Untold man-hours of research, thousands of hairs cut – and many great contenders – to finally find the best electric shavers known to man.
We kicked 2023 off with a round of fresh research into the growing range of leading men’s electric razors.
Whether you’re treating yourself to an upgrade, switching from a disposable razor to electric – or you’re on the hunt for a special gift – we’ve put together a treasury of the very best electric razors to choose from.
1. Best Electric Shaver [Overall Winner] Braun Series 7
This stunning German engineered Braun Series 7 is the ultimate electric shaver in its class, and is our current winner for combined value and performance.
In fact, it’s the world’s number 1 bestselling wet or dry men’s foil shaver. A bold claim from an iconic brand – but a truthful statement nonetheless – as proven by several leading market research institutes.
We’ve been reviewing men’s electric shavers for 10 years now, and believe us when we tell you, the Braun Series 7 is an extraordinary electric shaver that offers a superbly close, comfortable, and smooth shave – wet or dry – at a very reasonable price point.
What Makes This Men’s Electric Shaver Special?
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, this cutting-edge electric razor has an “AutoSensing” motor that reads the beard density of your stubble during shaving.
Beards are tough – just try rubbing against days-old stubble.
Feels a bit like wire, doesn’t it?
That’s because the average strand of facial hair is as tough as copper wire.
If you have a coarse beard and haven’t been happy with the performance of regular electric-powered shaver, or manual shaving, listed up. The Braun Series 7 is designed to comfortably blitz through stubble in one stroke, no matter your beard thickness.
It achieves this with a combination of three synchronised cutting elements, and a powerful internal motor with “Auto Sensing” technology.
The middle trimmer lifts those elusive flat-laying hairs, and the double “SensoFoils” cut close, leaving an unprecedented smooth skin finish.
It’s a Down-Right Awesome Shaving Kit!
Sharp blades, responsive thin foils, flexible head, and adaptive cutting power means no painful tugging – just a close, yet gentle shave with fewer strokes. And with a fully waterproof seal, you can use the Braun Series 7 on dry stubble, or with any shaving gel, cream, or foam, for a fresh wet-shave experience.
Our review team squabbled between ranking the Braun Series 7 and the Series 9 on the top spot – sorry Corey, you’re out-voted.
Now, the Braun Series 9 does have a few extra features and cutting power, (and captivating chrome styling) but with the big jump in price – more than double from some retailers – we don’t consider the extra features worthy of the hefty additional costs, if you’re just after a great everyday electric shaver.
For this reason, and for its incredible shaving performance, durability, design, and value for money, we proudly rank the Braun Series 7 as the #1 best electric razor pick.
2. Best Premium Electric Razor: Braun Series 9 9340s
The New Braun Series 9 9340s is Braun’s top-of-the-range electric shaver – it’s their Crown Jewel.
If you were impressed by the Series 7, this upper echelon takes shaving to the next level.
But be warned, the Series 9 is a premium electric shaver, and with that, comes a healthy price tag.
Don’t be surprised if retailers are asking you to shell out in the range of £200 – £300 for this supreme men’s electric razor, or more if you get the 9385cc with Cleaning Station.
If money is not restricting your choice, and you’re looking to splash out on something extra special, a step up to this cutting-edge Series 9 treats you to every bell, whistle, and deluxe feature of any shaver on the market today.
If you’ve got the cash to splurge, then look no further than this top-of-the-line advanced Braun Series 9 foil shaver.
This is for those looking for the “Cream of the Crop” in men’s electric shaving.
I mean, just look at this thing – all decked-out in shiny chrome with a titanium-coated cutting element – radiating Alpha status in a busy and competitive men’s grooming market.
It’s an award-winning men’s electric razor that is packed to the gills with the most impressive features, leaving every competing shaver for dust.
Sure, it’s significantly more expensive than most men’s shavers, but that’s because it’s scientifically proven to outclasses the competition on shave efficiency and skin kindness – which refers to the thoroughness of hairs removed per stroke, and low levels of skin irritation, respectively.
Braun wasn’t messing around when they released this beast of a machine – it was clearly designed to blow all competing electric razors out of the water.
From our research, we can confidently crown this as the most powerful shaver money can buy – backed by scientific studies.
