Beauty & Grooming · Head-to-head
Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (PL5137) vs Ulike Air 10
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best At-Home Hair Removal Devices: 8 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 is the most foolproof at-home IPL thanks to its truly automatic skin-tone sensor and fast flashing, making it our top pick. The Ulike Air 10 is the runner-up and the smarter value for most people, trading a little sensor sophistication for outstanding cooling comfort and speed.
Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (PL5137)
Buy itThe most complete at-home IPL: a genuinely automatic skin-tone sensor, fast flashing, and a long track record.
- Skin-tone sensor reads your skin and automatically adjusts each flash for a safe intensity, so there is no manual guesswork
- Braun quotes 5 minutes for both lower legs and about 10 minutes for a full body, gliding over the skin as it flashes automatically
- Rated for 400,000 flashes, with 10 intensity levels and a precision cap for smaller areas
- One of the most expensive devices here, and the sensor lockout will refuse to fire on darker skin tones
- Corded operation means you are tethered to an outlet
Ulike Air 10
Buy itThe comfort champion: sapphire ice-cooling plus dual lamps make fast, nearly painless full-body sessions.
- Ulike says its ice-cooling holds a 65°F contact temperature, which owners repeatedly describe as the most comfortable IPL they have used
- Two light sources deliver a wide window and quick flashes, so a full-body pass is short
- Ulike's SkinSensor adapts each flash to your skin tone, delivering less energy or none at all, which adds a safety layer
- Costs more than the simpler budget options
- The handset must stay plugged in
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (PL5137) Our pick | Ulike Air 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who wants the safest, most hands-off experience and is willing to pay flagship money for it. | Sensitive users who want speed and comfort without stepping up to flagship pricing. |
| Price tier | $$$$ · flagship | $$$ · premium |
| Automatic skin-tone sensor | Yes, auto-adjusts each flash | Yes, lowers or withholds energy |
| Comfort / cooling | Fast pulses feel mild on low settings | Active ice-cooling, most comfortable |
| Full-body session speed | Very fast, gliding mode | Very fast, dual lamps |
| Cordless use | No, corded | No, corded |
| Lamp life | 400,000 flashes | Not published by Ulike |
| Best-suited skin & hair | Light-to-medium skin, dark hair | Fair-to-medium skin, dark hair |
| Attachments included | Precision cap | Razor (goggles as a gift offer) |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (PL5137) if
anyone who wants the safest, most hands-off experience and is willing to pay flagship money for it.
Know before buying: one of the most expensive devices here, and the sensor lockout will refuse to fire on darker skin tones.
Pick the Ulike Air 10 if
sensitive users who want speed and comfort without stepping up to flagship pricing.
Know before buying: costs more than the simpler budget options.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 (PL5137) - The most complete at-home IPL: a genuinely automatic skin-tone sensor, fast flashing, and a long track record. Choose the Ulike Air 10 instead if sensitive users who want speed and comfort without stepping up to flagship pricing.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best At-Home Hair Removal Devices: 8 Compared (and One to Skip).