There’s no getting around the fact that this shaver comes with a lot of bells and whistles, chief among them the Philips Norelco GroomTribe app (available for iOS and Android Devices). However, I was surprised to find that its tight integration with the 9500 offered a number of useful features. Philips made and marketed a line of Norelco professional video cameras in the United States philips razor in the 1960s and 1970s. CBS was a notable customer, using models PC-60, PC-70, PC-72, PCP-90, the LDH series, and later the LDK series. Later marketed using the BTS—Broadcast Television Systems Inc.—brand name in a joint venture with Bosch, the division was subsequently sold to Thomson’s Grass Valley, then to Belden. Easily turn your shaver into a beard styler or a precision trimmer.
Most electric razors can shave a full beard in half the time (or less) it takes to shave the traditional way (again, a big part of this is the lack of other products). If you’re someone who’s constantly fighting those pesky neck hairs, then this powerful new shaver brings AI into your bathroom and harnesses it to deliver an epic close shave. The rotary heads make it easy to move with you skin, and the pressure sensors alert you when you’re pressing too hard or not enough. The Dual Steel Precision blades cut at a whopping 150,000 cuts per minute so no errant hair is left behind no matter how quickly you have to get ready.
With a charge time that clocked in at just over an hour in my testing, the Philips SatinShave Prestige blew away its competition by charging the fastest by a long shot. By comparison, our best value pick takes around an hour and a half to charge but isn’t as fully featured. Although the OneBlade looks comically simple — it’s a tiny blade attached to a medium-sized body — it can do quite a lot.
I looked for raves and common complaints, particularly about battery life and stubble-y results (both major pain points). Then I reached out to Katie Sobelman, an aesthetician and skincare educator, to tell me more about why someone might want to use an electric razor, what they’re best for and how to select and use the right one for you. Foil-based systems use one or more cutting blocks mounted beneath the thin metal head. The foil’s perforations guide the whiskers into the block, where a pair of opposing blades slice them off. The action is more like what you’d get from a pair of scissors than from a knife. Rotary shavers use similar perforated surfaces to guide whiskers toward their cutters, but instead of snipping, hundreds of tiny blades slice hairs with a circular motion.
For the past five years, Men’s Health has dedicated itself to discovering and recommending the best grooming products for men via hands-on testing and in-depth research. Men’s Health grooming has been featured on national news outlets like The TODAY Show and Good Morning America, showcasing the latest new grooming products for men and presenting why we love the brands we select. The manual says that the trimmer has a “21-day adaptation process” and that your skin will adjust to the razor after using it exclusively for three weeks, resulting in a closer shave. While Philips Norelco is a trusted brand that’s known for making solid products, you’re better off steering clear of the 2300 shaver.
Braun’s Series 9 clean-and-charge base uses the same cartridges as the Series 7 base (and those of all other Braun shavers) and is functionally identical. Replacement cartridges last about three months and cost about $25 for a four-pack. Replacement foils are considerably more expensive for the Series 9; they currently run about $50, compared with about $30 to $40 for the Series 7. That extra power and performance come at a dollar and design cost. Series 9 razors are notably bulkier than Series 7 razors, and some testers found the Series 9 razors tough to maneuver in tight spots (like the equally ginormous Panasonic Arc5, which this Braun line somewhat mimics).
Its pop-up trimmer does not have enough cutting power to make it a useful grooming accessory. Nor can it be locked into place while in use, making it a challenge to use the trimmer for minor cleanups. I let them all charge up and then put them to use on my blond, relatively fine hair and sensitive fair skin.
Labeled as ‘practically indestructible’, Wahl claims that the shaver can continue to work even if it falls into three feet of water. To test this, I turned the shaver on, tossed it into the shallow end of my swimming pool, and waited three minutes before retrieving it. While still wet from its swim, the Lifeproof’s ergonomic shape and rubber grips made it feel comfortable and secure in my hand.
The good news is that no matter what your budget, skin or hair type, or grooming acumen, there’s an electric razor that will suit your lifestyle. This list of the 15 top electric razors for men is the best place to start. The 2300 does have some good features like being washable and having a rechargeable battery, but as you may have guessed, I don’t recommend this shaver. It’s really just not as good as a standard electric shaver like the OneBlade or OneBlade Pro. After using the Philips Norelco 2300 twice, I’m not at all convinced that it’s worth trying to use again. You can’t use it to trim your beard to different lengths, and it doesn’t do a good job of clean shaving.
We probably wouldn’t recommend a battery-powered razor for everyday use, but when you consider how often a travel razor gets used (less frequently) and its overall purpose (quick, on-the-go touch-ups) it makes perfect sense. You also don’t have to worry about carrying your charging cord around on trips, plus if your philips razor batteries die out at the hotel you can call the front desk and ask for fresh ones. The Panasonic Arc3 is fast cutting, powerful, and can be used dry or wet. Its flexible shaving head allows its blades to freely navigate the contours of the face or to be locked into place for a more traditional shaving experience.