I have a couple of different Emjois (different widths) and I use them regularly (unfortunately, the lessening of hair growth hasn't worked for me, though when I was a teen, I used to shave and epilate my legs, but at some point I ended up with no hair to remove except for a stray ankle hair once in a while. Don't know how it happened, but I'd love for it to happen elsewhere).
The wider the head of the hair remover, the more painful it can be. Especially in the bikini line, or other areas with thick hair.
I suppose it depends somewhat on your pain threshhold. I've plucked my eyebrows for years, and never understood why some people say it's painful. I barely notice.
The Emjoy is just like a lot of little tweezers pulling out the hairs.