.