Fast, stylish and convenient, the best electric shavers are must-have grooming gadgets for the modern man. Sure, a traditional safety razor might be cheaper and deliver a slightly closer shave but when it comes to speed, ease of use and sheer comfort, electric shavers can’t be beaten. What’s more, they’re way less messy, can be used any time, anywhere (even when you’ve no access to water or a mirror), and are far less likely to cause nicks, cuts and the dreaded razor burn.
Since the blades don’t actually come into direct contact with the skin itself, they’re also great for people with sensitive or blemish-prone skin, because they don’t slice off a layer of your skin like traditional razor blades do. They’re also great for older guys with the odd wrinkle to navigate, as there’s less risk of snagging your razor on a craggy surface and, since they tend to cause fewer razor bumps and ingrown hairs when removing curly hair, they’re also a good option for Afro-Caribbean men.
On top of that, modern “wet and dry” shavers offer versatility their “dry only” predecessors could only dream of, by enabling you to use them in conjunction with your favourite shave gel or foam. Their waterproof quality makes them much easier to clean, too (most just need to be rinsed under the tap after use).
Buying an electric shaver is a lot like buying an electric car, though – you need to do your research before committing to a model you like. You then need to think about overall speed, compare charge times and consider how well your shaver will handle tricky bends.
Luckily, we think you’ll find something to suit from our shortlist of the best electric shavers – from entry-point essentials and travel bag must-haves to high-end (not to mention hi-tech) models aimed at gadget geeks. So, plug in, charge up and get that stubble gone.
How we tested
We put each shaver through its paces on two occasions – once on light, day-old stubble and again after several days’ growth. Performance was key, obviously, but functionality, appearance, value for money, charging time and how they felt in the hand were taken into account, too. Keep reading to find out which ones came out on top.
Why trust us
Lee Kynaston is the ultimate grooming expert and has written about all things men’s skin and haircare for several renowned publications, including The Independent. He runs his own personal care blog, X and Instagram (@groomingguru) accounts, where users can glean kernels of his knowledge on everything from the latest razors to his pick of the best nose trimmers. Lee’s been writing about grooming since “before the bronze age” and researched cleaning mechanisms, types of shaver batteries and more, to produce this comprehensive guide.
The best electric shavers for 2024 are:
Braun electric shaver series 9 pro
A lightweight shaver – albeit with a hefty price tag – this German-engineered premium offering from Braun offers a close but gentle shave. The heads are optimised to lift hairs and guard skin at the same time, and it boast 40,000 cutting actions a minute. The LED display, meanwhile, tells you how many minutes of shaving you have left, comes with a travel lock and, very handily, even tells you when it’s time to replace the foils and cutter cassette.
Overall, results were some of the best – and smoothest – we achieved, though the slide-up trimmer wasn’t as well positioned as on other shavers, making precision trimming a little tricky. A cleaning station makes it a cinch to keep clean, which more than made up for that, though.
Buy now £229.99, Braunshop.co.uk
Wahl Li compact travel shaver
One of the big advantages of electric shavers is their convenience – especially for travel, when the last thing you want is a washbag full of razors, shaving creams and aftershave balms.
This specially designed travel shaver takes things to the next level, though, by shrinking things down. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, with a special travel lock to prevent accidental activation, and a washable foil head, it’s perfect for holidays, festivals or last-minute overnight stays. Given its size, it delivered a great, close and irritation-free shave, helped in part by the flexible foils, which tilt to the contours of the face.
At first, the eight-hour charge time seemed like a stretch, but Wahl estimates this makes for a month’s use, so it’s a small price to pay. It comes with a cleaning brush, blade oil and storage bag, plus an impressive five-year guarantee. All you need to add is the holiday.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon.co.uk
Philips oneblade pro 360 flexible shaver and trimmer for face and body
The original Philips oneblade pretty much re-invented the way men shave, thanks to unique blade technology that features a flat, super-safe cutting surface, making it virtually impossible to nick the skin. Now, this bigger, flashier, pro version pimps things up with the addition of an LED display (handy for telling how much charge is left), a travel lock and the addition of a 14-length precision comb, giving it greater versatility as an all-round grooming tool. Phew!
