It’s a very difficult journey of figuring out which device is the best close shave electric razor that lives up to the description written on the website.
I’ve bought, used and been disappointed on so many occasions that I almost thought that the perfect device doesn’t exist and it’s all a myth.
But after certain research, review analyses and taking feedback from my customers, I was able to jot down a list of electric shavers that actually cut at the closest length.
These shavers highlight some of the furnished brands in the grooming market, and getting acquainted with them has been a pleasant experience, both for me and my clients.
So let me introduce you to the results of my hard work, so that you don’t have to suffer like I did and be equipped with sufficient knowledge to identify your best close shave electric razor this year.
Table of Contents
- Top 7 Close Shave Electric Shaver Comparison Chart
- What Are The Benefits Of The Best Close Shave Electric Razor?
- Best Electric Shavers For Close Shave
- Braun Electric Razor for Men, Series 9, 9370cc
- BaBylissPRO Barberology FX3 High Torque Shaver
- Panasonic Electric Razor for Men, ARC6, ES-LS9A-K
- Andis 17300 reSURGE Lithium Titanium Foil Wet/Dry Shaver
- Braun Electric Razor for Men, Series 8, 8457cc
- Panasonic ARC5 Electric Razor for Men, ES-LV67-K
- Philips Norelco 9800 Electric Shaver, S9987/85
- Important Features For Close Shave Electric Razors
- Verdict
Top 7 Close Shave Electric Shaver Comparison Chart
| Name & Brand | Run Time | Notable Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braun series 9 | 50 Minutes | Sonic and AutoSense Technology | Check Price |
| BaBylissPRO FX3 | 3 Hour | Auto Shutoff Cover | Check Price |
| Panasonic ES-LS9A | 50 Minutes | Pop-up Detail Trimmer | Check Price |
| Andis 17300 reSURGE | 60 Minutes | USB-C charging port | Check Price |
| Braun Series 8 8457cc | 60 Minutes | 40° Swiveling Head | Check Price |
| Panasonic ARC5 ES-LV67-K | 45 Minutes | LED display | Check Price |
| Philips Norelco 9800 | 60 Minutes | Protective SkinGlide | Check Price |
What Are The Benefits Of The Best Close Shave Electric Razor?
Manual razors are often deemed as the superior among the close shave contest. But there are certain facilities with close shave electric razors that’ll outrank any manual razor’s performance.
Scrap The Manual Razor
Once you get yourself a good close shave razor, you can throw away your manual razor. I won’t say your electric razor will give you as clean of a result as a manual one, but it does reduce a lot of your troubles while providing almost identical outcomes!
Cuts Down Your Shaving Time
Just think about it – exfoliating for a long time, applying antiseptic, shaving foam and whatnot – afterwards scrubbing your manual razor on your face. An electric razor in such a case can do without wet shaving and provide you with a close shave in almost one-third of the time.
Cut-Free Shave
One of the finest aspects about close shave electric razors is that you can get as close to the skin as possible without cutting open your skin. The good razors don’t even tug or pull and prevent from causing any sort of discomfort to your skin.
Best Electric Shavers For Close Shave
In this section, I’ve sorted out 7 of my prime picks of the closest shave razors in 2023. Each of these are unique in nature and guaranteed to give you a very close shave with utmost efficiency.
Braun Electric Razor for Men, Series 9, 9370cc
If you’re tired of getting razor burns using the entry level electric razors, Braun Series 9 is going to turn your world upside down in every aspect. Be that the shaving closeness or the comfort it leaves behind, you’ll be just as mesmerized as I was after having it remove stubble from your skin. Endowed with all the latest features, this is one of the best close shave electric razor units I’ve ever put my hands on!
Adapts To Contour & Grabs Hair From Every Fold
One of the major challenges of close shave for me is to grab hair from all the difficult positions of the face. Some skip over beard patches which need me to add a few more passes to clean up neatly. This Series 9 shaver has spared me this pain and I can get my work done in fewer passes! If I add some preparation steps for the shave, it gives me the finest and smoothest outcome any time of the day!
Can Shave In Wets For Added Clean Shave
Some electric shavers are limited in terms of functionality because not all of them can shave in the wets. But Braun’s technology has transcended beyond such confinements and gives us the taste of shaving with or without foam. In my opinion, a wet shave proves to be more effective in terms of close shaves, but a dry shave cuts down the duration – so it’s a matter of choice in the end.
