It isn’t hard to understand why guys in search of a close shave would want to find the best foil shaver on the market.
A good electric foil shaver can provide a smoother, more comfortable and (much) closer shave than you’d get from a beard trimmer, which is really designed for longer hairs.
(And while some guys swear by the circular blades of rotary shavers, I’ve always found that a foil razor actually provides the closest shave.)
Plus, investing in the best electric shavers makes a lot more financial sense than using a traditional razor.
Nowadays most traditional blade razors require you to constantly restock on replaceable blade heads, which cost a fortune.
By contrast, the best electric razors require a higher upfront investment, but prove to be much more cost effective in the long run because they spare you from having to constantly shell out for ever more cartridges.
To help you get both a great shave and a great deal, in this post we’ve rounded up the best foil shavers on the market.
The (Absolute) Best Foil Shavers
Breaking Down the Best Foil Razors for a Clean, Comfortable Shave
Best Value Foil Shaver ↓
Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV97-K
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 3,920 Reviews
Advantages:
Easily one of the best electric shavers on the market today, the Panasonic Arc5 is our top pick for guys who want the best possible value for their hard-earned bucks.
Designed to work just as well for dry shaving as it does for a wet shave with shaving cream, the Arc 5 boasts a five-blade shaving head that mows through facial hair quickly and safely, providing up to 70,000 cross cuts per minute.
In addition to sharp blades, it’s got a flexible head that makes it easy to move in different directions while still tightly conforming to the natural contours of your face.
Its rechargeable battery only takes an hour to get a full charge, but even a three-minute quick charge will be enough for a full shave.
Plus, it comes with two buying options, so you can pick the one that’s right for your budget:
You can buy the shaver on its own, or get it with the automatic cleaning station, which costs a bit more but makes it almost insanely easy to maintain.
Promising Review:
This razor is out of this world. I spend a lot of time researching electric shavers, and I found myself circling back to this particular shaver…
It’s the best shaver I’ve ever owned in my life, and the shave itself is so close it’s hard to believe it’s an electric shaver.
Highest Quality & Overall Best Foil Shaver ↓
Panasonic Arc 6 ES-LS9A-K
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 17 Reviews
Advantages:
While the Arc 5 might be the best value shaver on the market, the Arc 6 is the absolute best, full stop.
Whereas older models topped out at five foil heads, the Arc 6 boasts six Japanese-crafted stainless steel blades capable of cutting through short hair, long hair and, well, basically body hair of any conceivable length.
But what’s particularly impressive about the Arc 6 is the way it blends high speed power with high-sensitivity precision:
Magnetic technology delivers a whopping 84,000 cross-cutting actions per minute – significantly more than most regular razors – meaning you need fewer passes to mow through coarse hair.
But it also has a responsive beard sensor that boosts and reduces power automatically according to your beard length, providing a gentle shave that helps you avoid nicks, razor bumps and other forms of skin irritation.
Both the Arc 5 and the Arc 6 are high-end models, but if the 5 is a BMW, this bad boy is a Rolls Royce.
Which one you choose will depend on your personal preference and budget, but either one will help you elevate your shaving and grooming routine for many years to come.
Promising Review:
It’s expensive, but it’s the best foil shaver you can buy.
The Panasonic ARC6 is a fantastic shaver. It’s clearly better than either the previous generation ARC5 or the Braun Series 7 (itself similar to the Braun Series 9).
…It requires less work to fully clear the hair down to the skin line, it is more comfortable on longer hairs, and it does a better job on the Adam’s Apple region of my face than either.
Best Foil Shaver for Sensitive Skin ↓
Braun Series 9 9390cc
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 2,937 Reviews
Advantages:
After Panasonic, Brauns’ series of foil shavers are the other big contenders worth considering, of which the Series 9 is easily the best option.
It uses sonic technology to provide 10,000 vibrations per minute, and has a protective skin guard that helps ensure a comfortable, smooth shave.
That makes it great both for guys who shave on a daily basis, or want a unit they can use on, ahem, more sensitive areas.
(Although we highly recommend using a different trimmer for your balls than you use on your face.)
It has a lithium-ion battery that provides 60 minutes of use on a single charge and has a few nice additional features, including a pop-up detail trimmer you can use for mustache or sideburn trimming.
While the two Panasonics listed above provide better results overall, this is still one of the best razors on the market, and a great option for guy who want a close, clean shave.
