Best Battery Shavers

Battery-powered shavers good for travel, office

Every electric shaver we've reviewed here has a rechargeable battery, so to a certain degree they're all suitable for travel. However, traveling with a rechargeable shaver means you have to either hope you won't run out of juice before you get home or pack the power cord/charging stand. Users often complain that these items don't fit into the carry pouches that come with the rechargeable shaver models. Although most rechargeable shavers automatically convert world voltage (100 to 240V), you may also have to track down adapter plugs for different-shaped wall sockets -- or simply track down an outlet, period -- while traveling abroad.

One possible solution for all of these issues is carrying a shaver that's powered by disposable AA batteries, although eco-friendly, waste-conscious users may choose to replace the disposables with rechargeable AA batteries instead. If this seems like the travel option you need, there is one shaver that gets all the attention.

Braun MobileShave M-90 fills niche purpose

In the only expert review of the Braun MobileShave M-90 (*Est. $24) that we found, a video reviewer for Electric-Shaver-Guide.com does not recommend it because it struggled to cut through about two day's worth of his thick facial hair. However, he says that owners with thinner facial hair have written in to recommend the M-90, and he admits that "if you don't have thick facial hair, it's pretty convenient for $25."

Users don't seem to expect much from this little shaver -- many just tuck it into a briefcase, workplace locker or vehicle for occasional touch-ups or as a backup in case they miss their morning shave. Some say that it pinches and pulls, especially when you're shaving along your chin and neck, and that it tends to miss hairs that have grown more than a few millimeters long. Most users say they are bemused by the placement of the M-90's trimmer, which sticks out at right angles to the shaving foil, but they say that it can help ease discomfort when shaving your chin and neck. A few like the MobileShave M-90 so much that they end up keeping it as their regular shaver.

Battery-powered Braun shaver tops in convenience

This Braun MobileShave M-90's best feature, after the low price, is its use of AA batteries. As long as you have a stash of batteries available (it uses them two at a time), you don't have to worry about tracking down a power outlet or bringing your charger along. Users say that a single set of AA batteries can last for two weeks or more of regular shaving.

Those who purchase the MobileShave M-90 seem primarily interested in its convenient portability, but they occasionally comment on other design features. User reviewers say the M-90 is well built, but they haven't decided whether the hinge-away cap feature is helpful or just "weird." (The cap protects the shaving foil when it's not in use, then swings slightly to the side to become an extension of the handle when you're shaving.)

Take that noisy show on the road

User opinion is fairly evenly split between the "it's a bit loud" camp and the more qualified "it's pretty quiet" crowd. In a video review from Electric-Shaver-Guide.com, however, the Braun MobileShave M-90 does sound louder and more abrasive than higher-end foil shavers.

Full-size warranty on a compact razor

The Braun MobileShave M-90 comes with a two-year warranty and a sterling 60-day money-back guarantee. We found a few comments that the foil isn't very durable; a new foil costs about $13 -- roughly half the cost of buying a new M-90. Of course, the M-90 itself costs less than replacement blades and foils for most other shavers. You might also want to factor in the cost of disposable or rechargeable AA batteries, and some men say they also keep a disposable shaver on-hand to deal with any stray hairs the M-90 misses. This portable shaver isn't perfect, but most users say it does exactly what they purchased it for.

Although the Braun MobileShave M-90 is the only disposable-battery-powered shaver that draws noteworthy expert and user reviews, it does have some competition. The Braun MobileShave M-60b (*Est. $22) is essentially the same shaver, less the pop-up beard trimmer. Panasonic also offers a wet/dry, washable ProCurve shaver (*Est. $15) that runs on two AA batteries.