That’s right, to substantiate the claim of “world’s most efficient shaver” Braun faced their shaver off with some of the stiffest competing, leading electric shavers around – the Philips Series 9000, Remington Hyperflex, Smart Edge Pro, and Panasonic Lamdash 5 – on three-day beard growth of hundreds of men.
In a supervised test centre, optical measuring processes and electronic questionnaire feedback were used to determine results, and in every test, the Braun Series 9 came out on top, showing significantly better shaving attributes, even in problem areas.
It boasts some outstanding shaving features such as a titanium-coated trimmer, micro-vibrations to capture flat-lying hairs, autosensing motor, and 5 shaving elements that work synergistically to capture and cut more hairs, for a comfortable shave. And a pop-up trimmer keeps those sideburns under control.
It looks very much like the old Series 5 and newer Series 8 shavers, but has a more powerful motor, providing 40,000 cutting actions per minute, compared to 30,000 from the Series 5.
It also has “Sonic Technology” which radiates a “sonic” wave of micro-vibrations that creates a smooth cushioning effect and closer shaves.
Read our Braun Series 9 Shaver Review for more information to see why we’ve rated this as our number one unbeatable electric shaver for men.
3. Best Rotary Shaver: Philips Series 9000 Prestige
In 1937, Alexandre Horowitz – a Dutch engineer working for Philips – invented the first “rotary” electric shaver.
Over the years, Philips has dominated the distinctive rotary market, leading the way with the most advanced rotary shavers.
Their most supreme offering to date – and the closest competitor to Braun’s Premium Series 9, top of the line electric shaver – is the Philips Series 9000 Prestige. If you were to hold the Series 9 and Series 9000 side-by-side, they have a very similar look.
Most men prefer to use a classic foil-head electric razor, but some men favour a rotary head, and that’s fine, because a good rotary shaver like this one can get as close as a wet shave when used in a circular motion.
This Philips Series 9000 model has the latest “Nano Tech” blades which are reinforced with nanoparticles to give them long-lasting sharpness and reduce ingrown hairs.
Three unique “SkinComfort” rings surround the foil blades, each coated with metallic pigments that let the shaver glide across your face without friction – a feature welcomed by sensitive skin sufferers and those prone to razor burn.
These three, contour adapting multi-directional rings hug your face to catch every hair over an uneven surface, for exceptional closeness.
Like the Braun Series 7 and 9, this also features a “Beard Adapt” sensor system that checks your beard and stubble thickness, ensuring optimal power output, always. It performs superb wet or dry shaving. Choose between a close dry shave, or a refreshing wet shave, even in the shower.
The shaver head is interchangeable with the included precision trimmer, or any compatible Philips “Smart Click” accessory, like the facial cleansing brush and nose & ear trimmer.
You don’t get the typical charging cable with this shaver. Instead, you get a Qi charging pad that charges the Series 9000 wirelessly.
This Qi wireless charging brings simplicity and style to the Series 9000.
Simply place the shaver into the futuristic pad and charging begins. No wires, no mess, no fuss, and the charging pad works with any Qi-compliant device, like a Smart Phone.
It’s pretty cool, but it’s a bit gimmicky, as a physical charging cable works just fine, and there’s a drawback – charging takes longer.
A full charge takes 3 hours, vs 1 hour for the Braun Series 7. However, that’s only if you allow the battery to drain completely, which is hard to do since the Series 9000 Prestige has a large display showing battery percentage level in big digits.
The Philips Series 9000 Prestige is Philips’ flagship electric shaver. Built to the highest standard and packed with premium features, this Rolls Royce of rotary electric shavers will give a fast, close, clean shave, dry, or wet with any shaving lubricant.
4. Best Value Foil Electric Shaver: Braun Series 3 ProSkin
Tight on cash?
Loving our list of top men’s electric razors, but the high prices of these premium offerings are scaring you? Don’t fret, we have a solution.
The Braun Series 3 line offers an outstanding affordable foil shaver and is voted “best budget” pick by our team.
On the outside, The Braun Series 3 might look like a basic cordless electric shaver. But this is a solid, no-frills, German-engineered shaver with double sharp foils, premium built-in battery, and 3 pressure-sensitive cutting elements, that will comfortably slice through thick stubble with minimal chance of dragging or snagging.
