7 Best Electric Shavers for 2023

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Types of shavers

Some electric shavers are what’s considered the classic clipper type. They have several metal blades in a row that vibrate and cut off hair as you run them across your skin. They also tend to come with attachments that help you shave your nose, ears, and other delicate areas that need fine trimming.

But there are two main types of shavers that you’re likely to encounter that make up the bulk of the electric shaver market: rotary shavers and foiled shavers.

Rotary vs. foiled shavers

Rotary shavers use a configuration with several rotary blades — usually about three to five — that move around in a circle. This means that each shaving blade can move freely and independently in several different directions, getting more easily into the contours of your face and other areas like armpits and pelvic area.

Foil shavers are covered with thin, porous metal sheets that cover a series of moving blades underneath. The sheets protect your skin from direct contact with the blades, and the pores in the metal allow the hair to be collected within the shaving mechanism.

Rotary shavers can make it easier to get into hard-to-reach places, but doesn’t always give a close shave. Foil shavers can give you closer shaves, but need to be used in one direction for the blades to make contact with your hair and aren’t as easy to navigate.

Foil shavers can also use a variety of attachments for more detailed trimming or different hair lengths. But rounded rotary shavers may not be compatible with many attachments because of their rounded shape.

How we chose

There’s minor variation between the types of razors available at different prices, so we chose the best razors based on criteria that included:

• type of razor (basic blades versus foil blades)
• power of shaver from full charge to low charge
• precision of shave
• efficacy for various parts of your body
• ease of use and maintenance
• additional features or technology
• value and affordability

Pricing guide

The price of electric shavers has quite a large range. The low end usually starts around $15 to $20, while the high end can go up to $300 (or more, depending on where you shop).

We’ll indicate a general price range with a dollar sign ($ to $$$$). One dollar sign means it’s pretty affordable to almost anyone, while four dollar signs means it’s at the top of the possible price range.

• $: under $40
• $$: $40 to under $80
• $$$: $80 to under $120
• $$$$: $120 or higher

Healthline’s picks for best electric shavers

Most affordable electric shaver

Philips Norelco Multigroom 3000

• Price: $
• Type of razor: clipper
• Number of blades: varies by attachment (up to 15)
• Attachments included: yes
• Battery life: up to 60 minutes
• Charging stand: no

This shaver is the do-it-all type with no frills.

Using a base of 15 tempered rust-resistant steel blades and 13 attachments, you can shave in a variety of ways without having to switch shavers and trimmers.

It’s built to withstand falls and impacts, and has a motor secured in place with steel construction to prolong the shaver’s life span. It’s not meant for precision jobs or close shaving, but it’ll give you a solid trim if you want to keep your hair from getting out of control.

Pros

• The shaver has a low price.
• It has high quality steel components.
• The shaver is rechargeable and lasts about 60 minutes per charge.
• It comes with 13 attachments for different shaving needs around your body.
• DualCut technology keeps blades sharp even as they’re used.

Cons

• Close shaving or trimming may irritate sensitive skin.
• Basic blade and attachment design limits fluidity of movement across the face as well as customization of hair shape and length.
• Customers report issues with charger not working after a few months of use.

Shop now at Amazon

Best waterproof electric shaver

Panasonic Arc4

• Price: $$$$
• Type of razor: foil
• Number of blades: 4
• Attachments included: no
• Battery life: up to 45 minutes
• Charging stand: no

This shaver has four blades shielded by stainless steel foils with hundreds of tiny pores that ensure that most hairs are caught and trimmed quickly and cleanly. The 14,000 cycles per minutes (cpm) motor produces a great deal of power that also helps cut down on shaving time even as the battery begins to run out.

The pivoting head of this shaver also makes it great to do quick jobs across curving, angular areas like your jaw, neck, and parts of your arms and legs that you want to trim without having to trim one area at a time in one direction. It also includes a pop-out trimmer for some finer but basic detailing.

It’s also built for both dry and wet shaves so that you can use it even when you’re fresh out of the shower and need to sneak in a last-minute trim.

Pros

• It has four blades for precise, close shaves.
• The shaver has hypoallergenic foil material.
• The linear motor ensures maximum power until end of charge.
• It’s waterproof for use in bath or shower.
• The LCD display shows charge and other info, such as a shaving timer and a sonic vibration cleaning mode.

