Best Foil Shaver: Top 7 Foil Razors On The Market

Men have been dealing with razors for a long, long time and have suffered many headaches trying to get the perfect cut. Shaving is considered to be one of the rites of passage that separates the boy from the man—and what teenage boy hasn’t cut himself shaving the first few times he handled a razor?

According to research, 64% of young men shave with an electric shaver, many of whom use an electric foil shaver.

Do you know why that is?

It’s because shaving with a manual razor is an antiquated art-form and a one-way-ticket to a bloody face. Foil shavers are a safe, clean and easy alternative to shaving the old-fashioned way.

If you’re still trimming yourself up with the rusty old manual razor then it’s time to make the switch. In this article, we’re going to look at the best foil shavers available on the market—and we’re going to see what they offer, how they can give you a better shave, and which one you should buy.

Take control of your facial hair!

Best Foil Shaver – Comparison

What Is A Foil Shaver?

A foil shaver is a grooming implement that uses oscillating blades to cut hair close to the skin. To protect the skin, a perforated metal cylinder separates the skin from the blades, letting only the hair through. With no contact between blade and skin, there’s less chance of irritation and you get a much more comfortable shave. They’re one of the two types of electric shavers, intended to give their user a close shave without all the hassles of a manual razor.

Most foil shavers generally use multiple foils to catch as many hairs as possible and cut them down close. Some models also include comb trimmers, intended to cut longer hairs for the next foil to pass over the same area. Overall, a foil shaver is used very much like a manual razor: just press it against the area to be shaved, and move it back and forth.

Top 7 Foil Shavers Review

With so many shavers on the market, we had to narrow it down to just a few. The seven listed below are our choices for the best foil razor, and they fall in several price points, from high-end to budget.

Braun Series 9 9290cc

You’ll see a lot of Braun on this list, and that’s because foil shavers are their thing, from cheap to high-end. Our top pick on this list is their high-end option, the Series 9.

The box contains the shaver, its cleaning station and a cartridge, the charger, a travel case, and a cleaning brush. The shaver itself is silver plastic and black rubber, with the rubber dotted to provide a better grip.

The head has four shaving elements, despite Braun’s claims of five. On the outside are two foils, which are Braun’s OptiFoil design with hexagonal perforations that can better capture hair to be cut. On the inside are two trimmers. One is the Direct & Cut trimmer, intended to cut hair growing at an angle and to trim hair down to a shorter length so that the OptiFoils can get at them. The other is the gold HyperLift & Cut trimmer, which goes for the hairs lying flat against the skin.

The fifth is the SkinGuard, which is a little strip of metal that keeps the blades away from close contact with the skin, but honestly, it doesn’t provide any cutting power.

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All of these are on a floating mount inside the head. The head itself is flexible in ten directions, letting it follow the contours of your face. There’s also a trimmer on the back for little jobs around the face, like shaping sideburns. It pushes out from the body.

The battery lasts for 50 minutes, and 60 minutes in the charging station gets it back to a full charge. The LED display shows your battery status, usually as a five-bar indicator. When you dip below nine minutes of shaving time, it displays an exact number.

The Series 9 is also fully waterproof, so you can take it into the shower and use shaving cream. It’s also one of the gentlest possible shaves on the market, so even if you do have sensitive skin, you can shave dry and not feel much of a difference.

You might also find the Series 9 sold with a slightly different model number. The only functional difference is that model numbers with a cc at the end (like this one) come with an included cleaning station; if it has an s on the end, it’s just a charging stand.

It has only two faults: it’s expensive, and it’s finicky. The price-tag is to be expected for its performance, but you’ll also need to purchase cartridges for the cleaning station. In terms of its fussiness, you can’t just stick the Series 9 into the charging station when you’re done; you have to wash off any residue left then leave it to dry before you can return it to the station.

It may be a fussy little device, but it’s well worth the cost, and there’s no better foil shaver on the market than the Braun Series 9. No other shaver on the market gives you such an effortless, smooth shave.

Braun Series 7 790cc

The Series 9 is all about quality. The Series 7 instead goes for options. You might think it’s the cheaper little brother of the Series 9, but it’s got its own charms that make it more than just that.

