The Best Electric Razors of 2023 - Reviews by Your Best Digs

After nine weeks testing ten designs side by side, we picked the Panasonic – Arc3 as best electric razor. With blades that cut close and a motor that doesn’t let you down in tough stubble, this shaver is also a great value. If your follicles and skin are especially sensitive, we recommend the Braun – Series 7 razor. It gets almost as close as the Arc3, but with a gentler touch.

How we selected products to test

After reading reviews from shaver-centric blogs like Shavercheck, Pauper’s Dime and Getarazor.com, along with reviews from Wirecutter and Consumer Reports, it became clear that there are three brands to beat and not many competitors. The three brands that almost always come up are: Braun, Panasonic and Philips.

Braun is the most popular electric on Amazon, and their cleaning stand is iconic. Wirecutter loves them, but has only tested older models, while Ovidiu Nicolae at Shavercheck gives a comparison of up-to-date Braun and Panasonic models. We looked closely at both lines and picked out the newest models for close comparison.

We’ve seen mixed reviews for rotary-type foils, but Pauper’s Dime (a website focused on smart spending) is the token enthusiast, lauding the easy cleaning and quiet performance of the Philips rotary shavers. We bought Philips models that represent the newest designs Philips has to offer in both a value-priced and luxury-class shaver.

We tried to find alternatives to the big three, and we didn’t see much that was encouraging. Skipping no-name shavers that seemed too much of a gamble, we found two more models to calibrate our test experiences. The first is the Andis – Profoil. It’s the shaver of choice for barbers cleaning up fades, and we wanted to see how it fares in a lineup of complex waterproof razors.

Remington is the other notable name in electric razors. We picked their new PF-7600 as a model that’s price-comparable to the entry-level models from the other brands.

We looked at “travel” razors, but so far as we can tell the only reason to buy them is if you absolutely cannot plug in your charger for a month. Even the power-hungry Panasonic Arc5 should give you at least two weeks of shaving on a charge, and the power adapters for our winners are dual-voltage for international compatibility with a simple plug adapter.

What about electric shavers for women?

We set out specifically to find the best electric razor for men, and our testers were men shaving their faces. Leg hair is not as curly as facial hair, which is good news for ladies. In other words, any of these shavers should work even better on legs than they did on our faces. The fact that newer shavers are almost all waterproof is also a boon if you’re used to shaving your legs in the shower.

Shavers for men tend to be more expensive than those aimed at women, though, and the pop-up trimmers and accessories are designed for different jobs. We hope this information about brands, features and designs will help guide your purchase, whatever type of shaver you’re looking for.

Compare the best electric shavers

Why should you use an electric razor?

The debate about the best ways to shave has raged for at least 100 years. To get some perspective on the debate, we locked a die-hard wet shaving enthusiast and a committed electric user in a room. After the dust settled they agreed on a few clear wins and trade-offs for the electric razor:

Pros:

Speed: An electric razor can mow down stubble quickly and efficiently.
Convenience: If you dry-shave, you don’t need any accessories for shaving at work, the gym or even in the car.
No nicks: Let’s face it, the worst part about a blade shave is figuring out what to do when you nick yourself in a rush to get out the door.
Sensitive skin: If you get rashes, bumps and irritation from a blade-shave, an electric shaver will probably be gentler (especially now that shavers can work with cream for easier gliding across your skin).

Cons:

One o’clock shadow: An electric razor is never going to shave as close as a good disposable cartridge razor, let alone a double-edge or straight razor shave.
Expense: The initial purchase cost is high; and plan on annual replacement blades, then eventual battery death just like your cell phone.
Bumps: if you can manage an extra-close shave, the bumps from an electric might actually be worse than from a blade. Careful adjustment of your shave should help, but electrics aren’t a cure-all.
Mess: Dry shaving usually means tiny hairs blowing around your bathroom. (Shaving in the shower helps a lot, though.)

Foil vs. rotary shavers

There are two common approaches to making a small motor into a hair-shaving machine. Each design is a transformation of the tried-and-true hair clipper mechanism. Rather than a single line of v-shaped cutting blades, though, shavers are a hole-filled “foil” of metal that can press safely against your skin and a blade inside that snips off hairs that poke through.

Foil-type shavers: These use a half-cylinder foil with a set of hoop-shaped blades nesting inside. The inside cutter blade rapidly buzzes back and forth, just like hair clipper blades do, but your skin is protected by the foil.

