Mens Electric Shavers

Rotary vs. foil shavers

There are two main types of electric shavers, rotary and foil. Foil shavers theoretically offer a closer shave, but they have trouble cutting longer hairs. Rotary shavers can cut long hairs, and they're easier to maneuver around difficult areas like the chin and neck. However, they often don't shave as close as foils, and neither foils nor rotaries can shave quite as close as a manual razor.

In a poll on the Electric Shaver web page, a slight majority of men say they find foil shavers less irritating than rotary models. However, foil shavers' surfaces are more delicate, and though they're easier to clean, they're also easier to break. Rotary shavers are sturdier than foils, but require more effort to keep clean. Testers at Which?, a British review magazine, say there's little difference between the two types of shavers.

You might not think much about noise level when shopping for a new electric shaver, but reviewers point out that listening to a loud shaver might not be the best way to start your day. In general, owners say rotary shavers are less noisy than foil shavers. Posters to Electric Razor Rap say the motors on Philips Norelco shavers are better insulated for sound than in the past (they also say Philips Norelco arcitec shavers have a higher-pitched, but not louder, sound than older models, and that the noise level of the Braun Pulsonic is very low).

In the end, there's no definitive way to determine which type of shaver is best for you. Manufacturers and reviewers say it takes 30 days for your face to adjust to a new shaver; only after this initial adjustment period can you determine a shaver's effectiveness and comfort. Reviewers recommend taking advantage of the 30- or 60-day trial periods offered by most manufacturers.

Best foil shavers

As stated above, Braun Pulsonic shavers are an update of the Braun 360° Complete (*est. $120 to $160) , which also was top-rated in reviews. The big change is the Pulsonic's new motor, which generates 10,000 vibrations per minute. The Pulsonic's head has twice the flexing angle of earlier shavers, and testers say its body is easier to grip than that of the Braun 360° Complete. Overall, reviewers agree that the Braun Pulsonic does about as good a job as any foil shaver on the market, and it's quiet to boot.

The two shavers in the Braun Pulsonic line (the 9585 and 9595) both come with a "clean-and-renew" base that cleans and charges the shaver at the same time. The cordless Pulsonic shavers can also be used with a travel cord for recharging; the lithium-ion batteries provide about 50 minutes of shave time from a 60-minute charge, and are the first Energy Star-qualified batteries for an electric shaver. The more expensive Braun Pulsonic 9595CC (*est. $250) has a five-minute quick charge as well. The main downsides are the Pulsonic's high price and the cost of refill cartridges (*est. $6 each) for the cleaning base, which need to be changed about once a month.

The top-of-the-line Braun Pulsonic 9595CC (*est. $250) comes with a clean-and-renew base with a fast-clean mode and an LCD status display. The less expensive Braun Pulsonic 9585CC (*est. $220) includes the base unit but not the extra-fast cleaning, and has LED lights instead of an LCD. We've included this less expensive Pulsonic shaver in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers since reviewers say the performance of both shavers is the same, making the 9585CC a better value.

The Braun 360° Complete line, which includes models 8995 (*est. $160) , 8985 (*est. $145) and 8975 (*est. $120) , is still available. Reviewers do say the Pulsonic's vibrating shaver head is worth the extra money over the Braun 360° Complete, with most testers saying that the vibrations really do make for a closer, more comfortable shave. However, many reviewers still like 360° Complete shavers, which are now less expensive.

Another solid option is the Braun FreeControl 1775 (*est. $40) , which rates highly among experts and owners. The Braun FreeControl is more basic than the Braun Pulsonic or Braun 360° Complete; it doesn't vibrate, and there's no clean-and-charge base. This electric shaver uses a freefloat shaving system with a single floating extra-wide foil. A one-hour charge provides up to 30 minutes of shaving time from two NiMH batteries (the shaver can be used either with or without a cord), and there's a slide-up trimmer as well.

All Braun shavers are dry shavers. Though they can be rinsed under a tap, they can't be used in the shower or with shaving cream. If you prefer a wet shave, you'll need a wet/dry electric shaver. We didn't find many professional reviews of wet/dry shavers, but Panasonic electric shavers get excellent reviews from owners.

