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Unless you’re precious about having a baby-smooth barbershop shave, there’s little reason to be using a standard, manual razor anymore. The primary alternative? The electric shaver.
Don’t get us wrong; we love a razor-shave. And we understand why some guys like to take their time and turn the shave into a therapeutic process. But even these guys should have an electric razor on hand, for the moments when they want quick cleanups, or if they want to travel without all of the accoutrement involved in a standard shave. With the electric shaver, you need only the device.
While buying one of these devices can be an investment in terms of cost (though plenty of terrific low-cost options exist too), it’s also an investment for your skin, time and sanity. The best electric shavers for men can trim minutes off your morning routine. Plus, because they’re designed not to break the surface of your skin, they can help you finally kick razor burn, ingrown hairs, redness, cuts and irritation bumps.
Manual-razor purists will argue that no shave can be as close as a razor shave, because the razor cuts the hair below the surface of the skin, which is precisely why so many guys experience the above agonies. On top of that, razor hygiene is a process, since you’ve got to keep fresh and sharp blades in rotation, plus properly clean and dry the blade between uses. With an electric razor, a simple flush of hairs is enough between uses, so long as you oil up the blades at proper intervals. And if you’re put off by the fact that an electric razor doesn’t shave as closely as a manual one (and the fact that you might get stubble one day sooner), well, a simple minute-long pass with the shaver will get you back to the baseline. Usually, you can even do this while showering, as most of the best electric shavers for men allow for wet usage, too.
Rarely are two electric razors going to give you the same exact benefits, since many target different body parts, budgets, and shaving frequencies. We’ve put together a roster of our favorite devices below. Read on for our picks of the best electric shavers for men, from rotary to foil options, from face to bald head to groin, from top-shelf to low-cost.
Best Overall
Panasonic Arc6 Electric Shaver
Amazon
Panasonic’s new Arc6 is the most muscular shaver on the market. When it comes to standard razor blades, the message is often “more blades are better.” But more blades can often yield more razor drag and more irritation. This is not the case for electric shavers; in the Arc6’s case, its four foil heads simply yield a faster, more efficient and precise cleanup. In addition to the foils, it’s got two “lifting” crossbars that mow longer stubble. The flexible heads move in 22 directions while humming at a whopping 84,000 cross-cuts per minute. An hour’s charge gives 50 minutes of power, and the tool even has a beard sensor, which adjusts its intensity based on how dense and thick your facial hair is in any given area.
Best Splurge
Braun Series 9 Pro Electric Shaver
Amazon
When it comes to the great war of electric shavers, you will find as many Braun loyalists as Panasonic ones. And that’s for good reason. Among Braun’s best shavers is the Series 9 Pro, with a warranty twice as long as Panasonic’s (two years for the former compared to one year for the latter), and a lifting bar that shears beards as long as 3 mm, around one week’s worth of growth. It makes 40,000 cross-cuts per minute with its four foil heads and one crossbar, and holds an impressive 1:1 charge, maxing out at one hour.
Best Rotary Shaver
Philips Norelco Shaver 3800
Amazon
Electric shavers don’t have to have all the bells and whistles; some rely on simple and can’t-fail design to effectively give you a smooth shave. Philips’ 3800 shaver is the best in the rotary category, with its tri-paneled head that hugs the contours of your face as it glides over stubble. It holds a 1:1 charge ratio (up to one hour) and harbors 27 self-sharpening blades beneath the hood.
Best Foil Shaver
Andis reSURGE Lithium Titanium Foil Wet/Dry Shaver
Amazon
While the first two picks on our list deploy foil heads, they also give many users more power than necessarily needed. Andis takes things back to basics: Two foil heads, one crossbar and nearly 10,000 crosscuts per minute. Then again, ‘basic’ is the wrong word for such a beautiful device. It’s also a heavy hitter for bald-head shaves, should you want a shaver that does double duty above your cheekbones.
Best if You Have Acne
Mowbie Light Stimulation Rotary Shaver
Amazon
Shaving newbies will love Mowbie (and so will shaving vets). Its LED light system adds a youthful element to your shave: Not only will it deliver a baby-smooth finish, but it also incorporates red LED lights designed to promote collagen production and limit inflammation of the skin. Its blue LED lights can kill acne-causing bacteria. So, whether wrinkles or acne are a concern, this device will mind both matters as it mows through your stubble.
Best Portable Shaver
BaByliss PRO GoldFX Foil Shaver
Amazon
If you don’t shave as frequently—or simply want an easy cleanup on the go—then take the barber-favorite BaByliss PRO with you. That’s gold plating you’re looking at, by the way.
