Most men that I know still shave with razors. While manual razors allow for a fast and close shave, I do think that more people will start switching to electric shavers within the next few years.

First Experience

My first electric shaver was a Braun series 7 that I bought in 2015. It was a popular model that is still available in stores today. At about 300 Euros, it was an expensive device that was bundled with a cleaning station. My expectation was that this shaver would cause less irritation to my skin and would help me shave more quickly. The Braun 7 was indeed very gentle on the skin, but unfortunately, shaving time was around five minutes which was almost two minutes slower than a traditional razor. Another drawback of the Series 7 is that the shave was not as close.

Second Chance

In early June 2020, I stumbled on the new version of Braun shaver, the Series 9, at an electronics shop and decided to buy it. I was curious to see how this shaver had improved in five years’ time. After a few months of usage, I could feel a noticeable improvement over its older brother. It clearly allows for the closer shave that matches the level of premium manual razors. The new version is also decently faster than the old one, with shaving time reduced from about five minutes to around three and a half minutes. I should highlight that most of the shaving time (about two and a half minutes) is spent polishing the neck area which requires many strokes to become smooth. Nonetheless, the Braun 9 is a great shaver that extremely cautious on the skin and with an acceptable shaving time.

Checking the Competition

Two months ago, I decided to buy the extremely well-rated Panasonic Acr5 which was on discount on Amazon. After testing it for a few weeks, I can understand why it got so many happy reviewers. This razor handles the neck area much better allowing for a smooth shave in around three minutes. It is also easy to clean using liquid soap and tap water. One weakness of the Panasonic is that it is less gentle on the skin, and I felt a tiny bite twice while shaving but that is nothing compared to the aggressiveness of a manual razor.

Conclusion

Electric shavers have become extremely performant. They allow for a smooth shave without causing irritation or wounds to the skin. While they are still slightly expensive and slow, they make a great choice for anyone who is seeking a shaver that respects the skin. I expect further improvements to be added in the coming years as these devices become the standard equipment for shaving.

A Small Sidenote

All the devices mentioned above can be cleaned well and quickly using tap water and liquid soap. There is no need to buy bulky and expensive cleaning stations. One appreciated improvement that will logically be available next is the ability to charge these shavers using universal chargers (USB-C or maybe even wireless charging). There is no doubt that the reign of the razors is about to end.

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