As the name suggests, it can be used on both face and body, and we can report it was as good at delivering a clean smooth shave as it was at trimming body hair. It was also especially good for creating precise edges when tidying up neck hair.
You do have to replace the blades every four months, and it’s more than twice the price of the standard oneblade, but it’s sleek, simple, portable and we found it almost impossible to fault its performance.
Buy now £81.99, Philips.co.uk
Wahl lifeproof foil shaver
Solidity and durability is what Wahl is all about, and this super-tough shaver takes things to the next level. Designed with shock-proof housing but light and comfortable to hold, it’s a great foil shaver for those who might throw their gear around. It’s also perfect for anyone who travels a lot, as there’s a handy travel lock function that ensures it doesn’t accidentally go off in your case.
It’s not the quietest shaver we tried but was a cinch to use – Wahl has stuck to basics and kept things simple – and it delivered a great shave. The yellow and black design reminded of us of a DIY tool you might pick up in B&Q, but in a sea of blue, black and silver shavers, we rather loved it for that.
Buy now £45.00, Amazon.co.uk
Panasonic ES-LV97 5-blade wet and dry electric shaver
This top-end foil shaver features no fewer than five blades, gently arched and aligned to catch as many hairs as possible – regardless of stubble density or direction of growth. The head itself moves in 16 directions, tilting and wobbling like a jelly, to ensure it follows the contours of the face. It automatically adjusts to beard density, while a pop-up trimmer allows you to tidy up sideburns and remove stray hairs from under the nose.
So smooth is its passage over the skin, we barely felt it going to work, and the results were top-notch. Meanwhile, the sleek design, deluxe carry case, super-fast three-minute quick charge and the fact it’s self-cleaning (you just pop it into the cleaning station) elevates it above most other foil shavers.
If we have one criticism, it’s that the flexibility of the head made it feel a little delicate – even though we suspect it’s actually pretty robust. Truth is, given the premium nature of the shaver, we suspect you’d want to handle it with gloves anyway.
Buy now £158.48, Amazon.co.uk
Babyliss men 12-in-1 Japan steel multi trimmer
With more men than ever alternating between being clean shaven and sporting beards, this versatile grooming gadget is perfect for mixing things up on the facial hair front. A multifunctional shaver/trimmer, this shaver sports an array of interchangeable heads, allowing you to trim and shave everything from ear, nose and eyebrow hair to body hair, while a dinky foil shaver head allows you to get a smooth, clean shave.
Because of the size of the head, shaving did take a little longer, and results were excellent rather than exceptional, but then it’s a tool designed to cover a lot of bases rather than focus on one. In that respect, it’s pretty much the last word in multifunctional grooming, and as with all BaByliss products, a lot of effort has gone into making its design, ensuring it looks incredibly cool.
Buy now £40.00, Amazon.co.uk
Braun electric shaver series 3 310BT
A great, mid-priced shaver, this super-speedy foil number from Braun is designed not only to guide more hairs into the cutting parts – thus knocking a bit of time off the shaving process – but to tackle up to three-day-old stubble, too, making it the perfect lazy man’s shaver.
True to its promise, this shaver powered through weekend stubble like a freshly sharpened mower through an overgrown lawn. The slide-up trimmer was handy for navigating tricky bits, while the LED display tells you how the battery’s faring. Another noticeable attribute was how secure this particular shaver felt in our hand during shaving, and how it managed to be both lightweight yet robust.
With cool design and great performance, simplicity of use, a reasonable price point and the quick-charge feature (you can get a speedy five-minute shave on a five-minute charge), this is the perfect shaver for newbies.
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Remington F6 style series aqua
A couple of things caught our eye about this shaver. Firstly, it comes with a “stubble styler” guard, which clips onto the shave head, allowing you to maintain a three-day-old stubble look if you fancy a change from being totally clean shaven. Secondly, the pop-up detailer is – quite literally – a stand-out feature. Distanced a little further away from the body of the shaver than on some other models we tested, it made defining much easier, making this model perfect for precision freaks.
The multi-direction shave heads made fast work of stubble, wherever it sprouted, while the textured grip offered fantastic stability – handy when we were using this 100 per cent waterproof shaver in the shower. With USB charging, meanwhile, it’s super practical for travel, while the mid-price point makes it superb value for money.
