When looking for an epilator, Braun is always a great brand choice. They have many epilators in their Silk Epil series that cover many different needs.
The Silk Epil 9 is a powerhouse that can do absolutely everything and comes with a huge number of accessories, the 7 is a predecessor that can still hold its own, and the 5 is a more compact and corded version that in some situations is superior to all the others.
So when does using the Braun Silk Epil 5 make the most sense?
Let’s have a quick look at some pros and cons before we dive in:
+ 40 Tweezers
+ Portable
+ No need to recharge
+ Pivoting head
+ Built in massager to reduce pain
+ 2 speed setting
– Not as powerful as the Silk Epil 9
– Can’t be used on the face
Check price and reviews for the Braun Silk Epil 5
What’s in the box?
Silk Epil 5 Epilator- Shaver head – so that you can shave longer hairs too
- Trimmer head – to trim down certain areas before epilating
- Efficiency head – mostly used for larger areas to get the quickest results
- Cooling glove – designed to reduce post epilation pain, but also pretty handy to cool down the targeted area beforehand also resulting in reduced pain
- Cleaning brush
- Travel pouch
Design & Features
40 tweezers
Like the other epilators in the Silk Epil range the 5 boasts a 40 tweezer epilating head.
It uses the same technology that is used throughout Braun’s epilator products and so you’ll be getting the same powerful hair-pulling machinery that you would even on the highest end devices.
This means that the Silk Epil 5 is able to pull out hairs that are as small as a grain of sand, or about 0.5mm.
Massage rollers + cooling glove
We all know that epilating can be painful, which is why Braun introduced massage rollers built in to the head of their epilators.
We should say that they don’t make a huge difference, but any small relief is definitely welcomed. If you want to learn about some other ways to reduce epilator pain, check out our in depth guide here.
Alongside the massage rollers a cooling glove is also included. The idea behind this is that if you put the glove in the fridge to cool down the gel inside, it can be used as pain relief after epilating. The cool sensation should somewhat counteract the pain you feel after yanking out all those hairs.
We actually found that it works quite well as a numbing device. Meaning if you put it in the fridge and then apply it to the area you want to epilate before doing so, it actually numbs the skin a little bit and makes things less painful.
Different attachable heads
As you can see above in the “What’s in the box?” section: this epilator comes with a number of different heads making it more versatile and allowing it to be effective in different situations.
If you’re epilating your legs or any other larger surface area the efficiency cap is really helpful as it makes sure the tweezers are pulling out the most amount of hairs and is focusing on the desired area.
We really appreciated the shaver head because it means that the epilator can double as a shaver. This saves us money and means we don’t have to switch devices when we want to trim any hair.
Corded
Corded epilators have their pros and cons. It all depends on how you prefer to use your epilator.
If you like to epilate in the shower or bath, then maybe check out the Silk Epil 9, because the 5 cannot get wet.
A huge bonus to having a corded epilator is the fact that you can use it for as long as you need to. If you plan to remove hair from your legs, arms, bikini line etc then it might take a while! With a cordless device you are restricted by the battery life and will have to stop for a recharge at a point. Not with a cordless one.
As long as you don’t mind being close to a power socket, we really think a corded device is the way to go.
Smart Light
This is a really handy feature to have if you have thin hairs. And after epilating for a while your hairs should be getting thinner anyway!
The smart light illuminates the tiny fine hairs that you still need to pull but may be hard to see otherwise.
Pivoting head
In order to get the most effective results you’ll need to constantly have your epilator at an 80 or 90 degree angle to your skin.
Thankfully with the pivoting head, you won’t have to think about this very much. The head will move along with the contours of your body meaning that you are constantly maintaining the optimal angle. Very helpful.
Usage & Impressions
Best for underarms and legs, not the face!
So one problem we have with the Silk Epil 5 is that its not very suitable for facial use.
Technically it is possible, but with that head of 40 tweezers churning away its a little intimidating to use it even on your chin.
Other epilators have facial caps (like the Silk Epil 9), and some are built especially for facial epilation (like the Braun Face 830).
Having said this, the Silk Epil 5 is amazing for legs and underarms. It still has that excellent 40 tweezer technology and with it being plugged into the wall it will never get sluggish.
If you are interested in removing body hair then its hard to go wrong with this.
What about the Silk Epil 9?
We keep mentioning it simply because it is the latest and greatest in this line of hair removal devices.
It is very different in a lot of ways and perhaps this is the direction Braun are taking things: waterproof and cordless.
You will absolutely see the difference if you compare the two but at the end of the day if you want something corded and don’t want to have to worry about battery life then the 5 is arguably superior.
The 5 is also much better as a travel epilator.
To each her own!
Final Thoughts
The Braun Silk Epil 5 is a strong contender for the best corded epilator on the market.
It has all the greatness of the Braun technology even if it is one of the older models, and still works fantastically.
If you want something that can be used in the shower or cordless, maybe consider something else. And if you want something for facial epilation this might not be for you. Otherwise, its hard to say much bad about this epilator!
Check price and reviews for the Braun Silk Epil 5
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