Cons

• There are some complaints about short battery life over time.
• Some users say the shaver causes uncomfortable ingrown hairs or skin irritation.
• The shaver doesn’t have good reviews as a precision or detailing trimmer.

Shop now at Amazon

Best for sensitive skin

Panasonic Arc5

• Price: $$$$
• Type of razor: foil
• Number of blades: 5
• Attachments included: no
• Battery life: up to 40 minutes
• Charging stand: yes

This is the lighter, faster, and more powerful version of the Arc4. The battery life may not last as long as that of the Arc4, but you may not need it. At 70,000 cpm, the Arc5 cuts quickly and precisely with five foil-covered blades and an updated pivoting head for easy navigation across your skin.

The Arc5 features a shave sensor that purportedly senses the density of your hair while you’re shaving and adjust the power of the shaver for precise trimming without irritating your skin.

The Arc5 also comes with a charging stand that can make it easier to keep out and grab when you’re ready for a quick trim or shave.

Pros

• The five blades allow close and precision trimming with foil overlay for customization.
• It includes pop-up trimmer for delicate detailing.
• The linear motor allows full power until the charge runs out.
• Built-in sensors adjust blades based on hair density and length to protect skin.
• Charging port includes automatic blade-cleaning.

Cons

• The shaver’s price is high.
• The cleaning solution in charger can be messy or get stuck in razors.
• Users report short life span (6–10 months), which makes price hard to justify
• Complex technology can make it difficult to learn how to best use razor around your body.

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Best for shaving stubble

Braun Series 5

• Price: $$
• Type of razor: foil
• Number of blades: 3
• Attachments included: yes
• Battery life: up to 50 minutes
• Charging stand: no

This Braun Series 5 German-engineered electric shaver is a great medium between affordable and precise. The three foil-covered blades are built into a pivoting head that eases in and out of the angles of your face and skin.

This shaver features a patented EasyClean system that enables you to brush excess hair out of the blades without having to remove the foils or use any messy oils. It’s safe to use for wet or dry shaves, and delivers up to 50 minutes of shaving time with only a 5-minute charge for another 50 minutes of use.

Pros

• The shaver uses patented technology to reduce skin irritation.
• The motor design allows ease of movement across the skin.
• The waterproof design allows shaver to be used anywhere.
• The portable charging port supplies 50-minute battery life for lithium battery while also cleaning and sterilizing the razor.

Cons

• Customers complain of short life span (around 1 year).
• The cleaning solution built into charger sometimes gets caught in razor head.
• There are possible connection problems with charger.

Shop now at Amazon

Best for body grooming

Philips Norelco Multigroom 7000

• Price: $$$$
• Type of razor: clipper
• Number of blades: 15
• Attachments included: yes
• Battery life: up to 300 minutes
• Charging stand: no

Look no further for a full-body grooming experience.

This electric shaver and trimmer has a solid 15-blade steel trimmer at its base. But it’s compatible with 20 attachments that are meant to help you trim, groom, and shave almost anywhere on your face and body: head, face, nose, ears, mustache, beard, arms, and legs.

This shaver also features a long battery life of up to 5 hours so that you can build a reliable body grooming schedule, especially if you spend a little time every day to keep things neat and tidy or need your shaver for long periods of travel.

Pros

• It has a wide variety of attachments for detailed body grooming.
• It can help you get close shaves.
• The battery lasts a long time: up to 5 hours.
• It comes with a convenient pouch to transport the entire kit.
• It’s easy to clean.

Cons

• The price is on the higher end.
• The shaver isn’t meant for quick shaves of large areas.
• It may have too many attachments for general shaving needs.
• The cleaning can get messy with oils.

Shop now at Amazon

Best for trimming beards

Panasonic ER-GB42-K

• Price: $$
• Type of razor: clipper
• Number of blades: 23
• Attachments included: no
• Battery life: up to 50 minutes
• Charging stand: yes

This is the beard trimmer for beard geeks designed by beard geeks.

With a rotating adjustment dial, you can choose the beard length you want down to the millimeter (mm) — from 1 to 10 mm. The blades are also complemented by a comb attachment that helps raise up hairs for more precise trimming that’s as close to the measurement you want as possible.

The body of the razor is light and designed for an easy grip in case you want to get up close and personal with your detailing without hurting your hand or arm from holding it too long.

