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. Get super smooth skin without the threat of a nick thanks to this easy-to-use razor that uses stainless steel, hypoallergenic blades to guide its hair removal. It also has two heads—one for small areas, such as the face or bikini line, and one for the body. 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.
It’s a major frustration for most men, but shaving on sensitive skin can be a real nightmare, so you’ll want to find a razor that’s going to be kind to your cheeks and chin while still getting the job done. Razor burn is when the blades create too much friction along your skin and can be a blight for anyone who is a little more sensitive, causing rashes, cuts and a nasty burn that we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemies. We can’t tell how much power is left in the Braun lithium-ion shavers, but our guess is that Panasonic’s philips razor system is going to do a better job preserving battery life in the long run. 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. 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.
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. 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.
We asked some proper experts for guidance on what to look for when it comes to a quality electric shaver from our mate Joe Mills, founder of Joe Mills Studio and GQ’s Barber of the Year. “This magic thing was something I saw on TikTok and didn’t think it’d work. It’s super gentle and leaves zero razor burn. I’ve used it on my ankles, bikini line, and even armpits. Love, love, love it.” —Lauren G. We charged each shaver and then timed how long it took for them to totally run out of juice. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
Braun is the biggest name in the game, but there are a few other brands worth noting. American-made Wahl offers a range of affordable options, while Dutch-led Philips counterbalances that with a plethora of male grooming items that are worthy of space in your bathroom. The new shavers with SkinIQ technology are equipped with advanced sensors that read and adapt to you. Connected models allow to track your routine, and advise you for a shave that’s best for your skin. The new shavers with SenseIQ technology are equipped with advanced sensors that read and adapt to you. Top performance from a shaver that’s easy to clean and won’t break the bank.
Shaving Sensor Mode identifies the user’s beard thickness and automatically adjusts the shaver’s power to compensate. During testing, I didn’t notice any difference between how the two modes performed. Its pop-up trimmer, on the other hand, delivered a top-notch mustache and sideburns maintenance. Its pop-up trimmer does not have enough cutting power to make it a useful grooming accessory. Nor can it be locked into place while in use, making it a challenge to use the trimmer for minor cleanups.
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 philips electric shaver 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. Compared to the $160 Braun Series 7, the Arc3’s shave is definitely more aggressive.
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. The Braun Series 7 offers solid, smooth performance wrapped up in a comfortable-to-hold exterior. Its shaving system comes equipped with 3 blades on a 360-degree adaptive head that manages the contours of the face very well. The hexagonal holes within the foil guard used to capture and cut each hair can at times miss thicker hairs or ones that lay closer to the skin. However, it did perform slightly better with these hair types when using shaving cream.