To be honest, we doubted Panasonic could improve on the ES-LV9Q. In fact, adding a sixth cutting blade to the LV9Q’s five seemed a little like a gimmick. Panasonic’s previous flagship shaver gave an almost flawless, super-smooth shave every time, thanks to an ingenious pivoting head, a density sensor and a cutting system that worked at 70,000 actions per minute.
You can use shavers in the shower, but a dry face is generally recommended to get the smoothest electric shave. We found that using shaving cream made for a foil-clogging, extra-gooey experience. Using shaving cream is likely to increase the amount of Braun Series 5 time you spend shaving, if you want to reach the closeness you’d get going dry. Because of their shape, Philips Norelco razors need to be held in the cleaning base by a kind of stalk-like support, which means an extra step of inserting the razor.
Razor remains our favorite for everyday shaving, because it provides the perfect balance of comfort, closeness, and durability—and all at a fair price. The series at the lower end of Braun’s foil shaving line that we tested—the Series 5 and Series 6—each performed fine in our testing, and with a bit more work and time all eventually gave the same shave as the Series 7. The shaver includes an indicator to let you know when the time comes, and the cutters are usually in the $50 to $60 range. For travel, Philips Norelco offers a hard case that’s considerably bulkier than those that come with the foil razors we tested. The S9000 Prestige’s digital battery indicator is more precise than the temperature-gauge-like bar on other models we’ve considered, but both are fine in day-to-day use. We’ve recruited people with diverse facial hair types and shaving preferences to test our picks long term.
It’s also fully waterproof, so you can happily wash it under the tap or use it in the shower. If you’re not bothered about getting a smooth, clean cut look, you don’t need anything more. A clipper is designed to cut long and thick hair quickly, and is a better choice if you’re searching for a buzz cut rather than a completely shaved head, Butler noted. It’s typically much more powerful than a trimmer and leaves a consistent length all over. However, “it won’t have a smooth feel — it’s more like a five o’clock shadow,” which might lead you to want to use a head shaver afterwards, Marinelli said. If you’ve never used an electric shaver before, you’ll want to be sure to pull your skin taut and hold the razor at a right angle to your face as you move it along.
Vintage Remington 60 electric razor with original box, instructions, warranty card, case, cord, and cleaning brush. All Braun shavers include a two-year warranty, which covers everything but the foil and cutting block. On paper this all sounds great, but I consistently struggled to get a close shave from the Heritage at all.
Remington Products, commonly known as simply Remington, is an American personal care brand which manufactures hair clippers, electric shavers, epilators, and haircare products. It is a subsidiary of Spectrum Brands and Oak Hill Capital. For most people, foil-style electric razors typically provide a closer shave. But if you prefer a rotary-style shaver, we recommend the Philips Norelco Shaver 9300, which includes a cleaning system.
The battery takes an hour to charge for over an hour’s shaving, though there is a five-minute rush charge if you need it, and you can use it wet or dry and rinse it under the tap when you’re done. Philips also sells this model with an optional cleaning pod, which does a fantastic job of cleaning and lubricating the head. You simply insert the supplied blue goo cartridge, stick your shaver Braun Series 5 in upside down and turn it on. However, you’ll pay an extra £40 to £50 for the privilege and it’s a fine shaver with or without. The R6 doesn’t get quite as close as consistently as the premium shavers, and can tug on longer hairs if you’ve let them grow. Yet it’s comfortable if you shave every day or so and the Twintrack blades do a good job of dealing with thick growth under the jawline.
It’s the best premium shaver we’ve tested without a sky-high price. The new Series 7 70-N7200C is – against the odds – even better. The blades seem to stay sharper for longer – Gillette claims that they can last for up to six months – and you can get a good 50 minutes of trimming and shaving from a single charge.
Most of our testers agreed that the Series 9 is an amazing shaver. At first glance, the biggest difference between the Series 9 and the Series 7 is size. The Series 9 is longer, has more girth, and is more top-heavy, all due to its quadruple-headed shaving mechanism. That four-way head sticks to Braun’s traditional two-foil design but adds a pair of cutting mechanisms—a “direct & cut” trimmer and a “hyper-lift & cut” trimmer—that better snag wiry, unruly whiskers, the company claims.