Rotary-type shavers: This uses the same scissor-like cutting action, but with a totally different mechanism. Rotary blades have two or three flat circular foils with micro-blades running in circles underneath like little propellers. The spinning blades are quieter and move more quickly than the blades in a foil-type, but they each cut a flat plane rather than a three-dimensional curve.

It’s easy to angle a rotary drive shaft, so each of the circular cutters can tilt to follow tricky contours like your chin. That said, foil shavers already have some contour-following advantages with the 3D shape of their foils. So the difference between types in this regard isn’t as big as it might seem.

We asked around about reasons to choose one type over the other, and got mixed responses, but a generally consistent theme. When we asked John Howes from Getarazor.com about his seven years of experience with different types of razors, he said that it depends mostly on hair and skin type. “A rotary shaver is great for thicker, coarser hair that grows in different directions. They’re also better if you prefer to have a less noisy shaver. Foil shavers are kinder to the skin, great for straight hair and precise shaving such as if you have a mustache or goatee.”

After testing a wide range of models from five different manufacturers, it seems clear that there is no hard and fast rule about who likes foils and who likes rotary shavers. Our two testers had polar-opposite experiences: One got a closer shave on his neck with the rotary shavers than he could get with the foil types, while another tester was convinced the top-of-the-line Philips rotary was broken.

In the end, if you find that a foil-type shaver just can’t get close to hairs that are growing in swirled growth patterns, you might be a good candidate for a rotary-type design.

On the whole, though, it seems clear that most people will be happier with the bar-shaped foils than the triangular pattern of circular foils. Carefully tracking against the “grain” of hair to cut closer is a bit easier that way.

Important features to consider

Size and number of foils: In Panasonic and Braun’s lines of razors, you get more foils cutting at once when you upgrade to the fancy top-tier models. This does making shaving go a little more quickly, though bigger heads can be tricky to maneuver around the nose and jawline.

Cleaning stands: Most of the manufacturers will sell you a charging and cleaning stand for their more expensive razors. This automates some daily maintenance functions, but if you want the stands to work their best you need to wash the shaver out before you put it back in the stand anyhow. They’re also pretty noisy, especially the Braun system.

Cost of ownership: Beyond the obvious replacement blades (if you’re shaving every day you should plan on buying a replacement foil set every year) there are also costs like cleaning stand refills or some light mineral oil to keep your razor sharp and clean.

Wet use: Most people who look to electric razors are seeking speed and efficiency, so taking time to lather up for wet-shaving is kind of counter-intuitive. The shaving suds will help the razor glide more smoothly across your face, though, and shaving in the shower makes cleanup even easier than with dry shaving.

Battery Life: It doesn’t take long to complete a shave, but there’s no downside to a larger battery other than cost. It used to be that one could use a cordless shaver plugged in after the battery ran down. Now that shavers nearly all work wet, the manufacturers have disabled this option to prevent accidental electrocutions.

How we tested

We’ve got two testers at Your Best Digs who are particular about shaving products. One is a long-time electric user whose skin blisters at the mere mention of razor burn, while the other has been experimenting with straight razors since before he could grow a bad mustache. We asked them for comprehensive feedback in the following categories:

Closeness test

Our testers ranked each design in side-by-side testing, judging which razor shaves closest by checking to see which designs could pick up stubble left behind by the others.

After nine weeks of testing, we compared notes and gave each model a score on a 5-point scale. It’s tricky to measure this as an absolute, since measuring leftover stubble is nearly impossible, but a five-star shaver could consistently improve on the closeness of a four-star shave, and so on.

Note that a blade and lather will pretty easily out-shave even the Panasonic – Arc 5, but it’s much closer than we thought it would be.

Comfort rating

This was the most variable feedback we got from testers, particularly for the rotary-type shavers. After testing the top-class Philips – 8900, one tester (who has used a Braun foil-type shaver for years) said it was pulling at his hair so much he wondered if it was broken or might have a faulty battery.

Rotary shavers like the Philips models we tested use a “lift and cut” system that, theoretically, allows them to trim hair closer to the skin. That might explain the discomfort, but the Remington and Andis shavers weren’t much better. Those less-expensive foil-type models are also buzzy compared to the nearly silent rotary cutters.