5 Shaving Elements & 2 Specialized Trimmers Get As Close As Possible
In case you’re wondering if this shaver is comfortable or not, me along with my numerous customers will reassure you that it’s very gentle to the skin. The 5 shaving elements feed the 2 specialized trimmers with hair while deducting skin to blade contact. It also allows the shaver to chop the hair from the root so that the outcome remains the closest with an electric razor, even for sensitive skins.
What Could Be Improved?
A couple of things I’d like to address in terms of this device’s limitations. One is, it’s priced over $200, so not everyone will be pleased to see the tag. But considering the LED display, cleaning station and shaving outcome, the money is actually well-spent if you think about it. Another is, the head of the shaver is quite bulky, so you’ll need to be delicate while shaving over your lips.
Overall Assessment
This electric shaver in general is claimed as the closest electric shaver by professional groomers worldwide. It’s more of a barber’s shaver than a consumer’s, but you are encouraged to give it a try as it holds juice for an hour straight with durability of at least 5 years (as it has been the case for my Braun devices). It’s a hefty investment, but it pays you back in the long run.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Almost as good as a manual razor | 1. Bulky head makes mustache-shaving tricky |
| 2. 5 cutting elements feed 2 trimmers for closest shave | |
| 3. Follows contour for lesser passes |
BaBylissPRO Barberology FX3 High Torque Shaver
I’ll call this BaByliss PRO FX3 foil shaver the most unique item in my list. I’ve included this only because of the effortless closeness I was able to get out of this razor. This isn’t featured like the bulky, professional grade devices, but it does manage to wipe out those stubble beards from the very root to be classified as one of the closest electric shavers at an alluring price point!
Hypoallergenic Gold-Color Titanium Foils Make For A Close Shave
One of the concerning things I’ve always felt about compact foil shavers is the quality of foils that used to tug or pull me in other devices. But for the FX3 variant, these foils are very comfortable even when I press the razor against my facial skin to get the beards from the root. I even lended it to my cousin who has very sensitive skin, and he too got a fine, tug-free shave in a very short amount of time!
Compact Housing Is Best For Carrying Around
Suppose you are going on a business trip and being neatly shaved is a part of your daily maintenance there. Instead of burdening your luggage with hefty razors and chargers, simply carry this FX3 device inside your pocket like a mobile phone – it’s that small! Also, the 3 hour battery life is sufficient to last for weeks, as it has for my case when I went almost two and a half weeks with one full charge!
Brushless Motors Manage To Remove All The Beard With Fewer Passes
The offset double-foil system is powered by a strong motor that’s enough to trim through the coarsest of beards without any pull. I’ve never had it slow down through my beard patches, such is the quality of the motor that’s inspired by a Ferrari engine. It makes 10,000 rotations per minute to make your face look clean like a baby with very few passes – a clean shave within 10 minutes maximum.
What Could Be Improved?
As a compact and affordable foil shaver, there’s nothing really to complain about. But if I hold it against the shavers in my list in terms of features, it doesn’t have a pivoting head like the Andis unit. It’s the compromise we have to make in order to have it sized to this compact proportion. Rotating the head would simply compromise its shape, so learning a few maneuvering tricks should compensate for that over time.
Overall Assessment
If you desire fancy shavers with a good close shave, great performance, longevity and most certainly, a compact size – this FX3 razor checks out all of these boxes in a supreme fashion. It comes with a two-year warranty period, which speaks for the durable nature itself. I’ll say, this is one of the finest investments I’ve made in my grooming unit, and for a compact size – it’s unequivocally the best close shave electric razor in the current market.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Raw-power cleans stubble perfectly | 1. Head won’t adjust to contours |
| 2. Captivating, compact design | |
| 3. Hypoallergenic foils offer comfort |
Panasonic Electric Razor for Men, ARC6, ES-LS9A-K
I was absolutely certain that no electric razor can get as close to the skin as the Braun Series 9 device. But it’s bitter-sweet for me to announce that the Panasonic LS9A has proven me wrong in this regard. The way it performs out of the box, regardless of skin type or beard density, I was left without words when I first witnessed the magic it’s able to conjure in the beard grooming arena.
Mag-Lev Technology Stays Close To Skin In All Circumstances
The Arc6 beats the closeness and comfort of Arc5 as well as even the Braun Series 9 by a significant margin! After 3 months of personal and professional use, I’ll definitely give this the closest electric shaver award because of the Mag-Lev technology alone. No matter which part of your skin you take your blades to, it just cuts through your beards like butter with no hint of tug or pull!