Buy now £48.80, Amazon.co.uk
Philips series 9000 wet and dry electric shaver with quick clean pod S9987/55
The daddy of electric shavers, this state-of-the-art rotary number offers everything you want from a top-end shaver and then some. Beautifully designed – it looks and feels super-luxe – it’s engineered to provide an incredibly smooth shave with minimum irritation. The construction of the blade guards makes their passage over the skin incredibly smooth, while an inbuilt sensor “reads” skin and stubble and adjusts accordingly. It really does glide over the skin and can even tackle five days’ worth of growth with relative ease.
What elevates this shaver, though, is how interactive it makes the shaving experience. Not only does a (very Star Trek-looking) pulsating ring of light around the shave head tell you when you’re applying the right – or wrong – amount of pressure, you can link the shaver to an app for customised advice about your shaving technique. We found the digital display both fun and useful, too, but unless you’re really into your gadgets (or sci-fi), they’re possibly a bit gimmicky. We still got a superb shave, though.
Buy now £440.00, Amazon.co.uk
Remington ultimate series RX7 rotary head shaver
If you’re looking for a gadget that’ll shave your head rather than your face, Remington’s new ultimate series RX7 is the boy for your bonce. The successor to the company’s popular RX5 head shaver, the new model offers 30 per cent increased flex around the five shaving heads, meaning it hugs the contours of the head more, for a closer, smoother and faster shave.
On top of that, there’s a turbo-speed function, designed for ploughing through tougher hair and for times when you’re in a hurry to perfect your pate.
We like the fact it left a barely perceptible amount of hair (0.2mm), which means you look more Jason Statham than Uncle Fester, while the ergonomically designed, cordless handle made head shaving a cinch in a way a standard, longer chassis wouldn’t. As a bonus, a pop-up trimmer allowed us to tidy and shape sideburns and remove stray neck hair. Impressive.
Buy now £64.98, Amazon.co.uk
Panasonic ER-CKN1 multishape modular personal care system
If you’re a guy who sometimes sports facial hair and at other times likes to be clean shaven, this customisable grooming tool is for you. Although the main unit comes with a beard, hair and body trimmer, you can also buy a three-blade foil shaving head to transform it into an electric shaver.
The floating blades delivered an excellent shave by following the contours of the face, and the main unit itself was a joy to hold.
Call us shallow but what impressed us most about this multifunctional marvel was its appearance. Sleek and minimalist with a matte-black finish, it’s as nice to look at as it is to hold and, unlike many other multifunctional tools that feel gimmicky, it feels solid and built to last. What’s more, you can add other heads to the device to further increase its functionality – there’s even an electric toothbrush head available.
Not the cheapest multifunctional shaver around but definitely one of the best – and certainly the most stylish.
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Remington limitless X5 rotary shaver
The new kid on the block, the X5 has been designed to make shaving fast and comfortable, with the help of a super-fast cutting speed (130,000 cutting actions per minute, apparently) and PowerSense technology, which adapts to the pressure you apply and analyses hair thickness to maximise performance.
What marks this model out from the other shavers we tried, though, is the clever 360-degree Pivotball (on which the entire shaving head sits), allowing maximum manoeuvrability over the contours of your face.
It certainly powered through stubble in no time, though, it was better on shorter stubble than longer stuff. Unencumbered by too many whizzy features, it was delightfully straightforward to use, making it great for electric-shaver newbies. The fact it’s 100 per cent waterproof and a cinch to clean is a big plus, too.
Buy now £50.25, Amazon.co.uk
Remington T series hair and beard trimmer MB7050
The beauty of adaptable, multifunctional tools like this one – apart from the value for money they represent – is that they’re great for guys who only occasionally shave using an electric device, or for those who fancy giving it a go but don’t want to shell out on a dedicated shaver.
An award-wining trimmer, this snazzy gold-and-black number from Remington allows you to trim your hair and beard, as well as craft stubble. It also includes a foil shaver attachment, so you can shave, too.
With a much smaller surface area than a dedicated shaver, it takes a bit more time to get the job done and, in truth, you do get the impression it’s not designed to be used as a shaver all the time, but for occasional shaving, it’s absolutely fine.
