The test of electric razors on our men: who shaved to a shine?

So we came up with the idea – to make a big comparison test of various electric razors. It lasted more than half a year. There are very objective reasons for this. It takes about a month to get used to your new shaver. We made it a condition that each test participant use one shaver for 5 weeks before completing a questionnaire with their answers and their scores. Considering that there were five shavers in the test, the test simply took 25 weeks!

It wouldn’t have worked without the men

You can’t judge a razor by 1-2 shaves: You have to get used to it. Experts believe that the adaptation period takes about a month. So the “quick” shave tests – take it, shave it, take a picture, write it down – don’t quite reflect the real situation.

Since in many ways the evaluation of a shaver is a very subjective concept, we are appealing in our test to the opinion of not one user, but a group of.

All of the razors were given out to the average man, the youngest of whom had just joined the barber class, and the most experienced had been shaving for over 30 years. Originally we wanted to mask the brand names to make the testing as objective as possible, but we abandoned this idea: the shavers are recognizable, the brands are also written on chargers, boxes and manuals – in general we could not hide the names, and of course sometimes men fell under the spell of the brand.

But, by the way, if the inflated expectations were not met, then even the big-name shavers on some parameters received very low scores. Because the razor is an individual device, we didn’t hand the same razor over from hand to hand: each tester used his or her own copy of the. Thanks to this, we were able to objectively evaluate the work of several shavers, rather than one sample, which also helped create a more objective picture.

Main actors

So, among the participants, two models for dry wet shaving Philips AT890 and Panasonic ES-SL41 and only three – for dry Braun 3 390cc, Mikma 350R, Sinbo SS 4033

Two rotary Philips AT890 and Mikma 350R and three mesh Panasonic ES-SL41, Braun 3390cc, Sinbo SS 4033

Two working on battery and network Braun 3390cc, Mikma 350R , and three cordless Philips AT890, Panasonic ES-SL41, Sinbo SS 4033

One travel Sinbo SS 4033 ,

two with a warranty period of two years Philips AT890, Braun 3 390cc .

Our contestants

How we evaluated

After completing work with the shaver, each tester filled out a questionnaire with the name of the shaver, where they put their marks on functionality and ergonomics. We have processed all questionnaires, and the scores are averaged.

We also tested how long it takes to charge the shaver and run it until it is fully discharged idle . We “dropped” each razor on a tiled floor in the bathroom, testing its resistance to impact.

Another aspect: the price/performance ratio. We felt the desire of some manufacturers to become more accessible to a wide range of users in America, and could not pass by the desire of other manufacturers to equip their shavers with useful, but not cheap accessories.

The main thing is that it shaves

We asked all shavers to describe in detail how the shaver feels on different parts of your face. It’s one thing to shave your cheeks, but it’s another thing to shave your upper lip or neck. In general, less than 50% of men use electric razors: the machine is out of the competition so far. But we are happy to report that after taking part in our razor test, some of the male participants changed their minds, and decided to go with an electric razor – and saw that it was just as good as a razor.

Separately, we were asked to evaluate the condition of the skin after shaving. After all, all men are known to have delicate skin you can tell from their individual scores and from sales of beauty products for men with sensitive skin .

The amazing thing: nearly every test participant reported that I experienced irritation after the first shave, but after few shaves, the skin became used to it and stopped reacting. Cleanliness is of course another attribute – using a dirty razor increases the chance of irritation.

Functionality. Dry shave.

Not a single device received an excellent rating. While some respondents even rated the electric razors “A” for shaving cheeks, the results for neck and upper lip were even lower.

Functionality. Wet shave

We have evaluated two shavers that have this feature.

Virtually everyone likes a wet shave better than a dry one. Only one of the shaver testers didn’t notice the difference between these methods. If you’re still hesitating about whether to splurge on a shaver with this option, maybe other people’s positive reviews will tell you the right decision.

The most interesting thing is that the skin condition after this procedure is much better: no irritation, dryness and discomfort.

Ergonomics is very important

Shaving is usually a morning process. So it’s important that nothing irritates or spoils your mood, which is often on edge in the morning. If you don’t like what you shave, it’s more likely to end up on a shelf, or in the worst case, in the trash.

Read the detailed report on each razor next and here are the overall results.

We summed up the scores of our testers arithmetic mean and then divided by four the number of items evaluated .

We give half a point each to the shavers that weigh best their shape/weight ratio is commended by all users , and also note the shaver’s special replacement block indication. It is convenient when there is a clue orienting to the real situation, rather than a general term for all, which does not take into account the peculiarities of individual operation of the device. In addition, the retractable trimmer is an option that also deserves an extra half point. But here we took away half a point from the most massive shaver for weight, especially since most testers noticed that it is a bit heavy.

Ergonomics

Battery and charging

Since the shavers are battery powered, convenience and charging time become very important parameters. We calculated the points as follows: the presence of an option – is + 1 point, the total of important options – 9, so the points received were divided by 9 to get the result.

In principle, everything is explained: the most expensive shavers are “packed” with all sorts of indicators, and where manufacturers wanted to reduce the price of their product, they sacrificed the display and the availability of fast charging. The exception is the Mikma 350R, a American inexpensive razor, but equipped with a lot of indicators, which allowed it to become one of the leaders in this part of the test.

We were surprised by the no-load operation tests: it is clear that no-load shavers work longer. But some Panasonic, Philips have significantly longer measured times, which is nothing short of encouraging.

Battery and charger

Let’s calculate the expenses

A razor is a must-have, but I wish the price for this device was adequate. It is clear that everyone’s wallet size is different, and what seems expensive to one person is quite affordable to another. And yet…

Braun offered a cleaning device for your razor that requires you to periodically refill the cartridges to be effective. It is not only expensive, but also inconvenient, especially since they are not available in all stores. Not only participants of our test complained on inaccessibility and high price of the cartridges: there are not only dissatisfied reviews, so we took off one point from the shaver in this parameter.

Panasonic created this shaver especially for young people: it does not skimp on design and quality of blades, saved on charging it affected our estimate and engine speed, but managed to keep quite a low price if you compare it to other shavers of this manufacturer .

We think it’s important to acknowledge this company’s commitment to creating affordable, beautiful things, so we add one point to their. We did not add or subtract points to the other companies, as we consider the price adequate to the quality of the product.

Value for money

Totals

The best part is – it makes you want to hear the drum roll… But at the same time, we understand that our choice of razor is largely a matter of habit. Even in our test group, after men have tried so many new products, many after the test with a noticeable relief and pleasure returned to shaving with their old shavers … The choice is always the buyer and the user. What we got was this:

Taking into account all the nuances, the Panasonic ES-SL41 shaver scored higher due to its wet shaving capabilities and very affordable price.

If you disregard the price, the Philips AT890 takes the lead – an expensive quality product from a well known world manufacturer, and a European assembly.

If you ignore the wet shave and do not pay attention to the need to buy cartridges, and look only at the dry shave, the leader is Braun 3390cc. This shaver scored higher for functionality and information about charging and shaver status.

The Mikma 350R shaver showed very good results and we are proud that the American manufacturer offers a good shaver at the price that most Americans can afford.

From a road shaver Sinbo SS 4033 no one expected such a high score for functionality and ergonomics. So we can say that we have in front of us a very good travel razor.

Test result

*Without price.

**Wet shaving rate included.

Thank you for allowing us to test

A. Glagoleva Braun , I. Igonina Mikma , S. Kirilkina Panasonic , E. Clark Philips , Z. Yakovlevu Sinbo .