There are few things that make me as anxious as the idea of blades anywhere near my nether regions. I would imagine this is similar for many men. Manscaped gadgets, while designed for different purposes and areas of the body, promise to deliver great results with ease in a quick and pain-free way.
As a former British GQ editor who’s covered grooming extensively, I’ve watched Manscaped disrupted a market dominated by established, big name electronics-makers relatively quickly. Their success comes from specifically targeting men’s below-the-belt grooming needs, emphasizing both practicality and safety. For men concerned about using tools on their most sensitive areas, this specialized focus matters.
There is a sense of reassurance in Manscaped’s singular focus on innovating products created specifically for men’s nether regions as opposed to the big name brand that also made, say, your electric whisk. I’ve tested The Performance Package 5.0 Ultra for two weeks. While impressed by the results (especially from The Lawn Mower 5.0), there are caveats to consider.
Manscaped Performance Package 5.0: Cheat sheet
- What is it? An all-in-one grooming kit combining the Lawn Mower 5.0 trimmer, Weed Whacker nose trimmer, post-shave products, and accessories
- What does it cost? $139 direct from Manscaped
- Who is it for? Anyone wanting an all-in-one kit for male grooming, from basic maintenance to intimate area care
- What do we wish it did better? The non-electrical extras feel superfluous, and blade replacements require an ongoing subscription
Manscaped Performance Package 5.0: Price & availability
At its regular price of $257 (£210), (though currently $139/£130 direct from Manscaped), The Performance Package 5.0 is a significant investment. You get plenty for your money: two electronic devices, a carry case, branded underwear, USB charging, manuals, and even protective floor papers for dry grooming.
While some extras feel unnecessary (you could just buy the devices separately), the included aftercare products do enhance both the experience and results as a starter kit.
When it comes to The Lawnmower 5.0 itself, other devices claim more flexibility (offering nose, ears, body and beard grooming all-in-one) at a lower price, but the advantage here is both trimming and fully shaving in one product. These cheaper multi-function alternatives typically only trim intimate areas, rather than safely shaving them. With this in mind, this device offers exceptional results at its price point.
Another thing to bare in mind is the blades need replacing every three months. Manscaped’s Peak Hygiene Plan automates this (with added perks) starting at £19 per shipment, but this ongoing cost should factor into your decision.
Manscaped Performance Package 5.0: Design & features
It feels quite exciting to unbox this product as there’s a lot to discover inside — in that sense, it would make an ideal gift. When it comes to the electronic devices, both have a good weight for maneuvering in tricky areas like the groin, nostrils and ears.
They’re super easy to clean — simply pop off the heads, rinse under water, and air dry. Both charge via USB, but The Lawn Mower 5.0 now offers Qi wireless charging (though it’s slower than cable charging).
The Lawn Mower 5.0 comes with two interchangeable heads: the SkinSafe Trimmer Blade and SkinSafe Foil Blade, both sturdy with an easy hook-and-click attachment. The Trimmer Blade includes three plastic combs: one fixed at 1.4mm, and two adjustable ones offering lengths from 2mm to 12mm (marked underneath).
The Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra also has an LED light on the underside with two brightness settings (warm and cool) that can be activated when in use — a brilliant feature (pun intended) that helps ensure even results in hard-to-reach areas and illuminates different skin tones in low light. There’s also a battery level indicator and a lock function that ensures your trimmer won’t turn on in your luggage while you travel, which is a great feature.
The Weed Wacker 2.0 is a comparatively more simple beast, with only an on-off slider and an on-off indicator light by way of features. The blade is easy to remove, clean and re-attach with a twist-on, twist off motion — however, the on-off slider rattles and feels a little cheap.
My criticism for both is that the shiny plastic they are made from feel and look cheap for the price: there is a brittleness to the additional combs for The Lawn Mower 5.0 and the blade head for the Weed Whacker 2.0. These don’t give a sense that they are made to last, and, if aesthetics is your thing, there are better looking products on the market.