Pros

• It allows extreme precision in facial hair grooming.
• The shaver works wet or dry.
• It’s light and easy to grip.

Cons

• It doesn’t include any attachments.
• The shaver requires oil before and after each use.
• Some users say the shaver is somewhat noisy.
• The shaver doesn’t include the popular 0.5 mm option like many other beard trimmers.

Shop now at Amazon

Best overall shaver

Braun Series 9

• Price: $$$$
• Type of razor: foil
• Number of blades: 4
• Attachments included: no
• Battery life: up to 60 minutes
• Charging stand: yes

Braun’s German-engineered electric shavers are known for their quality and versatility — and the Braun Series 9 is the top of the line for a high quality, quick, and precise shave.

It’s a little on the pricey side, but every feature you could want is turned up to the max. The ProLift foil trimmer and Precision Switch are designed to help get hairs down to a 0.5 mm level for an extremely close shave. The entire shaver is waterproof so that you can shave in the shower or bath without a worry.

And it even has its own SmartCare dock that can clean your shaver based on your usage and needs, from cleaning out hair to lubricating and drying the shaver for the next shave.

Pros

• It features a high precision shaving technology.
• The shaver has a powerful motor for quick shaving.
• It has an automatic cleaning dock.
• It’s waterproof.

Cons

• Its price is on the very high end.
• Some advanced features can become faulty over time.
• Some users say the shaver is somewhat hard on sensitive skin.

Shop now at Amazon

Difference between an electric razor and a manual razor

The biggest difference between an electric and a manual razor is how the blades cut hair.

An electric razor typically has several blades, some of which may have many “teeth” that vibrate rapidly from side to side to cut hair in a scissor motion. You can usually shave with an electric razor quickly at the expense of precision, especially if you’re just maintaining or trimming a large area.

A manual shaver uses sharpened blades that must be applied directly to the skin in a certain direction so that the blade can slice the hair near its base. It can take longer and may expose you to more risk of injury due to direct contact with sharp blades, but will give you a closer and more precise shave.

Benefits of an electric shaver

Some benefits of an electric shaver can include:

• They’re quick: If you’re trying to clean up quick and don’t need a close or precise shave, these razors are the way to go.
• They don’t require shaving cream: You can shave with an electric razor without any additional water, cream, gel, or product. This can result in less of a mess and save you money.
• They’re portable: Most electric razors are chargeable and can be carried with you almost anywhere. Most charge quickly so that you can keep using it even while you travel as long as you have a power source.
• They can make delicate areas easier to maintain: Regular razors can be difficult to apply to places like your jawline and groin area, and they aren’t great for precision trimming. Electric razors are often easier to navigate around tight spaces and can include attachments for even more precision.
• They’re a little safer: You’re not likely to cut yourself or shave improperly in a way that causes ingrown hairs because you’re not always shaving all the way down to the root of the hair, allowing some exposure for the hair to grow back unobstructed.

How to choose the best electric shaver for you

Here are some of the key factors to consider when you’re looking for an electric razor:

Health considerations

• Are the razor blades nickel-free to prevent allergic reactions?
• Is this razor designed for sensitive skin?

Features

• Does it offer a simple, basic shave?
• Does it have any other additional settings or attachment options for customization when desired?
• Is the razor itself easy to use, or is it overloaded with features and settings that are difficult to understand or use?
• Do you plug in the razor, or can you charge it and use it wirelessly?

Usability

• Is using this razor as easy as plugging it in and turning it on?
• Are there are other processes you need to follow to make it work?
• Is it easy to clean?
• Can you use it to shave dry, wet, or both?
• Most importantly, does it shave your face or other areas of your body without any difficulty?

Quality

• Does it last a long time? Do included replacement components last a long time?
• Does it have good customer reviews on leading seller platforms?
• Is its efficacy based on any research or quality testing? Refer to this 2016 review in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science for an example.
• Is the manufacturer a trusted brand, or is the product a knockoff of another similar product?
• Does it have any extra certifications besides basic safety requirements, like an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification, symbolized by the letters UL in a circle? (Hint: If it’s not UL certified, it probably isn’t safe. Avoid it.)

Price

• Is it a good value for the price, no matter if it’s expensive or not?
• How often will you have to replace the razor blades or any of the other components?
• Are the replacement components affordable?