You get the same items out of the box: shaver, cleaning station with a cartridge, charger, travel case, cleaning brush. It looks a little like its more expensive brother: the same silver plastic front and black rubber back, but its face is a little different.

The head is smaller with only three shaving elements. It’s got two OptiFoils and an ActiveLift trimmer in between. They’re also on a floating mount, and the head is also flexible, so the foils and trimmer can follow the contours of your face. You can also lock the head in place if you deem it necessary. Overall, there’s not much difference between the Series 9 and the Series 7 in terms of shaving competence. The trimmer is still there, though it’s been moved to the front.

Where the Series 7 shines is in options. The + and – buttons on either side of the power button let you switch between three shaving modes between turbo to sensitive, based on the kind of experience you want. On the tail is a circular display that shows battery life and shaver hygiene state. It’ll also notify you when it’s time to replace the foils.

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The battery is pretty much the same one mounted on the Series 9: you get 50 minutes uptime, and it needs an hour to charge. If you run flat, there’s a five-minute quick charge.

Just like the Series 9, Braun sells the Series 7 as several different models. Recently, they’ve updated the line, with the updated models having a four-digit number. The old versions have only three digits. Regardless, the differences are minor, and the convention from the Series 9 stays true: cc denotes a model with a cleaning station, s models only have a charger. Some models are for dry shaving only. The updated models have five shaving settings to the three on the older ones, and their cleaning stations are simplified.

The Series 7 is advertised as wet shave capable, but only for a narrow definition. You can take it into the shower and you can shave wet skin, but it won’t work with shaving cream; it just sprays the cream all over the place and voids your warranty with Braun. Another downside is that the locking mechanism is a little fragile, breaking under excessive pressure.

Overall, if you can’t quite afford the price required of a Series 9, then a Braun Series 7 will serve you just as well.

Panasonic Arc5 Wet Dry – ES-LV95-S

Braun is the name to beat when it comes to European shavers. When it’s Japan we’re looking at, the name is Panasonic. The ARC5 is their answer to the Braun Series 9, their top-shelf option.

The box comes with the shaver, the cleaning station and a detergent packet, a charger, and a leather travel case. The shaver itself is a big, solid thing that promises power, with a minimalist black-and-silver color scheme. As you’d expect, the back is mostly rubber for a better grip. The body itself fits quite nicely in the hand, though it’s a mite top-heavy.

The ARC5 has five shaving elements, and all of them actually do help shave. It has four foils and a comb blade in the middle. The cutting works from the inside out: the comb blade takes care of long hairs, cutting them down to size, then the four foils lift and cut the now-shorter hairs. The two outer foils have a slightly different arrangement to their perforations, which lets them catch any hairs that got past the two inner foils.

The head is set on a pivot mount so that it follows the contours of your face. If necessary, there’s a toggle on the back that lets you lock it into place. That toggle can also deploy a pop-out trimmer on the back of the head, good for detail work and other little jobs around the face, or for pre-trimming to a length that the foils can handle.

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Its battery life is comparable to Braun’s best: 45 minutes of shaving time, 60 minutes to charge it back to full. If necessary, you have the option of a 5-minute quick charge which gets you 3 minutes of use. There are two ways to charge it: either put it into the cleaning station or the usual way, with the charger. The LED display on the front shows your charge status.

Like Braun, Panasonic sells several different forms of the Arc5, with only minor differences to choose from; the most visible change is how the front of the shaver looks, but with no real difference in performance. Some are also sold without the cleaning station. Check the model number to be sure; a model number with a 9 in it like this one has a cleaning station; a different number in that spot won’t come with the cleaning station.

Its main downside is that the sheer size of the head means it doesn’t quite fit very well in the tight spaces of your face. It can be a dicey proposition to get it cutting around the mouth and the nose. There’s also the price tag to consider, but then you do get what you pay for.

If you’re willing to meet the price, then the Panasonic Arc5 offers much superior wet performance to the Braun Series 9. If you prefer Panasonic, it’s the best foil shaver on the market.