A Good Grip Ensures The Neatest Outcome
What is overlooked in electric shavers is the level of grip. It’s almost as equally important as the blade’s sharpness and efficiency. Having a firm grip has always led me to a steady, close shave with whatever shaver I may have in my hand. Also, this shaver has proven to generate a closer and more comforting shave in wets as opposed to the dry, so grand ergonomics has ensured that it’ll never slip out during my operations.
Beard Sensors Adjust Automatically Based On Density
There’s a limitation to all electric razors that we must accept is that they don’t do well on longer hair. But this Arc6 unit probably takes care of the longest stubble of 5-7 days at ease. The advanced sensors adjust the power automatically depending on the beard’s texture and density. While other shavers take me around 10 minutes for a clean shave, this one provides that only in a couple of minutes!
What Could Be Improved?
I’ve been thoroughly thinking about the shortcomings of this shaver – is there really any that I can mention? One thing I can say is that, I’ve received around 45 minutes runtime with a full-charge, which is compensated by the reduced shaving duration. Another instance can be the large shaver head which can be troublesome around the ear or lip region. But other than these, the price is kind-of well-balanced, but it’s specially better for the barbers than consumers.
Overall Assessment
Whether you look at the Japanese advanced technology, 84,000 cutting actions, 6 blades or the durable housing that’s made to last long, you’ll only need the bare minimum lubrication and frequent blade-replacements to keep it running smoothly. It produces a very smooth shave with baby-soft skin and the stubble growth in the following 12 hours is much less than any other electric shavers I ever used.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. The best close shave you can get out of electric razor | 1. Very expensive |
| 2. Latest technology keeps blades closest to skin at all times | |
| 3. Can shave stubble of 5-7 days |
Andis 17300 reSURGE Lithium Titanium Foil Wet/Dry Shaver
Andis is included in my list as the budget-killer close shave electric razor that has the potential to keep up with the deluxe devices in this article. Housed with a fine outer shell and endowed with a motor that’s good enough to roll the foils and cut the beard from the root. Once you figure this razor out, it is bound to become your regular maintenance shaver at home or anywhere you go!
Affordable Variant For A Very Close Shave
This is strictly the best close shave electric razor within budget. Dropping into the market at around $100, this Andis unit has provided me with numerous clean shaves at home. I won’t go on calling it generating fine results like the Arc5 or the Braun Series 8, but it isn’t far off from these shavers. Also, the features are up to the mark for it to be classified in this list of shaving giants.
Textured Housing Makes Shaving In Shower More Convenient
This razor initially offered a decent close shave in the dry, but when I started taking it inside the shower with me, the shaving quality drastically improved! With water and soap applied, I shave towards the grain to gain the maximum outcome. A textured housing ensures best grip possible and the water-resistant feature makes it certain that there’s no sign of leakage even under a heavy water-flow.
Super Lightweight & Versatile Razor Cleans The Most Difficult Places
Another aspect I truly admire about this razor that it’s very handy to maneuver around due to its lightweight. I wasn’t initially expecting it to clean the difficult areas comfortably, but it did, without causing me any sort of discomfort. The adjustable shaver head seemed to have done the trick, along with the decent motor that performs 9,900 cutting actions. It’s not the best, but it’s decent enough for the price.
What Could Be Improved?
If I’m having to pay over $80 for my electric razor, I’d expect an LED screen that’ll show me the battery level. This shaver has LED indicators and not a display, which is a bummer in my opinion. Other than that, I’ll forgive the void of a cleaning station because there’s so much I can get from a highly affordable razor. Nothing is a dealbreaker about this unit, these are just suggestions that Andis can consider for their future razors.
Overall Assessment
I can vouch for this razor without a second doubt. If you’re running on a budget, this is the best one you’ll get out of the market. A close shave with comfort is something all of us look for in their razor, and finding these in a razor within such a budget range is a blessing in disguise. With around an hour’s runtime, this is certainly going to remain in my frequent shaver list for the coming days till it breaks!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Super lightweight makes close shave easy | 1. No LED display |
| 2. A good grip for all conditions | |
| 3. Highly affordable |
Braun Electric Razor for Men, Series 8, 8457cc
Let me get this straight out to you – if you’re looking for an electric razor that performs similar to the Braun Series 9 in terms of close shaving, but comes with a smaller price tag, then the Series 8 is what you should seek. With proper maintenance and regular use, you can make this baby last for years because of the way it’s made and the sturdy parts it gloats so proudly in the market!
Lighter Variant Of The Braun Series 9 With Similar Close Shave Capability
When I held the Series 8 and Series 9 shavers side by side in my barber shop, I could see the structural resemblances with a design-edge toward the Series 9. That said, the Series 8 feels a little lighter and it shaves almost as fine as its successor. It might not stand tall against a manual razor as an electric one, but the extent of closeness it generates is more than satisfactory for my regular clients!
