The Best Electric Shaver for Every Type of Scruffy Fella

Even the best electric shaver for men will be underestimated by the general shaving public. Which is a big miss in our book—whether you shave every day or just once in a blue moon, it’s important to have a razor that you trust. Generally, you want smooth results and minimal irritation in as little time as possible. And while we’re not here to question the merits of a manual razor (let alone safety razors and straight razors, all of which are fantastic in their own right), we still think every guy should consider electric razors. Not only have these devices gotten much better in the past decade, but it’s also easy to find one that suits your budget, skin, and specific facial hair type.

Rarely will you and your best bud have the same needs in all of these departments, which is why you’ve got a few things to consider when looking for the best electric razor for men. Yes, I’ve got my favorite device in a given year—and what I recommend to most guys may differ from the one I use personally. So, read on for a rundown of the best GQ-tested electric shavers of the moment, newly updated for 2025.

The Best Electric Shavers, According to GQ

Featured in this article

Best Overall

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Shaver

Read More

Best Foil Shaver

Panasonic Arc5 Advanced 5 Electric Foil Shaver

Read More

Best Budget Electric Shaver

Remington F5 Power Series Foil Shaver

Read More

Best Electric Shaver Overall: Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige Electric Razor

In a given year, it’s always a three-horse race between Philips Norelco, Braun, and Panasonic, because each brand takes its turn issuing the latest muscled-up machine. And while we’d sooner prescribe a foil shaver to the average user (as mentioned in our sizing-up of foil versus rotary), the truth is, rotary shavers will satisfy the largest group of people, since they also serve thicker stubble, as well as more sensitive skin, body and head shaving, and even those folks with nickel allergies. And in the e-shaver game, nobody beats Philips Norelco at rotary razors.

The recently released is its most advanced electric razor yet, giving you the power to be your own professional at-home barber. No, you won’t be getting a straight razor shave, but dammit, it’s really close. Associate commerce editor Tyler Chin has been using it for the past month, and he thinks it’s actually giving a shave that’s too close. “With my last electric razor, I was still left with a bit of a shadow, so that it didn’t look like I was still waiting to hit puberty,” Chin says. “But with this Philips razor, I’m getting a shave that’s as smooth as if i I used a manual razor—great for shaving a day or two off from needing to hack at my face again, but not so great for trying to look my actual age and not like a 16-year-old.”

The coolest thing about the razor is its light guidance system, which alerts the user to when they’re applying too much pressure, too little, or just the right amount, as well as if they’re shaving in the correct manner or not with a rotary-style razor (you should be going in circles and not up-and-down). Going from a foil shaver to this one was a bit of a switch up for Chin, but it’s shaving—you’re not learning to drive or ride a bicycle.

Why It’s the Best Shaver Overall

The shaver is easy to use, giving real-time feedback as to whether or not you’re shaving properly. It also gets super close to the skin, pulling up hair from the follicle before hacking it off so that the result is a closer-than-usual shave, usually reserved for shaving with a manual razor. The ergonomic handle fits well in the hand, and you can adjust the speed so accommodate different skin types like if you’re particularly sensitive.

Best Budget Electric Shaver: Remington F5

Remington

F5 Power Series Foil Shaver

Remington is in the business of hair removal, and its wallet-friendly F5 shaver has all the makings for a great electric shaver. It does what it’s supposed to, cleaning up hairs thanks to its flexible foil head, and able to clean up sideburns, mustaches, and or whatever intricate facial hair you might be sporting. Best of all: It’s damn cheap. Sure, we love a $500 shaver, but if all you care about is making sure your face is as smooth as butter, then this is about all you’ll need to spend to get that silky smooth mug.

Why It’s the Best Budget Shaver

This is the cheapest shaver we recommend, and it’s because we know there are folks out there who couldn’t care less about having a high-end grooming tool. Cheap (and cheaper) models will pull and tug at the hair while they’re supposedly shaving, but that’s not the case with this Remington model. The shaver won’t glide on your face like some of the more premium model shavers we’ve recommended, but if you don’t have to worry about sensitive skin (good for you!) then this is an excellent affordable pick for you.

Best Electric Shaver for Curly Beards: Bevel

Bevel’s array of haircare products is targeted towards men with curly or wiry hair. When it comes to shaving, it’s especially important to find products that work with that hair type, which can often lead to ingrown hairs if not cut properly. This electric shaver from Bevel is dermatologist-tested so that it’s great for folks with sensitive skin, and it’s less likely to cause irritation, which is great for anyone who needs to shave pretty much every day.

Why It’s the Best Electric Shaver for Curly Beards

Thanks to its specially designed head, the Bevel electric shaver is great for getting into the contours of the face for close, even shaving. The three blades are able to mow through the thickest, coarsest hair, getting down to as close to the skin as possible. We’re impressed by the shaver’s auto-detection feature, which can adjust the power of the the shaver to adapt to the density of the hair it’s going over. You can use it wet or dry, and the five-minute quick charge lets you get a shave in should you have forgotten to juice it up from the last use.

Foil Shaver Pick: Panasonic Arc5 Electric Foil Shaver

The Arc5 is now a generation behind, and I’ll admit that the newer Panasonic Arc6 is one of the best men’s razors in the game right now. Still, I want to call out the Arc5 in particular here. When new devices enter the market, it’s important to keep their predecessors in mind rather than writing them off as has-beens—it’d be like shunning the BMW E28 as soon as the E30 was released the following year. So don’t go discounting the Arc5’s abilities just because the Arc6 is the more advanced machine.