Canstar Blue’s 2019 review of electric shavers has seen Philips, Braun, Remington, Panasonic and Kmart rated on their performance & reliability, value for money, comfort, ease of use and overall customer satisfaction.
Philips has glided back into top spot in Canstar Blue’s 2019 electric shaver ratings. With five-star reviews for performance & reliability, value for money, comfort, ease of use and overall satisfaction, the win was no close shave.
Whether it’s on your face or on your legs, sometimes we just don’t want hair there! Keeping your skin smooth and trimmed can be tricky – it can be hard to get your skin completely smooth with a dodgy shaver, not to mention that the wrong shaver could irritate your skin. When it’s part of your regular grooming routine, it pays to invest in a reliable, long-lasting tool. That being said, does price correlate with performance, or can the cheaper brands outdo the higher priced brands?
That’s a question we seek to answer in our annual review of electric shavers. Before you head to the store, we want to give you as much information about the compared brands as possible, making that purchase decision a little easier. You can thank us later. So, what did we do and what did we find?
To find out which electric shavers are impressing most, we surveyed hundreds of men and women across Australia. In this year’s review, Aussies who chose Philips electric shavers were clearly the most satisfied with their purchase, giving the brand top marks in every single ratings category. That’s a very impressive performance on its own, but it’s even more so given that only one other brand managed to achieve any five-star ratings, with the rest left on three or four stars for each variable.
Canstar Blue’s 2019 electric shavers review saw five brands compared, rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:
Braun, Remington and Panasonic all secured four stars for overall satisfaction, while Kmart was left on three stars. Other notable results include Braun being the only other brand aside from Philips to get top marks on performance and reliability, comfort and ease of use.
Read on for an overview of what the five brands in our report have to offer, as well as some purchasing tips for when you go in search of your next bathroom buddy.
Philips offers a wide range of shavers in both foil and rotary designs, across budget to high end price points. Philips offers multiple ‘lady shavers’ under the SatinShave line, comprising of the SatinShave Essential (single foil), the SatinShave Advantage (single foil) and SatinShave Prestige (dual foil), with the ‘Prestige’ coming in a choice of three different sets. They start at about $40 and work their way up to around $120. Here’s what you’ll find in the female range:
For men’s shaving, Philips offers a huge range of rotary electric shavers in dry, plus wet & dry designs, as well as a handy travel shaver. The Philips double-ended body groomers have a foil shaver at the one end and clippers down at the other, for shaving and grooming all over. Expect heftier prices for the men’s range, from $35 up to as much as $700. The men’s range features:
Philips has reclaimed top spot in our annual ratings after giving it up to Braun last year. Philips rated five stars for overall customer satisfaction and across all other categories in 2019, including performance and reliability, value for money, comfort and ease of use.
Braun’s shaver range is predominantly designed for men, although there are a couple of women’s shavers available, too. Braun only produces foil shavers (i.e. those that shave in straight lines) as the company believes this movement is the most efficient.
In the women’s line, there are two options – the Braun Silk-epil Lady Shaver and Braun Silk-epil 3-in-1 Trimmer. The Lady Shaver includes an exfoliation attachment for an added smoothing step, while the foil and trimmer are floating for a close and comfortable shave. Expect the following prices for the female shavers:
There are 10 models of men’s electric shavers, ranging from affordable through to expensive high-end, high tech tools. Notable features to look out for include Braun’s Sonic Technology, which automatically increases power in areas that are more difficult to shave. Higher tier models have multiple modes such as ‘sensitive’ and ‘turbo’. All Braun shavers are waterproof up to five meters, making them easy to clean. Prices range from $99 to $749 in the men’s range:
Last year’s winner has been bested by Philips this time around, but still achieved highly in this year’s ratings, receiving four stars for overall customer satisfaction and value for money, but five stars in all other areas.
Remington offers foil shavers marketed towards both men and women, plus rotary shavers for men. In the women’s range, there are five options. At the most affordable, the Beauty Shave Cordless Shaver comes with a choice of fuchsia and purple, for simple shaving with a flexible foil. Next, there are three Smooth & Silky shavers. The Smooth & Silky Effortless Glide includes a massaging strip and two flexible foils, while the Smooth & Silky Cordless Wet/Dry features hypoallergenic foils to reduce skin irritation.
At the high-end, the Smooth & Silky Ultimate Shave & Trim has an aloe vera moisturising and massaging strip, hypoallergenic titanium foils, and a separate bikini trimmer. Overall, you can expect models to cost from around $20 to around $80 in the female range:
Moving on to men’s shavers, there are 11 different rotary shavers to choose from, including compact Quick Shave designs up to sets including a pop-up trimmer. There are then three different foil shavers all with dual foils. Its Barber’s Best Pro Power Shaver is arguably the standout model with a four-piece kit to shave, trim and cleanse. Expect a turbo speed function to tackle thick stubble with ease, plus a pivoting neck to contour around your face, according to the brand. In addition, its facial brush is stated to be infused with charcoal to help remove impurities. The range includes:
Remington received four stars across all rated categories in this year’s review, including performance, value for money and overall satisfaction, making it a solid contender.
