9 Best Head Shavers for Men

A thick beard hasn’t been this popular since the Civil War. But as a wave of fashionable whiskers sweeps the nation, millions of men are buying shavers for another reason. No, we’re not talking about manscaping. We’re talking about a scalp that’s as smooth as Mr. Clean’s.

Men with receding hairlines can take comfort in this trend. You can shave every bit of hair and remain as fashionable as ever.

Head Shaver Buying Guide

So you want to shave your head, but you’re not sure what to buy. That’s understandable. The choices are seemingly endless, and some of the features can be bewildering.

We’ve tried to cover the most common questions and features, so you’ll understand what we’re talking about in our guide. Keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive. Like other consumer products, head shavers can ship with all kinds of bells and whistles, and listing all of them would take several articles of this length.

The points we’re about to cover apply to almost all shavers, so they’re good things to know regardless of where you’re shopping.

What’s the Difference Between a Hair Trimmer and an Electric Shaver?

Most of the shavers we’ve listed are designed for beards. However, we’ve specifically chosen shavers that are made for thick, heavy beards. This is because head hair is richer and more abundant than facial hair, and can overwhelm less powerful shavers.

Hair trimmers, on the other hand, won’t cut the hair all the way down to your scalp. What they will do is remove any length of hair, not just stubble. If you’re shaving your head for the first time, you’ll need some hair trimmers – or a barber – to trim your hair short enough for a shaver to be useful.

Battery Life and Charging Options

Almost all shavers are battery powered. This includes every product we reviewed. Corded shavers used to be more powerful, but that was a long time ago. Better battery technology and more powerful, low-voltage motors have long since made corded shavers unnecessary.

A long-lasting battery isn’t that important if you always use your shaver at home, but it can be useful for people who travel a lot. If you’re spending a week on the road, a good battery can make the difference between traveling light and needing to pack your charger.

There are two types of chargers for electric shavers: DC adapters and charging stations. DC adapters are simple cords that you plug into the shaver. A charging station is a dock where you can place the shaver overnight. Most charging stations will also clean your shaver.

Maintenance and Accessories

Maintenance varies from model to model, so always check your owner’s manual. That said, there are a few general rules.

• Clean your shaver regularly: Bits of hair and other debris can become trapped in the blades and foils. Over time, these can cause your blades to wear down prematurely. Water, sweat and water-based lotions can cause the blades and foils to rust, which can be dangerous as well as inconvenient.

  If you have a charging station, this can be as simple as hitting the “Clean” button and walking away. To clean your shaver manually, remove the coils and rinse them thoroughly under water. Put a small dab of liquid hand soap on the blades, and run the shaver under the faucet until the blades have been thoroughly rinsed. Make sure to leave the foil off for a few hours to let it dry.

• Change your blades and foils regularly: Most manufacturers recommend changing your foils every 90 days and replacing your blades once a year.
• If your shaver comes with oil, use it according to the instructions: If your shaver doesn’t come with oil, it’s designed to run without oil, so there’s no need to use any.

Why Waterproof is Good

A waterproof shaver gives you more versatility than a shaver that isn’t waterproof. This is because it lets you shave wet or dry, or even shave in the shower. Not everyone needs – or even wants – to shave in the shower, but for people with sensitive skin, it can be almost a necessity.

Be careful. Some shavers can be used wet, meaning they can tolerate shaving cream and a quick rinse, but still aren’t truly waterproof. Unless the manufacturer specifically says their product is “100% waterproof”, it probably isn’t.

Your Skin Type

Last but not least, you’ll have to think of the most important part of your shaving system: you. The heavier your hair, the more powerful your shaver will need to be.

If you have dry or sensitive skin, you’ll want a shaver that’s as gentle as possible. For African-American men in particular, this can be a problem, since African-Americans tend to have heavier hair and sensitive skin. In this case, the best option is almost always to shave wet, or better yet to shave in the shower where the steam will open up your pores and make the hair more pliable.

