Foil shavers use oscillating blades under a perforated foil to cut the hair and are available with single, dual or multiple foil heads. Rotary shavers use two or three circular rotating heads to lift and cut the hair. We haven't found a difference in ease of use or performance, based on blade type.

We recommend shavers that score with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 75% or more.

This overall score is made up of ease of use (50%), skin feel (40%) and battery (10%).

Ease of use assesses changing heads/blades, charging, cleaning, control, grip, instructions (quality and detail), trimmer performance, battery life, time required for a full shaving routine and vibration and comfort. All weighted equally.

Based on feedback from the in-house expert trail. Foil and rotary models are split evenly between the four experts, with two using foil and two using rotary models.

We test the battery performance of each shaver in our CHOICE labs by assessing the operating and charging times.

Measured total operating time of the battery until it's completely depleted, in minutes.

Measured at a distance of 10cm from the shaver.

This is the recommended retail price as of August 2024.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our CHOICE Expert Rating. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

As claimed by the manufacturer.

Can be used with water or a shaving balm, oil or foam to ease irritation.

Washable models can be quicker and easier to clean, compared to non-washable models that can only be cleaned with a dry brush or cloth.

As claimed by the manufacturer.

Locks the shaver head in position (either a single position or multiple positions). It can be particularly useful when shaving hard to reach areas. 

Essential if you like to style your moustache, beard or sideburns.

Some models have a separate trimmer head that you need to swap before using this mode.

Available in a variety of styles such as hard or soft, zipper or clasp etc. Pouches may also be sold separately.

Some models come with a dual self-cleaning/charging block, while others have a sonic vibration cleaning mode.