Electric Razor Buying Guide

I can’t think of another time in the modern age where men have been so concerned with personal grooming. Not too long ago there wasn’t all that much variety in how chin fuzz was styled or looked after, but these days it seems that every person is now also their own personal barber.

Given how we like to take the path of least resistance in general, it’s no surprise that this also coincides with a resurgence in popularity of the electric razor. They’re clean, convenient, and much safer than either a safety razor or a straight one. Not to mention that our skins stand up much better to a daily maintenance shave from an electric razor than they do with razor-burn inducing blades.

The main problem with electric razors has always been that they don’t give that baby’s-bottom smooth shave. That’s not necessarily true anymore and the demand for that close a shave is not as universal as it has been in the past.

There are a lot of products on the market, though, so it’s a good idea to do your research before laying down any cash. Luckily I’ve gone ahead and done much of the footwork for you, so here’s the main things you have to know and consider before buying an electric razor.

Is It Your Type?

There are two basic types of electric razor – foil or rotary.

Foil razors have a floating head that consists of oscillating blades behind a perforated screen. The head glides along the contours of your face. In general, although the difference is not huge, foil razors have the edge (pun intended) when it comes to closeness.

Rotary razors have two, three, or four floating heads, each one consisting of a spinning cutter behind a screen. They sort of look like the blades on circular hole saws. Although the shave is not quite as close, rotary shavers are easier to clean and are generally quieter than their foil counterparts.

Charge of the Well-Shaved Brigade

Almost without exception electric razors are battery powered. Electric razors can take a long time to fully charge, but a good one will provide enough juice for about seven shaves at least. Some razors also feature a quick charge function, which will charge enough in just a few minutes so that you can have one shave. If you are the forgetful type, that feature can be a real lifesaver. Failing that, some razors also have the ability to run directly from the cord as well, although this is not all that common.

You should also note that some travel razors have no built-in batteries at all, letting you use off-the-shelf batteries. Whether disposable or rechargeable is your choice in that case. These can be a good choice when you don’t know if you’ll have access to electricity. At least you know you can always buy some standard batteries from a local store.

Mr. Clean

How easy a given razor is to clean is actually an often-overlooked feature. Can you rinse it? Does it use a brush with lots of disassembly involved? Do your homework here and save yourself a heap of frustration.

Long-haired Hippy

Many shavers have a little oscillating shaver head that flips out from somewhere and can be used to trim long hair on the sideburns, beard line, or anywhere else you have long hair which is none of my business thank-you-very-much.

You may also sometimes see unique attachments or other additional features such as a nose-hair trimming doodad. How valuable these features are really depend on your style and needs.

Wet or Dry? Which is Best?

Can the shaver become wet? Such as when you want to shave in the shower or hot tub (not recommended)? Usually these products are marked as “wet & dry”. Is this important? Only you can say for sure.

High Voltage

If you’re going to be traveling you will want to make 100% sure that your electric razor supports the voltages of the countries you’ll be visiting. If you intend to fly about internationally, it may in fact be better to look for an electric razor that’s aimed explicitly at travel.

Size Does Matter

How big is the razor physically? There are a lot of reasons to worry about the physical size and weight of your razor. It affects how easy it is to handle, how easy it is to travel with, and how big the battery can be. You need to look for a balance between ideal size and these features when looking for a new razor.

Noise Boys

Finally, how noisy a shaver is can be a major consideration. Sometimes the noise will be listed on the packaging, but it’s far more useful to read customer reviews or find a video on YouTube.

The Razor’s Edge

You see? That wasn’t so bad. It may be quite a few things to keep in mind, but you’re a smart guy, right? After all, you came to my site, so that’s a good sign of intelligence right there.