Tired of shaving with razor blades, many men decide to try an electric razor. Let’s say right away that you will lose in terms of shaving speed – it usually takes more time. For owners of thick vegetation, the quality of shaving may become worse. But the procedure is generally more pleasant. The main thing is to choose the right electric shaver. Note that this is a good gift for a man for any holiday. Let’s consider how to choose a men’s electric razor, which criteria to pay attention to.
Types of electric shavers: rotary or mesh
Today, there are two types of electric shavers: rotary and mesh (mesh). But this does not mean that the choice of models is small, on the contrary. The choice is very large and it confuses. With external similarity, the prices differ many times. What is the difference? How to choose an electric shaver so that it is convenient, in demand and not lying around as dead weight. Let’s figure it out.
Once you have decided to choose an electric shaver, you need to decide whether you want a mesh or a rotary one. In appearance, the difference between them is clear and obvious. Rotor – rotating discs with a sharpened notch on the edges, which is used to cut the hairs. With such a device, it does not matter how long or short the bristles are, whether they grow evenly or not. And the bristles are cut almost close to the skin.
Mesh electric shavers have plates with multiple holes under which finely vibrating blades are hidden. The bristles fall into the hole and are cut by sharp blades. That is, you will not shave with such a razor “under zero”. Very short hairs are always left – about the thickness of the mesh.
Externally, it is not a problem to separate rotary and mesh, but how to choose between them? Everything is not so difficult. They shave differently:
- A rotary electric shaver shaves more cleanly and faster, when using a mesh shaver to achieve the same result, you have to make more passes in the same place. That is, for hard and thick bristles, it is better to choose a rotary one. But the sensations during shaving are not the most pleasant – there is a slight twitching of the bristles. This option is not suitable for sensitive skin.
- A mesh electric shaver does not affect the unevenness of the skin during shaving – scars, birthmarks, all this remains undamaged. The sensations of its use can be compared to the movement of warm metal over the skin. That is, a mesh razor is good for soft and sparse bristles. It is an ideal option for a teenager or a young person who is just starting to shave. Meshes, even with more passes, irritate the skin less, so the mesh electric shaver is suitable for sensitive and irritated skin.
The mesh electric razor has another advantage: it is convenient to create a clear line. If you need to maintain the contour of the beard, mustache, temples – this is a task for a mesh razor, but not for a rotary one. However, now there are electric shavers with a retractable trimmer that copes with this task easily.
So, whether a rotary or mesh electric shaver is needed is determined by the type of skin. Next, we study the technical details and options that increase the comfort of shaving.
Wired or rechargeable
After deciding on the type, you need to choose an electric shaver based on the power supply method. They are wired and rechargeable. Wired, with equal characteristics, is cheaper, but the area of operation is limited by the length of the cord, and it often interferes.
The advantage of batteries is that freedom of action is not limited by anything. Thanks to the autonomous power supply, they remain functional even during power outages, and have a clear advantage in travel, business trips, and outdoor recreation. But when choosing a rechargeable razor, pay attention to the type of battery. They can be of several types.
Cordless razors can be of the rotary or mesh type. The charger can be contact or non-contact. If you want to choose an electric shaver for a man as a gift, he will like the non-contact option more
You should not take a cordless electric shaver with a nickel-cadmium battery (Ni-Cd) – these batteries have a “memory effect”. If they are put on charge not completely discharged (which usually happens), the battery capacity is significantly reduced (to the level from which the charge was started). Therefore, after some time, the battery “stops holding” the charge – it quickly discharges. All other types of batteries (Ni-Mh, Li-Ion) are better in this regard, but much more expensive. However, this is exactly the case when it is better not to save.
There are models that can work both from the mains and from the battery, that is, a voltage converter is built into the cord, which provides the necessary voltage for charging the battery (according to the type of charging for smartphones). The battery is recharged when the cord is connected to the network, there is no charging station. On the one hand, it is convenient, on the other – not so much. I put the razor in the charging station, and it is there. If there is no station, you have to figure out where to put the razor, and the gloom of finding a charging station and a place for it is added. But if you want to choose an electric shaver that takes up as little space as possible, but at the same time does not restrict movement, you should take a closer look at such models.
There are also such “bells and whistles” as a charger (Braun Series 3 300s) that adjusts to the supplied voltage. The charger can be connected to a network from 100 to 240 V. The filter standing at the entrance adjusts the parameters of the charge itself. This version of the electric shaver is suitable for those who often travel.
