Electric razors: The closest shave

If you are one of the 36 percent of men who plug in to shave, we can help. Our testers found seven smooth operators, plus a couple of budget models that didn’t make the cut.

The tested foil shavers have one to four heads and blades that oscillate behind a perforated screen. The tested rotary shavers have three circular heads, with cutters that spin behind a fine grid.

For at least a week, a total of 19 volunteers shaved with each device of the type they normally use, and our trained panelists compared their post-shave mugs with grades of sandpaper. We also tested battery life and evaluated noise and features, and how easy shavers were to clean.

Although neither type of shaver was clearly better overall, the top foil shavers outscored the top rotary shavers by a hair. Volunteers had a harder time shaving their chin and upper lip with rotary shavers.

Bottom line

The very good electric shavers cost from $55 to $240. Pick one with the features that are most important to you. Shavers usually have a money-back guarantee, which is helpful: You may need almost a month to adjust to a new shaver.