Electric Shavers: Which to Buy and Which to Skip

RBE top pick

Braun Series 9 Pro+

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The Braun Series 9 Pro+ is the most complete shaver here - close, comfortable, and low-effort - making it the pick for most buyers. The Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67 gives up almost nothing on shave quality for a much lower price.

Electric shavers split into two camps: foils that shave close and fast, and rotaries that stay gentle on tricky skin. We weighed independent testing, maker specs and owner reports across seven current models, including a barber foil and a head shaver: three clear buys, three that depend on your skin or your scalp, and one to skip.

RBE top pick

Braun

Braun Series 9 Pro+

Buy it

The most complete foil shaver you can buy - close, gentle, and effortless to live with.

Best for: Anyone who wants a premium, comfortable daily shave and hates fuss.

$$$$ · flagship

Why we like it

• Rare blend of very close results and real comfort, even on sensitive skin
• Density-sensing power adjustment clears multi-day stubble in fewer passes
• Hands-off automatic clean-and-charge station; built to last years

Know before buying

• Sits at the top of the price ladder
• Cleaning station needs replacement refill cartridges over time

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Panasonic

Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67

Buy it

The value champion - arguably the closest, fastest shave here for mid-range money.

Best for: Daily shavers with heavy stubble who want the most shave for the money.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Fast linear motor and five-blade head deliver an exceptionally close, quick shave
• Powers through dense, coarse beards without bogging down
• Simple tap-rinse cleaning with no ongoing cartridge cost

Know before buying

• Can feel slightly more aggressive on very sensitive skin
• Battery gauge and trimmer feel a step behind pricier rivals

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Remington

F5 Power Series Shaver

Buy it

A budget two-foil shaver with a pre-trimmer for longer hairs and corded or cordless use.

Best for: Strict budgets that still want a foil shaver which works when the battery is flat.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Remington lists it for corded or cordless use, so a flat battery does not stop a shave.
• Intercept Shaving Technology pre-trims longer hairs ahead of two Pivot and Flex foils.
• 60 minutes of runtime, quick charge, worldwide voltage, a pop-up trimmer and a 2-year limited warranty.

Know before buying

• Washable under the faucet, but Remington does not claim it for wet or shower shaving.
• Remington says to replace the shaving head every 12 months.
• No cleaning station, and a full charge takes 2 hours.

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Philips Norelco

Philips Norelco Shaver 9500 (Series 9000)

It depends

The rotary to pick if foils have never agreed with your skin.

Best for: Sensitive-skinned shavers who value comfort over the last bit of closeness.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Independently floating rotary heads glide gently over necks and jawlines
• Forgiving on curly, patchy, or ingrown-prone beards
• Pressure feedback plus one-minute cleaning pod

Know before buying

• Doesn't shave quite as close as the top foils
• Heavy, thick beards can need an extra pass

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Skull Shaver

Pitbull Gold PRO GX5

It depends

A palm-style rotary built for shaving your head as well as your face.

Best for: People who shave their head as well as their face.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• A palm-style body and ergonomic handle designed to reach the back of the head.
• Spring-loaded heads retract under too much pressure, and the motor slows as an audible warning.
• IPX7 water resistance, 90 minutes of cordless runtime and a plug-and-shave mode for a flat battery.

Know before buying

• Skull Shaver publishes no closeness or multi-day growth claims.
• A 1-year warranty, shorter than Remington's or Andis's.
• The shape suits a scalp better than a face-only routine.

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Andis

ProFoil Lithium Plus Titanium Foil Shaver

It depends

A light barber finishing foil for daily touch-ups, without the features of a full daily shaver.

Best for: People keeping a short beard or shaved head tidy with daily passes.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Gold titanium foils that Andis calls hypoallergenic, driven by a 9,000 strokes-per-minute rotary motor.
• At 4.7 ounces it is light and easy to steer around a beard line or fade.
• 80 minutes of cordless runtime, a charging stand, dual-voltage adapter and a 2-year warranty.

Know before buying

• No pop-up trimmer, beard sensor or cleaning station.
• Andis states no water resistance, corded use or charge time.
• Pitched at finishing and fades, so long stubble needs trimming first.

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

We'd skip it

Philips Norelco

Philips Norelco Shaver 3600 (Series 3000)

Skip it

A cheap, waterproof rotary built on Philips' basic ComfortCut system, with no way to shave once the battery runs flat.

