Skull Shaver’s razor with a four head blade smoothly shaves large areas with an ergonomic handle, making it quick and comfortable, important factors for those who do it often. This one was not tested in the Lab, but we love that it’s worldwide voltage compatible, making it great to use at home or when traveling. Just be cautious when using as one reviewer noted the nicks on his neck after shaving. Danusia (she/her) is a senior chemist in the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she evaluates haircare, skincare, cosmetics and beauty tools.
As mentioned above, The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab evaluated seven shavers with both consumer and Lab tests. A total of 35 men (five men per product) were instructed to use the product following the manufacturer’s directions at least two times before completing a questionnaire rating the ease of use, performance and overall satisfaction. Writer Dori Price worked with Wnek to compile the full product list and add details about razors generally. She has over 15 years of experience researching and writing skincare stories, combining her knowledge with the expertise of top industry professionals including dermatologists and aestheticians. She is an expert in all face and body skincare product categories, from cleansers to toners, serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, exfoliators, masks, professional treatments and more.
“When used with shaving cream, the RF warming option has a comfortable feel,” shares one tester who was impressed with the razor overall. “The razor glides smoothly over the skin and provides a close shave without requiring a great deal of pressure on the skin.” Another notes that “it is easy to use and figure out, even without reading instructions. “It does a fantastic job and I get as close of a shave as I did with a manual razor, probably a little better even, and there’s no irritation,” shares one tester. Another “appreciates the switch that allows the shaver head to either remain stationary or more dynamic for a closer shave” and loves the storage case as “it allowed me to transport the shaver easily during my weekend trips.” Here, we’ve compiled the top-tested Lab picks, as well as highly-rated and vetted products from our go-to online shopping sources, for the best and smoothest shave.
She has experience in using specialized skin evaluation lab equipment to gauge changes in skin moisturization, firmness and facial features like wrinkles and texture before and after product use. She also regularly polls our consumer panel on their purchasing and product use habits as well as weighs in on the benefits of skincare ingredients like vitamin C, retinol and niacinamide. This can include brushing any trimming with the included brush, rinsing under running water and drying thoroughly before storage or use.
This one from Philips had the highest consumer score for effectively removing unwanted hair around upper lip and mouth area, two spots that can give razors trouble to get smooth. Testers also like the weight (sturdy but not heavy), the amount of charge it holds and the easy controls. It isn’t the quietest though — it received an average score in QuietMark testing — and has a bulky cleaning center. In the Lab, experts measured the weight, cord length, charge time, discharge time without load and a five-minute quick charge/discharge time for each product.
A drop test simulating a drop from a bathroom counter was also conducted to test the durability of these shavers and Quiet Mark, a third party testing certifier, evaluated the noise levels of these device on a three point scale. A wallet-friendly option for this category, Conair’s multi-tasking tool is easy to use and has the longest period of use from a quick five minute charge, according to Lab testing. It was one of the quietest razors according to QuietMark testing, with a similar noise level for both shaving and trimming modes. Consumers also like that it works well on heavy beards and mustaches and that it doesn’t snag. While it holds a quick charge well, it took the longest charge time for a full charge (over three hours), so keep that in mind when it’s running low for your next use.
In pharmaceutical sciences with concentration in cosmetic science from the University of Cincinnati. Danusia has over 10 years of experience in the personal care industry including formulation, product development, claim evaluation and efficacy testing. Unlike many of the other razors shown, this one from Olov is not designed for the contours of men’s faces; it is specifically for the body, philips electric razor pubic area and back, with a nose hair trimmer included as well. While we haven’t tested it in the Lab, we love that it comes with two adjustable trimming guards for different hair lengths and has soft ceramic blades to prevent pulling or cutting skin. Most users raved about its performance, although a few felt it was weaker than expected and needed to go over certain areas multiple times.
Plus, the 411 on how to use electric razors, how to choose and how to clean them. If you need a razor that really lasts, this one from Yaman may be for you. According to our Lab tests, it has the longest battery life (up to 4 hours 37 minutes) and the longest cord length (78 inches) of the devices that were tested.