The number of electric shaver heads and their mobility
In general, there are electric shavers of any type with one, two, three, four and five shaving heads. The optimal choice is three heads. The majority of such razors. One or two shaving elements are not enough for “mature bristles”. This is an option for teenagers or owners of rare vegetation. Four-five is for those who have very hard and thick bristles. But there are not many such branded razors, but there are many Chinese ones. The question of whether the “multi-head” copes with shaving better than the three-element brand is always open. Someone is lucky and they work normally, and someone in desperation still buys a three-element rotary model.
A few years ago, the heads of electric shavers began to be made mobile – floating. When pressed, they change their position, and it depends only on the structure of the face, and they are not connected to each other. This way, the blades repeat the contours of the face better, resulting in a cleaner shave, especially in hard-to-reach places – on the neck, cheekbones.
In addition, there are models with a movable shaving unit. Under pressure, the inclination of the upper part of the unit changes, which even more fully adapts the electric shaver to the features of your face. At the same time, you do not need to change the position of your hand or hand. Such an “independent suspension” is in the lines that have been developed in recent years, and this “frill” significantly increases the price.
Trimmer and its type
A trimmer is an additional knife for trimming long hairs. The presence of a trimmer is necessary for owners of mustaches and/or beards to maintain the shape of sideburns. These are knives that shorten hairs without shaving, and also allow you to form a clear line on the border between shaved and unshaven skin.
There are several types: folding, sliding, floating. A folding and retractable trimmer can be in both rotary and mesh electric shavers. The floating trimmer is built into the shaving system of mesh electric shavers. It cuts long hairs, and the blades, protected by nets, complete the shave.
Regardless of the type, razor trimmers are not enough to fully take care of thick vegetation on the face. They are able to maintain the condition of a very short beard, such as a Spanish beard, a “three-day stubble” or a light unshaven beard. A full beard requires a separate trimmer. A razor with a trimmer is convenient for unevenly grown or too long bristles that the shaving system cannot handle. In this case, it is necessary to first shorten the vegetation with the help of a trimmer, and then finish shaving “in regular mode”.
Dry and wet shaving, moisturizing
A few years ago, electric shavers only supported dry shaving. Today, there are many models that can shave with foam or shaving cream and do a great job. Mesh models with good reviews – Panasonic ES-3042, Panasonic ES-LT2N, Braun 3080 Series 3, Panasonic ES-RF31, Braun MG 5050, Panasonic ES-RF41, Braun 5040 Series 5, etc. Rotary models with the possibility of wet shaving Philips AT 890, Philips S9031, Philips PT 723, Philips AT 756, Philips S5530, Philips S5672, etc.
Yes, they are more expensive, much more expensive (about 50%), but they like it precisely because you can choose how you want to shave today – with or without cream.
There is one aspect. When using wet shaving, it is necessary to rinse the system well after each procedure. Otherwise, bacteria multiply in the remains of the cream, which can cause severe skin irritation.
Not only that, there are models that have a built-in container for aftershave lotion. A block with aftershave lotion is inserted into a special holder, which is automatically distributed over the skin. The expediency of this bell is very doubtful. Firstly, such models are created in tandem with some manufacturer of shaving lotions and you can only use a certain brand, which is stressful in itself. Secondly, the cost of shaving lotions is much higher. Thirdly, the razors themselves with such capabilities are expensive. In general, this idea is not as good as it seems at first glance.
In general, if you want to choose an electric shaver “for all occasions”, look for models with the possibility of wet shaving. They are made waterproof, and even with dry shaving, it can be washed under a stream of water, instead of cleaning the bristles ground into dust with a brush.
How to choose an electric shaver: we determine with the manufacturer
If you have decided on the type of electric shaver – mesh or rotary, you will not have to choose in particular. Rotary shavers are made by Phillips. There are practically no competitors. There are many Chinese brands of varying degrees of similarity, but there are no “serious” manufacturers. So, if you are looking for a rotary electric shaver for a man as a gift, you should choose only among Philips models. Although, it is not as simple as it seems.
For those who want to find a good mesh razor, the task is not much more difficult. There are two manufacturers: Braun and Panasonic. Both produce products of approximately the same quality, operate in the same price range. Panasonic has very interesting models that have details that men will like: contactless charging, the fastest motors that drive the blades. Panasonic has its own sharpening system that maintains its sharpness for years. In general, very good electric shavers. But there is one but. If it becomes necessary to replace shaving elements (blades or meshes), it is almost impossible to find them. In many models, they are unique and are far from always available in service centers.
Braun electric shaver parts are not so original – standard shaving elements are used in the design. If necessary, finding them is not a problem. A few years ago, Panasonic had an advantage: they were the first to develop wet-shave mesh razors. Today, Brown also has such models, and they receive good reviews.