Silky, Smooth Skin With Gentle Foils & Blade
After some digging into the matter, I’ve discovered that the Series 8 shaver head contains an OptiFoil technology. The motto of this technology is to go as close to the skin as possible without causing any irritation and to grab all the hair to ensure a shave with fewer passes. It doesn’t clean as fine as the Arc6 or Series 9, but I’ll take what it offers considering the price I’m having to pay for it.
Forgiving Around The Neck Region Generating Less Vibration
One troubling aspect for electric shavers within budget is they vibrate a lot to feed the foils with hair and makes it troublesome to shave around the neck region. But the Series 8 has proven to be a champion in this area. With some prior knowledge to shaving your neck, you can easily master the device to serve your cleaning duties and give you a hair-free neck region in a very short time!
What Could Be Improved?
When I hold it against the Series 9 to look for areas that have improved in the latest variant, I’ll have to say that the Series 8 is quite loud (not to the point of irritation). Also, it requires a few passes for cleaning obstinate cheek stubble, which doesn’t come to me as a surprise. Cleaning isn’t always easy as I sometimes have to manually brush out the dirt, but for the sake of it lasting a long time, I’m willing to follow this routine.
Overall Assessment
I’d like to call the Braun Series 8 the Series 9 Lite because of my experience with the latter shaver. The Series 8 unit cuts extremely well with the two foil – one blade design and it lasts for almost an hour with full charge. I could go weeks without having to charge it and it still kept on teaming up with my daily beard cleaning duties as one of the best close shave electric razors priced less than the luxury models.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Almost as good as Braun Series 9 razor | 1. A little loud |
| 2. Gentle close shave under the neck | |
| 3. Keeps the skin smooth after shave |
Panasonic ARC5 Electric Razor for Men, ES-LV67-K
The Panasonic LV67 is probably some of the highest-selling electric razors in the market and it has been so due to the degree of performance it was able to provide the users with. As a professional groomer, I’ve kept this shaver in my store for regular clean shaves. I must say, I’ve had the highest number of satisfied customers during that era of my shaver choice.
Easy Close Shave Using 5 Foil Design
Shaving with the Arc5 LV67 is very easy and you really don’t need any advanced shaving knowledge to get up to speed with it. The five rotating foil ensures that no matter how much pressure I apply, the skin always remains protected from the blades. The two cutting blades underneath and one in the middle makes for efficient shaving in the busiest of my days in store!
2 Years Of Close Shave With One Set Of Blades
I’ve had a separate unit of LV67 at home that I bought seeing the grand performance of the one I had in my store. It took me around 10 minutes to clean up all the stubble, surprisingly it worked fine with 2-3 days of growth. Little pop-up trimmer for the edge-lines and main blades for even the sensitive areas, the first set of blades remained sharp for 2 years even after daily use! That is something I must share with you so that you can understand how efficient the device is!
Completely Waterproof & Ready To Be Taken Inside Shower
There have been days when I took this shaver inside my shower and shaved using regular body soap. It’s not the best in terms of convenience, but it does get my job done without creating a huge mess and is very gentle to my delicate skin. It’s wireless and holds charge for around 45 minutes and it’s sufficient for me to even take on a two-week trip excluding the charger unit.
What Could Be Improved?
Since it rotates 5 foils with 3 running blades, the motor is bound to be quite a handful in size. This has bulked up the shaver head and it sometimes posed challenges for me when I performed on customers with a tricky lip area or smaller face shape in general. Also, it sometimes requires a few more passes on the neck, but stretching the skin has been able to solve that issue for me.
Overall Assessment
It’s one of those devices that tick the right boxes to produce a very close shave that doesn’t itch or burn or leave behind ingrown hair. Performance-wise, the motor is very powerful and is matched with equally sharp blades. Getting such a supreme and premium device at a price-range around only $150 is a catch to be honest. If you aren’t hungry for a cleaning station or other fancy accessories, this will be the best $150 you spend on a top-notch unit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Blades last 2 years with daily shaving | 1. Bulky head |
| 2. 5-foil design provides a good, close shave | |
| 3. Shower-ready design |
Philips Norelco 9800 Electric Shaver, S9987/85
Rotary shavers generally don’t stack up against foil shavers when it comes to close shaving, but this Norelco device is an exception that surprised me and a lot of my fellow enthusiasts! I’ve had many clients who specifically asked for a rotary shave and this unit has been a go to razor for such purposes in the recent months. I’ll break it down further so that you can understand its full potential.