Panasonic produces foil shavers marketed towards men, from affordable up to high-end tools. The most affordable model offers a double foil and trimmer attachment, while at the top end, shaver sets include a multi-dimensional pivot head with five blades and sensor to automatically adjust the motor speed to match beard density. Many of the more expensive shavers include a dock which includes an automatic cleaning system, with all Panasonic shavers suitable for wet and dry use.
Panasonic claims it has taken the Japanese art of making sharp, strong swords and applied this to create its latest 5-Blade Rechargeable Wet/Dry Shaver (ES-LV9N), providing razor blades that are claimed to be tough yet gentle to the skin. With one hour of charging, expect 45-minutes run-time. Panasonic’s line-up includes:
Panasonic received four stars for overall customer satisfaction in our latest review, and the same score across most other ratings categories. It was three stars on performance and reliability.
Well-loved for its cheap and cheerful home goods, Kmart offers a bargain in electric shavers. There are just two options in this range – one for men and another for the ladies. Kmart’s electric shavers might help keep you neat and tidy without cleaning out the bank account.
The Kmart Ladies Travel Personal Shaver is stated to offer a close shave to have you primed and neat for when you’re on the move. It comes with an integrated cutter head and a super-thin steel net, plus a cleaning brush. It’s also claimed to be water resistant with a body contour pivoting head. In addition, it can comb and trim simultaneously.
For gents, Kmart has a rechargeable rotary shaver with 360-degree floating shaver heads and a pop-up trimmer. With two hours of charging, you’ll get 45 minutes of run-time. Kmart electric shavers cost:
In our satisfaction ratings, Kmart received three stars for all rated variables, including performance and reliability, value for money, comfort, ease of use and overall satisfaction.
There are a few features you’ll need to pay attention to when buying an electric shaver. They include:
If you’ve found an electric shaver that ticks all the boxes along with your budget, then you might just have yourself a new companion. Let’s now explore the above features in detail.
Choosing an electric shaver with a quality motor and blades is important. Look out for an adequate motor that won’t leave you wanting. You’d also want to make sure the unit provides a close shave with less irritation, which is essential if you have particularly sensitive skin. Generally, the mantra of ‘buy the best you can afford’ works here.
From a comfort perspective, the quality of the rotary blades or foil heads should be the first thing to look at. Traditional shaving entails using sharp blades, which come at a risk, whereas electric shavers are aimed to be more comfortable to use, plus decrease irritation and cuts, while still ensuring a relatively close shave. Many quality blades also self-sharpen, but keep an eye out for rusty blades on budget-oriented models – no one wants that running on their skin!
With so many options on offer, you should expect a unit that’s easy to use. If it isn’t, you probably won’t enjoy using it, or get the results you’d like. Plus, after you’ve finished, you’ll want something that is easy to clean. Electric shavers often go one further and are waterproof, or at least able to be rinsed under the tap. Easy-clean features will also make your overall shaving experience much more pleasant, and proper cleaning can extend the life of your shaver.
Like any appliance, electric shavers require proper maintenance. Taking care of the blades first and foremost is vital, though overall maintenance can have your shaver performing better for longer. There are three main aspects to maintaining your electric shaver – they are:
Build-up of hair, dead skin, dirt and other nasty things decrease the longevity of your electric shaver, so proper care is vital to prolong its life-span. Most grooming kits come with a cleaning brush, otherwise a clean toothbrush, some soap and hot water should do the trick. Ensure all parts are completely dry before you assemble it back together. While it might sound pedantic, cleaning your electric shaver after every use ensures that your blades’ performance is not compromised.
It pays to oil and lubricate the blades to ensure they perform at an optimal level. A single drop on each foil can make a world of difference. Many brands include a small bottle, however, you can also top it up with any shaver oil.
Similar to oiling your blades, lubricating them from time to time helps to ensure their longevity. Lubricant is a bit more ‘heavy-duty’ than oil and is important for rarely-used blades. Lubricate your blades before putting the shaver to action, which is a proactive way to ensure you get the best results from your blades.
It’s also important to disinfect your shaver’s blades using commonly-found blade spray. Disinfecting your own personal shaver is good practice for hygiene. Spray every few uses to ensure you’re not subjecting your face or other body parts to a germy nightmare.
Is an electric shaver worth the extra cost compared to manual razors? Our survey respondents thought so – 80% consider their electric shaver easier to use than a manual shaver. Some brands and models offer more features and extras, so it may prove worthwhile to compare your options to find the best shaver for your skin, and which one leaves you looking your best.
Photo Credit: LightField Studios/shutterstock.com, Dean Drobot/shutterstock.com, Dima Sidelnikov/shutterstock.com, Mitch Shark/shutterstock.com
Canstar Blue surveyed 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased or been given a new electric shaver in the last 3 years (this does not include beard trimmers and hair clippers) – in this case, 598 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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