Even the best electric shaver for men is often underestimated by the general shaving public. Which is a big miss in our book—whether you shave every day or just once in a blue moon, it’s important to have a razor that you trust. Generally, you want smooth results and minimal irritation in as little time as possible. And while I’m not here to question the merits of a manual razor (let alone safety razors and straight razors, all of which are fantastic in their own right), we still think every guy should own the best electric razor that suits his budget, skin, and specific facial hair journey.
The Best Electric Shavers for Men
- The Overall Pick: Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige Electric Razor, $380
- The Foil Shaver Pick: Panasonic Arc5 Electric Foil Shaver, $155
- The Upgrade Pick: Braun Series 9 PRO+ Electric Shaver, $430
- The Travel-Ready (and Barber-Favorite) Pick: Wahl Professional Vanish Foil Shaver, $90
- The Hybrid Electric Shaver/Beard Trimmer: Philips Norelco OneBlade 360 Electric Trimmer and Shaver, $38
- The Best Head Shaver: Remington Balder Pro Electric Head Shaver, $60
Rarely will you and your best bud have the same needs in all of these departments, which is why you’ve got a few things to consider when looking for the best electric razor for men. Yes, I’ve got my favorite device in a given year—and what I recommend to most guys may differ from the one I prefer to tote around with me—so read on for a rundown of the best electric razors across a handful of different needs, budgets, and conveniences.
How I Tested
How I Made My Picks
The Barbers I Consulted
- Dale Grinstead-Mayle, owner and barber at Goodfellow’s Tonsorial Parlor in Columbus, OH and White Salmon, WA.
- Evelyn Gutweniger, barber at Nomad Barber in Berlin, Germany.
Not sure if you need a foil or rotary shaver—or just confused about the jargon? Start here instead.
The Best Electric Shaver Overall: Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige Electric Razor
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
Philips Norelco
S9000 Prestige Electric Rotary Razor
In a given year, it's always a three-horse race between Philips Norelco, Braun, and Panasonic, because each brand takes its turn issuing the latest muscled-up machine. And while we'd sooner prescribe a foil shaver to the average user (as mentioned in our sizing-up of Foil v. Rotary), the truth is, rotary shavers will satisfy the largest group of people, since they also serve thicker stubble, as well as more sensitive skin, body and head shaving, and even those folks with nickel allergies. And in the e-shaver game, nobody beats Philips Norelco at rotary razors.
The S9000 won a GQ Grooming Award this past year for good reason: space-grade steel razors that practically cut at the speed of light, while providing the smoothest and closest shave any rotary razor has ever been capable of (arguably, as close if not smoother than the foil competition). Usually, when a brand touts "more razors", it doesn't necessarily mean it impacts the shave in the big picture, but in the S9000 Prestige's case, there are two razors on each rotary panel (compared to the usual one), working independently of one another, which provides results that could convert the stodgiest of foil shavers, and maybe even the bare-razor holdouts.
Why It's the Best Shaver Overall
And while I usually feel like a rotary razor requires a second "assurance" pass, I've saved time and had fewer missed spots than ever before (the few I've had are because I made so much haste, I legitimately just skipped spots entirely, as opposed to the device not adequately doing its job). I've even bought a few extra days between tidyings on my shoulder and upper back with the Prestige S9000 too. In most years, I'd let the two foil kings at Panasonic and Braun duke it out for the top spot, but for now, it's Philips Norelco's throne to yield.
Philips Norelco
S9000 Prestige Electric Rotary Razor (Without Cleaning + Charging Station)
The Best Value Electric Shaver: Panasonic Arc5 Electric Foil Shaver
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
While the Arc6 is one of the best razors in the game right now, I want to call out the Arc5 in particular here. When new devices enter the market, it's important to keep their predecessors in mind rather than writing them off as has-beens—it'd be like shunning the BMW E28 as soon as the E30 was released the following year. So don't go discounting the Arc5's abilities just because the Arc6 is the more advanced machine.
Why It's the Best Foil Shaver (and It's on Sale)
With the Arc6 on shelves, the Arc5 dropped to a quarter of the cost of the newer toy. But you know what hasn't dropped? The superior standard-setting extra-flexible performance that the Arc5 provided for over a decade. It already had five blades; it's never missed a spot on a first pass for me, even with week-long facial hair thanks to the trimming bar fixed between those four foil blades. And the closeness of the shave is, to embrace a cliché, chef's kiss.
I'm shocked they even found room for a sixth razor on the Arc6. But it's size isn't to its detriment, either; while I'd argue that there are better devices for a simple neckline or cheek line cleanup (see below), I think this is the single best "set it and forget it" autopilot-style full-face shaver you can use. So if you're the guy who just want to do a once-over every day in the shower or just before, then a 30-second pass with the Arc5 will keep you smoothly polished without worry. It'll be a sad day if and when Panasonic retires the Arc5, because it feels so pivotal to where we are in electric shaving these days. So consider this my part to keep its legacy alive, and to save you some big bucks in the process.
The Best Rated Electric Shaver: Braun Series 9 PRO+ Electric Shaver
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
Courtesy of Adam Hurly
The recently released Series 9 PRO+ is like a victory lap for Braun's Series 9 family, which has been top of the e-shaver field for a while. What stands out most here is the quintet of elements atop the head: two foil shavers to buffer the shave at both ends, with three trimming and lifting components in the middle so that no hair goes untamed. It makes the Arc5 and 6 feel like a class of SUVs (that's not a criticism), while this feels more like a luxury sedan.
A Top-Rated Shaver Worth the Splurge
And you cannot ignore its endlessly flexible, movable head; you could cast this razor in a Bob Fosse musical for all of the neck movement it serves. I also find that its features are the best of the best: From the most superior, mustache-managing pop-out trimmer to a safekeeping lock (for both that movable neck and for the trimmer as a whole). And while I'm not scoring on the basis of charging stations or other attachments, I do have to call out the incredibly useful charging case that this device comes with. Its hard shell keeps your precious trophy of a shaver safe, as well as fully charged (not that its hourlong juice will deplete during a week on the go).