The Best Electric Razors for Men
Every guy should own an electric razor, no matter how often he uses it. That’s because the best electric razor will tidy up a face in a matter of minutes with no nicks or cuts suffered. Sure, it might not provide as close of a shave as a manual razor, but every so often you might be short on time or patience and there it is—your electric razor to save the day.
Similarly, if you rarely shave and prefer the bearded path through life, there will probably come a time when you’ll need to shave. At that point, introducing a razor to your unseasoned skin would likely result in redness and razor bumps. Suddenly, you’re dealing with a new problem when the intent was to look baby-smooth for some special occasion. An electric razor could have saved your skin here, too, and literally so.
Choosing the best razor starts with identifying your skin’s sensitivities and how often you intend to use the device. It might be pointless to invest two hundred bucks if you only plan to use the shaver for neckline cleanups or semi-annual shearings. But even then, there are high-performance, low-cost picks that you can keep in the bullpen for whenever they’re needed.
While we maintain that the Braun Series 9 Pro is the best electric razor for men, we do find some others, like the Philips Norelco Shaver 9000 Prestige and the Remington Balder Pro Head Shaver, are the right tools for specific jobs. But how is something like that determined? Here’s how to break down shopping for electric razors and what to consider before buying.
How to Shop for Electric Razors
There are a few factors to weigh before buying an electric razor. The cost will play a role, but there are usually less expensive versions of the latest models that offer many of the same benefits—you know, if you want to save a few pennies. Beyond that, it’s worth considering factors like portability (namely for how much you plan to travel with it), as well as battery life (though most will last around an hour). And if you plan to shave your head with an electric razor, then it’ll be wise to get a dedicated device for the task, since the ergonomic design of head shavers helps hug the skull.
There are also two widely debated topics taking place in the world of men’s electric razors: whether to choose a foil shaver or a rotary shaver, and whether that device should be rinsable or waterproof.
Related: The Best Hair Waxes for Any Hairstyle
Foil vs. Rotary Shaver
You’ve probably noticed that some electric shavers have horizontal nickel crossbars on their head (foil shavers), while others rely on round panels that are connected like honeycombs (rotary shavers). These two types of devices offer slightly different benefits and target different use cases. While both styles will suit most users, it’s still wise to shop within your specific needs.
Foil shavers: Foil shavers are the more common style of shavers and are deemed more universal since they satisfy sensitive skin types and infrequent users (whose skin might also be sensitive as a result). It’s very easy to tidy up a five o’clock shadow or buzz a head with a foil shaver, and it tends to finish the job in a single stroke more readily than rotary shavers do. Many foil shavers have a metal crossbar between their punctured nickel foils which “raise” the hairs and feed them into the holes where they meet the oscillating blades below. They also provide a slightly closer shave than rotary shavers, even though in reality, it only lasts about half a day more and nobody would be able to tell anyway. Despite that, those who demand that extra proximity should get a foil shaver.
Rotary shavers: Because rotary shavers have round panels that pivot every which way as they hug the face, it’s easy for them to target hairs that grow in oddball patterns—namely wiry and curly hairs. These hairs are fed into rotating blades beneath each panel. Rotary heads are also better at preventing ingrown hairs since rotary shavers don’t cut quite as close as foil shavers. This also makes them slightly better for shaving the head and body, given the contours of those body parts.
Rinsable vs. Waterproof Electric Razors
Today, most electric razors will have a rinsable head, making it easy to lift the lid and flush out any clippings (and to clean with sterilizing fluids). Many of these razors will be listed as “wet/dry,” since they can also be used with shaving agents in case you prefer to have a shave cream, gel, or oil on the skin. However, if you want to do a refresh in the shower, then you need to get a device that is 100 percent waterproof. This isn’t imperative for most people; but if it’s important to you, waterproof electric razors do exist.