The Panasonic ES8077S Vortex HydraClean Linear Pivot Shaver (*est. $100) is for wet or dry use, even in the shower. This electric shaver is recommended by Muscle and Fitness magazine as the Best Wet Shaver, and it also scores well at consumer review sites like Amazon.com.

The Vortex is Panasonic's answer to Braun's shavers, with a cleaning/charging unit that uses a special non-alcohol cleaning solution to wash and dry the shaver. Some users comment that the cleaning cycle takes a while and can be loud. Cleaning cartridges last for a month and cost about $5 each, which is a bit less expensive than cartridges for Braun.

The Panasonic's pivoting head has a "pivot action selector" that adjusts the amount of pivot to the user's preference. The linear motor operates at 13,000 rpm. A 60-minute charge will provide about 40 minutes of shave time, and there's a five-minute quick-charge feature. This shaver can also be used with just the cord adapter when traveling. Panasonic offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty.

A new Panasonic model, the ES8228S (*est. $250) , is receiving good user reviews on Electric Razor Rap, Amazon.com and some foreign review publications. The ES8228S has an arc-shaped foil and an adjustable pivoting head; its triple blades are sharpened using "nano technology," although no reviewers have explained clearly how this works. This electric shaver has limited distribution in the U.S., where it is confusingly called by a variety of names. One distributor sells it on Amazon.com as the Panasonic ES8228S Pro-Curve Hydra Clean Shaver, while another calls it the Panasonic Vortex Nano. The more basic Panasonic ES8224S (*est. $200, without the cleaning base) can also be found on Amazon.com as the Panasonic Arc Shaver (PA861). In late September 2007, Panasonic announced a new model, the Panasonic ES8243 Arc IV Nano, with four blades. As of May 2008, distribution in the U.S. appears to be very limited.

Best rotary shavers

Rotary shavers have three rotating discs instead of foils (which vibrate back and forth). Philips Norelco rotary shavers easily receive the best reviews; almost no shaver models are as well liked as the Norelco SmartTouchXL, Speed XL and arcitec lines. On shaving forums, shaver enthusiasts are surprised and dismayed that Philips Norelco has discontinued all but a few models of the XL line (presumably to pave the way for the newer arcitec).

There isn't a direct replacement for the SmartTouch/Speed XL. Rather, Philips Norelco has introduced two newly designed lines, the Norelco arcitec and the Norelco Moisturizing Shaving System. Both have new rotary cutting heads that sit above the shaver and flex to track the curves of your face; they also both use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The Norelco Moisturizing Shaving System is similar to the Norelco arcitec line (described above), but has a different cutting head system, with unique glide rings to help the shaver move smoothly. Nivea for Men shaving conditioner is dispensed directly through holes in the center of the top two rotary heads. These shavers can be used wet or dry. The Norelco 8060X (*est. $150) includes a refill-and-charge stand which automatically fills the shaver with Nivea shaving conditioner and fully charges in 1.5 hours for 40 minutes of operation. The less expensive Norelco 8040X (*est. $100) only comes with a charging stand, and fully charges in four hours. Both models include a snap-on tube trimmer that is wider than the trimmer on the Norelco arcitec. The least expensive model, the Norelco 8020X (*est. $80) , omits the tube trimmer and fully charges in eight hours for up to 30 minutes of operation; users posting on Amazon.com have good things to say about this model. Charlie White at Gizmodo.com says the 8020X shaver works well even when used dry, without the Nivea lotion.

The less expensive Norelco Reflex Plus rotary line also receives favorable reviews on opinion sites. The Reflex Plus 7110X (*est. $50) is cordless only, and takes eight hours to recharge; the Reflex Plus 7140XL (*est. $55) is corded or cordless; and the 7180XL (*est. $70) is corded or cordless, fully charges in one hour and has a six-minute quick charge. These electric shavers all use NiMH batteries and are washable, so you can rinse them under the tap. We found good reviews for all three shavers from owners posting on Amazon.com, with some small quibbles (like a long battery charge time or performance on neck hairs).

Although the Norelco arcitec and Moisturizing Shaving Systems lines have been heavily advertised, we found several reviewers who insist that SmartTouch shavers are still better. These models are now being discontinued, but if you find the SmartTouch 9160XL (*est. $130) in a store, it's a good value. This electric shaver gets high ratings at Amazon.com from over 200 owners. It also counts among the top-performing rotary shavers in professional reviews, where it scores particularly well for low noise and easy cleaning.

