Over a two-month period, each electric shaver was tested on its ability to remove hair quickly, comfortably, and with the least amount of shaving irritation. I also felt it was important to test how well they performed in multiple shaving scenarios—dry face, wet face, and when using shaving cream. 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.
This top-of-the-line Panasonic shaver includes a total of five blades—a quartet of foils and a single oscillating lift-and-cut center trimmer. The Arc5 is quieter than the Series 7, but the noise it does make is much higher pitched, which some may find annoying. If you find that Braun models aren’t working for you, the Arc5 might be a better option for your skin or hair type. The Lifeproof’s performance on all hair types (straight, curly, thick, and overly-curly) ranked surprisingly above average. This is quite a feat considering most foil shavers can find it challenging to deliver a close shave on wavy and curly beards without multiple passes.
The special cleaning formula is 10x more effective than water1, so you can keep your shaver hygienic. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details shortly, but to put it simply, this shaver doesn’t do a very good job at, well, shaving. They’re a big name brand that makes everything from entry-level trimmers, like the OneBlade, to high-end models that cost nearly $300, like the S9000 Prestige. When powered on, the Arc5’s display employs an LED dashed circle that slowly disappears, piece by piece as the shaver’s battery level drops. The only drawback I discovered while testing the Life Proof is that it did not perform very well in the shower or with shaving cream, making it less competitive amongst its peers. This information is sent to the GroomTribe app and used to suggest how I might improve my shave.
Meaning that if you’ve grown your beard out for more than three days, it’s not recommended to use it. We tried Philips Norelco’s lower-end rotary models but determined that the brand’s 9000 series performed better, and it was so closely priced that it was a better buy for most people. In our experience, the 4000-series razor didn’t shave closely enough to be worth their bargain prices.
Rinse your razor under water to remove hair and dirt, then take a light brush to your foil to remove any gunk buildup. It’s important to maintain the foil on your razor, as that is what helps give you a nice and even shave. If your foil gets dented or damaged, make sure to replace it immediately as that piece is the proverbial bread and butter to your shave.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you philips electric razor can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).
The precision trimmer located just behind the head, outperformed many of the shavers in this guide, making facial hair maintenance a breeze. After an hour’s worth of charging, the Lifeproof can run for 90 minutes. If you’re in need of a quick shave and forgot to charge it, a five-minute charge provides just enough runtime for a single shave. Flexible shaving philips electric razor heads are also important in an electric shaver for men because the face has many contours and angles. MultiHeadLock is another convenient feature that gives you the ability to adjust the shaver’s angle for addressing difficult areas. Once this Philips razor is completely powered up, you can groom for nearly an hour and a half before the battery dies.
Unlike our picks, the lightweight Andis ProFoil Lithium Titanium Foil Shaver is not waterproof, and it is warrantied for only one year (whereas all of our picks are covered for two).