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6 Best Compact Travel Shavers

6 Best Compact Travel Shavers

December 14, 2019 by Hazel Lake

It’s one thing to get a fantastic shave at home, quite another to get one on the go.

Traveling always introduces a host of complications. What can you bring in your carry on? What’s likely to be confiscated by the TSA? If you’re traveling internationally, it’s important to make sure you have the power adaptors you need. Not to mention your passport and visa. Oh, and culturally and situationally appropriate clothing.

It’s easy for shaving to get lost in all the hullabaloo. You may plan on buying a cheap disposable razor, even knowing that you’ll have irritated skin as a result. Or, you may clutter your bags with your usual shave kit, taking up space and risking damage to your primary shaver.

Or, you can buy a travel shaver. While you can opt for a full-size razor, size matters when you’re traveling. So, we recommend buying a travel shaver. This may be an electric shaver designed for traveling or a compact full-size shaver with minimal accessories and no bulky chargers.

In this list, we’ll discuss what makes a good travel razor, and provide a buying guide for some of the best travel razors you can get today. We’ll also discuss the pros and cons of each, so you can make an informed decision.

Budget
Best-Budget-Travel-Shaver
Panasonic Electric Travel Shaver
4.7/5.0
Shaver Type: Foil Shaver
Battery Style: AA Batteries
Uses Japanese blade design for added durability and function.
Check Amazon
Best Value
Best-Value-Travel-Shaver
Philips Norelco PQ208/40 Travel Electric Razor
4.9/5.0
Shaver Type: Rotary Shaver
Battery Style: AA batteries
Long battery life, lightweight option for backpackers.
Check Amazon
Top Pick
Top-Pick-Travel-Shaver
Braun M90 Mobile Travel Shaver
4.9/5.0
Shaver Type: Foil Shaver
Battery Style: AA batteries
Foil is more effective than most for coarse hair and longer hair.
Check Amazon

Quick Checklist

Before we get into the products, we wanted to provide a shortlist of what to look for in a good travel shaver. We know you’re in a hurry. This list will help you make a good decision, quickly.

Rechargeable or Battery Powered?

This is one of the most important considerations for a travel shaver. Rechargeable shavers work well when their charger is small, but many aren’t. You also might need a plug adaptor if you’re traveling internationally.

Batteries are cheap and universally available. If you’re worried about not having the right adaptor, batteries are the way to go. Look out though, many battery-powered shavers are lower quality. Make sure you’re buying from a well-known and trusted brand.

Foil or Rotary?

In general, we recommend using the same style shaver traveling that you would use at home.

However, rotary shavers are slightly quieter than foils. If you’re likely to be sharing space with other travelers, you may want to opt for a rotary shaver so you can shave without worrying about waking your companions.

Look for Travel Lock and Blade Protection

While blade protectors aren’t very useful at home, they can protect your shaver and your other belongings when you’re on the go.

Travel shavers should have a travel lock feature. While this is on, the shaver won’t activate. That protects your gear against accidental button presses in your carry-on or suitcase.

Short of a travel lock, you should at least purchase a hard case for your shaver. The case will serve the same purpose but is an additional cost.

6 Best Travel Shavers Comparison Table

Product Name Shaver Type Battery Style Battery Life Price
Panasonic Arc5 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver & Trimmer for Men Foil Shaver Rechargeable 45 minutes shave-time on a single charge. Check Price
Philips Norelco PQ208/40 Travel Electric Razor Rotary Shaver AA batteries 60 minutes of shave time on 2 AA batteries Check Price
Green Apple Shaver Shavetech USB Rechargeable Travel Razor Foil Shaver Rechargeable USB Approximately 45 minutes on a single charge Check Price
Braun M90 Mobile Shaver Foil Shaver AA batteries 120 minutes (2 hours) Check Price
Panasonic Electric Travel Shaver Foil Shaver AA Batteries 90 minutes Check Price
Remington Rotary Travel Shaver Rotary Shaver Rechargeable 30 minutes runtime + supports corded operation Check Price

 

6 Best Travel Shavers: Detailed Review

1. Panasonic Arc5 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver & Trimmer for Men

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

Panasonic Arc5 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver & Trimmer for MenView on Amazon

So, we have to come clean on this selection. There used to be an Arc 5 travel model from Panasonic, which was smaller and slightly more travel-friendly than their full-size shavers. But, even though we couldn’t find that model, we didn’t want to exclude the Arc 5 line from our list.

That’s because, despite being a full-size shaver, the Arc 5 is incredibly travel-friendly.

There are a couple of full-size shavers on our list. All of them are travel-friendly, even though they weren’t specifically designed for travel. When we come across them, we’ll make sure to note any weaknesses because the shaver isn’t a travel-specific device.

