Electric razors both suck and blow

[chaoticbear]

I got an electric razor, finally. I went with all the cool marketing hype and I got a Remington R950. Problem is, it sucks. 60 dollar razor, and it still misses spots and irritates my skin.

What can I do about this? Anything? Do all of you people who use an electric razor put up with this?

[FinnAgain]

I tried several electric razors, all of them sucked. They generally take easily three times as long as a normal blade, and don't shave anywhere near as close. Then I just decided to grow my beard. Problem solved.

[Hey, It's That Guy!]

I never got a good, close, comfortable shave from an electric razor. Now that I keep a short, neat beard, I use a cheap disposable razor to shave my neck and cheeks clean, and an electric beard trimmer for the beard and mustache. Those regular electric razors just don't do a very good job.

[Duke of Rat]

The best advice I can give is go slow and shave every day. Shave before you get your whiskers wet. Electric razors don't do very well on long whiskers, but can whack one day old stubble pretty good.

I have strange whiskers that grow perpendicular to the surface of my face, and a blade razor results in terrible ingrown hairs. An electric razor is the only way I can keep from getting all those ingrown whiskers for some reason. It took me years of shaving to discover this, now I'm pretty much stuck with electrics. I long for a blade.

[Duke of Rat]

And that should be "parallel to the surface of my face" I only wish they actually grew perpendicular, like a good whisker should.

[lieu]

I spent the bucks on a good electric a couple of years back anticipating that my mornings were about to become more effort free. After less than stellar results I'm now convinced that the trimmer alone is the one redeeming feature on the entire thing and it's still not to be used on sideburns but on kinda cleaning up your appearance between haircuts and for whatever sprouts from the top of your ears.

If I want my mug to be halfway approachable, I use a razor.

[Scumpup]

I use a Remington rotary shaver. It gives decent results. I've also used a straight razor, old fashioned safety razor, and a number of the modern multi-blade shavers. The bottom line is that shaving is a hassle no matter how you do it.

[SkipMagic]

I've used nothing but an electric razor over the years, and I've generally been pretty happy. Last year sometime, based on a thread here at the SDMB, I picked up a Braun Syncro System.

I couldn't care less about the self-cleaning aspect of it (although it's handy, I suppose), but the shaver does give me a fairly nice shave. I suspect that a razor and lather shave would give me a smoother shave, but I don't think all that extra trouble is worth losing a few more hairs. Plus, quite honestly, I hate the smell of the gels and creams that go along with most razor shaving.

Also, C K Dexter Haven wrote a nifty article about shaving.

[ftg]

Electrics work for some and not for others. I have a very light, slow growing beard. Electric is the way to go.

As to parallel hairs, my experience is that rotaries miss them while other types (including blades) don't.

[seosamh]

My mother bought me my first electric razor for my 13th birthday (I was a hairy little git) and I have dabbled with them on and off in the intervening 32 years.

I quite like them, but they tend to heat up my skin and leave me (more) red-faced.

The trouble is, I have not yet got the hang of shaving in general, whether electrically or manually. The usual advice (go with the grain, pull the skin tight etc etc) does NOT work with my particular whiskers. There is a patch under my chin which I have never, ever managed to shave properly. I must visit a swanky barber's one of these days and get a professional shave - hot towels, cut-throat, unguents - and see whether it actually achieves a better than I can on my own.

[fishbicycle]

I've been using a Phillips three-head rotary shaver for at least 20 years (not the same one!). For me, they work better than the non-rotary kind. But there are hairs on my neck that they will just not pick up. For those, I have to use a razor, and still the areas left and right of my adam's apple feel unshaven. Otherwise, the rotary is fine. I can't grow a full beard, so there isn't that much work for it to do. The trick is to shave with a dry face.

[Trunk]

I shave in the shower. There's no comparison.

I also have slow growing stupid whiskers. I'd be a perfect candidate for an electric except I hate grooming and can only bring myself to take the time to do it twice a week. Once more if I'm meeting with clients.

[Theologue]

Ditto on the Phillips. Very good.

The trick is to shave dry BUT I've found it's better if I first (1) wash then (2) let the face dry off completely then (3) shave. The whiskers stand up better, and the result is as almost as good as with a blade, except for the pesky neck hairs.

[Askance]

Originally Posted by seosamh

The trouble is, I have not yet got the hang of shaving in general, whether electrically or manually. The usual advice (go with the grain, pull the skin tight etc etc) does NOT work with my particular whiskers. There is a patch under my chin which I have never, ever managed to shave properly. I must visit a swanky barber's one of these days and get a professional shave - hot towels, cut-throat, unguents - and see whether it actually achieves a better than I can on my own.

Or first try following CKDH's excellent advice, which other Dopers have found actually works.

[seosamh]

Originally Posted by Askance

Or first try following CKDH's excellent advice, which other Dopers have found actually works.

I am afraid I already have (and several other people's shaving guides, too).

Excellent though the advice may be in itself, it just doesn't work with my particular brand of whiskers. Shaving exclusively with the grain certainly cuts down on the number of small cuts but it just doesn't leave the skin whisker-free; I am still left with substantial stubble. So I resort to shaving against the grain, which doesn't lead to any of the putative problems but it does get rather uncomfortable.

Of course, I could always simply stop shaving altogether and grow. And I have had 2 three-week beards in my time. But (a) I look like an absolute pillock (OK, more of an absolute pillock) and (b) it is tremendously irritating.

[Askance]

Originally Posted by seosamh

I am afraid I already have (and several other people's shaving guides, too).

Excellent though the advice may be in itself, it just doesn't work with my particular brand of whiskers. Shaving exclusively with the grain certainly cuts down on the number of small cuts but it just doesn't leave the skin whisker-free; I am still left with substantial stubble. So I resort to shaving against the grain, which doesn't lead to any of the putative problems but it does get rather uncomfortable.

But doesn't CKDH's advice include shaving with the grain then across it? That should do it for you. Also make sure you use the aforementioned Wilkinsons.

Of course, I could always simply stop shaving altogether and grow. And I have had 2 three-week beards in my time. But (a) I look like an absolute pillock (OK, more of an absolute pillock) and (b) it is tremendously irritating.

Apart from my neck I don't shave at all, but I trim my beard weekly to as short as my trimmer will allow. Best of both worlds.