Our sensitive tester also said he found the less-expensive Panasonic and Braun shavers slightly more “scratchy” feeling compared to the top-of-the-range models, while our less-sensitive tester found it difficult to rank them specifically on comfort during daily shaves.

The foils on the more expensive shavers don’t have any obviously different features (holes are a similar size, coatings are the same) but the speed of the motor and number of foils are increased by Braun and Panasonic respectively.

Our hypothesis is that the more expensive shavers are cutting more efficiently, which means you don’t need to press the shaver into your skin as much to get close; less abrasion always means less redness.

Wet shaving performance

Other than the Andis – Profoil, each of these shavers is able to work wet. That means you can use them in the shower, and if you want a little bit of added luxury, you can use them with shaving foam, cream or soap.

Our wet-shaving enthusiast tried the different shavers with our pick for the best shaving cream and some brush-lathered soaps. The biggest difference when wet shaving with an electric is that the foil glides smoothly over your skin with no resistance at all, a welcome relief after rubbing foils into his neck to get as close as possible.

The shavers that work best with this method are from Panasonic, and they were one of the first manufacturers to push waterproofness as a feature so it’s little surprise. The difference between shavers is not so much in closeness (each shaver gets slightly closer when your hair is dry and standing up as straight as possible), but in how they handle the foam.

Models from Panasonic, Remington and Philips have much more room inside the foil to scoop up the lather between rinses, while the Braun heads just “snowplow” the cream around your face.

Long stubble performance

We also ranked how well these shavers were able to mow down heavy growth after a four-day weekend. This ranking is based on two factors: First, whether the different razors were actually able to get through the thick stubble for a close shave, and second, whether there was a painful “pulling” sensation with longer hair.

Panasonic’s newer models like the Arc3 and Arc5 are supposed to automatically detect long hair and speed up the motor to cut it more efficiently, but we didn’t notice a significant change in speed as the shave continued. The Arc5’s extra foils did help mow down the heavy growth, though, and if you’re going from fuzz to clean-shaven every week this model would save you some time.

Braun’s Series 7 shaver performed well, and when the speed was cranked up all the way it matched the Panasonic for efficient and smooth cutting. Without the extra foils of the Arc5, though, it’s at a slight disadvantage for a speedy shave.

The Remington was the clear loser in this category, its smaller motor just couldn’t generate enough force to effectively chop away the longer stubble without pulling on the roots.

Cleaning test

The best way to keep your razor sharp is to keep it clean. We’d read about big differences between the different designs, and we found that Braun’s fully enclosed cutter cartridges are definitely harder to clean thoroughly than Panasonic’s.

Probably the biggest surprise in our testing was that the high-end cleaning stands weren’t saving time or effort. Every cleaning stand insisted that a rinse was necessary before using the cleaning cycle, and by the time we got the hang of using liquid hand soap and a cup full of water to pre-clean the shavers, we started to doubt the benefit of another cleaning step with the stands.

The difference in cleaning score mostly came down to easy access to the inside of the cutting system. Braun’s system is totally contained in the snap-on cartridge, which doesn’t seem to be a major problem during cleaning after daily use, but makes it tricky to get out clumps of four-day stubble. All of the other systems separate the inside cutter and the foil, which makes it easier to do a thorough cleaning.

Battery life

We charged each shaver and then timed how long it took for them to totally run out of juice.

Whether you really need more than a few days of charge is debatable, but theoretically the bigger batteries will also take longer to become useless after the cells lose all their capacity. (All of the wet/dry models will refuse to turn on when plugged in, to prevent people from running power cords into the shower.)

Ideally you should keep the shavers at around 80 percent of capacity for maximum battery life and definitely avoid running them down to empty, but modern Lithium Ion cells are pretty robust.

It’s sad that you can’t replace the batteries in these machines, given that with replacement foils they should work just fine for decades, but in the worst-case scenario (the power-hungry Panasonic Arc5) 300 cycles of full charging and discharging still theoretically works out to around 15 years of shaving time.

One unique feature of the Panasonic razors is that they will leave some reserve power in the battery, rather than just running all the way until dead. If you’re not paying attention to the blinking warning light, this will give you just enough reserve power to quickly finish your shave (and maybe one more shave after that) rather than just refusing to turn on.

We can’t tell how much power is left in the Braun lithium-ion shavers, but our guess is that Panasonic’s system is going to do a better job preserving battery life in the long run.