Lightweight, easy to handle, and decent power – it’s a budget-friendly choice that gets the job done.
It might be sitting at the lower end of the Braun range, but it’s at the higher-end when you compare it with alternative lesser-known branded electric razors.
It provides proficient, reliable, and comfortable electric shaving performance at a modest price point, and is better than a manual razor at an affordable price.
At the time of writing these electric shaver reviews, this device could be picked up for under £80. Check our Braun Series 3 ProSkin Review to find out more about this product, and to see why we’ve awarded it as a top electric shaver choice if you’re on a budget.
New to Electric Shavers?
Read Our Quick Electric Razor Buying Guide
We know that choosing a great grooming tool isn’t easy – that’s why we created this guide – we’re spoilt for choice, and there’s a lot of junk out there. With so many models, brands, and types of shaving tools and trimmers on the market, it’s hard to even know where to begin.
But don’t worry – whether you’re buying a new electric razor for yourself, or as a gift for someone – our electric shaver buying guide will help steer you in the right direction.
Before we take a closer look at the best shaver brands, types, and costs available, you need to first consider who will be using the electric shaver.
If you or the person you are buying for already uses an electric razor, what brand of shaver does the person own?
It’s worth noting that most Humans are creatures of habit. Typically, if someone has a good experience with a specific brand, their future choice of products will be with that favoured brand.
For example, some people swear by the electronics brand Philips and have their homes decked out exclusively with appliances made by this brand. Thinking about this is a good starting point before diving into a big purchase.
Why Choose an Electric Shaver?
They’re fast…
Nearly 70% of users report that using an electric shaver is faster than wet shaving with a safety or cartridge razor.
They’re convenient and comfortable…
Though many electric shavers can be used with shaving foam, cream, or gel, they can comfortably be used dry, too. Dry shaving with a razor, on the other hand, is a recipe for pain.
They’re perfect for travel…
It’s easy to toss a rechargeable electric shaver and charger into your bag and hit the road. No brushes, creams, or extra blades are required, and most have worldwide voltage adaptability.
There’s something for everyone…
From rotary to foil, cordless to corded, high-powered to extra-sensitive, wet or dry, and basic to high-tech, there’s an electric shaver to suit every need and budget.
Are There any Disadvantages to Electric Razors?
Though some argue that an electric razor doesn’t provide as close a shave as a traditional razor (which is debatable – many advanced, top-end models cut exceptionally close), the biggest potential drawback is cost, with the crème de la crème commanding in the area of £300.
Luckily, most electric shavers are more moderately priced, and the speed, convenience, and comfort they afford make them well worth the investment – just look at the Braun Series 3 again for Example.
An important consideration to make before buying an electric shaver is the type – Does the person acquiring the new electric razor currently use a foil or rotary shaver?
This is quite an important consideration as most likely the person will prefer to stick with whatever type they currently find most favourable.
If it’s for a first-time user or beginner then it doesn’t really matter what kind you buy, as long as you choose a quality electric razor with high ratings and good customer feedback reviews – or choose from one of our top recommendations, which matches your budget.
Top Electric Shaver Models and Brands
By far the UK’s market-leading shaver manufacturers are Braun and Philips. Both of these brands are highly reputable and well-known for producing many exceptionally high-quality beauty and grooming products.
Braun’s best-selling flagship men’s shavers are the Series 7, (new Series 8), and Series 9, and with Philips, it’s their Sensotouch and Series 9000 line. Panasonic and Remington are also very popular and respectable manufacturers with their line of shavers receiving their deserved share of positive user reviews.
Cordless vs. Corded Electric Shavers
The majority of electric shavers are cordless, though that term is a bit of a misnomer. Cordless shavers are battery-powered but must be plugged into the mains to recharge. Some cordless shavers – those with a direct-to-mains power adapter – can be used while charging, while others—with a charging stand—cannot.
However, the charging stands included with some cordless shavers – such as those made by Braun – do double… er, make that quadruple… duty, not only charging, but cleaning, sterilizing, and lubricating the shaver, keeping it in top running order.