Braun Series 5 5145S

Continuing on the Braun theme, the Series 5 is Braun’s mid-range line. The box comes with the shaver, the charger, a traveling case, and a cleaning brush. The shaver itself still has the same general silhouette, but this time it’s all in black. You get the same combination of plastic front and rubber back for grip, and the rubber is dotted to help you keep that grip.

The head has three cutting elements: two SensoFoil blades and an ActiLift trimmer in between the two. It’s the same deal as with the previous shaver heads: the foils handle the typical job of shaving down hairs as close as possible, while the ActiLift trimmer cuts down flat-lying hairs and anything growing at an angle. They’re all mounted on a flexible head, allowing for contour-following shaving, though you can also lock this into place if necessary. Similar to its more expensive labelmates, it also has a slide-out precision trimmer on the back for detail work.

The battery is lithium-ion, providing the performance you’d expect out of a Braun shaver: 50 minutes shaving time from a 60-minute charge There’s a battery display up front beneath the power button, showing three battery levels; the last bar blinks red when it’s close to dead. It’s fully waterproof in every possible sense: you can use it in the shower, underwater, or with shaving cream.

The other models of the Series 5 are the typical spread. As always, models with a cc have a cleaning station, models with an s don’t (like this one). Some other models are dry shave only. You get the same performance no matter what, except for the dry-only ones, so make sure to look closely at the model number and be sure of what you’re getting.

Its main faults are more in other areas than performance. While you can’t expect much out of the trimmer, it’s still a bit on the small side and the curved blade means you have to tilt it a little to get more blade in contact with your hair. Plus it doesn’t extend beyond the head, which means the head blocks your view in the mirror. It’s also a pain to clean manually; a quick rinse won’t be enough to do it, you have to go in, remove the shaving cassette from the head, and apply the brush.

In all, the Braun Series 5 is a very good mid-range foil shaver. None of its faults get in the way too badly, and you’re always assured of Braun’s typically excellent performance.

Panasonic Arc4 ES8243AA

Take one foil off an Arc5, and you have an Arc4, Panasonic’s mid-range shaver and their answer to the Braun Series 5. Okay, it’s a little bit more than that, but you get the general idea.

Open up the box, and you get the shaver, the charger, a leather travel case, and a plastic cap to protect the shaver head. The shaver itself isn’t quite as chunky as the Arc5, but it fits just as well in the hand.

The head has four cutting elements: three foils and a comb trimmer placed behind the first two foils. Same idea here: the first two foils take care of most of the work, then anything at an odd angle gets caught by the comb trimmer and cut down to size for the last foil to handle. These are all mounted onto the flexible head, which follows the surfaces of your face, and you can also lock it into position with a switch on the side. There’s also a pop-up shaver on the back of the head for shaping facial hair.

No surprises with the battery life: 45 minutes running, 60 minutes charging. It’s the LCD screen in front that makes it convenient, what with a ten-stage display for battery life, and reminder indicators for you to cleaning and blade replacement. It’s also completely waterproof, so it’s safe in the shower, under the tap, and with shaving cream.

Most of the time, a different model number is just the same shaver, with only the extras being different. The Arc4 has a different form factor: some models have an offset Multi-Flex neck with better pivoting and contour-following capability and a dual motor. However, these models also have a chunkier head, with all the attendant problems. Also, this specific model (the ES8243A) has a slightly weaker motor than the others: it runs at 13,000 RPM where the others run at 14,000 RPM.

Its main downside is the head, same as the Arc5. The Arc4 has difficulty fitting into smaller spaces around the face, especially the models with the Multi-Flex head. It also doesn’t deal very well with longer hair, even more over a typical shaver. If you shave every day, you won’t notice, but if you go more than three days between shaves, you’ll need to pre-trim your hair to a length that the Arc4 can catch.

The Panasonic Arc4 delivers competent performance at a very reasonable price. A solid buy no matter how you slice it.

