Manscaped’s Lawn Mower has the marketing budget, the podcast ads, and the memorable name. The Philips Norelco Bodygroom has been quietly doing the same job for years at a lower price. So is the Lawn Mower worth the premium – or are you paying for the brand?
We compare the current versions of both – the Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra and the Bodygroom Series 7000 – across the things that actually matter below the neck: safety, closeness, handling in awkward areas, and cost over time.
Quick answer: The Bodygroom 7000 is the better all-round body groomer – its dual-ended design (trimmer one side, foil shaver the other) handles longer hair and full-body work better, for less money. The Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra wins specifically for below-the-waist grooming: it’s compact, precise, and its SkinSafe ceramic blade is very forgiving exactly where you want it to be.
Quick Comparison Table
| Manscaped Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra | Philips Bodygroom 7000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Single-ended trimmer, swappable heads (blade + foil attachment) | Dual-ended: trimmer + foil shaver built in |
| Best at | Groin grooming, precision work | Full-body trimming, longer hair |
| Blade | Ceramic “SkinSafe” blade | Rounded-tooth steel blades + foil |
| Handles long hair | Decent – best after a pre-trim | Very well, even untrimmed |
| Waterproof | Yes, shower-safe | Yes, shower-safe |
| Battery | ~60 minutes, USB-C dock | ~80 minutes |
| Extras | LED spotlight, travel lock | Back attachment available (8000 series) |
| Price range | ~$100–110 | ~$60–80 |
Manscaped Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra: The Specialist
Strip away the marketing and the Lawn Mower is a compact, well-built trimmer optimized for one region. The ceramic blade runs cool and is genuinely hard to nick yourself with – Manscaped’s “SkinSafe” claim holds up in exactly the areas where a slip matters most. The LED spotlight sounds like a gimmick until you use it; below the waist, shadows are real.
The 5.0 Ultra ships with two swappable heads: the standard trimmer blade and a foil attachment for a smoother finish. With the click-on guards you can take everything down to an even length, then switch to the foil for the areas you want cleaner.
Where it wins:
- Groin safety and precision. Compact head, cool-running ceramic blade, spotlight – it’s built for careful work in awkward angles.
- Grip and handling. Rubberized body stays controllable in the shower, where most body grooming actually happens.
- The complete-kit angle. If you buy into the ecosystem (bag, spray, foil head), everything matches and packs well for travel.
Where it loses: value and raw trimming power. You’re paying roughly $30–40 more than the Bodygroom for a tool that’s slower on large areas like chest and legs, and that prefers a pre-trim before tackling longer growth. The subscription-based blade refills Manscaped pushes are optional – treat them as optional.
Philips Bodygroom 7000: The All-Rounder
The Bodygroom 7000’s party trick is its dual-ended design: a full trimmer with adjustable comb on one end, a wide foil shaver on the other. Flip it around and you go from taking down a month of chest growth to shaving it near-smooth – no attachments to swap, nothing to lose in a drawer.
The rounded-tooth blades are designed to work against skin without catching it, and they chew through longer hair better than the Lawn Mower’s smaller head. For chest, stomach, arms, and legs, it’s simply the faster tool.
Where it wins:
- Full-body work. Wider head and stronger hair handling mean fewer passes on large areas.
- Longer hair. It handles untrimmed growth that would clog or tug on the Lawn Mower.
- Value. Comparable build, longer battery (~80 minutes), meaningfully lower price. No subscription nudges.
Where it loses: below-the-waist finesse. The dual-ended body is longer and less nimble in tight angles, and the foil end – while safe – demands a bit more care in loose-skin areas than the Lawn Mower’s compact ceramic head. It also has no spotlight, which you’ll miss more than you’d expect.
Head-to-Head: The Deciding Factors
Safety where it counts
Both are dramatically safer than a razor. The Lawn Mower’s ceramic blade and compact head give it the edge for groin work; the Bodygroom’s rounded teeth make it the safer pick for fast, less careful passes over large areas. Different kinds of safe.
One region or whole body?
Be honest about what you’ll actually groom. If the answer is “mostly below the waist, occasionally chest,” the Lawn Mower’s precision is worth having. If you’re managing chest, stomach, back edges, and legs regularly, the Bodygroom’s speed and hair-handling win the week-to-week experience. Our complete manscaping guide covers technique for both.
Cost over two years
The Lawn Mower costs more upfront and nudges you toward blade-refill subscriptions. The Bodygroom’s blades are self-sharpening with replacement heads needed rarely. Over two years, the total gap can easily reach $60–80 in Philips’ favor.
Which Should You Buy?
Buy the Manscaped Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra if:
- Below-the-waist grooming is your main use case
- You value the compact head, spotlight, and ceramic blade for careful work
- The travel-friendly kit ecosystem appeals to you
Buy the Philips Bodygroom 7000 if:
- You groom your whole body, not just one region
- You regularly deal with longer, untrimmed growth
- You want the better price-to-performance ratio – and no subscription marketing
Pro tip: if you only groom occasionally, buy the Bodygroom and put the saved $40 toward a proper dedicated trimmer later if you find you want more precision. Most men never do.
For more options in this category, see our best body groomers roundup and the body grooming hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use either on my face?
You can, but neither is designed for it. Facial hair is coarser and denser; a dedicated beard trimmer or hybrid like the OneBlade does that job better. Keep body tools for the body – also for hygiene reasons.
Is the Manscaped subscription worth it?
Only if you’d genuinely replace the blade every few months anyway. The trimmer works fine without it, and blades are available individually. Don’t let the checkout flow decide for you.
Which is better for sensitive skin?
Both are gentle if you use a guard. For direct skin contact below the waist, the Lawn Mower’s ceramic blade has the slight edge; for everywhere else, they’re effectively tied. Trim after a warm shower when skin is clean and hair is soft.
