The Best At-Home IPL Devices of 2025

Head-to-Head: The In-Depth Comparison

While the table gives you a quick overview, the real differences are in how these devices feel and perform in practice. We break down the key battles below to help you decide which is truly best for you.

1. Effectiveness & Power

How well does it actually work? This is the most important question.

All three of these devices are highly effective and will deliver significant, long-term hair reduction. However, they achieve it with slightly different philosophies.

• Braun Silk-expert Pro 5: The standout feature here is the SensoAdapt™ technology. The device reads your skin tone 80 times per second and *automatically* selects one of 10 intensity levels for the perfect balance of safety and power. It's the most "intelligent" of the bunch, ensuring you always get the optimal energy output without any guesswork.
• Philips Lumea 9000: The Lumea is also incredibly powerful. Its SmartSkin sensor scans your skin tone and *recommends* one of five settings. It puts you in control, but requires that tiny bit of extra thought. For those who like manual control, this is a plus.
• SmoothSkin Pure Fit: This device packs a serious punch, delivering up to 6 J/cm², making it one of the most powerful on the market. Like the Braun, its sensor automatically selects the intensity level, though Braun's is slightly more nuanced in its real-time adjustments.

Winner: Braun Silk-expert Pro 5. While all are powerful, Braun's intelligent, fully automatic energy adjustment provides the most confidence and foolproof results, session after session.

2. Speed & Treatment Time

No one wants to spend hours on their treatments. Speed is crucial for consistency.

This is where a major difference emerges. A faster device means you're more likely to stick with your treatment schedule.

• Braun Silk-expert Pro 5: The clear winner for speed. In its gliding mode, it can flash up to every 0.5 seconds. You can treat both lower legs in under 9 minutes, which is astonishingly fast. The constant power from the cord is a huge advantage here.
• SmoothSkin Pure Fit: A very close second. It flashes up to every 0.46 seconds in its "speed mode," making it incredibly quick. You'll barely notice a difference in time between this and the Braun.
• Philips Lumea 9000: Being cordless comes at a cost to speed. The time between flashes is longer, and treatment for both lower legs takes closer to 12-15 minutes. It's not slow, but it's noticeably less rapid than the corded models.

Winner: Braun Silk-expert Pro 5. For pure, unadulterated speed, the corded power of the Braun is unmatched. It makes full-body sessions a breeze.

3. The Deciding Factor: Cordless Freedom vs. Corded Power

This is arguably the most important lifestyle choice between these devices.

• Philips Lumea 9000 (Cordless): The Lumea's main advantage is total freedom. You can do your treatments in the bathroom, on the sofa, or even take it on holiday without worrying about plug sockets. For those who value convenience and hate being tethered to a wall, this is a game-changing feature. The trade-off is a heavier device, a slower treatment time, and the need to remember to charge it.
• Braun & SmoothSkin (Corded): These devices offer plug-in-and-go simplicity. They are lighter, faster, and deliver consistent power from start to finish without any performance drop. You never have to worry about a battery dying mid-session. The downside is being limited by the cord's length.

Winner: It depends entirely on you. If you want the ultimate convenience and flexibility, choose the Philips Lumea. If you want the fastest, most powerful session and don't mind being near a plug, choose the Braun or SmoothSkin.

4. Long-Term Value

An IPL device is an investment. Which one lasts the longest?

The "flashes" indicate the device's lifespan. For reference, a full-body treatment uses about 500-700 flashes, so even the lowest count here provides many years of use.

• SmoothSkin Pure Fit: Offers unlimited flashes. This is incredible value and means the device will never run out, making it suitable for sharing (with proper cleaning) or a lifetime of touch-ups.
• Philips & Braun: Both offer 400,000-450,000 flashes. While that sounds finite, it equates to over 20 years of monthly full-body treatments. For a single user, it is effectively a lifetime.

Winner: SmoothSkin Pure Fit. While the others offer more than enough, you simply can't beat "unlimited."

The Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?

After all our testing, the recommendations are clear and depend on your primary motivation.

🏆 Best Overall: Braun Silk-expert Pro 5

This is our top pick because it's the perfect all-rounder. It is the smartest, fastest, and most user-friendly device. You don't have to think—you just glide. For the vast majority of people who want the best results with the least amount of fuss, this is the one to buy.

✨ Best for Convenience: Philips Lumea 9000

If the idea of being tied to a cord is a deal-breaker, the Philips Lumea is your champion. The freedom of its cordless design is a luxury that makes it easier to be consistent with treatments. It's slightly slower and more expensive, but the convenience is unmatched.

💰 Best Value: SmoothSkin Pure Fit

If you're looking for the most power and longevity for your money, the SmoothSkin Pure Fit is the obvious choice. It's almost as fast as the Braun, boasts a very high power output, and has unlimited flashes, all at a typically lower price point. It's the savvy shopper's pick.