Whether using a manual razor or an electric one, the ultimate goal in a great shave is a smooth finish with minimal irritation. While some guys are loyal to using one type of razor, others may alternate depending on their current shaving routine and the facial hair look they’re going for. To determine the best electric razors for men, I relied on my own experience covering and testing men’s grooming tools as Forbes Vetted’s deputy beauty editor. After researching popular razors and consulting with industry experts to narrow down a group of contenders, I recruited a staff tester (who has been using electric shavers for two decades) to rigorously test each one over the course of several weeks. The winning picks include the powerful and efficient Braun Series 9 Pro and the Philips Norelco 9800 rotary shaver with its innovative design. For a luxury device, the six-blade Panasonic Arc6 is well worth the investment.

Here are the devices that earned top marks, according to extensive testing:

When shopping for the right electric razor for you, it’s important to consider factors like how much power it has, how easy it is to maneuver around your face, its battery life, your hair type, as well as your own shaving regimen and preferred facial hair style. Below, find the six best electric razors for men based on rigorous testing, along with expert insights from two veteran barbers on how to choose the ideal version for your grooming needs.

Braun’s Series 9 Pro earns the top spot on this list for its excellent performance, giving the closest shave with no irritation. “I have historically struggled to find devices that can do this well,” says our tester, who also appreciated how well the shaver glided. “The head movement helps with maneuvering the shaver to contour your face.” The tool’s flexible ProHead is designed to tackle up to seven-day beards, using a sonic technology to improve efficiency and help the tool easily yet gently navigate delicate or narrow areas.

While this sophisticated razor does its job well, it’s also very easy to set up and intuitively designed. “I liked how simple all of the touch points were,” says our tester. “It was easy to figure out how to engage the travel lock, detail trimmer and more.” It’s completely waterproof—and can be used wet or dry, paired with foam or gel, or used under running water—and therefore can be simply opened up to rinse and clean. He also appreciates the sleek travel case it comes in. “There have been many times where shaver heads pop off in transit and get all over my clothes, so if this happens, it’s at least contained.”

While our tester did need a few extra passes in some spots when using this shaver, that’s not unusual for him considering his hair type—and this was the case with all the other razors in the group as well. He notes the detail trimmer is positioned in an odd spot and can be a little hard to see when using it, but overall found the Braun Series 9 to be a clear winner. “Compared to the others, this shaver did a better job at taking care of pesky hairs that wouldn’t cut.”

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While notorious for not giving the closest shave compared to foil razors, rotary shavers tend to be popular with those with curly, coarse or ingrown-prone facial hair. The Philips Norelco 9800 came out on top in this category for its seamless gliding abilities and flexible head that allows for 360 degrees of rotation. “The head movement helped with maneuvering the shaver to contour my face,” says our tester. The razor features the brand’s proprietary Lift and Cut rotary technology to coax even very short hairs up and away from the face—and better capture strands growing in different directions. With all its innovative technology, this was also the quietest device out of the group of contenders tested.

The Norelco 9800 comes with several handy features, including a built-in light that signals when you’re pressing too hard or not enough. Our tester appreciated the OLED screen that shows if this pressure light setting is activated or not and guides you on locking the device for travel. “I also like that it shows the percentage of charge that is remaining,” he says. “It is much more helpful than just a light indicating how much charge is left.” In addition, maintenance is a breeze: “Since the device is waterproof, it was very easy to clean. It came with a mounting stand and cleaning solution to automate the cleaning process, which had good results.”

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The Panasonic Arc6 comes at a luxury price, but if you’re looking for a high-end device, its power, precision and convenient additional features make it well worth the investment. Its charging metrics alone are impressive. Our tested five-minute quick charge gave a runtime of 23 minutes—by far the longest out of the picks in this roundup. It rivaled the Braun Series 9 Pro in giving our tester the closest shave with no irritation. He also appreciated the flexibility of the shave head that’s designed to move in 22 independent directions. “This really helped with maneuvering the shaver, and there is a button on the back to adjust how the head moves,” he says. “I would hands down buy this device again if it broke tomorrow.”

