MANSCAPED® Alternatives
You’ve probably already heard of the Manscaped brand. It’s the largest American men’s intimate area trimmer brand, known for being a major sponsor in the UFC. Manscaped boasts a revenue of 300 million dollars and a profit of about 40 million dollars (1). KingBalls is a new Finnish men’s grooming brand you likely haven’t heard of before. Is it a good alternative to Manscaped’s The Lawn Mower 4.0? We’ll find out soon.
Your goal is to achieve a neat trim in the intimate area, without cuts, plucking, ingrown hairs, or post-trim itching. I’ve tested both products and will now share as objectively as possible how these trimmers fare in different areas. How does the new contender stack up against the established giant?
Technical Differences
| KingBalls Body Trimmer | Manscaped 4.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 122 g | 120 g |
| Size | Appropriately small | Appropriately small |
| Blade Width | 4cm, ideal for body use | 3cm, somewhat narrow except for shaving the intimate area |
| RPM | 6000 strokes/minute | 7000 strokes/minute |
| Noise Level | Quiet | Even quieter |
| Safety and Nicks | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| A separate blade for the genital area | Yes | No |
| Guide Combs | 1.5mm, 3mm, 6mm, 9mm, and 12mm | 3/6 mm and 10/13 mm |
| Battery Life | 3 hours | 1,5 hours |
| Battery Charge Retention | Excellent | Average |
| Charging Time | 1 hour | 5 hours |
| Trimming Light | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life Indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Charging Station | Yes | Yes |
| Travel Lock | No | Yes |
| Water Resistance | Yes | Yes |
| Grip and Handling | Excellent | Good |
| Drop Resistance | Average | Average |
| Warranty | 1 year | 90 days |
| Satisfaction Guarantee | 14 days | 30 days |
| Price | 69,75 € | 99,99 €, (without a subscription) |
Brands
KingBalls is a new and relatively unknown Finnish brand with few reviews available. They offer only a few products, such as intimate area powder and trimmer. Manscaped is the largest men’s intimate area trimmer brand, with millions of their trimmers and accessory products sold.
Manscaped was founded in 2017. They also sell products like boxers, nose hair trimmers, and fragrances. They have about 10 different products, including the previous version of The Lawn Mower, 3.0, which is slightly cheaper than the 4.0. When purchasing The Lawn Mower, it’s important to note that the “Peak Hygiene Plan,” which is 10 euros cheaper, is actually a continuous subscription billed every 3 months at 19.99 euros.
Manscaped sponsors numerous major sports events, such as the UFC. They have a massive marketing budget, a significant portion of which is also given to influencers who recommend the product on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Their revenue is approaching the half-billion-dollar mark.
Winner: Manscaped
Safety and Efficiency
Blades
Both trimmers use ceramic blades. Ceramic blades are sharper, more hygienic, dull more slowly, and do not rust. They easily cut hair without irritating the skin. A well-made ceramic blade also prevents the skin from getting caught between the blades, making them excellent for intimate area trimming.
The blade tips are rounded to prevent scratching the skin, even if you trim carelessly, such as when trimming the buttocks. There is an appropriate gap between the ceramic blade and the metal guard to prevent the skin from reaching the blade while ensuring the hair is cut short.
Both blades are designed for safe use on your balls, without scratches.
The Manscaped blade is slightly narrow for uses other than intimate area trimming. Due to the blade’s narrowness, it was easier to miss spots because you couldn’t see what you were trimming (e.g., the back of the thighs or the back of the head). KingBalls fits perfectly between the thighs, but its blade is wide enough that it doesn’t take too long to trim the entire body.
During the trial, it appeared that the Manscaped trimmer was significantly more likely to nick the skin than the KingBalls trimmer. With careful trimming, I was unable to nick the skin, even on the scrotum, which is the most challenging area to trim. KingBalls offers a GroinGuard™ blade specifically designed for the intimate area. This allows you to separate blades for intimate area and for the rest of the body.
The blade on the Manscaped trimmer became too hot during prolonged use, making it uncomfortable to continue trimming.
Both recommend replacing the blades approximately every 3 months, but I haven’t noticed the need to replace them so frequently. Just remember to clean the blades and occasionally disinfect them. However, if you trim more frequently or larger areas, a 3-4 month replacement interval seems appropriate. The Manscaped blade seemed to wear out a bit faster and was more prone to tugging at hairs.
Winner: KingBalls
Motor
The blades and motor work together in how effectively the trimmer cuts hair and whether it gets stuck. In theory, the faster the motor, the quicker the hair is cut – allowing you to move the trimmer faster over the skin without leaving any hairs behind.
Especially when trimming the groin area, it’s good for the motor to be of medium speed. You don’t want a slow blade that tugs at hairs, but you also don’t want a too powerful motor that could nick your privates.
KingBalls uses a 6,000 RPM (revolutions per minute) motor, while the Manscaped trimmer has a 7,000 RPM motor. Theoretically, Manscaped’s motor wins. In practice, the difference in trimming time and results was very minimal. Partly because KingBalls’ slightly wider trimming head covered a larger area at once.
