Disappointingly, the Series 9 does not come equipped with any beard maintenance accessories. And, its precision trimmer isn’t sharp enough to make a huge impact. More troubling than this is the fact that the shaver grows hot, very quickly, when in use.
To get the smoothest, most comfortable electric shave, no matter which shaver you choose, you need to remember that electrics can’t easily get as close as a blade. Most electric shaver makers offer advice on how to get the optimal shave. (“We recommend that you shave before you wash, since the skin tends to be slightly swollen after washing.”) Philips Norelco says to wash but not shower (“…otherwise your skin will be hot, puffy…”).
BJ’s Wholesale Club has electric razors for men and women that are known for performing well. You don’t have to use shaving cream with the Philips SatinShave for wet or dry shaving. If you prefer, you can use shaving cream or soap when using it for wet shaving. However, I’ve noticed that other razors’ instructions recommend avoiding the use of shaving gels or oils because they can clog the blades.
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 philips electric razor 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. You’ll have to decide whether the convenience is worth it; maintaining your shaver manually with the included cleaning brush is certainly easy enough. If you can’t find the 9300, get whichever 9000-series model is cheapest.
If a close shave is your top priority, you may find that an electric razor simply cannot compare to a manual one. Based on our research and testing, we believe a foil shaver produces a better shave for most facial hair. But if you prefer a rotary style, consider Philips Norelco’s Shaver 9300 (or another model in the brand’s 9000 line).
For dry shaving, it’s best to start with clean, dry skin—no deodorant or lotions. Both of my top picks have a pivoting head, but I found that this one was the easiest and most comfortable to use for multiple types of hair removal. It was the only one with an efficiency guard, which I found useful for eliminating more hair on the first pass, and a quick-charge mode. We’re also testing the Panasonic Arc6, a six-blade version of the quiet-but-bulky shaver we recommend as a Braun alternative, as well as additional rotary shavers.
I don’t mind telling you that at that point, I pulled out my Philips Norelco OneBlade to finish the job. I used the pop-up trimmer to shave the rest of the hairs that got missed by the main part of the trimmer. I like the idea of the pop-up trimmer (to help shape your mustache and sideburns), but I really don’t like that you can’t shave against the grain with it. Instead of having a visible blade similar to a regular razor, it has three blades that are covered by circular pieces. You’re supposed to rub the trimmer in circles on your face so your hairs go into the little blade covers and get trimmed by the blades.
This powerful electric razor is a go-to for barbers looking to finish off a haircut or quickly remove stubble. Its wide, staggered, raised blades allow the Pro-Foil to choose what philips electric shaver portion of the blade is needed to remove hair. This is an advantage for more detailed and more gentle hair removal (i.e. maintaining a mustache line or cleaning up the neckline).