The best electric razors and shavers for men in 2026, according to a grooming expert
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Amir Ismael/Business Insider
Getting a close shave without irritation or pain isn't easy. It's common to find yourself with nicks or leftover stubble from a quick shave. However, the best electric razors for men cater to individuals with diverse hair textures and shaping preferences, consistently delivering a clean shave without discomfort. Our team has thoroughly tested and reviewed many top electric razor models to address the most common needs, and we've narrowed it down to the six best electric razors out there.
Our top pick is Braun's Series 9 Pro Plus, which offers a close, personalized shave that's worth the investment. For a more affordable option, our budget pick also comes from Braun, as the mid-tier Series 7 model remains a timeless and high-quality choice.
Whether you're shopping for a holiday gift this season or for yourself, you'll find detailed recommendations based on rigorous testing, honest pros and cons of each pick, and answers to your most asked electric shaver questions from a professional barber.
The top picks for the best electric razors for men
It's important to note that an electric razor will never be able to give you a shave as close as a manual razor. If you're looking for an extremely close shave, a manual razor is your best option because it has a blade that moves along the skin rather than a motor with moving blades meant to graze the skin like an electric razor.
That said, an electric razor can get very close to the results of a manual razor, with the added convenience of speed, accuracy, and ease of use. If you're looking to avoid nicks or cuts or are prone to them, this is especially useful for people with particular injuries or disabilities that make using a manual razor safely difficult.
The same goes for folks who love to travel and may not have access to the water or shaving cream needed for a manual razor shave. That's when a battery-powered electric razor can come in handy.
If you're looking for a trim instead of hair removal, we recommend checking out our guide to the best beard trimmers.
We considered people with different hair types, grooming needs, and budgets when selecting razors to test and include in this buying guide. Although my hair type and personal grooming needs may not be the same as everyone else, each product in the guide was tested hands-on over the course of several months. I tested shavers for cutting efficiency, in-hand comfort and feel, battery life, and overall maintenance and care. Each razor was used to shave or trim, and every razor that was waterproof was used in the shower. Each shaver was also charged and cleaned as recommended. For razors that didn't specifically match my personal grooming needs, I used my expertise and experience, having tested dozens of razors over the years, to determine whether they would benefit others.
| Model | Type | Best For | Waterproof | Battery Life | Key Feature |
| Braun Series 9 Pro Plus | Foil | Overall performance | Yes | Up to 6 weeks | Auto-sensing tech, PowerCase, SmartCare Center |
| Braun Series 7 (7085cc) | Foil | Budget-conscious buyers | Yes | Up to 3 weeks | Beard sensing tech, Flex Head |
| Philips Norelco's i9000 Prestige Ultra | Rotary | Rotary shave lovers | Yes | Up to 1 hour | 72 self-sharpening blades, Bluetooth connectivity |
| Panasonic ARC6 (ES-LS9A-K) | Foil | High-end grooming, thick beards | Yes | About 1 week | 6 blades, 84,000 cross-cutting motions |
| Bevel Pro All-In-One | Trimmer | Coarse or curly hair | No | Up to 4 hours | Auto-leveling blade gap, great for sensitive skin |
| Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 | Trimmer | Body grooming | Yes | Not specified | SkinSafe technology, good for below-the-belt |
| Laifen P3 Pro | Foil | Travel-friendly | Yes | 100 minutes | Compact and elegant design |
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As Braun's most advanced shaver to date, the Braun Series 9 Pro Plus (9599cc) is a considerable upgrade to older Series 9 and Series 9 Pro models. Our top pick for one of the best electric shavers comes bundled with the SmartCare Center, which includes a cleaning solution, a mobile charging PowerCase, a cleaning brush, and, for the first time ever, a ProComfort head to prep the face before shaving.
Even with all of the add-ons, the shaver itself is what makes the Braun Series 9 Pro+ such a powerful grooming tool. The cutting head consists of five separate parts — two OptiFoil shavers, a ProLift blade designed to lift hair, a Direct Blade designed to comb the hair in the same direction before cutting, and a skin guard. With 40,000 cutting motions per minute, auto-sensing technology, vibrating sonic technology, and the system provides a smooth and close shave, with minimal work prepping your face beforehand, whether your hair lays flat, stands up, or grows in different directions on different parts of your face.
The Braun Series 9 Pro Plus includes an attached trimmer for detailing mustaches and beard lines. It's positioned on the back of the shaver but extends high enough to see the blade while you're trimming. As someone who's not clean-shaven, the trimmer gets just as much use as the shaver head because the placement doesn't seem like an afterthought that's blocked by the shaver head. It's easy to use and will save you from having to use a separate grooming tool for trimming.