Braun Series 3 ProSkin 3040s

The Series 3 is Braun’s entry-level option, intended to give you a close shave while remaining cheap. The box includes the shaver, the charger, a plastic cap to protect the foils, and a cleaning brush. The shaver itself is slightly different in silhouette compared to its more expensive labelmates, as it doesn’t have a distinct head; the shaving elements are mounted at the end. The front and back are a typical plastic case, while the sides are blue rubber, dotted for better grip.

Speaking of those elements, you get two SensoFoils and a MicroComb blade. The MicroComb has a comb around it that feeds hairs into the blade, letting it catch anything the foils can’t handle. While there’s no pivoting head, all three blades do have pivoting mounts, so they will conform to your face and cut close. On the back is a sliding trimmer for precision work, just like the more expensive models.

Power is supplied not by a lithium-ion battery, but two built-in NiMH batteries. As far as use is concerned, there’s no difference: you get 45 minutes of shaving time from 60 minutes of charging, and there’s even a 5-minute quick charge in case you need a shave right that moment. Battery life is indicated by a three-level indicator in front. The Series 3 is also fully waterproof and wet shave compatible.

There are three main model lines of the Series 3: the basic model, the ProSkin line, and the Shave&Style line. In all cases, the differences are again minor. The basic model looks slightly different compared to the other two, but it’s all the same cutting elements and motor inside, so it’s the extras that make a difference. The basic model is the shaver only, Shave&Style includes a set of extras for hair styling, and two ProSkin models include cleaning stations.

Of course, when you’re entry-level, you have to give up features to keep the price low. There’s no travel lock, so you’ll have to be careful if it’s bouncing around your luggage. The shaving cassette is held in place with no release catch, which means you have to pull it off to clean. And the battery indicator isn’t much help when it’s only three levels.

However, all of these are only nitpicks on a shaver that hits all the notes it needs to hit. In terms of performance, the Braun Series 3 delivers while remaining at an excellent price.

Remington F5-5800 Foil Shaver

And now for something from a different manufacturer. Braun and Panasonic may be big names, but Remington is just as notable a figure in the world of personal grooming products, and their F5-5800 is a good entry into the mid-range shaver market.

The box comes with the shaver, the charger, and a cleaning brush. The shaver itself is silvery plastic and black rubber, with indentations on each side to provide a natural place to grip. Overall, there’s no worry of the F5-5800 falling out of your hand in use.

The head mounts two foils and an ‘Intercept Trimmer’, which is to say it’s got the same arrangement as the shavers above, and the same working principle: the foils take care of anything that gets through their holes, and the central trimmer cuts any longer or oddly-angled hairs to a length that the next foil can handle. The head is mounted on a pivot that lets it move back and forth, while the three cutting elements are also mobile. On the back of the F5-5800 is a pop-up trimmer, good for sideburns, facial hair, and similar detail work.

It runs off a NiMH battery with the standard battery life and charge time: 60 minutes working, 60 minutes charging. A 5-minute quick charge is also available. Charge status is indicated by a very helpful LED battery gauge underneath the power button with six levels. Unlike most other shavers, it’s usable both corded and cordless. This does mean that it’s not waterproof; while the head is washable, it’s not shower-safe or wet shave capable.

Unlike the other shavers, Remington only sells the one model, so there aren’t any variants or other extras to worry about.

Its main downside is that it doesn’t play well with water. This limits your options quite a bit, especially since you can’t use shaving cream; if you have sensitive skin, you might want to look at a different shaver. In terms of performance, the head only tilts back and forth, limiting its range of motion and its contour-following capability. Lastly, if your grooming session goes on for an extended time, you may feel it getting warm in your hand.

It may be a bit bare-bones, but the Remington F5-5800 is an excellent mid-range shaver. If you prefer to run corded, or you’re just tired of Panasonic and Braun, Remington has your back.

Why Choose A Foil Shaver?

Now that we’ve seen the best of what’s on the market, you may be wondering: What do the best electric foil shavers offer over a manual razor or a rotary shaver?

A Buyer’s Guide To Foil Shavers

There are a lot of foil shavers on the market, and there are many factors that go into what makes a good shaver. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, so this section shows you what we look for in a good foil shaver.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Shaving With A Foil Shaver

Along with our guide above, here is also a short guide to using your foil shaver. Don’t worry, it’s a lot easier than it looks. It’s even easier than a manual razor.