Replacement foil cost

All the manufacturers recommend replacing the foils and cutters annually, though the Philips blades have a flat cutting plane, so it’s actually possible to sharpen them.

One issue with replacing foils is availability. We tested current-model shavers hoping that parts would be easy to find, but the cheapest blades right now are from a few years back. (Naturally, the manufacturers don’t say much about compatibility between model years.)

Top pick: Panasonic – Arc3

Panasonic has often been pegged as an also-ran in the shaver race, but when we balance performance, price and design considerations we think the Arc3 ES-LT3N-K does its job best.

Update: Panasonic has released a new model in this line, the Arc3 ES-LL41. We haven’t put it through its paces yet, but it looks like a solid update. The only major change on the spec sheet is the replacement foils: the LT3N we tested in 2018 uses a unique foil, while the new LL41 goes back to the WES9087PC foil replacement used on older Arc3 models. There doesn’t seem to be any performance compromise, and this change makes replacement foils much easier to track down.

Original review: At a street price hovering around $80, this isn’t a bargain razor by any stretch of the imagination. There are many, many brands competing in the under-$50 bracket, but Panasonic has fixed their sights on the under-$100 bracket instead, and they’ve hit the bullseye.

The Arc3 is the lowest rung on Panasonic’s ladder, though with the lack of updates to the Arc4 line that’s not as complicated as it used to be. This shaver has two foils and a stubble-whacking center trimming bar, just like most foil-type shavers. (Arc4 and Arc5 models add extra foils.)

Top Pick: Panasonic – Arc3

Panasonic is king if you want the closest possible shave. The Arc3 might take a few more passes than the massive Arc5, but the foil technology is as good as it gets for a price that’s great.

Panasonic’s secret weapon has always been in the motor, and this shaver has that same strength. Fast, powerful, quiet. While the Braun shavers (even the spendy Series 7 and Series 9) sound like hair clippers, Panasonic’s shavers give a higher-pitched and much smoother whine, like an angry bumblebee to Braun’s runaway sewing machine.

In terms of closeness, the Arc3 can’t be beat. The bigger brothers, Arc4 and Arc5, have more foils which means they can theoretically cover more of your face in a hurry, but if you take your time to carefully follow the grain of your hair (which you have to do for a close shave anyway) the Arc3 trims just as close.

Panasonic lists their motor speed in “CPM,” which we assume to be two “cuts” per full revolution of the internal motor. The Arc3 lists at 13,000, while the two bigger models are 14,000.

Wet-shaving performance is also a win for the entire Panasonic line. You’ll have to rinse lather off the Arc3 more frequently than the Arc5, but it doesn’t smear the lather around your face the way Braun’s shavers do. Combining a slick shaving cream and the Arc3 is a luxe upgrade to your morning shave routine without the risk of nicks.

Arc3 vs. other Panasonic models

Another reason to buy the Arc3 is that this is the newest shaver Panasonic sells in North America. The pricey Arc5 LV95-S is actually a last-gen design; in Japan it has been surpassed by the ES-LV9CX, but they didn’t bring those models across the pacific. The Arc3 ES-LT3N-K uses up-to-date styling, and we think it’s an improvement over previous looks. (The ES-CT20 would be a nice option for those who want something compact, but you’ll have to rely on Ebay to get your hands on that model too.)

Compared to the $160 Braun Series 7, the Arc3’s shave is definitely more aggressive. If you have sensitive follicles you might consider Braun’s smoother shave worth the extra $80 over Panasonic’s close and efficient cut. Braun’s Series 5, however, which is closer in price to the Arc3, is just buzzy and inefficient by comparison.

Cleaning the Arc3, even without Panasonic’s pricey optional stand, is a breeze. Panasonic designs their razors with a “sonic vibration” cleaning mode, which moves the cutting bar even faster than the normal shaving mode to help rinse and dry the parts more thoroughly.

Panasonic doesn’t advocate using oil on their blades when you get them wet the way Braun does, but we’re curious to see how they stand up in long-term use. Getting the blades clean and drying them is definitely going to be the most important part of keeping them sharp, oil is most valuable (in our experience) with moving parts that you can’t wash for fear of rust or electrical shorts.

The Arc3 also features our favorite pop-up trimmer of the bunch; it’s not a replacement for a full beard trimmer that can help you maintain a consistent length, but for edging a moustache or sideburns it’s perfect.

