Getting started

Electrics shavers cost more than a bucket load of blade razors. Expect to pay at least $60 for most models, and $150 or more for some. They're also expensive to maintain. You'll need to replace the head every six months to two years, at about $25 to $45 each. And once the rechargeable battery no longer holds a charge, replacing the entire shaver is often less expensive and easier than replacing the battery.

As this electric shaver guide will show, you needn't agonize too long over which electric shaver to buy. All the models we tested offer a money-back trial of 30 days or more—a good idea, because some manufacturers suggest that your skin and beard might need a while to adjust to a new shaving method. If you switch from a razor blade to an electric shaver, or even from a rotary shaver to a foil type or vice versa, give yourself at least a three-week trial period. If you've chosen the wrong model, simply return it and try another or ask for a refund.

We bought samples of foil and rotary men's shavers and asked 16 male panelists to test the type of shaver they usually use. The panelists tried each shaver at home for a week. At the end of each week, they shaved in our lab and let our sensory staffers feel their faces, using sandpaper as a reference. The closest shave made the panelists' faces feel like fine, 1,000-grit polishing paper. We also judged noise and ease of cleaning, and we measured how quickly the batteries ran down.

Types

Men's electric shavers come with either foil or rotary cutting blades. Each type of electric shaver has its devotees. Women's shavers use foil cutters. (We haven't tested any women's models lately because they've consistently performed relatively poorly in our tests. But then, there's no reason why women can't use a men's shaver.)

Foil shavers have one or two floating heads designed to glide over facial contours, with cutters that oscillate behind a perforated screen. In the race for the closest shave, the men's foil shavers, on average, beat the men's rotaries by a whisker.

Rotary shavers have three or four floating heads designed to glide over facial contours, with cutters that spin behind a fine grid. They tended to be quieter and easier to clean than foil shavers in our tests.

Features

Current models offer a wide variety of convenience electric shaver features. Check the shaver's instruction manual for details.

A full battery charge might take anywhere from 1 to 12 hours and should provide at least seven shaves. Some models allow a five-minute emergency charge, good for one shave.

A charger that shuts off automatically when the battery is fully charged is a convenience. With some, you need to pull the plug as soon as the shaver is fully charged, or overcharging might reduce the battery life.

A charge indicator or recharge light on some models warns you when the battery is low.

Some models let you shave by plugging in the electrical cord, a useful feature if you neglect to recharge the battery.

Most shavers come with a small cleaning brush. Some models can be rinsed clean. And some have a self-cleaning system that pumps a sanitizing liquid through the cutters.

Most shavers have this feature for trimming sideburns or other long hair.

One model we tested lets you shave in the shower.

You can use some shavers abroad without a converter.