In this guide, we’ll cover the main features you should look for in a quality head shaver. Then, we’ll look at 9 of the best shavers on the market to see how they stack up.

9 Best Head Shavers Comparison Table

Note: Only when running on battery. Do not use wet while it’s plugged in.

9 Best Electric Head Shavers: Detailed Review

1. Braun Series 7 790cc (Top Pick)

Editor’s Rating: 4.9/5.0

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The Braun Series 7 790cc is more than just shaver. It’s a complete kit, including a charging station, a cleaning cartridge, a travel case, and a power cord. If you’re a light packer and don’t want to travel with the charging station, you can charge the shaver directly from the power cord. If the battery is low, you can even run the shaver directly from a wall outlet.

A word of warning regarding the charging station: the cleaning cartridges are expensive, and need to be changed approximately once every 30 cleaning cycles. This isn’t a criticism of the Series 7. It’s true of all shavers with charging stations. If you want to save money, it’s easy enough to just clean the shaver manually.

The Series 7 has three intensity settings. At the highest setting, it makes 30,000 cuts per minute, making it one of the most powerful shavers on the market. If this setting irritates your skin, you can turn the intensity down until you find a setting that’s comfortable for you.

This is a foil shaver, not a rotary shaver, so it’s extremely gentle. The side-to-side blade motion is relatively snag-free, as opposed to the oscillating motion of a rotary shaver. If that’s not enough, the Series 7 pulses 10,000 times per second, giving you a soothing massage as it shaves.

Finally, it has a pop-up trimmer that runs parallel to the shaver head. This allows you to cut clean lines at the top of your sideburns if you wear a beard under your cue-ball.

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2. Philips Norelco Shaver 4500

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5.0

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The Philips Norelco Shaver 4500 is a stand-alone shaver. There’s no charging station, just an AC adapter that plugs directly into the shaver. On the one hand, you won’t have to replace expensive cleaning cartridges. On the other hand, you’ll need to clean the shaver manually. Thankfully, Philips includes a cleaning brush to make the job as painless as possible.

The same can’t be said for the actual task of shaving. This is a rotary shaver, and due to the oscillating motion it tends to snag more often than a straight foil shaver. That said, it’s extremely powerful. Even if you’re an African-American who goes swimming every day and has chlorine-hardened hair, this shaver will cut it.

Like most modern shavers, the 4500 includes a pop-up edge trimmer. This is a nice feature, but the trimmer pops out at a right angle to the rest of the unit. As a result, it can be hard to maneuver, and your shaver can block you from seeing what you’re doing in the mirror.

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3. Panasonic ES-LV95 ARC 5

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

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The ES-LV95 is the updated version of Panasonic’s ES-LV81, which is an excellent shaver in its own right but has since been discontinued. The blades oscillate 70,000 times per minute, giving you an extra-close shave that’s as gentle as getting shaved by a barber. The cleaning station is easy to use and runs a full cycle in about an hour.

If you’re a traveler, you can get about five shaves out of the ES-LV95 on a single charge. For longer trips, it’s more of a mixed bag. You’ll need to bring the entire charging station with you to keep it charged. However, the charging station has a universal voltage converter. If you’re in a country with 220 volt power, you can charge your shaver without needing a special adapter.

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4. Philips Norelco PT724

Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5.0

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The Philips Norelco PT724 is another rotary shaver. As you may have guessed, it has the same plusses and minuses as other rotary shavers. It’s very powerful and will cut any conceivable hair. Unfortunately, it also snags more than a straight foil shaver.

There’s no charging base, and the shaver charges directly from the AC adapter. Philips includes a cleaning brush for getting stray hairs out of the head. When cleaning it, you’ll need to be careful not to run water over the body of the unit. The head and blades are waterproof, but not the rest of the shaver. As a result, it’s safe to use with shaving cream or gel, but shouldn’t be used in the shower.

In the event that the battery is dead, the PT724 also has a 3-minute quick charge feature. Simply plug it in for three minutes, and you’ll have enough juice for a single shave. Like other Philips rotary shavers, it has a pop-up trimmer that’s perpendicular to the head. It’s a good trimmer, but it’s awkward to use.