Best for: Strict budgets and people who charge their shaver as routinely as their phone.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Inexpensive and waterproof to IPX7, with a stated 60 minutes or 20 shaves per 1-hour charge and a 5-minute quick charge
• 5D Pivot and Flex heads, a pop-up trimmer and a travel pouch

Know before buying

• Philips lists it as cordless use only, so a flat battery means no shave until it charges
• It charges over USB-A and Philips points you to its support site if you need an adapter, and the display is a basic 3-level battery indicator
• Uses Philips' ComfortCut blade system rather than the higher-end heads on the Shaver 9500, and the SH30 heads are sold separately every 24 months

See our pick instead See it at Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We don’t run our own shaving lab. Instead, we synthesize the pattern that emerges across independent testing, expert teardown reviews, and thousands of aggregated owner reports, then weigh it against what actually matters day to day. Four things rose to the top. Closeness - how smooth your face feels after one pass, especially on a two-to-four-day beard. Comfort - whether the shaver leaves you irritation-free, which matters most for sensitive skin and necks. Multi-day handling - flat-lying, longer hairs are where cheap shavers fall apart. And living with it - cleaning, battery, noise, and how long the thing lasts before it starts tugging.

A recurring theme in the reports: foil shavers (Braun, Panasonic) tend to shave closer and faster, while rotary shavers (Philips Norelco) are more forgiving on necks, patchy growth, and skin that breaks out easily. There is no single “best” - there’s the best for your face. Below, the honest case for each.

If you want the most complete foil shaver you can buy right now, this is it. Reviewers consistently describe the Series 9 Pro+ as the rare shaver that is both very close and genuinely gentle - a combination most shavers force you to choose between. Its sensing technology reads beard density and adjusts power on the fly, and owners with three-to-five-day stubble report it clears flat-lying hairs in fewer passes than almost anything else, thanks to the dedicated lifting element in the head.

The trade-offs are honest ones. It sits at the top of the price ladder, and the automatic clean-and-charge station - lovely as it is - means buying refill cartridges over time. But independent testing and long-term owner reports agree it’s built to last years, and for most men it’s the shaver that ends the search.

The value pick that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The Arc5’s fast linear motor and five-blade head are frequently singled out in testing as the closest, quickest shave in the group - it powers through dense, coarse beards without bogging down, and its shave sensor keeps it from stalling on thick patches. For people who shave daily and just want it done fast and smooth, it’s hard to beat for the money.

Why it’s a “buy” and not the top pick: it can be a touch more aggressive on very sensitive skin than the Braun, its LED battery gauge and pop-up trimmer feel a generation behind the Braun’s polish, and this version cleans under the tap rather than in an automatic station. None of that dents the shave quality - you’re simply trading some refinement and convenience for a noticeably lower price.

The Remington F5 Power Series is the budget shaver to buy instead of the Shaver 3600, because it fixes that model’s biggest flaw: Remington lists it for corded or cordless use, so a flat battery does not mean a missed shave. It is a two-foil shaver with Pivot and Flex foils and what Remington calls Intercept Shaving Technology, a pre-trimming element that catches longer hairs before the foils, the same job the Braun’s lifting element does at a far higher price. Remington states 60 minutes of cordless runtime, a 2-hour charge with quick charge, worldwide voltage, a light-strip battery gauge, a pop-up trimmer and a 2-year limited warranty. The limits are on its own page: it is washable under the faucet, but Remington does not claim it for wet or shower shaving, there is no cleaning station, and it wants a new SPF-300 head every 12 months, twice as often as Philips suggests for the Shaver 3600. Buy it if you want a cheap foil shaver that always works.

This is the shaver to consider if foils have never agreed with your skin. Philips’ rotary heads float independently and glide over the neck and jaw, and owners with curly beards, ingrown-prone skin, or irregular growth often find a rotary far more comfortable than any foil. The Series 9000 adds a Pressure Guard sensor with a light signal, a power-adapting beard sensor, 60 minutes of runtime, and a pod that cleans and lubricates in one minute.

So why “it depends”? Rotary shavers, this one included, generally don’t shave quite as close as the top foils, and heavy, thick beards can need an extra pass. If your priority is a baby-smooth finish on coarse stubble, a foil will likely satisfy you more. If comfort and neck-friendliness top your list - and you don’t mind a hair less closeness - this is an easy shaver to live with.

The Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold PRO GX5 is the pick if you shave your head as well as your face, a job the conventional shavers here are not shaped for. Its palm-style body and patented ergonomic handle are designed to reach the back of the head, and its multi-directional rotary heads use hypoallergenic Japanese stainless steel blades. The heads are spring-loaded and retract into the housing if you press too hard, and the motor slows as an audible warning, a simpler take on the Philips Pressure Guard. Skull Shaver states IPX7 water resistance for wet or dry shaving (while saying not to submerge it), 90 minutes of cordless runtime, a plug-and-shave mode for a flat battery, an LCD battery display, a hair capture system and a travel case. What it does not publish is any closeness or multi-day claim, and the warranty is 1 year, shorter than Andis or Remington give. Buy it for a bald head; for a face-only shave, a foil or the Shaver 9500 suits better.

