There’s a choice when it comes to shaving: wet or dry. Many people believe that an electric shaver is a poor substitute for a naked blade and shaving foam, but today’s dry shavers by and large produce good results, without taking off a surface layer of skin cells, as a razor does. If you do decide to give one a go, stick with it for at least two weeks, as this gives your skin a chance to adapt.

Some shavers are waterproof so they work in the shower, and others, such as the Philips Coolskin, attempt to simulate the experience of wet shaving by releasing moisturiser. Don’t be misled, though: electric shavers work best in the absence of water.

There are two broad categories: foil and rotary. The former type employs a cutting block of blades that oscillates from side to side behind a thin perforated steel foil. More sophisticated models, such as the Braun Pulsonic, have multiple foils. Rotary shavers have two or three spinning circular blades, which in many models flex to accommodate facial contours.

Most shavers work without fuss above the jawline. What separates a good shaver from a poor one is how it handles the neck and especially the area around the Adam’s apple. In general, foil shavers make neck shaving easier as the area of skin touched is smaller, enabling you to get in closer.

Another key factor is the calibre of the long-hair trimmer – an essential tool for chopping a tricky patch or tidying up sideburns – and foil models usually have a wider and more effective one. Rotary shavers cover a larger surface area and so can work faster overall. The relative merits of the two systems are subjective, though, so if you have found one type unsatisfactory, try the other.

Most electric shavers are sold in a range of models that usually offer identical shaving performance but have different peripheral features such as a digital display or a faster recharging time. Opt for the best shaver you can afford but don’t be taken in by bells and whistles. Do you really need a display to tell you that you have 28min of shaving time left, rather than a half-full-battery icon?

Today’s models all feature a rechargeable battery that gives up to an hour of shaving and work cordlessly once charged. This renders the two-pin bathroom plug largely redundant, yet as most models are supplied with it, you must buy a UK-plug adaptor.

Although electric shavers don’t need the day-to-day shaving accoutrements of blades and lubricants, they do tend to require expensive cutting parts about once a year. You can extend the life of your blades by regularly cleaning the shaver, and some come with a handy self-cleaning system, which itself needs refill cartridges. The marketing talk about water-based electric shaving is hokum; even so, all the models tested can be rinsed clean under a tap, which is a pragmatic innovation.

Ultimately, shaving is such a personal experience that you’ll need to find a model that suits you. Choose well and your trusty tool will serve you for years and make nicks and skin infections a memory.

CUTTING EDGE

Braun Pulsonic 9595 – typically £250, or £200 from www.argos.co.uk

Ultimate electric shaver, at a sharp price

You might ask who in their right mind would pay £250 for a shaver, but Braun hopes men will do just that to acquire its top-end model. As you might expect, it is comfortable to hold and comes with a slightly upgraded version of Braun’s self-clean and recharge unit that was featured on previous models. The cutting block pivots more widely than previously and we found that it shaved particularly well, even around the Adam’s apple. The retractable long-hair cutter is narrow but proved effective too, and a screen shows useful information such as battery charge in minutes. Still the king of shavers, even if it’s only a modest improvement on its predecessors.

IN A SPIN

Philips Arcitec RQ1095 – typically £250, or £180 from www.shavers.co.uk

Great for rotary lovers despite niggles

Most rotary-style shavers are unwieldy but the Arcitec felt slim in the hand. Its three rotating blades flex individually and provide either a convex or a concave shape to fit the contours of the face. The blades worked particularly well on the tricky neck areas, and this Philips gave the second best shave overall. It was uncomfortable at some angles, though, and initially caused a slight rash. The Arcitec has a clear display that shows how many minutes of shaving remain. It is sold with a huge cleaning and recharging unit; and the large travel case for recharging away from home is barely more convenient. As with its Coolskin brother (see below), you have to remove the main blade head to operate a puny trimmer for long hair.

VERSATILE STYLE

Braun CruZer4 2838 – typically £70, or £60 from www.johnlewis.com

Serviceable, with some swish features

Teenagers wanting sharp Lewis Hamilton sideburns will get a buzz from the CruZer4. It boasts two retractable long-hair trimmers (one narrow and one wide) and in combination they proved great for precision facial hair. Unruly beards can also be kept neat with the supplied trimming guards. This neat-looking shaver is both slimmer and lighter than the Pulsonic, although there’s no self-cleaning system and the overall shave was merely competent compared with that given by similarly priced models, mainly because of the basic single-foil design of the cutting block. There is no indicator of how much battery charge remains, and the battery lasts only 30min. While it’s decent value and credible, it looks better than it actually is.

TOO CLEVER BY HALF

Philips Coolskin HS8060 – typically £150, or £90 from www.pixmania.co.uk

Credible shaver hampered by moisturiser

This model releases a special moisturiser at the press of a button, which allegedly creates the effect of a wet shave – especially if used in the shower. It comes with a recharging station that also keeps the shaver topped up with gunk – slightly easier than filling it directly. The Coolskin’s bright blue casing is smart and the three pivoting blades gave a creditable shave in normal conditions. However, delivering the right amount of moisturiser proved tricky, and the fluid-release button is too close to the power control. Cold, wet, slimy shaves felt counterintuitive. Worse, though, was that the fragranced goo irritated the skin. A decent shaver ruined by its attempt to be clever.

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

Panasonic ES 8163s Pro-Curve – typically £140, or £117 from www.qed-uk.com

Competent shaver that claims shower powers

This Panasonic is fully water-resistant and makes a virtue of allowing users to shave in the shower. The long-hair trimmer pivots outward at 90 degrees, which made it easy to operate and marginally the most effective on test, and an LCD shows the percentage of charge remaining. Unusually, the head pivots from side to side, which proved a less flexible design than rivals. There is no self-cleaning system, and the idea of shaving in the shower is flawed; using foam, as Panasonic suggests, made matters worse, soon clogging the blades. The shaver worked far better in dry conditions, but even then it was unexceptional and made the most noise.

HARD AS NAILS

Remington R530 R5 Diamond series – typically £90, or £60 from www.amazon.co.uk

Chunky monkey boasting long-life blades

This three-head rotary shaver is solidly made yet too chunky for most hands. The “Diamond” moniker refers to the “diamond-like” carbon-coated blades, which Remington claims are four times harder than regular steel blades and hence last longer. Perhaps so, but the problem is that the rotating heads have a larger nonshaving centre spot than is the case with some rivals, resulting in a reduced active cutting area and a slower shave. In addition, the blades’ range of movement is far smaller than on either Philips model. The long-hair trimmer pivots out helpfully but is actually of limited use. The Remington provided the least satisfying shave of all the units here.

JARGON BUSTER

Rotary shaver A model with two or three rotating blade-bearing heads that lift the stubble and then cut it

Foil shaver A model with a single cutting block of multiple blades that vibrates under a thin perforated steel foil

Long-hair trimmer Tool on most shavers used for precise finishing or cutting down hairs that are difficult to reach.

Self-clean unit Gizmo supplied with some models that can freshen the shaver’s head and often recharge it too

Reviews by David Phelan Prices include Vat & delivery