Best for Bald Heads
Remington Balder Pro Head Shaver
Amazon
Five rotary heads comprise Remington’s palm-held, bald-head shaver. It gives a 360-degree shave around all the contours of your head and is waterproof for those guys who want a quick shower polish. This device holds a 50-minute charge, is easy to flush clean, has a non-slip grip and is most optimal on one or two days of growth. Anything longer and you may have to bust out your clippers first.
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Best for Chest and Back Hair
Philips Norelco Bodygroom
Amazon
This device has one head with two functions: While the ends have trimming teeth, it also utilizes a foil shaver at center to get hairs down to a barely-there stubble. Those teeth are rounded at the ends, though, so that you don’t get nipped as you shave things down. If you only fancy a trim, you can fasten on any of its three trimming guards. It’s great for wet or dry usage, and even comes with an ergo-boosting, extendable arm for self-administered back shaving.
Buy Now on Amazon $44.95 $34.96
Best Multitasker
Panasonic MultiShape Trimmer and Shaver
Panasonic
This device is a game changer, in that it offers customers the chance to opt into whichever attachment heads they need—namely, a narrower beard and body trimmer, a wider beard and hair trimmer, and an electric razor foil head that actually competes against others in this category. If you want a tool that does it all—and with hours-long power that maintains muscle throughout, get the sturdy MultiShape and don’t look back. Its main detriment is a lack in detailing options, but it makes up for that with precision trimming length options and a waterproof core. Oh, and get the Lithium Ion battery base, which is just $10 more than the alternative option, and so much more powerful.
Best for Facial Detailing
ConairMan Detailer, Shaver and Ear-and-Nose Trimmer
Amazon
Dedicated detail devices are grossly underrated; after all, the smallest details can elevate a facial hair style from average to excellent. When it comes to detailing shavers, though, you want a tiny foil head that is narrow enough to navigate small areas—like the bridge between mustache and beard, or the excess area around your mustache that you manicure away. Conair’s detailing pen has a double-headed detailer, with a foil shaver and a miniature trimmer. Between those, all your detailing needs are covered, alongside the nose and ear hair zapper that also comes in the package. (Use it to tidy up your eyebrows, too!)
Best Deal Right Now
Panasonic Arc5 Electric Razor
Amazon
The Arc6 is a recent addition to this roster, since it launched mid 2022. What sat atop the throne prior to its release? The Arc5, of course, which you can get for less than half the cost of its successor. And that makes it a steal, because this excellent shaver harnesses an impressive five blades (four foil, one crossbar—which is exactly one crossbar shy of the Arc6’s lineup). There’s no way we can call it better than the Arc6 given slight upgrades on muscle, quietness, and sensor-reading, but all of things feel nominal when you consider that the Arc5 was the best in the game for years. It’s still phenomenal, and it’s a lot cheaper than the Arc6, which is the Ferrari of e-shavers these days. No shame in getting yourself the Tesla of e-shavers with the Arc5.
Best for Travel
Andis Pro Foil Cordless Shaver
Amazon
This gold titanium foil shaver is one of those barber staples; there’s a good chance one of the employees in your go-to barbershop uses this foil shaver for simple “zero-length” neckline cleanups (whenever the customer does not otherwise request a close shave). And there’s good reason you should buy it for weekend travel, given its ability to clean up your stubble without occupying much room in your luggage (not to mention, staying lightweight in the process, just over half a pound. It holds a charge for 80 minutes, too, meaning you’ll never find yourself up a creek so long as you juice it up prior to travel.
Best Epilator
Philips Epilator Series 8000
Amazon
An epilator isn’t exactly a body shaver, but it certainly attracts the same customer. Epilators are ideal if you want to rid of your body hairs for much longer periods of time, and if you can withstand some serious pluckage. If that sounds good, then charge up Philips’ device, which can extract even some barely-sprouted stubble (as short as half a millimeter). It’ll leave you smooth, like you just got waxed, and give you up to one month of time before the newbies start sprouting back up in their place. Now, it’s probably best avoided on your face, but it can tidy up your body right quick.
Best for Sensitive Areas
Happy Nuts The Ballber Groin Trimmer and Shaver
Amazon
If the brand and product name doesn’t give away the ending, Happy Nuts’s “Ballber” will make shaving your balls (and the rest of your groin) a happy, nick-free cinch. Replaceable, pivoting blades make it easy to hug any curves, and ensure that you don’t accidentally get any loose skin caught between the teeth (hey, anyone who has attempted this with a subpar device knows the value of that alone). Some would call this a trimmer, but we consider it a shaver, since it gets the hairs as close to zero in an otherwise impossible battleground. Best of all, you can use it to shave in both directions—bonus points for that ergo-friendly design—and it’s waterproof, too.
Best Budget Buy
Hatteker Electric Rotary Shaver
Amazon
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