My favorite upgrade on the Series 9 Pro Plus is the mobile charging PowerCase. It's another safe place to store your shaver and automatically charges, extending the battery life to up to 6 weeks — or much longer if you don't shave frequently.
Braun
The Braun Series 7 (7085cc) replaces the older Braun Series 7 (7895cc) as our budget pick for the best electric razors for men because of its dependability and a few key improvements. The Braun Series 7 can "read" the density of your beard, automatically adjusting its power to give you the closest shave ever with Braun's AutoSense technology.
The biggest improvement in the design is the new 360° Flex Head shaver that contours to the curves of your face and neck. The new Series 7 (7085cc) feels effortless, even in hard-to-shave areas like your Adam's apple or jawline.
The new model (7085cc) also has a detachable trimmer that goes in place of the shaver, unlike the previous model (7895cc), which featured a slide-out trimmer on the front of the device. With the new design, the trimmer tool is placed at the top of the device so you can see exactly what you're doing. If you're having difficulty visualizing the difference between the two designs, you can read more in our full Braun Series 7 electric shaver review.
The 7071cc is the same as the 7085cc, except it doesn't include extra-length guard attachments.
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If you prefer shavers with rotary-style blades instead of linear foil shavers, Philips Norelco's i9000 Prestige Ultra is the most advanced option available and one of the best electric shavers we've tried.
While rotary shavers typically all feature three circular shavers, the i9000 Prestige Ultra packs a lot of performance in each one. In total, there are 72 self-sharpening blades that are designed to cut hair in any direction. The exterior of the rotary blades is designed to lift the hair before the blades cut as close to the skin as possible. And with 165,000 cutting actions per minute, you can achieve a close shave in just one pass.
As the world's first root-level shaver, the i9000 can cut hairs below the surface at -.08mm, not just 0mm. I tried it as someone with coarse hair and was still genuinely surprised that I didn't develop razor bumps. The below-the-surface cut means your smooth shave will last longer, and by limiting snags, you'll experience less irritation afterward.
Like most premium shavers, the i9000 Prestige Ultra has automatic beard-sensing technology, but I like that you can also manually adjust it using the + and - buttons on the device. The i9000 Prestige Ultra also features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to track your shaving techniques in the app. It'll let you know if you're applying too much pressure or doing passes too fast.
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The Panasonic ARC6 Electric Shaver is arguably the most advanced and premium shaver on the market. Replacing the previous generation ARC5, the ARC6 features massive improvements, including a new head with six blades forged from high-grade Japanese stainless steel and a more powerful motor with 84,000 cross-cutting motions per minute.
With six blades — two finishing blades designed to cut hair at the base, two titanium-coated blades for long and thick stubble, and two lift blades to lift and cut hairs that lay flat — the Panasonic ARC6 has more blades than any electric shaver I've tested. In addition to its premium blade design, the shaver head moves in 22 independent directions to ensure it stays contoured to your face and neck at all times. Its sophisticated design does a great job of limiting nicks and cuts while delivering a close shave with one pass.
My beard doesn't grow incredibly fast or thick and I keep most of my facial hair, so I couldn't truly take advantage of the benefit of having such a powerful shaver. The auto-sensing technology increases or decreases power based on the density of the hair it's cutting, so I likely didn't use the full capacity of the motor, but I can see the value for men who either have thick beards or shave daily.
At just under $500, the Panasonic ARC6 is expensive, but it has the most blades, an incredibly powerful motor, comes with all the extras you need to maintain the device, and is engineered to perform with efficiency and precision.
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Whether your profession takes you on the go or you enjoy traveling in your free time, the Laifen P3 Pro is an excellent way to stay neatly shaved while away from home. It is by far the most compact shaver I've used, easily fitting in your toiletry bag, backpack, briefcase, or even your front pocket if you really wanted to carry it there.
Made from a single piece of CNC-crafted aerospace-grade aluminum, the Laifen boasts a nice weight and exceptional build quality. On the front of the shaver, you'll find a window showcasing the internals of the 12,000 cuts per minute motor. The blade consists of two foil shavers and a trimmer head, designed to cut hair to a smooth finish.
A fully charged battery provides 100 minutes of shaving time, which is impressive considering the average shave typically lasts only a few minutes. I love that it charges via USB-C, so you won't have to bring a proprietary charger with you on your travels if you have a charger for any of your other devices.
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If you have coarse or curly hair, you've probably struggled to find products that make grooming comfortable. While even the best electric razors for men focus on getting the absolute closest cut possible, that's also usually the first step to unattractive, painful, or itchy razor bumps. Luckily, the Bevel Pro All-In-One Clipper and Trimmer solves that.