Other features that impressed us include superb battery time (five hours), the five-minutes quick charge and the fact you can wash it under a tap. A good buy if electric shaving is only one of the many things for which you need a grooming device.
Buy now £44.00, Amazon.co.uk
Panasonic series 700 ES-ALT4B 3-blade wet and dry electric shaver
A great mid-priced option for foil fans, Panasonic’s series 700 3-blade shaver combines great performance (thanks to three foil blades, an ultra-flexible head and a built-in shaving sensor that allows the shaver to adapt to different beard densities) with beautiful design, featuring a matte, metallic blue finish on the handle.
Lightweight but sturdy, it looks and feels more expensive than it is, while performance was pretty good too (no snagging, and a smooth shave with only the toughest of hair requiring a few additional passes). We also liked the addition of a pop-up trimmer, which makes sideburn edging and removing stray hairs under the nose a cinch.
A subtle but likeable bonus is its size: a little smaller than some of the fancier, pricier, models, it never feels cumbersome in the hand and is very easy to manoeuvre across the face.
Buy now £89.00, Amazon.co.uk
Philips 5000 series S5579/50 shaver
One of the quietest shavers we tried (it purrs rather than roars), this smart device reads and adapts to the beard density as it goes to work, ensuring you always get the most efficient shave. Like all Philips shavers, everything is thoroughly thought out – there’s a super-useful pop-up trimmer, a digital display to remind you of battery levels and a cleaning pod to ensure it’s well maintained (though replacement fluid represents an additional, ongoing cost).
The thing about this, and all of Philips’ high-end shavers, is everything is positioned perfectly, meaning it’s easy to switch on, easy to grip and the pop-up trimmer is easily activated. Like all rotary shavers, it’s a little harder to master than foils (technique is everything) but we absolutely loved using it.
Buy now £119.99, Shavers.co.uk
Remington one total body multi-groomer
Part of Remington’s first ever unisex grooming tool collection (the Remington one range also features a hairdryer and hair straighter), this useful gadget not only delivers a great face shave but can be used to remove body hair and tidy up ear, nose and eyebrow hair, too.
Unlike some other multi-groomers, it offers a full-sized foil shaving head, so it gets the job done just like a dedicated face shaver. What’s more, it packs a motor twice as powerful than those in standard Remington multi-groomers, so you can spend as little time as possible using this gadget.
It’s not the quietest shaver in our selection but it’s beautifully designed (the whole one range features the same copper/gunmetal colourway), is light in the hand, without feeling cheap, and the interchangeable heads come off easily with a simple twist (something that can’t be said for all multi-groomers). Impressive.
Buy now £66.65, Amazon.co.uk
Manscaped the handyman
If you’re the type of guy who likes to groom on the go, whether you’re on holiday, at the gym or at the office, this little guy from US company Manscaped is the shaver for you. Not much bigger than a bar of soap and charged via a USB-C cable, it’s especially good for travel, delivering a perfectly serviceable shave, given its compact size.
Sure, it doesn’t have a lot of the fancy features of larger, pricier shavers but when speed and convenience are paramount, those features aren’t so important. On the downside, it’s a little noisy but it’s beautifully designed, has a handy magnetic blade cover and also has the best instruction guide of all the shavers we tried, making it great for newbies, too.
Buy now £65.00, Manscaped.com
Remington omniblade face & body HG3000
Similar to the Philips OneBlade, this hybrid device from Remington (looks a bit like a razor but works like a shaver) not only allows you to achieve a clean shave but allows you to maintain stubble up to 5mm in length as well. There’s also a separate head for body hair and eyebrows, though, we found aligning the special comb guard that alters the length a bit fiddly.
As with the OneBlade, it doesn’t shave as close as a traditional wet razor but you’d have to examine skin pretty closely to notice any significant difference, and a big plus is that the blades are guaranteed for five years, so won’t need replacing all the time.
It’s not quite as well designed as some similar models (rather than a simple on/off button, you have to twist the base to activate it and the body hair attachment is a bit fiddly to master) but we liked the fact it isn’t the usual silver, blue or grey in colour. As a side note, the instruction booklet provided a useful tip about preserving the battery life: for the best performance, let it run out completely every six months then recharge for four hours.
