# Linear or Rotary electric shaver? (For men) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053 "2010-04-05T18:10:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/1 "2010-04-05T18:10:25Z")
My last shaver, a linear shaver from Braun, has given up the ghost. It gave me good service for several years and overall I was pleased with it. However, since I am in the market for a new shaver I was eyeballing the rotary shavers as a possible alternative. So, asking for opinions. While this is for daily shaving of a male face if women have something to add feel free (e.g. your husband/boyfriend/dad really likes his “X” razor…not sure how they work on shaving legs is relevant for me ;-)). ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/2 "2010-04-05T20:07:22Z")
I had a Braun for some years; worked great until the battery died. Hoping that the battery might be less of an issue, I made my next razor a Norelco. My assessment: rotary shavers suck. They require that you pass the shaver over your face in a circular pattern in order to cut all the hairs that grow in different directions, and this is difficult to do on a face with angles and prominences. My Braun was a lot more efficient, and the replacement blades are cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/3 "2010-04-06T10:47:34Z")
I have never used a linear shaver so I can’t say which kind is better. However, I have read somewhere that if you started with a linear shaver, stick to that kind and the same for rotary shavers. Don’t ask me why it would be so, but I assume it has something to do with what your skin is accustomed to. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/4 "2010-04-06T11:13:07Z")
I started off with rotary shavers and it would wreak havoc on my skin, to the point where I made the decision to switch over to wet shaving…a few years later for whatever reason I bought a Braun and I love it…much smoother shave then the rotary shaver could get and my skin no longer looked as if I raked it (slight exaggeration) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/5 "2010-04-06T11:43:35Z")
I hate rotary shavers. They kill my face. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/6 "2010-04-06T12:37:39Z")
I have both a rotary and a foil shaver, and I much prefer the foil. I had a Braun Synchro for a number of years, till the battery finally stopped holding a charge. A few months ago, I got a new Braun Series 7, and love it. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/7 "2010-04-06T12:49:26Z")
I have used a Braun linear/foil shaver for years. When my first one died- I’d say after 10 years or so- I bought a 2nd one, I don’t know which model, and it’s still going strong. I only use it every other day though, as I alternate with a disposable razor in the shower. Disposable gives a closer shave but I can’t use it every day b/c my face gets too irritated. I’ve replaced the cutting head & foil a couple times. Pretty happy with it. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/8 "2010-04-06T16:35:20Z")
Yeah, ages ago I used a rotary shaver and vaguely recall I did not like it. Still, times change and technology marches on so I figured it was worth asking for opinions. Thanks for the tips. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/9 "2010-04-06T16:58:46Z")
Use a blade. Electric shavers suck. You cannot get a close shave with an electric razor. ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/10 "2010-04-06T22:25:43Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Use a blade. Electric shavers suck. You cannot get a close shave with an electric razor. That’s probably true if your face can tolerate it, but I used electrics in my teen years and then tried going to a blade in my early '20s – I looked like a burn victim. I suppose I could have kept at it to hone my technique and toughen my skin, but I didn’t feel I needed the aggravation (much less having to perform such a sensitive exercise in the hour every morning between when I got out of bed and when I actually woke up). I tried both linears and rotaries early on, and agree with the apparent majority above that rotaries are inferior – whiskers seem to hide out more readily against rotaries in contours of the face. I used Remingtons and other less expensive linear models for some years, before deciding that the few extra bucks for a Braun was worth it for closeness, and it lasted much longer too. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/11 "2010-04-06T22:48:16Z")
I’ve only used a rotary shaver so I can’t pass judgment on the straight type but I didn’t like the rotary. My preference is the powered Gillette M3. Haven’t seen a need to upgrade it to the fancier version. ---
**Author:** ![Bartman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bartman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bartman)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/12 "2010-04-07T01:41:39Z")
I have used both and much prefer the Rotaries I’ve had. However after reading this poll, I’m beginning to wonder if I shouldn’t try a high end Linear. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/13 "2010-04-07T12:17:12Z")
> [@Bartman](#): > > I have used both and much prefer the Rotaries I’ve had. However after reading this poll, I’m beginning to wonder if I shouldn’t try a high end Linear. I think part of the problem with the Rotaries is that no matter how well the heads float, they do a poor job of tracking the contours of one’s face, and require a great deal more work then a good foil shaver. I find that the Braun I have gives me almost the same quality of a shave as I can get with a razor and soap. I do still use a razor and soap, but only if I really need a good shave. Other then that, a couple minutes in the morning with the foil does the job fine. I will admit, that the self-cleaning electrics are much much better then the manual clean ones, even if you don’t run them through the cycle daily (I generally go 3 to 5 days between cleaning cycles). For any electric, keeping the head/cutter area clean and lightly lubricated makes a tremendous difference in the quality of the shave. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/14 "2010-04-07T12:32:33Z")
The first electric shaver I had was a Norelco rotary shaver, and I didn’t know any better so I used it until it died. Then I got a Braun and the difference was night and day. The Braun was faster, closer, easier to clean, better in every possible way. Then that died suddenly one morning and I had to run to CVS for some disposable razors and realized how much better I liked doing it the old-fashioned way. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/15 "2010-04-07T14:11:34Z")
I have a Norelco rotary shaver. It’s awful. However, it was a Christmas gift from my mother and she spent a ton on it ($200+) so I felt like I have to keep using it. I’m going to use one of our wedding-gift Bed Bath and Beyond gift cards to get a nice Braun self-cleaning linear one, though. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/16 "2010-05-07T09:28:34Z")
I have little facial hair, but can’t get even that off with an electric shaver, no matter how many passes from various directions I make. So I only use a razor, which kinda sucks. Never tried the really high-end shavers, though; don’t want to shell that kind of cash for nothing, WCS. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/17 "2010-05-07T15:14:19Z")
Does frequency matter? I generally shave every two to three weeks or so. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linear-or-rotary-electric-shaver-for-men/535053/18 "2010-05-07T17:49:54Z")
I’ve yet to find a suitable means of shaving. Regular razors invariably wreak havoc on my skin and lead to ingrown hairs, so I use a small set of electric clippers to shave. A foil electric gets most of what’s left, but I still have perpetual stubble.