For travel, Panasonic only includes a cheap velour pouch, which is a bit of a let-down at this price point. They do, however, design all their razors with a travel lock. Press the power button to turn it on, then hold down until the lock symbol appears, hold it down again to unlock. We think the swivel-ring lock on the older Panasonic models is a little bit easier to use, but none of the other brands included a lock to keep the razor from starting in your suitcase.

Key takeaways:

The Panasonic – Arc3 gives most faces the closest shave possible from an electric razor.
Panasonic’s motor design isn’t as buzzy as other brands, and the sonic vibration cleaning mode helps keep blades clean.
The aggressive shave isn’t as gentle on sensitive skin as the Braun Series 7, but at half the price it’s still better for most of us.
The travel lock requires a sequence of button presses, but it works.

Best for sensitive skin: Braun – Series 7

If the idea of “closest possible shave” makes your skin hurt, there are alternatives. Braun’s Series 7 7865 has been lauded as a great razor system by nearly everyone who tries it, and if it we weren’t considering price it would be tricky to justify picking anything else.

Our most sensitive-skinned tester said that, in comparison, the Panasonic – Arc3 felt like it was “very slightly snagging” on hairs, a tiny bit “scratchy.” The Braun shaves with a gentle, whirring caress. If you avoid blade-shaves because you don’t like the way they feel, that might be more than enough reason to cough up another $80 for the Braun.

Braun’s battery is also the best we tested, clocking in at 155 minutes of runtime to the Arc3’s 100. That probably means it will last a bit longer in the coming years, though neither shaver will work when plugged in after the battery goes kaput. (To prevent you from electrocuting yourself in the shower, they say.)

The one shortcoming of Braun’s careful engineering is the pop-up trimmer: the blade is curved, for some reason, and doesn’t seem especially effective when shaping sideburns. It’s not useless, but we found ourselves spending time with other trimmers cleaning up lines from the Series 7.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Braun – Series 7

Braun is the other reigning champ, and many reviewers happily give up a bit of closeness and pay more for Braun’s great design. There are even more expensive shavers out there, but we think this one is actually worth the splurge.

Braun includes a nice travel case that’s stiff (though not exactly rugged) and should protect it well on trips. Be sure not to lose the case, though, since there’s no travel lock to prevent your batteries dying during a flight. The charger is dual-voltage, too.

Should I buy the Braun cleaning stand?

Braun’s Series 5 and 7 models are often sold as “CC” versions, and this means you’ll get a cleaning and charging stand to go with your razor. The cost ranges from $15-50 more, and there aren’t any other differences. (Braun usually makes sure you can’t just mix and match by moving the charge port on the “Solo” models.)

Many shaver enthusiasts insist that the cleaning stand is an essential purchase with a Braun razor, and we think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. In a past era when these shavers weren’t designed to be immersed in water, the use of an alcohol-based solution in the cleaning stand was doubtless a better way to keep the razor clean than trying to blow or rinse every last hair out of the cartridge yourself.

Now that the razors are designed to run wet, it’s pretty easy to spread some soap on the foil and run the shaver motor while the head is immersed, just as the cleaning stand does. We couldn’t see any difference between this cleaning method and the results from the stand.

The stand is a cool accessory if you want the shaver to loom over your bathroom countertop, but you can’t keep it in a drawer or cabinet. The refills are kind of annoying to deal with, and the cleaning process amplifies the normal buzzing sound of the shaver quite a bit. The way the thing starts and stops in cycles might even startle unsuspecting housemates early in the morning.

Available Without the Stand: Braun – 7893s

The price of the solo option is often very close, but check and see how much you can save before you buy the model with the stand.

The big difference in long-term use is that the charging stand uses a solution of alcohol and oil that will keep the blade clean and lubricated while you’re not using it. Braun’s latest stands aren’t rapidly drying the shaver the way Panasonic’s stand does, but the alcohol solution evaporates quickly enough that it’s not a deal-breaker.

We’re not 100 percent convinced that the lubrication from the cleaning solution is required, but if you don’t want to buy the stand, some light mineral oil or cleaning spray can’t hurt, especially if you’re dry shaving.

If the solo model of the Series 7 came with at big discount we might tell you to forget about the stand entirely, but the sad truth is that Braun has made it hard to find them and the prices go up and down all the time.

