Need help from men!

[boognish76]

I want to buy my boyfriend an electric shaver for Xmas but don't really know much about them. I'm leaning towards a Philishave at the moment because I've read some good reviews of the Cool Shave. Can anyone recommend them? I'm particularly keen to know about what features are genuinely useful and are those Nivea sqirty things just a gimmick. Is rotary or foil better and what's the difference between two rotary heads or three? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Obo]

In my opinion electric razors don't do the job properly, I have been given various versions over the years but none of them have ever done the job as well as a wet shave... I suggest you buy him a proper shaving kit, you can get really nice ones (you know with badger hair brush etc).

[BenDToy]

boognish76 - it would help a bit to know your budget but for what it's worth here goes. I have owned Braun, Remington and my current one is a Philishave Quadra 6890, and it is the best I have ever experienced by a long way. I don't know much about the Cool Shave range, but it would seem to be an electric wet shaver, which to my mind is the worst of both worlds. 3 head rotary is better than 2. I find foil shavers such as Braun and some Remingtons are generally more awkward to use and easily damaged. Foils can be expensive to replace. I also find they irritate my skin a bit more. The new Brauns I don't know much about. If I was buying another one I would probably go for the Philishave again. Check prices carefully. Last time I looked Costco had a superb deal on one there.

[xyzzyplugh]

electric razors; Yuk! IMO.

[sddsddean]

Afraid I have to side with the majority. A wet shave is miles better than electric. I tried a couple of different shavers, but apparantly I've got sensitive skin and I used to have almost permanent 'shaver rash' which looks like acne. So I now only wet shave. As other people have said, it also gives you a much better and closer shave.

[sft42]

Wet shave is the only way to go by a long chalk. Buy him a really good shaving brush soap and mirror set and i would recommend gilette mach 3 as the razor of choice these days.

[Pinotage]

Excuse me if you've alreday thought of this, but check first whether your boyfriend actually wants an electric. What does he use to shave with now?

 

What sort of power source? If mains electricity then has to have a convenient shaver point. But if you get a rechargeable it can be used anywhere. Useful when travelling. There's also a very small batterydriven one that I found useful when rough camping.

 

Electic shavers make an awful racket - my partner hated it when she was trying to sleep in the next door bedroom, but you don't have any messing around with shaving foam etc, and you can shave on the move or in the car (with a rechargeable). Useful at the office to clear up 5pm shadow if going out afterwards.

 

What sort of hair growth does he have? I found as I got older that my face hair got thicker and tougher and in the end the electric couldn't do a good enough job. For a someone new to shaving or with light hair, then an electric is idea.

 

Its a very personal thing and I wouldn't buy one unless you boyfriend has actually says he wants one. There's not much difference between rotary and the other, the more blades you have the better the shave of course.

 

I would probably go for a foil rechargeable - say Braun.

 

Remember that whether electric or wet it needs some time for the face to get used to it. First time electrics feel like the skin is being plucked and you get a smell of ozone; first time wet the skin is very soft and liable to cutting - it toughens soon.

 

Of course, if he grows a beard he gets an extra five minutes in bed every day!

[boognish76]

Okay, so now I'm wondering why, if they're no good, they cost so damn much! lol. Generally my boyfriend wet shaves but he has an old electric shaver which he uses when we go on holiday, etc. So the shaver is primarily a replacement for the old one, as it's now given up the ghost, but I think he would like the convenience of using an electric shaver more often if he could find one good enough. His old one was 20 years old so he doesn't really have any experience of modern shavers with their new-fangled features! I don't think he has sensitive skin but he is dark haired and needs to shave at least once a day. Going off the very helpful advice given I think I'll just get him a mid-priced rechargable one and see how he goes with it. Oh, and he might not have sensitive skin but I do so the beard is out!

[desertrat]

Although I prefer a wet shave, I usually carry an electric shaver when travelling. The cool shaver gives a nice shave although the cream which comes out of the "squirty thing" doesn't last very long and is expensive. Personally I wouldn't buy one again.

[BenDToy]

boognish - Update appreciated and that sounds sensible. You are absolutely right. If he uses a 20 year old shaver now he will be blown away by the modern ones. I agree that a wet shave is better, but the marginal difference nowadays is just not worth the effort. Anyway I can't wet shave every day or I look like a pizza, and so a good electric is the best thing for me.

[-Garry-]

i use the philishave wet electric shave....seeemed a goot comprimise...dosnt do as good a job as wet shaving but does the job... HTH -Garry-

[zephyrsteve]

The Phillips Coolshave range is excellent. A very close shave for an electric. get the one with THREE rotating blades though as two just doesn't do the job