Ugh! I hate our consumer culture that encourages us to just buy, buy, buy cheap products that break easily and have to be replaced. This is one reason I gave up disposable razors. This is also why I spent so much time researching the durability of epilators and if epilators wear out before I finally invested in mine.
So do epilators wear out? All epilators wear out eventually. The best quality epilators can last 3-5 years or even beyond 10 years. Lower quality epilators will wear out much quicker, often in 1-3 years. There are several things you can do to keep your epilator from wearing out quickly. Read ahead for my tips on finding a durable epilator and increasing the lifespan of your epilator.
How Long Does an Epilator Machine Last?
An epilator can be an incredibly good investment, depending on how long it lasts. So how long is that?
I can’t speak about most generic brands of epilators, because there are so many different ones on the market now and I don’t have experience with them. However, most name brand epilators, including epilators from Braun, Emjoi, Epilady, Remington, and Phillips, typically last quite a while and can be well worth the upfront investment.
Most of these epilators will last a minimum of two years. The more high end models, such as the Braun Silk-épil and Emjoi Emagine can easily last 3-5 years or often up to a decade or longer if you take care of it well.
You can also extend the life of these higher end epilators through replacement parts. When one part of the epilator wears out, you can often find replacement parts online for a fraction of what a whole new epilator would cost. Just buy it and then keep on keepin’ on. As long as your epilator’s motor stays in good shape, it can last a really long time when you have a model that offer replacement parts for sale.
Besides buying replacement parts, you can also extend your epilator’s lifespan by using it carefully and doing a few maintenance steps.
Do Epilators Go Blunt?
One way an epilator can wear out is due to the epilator’s head beginning to work less efficiently over time. When this happens, users often wonder if the epilator is going blunt?
Well, kinda.
Unlike razors, epilators cut hair and do not have blades. So there are no blades to go blunt.
However, epilators do have springs, discs, or tweezers that grab hairs. Over time, elements like moisture and rust erode or damage these.
Springs, for example, often become stretched after a year or two and can no longer pinch hairs as well.
Tweezers and discs might be worn down and then there is enough space for hairs to slip through instead of getting caught.
Besides this permanent damage, it’s more common for epilator heads to work less efficiently because they aren’t clean enough. Dirt, oil, lotions, dead skin cells, and sweat can coat the springs, discs, or tweezers in an epilator, making them too slippery to do their job.
Other Reasons Epilators Wear Out
Besides “blunt” springs, discs, or tweezers, there are several other common reasons that epilators wear out:
Hair Balls
Like your cat, your epilator can be overwhelmed by hairballs. That is, if you don’t clean it well.
Hairs left to accumulate in the head can block the head from fully rotating. This in turn will often cause the epilator to turn off as a protective measure to prevent the motor from overheating.
The simple solution to this is to clean your epilator head to prevent anything from clogging it up.
Overheating
Unfortunately, if your epilator doesn’t automatically turn off when it’s clogged and begins to overheat, then it can get too hot which can damage the motor. This could also possibly happen if you have a generic epilator or one with a poor design and use it too long in one setting.
Battery Dying
Batteries are essentially perishable items. Eventually they stop holding charges. However, if used correctly, they can last years.
Motor Dying
Like batteries, motors never last forever. Being mechanical, they will be worn out with use to physics. Fortunately, since epilators are used pretty sparingly, epilator motors can last quite a long time.
How to Make Your Epilator Machine Last Longer
Keep it Clean
As I’ve mentioned, dirt, oils, and hairballs are a few things that make an epilator work poorly. So one of the best ways to take care of your epilator is to keep it clean, especially the head and tweezers (or discs or springs).
This means you should try to use your epilator after you’ve cleaned and exfoliated your hair and skin. This will prevent deposits of oils, sweat, dead skin cells, make-up, lotion, shampoo residue, etc.
In addition, it’s best to clean your epilator head after every use. How to do this depends on your epilator model, so follow the instructions in your manual. But at a minimum, you should be clearing hairs out of your head after each use and thoroughly cleaning the head after every 2-3 uses.
Stay Cool
To keep the motor in tip-top shape, make sure you don’t overheat it. If you hear it struggling or feeling the epilator getting hot, take a break. Turn the epilator and make sure there isn’t anything clogging the head like hairs. Then leave the epilator off for a while until it has fully cooled.
Protect the Rechargeable Battery
Follow your manufacturer’s instructions about battery care to extend your battery’s life as long as possible. Usually, you should use a fully charged epilator and never let the battery run down past 20 percent.
Store Carefully
It’s best to store your epilator between 59 degree Faherenheit and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Also to protect the electrical elements, keep it in an area that doesn’t have excessive humidity. So it’s probably best to store it outside of the bathroom.
Do You Need to Replace Epilator Heads?
So your epilator seems like it has gone “blunt” and isn’t catching hairs as well anymore? If you have an epilator with a detachable head, you may need to replace the head. But that’s not always necessary or possible.
First, consider if the motor is working well. Has it slowed down since you first bought it? If this is the case, a new epilator head may not solve your problem. You may have to ditch the whole epilator and buy a new one.
But if the motor seems to be performing well, the next thing to check is the head itself. Is it clean? The springs, discs, or tweezers need to be squeaky clean to perform at their best. So make sure you’ve done a thorough cleaning and then try the epilator out again.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, then it’s time to look into a replacement head. If you have a more high-end name brand epilator, it’s likely that your manufacturer sells replacement heads online. You can check out replacement heads on Amazon or go directly to your manufacturer’s website.
When Should I Replace My Epilator?
Most epilators will work well for two or more years. However, as time goes by, your epilator will likely begin to stop grabbing hairs as efficiently. At this point, you have a few options.
If you have an epilator from a company that offers replacement parts, such as Braun or Emjoi, you can look into replacing individual parts to make your epilator work like new again. This is often more cost-effective than buying a completely new epilator.
Unfortunately, if you can’t find replacement parts for your model or if you notice that the problem is your motor, there isn’t much else you do. At this point, you have to decide if it’s worth buying a new epilator or not.
If you are still getting decent results from your epilator and saving money is a priority, just stick it out and keep using your epilator until it’s not working anymore.
And if time or convenience is more important than money, then it’s probably time to just replace your epilator.
Final Takeaways
All epilators eventually wear out. But how long your epilator lasts will depend on several variables.
A quality epilator can last anywhere from 2 to over 10 years. If you buy a high end name brand epilator model, take good care of it and replace parts as they wear out, your epilator may last a decade or longer. In contrast, if you buy a cheap generic model, you may find yourself replacing the whole thing every 1-3 years.
Related Questions
What is the most durable epilator?
High end name brand epilators are usually pretty durable. In addition, if you get a model that has replacement parts to buy, you can save money by replacing parts instead of the whole epilator when something breaks. Two high end models that I love that also have replacement parts available are the Braun Silk-épil 9 (click to check it out on Amazon) and the Emjoi Emagine.
Have more questions about epilation? Check out the Epilator FAQ and Beginner’s Guide!
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