Series 7 vs. other Braun models

Braun has four distinct lines of shavers: Series 3 for entry-level, 5 for an upgrade, 7 for people who want an even better shaver and Series 9 for people who want the best shaver possible.

We looked long and hard at the Series 9, and we don’t see much reason to spend an extra $100 on metallic platings and an extra “Hyperlift and Cut” trimmer bar. Plenty of people who spring for the upgrade are happy to say that it shaves closer and with less irritation, so if buying the best is worth $250 we say go for it. For the rest of us, Series 7 is already enough of a stretch that we’re happy with our pick.

The Series 5, on the other hand, is kind of disappointing. It’s louder and vibrates far more than the Series 7, definitely not the same class of motor. So far as we can tell the design and construction of the cutting heads is the same, you can even snap a Series 7 head onto the Series 5 body, but the comfortable shave of the Series 7 just wasn’t there anymore. If you’re okay sacrificing a little bit of comfort to save some money, Panasonic is a much better bet.

The Series 3 is the only real competition in Braun’s lineup; for $100 less you still get a decent shave.

Key takeaways:

Braun’s Series 7 is easily the most respected shaver line of all time, and we agree that it shaves exceptionally well.
If your follicles scream in terror when you think about “lift and cut,” this is the smoothest, kindest shaving experience we found.
Long stubble is no sweat for the S7, though Panasonic’s shavers get a bit closer.
The cleaning station is kind of unnecessary, but the solo model is often just as expensive.
Braun’s replacement cartridges are fairly easy to track down even at local stores.

Budget pick: Braun – Series 3

We tested four razors that will cost you around $50, and the Braun – Series 3 is the only design we think is worth considering.

Braun’s engineering is represented well in the foil-type blades on the Series 3. The motor is clearly not as strong as the Series 7, and it’s possible that the blades are made differently. But given how similar these razors are, Braun has done a great job making this feel like a noticeable compromise without making it terrible. (We wish we could say the same for the other budget razors.)

Long stubble was the test that showed the most difference for us; the Series 3 is painful in four-day growth, the Series 7 isn’t. If you’re not as sensitive to this prickly feeling you might be 100 percent OK with it, but if you want to go for a weekend without shaving the Series 7 or Panasonic shavers are well worth the extra coin.

Budget Pick: Braun – Series 3

The best budget shaver we tested. For the man who throws his razor in a gym bag, it’s practically perfect.

The Series 3 didn’t cut as close as the other shavers, even the weak-tea Series 5 managed to clean up stubble left behind by this budget model. That said, if you’re okay with a bit of scruff returning at the end of each day this might be a great razor for you.

Compact in size and with a blade cover that doubles as a sort-of button lock, this is a great shaver if you want something to stash in a bag or glove compartment. If the cover comes off in your gym bag when you stuff it in your locker, it’s still vulnerable to accidentally powering on, but we like the simplicity of the design.

Key takeaways:

The Braun – Series 3 isn’t as luxurious as their high-end stuff, but it’s the best $50 shaver we could find.
If you let your stubble grow on occasion, stay away. It hurts.
A compact hassle-free shaver that you won’t worry as much about losing at the gym.
The waterproof design is much easier to clean than old-school Braun shavers, still not as easy as the competition.

Best rotary shaver: Philips – 4500

The popularity of rotary-foil shavers like the Philips – Aqua-Tech 4500 is tricky to explain. For some, this is simply the only kind of electric razor they’ve ever tried. For others with flat-lying hairs that grow in a swirled pattern, it might be a shaver that actually works better than the straight-cutting foil types.

For most people, the big distinction is going to be maneuverability and performance on sensitive faces or in long stubble. In our tests, the rotary shavers just weren’t very good, and there was little (if any) difference between the mid-tier shaver 4500 and up-scale model 8900.

One of our testers (yes, the Braun fan-boy) insisted that he felt so much pain from the rotary shavers that they can’t possibly be working properly. We double-checked with our other tester, and we don’t think they’re broken, but they’re definitely not for everyone. For long stubble (still short enough that running over it with clippers didn’t make much difference) everyone agrees that the pulling and grabbing from a rotary isn’t worth it.

Best Rotary Shaver: Philips – 4500

This type of shaver isn’t the best for most people, but if your hairs just aren’t picked up by a straight foil then a rotary system might get you the close shave you’ve been looking for.