How We Tested
At Men’s Journal, we’re constantly testing the latest products, some of our team with more than a decade of grooming coverage under their belt. Whenever something enters the marketplace, it’s also at our desks, and quickly being tested. Think of us as grooming lab rats; we get to enjoy the spoils when something is really great, and endure the agony when a product isn’t up to par.
The Best Electric Razors of 2023 The Best Overall Electric Razor: Braun Series 9 Pro 
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It seems like Panasonic and Braun take turns atop these lists, and the latest distinction goes to Braun’s outstanding shaver, the Braun Series 9 Pro. This fully waterproof behemoth is unkind to stubble but extremely gentle on skin, thanks to a protective guard wedged between its foil crossbars. Also present is a lifting trimmer that elevates stubborn, flat-lying, and curly hairs and feeds them into the blades for the most efficient first pass across your skin. It cuts hairs all the way down to 0.05 mm and adjusts its intensity as it scans the skin so that you never experience tugging or resistance in areas of thicker or patchier hair. There’s a lock function that holds its pivoting head in place for jobs that demand a bit more control. You get an hour of runtime with each full charge and can tackle a week’s worth of stubble with this shaver, with no pre-trim needed. Get one with the charging and cleaning station, to ensure that your shaver stays clean, lubricated, dry, and fully juiced.
[$330; amazon.com]
The Best Rotary Electric Razor: Philips Norelco Shaver 9000 Prestige 
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Philips Norelco’s top-shelf rotary shaver is 100 percent waterproof and is a life changer for ingrown-prone individuals. It catches the curliest, coarsest hairs, adjusting its intensity every 15 seconds so that it can target each area of hair with the most efficiency—never more, never less. It satisfies sensitive types too (better than most rotary razors), thanks to coated panels that help the device glide better across the face without irritating skin. This shaver maintains an hour of battery on each charge and includes a trimming head in case you want to define your neckline or sideburns ahead of the shave (or bring everything down to a stubble before a uniform cleanup).
[$290; amazon.com]
The Best Value Electric Razor: Bevel Electric Shaver 
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Bevel has built a name as the most trusted beard and shave brand for ingrown-prone skin, and its latest device defies any advice we’ve offered above. This is a foil shaver that promises to satisfy those who are prone to shaving sensitivities like razor burn and pre-ingrown bumps. At one-third the cost of the top foil pick on our list, Bevel’s flexible, wet-dry shaver seems like a steal, especially for anyone who plans to shave less frequently or more hastily: It’s a shortcut for smooth skin with minimal side effects.
[$110; getbevel.com]
The Best Electric Razor for Travel: Manscaped Handyman Compact Face Shaver 
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Electric shavers tend to take up a lot of space when traveling, but devices like the Manscaped Handyman make cleanups extremely simple, even on a few days’ worth of hair growth, and take up less room than an iPhone. This two-foil head with its hair-lifting crossbar may even be preferred by some over a bulkier shaver full-time. It’s fully waterproof, charges with a USB-C cable, and holds an hour of juice. So much for having something high-tech and superpowered; this device proves that simplicity will never go out of style.
[$80; amazon.com]
The Best Electric Razor for Heads: Remington Balder Pro Head Shaver 
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Remington’s five-panel rotary shaver glides around the head like a robot vacuum, catching a majority of those clippings and making for an easy cleanup. It’s 100 percent waterproof, too, should you want to tidy up in the shower. Its palm-perfect size makes it easy to keep a grip and finish the job quickly, without missing any spots.
[$60; amazon.com]
The Best Mainstay Electric Razor: Panasonic Arc5 
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Most attention is given to the newest, shiniest model, but don’t forget that very rarely are we reinventing the wheel. And while Panasonic’s Arc6 shaver is absolutely fantastic (and nearly earned the top spot on this list), we want to point out that the previous model, the Arc5, is still around—and is still exceptional while costing less than half as much. So what if it only has five trimming faces compared to the new models’ six? More isn’t always better. This one shaves both wet and dry, adjusts its intensity as hair density changes, and has a precision trimmer to clean up the perimeter of your beard and sideburns.
[$160; amazon.com]