Step 1: Prepare Your Tools

Make sure everything you need is where you need it. That means your shaver, soap, a towel, and other products you might be using: shaving cream, for instance. You don’t want to have to step out and grab something because you forgot, as that wastes time.

Step 2: Decide Your Style

Consider what kind of look you want to show. Depending on your level of body hair and your desired look, you may have to service multiple areas of your face and head. Is it just the facial hair? Or are you also shaving clean your neck and sideburns? Or are you just taking everything off? Regardless of which style you choose, it’s best to know exactly what you want, so you know where to concentrate on.

Step 3: Moisten And Warm Up

Get your face warmed up and your facial hair moistened. This can be done in any way you choose: washing your face with warm water or a warm face cloth, or a straight-up hot shower. This will soften your facial hair and make it easier to cut without irritating the skin.

Step 4: Find The Grain

Note how your facial grows and rub it under your fingers to find out where the grain is pointing. When the hair lies flat when rubbing in a particular direction, that’s the grain. Shaving in the same direction as the grain helps reduce irritation and ingrown hairs. Electric shavers are a lot gentler on the skin, so you can shave against the grain if you like; this gets you a closer shave. If you’re using shaving cream or similar such products, slap it on before you start shaving.

Step 5: Shave

Foil shavers handle like a manual razor, just move back and forth. Press the shaver to your face and move, either up and down or side to side, depending on what’s appropriate for that surface. Don’t push too hard, let the shaver do the work, and besides, pushing too hard can irritate the skin. Pull the skin taut to provide a flat surface, which lets the foils cut close to the skin.

Step 6: Aftercare

Once the shave is complete, give your skin a little bit of care afterward. Rinse with cold water, as this tightens the pores and hair follicles. Apply a balm or moisturizer, especially if you have sensitive skin, and avoid alcohol-based aftershave.

Foil Shavers: Care And Maintenance

Of course, you can’t just forget about your shaver after you’re done grooming; they still need aftercare just as much as you do. This is where a waterproof shaver comes in handy. With one, all you need to do is run your shaver under a tap for about a minute or two. After that rinse, leave your shaver on a towel to dry off before you put it back into a case, as this helps.

If you have a shaver with a cleaning station, then this is even easier: just stick the shaver into the station and it’ll do most of the cleaning for you. This depends on the model, of course; some cleaning stations ask you to rinse off the residue first before putting the shaver in, so read your model’s operating manual thoroughly to be sure of what you need to do.

Just like your typical manual razor, blades will dull over time, so you’ll need to switch out the foils every so often. A single foil will generally last you about 12 to 18 months, though this may be shorter depending on how often you shave and how coarse your hair is.

Foil Shavers Versus Rotary Shavers

A foil shaver is intended to give you the closest possible shave and to be used the same way as a manual razor. That’s why they’re laid out the way they are, almost universally with a head. However, the insistence on having a head that can accommodate the foils means that foil shavers aren’t quite as good at dealing with facial contours and hairs sticking out at weird angles.

Rotary shavers work on slightly different principles and are used differently as well. Instead of the perforated foils, they use circular blades. The worse examples can be a bit rough on sensitive skin, but there’s no doubting their performance against thick hairs. The different design of their shaver heads also means that they deal much better with contours and oddly-angled hairs than foil shavers. Their downside is that the shave isn’t quite as close.

If you want a close shave and a shaving style and experience that’s basically a manual razor but without the accompanying headaches, that’s what a foil shaver exists to provide you with.

Conclusion

It’s pretty simple—when you want the closest electric shave possible, nothing works better than a foil shaver. If you’re the type who goes for clean-shaven facial hair 24/7, then foil shavers are the device for you! You can get a shave that’s as close as a manual razor, for a fraction of the effort and the headache and with a lot less skin irritation.

So, whether you prefer the budget value of a Braun Series 3 or the supreme shaving power of a Braun Series 9, there’s a foil shaver for your needs. I hope this article has neatly outlined the best foil shavers on the market so you can achieve your best look. Don’t wait up, get yours today!