Norelco's Speed XL also continues to make an impression with reviewers, as much as the company would prefer consumers to graduate to the newer and pricier arcitec. In its recent roundup, one major consumer review organization chose the SpeedXL 8160XLCC (*est. $120) as the top rotary shaver, edging out the Norelco arcitec 1050X (mainly because it's significantly quieter and has a few more features).

Remington also makes several rotary electric shavers. The Remington R-650s Titanium MicroFlex (*est. $75) is another modestly priced rotary shaver; it's an updated version of the R-600, which scored well with expert reviewers a couple of years ago, when it was ranked just below the more expensive Norelco SmartTouch XL and Speed XL shavers. This model's triple-head rotary shaver comes with titanium-coated blades, a hair trimmer and a charging indicator. It takes eight hours to completely recharge for 50 minutes of shaving time, and there's no quick-charge feature. Remington offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year warranty. The Remington can be washed under the tap, but it's not a wet/dry shaver. However, this model looks like it's now being phased out.

Important Features: Electric shavers

Experts say to look for the following features in an electric shaver:

• Rather than an inexpensive generic model, get a quality brand with fewer bells and whistles. Most top lines, such as the Braun Pulsonic and Norelco arcitec, offer both high-end and less expensive shavers. These have the same cutting features, but lack certain features such as indicator lights and cleaning options.

• An adequate trial period is essential. It takes 30 days for your face to adjust to a new shaver; only after this initial adjustment period can you determine if the shaver is the right one for you. For this reason, you should look for a money-back guarantee of at least 30 days.

• A shaver should feel comfortable in your hand and shouldn't be annoyingly noisy or vibrate too much. Reviewers have different things to say about the noise levels of various razors, but the general trend is to quieter models. Some vibrating models (like the Braun Pulsonic) have been a hit with both experts and owners.

• A quick-charge option and a long charge life are important. It doesn't matter how many fancy features a shaver has if it quits before you finish the job. Check to see how long a charge is required for maximum shaving time, and if the shaver has a "quick charge" feature for shorter shaves.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of picks	Model (With Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
4	Norelco SmartTouch series: 9190XL (*est. $140) 9170XLCC (discontinued) 9160XL (discontinued)	details
4	Braun 360° Complete series: 8995 (*est. $160) 8985 (*est. $145) 8975 (*est. $120)	details details details
3	Braun Pulsonic series: 9595CC (*est. $250) 9585CC (*est. $220)	details details
2	Norelco Moisturizing Shaving System: 8060X (*est. $150) 8020X (*est. $80)	details details
2	Braun FreeControl 1775 (*est. $40)	details
2	Braun Activator (discontinued)	details
2	Remington MicroFlex Ultra R-9170 (discontinued)	details
2	Panasonic Vortex HydraClean ES8077S (*est. $100)	details
2	Norelco arcitec (*est. $140 to $240)	details
2	Philips Norelco Speed XL (*est. $120)	details
1 each	Norelco Cool Skin , Philips Sensotec, Philips Quadra , Braun 370 PocketGo , Braun CruZer3 , Braun FreeGlider , Remington MicroFlex R-600 , Panasonic Pro Curve Pivot Action , Panasonic ES7016, Panasonic ES4001, Panasonic 8000 Series, Axis Air , Sanyo SV-RX10 , Remington R7 Diamond Series, Philips 7200 HQ7290, Philips Micro+ HQ40

Braun foil shavers and Norelco rotary shavers receive the best reviews. If you want to use a shaver in the shower or with shave cream, Panasonic wet/dry foil shavers get good reviews. Keep in mind that model numbers vary within a series, with minor differences in features and price -- often, it's only a question of indicator lights and color. Many of the major manufacturers launched new electric shavers in the spring and summer of 2007, prompting one reviewer on Electric Razor Rap to suggest this is a "golden age" of electric shavers. As a result, many well-reviewed shavers have been discontinued, though they can still be found online. Some of the top ratings for these older shavers predate the release of the new Braun Pulsonic and Norelco arcitec lines, so the most useful reviews are those that compare the older electric shavers with the latest technology.

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