(checked 2026-10-10)2,092 ratings on the 2-head IPL5157 kit. The 4-head IPL5347 listing (B09WQRVPYP, 1,484 ratings) shows 14%.
Wirecutter's only pick and Forbes Vetted's best overall: simple to use, with testers describing the flash as a brief 'heated flick'. It is not for melanin-rich skin or light hair, legs take a while, and Amazon owners report units that stop working or flash unreliably.
Top complaints
- Some units stop working or misfire
Amazon's review summary says owners report it stopping working after days and flashing only half the time when triggered. Reliability (90 mentions) and flash performance (45) are both negative topics. A second listing's summary mentions devices breaking within about two years.
- Results vary; can take longer than 12 weeks
GH notes some testers said it took longer than 12 weeks to see results. On Amazon, value for money (197 mentions) and pain (102) are mixed, and the 4-head listing's summary says some owners see significant reduction while others see no change.
- Hard on curves; slow on big areas
The sensor only flashes when the head is completely flat on skin, so several Wirecutter testers struggled around knees and ankles. One tester needed 20 minutes for both legs even in glide mode. Byrdie lists 'not as user-friendly as other picks'.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Byrdie
What owners love
- Testers saw reduced regrowth
Most Wirecutter testers noticed a significant reduction in hair growth after about three weeks, and four said some areas stopped growing entirely after three months. Forbes' and GH's testers noticed results after about four weeks.
- Not painful for most testers
Wirecutter testers said the flashes weren't painful. It has standard, gentle and extra-gentle modes, and a sensor that reads skin tone and adjusts intensity (Wirecutter, GH, Forbes).
Source: Wirecutter (NYT), Good Housekeeping - Simple, with a skin-tone safety sensor
Two buttons, three modes and a glide function. The sensor prevents flashing on skin tones that could be injured, per Wirecutter. A Wirecutter staffer's unit was still working after almost three years.
Source: Wirecutter (NYT)
- Your skin is Fitzpatrick type IV or deeper (Wirecutter)
- Your hair is gray, white, red or light blond
- You want fast full-leg sessions (20 minutes for one Wirecutter tester)
- Light to medium skin with dark hair
- Beginners who want few buttons and an auto skin-tone sensor
- Face and body (two heads, precision cap included)
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick (published 2026-09-04; 5 devices, 11 panelists, three months). Intuitive and effective, but not safe for Fitzpatrick IV and up, tricky on curvy areas and slow on large ones.
- Forbes Vetted: Best overall (updated 2026-10-02). Tester saw results after four weeks and now maintains monthly to every two months; skip if you have light hair or dark skin.
- Good Housekeeping: Fastest pick (updated 2026-07-15). Braun claims both legs in under five minutes; FDA-cleared, light to medium skin tones.