The Arc 5 is relatively compact, charges in an hour, and delivers a superior shave for an electric shaver. Not quite as close as a safety razor or going to the barber for a trim. But, that’s only to be expected from a safety razor.

This model also has the advantage of providing the same shave quality on the go that it would provide at home. Many travel shavers sacrifice shave quality in favor of being smaller and supporting a longer battery life.

There are two options for charging the battery on the Arc 5. A full charge, which takes approximately 1 hour and delivers 45 minutes of active shave time. Or, a quick charge, which takes only 3 minutes and will allow you to perform a quick shave or clean up the edges of your facial hair on the go.

The Arc 5 is also a wet/dry shaver. That means you can bring along shaving cream, important if you have sensitive skin. Or, you can shave in the shower and take advantage of the heat and water for a closer shave.

The head of the Arc 5 can shift in up to 16 different directions. That lets you get closer to your skin. You’ll have the same quality shave on tricky curves and angles of your face that you get on the flat, easy, spaces.

It’s also easy to clean and maintain. Since it’s fully waterproof, simply running it under a water faucet should be plenty.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type: Wet/dry shaving
Charge Time: 1-hour
Shave Time: 45 minutes
Head: 5 blade shave head, head has 16 directional flexibility
Waterproof: Yes
Battery: Lithium-ion battery
The Pros
Great for sensitive skin
Very close shave
Easy to clean and maintain
Reasonable size for travel
Quick charge
Long battery life
Wet/dry shave capacity
Ergonomic handle very comfortable
The Cons
Not specifically designed for travel, no travel lock
Requires a hard case for safe traveling
Requires a plug adaptor

Almost perfect but has a few cons for traveling worth considering.

2. Philips Norelco PQ208/40 Travel Electric Razor (Best Value)

Editor’s Rating: 4.9/5.0

Philips Norelco PQ208/40 Travel Electric RazorView on Amazon

This little shaver is specifically designed for travel. You can tell in just about every dimension of this rotary shaver. But, despite looking and feeling like a travel shaver, it delivers performance more like a full-size version.

The Philips Travel Shaver is slightly smaller than a cell phone and fully battery powered. That’s perfect for travel. Small enough to tuck into a carry-on and powered by highly accessible standard batteries.

It’s also clear that this is designed for travel since it includes a travel cap. The best way to prevent your shaver from turning on in your luggage is simply to remove the batteries. But, even turned off, clothing fibers and other debris can dull your shaver head, so the cap is a useful addition to its design.

If you’re worried about the first trip with this shaver, don’t be. Philips Norelco backs their travel razor with a 45-day satisfaction guarantee. If you take it with you and the shaver doesn’t perform up to your standards, you can return it.

You’re also covered by a 2-year warranty on the function of the shaver. That’s roughly the same as the standard warranty on a high-quality at-home electric shaver.

However, it does require a shaver brush to properly clean. The brush is included, but you do need to remember it every time you travel.

It’s also worth noting that this is a 2-head rotary shaver. Philips Norelco’s standard, for their non-travel shavers, is 3 heads. That means that this shaver won’t be able to get as close to your skin as a 3 head shaver, and it less gentle.

That said, we’ve still seen a lot of success with this shaver, even on sensitive skin.

Like most shavers, you will need to replace the heads on this shaver occasionally. They recommend replacing every 12 months. But you may be able to go longer if you are only using this as a travel shaver, don’t travel often, and are maintaining the shave head well.

Fortunately, replacement heads are easy to find and affordable.

Plus, since the blades are self-sharpening, you’ll always get a consistent, low-irritation shave.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type: Rotary shaver
Blades: Self-sharpening blades (replacement recommended every 12 months)
Head: 2 head rotary shaver
Battery: 2 AA batteries
Battery life: 60 minutes
Includes: Travel blade cover included, requires cleaning brush
The Pros
Travel protective cap
Small size, perfect for carry-ons and minimal packers
Quiet operation, great for shared hotel rooms and hostels
Long battery life, lightweight option for backpackers
Batteries are easy to find and replace
Reasonably close shave
Self-sharpening blades
Blade head easy to replace
Full 2-year warranty and 45-day satisfaction guarantee
Independently moving blades for better coverage/comfort
The Cons
Not as gentle as full-size rotary shavers
Can be a little small for some grips

3. Green Apple Shaver Shavetech USB Rechargeable Travel Razor

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

Green Apple Shaver Shavetech USB Rechargeable Travel RazorView on Amazon

This little foil shaver is a highly compact option, that works best for men with fine or slow-growing hair. It’s incredibly convenient for business travelers since you can take it with you anywhere, all you need is a USB port to charge.

