# Electric Shavers? Mine just not cuttin' it! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216 "2003-12-27T03:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mott\_the\_Hoople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Mott\_the\_Hoople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mott_the_Hoople)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/1 "2003-12-27T03:13:14Z")
Used Braunn and Remmington… Both seem dissapointingly Mediocre…Gotta move on. Light Beard, shouldn’t be much of a challenge. Any Recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/2 "2003-12-27T03:53:56Z")
You say those shavers “weren’t cutting it.” Compared to what? A blade? If so, I’ve got bad news for you: No matter what the ads say, _no_ electric shaver can shave as close as a blade. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/3 "2003-12-27T05:27:37Z")
If you give it a while - a few weeks - the shave’ll get better. You’ll never, ever, ever get as close a shave as with a razor, but it may be worth it. If I don’t want to bleed to death after every shave, I have two choices: 1. Wait until I have several day’s growth of beard, and shave with a disposable razor in the shower. 2. Shave every day with a decent electric razor. I’ve had pretty good results with this: [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009RB15/qid=1072502915//ref=sr\_8\_xs\_ap\_i5\_xgl60/103-1977069-0135017?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009RB15/qid=1072502915//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i5_xgl60/103-1977069-0135017?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846) ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/4 "2003-12-27T12:14:23Z")
Unfortunately you can’t go past badger hair and cold steel. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/5 "2003-12-27T14:54:07Z")
I have a thick beard, and must shave twice a day if I don’t wanna have a more or less continuous three day growth. I finally got sick of electric razors, because the replacement blades for the thing are nearly as expensive as a new razor… and you’ll need replacement blades eventually. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/6 "2003-12-27T15:21:38Z")
Once/If you decide to deep six the electric shaver, you might want to go to Costco and grab a big box of disposable bladed - maybe 50 for about $15. Shave once - nice and close - then throw it away. I like the disposables. Hate electrics. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/7 "2003-12-27T15:32:05Z")
Blades are a waste of time, effort, and precious bodily fluids. Who the hell cares if you get it shaved so close that you slice off the top layer of skin? I’d rather keep my face intact and put up with the extra half a milimeter of hair. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/8 "2003-12-27T16:10:28Z")
From my own and my friend’s and family’s experience, it seems that electrics actually have a harder time cutting the fine/soft beards that the thick/coarse beards. I switched back to single blade disposables. Can’t stand the multi blades. Not only do they gross me out, but they don’t do me any better than a single. I also use a shaving brush and Clinique™ soap to lather up. No aeresol is going to touch MY face! ---
**Author:** ![Mott\_the\_Hoople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Mott\_the\_Hoople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mott_the_Hoople)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/9 "2003-12-27T17:39:34Z")
Not a Blade Man… never tried the Electric w/the 3 little circular blades… anybody tried those? Why do I have to run over the same whisker 5 times? ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/10 "2004-01-01T16:41:32Z")
I also find that shaving slower and more ‘deliberately’ with a little pressure works better on reciprocating razors than those effortless swoops you see in the ads. (I don’t care what the manual says) but this doesn’t help rotaries. Nothing helps rotaries, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/11 "2004-01-01T20:31:33Z")
I’ve been very happy with my Norelco…it’s one that has those “3 little circular blades”. Each “circle”, though, has about 20 blades. ---
**Author:** ![PoignantSod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@PoignantSod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoignantSod)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/12 "2004-01-02T03:07:31Z")
I just recieved the Braun Syncro System for Christmas, and it was infinitely better than my old Remington Microscreen 1. Having never used a blade, I can’t compare to an electric, but the new Braun Syncro is quick and really close. Depending on how hard you push, I can usually change how close it shaves. It, however, isn’t cheap - but if I’m going to use something everyday, I like it to be really good. For user reviews of shavers, check [Epinions](http://www.epinions.com/well-Personal-Electric_Razors-All). Also, [Tell Mr. Steel Beard](http://iavbbs.com/gflinn/tell.htm) is a good resource - sort of a write-in online shaving column. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/13 "2004-01-02T06:00:24Z")
I’m also getting fed up with razors. I use a Mach 3 and am tired of my neck looking like I shaved with a meat tenderizer. I hate stubble so I shave as close as I can (blame the Army for that). I’ve been eyeballing those new Norelco electrics for a while but don’t want to blow $100 for something that doesn’t cut it for me. Is there any way to test drive one? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/14 "2004-01-02T06:07:25Z")
Blame the Army? ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/15 "2004-01-02T07:15:38Z")
I have a Braun Syncro, and I love it. I can’t shave with blades because my facial hair all grows at weird angles, and doing so makes me break out. So I use electrics. In the hunt for a decent shave, I have tried both rotary and reciprorcating blades, and I have tried various models from Norelco, Remington, Braun, and Panasonic. Braun, by far, offers the best shave. I used to have a Flex Intregal Ultraspeed that I loved until it inexplicably died. The next day, I went out and bought a Syncro with no thought at all. I have _that_ much faith in Braun’s products. I bought the least expensive model without the LCD screen or cleaning base. I always got a good shave from it, but then I ordered the cleaning base from Braun’s parts replacement shop. It may be purely psychological, but I swear the thing shaves better after being put through a cleaning cycle. By the way, I ended up saving around $40 by buying the cleaning base seperately, but this was back when the Syncro first came out and the self-cleaning model retailed for $150+. I tried both a rotary and a reciprocating shaver from Norelco. I forget their model names, though. The rotary razor tore my face to shreds right out of the box. It was actually painful to shave; even after giving it a couple of weeks. The reciprocating model didn’t seem to have enough juice to shave close to the skin. Put a little pressure on it and you could hear the motor straining. I never could get a smooth shave with it. Both were returned. Sometimes I love Wally-World. The only Remmington I tried was a rotary, and as before, it tore my face apart. I returned this one to the store immediately and picked up one of the afforementioned Norelco models. The Panasonic model I tried was great; it was even a wet-dry model. I borrowed it from a buddy when I forgot mine on a road trip. After several days of use, I really came to enjoy shaving in the shower. If I hadn’t already bought my Braun Flex Intregal, I would have considered the Panasonic. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/16 "2004-01-02T07:17:20Z")
Oh, by the way, the Braun Flex Intregal survied years of daily use before it “inexplicably died.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/17 "2004-01-02T12:54:44Z")
How old is your electric razor? If it’s a few years old, you may need to replace the blades. New e-razor blades are pricey, but cheaper than a new e-razor. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-shavers-mine-just-not-cuttin-it/221216/18 "2004-01-02T13:51:02Z")
I’ve always had very good performance from Norelco shavers; using the 5801XL model right now.