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5. Panasonic ES8243A

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

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The Panasonic ES8243A is an older trimmer, but as the saying goes, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” The 13,000 cuts per minute are relatively slow compared to some modern, top-of-the-line shavers, but it’s more than fast enough to get the job done.

The trimmer pops up at the push of a button and is easy to use. Charging is equally simple. Just plug the shaver in and let it charge. This makes it easy to travel with, but also requires you to clean the shaver manually. Since you don’t have to worry about getting it wet, you can clean it anywhere, including in the shower right after you use it.

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6. Remington HC4250 Hair Clippers (Best Budget)

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

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The Remington HC4250 is a hair clipper, not a shaver. This makes it different from every other product we reviewed because it isn’t going to leave your head as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Instead, it will leave behind a layer of stubble which you’ll still need to manage.

So what are the advantages? To begin with, leaving stubble can give you extra time between trimmings. If you want to keep your head completely smooth, you’ll have to shave it every day – unless you like to have five o’clock shadow on top of your head. Stubble gives you a little more freedom since no one is going to notice a few days of growth.

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7. Braun Smart Control 190s-1

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5.0

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The Braun Smart Control 190s-1 is a straight foil shaver. In theory, it should be gentler than rotary shavers, but in practice, this isn’t the case. Because it has a relatively slow motor, it tends to snag more than straight foil shavers. It also doesn’t have a charging base, which means you’ll have to clean it manually.

That said, this shaver does several things well. To begin with, it’s great for travelers, since it charges directly from the AC adapter, which supports 110 or 220-volt power. It’s also easy to clean under the faucet and includes a bottle of oil for keeping the blade lubricated.

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8. Wahl Professional 8061-100 (Best Value)

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

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The Wahl Professional 8061-100 does one thing better than any other shaver on our list: it’s perfect for people with allergies. Because the foils are made from hypoallergenic gold, there’s no risk of causing yourself to break out in hives or get a rash. The shave itself is very gentle and close, thanks to Wahl’s powerful motor.

There’s no charging station with this unit, which means you’ll have to clean it manually with the cleaning brush that ships with it. That said, the battery lasts for an impressive 60 minutes, and it can also be run while plugged in if you somehow manage to drain the battery.

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9. Philips Norelco Shaver 3100

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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The Philips Norelco 3100 is a solid budget shaver. The rotary head will cut almost any hair, but has a tendency to snag if it’s moved too quickly – or even for no reason at all. It provides several shaves from a single charge, and you can use it as a corded shaver in a pinch.

The pop-up trimmer is similar to other Philips rotary shavers and sticks out at a 90-degree angle, which can make it hard to see what you’re doing. It needs to be cleaned manually, and you’ll have to be careful not to run the shaver’s body under the faucet because it’s not waterproof.

That said, it’s tough to get a close, powerful shave at this price. The 3100 does the job and is a great choice if money is tight.

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Tips For Using a Head Shaver

To shave your head properly, you’ll want to shave with the grain, not against it. Shaving against the grain can give you a slightly closer cut but will leave you with ingrown hairs. You’ll want to start from your hairline and work your way back or across your head, depending on the direction of the grain.

The first few times you do this, it may irritate your skin. Don’t worry. This is normal, and your scalp should get used to it. Think of the first time you shaved your face as a young man. It probably left your face dry and raw, and your scalp is no different. Alcohol-free moisturizer can help reduce itching and dryness.

Don’t go over the same spot more than one time, especially when your scalp is first getting used to being shaved. This can be challenging around cowlicks, where your hair runs in all different directions. If you absolutely have to go over the same area again, do it carefully, without any unnecessary movements.

Conclusion

We hope this review is helpful. As you can see, there are a wide variety of head shavers available. Since everyone’s needs are different, the “best” shaver is going to be the one that addresses your specific needs. Even if none of the shavers we reviewed will work for you, we hope you’ve found some useful pointers you can use to make a better decision.