That said, our second tester did find that both of the rotary designs cleaned up short hard-to-get stubble on his neck even better than the Panasonic shavers. We’re not sure if the “lift and cut” of the Philips design is working better than the straight foils, or if it’s just easier to grab tricky hairs with an equally tricky razor.

The overall closeness was a wash; the triangular pattern doesn’t lend itself to tracking against straight grain in passes, so Philips recommends using a circular pattern instead. This works in some spots, not in others; under the nose or along sideburns it’s a real pain.

One detail that pushes the 4500 ahead of its big brother is the trimmer attachment; the 8900 requires you to swap the shaver head for a “SmartClick” trimmer head, while the 4500 uses the always-ready pop-up style like most shavers. This way you won’t ever accidentally bring your trimmer on a trip instead of your shaver.

Maybe the most interesting feature of the rotary systems is that you can completely disassemble them for cleaning and maintenance. The rotary drive system is also extremely quiet in comparison to the back-and-forth buzz of other shavers.

The 4500 has just as many strengths as the 8900, but if you hate the feel of a rotary shaver you’ll probably hate all of them, and our tester who didn’t mind the feel doesn’t think the increase in closeness is worth $80.

Key takeaways:

The Philips – 4500 is a rotary shaver that will give good performance for tricky hair growth.
Easy to clean and maintain, the 4500 has a hinged head for hassle-free rinsing.
Almost as good as a more expensive rotary, at a much better price.
This pop-up sideburn trimmer is always better than a snap-on accessory that doesn’t even fit in the travel case.

The other finalists we tested

Panasonic – Arc5 ES-LV95-S

The Panasonic – Arc5 doubles-down on the multi-blade gimmick, and while it’s a functional improvement over the Arc3 is some ways, the head is so bulky it’s not a better shaver for most people.

In practice, we’re pretty sure we could get quicker shaves with the Arc5’s extra foils, and in testing it seemed to clean up a few spots of short micro-stubble left behind by the Arc3. Compared to the Braun – Series 7, we’d say this is an easy win for Panasonic in overall performance and even comfort.

The size of the head gets in the way, though, if you’re trying to shave around a moustache or even just around your nose. On the chin it’s a little bit better than other shavers just because you don’t have to run as many passes to get the whole surface, but under the jawline it’s hard to maneuver sideways to track against the grain for a close shave.

Closest Shave: Panasonic – Arc5

Panasonic pulls out all the stops with a five-foil monster shaver, and in some spots it’ll give you the closest shave in fewer passes than with the Arc3.

The price of the Arc5 is good compared to Braun’s top-end Series 9, so if you’re not trying to do anything tricky with detailed maneuvering this might be a better bet for the most luxurious shave you can get. For the rest of us, though, the price is just adding insult to a design that isn’t quite there.

Philips – S8900

The Philips – 8900 gives the rotary enthusiast a few reasons to upgrade over an older entry-level model. But on the whole, we don’t think most people should buy this razor.

If you’re looking to buy a rotary with a cleaning stand because you want to have a neat and functional way to store it on your countertop, this stand is every bit as good as the others we tried. It’s just as redundant, too, now that electric razors are designed to be waterproof, but it’s there if you want it.

The 8900 might get a tiny bit closer in a few spots than the modestly priced 4500 model. The “8 direction” pivoting head didn’t seem any different, though, and even if the motor spins slightly faster, this shaver was just as painful and ineffective in long stubble.

This shaver uses the top-end SH90 shaving heads (the same cutting parts as the 9000 series, but without the silly speed adjustment buttons) so we’re positive you won’t get better performance out of a rotary-type shaver.

For $100 this might be a worthwhile upgrade in closeness over the 4500, but for closer to $200 street price we’re just not convinced. It’s pretty, but most people should stay far away.

Panasonic – Arc4 ES-LF51-A

Panasonic still sells a lot of these Arc4 shavers, but the middle child in the family has largely been forgotten. The extra foil doesn’t make as much difference for speedy shaving as the massive surface area on the Arc5 seems to, but when the price dips down to $75 (as it sometimes does) this might be worth considering for a slightly quicker shave than the Arc3.

Compared to the Arc5 the bulkiness of the Arc4’s head isn’t nearly as much a problem, but the battery life was still a bit disappointing. We had hoped that this might represent a good compromise between the Arc3 and the Arc5; it’s not a huge disappointment the way Braun’s Series 5 is, but it’s not a compelling choice, either.