But, it’s a little simpler than many travel shavers and isn’t designed to handle very long or very coarse facial hair.

The single foil blade is reasonably comfortable and trims well. Cleaning is simple, just pop the top off the shaver and use the included brush to clean the cutting system. It also has a built-in cap that protects the foil and the cutters. (Plus, the cap makes it look like a small iPhone!)

In your hand, this is neither the most comfortable nor the least comfortable shaver. About the size of a smartphone, it’s similarly shaped. The plastic cover is sleek and feels durable in your hand. But there are no ergonomic curves or grip points. Still, for a quick touch-up shave, it’s a fairly comfortable device.

The biggest downside with this shaver is its flexibility. The single foil doesn’t move and flex well with your face, so you’ll need to move your hand and arm to create the angles you need. It’s also not designed for longer hair. We recommend using this shaver 2x a day to avoid pulling and missed hairs.

While coarse hair is a weakness of most foil shavers, it’s worth noting that this single foil shaver is particularly bad when it comes to coarse hair types. While it’s a good travel shaver option if you have relatively fine facial hair, we don’t recommend it to men with particularly coarse/thick hair.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type: Single foil shaver
Item weight: 2.4 oz
Shave Time: 45 minutes
Includes: Plastic case and cap, USB charger (built-in), cleaning brush, and carry pouch
The Pros
Compact and highly portable
Built-in cap protects the foil
Foil is easy to replace
Cleaning brush included, and cleaning is relatively simple
USB charging makes this a good option for international travelers
Small enough to put in your carryon
Charging USB connection built-in, no additional cords or connections needed
Includes a fabric carrying bag for both the shaver and the cleaning brush
The Cons
Not a good option for men with coarse, thick, or fast-growing hair
Can pull on longer hairs, or miss them
Not waterproof
A full charge can take up to 8 hours depending on your USB port (quick charge for an immediate shave is an option)

4. Braun M90 Mobile Shaver (Top Pick)

Editor’s Rating: 4.9/5.0

Braun M90 Mobile ShaverView on Amazon

Braun is one of the biggest names in reliable, comfortable, and effective foil shavers. So, we couldn’t resist when we saw that they were offering a solid travel option, designed to keep your facial hair perfectly groomed on the go.

This foil shaver also functions as a trimmer, thanks to a slide-out cutting guide. We will say that this guide is fairly shallow. If you’re rocking large chops or a long mustache, you may need a separate trimmer.

But, the foil itself is comfortable and effective. While not truly a wet/dry shaver, it does require that you shave dry, the M90 is waterproof enough to clean under running water. Better than most foil shavers for thick/coarse hair types. It also doesn’t have the failing of many foil shavers. The M90 effectively catches most long hairs, regardless of hair type, in a single pass.

Most users will not need to touch up their work as you go.

The M90 also features an innovative twist cap. Fully integrated into the shaver, the cap protects the foil when not in use, and extends the grip of the shaver slightly for added comfort. That extension is important since this is another very small shaver.

It’s also incredibly convenient for backpackers and international travelers. Instead of relying on a plug-in charger, the M90 is powered by 2 AA batteries. While battery-powered shavers usually offer a shorter shave time than rechargeable lithium batteries, the M90’s average battery life is an impressive 120 minutes (yes, 2 full hours) of shave-time.

This shaver got our Top Pick designation for several reasons. It’s a durable machine, backed by a well-known company. It’s small enough to travel with even the lightest travelers. It’s up to the challenge of camping and backpacking. The impressive battery life means you’ll get a lot of shaves out of one set of AA’s.

Overall, this seems like the most travel-friendly of the shavers on our list. It’s effective, affordable, and has impressive performance.

That said, it’s still a foil shaver, so we don’t necessarily recommend this shaver if your at-home shaver is a rotary.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type: Single foil shaver, dry shave only
Design: Floating foil design
Includes: Built-in foil cover extends handle for added comfort while shaving, precision trimmer guide built-in
Waterproof: Waterproof enough to wet-wash the foil
Battery: Powered by 2 AA batteries (first set included)
Battery life: 120-minute average battery life
The Pros
Backed by a well-known shaving company
Battery-powered
Long battery life (120 hours)
Built-in cap is multi-functional
Foil shaver is flexible for added comfort
Foil is more effective than most for coarse hair and longer hair
Built-in trimmer guide for maintaining facial hair
Highly affordable
The Cons
May take multiple passes to fully shave the coarsest hair types
The foil needs to be replaced more often than average

We’re hesitant to truly down rate this shaver. The foil operates well but does show some of the weaknesses of foil shavers.