There is a lot of tech packed into this device. A small LED screen shows the charge percentage of the device, as well as when it’s in travel mode, needs maintenance or blade replacement. Our tester was initially skeptical but found that he appreciated the cleaning station, which automatically cleans, sanitizes and dries the shaver—along with charging it.

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BabylissPro razors are beloved by professionals for their strong performance, whether in barbershop-level devices or ones designed for home use. “They get super close, and they’re really easy to use,” says Chris De La Cruz Jr., a barber at San Francisco-based Church Barber. The BabylissPro Barberology Gold FX is an industry-favorite shaver that’s great for maintaining necklines, sporadic cleanups and grooming on the go. With a sleek, metal design, it’s ideal for someone looking for reliability without any extra features. Our tester appreciates the weight and appearance of this device, as well as its simplicity. “It’s heavy and looks like something you would find in a barbershop,” he says. “It doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles: a button to start and stop it, a light to indicate the battery, and a button to release the shaver blades to clean.”

The BabylissPro device glides well, according to our tester. He does note: “Because of the simplicity and fixed form factor, you don’t get the same ease of use because there is no modular head to keep it flush with the skin.” It also left him with some irritation—those with sensitive skin may want to avoid this option.

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With dual foil heads and a crossbar blade as well as a streamlined overall design, the best part about the Andis ReSurge is how straightforward it is to use. Our tester liked its no-frills functionality and found the magnetic cap “a nice touch for travel.” It doesn’t come with a proprietary charger but its use of the universal USB-C cord allowed him to “only need to worry about bringing one charging cord when packing this for a trip” since his phone charger could multitask.

Its performance matches its price. “The shave it produced was very acceptable,” our tester says. “It does require more effort to maneuver around facial features when comparing it to models with a greater range of motion.” It’s also worth noting that its lack of detail trimmer makes it less ideal for those maintaining a beard.

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The newest in Panasonic’s lineup, the Arc5 Palm-Sized is small but mighty, with 5 sharp blades and a powerful enough motor to give a smooth, seamless shave. The brand is another favorite of professional barbers like Andrew Zumbo, an ambassador for American Crew, since it offers devices for every hair type and they’re built for easy maintenance. Our tester appreciated the closeness of the shave and how it tackled errant hairs. “And I really like the shape and size of the device,” he says. “It’s small and easily packable.” The Palm-Sized comes in two colors: black—which is notably less expensive—and a marbled white that’s easy to spot in a jam-packed Dopp kit.

There are some downsides to this pint-sized shaver, mainly that it’s ideal for shaving larger areas of skin and less for detailing. “Because of the simplicity and small form factor, you don’t get the same ease of use because there is no modular head to make it easier to stay flush with the skin,” says our tester. There’s also no detail trimmer, so if you’re maintaining a beard while traveling, you’d need to bring in an additional device for that. Like the Andis ReSurge, it does charge with a USB-C cable, reducing the need for extra cords.

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Why Trust Forbes Vetted

Our team has researched, written and published dozens of beauty and grooming stories, relying on our personal expertise and hands-on experience as well as expert insights from qualified professionals.

• We’ve published several stories pertaining to the best grooming products, including roundups on beard trimmers, hair clippers and at-home laser hair removal devices.
• This story was written by Forbes Vetted deputy editor Jane Sung, who oversees all beauty and grooming content. In her two decades of experience, she has researched, tested and gotten her hands on hundreds of products, including men’s grooming tools.
• Forbes Vetted group product manager Matt Flood spent several weeks evaluating the top electric razor contenders, putting them to the test on his thick, dense facial hair. He has been using electric shavers and beard trimmers extensively for almost two decades.
• For this article, we consulted with two barbers; both shared their deep knowledge on what to look for in the top electric razors for men. Chris De La Cruz Jr. is a barber at Church Barber in San Francisco, and New York-based stylist Andrew Zumbo is an ambassador for American Crew.
• This article is regularly refreshed to ensure all product recommendations continue to be relevant. It was last updated by beauty writer Claire Epting in March 2025, who refreshed the FAQs and added a section on the differences between electric and manual razors.

