Several of the newer designs adjust the power to the foils when dealing with thicker or coarser beards or facial hair. “Philips Norelco pioneered artificial intelligence in electric shavers with the debut of Philips Norelco Shaver Series 7000 in January 2021,” said Brett Bardsley, Philips Norelco Marketing Director. “SenseIQ technology is the outcome of years of research and development and delivers superior results, helping users feel philips electric razor confident in their shave no matter their hair length, hair type or skin type.” If the electric shavers have any advanced features, such as an additional trimmer or quick charging, we’ll try these out to test if they work and if they’re worth the extra money they no doubt command. We’ll usually spend a week or longer testing new electric shavers, and the review process is fairly straightforward – we use them to shave our faces.
You also don’t have to worry about carrying your charging cord around on trips, plus if your batteries die out at the hotel you can call the front desk and ask for fresh ones. But for the old guard who prefers a smooth appearance, and younger men turning away from the beard, an electric razor is just the thing, and these are the best electric shavers. For the first iteration of this guide, we enlisted a panel of 12 to test a dozen electric razors each. The blades of rotary shavers are designed to catch hair growing in all directions, for a close shave. If you neglect to clean your electric shaver, you risk the chance of shortening the razor’s lifespan and also running dirt across your face when shaving.
That extra power and performance come at a dollar and design cost. Series 9 razors are notably bulkier than Series 7 razors, and some testers found the Series 9 razors tough to maneuver in tight spots (like the equally ginormous Panasonic Arc5, which this Braun line somewhat mimics). The Quick Clean Pod is the world’s smallest and cordless cleaning station. The special cleaning formula is 10x more effective than water1, so you can keep your shaver hygienic. More importantly, overall shaving performance was very good indeed.
Dan has been using this razor near-daily since 2018, and it still performs well. Its shave has remained close and comfortable and is still strong enough to mow through multiple days of growth when needed. At first glance, the biggest difference between the Series 9 and the Series 7 is size. The Series 9 is longer, has more girth, and is more top-heavy, all due to its quadruple-headed shaving mechanism. That four-way head sticks to Braun’s traditional two-foil design but adds a pair of cutting mechanisms—a “direct & cut” trimmer and a “hyper-lift & cut” trimmer—that better snag wiry, unruly whiskers, the company claims. All Braun shavers include a two-year warranty, which covers everything but the foil and cutting block.
These shavers come with CloseCut blades that prevent any accidental cuts and glide onto your skin smoothly, thus giving a comfortable shave. They are cordless, so they will let you shave for at least thirty minutes when you recharge for 10 hours. They also come with a pop-up trimmer which is ideal for trimming your sideburns and mustache. s have an ergonomic grip with an anti-slip coating that makes it comfortable to hold and ensures close control for extra precision while shaving.
Braun used to be noted in its glory days for producing perfect combinations of form and function, using cutting-edge design techniques. Now I’m not saying Dieter Rams would necessarily be upset by the design of this but, while its functionality is hard to argue with, aesthetically the 9 Series is quite lacking. It looks and feels plasticky, and the way it slots into its charging and cleaning base is not very satisfying.
I find the Braun is quicker and feels more like ‘proper’ shaving but for those with very sensitive skin Philips’ rotary action might be better. Braun previously sold a Series 8 shaver only at select retailers, but additional models in this series are now more widely available. The series at the lower end of Braun’s foil shaving line that we tested—the Series 5 and Series 6—each performed fine in our testing, and with a bit more work and time all eventually gave the same shave as the Series 7. James used the Remington for two years, and it held up well during that period. It handled daily shaves without complaint and powered through more days of growth without too much issue.