Once again, I am not looking for (probably sponsored) online lists. I am asking for your own personal opinions about the best and/or closest electric shavers for under $100. You can also talk about the ones to avoid at all costs if you wish to.
I’ve had good luck with the Philips Norelco 3 head shavers. They come in a few varieties but most are under $100. They hold a good charge for many days of shaving.
I believe mine are 10 and 20 years old respectively. It is amazing a 20 year old battery still charges. They can be run either on battery or plugged in for greater flexibility.
Here are two current examples:
I agree with the above. I’ve had probably five or six of them over the course of my adult life (though one replacement was required due to losing the old one when I forgot to pack my toiletries kit back into my luggage while checking out of a hotel room).
I don’t bother with the “wet or dry” versions, which are usually more expensive, as I have no reason to shave in the shower.
Another plus for the Norelcos is that the rotary heads are easily replaceable.
I did once buy a Remington foil shaver. I have kind of rough skin, especially on my neck, due to years of bad acne when I was in my teens and 20s, and the Remington nicked my skin again and again. I only owned that one for a few months, before switching back to a Norelco rotary.
What (where) are you trying to shave?
Ballsy question, but…face.
ISWYDT
Don’t believe the cleaning instructions though. They say to flood the chamber under the heads with water and not to worry about drips from where the cord plugs in. I did that for six months and it was suddenly acting very strange and refusing to turn off.
I opened it up and found that the electronics was not sealed against water as well as they claimed. I replaced that one with another but just brush out the old hair.
I’ve had good experiences with the rotary shaver from SweetLF. It’s even less expensive than Norelco. If you want a hard travel case, you have to get that separately.
Update: My Beloved saw the thread, and ordered a Philips Norelco 5400 Wet/Dry for me.
Now would be the perfect time to tell me about better razors that cost less money. ![]()
Odd. I’ve rinsed the whiskers out of mine for years with no such problem. I’d have to research just which model (and from which year) I’ve got.
Odd. I’ve rinsed the whiskers out of mine for years with no such problem.
Since it was useless, I opened mine up. The sealed unit holding the electronics has a plastic case with two pieces that snapped together. Nothing compressible to act like a gasket.
I had always found that electric shavers do a very sub-par job on my face, but I decided to give them another try. After checking out a number of, “Best Electric Shaver,” lists, I bought an Andis 17300 (lists on their site for over $100, but a number of the bigger on-line retailers have it for $99.99, so it just squeaks through OP’s requirements) and I freaking love it. I use it every day, and I get almost as close a shave as with a blade, but in less time and no fear of hacking my throat to ribbons. It holds a charge for a long time, recharges with a generic USB-C connection, can be rinsed under running water for cleaning, and you can lock the on/off switch for traveling.
Highly recommended.
I had always found that electric shavers do a very sub-par job on my face, but I decided to give them another try.
Same here. I’m curious about what motivated you to “give them another try” enough to risk a hundred bucks. Just looking at that thing makes me think “yeah, no.” But life would be slightly easier if I could dispense with the wet face razor ritual. Nicks and grabs have been a consistent deterrent every time I’ve tried an electric. But you’ve got me considering it. I really don’t need another gizmo. Dang. Can somebody push me over the edge here?
I’m curious about what motivated you to “give them another try” enough to risk a hundred bucks.
Like you, I decided life would be easier if I could dispense with the wet face razor ritual. This particular gizmo got universally high ratings, and I thought that maybe a foil shaver would do a better job than the floating-head rotary shaver I had used off-and-on for years. Turns out it does, by a mile. I have relatively sensitive skin, and I have not noticed any nicks or pulls with the Andis. Obviously, your mileage will vary.
I know I kinda sound like a shill, but this might be my best, “gizmo purchase,” in years.
Different face types and all. I found the foil shavers to be the ones that left razor burn. For me a good rotary gives a good shave.
I thought that maybe a foil shaver would do a better job than the floating-head rotary shaver I had used off-and-on for years. Turns out it does, by a mile.
I found the foil shavers to be the ones that left razor burn. For me a good rotary gives a good shave.
God damn it.
For what it is worth, I have a heavy beard that grows quick. I usually have 5 O’Clock shadow by 10:00am.
Different face types and all. I found the foil shavers to be the ones that left razor burn. For me a good rotary gives a good shave.
Exactly so. As I noted earlier, the one time I tried a foil shaver, I got a lot of cuts, due to the lingering effects of bad teenaged facial acne on my face and (particularly) neck. Rotary shavers haven’t really ever done that to me.
I don’t have a particular heavy or dark beard, for what it’s worth.
In the spirit of muddying the waters with more anecdota data, I have some residual acne damage as well, and find that the only electric razors that work well for me are the Braun foil shavers. ![]()
info: I have challenging facial hair. I’ve never had either a bladed razor or a electric razor cartridge last anything more than 50% of the advertised time. Apparently shaving me is like shaving steel wool.