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How We Tested The Best Electric Razors For Men

To find the best electric razors for men, I researched best-selling models, compared features, and tapped experts for product recommendations and insights on what to look for. I carefully evaluated options from top retailers and brands, including Braun, Panasonic, BabylissPro and more. As everyone’s budget looks slightly different, I considered models that fell within a wide range of prices. I enlisted an expert tester with 20 years of experience evaluating electric razors for facial hair as well as head and body hair.

With each device, our tester evaluated setup, ease of use, battery life on a full charge as well as a 5-minute quick charge, shaver and blade type, and overall performance to help readers pinpoint the best option for their needs. Each shaver was tested on dry and wet skin if applicable, and on 1- to 2-day stubble as well as around beard growth. Additionally, our tester evaluated cleaning and maintenance, along with convenience of additional features such as OLED display, travel lock, pop-up trimmers and more.

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What To Consider In Electric Razors For Men

When picking out an electric razor, there are a few key factors you should keep in mind. Here’s everything you should consider, according to the experts:

Foil Vs. Rotary

Foil shavers are closest to a manual shave in how close they cut to the skin, according to De La Cruz Jr. “If you’re looking for a nice clean look with a close to bald finish, the foil shaver is what you want,” he says. They’re ideal for those with sensitive skin and work better for straight lines and more defined shaving.

Rotary shavers are ideal for those with coarse or thicker hair. “They can move in circular motions to tackle tricky angles,” says Zumbo. Since they’re less adept at defining clean lines or maneuvering around a beard, they’re best for full shaves.

Cordlessness

Your electric razor should absolutely be cordless. Some devices come with their own charger while some can be charged with a universal USB-C cord, which is convenient because most people already use one to charge their phones.

Battery Life

General charge times range from one to two hours and the top devices hold a solid charge for at least one to three hours without needing to be plugged in. “Look for a razor with a long battery life and fast charging options, especially if you travel frequently or need quick use,” says Zumbo. The best electric razors should last you months of use without requiring a charge. And all of the winners above provide several minutes of use on a 5-minute quick charge, which comes in handy for a last-minute touchup.

Waterproofness

It’s always convenient if a shaver can be used in the shower or along with shaving products. If you see a device labeled “waterproof,” it’s likely that it is 100% waterproof. However, “wet/dry usage” means it’s only rinsable and can be used with shaving cream. You should at least be able to rinse the head of your razor under running water to clear hair buildup. “It’s mandatory to clean and rinse shavers out after every use so there’s no buildup of loose hairs or dead skin cells,” says De La Cruz Jr. “They can cause irritation if not properly cleaned.”

Additional Features

While the primary function is to shave efficiently, it can be nice to have attachments or multiple functions if that’s what you’re looking for. Some have swappable heads for trimming or to tackle various hair lengths. An LED display can be handy for showing battery level and whether the travel lock is on. A few of these top picks come with a cleaning brush or solution, and the high-end Panasonic Arc6 even includes a cleaning station that automatically cleans, sanitizes and dries the device.

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Electric Razors Vs. Manual Razors

While both electric razors and manual razors can be valuable tools in your grooming lineup, they ultimately provide different results. Generally, electric razors won’t deliver as close of a shave as a manual razor. While the Panasonic Arc6 delivers the closest shave of our tested options, it still won’t leave your skin quite as smooth as it would with a blade that glides along your skin.

That being said, electric razors are ideal for those who are irritation-prone, touchups and regular maintenance. A cordless model is easily portable and doesn’t require any water or shaving cream to use. If you’re particularly wary of nicks and cuts, an electric shaver is a great option—since the head isn’t getting as close to your skin as a manual razor blade is, there’s less of a chance of irritation. While some men have a preference for either manual or electric razors, one isn’t better than the other; in fact, it’s easy to justify having both in your shaving arsenal.

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