Razor remains our favorite for everyday shaving, because it provides the perfect balance of comfort, closeness, and durability—and all at a fair price. The series at the lower end of Braun’s foil shaving line that we tested—the Series 5 and Series 6—each performed fine in our testing, and with a bit more work and time all eventually gave the same shave as the Series 7. The shaver includes an indicator to let you know when the time comes, and the cutters are usually in the $50 to $60 range. For travel, Philips Norelco offers a hard case that’s considerably bulkier than those that come with the foil razors we tested. The S9000 Prestige’s digital battery indicator is more precise than the temperature-gauge-like bar on other models we’ve considered, but both are fine in day-to-day use. We’ve recruited people with diverse facial hair types and shaving preferences to test our picks long term.
We had the testers keep the top-performing razors for extended periods to allow for break-in time. Two of the reasons you may prefer using an electric razor on your face instead of a manual razor are convenience and safety . Battery life is solid at 60 minutes – enough for plenty of shaves between charging – and it only take two hours to fill it back up over Micro-USB, which is fantastic.
All contents and original packaging must be included with all returns. Unlike our picks, the lightweight Andis ProFoil Lithium Titanium Foil Shaver is not waterproof, and it is warrantied for only one year . The S9000 Prestige’s trimmer, most often suitable for sideburns, is a separate attachment that’s easy to lose. Staff writer James Austin has reviewed everything from board games to umbrellas and has participated in a number of test panels since joining Wirecutter in 2015.
You can use shavers in the shower, but a dry face is generally recommended to get the smoothest electric shave. We found that using shaving cream made for a foil-clogging, extra-gooey experience. Using shaving cream is likely to increase the amount of time you spend shaving, if you want to reach the closeness you’d get going dry. Because of their shape, Philips Norelco razors need to be held in the cleaning base by a kind of stalk-like support, which means an extra step of inserting the razor.
Braun’s Series 7 razors have been around in various forms for more than a decade, and they have built a reputation for producing close shaves, being durable, and providing convenience and value. It’s still our favorite razor, and it has become an even better choice because it’s significantly less expensive than it used to be. All Braun Series 7 models give consistently close, comfortable shaves.The 7071cc comes with the accessories we think most people want or need, including a cleaning system and carrying case. Unfortunately whether it’s down to design, power, or simply sharpness this razor simply doesn’t cut it, with inconsistent results and real difficulty shaving under the jaw. It’s tempting to think that the Series 9000 Prestige is all about the gimmicks. Philips’ most expensive high-end shaver ships with a fancy, glowing, wireless QI charger, a carry case and a clever click-in trimmer which does a great job of sorting out your sideburns.
DO NOT BUY. I bought the Braun Series 5 and the battery died after about a month and now will not charge. While the Series 7 is powerful enough for most shaving situations, Braun’s Series 9 is the top-performing shaver we’ve tried that we find worth the additional expense—at least for certain situations. If you have particularly curly or coarse hair, or if you wish to shave less frequently but achieve the same level of closeness, this may be the shaver for you.
The Braun Series 3 rechargeable electric shaver is tough on beards and smooth on skin. The 3-pressure sensitive shaving elements adapt perfectly to every facial contour and shave in intuitive straight lines. The rotary design Remington shavers feature 2 rotary tracks that cover the rotating cutting blades. MicroFlex heads handle multi-day growth with ease and noise free operation produces minimum vibration.
The battery takes an hour to charge for over an hour’s shaving, though there is a five-minute rush charge if you need it, and you can use it wet or dry and rinse it under the tap when you’re done. Philips also sells this model with an optional cleaning pod, which does a fantastic job of cleaning and lubricating the head. You simply insert the supplied blue goo cartridge, stick your shaver in upside down and turn it on. However, you’ll pay an extra £40 to £50 for the privilege and it’s a fine shaver with or without. The R6 doesn’t get quite as close as consistently as the premium shavers, and can tug on longer hairs if you’ve let them grow. Yet it’s comfortable if you shave every day or so and the Twintrack blades do a good job of dealing with thick growth under the jawline.
Its shave has remained close and comfortable and is still strong enough to mow through multiple days of growth when needed. James used the Remington for two years, and it held up well during that period. It handled daily shaves without complaint and powered through more days of growth without too much issue.