Close Shaving Has Been Automated By This Philips Unit
There are so many sensors in this device that nothing can go wrong with it even if you try. From beard sensors to pressure sensors, even rotating guides that are all built into this razor, it’s a beginner’s daydream to have such a device in their arsenal. And it shaves so close to the skin without causing any sort of irritation that it’s truly remarkable to witness in such a rotary device!
Glide Rings Provide The Most Comfortable Shaving Operation
The glide rings actually protect the skin perfectly and thus I very often suggest my sensitive-skin customers to buy this as their home-grooming unit. It does take some time for your skin to get used to it, so don’t throw it away after using it a couple of times. Rather, let your skin’s contour adjust to the blades’ way of work and within two weeks, you’ll find your skin as smooth as a silk after each shave!
Efficient Cutting With Two Layers Of Blades In Three Rings
One of my major disappointments about rotary shavers has been the lack of efficiency. During my previous experiences with such razors, I’ve had to make a lot of rotating actions and passes with shaving foam to get a close as fine as a foil unit. But this Norelco unit has its perks and gets the job done efficiently with double blade layers embedded inside the three rings that grab more hair than other rotary units.
What Could Be Improved?
I won’t call out Philips for the underperformance in terms of cleaning every corner of my skin, because it’s a design-flaw for all the rotary shavers across the globe. While shaving under the nose, behind the ear or below the neck-line, rotary shavers don’t generate the closest shaves and leave out patches of beard. As it relies on the rotating motion with a large head, there’s so much you can do in narrow areas as such.
Overall Assessment
Since this razor has a high cutting action due to its design, it’s kinder to skin for close shaves than even some of the foil razors. It does offer around an hour’s battery backup and can shave in wets effortlessly, with a cleaning pod for easy-maintenance. This in the end becomes a matter of preference, because there are certain things it does better than a foil razor, but in specific cases it lacks the agility.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Automatic shaving with latest technology | 1. Can’t shave narrow or tricky areas closely |
| 2. Two-layered blades grab more hair | |
| 3. Glide rings offer high-degree comfort for close shaves |
Important Features For Close Shave Electric Razors
Below are the 5 important factors that I always consider before handing out a verdict on close shave electric razors. Remembering these will aid you in picking the perfect razor suitable for your task effectively.
Blade’s Gap With Foils
The closer a razor’s blades are with the foil, the finer the shaving outcome usually is. Since your razor feeds the beard strands to the blades via the foil, it’s important for you to pick a razor that has a larger number of smaller foils over lesser, larger ones.
Nature Of The Foils
The material of the foil matters, no matter what the advertisements tell you. Because, when you press the razor against your skin tightly for a close shave, the foil creates friction with your skin. If the material is not hypoallergenic or not of standard grade, it can easily tug, pull or induce an allergic reaction. This is why close shave razors from good brands wage better over the others.
Blade Sharpness
Admit it, you know it too. Having sharp blades always create a finer finish to your beard and cause you the least amount of trouble. So pick a razor that creates good, sharp blades and has the ability to be replaced or sharpened.
Motor-Power
A powerful motor implies an efficient shave with fewer passes. When you’re having to make more passes for a close shave, it increases your shaving time as well as leaves your skin vulnerable to rashes or other sorts of discomforts. Thus, considering a powerful-motorized razor over a less powerful one will be fruitful in the end.
Ergonomics
Whenever I go for a quick, close shave, I have to maneuver the razor around at the most diverse and versatile angles. A good ergonomic housing provides a slip-free pass – whether you shave under the shower or in dry conditions.
Verdict
Usually, I select one razor as my ultimate winner and many people afterward inform me about their take on the other devices that did them better than my selection.
This time, I’m so torn between two devices for the throne of best close shave electric razor, I’ll be announcing both of them as my co-winners in this verdict part.
Drumrolls…. And my winners are: Panasonic ARC6 and Braun Series 9 razors! I’d probably have picked the ARC6 alone as the victor, but the price-point made me compromise my verdict and add the Series 9 to the list.
These are undoubtedly two of the highest-graded razors that are not only capable of the best close shaves, but are also generally grand for almost any shaving operation.
Also an honorable mention would be the Philips Norelco razor which is a killer for personal grooming and close shaves, the only disadvantage to my victors is that rotary shavers lack skin adaptation in difficult areas.
The razors in my list comprise a remarkable price-to-performance ratio, so no matter how much you invest in your razor, you’ll receive equally sensational performance in return!