Founded in 2013, Walker and Company (Bevel's parent company) was created by Tristan Walker to cater to the grooming needs of people with coarse or curly hair. While that most directly applies to people of color, the brand's products are generally great for anyone who has sensitive skin.
Rather than using multiple blades that either cut hair below the surface of the skin or snag and pull on hair, the Bevel Trimmer Pro uses an adjustable blade to cut hair to the same level of the skin. Its blades are made of stainless steel and coated in graphite to reduce drag and maintain its sharpness. At the touch of a button, you can adjust the blade gap from 0mm to 2.5mm in 0.1mm increments.
If you've ever used a trimmer that required a lot of downward pressure to effectively cut hair, the Bevel is far from that. The Bevel Pro is extremely precise and sharp. As someone with coarse facial hair who's prone to razor bumps when shaving, I got the best results adjusting the blade to a few tenths of a millimeter away from no gap. We love it so much that we named it one of our top picks in our guide to the best beard trimmers as well.
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Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 Pro: At $90, the Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 might seem expensive, but it's well worth it if you're searching for the best electric razor for men, specifically for trimming body hair. The trimmer features SkinSafe technology that prevents uncomfortable snags or cuts while still providing a close shave all over your body, especially below the belt.
Andis Profoil Lithium Plus: The Andis Profoil Lithium Plus is one of the best electric shavers you'll most likely find in a barbershop — and for good reason. As a tried and true professional grooming brand, Andis is known for premium quality and affordable prices.
Andis Slimline Pro: While several of our favorite electric razors on this list come with a trimming attachment, the Andis Slimline Pro's design is fully dedicated to trimming. As a professional-grade tool, it can outperform any trimmer attachment, and it's simple enough to use at home.
GilletteLabs Heated Razor: When you think of electric razors, grooming tools with a motor and an oscillating blade usually come to mind first. The GilletteLabs Heated Razor has neither of those attributes, but it is a razor and is technically electric. Coming in the form of a more traditional multi-blade razor, it features five blades for a close shave, FlexDisc technology to contour to your face and neck, and, most notably, an Intelligent Heat Control System.
Andis
We talked with professional barber Sydney Shlakman of Hairrari Hair Salon in Brooklyn, New York, about some care and maintenance tips for your grooming tools. Electric razors are not as simple to clean as the best safety razors, but with these tips, they last a very long time.
We've also answered other frequently asked questions about grooming tools.
What is the difference between foil and rotary razors?
- Foil: The foil electric shaver contains oscillating blades that move back and forth at high speeds. These blades are covered with guards that lift hair for cutting and protect the skin. A foil razor will often have a few separate cutting blades that flex independently to match the contours of your face. However, because a foil head has a rectangular shape, it might not match your face as well as a rotary razor.
- Rotary: The rotary razor has round blades that spin. You'll receive protection from the spinning rotary blades with a slotted guard that sits atop the blades and helps to lift the hairs so they're easier to cut. The heads flex in multiple directions, giving you a close shave by hugging the contours of your face. However, rotary heads are more difficult to clean after shaving than foil shavers.
How often should I clean my razor or trimmer?
"You should clean your tools after every use," Shlakman told Insider. "It's important to maintain clean grooming tools to make sure your tools are working properly and do not build up bacteria or rust."
What is the best way to clean grooming tools?
"The best way to clean your grooming tools is by using a barber bristle brush to brush the hair off of your tools and also using a blade cleaning spray," said Shlakman. "I like using Andis Cool Care Plus to clean and lubricate my blades. You want to brush the hair off first and then spray the cleaning spray."
Some shavers, like the Braun Series 7 and Series 9, have a clean and charged base that will clean it automatically. If your device doesn't have a cleaning system, you should remove the blade, brush or rinse out excess hair, sanitize it, and re-oil your blade before the next use.
Why do I need to oil my blade?
Without oil, razors — whether foil, rotary, or a combination of both — can generate a lot of friction and heat. When a blade gets hot without proper lubrication, it will underperform and will eventually rust and warp. You won't get as close a shave, you'll be more prone to nicks and cuts, and you'll have to replace your blades more often.
What kind of oil can I use on my blades?
Most electric razors and trimmers come with oil, but should you run out, you can use various oils to keep your blades lubricated. A few drops of olive, coconut, baby, or even your favorite beard oil can get the job done. You'll want to avoid products that definitely don't belong on your face, like motor oil or WD-40.
Can I use the same electric razor for my face and my body?
While some electric trimmers can adequately be used anywhere, it's recommended that you use separate blades for your face and body. The bacteria on your face thrive in dry areas with oxygen, and bacteria on your groin area thrive in moist environments. Mixing the two using the same blade everywhere may cause irritations and breakouts.
If you already have a grooming tool you like for your face, it's a good idea to buy a separate tool dedicated to body grooming.