The Andis ProFoil Lithium Plus is a barber’s finishing shaver that plenty of people use on their faces. Andis builds it around gold titanium foils it calls hypoallergenic and a 9,000 strokes-per-minute rotary motor, and it weighs 4.7 ounces, light enough to steer precisely around a beard line or a skin fade. Andis states 80 minutes of cordless runtime, includes a charging stand, a dual-voltage adapter, a blade brush and blade oil, and backs it with a 2-year warranty. What it does not have is everything the consumer shavers here sell on: no pop-up trimmer, no beard sensor, no cleaning station, no stated water resistance, and no mention of corded use or charge time. Andis also pitches it at finishing and fades rather than multi-day growth, so expect to trim long stubble first. It suits people who keep a short beard or shaved head tidy every day and want a compact, close foil rather than a full daily shaving system.

The Shaver 3600 is Philips’ current entry rotary in the Series 3000 line, and it is a reasonable introduction to electric shaving: waterproof to IPX7, usable wet or dry, with 5D Pivot and Flex heads, a pop-up trimmer and a stated 60 minutes or 20 shaves from a 1-hour charge, plus a 5-minute quick charge. The problems are on its own spec sheet. Philips lists it as cordless use only, so if the battery runs flat you wait for a charge before you can shave. It charges over USB-A, and Philips points you to its support site if you need an adapter. The battery display is a simple 3-level indicator, and the cutting system is Philips’ ComfortCut blades rather than the higher-end heads on the Shaver 9500, with SH30 replacement heads sold separately every 24 months.

If your budget is firm and you charge it as routinely as your phone, it will do the job. But for a step up in price the Panasonic delivers a closer foil shave, and the Shaver 9500 is the rotary to buy if foils irritate your skin. This is the one to skip.

Who should buy which

• Premium daily shave with no fuss: the Braun Series 9 Pro+. Close and comfortable, with an automatic clean-and-charge station.
• Heavy beard on a mid-range budget: the Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67. Arguably the closest, fastest shave here for far less than the Braun.
• Foils irritate your skin: the Philips Norelco Shaver 9500 (Series 9000). Floating rotary heads glide over necks and patchy growth.
• Strict budget: the Remington F5 Power Series Shaver. A cheap foil with a pre-trimmer that also runs on the cord when the battery is flat.
• Shaved head: the Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold PRO GX5. A palm-style rotary shaped for the scalp, with IPX7 water resistance and plug-and-shave mode.
• Daily touch-ups of a short beard or fade: the Andis ProFoil Lithium Plus Titanium Foil Shaver. A light titanium foil with 80 minutes of runtime, if you can do without a trimmer.

Braun Series 9 Pro+ vs Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67: which should you buy?

This is the real decision for most shoppers, because both are excellent foils. Reviewers give the Panasonic the nod for outright closeness and speed - its motor is relentless and it’s the shaver to grab if you have a heavy beard and little patience in the morning. The Braun counters with the better all-round experience: nearly-as-close results with clearly more comfort on sensitive skin, plus the hands-off cleaning station and a more premium feel in the hand.

Put simply: buy the Panasonic if you want the closest, fastest shave for the least money and don’t mind rinsing it yourself. Buy the Braun if you want the most comfortable premium shave, the convenience of automatic cleaning, and you’re willing to pay flagship money for it. Neither will disappoint - this is a “how much do you want to spend, and how sensitive is your skin” question, not a good-versus-bad one.

What to look for

• Foil vs rotary: Foils (Braun, Panasonic) shave closer and faster and suit flat, dense beards. Rotaries (Philips Norelco) are gentler on necks and better for patchy or curly growth. Your skin usually picks the winner.
• Match it to your beard: Daily shavers can get away with cheaper models; if you go two-plus days between shaves, pay for a head that lifts and handles longer hair.
• Wet/dry capability: Being able to shave in the shower with gel adds comfort - the Braun, Panasonic, both Philips models and the Skull Shaver are waterproof, while Remington and Andis do not claim it for these models, so confirm on any model you consider.
• Cleaning reality: Automatic stations are wonderful but need refill cartridges forever. Tap-rinse models cost nothing to maintain but ask a little effort.
• Battery and trimmer: Look for roughly an hour of runtime, quick-charge, and a built-in pop-up trimmer for sideburns.
• Replacement heads: Electric shavers need new foils or blades roughly every one to two years, depending on the maker - factor that ongoing cost into the “cheap” options.

Our final take

For most people, the Braun Series 9 Pro+ is the shaver to buy: it’s the fullest expression of a close, comfortable, low-effort shave, and it’s the one owners keep for years. If you’d rather not pay flagship money, the Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67 gives up remarkably little - arguably the closest shave here - for a mid-range price, and it’s our value champion. Choose the Philips Norelco Shaver 9500 only if foils irritate your skin and you value neck-friendly comfort over the last few percent of closeness. And unless your budget truly won’t stretch, skip the Shaver 3600: it is cordless use only, ships without a charging adapter, and runs Philips’ entry ComfortCut blades. Best for most: buy the Braun; save with the Panasonic.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Braun Series 9 Pro+ vs Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV67.

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