Promising Review:
This electric razor is awesome!! I have ultra sensitive skin. I have tried everything that would help with that. I finally got tired enough of ingrown hairs and razor burn to buy this awesome machine.
Normally, with a standard razor I can feel the razor burn immediately. With the Braun series 9, nothing! This will save me a ton of time… I will never buy a standard razor again!
Remington F5-5800
Rating:
- 4.1 Stars
- 83 Reviews
Advantages:
This model from Remington doesn’t quite compare to the powerhouse Panasonic and Braun shavers on this list.
But it’s arguably the best way to get a good, dependable foil shaver in a more affordable price range.
Two-foil dry shavers don’t give you the super-close shave you’d expect from wet shaving with a straight razor, but the Remington packs a pretty good punch for a shaver this size.
Its blades are made from surgical-grade stainless steel, and the pivoting neck on the shaver head helps you maintain close contact with your skin at all times.
If you shave regularly, it’s definitely a good idea to spend a bit more upfront and get a higher-end model from Panasonic, Philips Norelco or Braun’s series.
But if you don’t necessarily need the best results every time and just want something that will work well for the occasional shave, the Remington is a good choice.
Promising Review:
Great razor! Bought it after reading reviews. I was also a triple round head electric shave guy for over 40 years. Glad I switched.
Very close, comfortable and QUICK shave. Powerful motor and battery lasts for multiple days.
– Dr Ray
Braun Series 7 790cc
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 14,898 Reviews
Advantages:
For budget conscious guys who don’t want something as cheap as the Remington, but can’t quite afford to shell out for the latest and greatest in the Panasonic or Philips series, there’s a good in-between option:
Instead of getting the newest versions of the top-of-the-line shavers, you can pick up previous models that are now priced lower because they don’t quite have all the bells and whistles of the newest iterations.
This Braun model (and the two below it) all fall into that category.
The biggest thing separating the 7 and the Series 9 listed above is the cross-cutting efficiency:
While the most efficient shavers offer 40,000 cross-cutting actions per minute, the Series 7 provides a (still quite respectable) 30,000.
In addition, the contour flex head on the Series 7 only moves in eight directions, while the Series 9 can move in 10.
Otherwise, the Series 7 contains a lot of the same features, including the sonic technology that allows you to capture plenty of hair with each stroke, without applying too much pressure.
Promising Review:
Best shaver I have ever used! I bought this product from Braun in 2013 and it still works today.
I’ve used at least half a dozen different brands and types and none of them compare to the series 7.
– Josh
Braun Series 7 7865cc
Rating:
- 4.6 Stars
- 3,867 Reviews
Advantages:
Following the logic mentioned above, the Series 7 7865cc is a slightly different version of the Series 7.
Both are the same base model and have most of the same features, but some guys find that the 7865cc is better for wet shaving than the 790cc.
Promising Review:
I absolutely love this shaver. It is the best I have ever used and I have been using electric razors since 1991.
Been using Norelco all that time, but when I tried this razor, it gave me the closest smoothest shave I have experienced ever. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
– EddieG8R
Braun 3 Series
Rating:
- 4.4 Stars
- 14,469 Reviews
Advantages:
Going back in time even further, the Braun 3 series has since been supplanted by the 5, 7 and 9.
But we’re ranking this 3 series model ahead of the 5 because it packs a lot of great features into a relatively small size:
It can be used wet or dry, uses pressure-sensitive blades that automatically retract to protect your skin, has an extra-large precision trimmer and is 100% waterproof, so it can be used in the shower and easily cleaned under the faucet.
Promising Review:
One of the best shavers I have purchased ever! Great quality and shave is so smooth. Love that i can use it wet or dry.
Best Foil Shaver for Bald Head ↓
Panasonic Arc 4 ES-LA63AA
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 853 Reviews
Advantages:
Another slightly older model, the Arc 4 boasts just four foil blades, compared to the five and six foils on the two Panasonic options at the top of our list.
It also lacks the shave sensor that automatically adjusts the pressure of the blades, which is a nice innovation that Panasonic has introduced in the past few years.
But other than those two (rather large) caveats, it still offers a lot of the same great performance as Panasonic’s newer models, so it’s a great way to score a deal on a very solid shaver.
Promising Review:
Having used various electric shavers for over 45 years I can categorically recommend that this razor is one of the best on the market.