Cordless electric shavers are far and away the best choice. There’s no cord to get tangled, wrapped around yourself, or tether you to an electrical outlet. A cordless shaver can be used anywhere, and modern nickel-metal hydride and lithium batteries hold their charge, making a cordless shaver ideal for travel.
Nearly the only circumstance in which a corded model would be advantageous is in a barbershop, where the need for near-continuous operation trumps convenience.
Electric Shaver Features to Look For
Wet or Dry Operation
Modern waterproofing technology allows some shavers to be used wet or dry. That means you can continue to shave with your favourite gel or cream, or, for the ultimate in comfort, shave in the shower, where steam and hot water open pores, lift hairs and rinse stubble away.
When pressed for time, shave dry, and rinse the shaver head under running water. The versatility of a wet and dry electric shaver makes it a great choice for anyone. (Just remember to always carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions, and ensure your shaver was designed to withstand submersion!)
Charging and Battery Features
You’ll find two types of batteries in modern electric shavers: nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and lithium-ion (Li-ion). Though entirely adequate, NiMH batteries are heavier and, ounce-for-ounce, provide less power than their newer Li-ion counterpart.
Battery type is a relatively minor consideration – as long as the shaver performs well, let other factors more strongly guide your decision.
Though recharging an electric shaver couldn’t be simpler – plug in the adapter or set the shaver in its stand – we’re all prone to forgetfulness. When time is tight, and your eyes dart between the clock on the wall and your unshaven face, a “quick-charge” feature is a godsend.
Quick-charge technology replenishes batteries with a full shave’s worth of power in just a few minutes. Plug it in, hop in the shower, and by the time the steam has cleared, you can shave.
Like to keep a close eye on things? Look for a cordless shaver with charging and battery status indicators. Digital numeric displays and red, amber, and green LEDs provide at-a-glance visual information, letting you know when it’s time to recharge your shaver when the battery is full, and how much runtime remains.
Brand, Quality and Reputation Matter
Features and functionality aside, it’s important to consider the brand, overall quality, and consumer opinion. Always choose products from well-established manufacturers with a consistent history of producing high-quality shavers.
Buy from a reputable online retailer or shop. Some of the best places to buy branded and reliable electric shavers are – Argos, Boots, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Amazon. If shopping online, it’s hard to go wrong with Amazon – they offer some of the best deals, fast shipping, and trusted customer support.
We hope our buying guide has helped you understand what to look for in an electric shaver. There’s a lot to explore, so take your time, consider which features matter most to you, and read what others have to say.
Consider Cost and Budget Range
Some electric shavers can be purchased for as little as £15 but some can reach as high as £300. Everyone has their own max budget. The model you choose to buy will have a lot to do with how much you have to spend. A good quality electric shaver can be purchased for as little as £60 – £100, which is well within most people’s price range.
Such quality models I recommend around this price would be the Philips Aquatouch shaver S5600/41. If you have a lot more to spend then a more suitable model would be the Braun Series 7 790 or Braun Series 9 9290cc or Philips Series 7000 electric shaver.
Currently, the Braun Series 3 3080 is our top-rated best electric shaver because it has many great reviews, is of very high quality with great function, and is priced well within the most common budget.
Pros of Switching Over to an Electric Shaver
- Smooth irritation-free shaves with hypoallergenic heads
- Fully waterproof models can be used in shower – Less mess, fresh-faced feeling
- Dry shave requires no shaving gels or foams
- Can be used for a refreshing wet shave with gel, oil or foam.
- Some shaver models more suitable for sensitive skin sufferers
- Can be taken and used anywhere – holiday, work, home – not confined to bathroom sink
- Saves you money over buying replacement manual razors blades
- Saves time, as electric shavers are quicker compared to manual wet razor
- Best professional razors give a close shave
You’ve probably seen those long lists of top 10 electric shavers, but are they really all that helpful?
They’re written to look impressive, but the writers that create them have done little more than randomly picked some popular shavers they found online and ranked them in no sensible order, and without much in-depth review.
We, on the other hand, know the electric shaver market inside-out. We’ve put a ton of time and research into narrowing your choice down to digestible and useful top 4 picks.
Our aim with this guide is to create a valuable go-to resource for choosing the right men’s electric shaver for you – please come back and visit us – or drop us a message if you have any questions.