There’s not any reason to buy this over the Arc3 unless you get a great deal on it. The Arc3 is still being developed and upgraded in Panasonic’s Japanese lineup, so it will likely be easier to find blades for the Arc3 in the long term. The Arc4 ES-LF51-A is a design from 2012, while it’s still “current” according to Panasonic’s U.S. sales people we wouldn’t bet on it staying that way for many more years.

Braun – Series 5 5190cc

The Braun – Series 5 is like the Series 7, but weaker. So far as we can tell, the blades are made the same way and might even be entirely compatible, but the motor is slower and vibrates so much it actually makes this bit of a downgrade from the Series 3. One of our testers compared it to “a medical device geared to stimulate blood flow.”

The new solo model 5147s is harder to find and lists for $120; we bought the 5190 with cleaning stand for $115 and it’s probably going to remain the best value for this series.

This gives a reasonably close shave, like the Series 7, but it struggles to clean up long stubble without tugging. For a $40 discount, that’s a tricky tradeoff to make. When we put it against the less-expensive Panasonic Arc3, though, it just seems a bit sad.

The battery life in the Series 5 is definitely a step up from budget shavers, but it’s still not replaceable and the waterproof design still won’t turn on when it’s plugged in.

Cleanup is the same as all the Braun models: use the stand if you have it, or give it an extra turn in the sink once a week to make sure nothing is stuck inside that mostly enclosed blade cartridge.

Remington – PF-7600

The Remington – PF-7600 is a new design from this well-established brand, but it’s pretty much the worst shaver we tried. It won’t get any closer than the Braun – Series 3, whatever your hair type.

A post-weekend shave with the Remington is pretty much a disaster. It doesn’t like grabbing the longer hairs, and when it does, it pulls on them.

If you take it slow and don’t let your stubble grow long, you can get an acceptable shave with the Remington that’s more comfortable on sensitive skin than a rotary-type like the Philips, but Braun is easily a better choice in this price range.

Andis – 17150 Profoil Lithium

Andis is a brand better known to barbers than to most of us, and the Profoil shaver has a long history cleaning up fades and necklines in some of the best barbershops in the country.

Retro styling aside, this shaver let us down in a few key areas. First, it’s not as close-trimming as the top-class shavers, though it will keep up with Braun in the $50 pack. Second, it’s disappointingly weak in longer stubble, an application we’d hoped it would be perfect for. Finally, the nail in the coffin is dry-shaving only: this is one of the last razors on the market that you can’t clean out by dunking the head while it’s running.

For a barber, this might still be a decent choice; it’s a simple machine and the replacement foils are the cheapest we found. For the rest of us who care about a close, comfortable shave, look elsewhere. Our sensitive-skinned tester managed to draw blood with this shaver, and that’s pretty much an automatic fail.

The bottom line

Shaving products are tricky to review for a bunch of reasons. Our hair is as individual as our fingerprints, but we hope that we’ve given you enough info to buy an electric shaver that you’ll love using.

For the closest shave that modern engineering can provide, our top pick is the Panasonic – Arc3. This isn’t Panasonic’s most expensive razor, but the head design is easier to work with than their other models and it shaves just as close once you get a feel for it. This is also a shaver that’s easy to clean, and that goes a long way to making it our favorite in long-term testing.

If you’re more worried about irritation than the closest possible shave, Braun’s Series 7 is the system to beat. With amazing battery life and a convenient (if redundant) cleaning stand, this is a prestige piece that works hard to earn its steeper price tag.

If you just want a razor that works reliably at an affordable price point, we also think the Braun – Series 3 is worth looking at. This model isn’t winning any awards for closeness or comfort, but it’s definitely the best budget model we tested.

Top Pick: Panasonic – Arc3

Top performance from a shaver that’s easy to clean and won’t break the bank. This is a winning combination from Panasonic; it won’t be perfect for everyone, but it ticks all the right boxes for our team.

Daniel Jackson, Writer

Daniel is a Canadian farm boy who grew up to be a nerd with a literature degree and too many hobbies to count. He emigrated from Canada to California in 2013, and now writes for Your Best Digs full-time. Daniel remains unapologetic about Canadian spelling, serial commas, and the destruction of expensive travel mugs.