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Are electric shavers worth the money?

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I used to use a Mach 3 but switched to a Philips Norelco AT830 Powertouch this summer for convenience. I've been really happy with the shave it provides and the charge lasts a really long time.
 
Also have a 790cc-4 Braun. Started using an electric decades ago in an attempt to counter ingrown hairs and never went back. Recently, I was out of town for three weeks and somehow forgot to bring the charging cord from the base so no way to charge it. It lasted the whole time shaving every other day. You can get a good price on the cleaning cartridges at Amazon by shopping and buying in bulk. You can rinse the head and foil assembly with water on this model to clean it which worked just fine for that three weeks.
 
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Red Squirrel said:
They don't do as good of a job as manual but they are way faster and more convenient to use, so I think it's worth it. I can be shaven in less than 2 minutes vs 15+ that it normally would take me doing it manually.

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What? You know you don't need to cover your whole body right? Just the face? I shave every day with a Mach 3 and it takes MAYBE 5 minutes, probably less.

My wife bought me a Wahl micro screen some years ago. What a piece of shit. I think I used it twice and it has sat in a drawer ever since. Maybe electrics work for guys with light facial hair but I have tried a few over the years and not one of them could even match a disposable Bic for an acceptable shave.
 
Cordless Remington foil FTW. Dont like rotary heads. Also have a similar Panasonic that I like.

Used a blade and even a straight razor until I was 40 or so then switched.

Faster and cheaper with the price of blades these days. Foil and blades last me
a year or more shaving every day.
 
Atomic Playboy said:
I have a Braun 790cc. It's great, and I can't imagine shaving with anything else, but it is absolutely not worth the money. The cleaning solution is expensive, new razor heads are expensive (I don't have particularly thick facial hair, but I could imagine this breaking the bank for someone with a thick beard)... it's not "worth it." It's a luxury that I'm content to live with because I never learned how to shave with traditional disposables. For the same price, you could subscribe to the highest tier on dollar shave club for over two years.
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Yeah, pretty much this. I have the same or at least a similar razor.

I used to shave with a manual razor but it took too long and was a pain in the ass. Also razors were crazy expensive so not really sure it ended up being cheaper int he long run.

KT
 
I've tried a lot of Electric razors (Norelco's, Brawn, Panasonic... the expensive ones, too.), but none of them give as close of a shave as a Gillette Fusion razor does.
 
ultimatebob said:
I've tried a lot of Electric razors (Norelco's, Brawn, Panasonic... the expensive ones, too.), but none of them give as close of a shave as a Gillette Fusion razor does.
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Same here, tried several moderately priced once and my skin never could adjust, even with months of use I would get razor burn all the time.

For me I just shave in the shower with a mach 3, no cream needed. Never get razor burn, and have a nice close shave in a few minutes.
 
ultimatebob said:
I've tried a lot of Electric razors (Norelco's, Braun, Panasonic... the expensive ones, too.), but none of them give as close of a shave as a Gillette Fusion razor does.
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Agreed ... although expensive nothing beats the Fusion in my opinion.

Lately though I've been using these and they're damn close. Only problem is no single trimming blade on the back for tight spots so I'm not sure if I'll be re-ordering when I use all the blades. ($5 promo code makes it $10 with free shipping)

http://https://www.harrys.com/products/the-truman-set?utm_source=GoogleSEM&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_term=shaving&utm_content=50455697124&utm_campaign=Shaving_-_(B)&gclid=CJPw99Tq8sECFSEV7Aodjx0Amg
 
I use an electric beard trimmer, but always keep stubble a few 4-5 mm long.

If I were to want a REAL shave, I prefer to use my beard trimmer to cut everything down with a few passes...then I go over what's left with a safety razor. I like the mach3/mach4 whatever multiblade razors, but bought a pack of single blade bic disposables...they last me a while and do the job with little fuss after I hit it with my beard trimmer.
 
EvilYoda said:
I can barely grow facial hair so I've only used an electric razor my entire life. Well, I've had to use a cheap disposable razor twice this year due to forgetting to pack said Norelco and both times pictured my throat slashed and me fading out in a pool of blood in a hotel bathroom.
But that's just me.
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Abandon the darkside, smooth and well with your beard will use the force and well all be! Hmmmmmm.
 
If you're looking for a close and smooth shave, I don't think so. Buy a safety razor and be done with it.

If you're looking for something to keep the facial hair down and relatively close to the skin, yes well worth it.

If you're more interested in looking nice, a beard trimmer is a better purchase.
 
If youre a white boy with white boy hair electric razors work fine. Me, I am whitish but my Indonesian, Sicilian, french skin and hair laughs at electric razors.
 
Scarpozzi said:
I use an electric beard trimmer, but always keep stubble a few 4-5 mm long.

If I were to want a REAL shave, I prefer to use my beard trimmer to cut everything down with a few passes...then I go over what's left with a safety razor. I like the mach3/mach4 whatever multiblade razors, but bought a pack of single blade bic disposables...they last me a while and do the job with little fuss after I hit it with my beard trimmer.
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Yeah, really good electric shavers are very expensive indeed.

I will adopt your approach now. Use the electric beard trimmer to keep minor stubble on face because its quick and easy to do. Also, I can use electric trimmer to maintain my goatee while my mach 3 can shave other areas. I think a beard trimmer manual razor combo might be best for me.

I will purchase this one.

Philips Norelco QT4070 Lithium Ion Beard Trimmer
 
QueBert said:
If you had an actual beard you'll need to use an electric shaver even if you finish with a razor. One time I had a full beard and I needed to shave for an interview the next day. My electric wouldn't charge. It wound up taking me me about 1 1/2 hours and 4 Mach 3 blades to shave it completely off. And it left my skin irritated as shit. Clippers or electric shaver + DE razor. I keep a line & Van *** so I'll never be able to ditch my electric totally.
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I can easily take 6 months of growth off in one go with my straight. If I'm going for perfection I might have to do another quick go-over, but I'm never after perfection.
 
I've been using an electric for years. Its perfect for me. Have a top of the line Panasonic Wet/Dry and it does as good or better of a job than a blade (if I take my time with it). Dry for everyday and wet with shave cream when I want it really close.
 
Belegost said:
I have thick facial hair as well, and never really got much from the electric razors.

I bought a good electric clipper - like this one. and use that to buzz my head and neck and cheeks.

If I want smooth it then takes a couple minutes with a blade. But usually I leave the stubble for the rugged look. =)
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I do the same. Andis cordless Clippers with 00000 blade for face and neck, and then I'll use a disposable razor when I want the rest off. I tried a few different electric razors, but my hair is too thick and curly for foil shavers, and rotary shavers just seem to pull on the hair. Clippers are quick and close (with the right blade), and leave a manly stubble.
 
DaveStall said:
What? You know you don't need to cover your whole body right? Just the face? I shave every day with a Mach 3 and it takes MAYBE 5 minutes, probably less.

My wife bought me a Wahl micro screen some years ago. What a piece of shit. I think I used it twice and it has sat in a drawer ever since. Maybe electrics work for guys with light facial hair but I have tried a few over the years and not one of them could even match a disposable Bic for an acceptable shave.
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If I try going that fast I just end up cutting myself not to mention it hurts more as manual tends to pull hair more than cut it especially thick hairs. Maybe I just have more sensitive skin in the face area. Electric there's no prep and no clean up, you just go as fast as you want. I just take the foil off and rinse both the shaver and foil under the sink after and let it dry. Job done in probably 2 minutes and it's a better experience.
 
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