When it comes to the other products, The Shed 2.0 Toiletry Bag is certainly useful for storing all the devices and accessories. The slinky, sports-style Boxers 2.0 are, for me, a wholly unnecessary element of the pack. The gaudy logo and branding on the waistband is a bold aesthetic choice that might not be to everyone’s tastes — and I would rather an additional grooming product or, even, a spare blade for each gadget instead.
I would commend the Crop Soother Ball Aftershave Lotion and Crop Preserver Anti-Chafing Ball Deodorant for being both cruelty-free and dermatologist tested – and the paper disposable shaving mats, styled like a newspaper and packed with tips, are a very useful addition for those not wanting to get hair all over their bathroom floor.
Manscaped Performance Package 5.0 Ultra: Performance
Pitched as hair maintenance tool for both the groin and the body more generally, The Lawn Mover 5.0 Ultra has two main abilities: trimming hair to a desired length or shaving it off altogether. Trimming is delivered by utilising the SkinSafe Trimmer Blade (either solo or with its three comb attachments) and shaving is delivered by using the SkinSafe Foil Blade attachment.
Now, if you’re anything like me, your primary concern will be: does this gadget lead to any discomfort or injury, especially in such sensitive areas? I’m pleased to report that it doesn’t. I was thoroughly impressed with the results — and that these results could be achieved quickly without shaving foam. That said, I find it strange to include a post-shave balm and deodorant but not the brand’s shaving cream — arguably more useful for first-timers.
First, I tried the SkinSafe Trimmer Blade and its attachments. While these were good for trimming without tugging any sensitive hairs, the adjustable combs are immensely fiddly to position at your desired length — and if you press too hard or hit a body contour, they slide too easily to different settings, delivering uneven results.
And while the documentation states the Trimmer Blade can be used without combs for a close shave, I found this hit and miss. Also, this blade only works in one direction, as opposed to other body trimmers on the market.
The SkinSafe Foil Blade is the real revelation, allowing multidirectional shaving in incredibly sensitive areas that leaves soft, hairless skin behind. And, because the foil itself moves with the contours of the body as you glide it over the skin, you get great results even in impossible-to-see areas. Even more impressive: there’s minimal post-shave irritation, regardless of whether you use the Crop Soother lotion.
I attempted to use this tool to remove all my body hair (save my head, of course). And I mean all. What I discovered was that the result can be patchy—while great on groin and softer body hair, it left stubble on coarser areas like chest. For the closest shave, it’s best to trim with the non-adjustable comb first, then switch to foil. While it can’t match waxing or sugaring, it delivers impressive, pain-free results wherever used.
Designed specifically for keeping nose and ear hair under control, The Weed Wacker 2.0 takes a little getting used to. The manual simply shows a drawing of a man simply inserting the round metal blade head into his nose, but the actual technique for nose hair removal is a little more nuanced than this.
You learn quickly that you really need to zig-zag the bladehead around your nostril or ear opening to really all get the hairs—and even then, with such delicate strands and lots of nooks and crannies, you might need to do this a few times to ensure they’re all removed. However, once you get the hang of it, it delivers a good result — and, much like the Lawn Mover 5.0 Ultra, doesn’t pull any hairs.
Manscaped Performance Package 5.0: Verdict
There is a reason that both of the electric products in this kit are more expensive than many of the others on the market — they both deliver brilliant results and are designed in an intuitive way that makes them supremely easy to use. With particular reference to The Lawn Mover 5.0 Ultra, I have never used a hair maintenance tool that offers such versatility across so many areas of the body.
It allows you to tailor all areas to your desired hair level — especially if you want to go hairless in your tricky intimate areas, where it delivers a result second only to waxing or sugaring. The cost of the replacement blades every three months must be taken into account, but I would still hold that both this gadget and the Weed Whacker 2.0 are an excellent value for money.
However, the electricals are the real highlight here. The other products that come with this package feel very much like they are nice to have, but not necessary — possibly with the exception of the Crop Soother lotion, which makes for a nice post-shave experience. You just need to decide whether those extras are important enough to pay a higher price for, rather than buying the gadgets alone.