How to use an electric shaver

Here are some basic upkeep tips for getting a lot of use out of your electric shaver for a long time, as well as keeping your face looking good after every shave:

• Use a small brush to clean out any hair: A brush can clean hair that’s caught in the blades or shaving components after every shave. Many electric shaving kits come with one. If possible, remove the shaving head and rinse or brush out any stray hairs.
• Rinse off any leftover hairs as well as oils or creams: Clean the shaver of hairs, and oils and creams you may have used to lubricate your razor blades or your face. Check if your razor is safe to put under running water to help rinse out the hair. Keep in mind you probably won’t need shaving oils or creams with an electric razor because the razor doesn’t make close contact with your skin.
• Pat dry the razor head and the razor itself: Once you’ve cleaned off all hair and other substances, dry your razor.
• Let your razor head and components air-dry: Your shaver and its components can dry somewhere clean before you put it away. This helps prevent possible mold growth.
• Store your razor and all its components in a clean, sealed bag: Don’t store anything else, especially someone else’s razor, in the bag. Feel free to use any bag or zip pouch that came with your razor.
• Use a moisturizer or body oil to lubricate your face: Aftershaves can be harsh and contain toxic chemicals. Use a simple, gentle moisturizer, or a skin oil like jojoba oil, for lubrication after a shave.

How to maintain an electric shaver

Here are some tips for maintaining an electric shaver to get the longest and most efficient use out of it:

• Do a detailed cleaning of the blades and all attachments regularly with water and mild soap.
• Don’t leave the shaver plugged in to charge longer than necessary to preserve battery life (especially for lithium ion batteries).
• Turn the shaver off when you’re not using it actively during a shave to preserve the motor — switch it back on when you’re about to cut hair.
• Lubricate the blades before and after every use to preserve the effectiveness of the blades and protect them from damage over time.
• Replace any foils that become cracked or damaged to prevent cuts or infections.
• Try to replace any dull blades or broken components rather than buy a new razor.

Frequently asked questions about electric razors

Can I use shaving cream with an electric razor?

You don’t have to, but you can! Read the instructions for your razor to make sure.

Cream or gel can help protect you from razor burn or bumps, but it can also damage certain types of razors.

How often should I clean my electric razor?

Try to clean your razor before and after every use so that you don’t expose yourself to possible irritants or infections.

If you don’t have the patience to clean it every time you use it, try to clean it at least once a week to keep it functioning at its fullest potential.

When should I replace my electric razor?

Most electric razors last for years before needing replacement. And many manufacturers sell replacement parts so that you don’t need to replace the entire razor.

This one’s up to you. Consider replacing the razor:

• if the battery life isn’t long enough
• if the razor style isn’t suited to your lifestyle anymore
• if many internal components are breaking (especially the motor)

How long does it take for my skin to get used to an electric razor?

This all depends on how you use it.

If you’re using an electric razor for a quick shave, you may need to learn how to apply it to your skin so that you don’t irritate or damage skin.

If you’re using a precision trimmer, learn how to apply the right amount of pressure and direction to get those delicate spots so that you get the job done without irritating your skin.

If you’re finding that your skin gets noticeably irritated by each shave, you may also be allergic to the blade materials or other components. You may want to try a different razor, or contact a doctor to see if you may be allergic to certain metals or materials.

Is an electric shaver better than a manual razor?

Not necessarily. They’re convenient, faster, and safer in most cases, but they’re not the greatest if you want a very close and precise shave over large areas. Manual razors have been used for centuries and are still the best choice for high quality shaves, especially for professional barbers.

But if you just want a quick, easy way to manage body hair on a regular basis, there are a wide variety of electric shavers that can meet your needs and replace your reliance on a manual razor.

Can you get a close shave with an electric razor?

Yes, but it may take some more effort and time than with a manual razor.

And some electric razors aren’t designed to get close enough to the skin to pull out the hair, leaving some hair poking out of the follicle even after going over the same area several times.

Look at the description of each shaver carefully to decide which one will give you the closest shave to what you want. Close electric shavers tend to have distinct designs that give you customization options for shave length.

Takeaway

Choosing the best electric razor isn’t rocket science. But all the nuanced differences between your options can make it feel that way.

What matters is that your razor delivers a safe and effective shave that both protects your skin and gives you the appearance you want.

You don’t need to choose between the two. Look good and feel good doing it with a razor that works for you.