We Tested a Dozen At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices—These 7 Gave Us the Best Results (2024)

The inclusion of accessories impressed us right off the bat with this device. Inside the box, we found a razor, razor case, protective glasses with a leather case, leather travel case for the device, and a power cord and power box. While using the device, we not only noticed how easy it was to maneuver around the desired areas, but also how it didn’t bother our skin surface at all — no welts, burns, scars, or texture changes were detected.

The first two intensity settings were hardly noticeable, but the third level gave a faint zapping sensation. Level four was more uncomfortable, similar to someone snapping a tiny rubber band against skin. The fifth had the same snap, but was much more intense. However, thanks to the “refrigerated chip” on the applicator and the cool sensation it provided, our skin remained comfortable and never felt too warm.Finally, when it came to results, we saw a strong reduction in the thickness and speed of hair growth in the third and fourth weeks. While we loved this device, we can unfortunately only recommend it to those with darker hair and lighter skin. If you scroll down the product page, the brand provides you with a chart describing which skin and hair types are best for this device.

Results: 4 weeks | FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 5 | Hair Type: Dark | Body Area: All | Flashes: N/A

Out of the seven settings, we were recommended by the brand to use the two most intense options, and we found that the sixth setting (the second highest setting) was equally as effective as the seventh (the highest). The large laser area makes it tricky to reach tight precision spots — this device isn’t really for delicacy, but for boldness and speed.We did feel a light zap every once in a while, but it was very minimal and not bothersome. In just about 15 minutes, we had finished zapping both legs. Throw in the armpits too, and that added about five more minutes.

After using it twice a week during the testing period, we could see solid improvement by the second week. We chalked up its surprising speediness to the fact that our hair is dark but thin (a laser hair removal device’s dream hair type).And as a surprise bonus, we noticed the scars on our legs getting a little lighter in color as well. For a device under $200, we’re pleased to report how effective it is.The low price point also helped us overlook that the device is built for efficiency and does not include additional accessories.

FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 7 | Hair Type: Dark | Body Area: All | Flashes: 600k

While the compact size is travel-friendly; it’s also quite effective. It comes with an exfoliating glove, to prep our skin 24 hours before the treatment. Unlike the previous two options, this one has three different modes in addition to six intensity settings. Each mode is designed for a specific body part. The “stamp” mode was intended to treat the bikini lines and armpits, delivering pulses with each click. On the other hand, we used the “glide” mode for our arms since we could go over our arm in one long stroke without needing to repeatedly press any buttons. Our legs got the “auto” mode treatment, which powers on when the device touches the skin and stays on until you remove it.

We found our more sensitive areas couldn’t handle more than the third intensity (and we even consider ourselves to have a high pain tolerance). Still, we saw the biggest difference on our arms. Our armpits, however, took much longer, likely due to the thicker hair follicles in that area. Despite the occasional discomfort, no marks or redness were left on the skin. After 12 weeks, hair growth had significantly slowed down.Our only disappointment was the shape of the device. We would have preferred a handle with an hourglass shape or one with ridges to prevent slipping.

FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 6 | Hair Type: Dark | Body Area: Any | Flashes: 900k

Laser hair removal devices tend to play favorites with dark hair. That’s because the laser targets the melanin within dark hair to slow down growth. We were skeptical about this brand’s claim that it can target light hairs, but we can confirm it did reduce hair thickness and new growth on our lighter body hair. Although an electric razor (epilator) was included with the kit, it was difficult to use and the manual wasn’t as helpful as we hoped, so we just used our regular razor.

Even so, it must be said that laser hair removal devices will always work better on dark hair. After lasering our legs once a week at its highest intensity level (three), our hair began to grow back slower and in patches, and continued to dwindle as the weeks went on.Don’t expect to throw your razor away after 12 weeks, as it did not completely remove our body hair, but we're hopeful that with continued use we'll see further results. And as an added bonus, we experienced no pain during the sessions.

FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 3 | Hair Type: All | Body Area: Any | Flashes: 300k

If you have sensitive skin, we totally get the concern about using a heated laser anywhere on the body (and we recommend consulting your doctor for any skin-specific concerns). To our surprise, this device triggered neither redness or sensitivity, so we ramped it up and found that only the highest setting (setting number five) caused some kind of warm feeling, but it was far from uncomfortable or irritating.

The device itself is rather large, but still lightweight. Our arms didn’t get tired from holding it during our sessions at all. Thanks to the two modes glide and pulse, we were able to treat our selected areas with care and precision. We used the glide for larger surface areas and the pulse for bikini lines.It took a little longer to see results with this one, probably because the directions recommended using the laser only once every two weeks. At week five, we noticed our hair grew in much slower and thinner than before. The price of this device is roughly the same price as one clinical visit for a treatment. That makes the near-infinite uses you get out of this a great value.

FDA-Approved: No | Intensity Levels: 5 | Hair Type: All | Body Area: Any | Flashes: N/A

The true stand-out feature was the rotating head, which made it a complete breeze to reach small areas. The second best detail are the six modes and each has a different purpose: One for arms, underarms, bikini, legs, face, and even skin rejuvenation. These very clear modes eliminated the guessing game as to which setting we needed to use. There is also a cool setting, which helped soothe each area and reduce irritation…which leads us to our only con. We felt little hot flashes on our armpits specifically, but it is a tender area to begin with, and it wasn’t significant enough to really bother us. The area is small, so we got through it quickly, although it remained red for a few minutes after.

Ironically, the armpit is also the area where we saw the most progress after four weeks. The manual requested that we use it only once a week at first, then increase it to two to three times a week. After 12 weeks, we saw much thinner and slow-to-grow hair.The package came with a razor and goggles, which we also took full advantage of.

FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 6 | Hair Type: Dark, some shades of blonde | Body Area: Any | Flashes: Unlimited

If you're prone to bumps on your bikini line, laser hair removal is a viable alternative to bikini waxes. We loved this device for its compact size and lightweight nature, making it easy to glide or pulse (depending on the setting you choose) over the bikini area. This mini sized version is a little less intense than their full-size one, and therefore, much friendlier on sensitive areas. And true to its word, we felt no pain.

While using this device, we had to make sure that the front panel of the device was facing us at all times so we could see whether the white light illuminated, indicating contact with hair follicles. Because it left no marks, stings, or redness, it was otherwise impossible to detect whether or not the laser was in use. We loved this feature for the bikini line specifically, but got tedious for larger areas, like the leg. It took a solid five weeks for us to see results. On our legs, there were some very clear bare patches. However, we saw no change in density or speed for the hair that did continue to grow. After 12 weeks, the skin was fairly evened out, with only minimal stray, stubborn bits of hair standing their ground.

FDA Approved: Yes | Intensity Levels: 2 | Hair Type: Dark to dirty blonde | Body Area: All | Flashes: Unlimited