Closeness of shave without facial irritability, lack of pulling even with long beard , ease of cleaning without needing a cleaning accessory and very good battery life between shaves are its major attributes.
Best of the Rest
While the models above represent our picks for the best foil shavers on the market right now, they’re far from the only options.
Each of the models below offers a range of features – and price points – that could work just as well for your specific taste, budget and needs.
Braun Series 5 5140s
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 346 Reviews
Promising Review:
I’ve had this razor for almost four months, and been using it on average 3 times a week. To my amazement, it is still running on the original charge I gave it when it arrived…
I would say that is definitely the best electric razor I have had, period.
– Coop
Remington HF9000
Rating:
- 4.2 Stars
- 1,097 Reviews
Promising Review:
This is a beautiful electric razor, at once, solid, heavy and elegant. I really like its retro look, especially the old school “on/off” toggle switch. I smiled when I saw that charming little feature.
…compared to other electric razors I have tried (about 5), this is the best.
Panasonic Arc 3 ES8103S
Rating:
- 4.5 Stars
- 7,928 Reviews
Promising Review:
Best Electric Shaver I have ever owned! Forget those floating head shavers forever! Charges Fast!
This shaves the closest of any electric shaver I have ever owned, I bought an expensive Norelco floating head one and it pinched my face and I hated going around in circles over and over again.
Braun Series 3 ProSkin 3040s
Rating:
- 4.4 Stars
- 391 Reviews
Promising Review:
This is the best BRAUN Shaver I ever owned. Shaves very well (I use dry shave) and shaves closer than ever expected. Had a Series1 for along time, a good performer.
But nothing like this one (single foil vs. dual foil head). Very pleased and recommend to anyone looking for a good dual foil shaver.
– Tom
Best Foil Shaver for Barbers ↓
Andis Profoil
Rating:
- 4.3 Stars
- 32,421 Reviews
Promising Review:
Just perfect. Really happy with this item. It provides the cleanest shave and all my clients love it.
It’s a must have, especially if you’re into barbering.
Best Cheap Foil Shaver ↓
Braun M90 Mobile Shaver
Rating:
- 4.2 Stars
- 5,615 Reviews
Promising Review:
At 71 years of age, I have been shaving for a long time. This is simply the best electric razor I have ever owned.
It is light and comfortable. Its simple shape reaches all the nooks, crannies, wrinkles and sags. Its simple design is easy to maintain.
Braun Series 5 5190cc
Rating:
- 4.4 Stars
- 21 Reviews
Promising Review:
Best razor I’ve owned!! Love it
More Resources ↓
More Men’s Style Advice & Grooming Tips From Irreverent Gent:
- Foil vs Rotary Shavers – All the Key Differences, Explained
- The (Absolute) Best Electric Shavers & Razors for Sensitive Skin
- The 13 Best Hair Removal Creams for Your Private Parts
- The 11 Best Pairs of Pouch Underwear
- The Definitive Guide to Growing a Beard Faster
- Taper vs Fade vs Taper Fade – The Ultimate Guide
- In-Depth Lumin Skincare Review
- The Best Face Wash for Men
- The Best Shaving Soaps for Men
- How to Shave Your Back by Yourself (Safely & Smoothly)
- The Absolute Best Men’s Deodorants & Antiperspirants
- The 13 Best Back Shavers for Men
- In-Depth Dr. Squatch Review
- Can you use Nair on your balls?
- The Best Beard Oil for Healthy, Handsome (& Kissable) Beards
- The 32 Most Handsome Men’s Haircuts & Hairstyles
- The 17 Best Beard Straightening Brushes
- The 13 Best Stubble Trimmers for Ruggedly Refined Facial Hair
- The 15 Best Pairs of Men’s Bamboo Underwear
- The 17 Best Beard Trimmers for Long Beards
- The 15 Best Trimmers for Shaving Your Balls
- The 13 Best Razors for Shaving Your Head
- The 19 Best Hair Clippers for Black Men
- What’s the best rotary shaver on the market? It’s…
The Recap ↓
Summary
Easily one of the best electric shavers on the market today, the Panasonic Arc5 is our top pick for guys who want the best possible value for their hard-earned bucks.
Geoff Hayes
Resident Irreverent Gent grooming expert Geoff Hayes is a Toronto-based writer, baseball fan and craft beer aficionado (though not always in that order).
📷
Banner image: Panasonic; Illustration by Irreverent Gent