Winner: Manscaped (by a small margin)
Quietness
Both Manscaped and KingBalls were very quiet. However, the Manscaped trimmer felt even quieter, thanks to its “QuietStroke” technology.
Winner: Manscaped (by a small margin)
Beard Hair
Both trimmers performed well on different parts of the body, including hair. However, for beards, both left the stubble too long. About the same length you’d get from using a razor’s trimmer head.
Winner: Tie
Battery
The Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 requires a lengthy 5-hour charge using the new “wireless” charging dock. This is more than double the 2-hour charging time of the previous Lawn Mower 3.0 model. A full charge provides 1.5 hours of trimming time.
Manscaped’s battery also seems to lose power over time, eventually not holding a charge at all. Numerous complaints related to Manscaped’s battery can be found online, and the latest trimmer version does not appear to have solved these issues.
The KingBalls trimmer needs only an hour to charge and provides 3 hours of trimming time. Its battery does not lose efficiency and maintains its charge.
Winner: KingBalls
In summary: Both body trimmers performed well on flat skin surfaces. KingBalls was gentler and safer, especially on loose and bumpy skin, such as around the anus. KingBalls also charged significantly faster than Manscaped.
Neither trimmer cuts as close as a razor, leaving hairs about 1 mm long. If you desire even shorter hairs, you can shave after trimming. Shaving is quickly done when the hairs are already very short.
Convenience and Style
Personal taste varies. A good body trimmer should support each individual’s different trimming style, hair type, and goals. In this section, we discuss which cordless body trimmer is more convenient.
Wet and Dry Use
Both trimmers are fully water-resistant. You can trim even in the bathtub. They also withstand shaving foam, cream, and shaving gel.
KingBalls has received the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard 60529 IPX6 water-resistance classification, as has The Lawn Mower 4.0. However, ensure that neither trimmer is connected to the charger if used in moist environments.
For both trimmers, it seemed that trimming in the shower did not yield as good a result as dry trimming. Wet trimming also irritated the skin more. Therefore, I recommend using shaving foam if you trim while showering. This way, the trimmers cut the hairs more easily without irritating the skin.
Cleaning both trimmers is effortless. You can simply rinse them under water. Sometimes hairs accumulate under the trimming head; in this case, you can detach the head and rinse both the body and the blade.
Both trimmers also remained secure in wet hands.
Winner: Tie
Guide Combs
The KingBalls trimmer comes with three guide combs: one 1.5 mm comb and double-sided 3 mm / 6 mm and 9 mm / 12 mm combs.
The Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 also comes with 2 adjustable guards, offering lengths of 3 mm, 6 mm, 10 mm, and 13 mm.
Both trimmers include a small cleaning brush.
The guide combs from both trimmers resulted in hairs not reaching the blade as easily and staying longer. This was particularly true for Manscaped. It’s unfortunate, as trimming with Manscaped felt risky without the guards.
Winner: Tie
Additional Features
Both Manscaped’s The Lawn Mower and the KingBalls trimmer feature an LED headlight that helps clearly illuminate the trimming area. Initially, it seemed like just a marketing gimmick, but the lights proved genuinely useful.
Both Manscaped and KingBalls come with a wireless charging station. Manscaped’s package also includes a charger. KingBalls’ trimmer comes without a charger – it connects for charging via a USB cable, such as to a computer or a phone charger. KingBalls justifies the absence of a charger by noting it saves the environment, as people already possess existing USB-C chargers.
Both KingBalls and the new Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 version feature an LED indicator that changes color based on the battery level. The previous 3.0 version, however, has a light that starts blinking when the battery is nearly empty, not providing as clear an indication of battery status.
Winner: Tie
Design
KingBalls’ trimmer arrives in a sealed, stylish black box. The trimmer feels authentic, comfortable to hold, and durable.
The Lawn Mower comes in a stylish premium package. Both trimmers are lightweight and easy to handle. KingBalls may fit a man’s hand slightly better.
Winner: Manscaped
Price
KingBalls is slightly cheaper than Manscaped’s Lawn Mower 4.0 (69.75 € vs. 99.99 €). It’s important to note when purchasing The Lawn Mower that the “Peak Hygiene Plan” at 89.99 €, which is 10 € cheaper, is actually a recurring subscription billed every 3 months at 19.99 €. According to Google searches, many subscribers may not notice this detail.
Replacement blades for both are roughly the same price, and both companies recommend changing the blade approximately every three months. However, the ceramic blades of these trimmers are of good quality, and you can change them less frequently or when you feel they no longer cut as well as before.
The Lawn Mower includes a 90-day warranty, whereas KingBalls offers a 1-year warranty.
Winner: KingBalls
Final Verdict: Manscaped® or KingBalls
Both trimmers were very similar. Manscaped offered a slightly more premium experience.
The biggest and most important difference between Manscaped’s Lawn Mower 4.0 and the KingBalls trimmer is that KingBalls’ GroinGuard™ is significantly safer than The Lawn Mower. In our tests, Manscaped managed to nick the intimate area several times, whereas KingBalls did not cause any injuries. The battery life of the KingBalls trimmer is also better.
KingBalls offered a safer trim, and its battery lasted significantly longer with a shorter charge.