Buy now £17.51, Amazon.co.uk
Braun series 6 60-B7200cc
Coming it blue and grey versions, too, it was the red one that initially caught our eye, because it stands out from the usual shaver colourways.
Performance-wise, it’s especially good for sensitive skin, because its “SensoFlex” technology ensures it works with the minimum amount of pressure. As a piece of kit, it’s super lightweight and really lovely to hold.
As it’s a mid-priced model, extras are kept to a minimum, though you can upgrade your shaver using the precision trimmer it comes with. The whole feel of this particular shaver is a bit more youthful and affordable than some top-end models, making it attractive to first-time buyers. Needless to say, the red version is a great choice for Liverpool, Arsenal and Man U fans, too.
Buy now £129.99, Braunshop.co.uk
Electric shavers FAQs
How does electric ‘dry’ shaving differ from wet shaving?
Electric shaving is fundamentally different from wet shaving – whereas a traditional razor blade slices off hair at the surface, removing some skin cells in the process, electric shavers gently “roll up” the skin, exposing hairs and cutting them just below the hairline.
There was a time when wet shaving always produced closer results, but advances in technology mean an electric shaver can deliver a shave comparable to a traditional razor blade, in terms of closeness.
What’s the difference between rotary and foil shavers?
Rotary shavers use rotating shaving heads (usually three) to slice through stubble at different angles, while foil or ‘linear’ ones have blades that cut from left to right, and are concealed under a protective foil.
As a rule of thumb, rotary shavers are good if you have tough stubble, while foil shavers are a little more straightforward, easier to master, and are better for those with softer or lighter stubble, who are new to electric shaving or have sensitive skin.
Each type requires a different technique (you move using gentle circular motions with rotary shavers, and back and forth swiping with foil ones) but the results are generally the same – a no-fuss, super-smooth shave with the minimum of irritation.
Do I need to use a pre-shave product before using an electric shaver?
You don’t have to use one – you’ll still get a great shave if you skip a pre-shave lotion or solution – but using one can deliver a better and faster shave, because they help remove oil from the hairs and lift them away from the skin, making them easier for the shaver blades to slice.
How do I get the most from an electric shaver?
Use your fingers: Using your free hand, stretch the skin just in front of the shaver heads as you shave – this will ensure hairs stand upright, making them easier to cut.
Don’t press too hard: Electric shavers require only light pressure to get the job done. Let the shaver do the work for you, to limit skin irritation.
Don’t save sensitive bits until last: Many shavers generate heat as they go to work, and that can irritate skin, so tackle sensitive areas – such as the neck – first, while the shaver is still cool.
Keep things clean: Always follow the cleaning instructions and change the foils and cutters as advised. Worn foils and blunt cutting heads will only impair the quality of your shave.
Be patient: If you’ve just switched from wet to dry shaving, your face will take a couple of weeks to adjust to the new shaving technique, especially since electric shavers remove the hairs just below the surface of the skin rather than at surface level. Once you switch, try not to move back and forth between wet and electric shaving.
When’s the best time to buy an electric shaver?
Electric shavers are among those items that are regularly discounted – especially the top-end models, which often see prices halved – so, if you see a decent offer at an online store, make the most of it. You can also look out for discounts during Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday sales.
The verdict: Electric shavers
As we discovered while putting numerous electric shavers to the test, you don’t always get what you pay for, with some cheaper models delivering a perfectly serviceable shave and more expensive ones sometimes overcomplicating things. That said, we do recommend looking out for special offers on the premium ones, as they’re often heavily discounted.
If a super-close but gentle shave is worth making a dent in your bank balance, the Braun’s series 9 shaver is our absolute favourite. If you’re a beginner, both Braun’s series 3 proskin and Remington’s limitless X5 rotary shaver tick a lot of boxes and are worth a punt if you just want to try electric shaving.
Panasonic ES-LV97 shaver, meanwhile, is great for experienced shavers or those fancying an upgrade. We also have to give a special nod to the Philips oneblade pro 360 – a brilliantly versatile tool that deserves a place in any man’s grooming kit.
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