5. Panasonic Electric Travel Shaver (Best Budget)

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

Panasonic Electric Travel ShaverView on Amazon

If you’re looking for a sleek, comfortable, and effective travel shaver for a bargain, this is a good choice. While many of the shavers on our list are highly affordable (including our Top Pick!), this is one of the most affordable selections we found.

Don’t worry though, we look at more than just price in selecting the Best Bargain product for any list. Just like our Best Value designation, the Best Bargain pick must perform like you paid more for it. This little travel shaver from Panasonic is convenient, well-designed, and even offers wet-dry function our Top Pick doesn’t.

It also features an impressive 90-minute battery life on 2 AA batteries. That means that, for many trips, you won’t need a second pair of batteries. For a greener solution, use rechargeable batteries. Bring 2 pairs just in case but leave the charger at home.

This is a good foil shaver pick if you have sensitive skin. Since it’s a wet/dry shaver, you can use it with shaving creams or gels. It’s waterproof enough to use for a quick touch up in the shower. It’s also fully washable under a water faucet.

They also include a soft pouch with this shaver. The pouch is big enough for the shaver, along with several travel-size grooming products. That means you can keep everything you need for a comfortable and effective shave in one place.

The Panasonic Travel Shaver also features an ergonomic design. One of the first things that’s often scrapped when designers are putting together a travel shaver is comfort in hand. Since it’s assumed that you won’t be using these shavers regularly, or for very long at one time, designers prefer to keep the designs small and make room for batteries and the motor without the curves and advantages of an ergonomic handle.

This shaver is comfortable enough to use full time, though we do understand if you prefer your rechargeable multi-foil shaver for everyday use.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type: Single foil shaver
Item weight: 5 ½ OZ
Operation: Wet/dry
Includes: A travel bag
Cleaning: Clean under running water
Battery: 2 AA batteries
Battery life: 90 minutes
The Pros
Highly affordable
Long battery life
No need to worry about power adaptors requires only AA batteries
Wet/Dry shaver
Easy to clean under running water
Includes a convenient travel pouch
Uses Japanese blade design for added durability and function
The Cons
Batteries not included
Plastic casing scratches relatively easily
Single foil may take multiple passes for a close shave

6. Remington Rotary Travel Shaver

Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0

Remington Rotary Travel ShaverView on Amazon

This is the last shaver on our list. While foil shavers are more popular, especially among travel-sized shavers, we wanted to make sure we got at least one more rotary travel shaver in. Don’t worry, though, we picked this one based on its quality and effectiveness, not its shaver style.

The Remington Travel shaver is the only shaver on our list that supports both battery-powered and corded operation. While you may need power adaptors for international travel, having the option of corded shaving means you’ll never be caught flat-footed in a pinch.

Rotary shavers are also traditionally better for coarse hair types and men with the thickest beards. The Remington Rotary shaver is a great option if you have a particularly whiskery hair type or a lot of hair. While it won’t shave as closely as a foil shaver, you’ll certainly be able to get close enough for good grooming standards.

The dual flexing heads help protect against skin damage and discomfort, while also letting you get a closer shave.

It offers 30 minutes of operation on a single charge. That’s a little light compared with the other shavers on our list. But, so long as you have access to an outlet, it’s not your only option. While this isn’t as good of a backpacking or camping shaver, it’s a good choice for businessmen and other professionals.

Check Price

Tech Specs
Shaver Type:
Charge Time:
Shave Time:
Head:
Waterproof:
Battery:
The Pros
Rotary shaver good for coarse hair
Independently flexing heads provide a close shave and protect your skin
Clip-on plastic guard protects the blades and your stuff during travel
Worldwide voltage compatibility
Lightweight design
The Cons
Requires 8 hours for a full battery charge
When the battery dies (stops charging) it’s not replaceable

Contents

  • Quick Checklist
    • Rechargeable or Battery Powered?
    • Foil or Rotary?
    • Look for Travel Lock and Blade Protection
  • 6 Best Travel Shavers Comparison Table
  • 6 Best Travel Shavers: Detailed Review
    • 1. Panasonic Arc5 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver & Trimmer for Men
    • 2. Philips Norelco PQ208/40 Travel Electric Razor (Best Value)
    • 3. Green Apple Shaver Shavetech USB Rechargeable Travel Razor
    • 4. Braun M90 Mobile Shaver (Top Pick)
    • 5. Panasonic Electric Travel Shaver (Best Budget)
    • 6. Remington Rotary Travel Shaver

Filed Under: Accessories

About Hazel Lake

I'm a hair stylists interested in all of the latest trends. Your hair is the first thing people notice about you. My goal is to provide you with the best information so that you look great!

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