Yo! This is our review of the Andis ProFoil.
I’m the son of a barber and a lifelong fan of the American barbershop game. And I’ve researched the Andis ProFoil in-depth to help you make the call if this micro foil shaver is right for you.
A year ago when Covid first hit, I looked in the mirror and my facial hair was just kind of ... fuzzy. Instead of a beard and moustache with crisp, clean lines, my face just looked ... fuzzy.
Once I realized that this whole ‘not going outside’ thing was going to last I decided that I needed to take action for myself. I wanted to be able to present my best self to the world, and I started to invest in key grooming tools.
The Andis ProFoil was an important step forward in my own journey to fresher facial hair game. Micro foil razors are perfect for guys who want a crisp, clean lines without any irritation or razor bumps.
Your barber is almost guaranteed to be using a micro foil razor on you and on his own hair. Ever stop to think about why the professionals use this tool?
Capiche? Scroll down for my review.
When to Consider Getting a Micro Foil Shaver
Do you want that crisp, clean fresh from the barber look?
Micro foil razors are designed to provide a close shave with less irritation. The blades are made of surgical-grade stainless steel, so they won’t rust or dull over time. Plus, the design makes it impossible to cut yourself no matter how close you get. You are gonna wanna use your micro foil razor for cleaning up and keeping your lines looking sharp.
What are you waiting for, bro? Say goodbye to those days of fuzzy stubble. Say hello again to feeling confident about your appearance every day without having any worries about nicks or cuts! Your skin will thank you too because these blades glide across the surface of your skin effortlessly without tugging at hair follicles like disposable razors.
Generally speaking, the Andis ProFoil is potentially a good fit for two types of guys. The young guy who is just getting started in his facial hair grooming journey; and, the more established gentleman who wishes to ensure that his lines are crisp and clean.
Scroll down to find out more about micro foil razors including the six secrets that you absolutely need to know when choosing between the various micro foil razors on the market.
What to Consider When Getting a Micro Foil Shaver
You deserve to look your best.
You know it may be time to ditch your rusty, gillete razor and upgrade to a micro foil shaver. But you are not sure about the best manufacturer for said micro foil shaver - I got you, bro.
The Andis Company has been producing quality grooming products for almost 100 years, and they are still run by the founding family right in Wisconsin. Wahl is another heavy hitter in the micro foil game. It manufactures both the Wahl Five Star Shaver Shaper and the Wahl Five Star Finale.
There is also Babyliss who are coming straight out of the old country (Italia, Viva Italia!)
All three of these manufacturers are putting out micro foil shavers that are market leaders. These are products that deliver both quality and value.
You have choices, bro.
Today's post is going to review the Andis ProFoil. In future posts, I will be diving into the competitors from Wahl and Babyliss. There is no 'home court advantage' on this blog. I have respect for all of the real deal manufacturers.
So here is the real question: how do you evaluate the various micro foil shavers that are available to help you take your facial hair game to the next level.
That is kinda like asking What makes you, YOU? You have your own preferences and priorities. But when it comes to micro foil shavers like the Andis ProFoil, I am pretty sure that the following five points will be useful for you
Battery
Since we are talking about foil shavers that offer the option of portability, battery is important.
We'll start with the most obvious question: how long does it take to charge up? And, what's better yet, how long will it stay charged for once you plug it in. (On this second point, you do need to be careful as some junk comes with a battery that will only charge a few times -- you get what you pay for, bro.)
Corded or Cordless
I get it. Some guys like to avoid cords: they may be nervous about running a cord in a wet bathroom or perhaps they are just not very coordinated and get easily tangled up.
On the other hand, other guys specifically want a shaver that can be used while plugged in.
A micro foil shaver that can be used either corded or cordless really is the second key aspect of portability. Actually, it’s also a less common functionality than you might imagine.
Size
Let’s just get one thing out of the way up front: size matters, dude. And, yeah, I know: it is all just down to personal preference. Perhaps. But, size also has functional implications.
Some of the smaller foil shavers on the market are simply too small to be used on a daily basis.
A key consideration here is the number of ‘shaving elements’. In case, you don’t know: the number of shaving element is determined by the number of foil guards. In turn, a given foil guard will have a particular function, i.e. some provide a true shave by getting down to the root while others just offer a trim and hover above your skin.
In a best of both worlds scenario, especially where you are planning to shave your whole face, you want your electric shaver to offer *both* a trimming element and a shaving element.
Power
My facial hair is relatively thick and coarse - what can i say. It must be the massive amounts of testosterone swirling around in our familial gene pool. Thanks dad!
Some small foil shavers -- think ‘travel shavers’ often with a single shaving element -- simply cannot hack it. The result is that they get caught in my facial bush and either stop working and jerk mercilessly on my beard.
I don’t want this to happen to you. That is why it is so important to consider the overall power of any portable electric shaver.
Depending on how you intend to use it, the Andis ProFoil may be able to get around this problem. We will got deeper down below.
Made in America?
This one is a wild card. Not everyone is going to really care about place of origin. For me it is important, but i understand you might feel differently. As much as possible, I prefer to get my equipment that has been made by skilled workers in factories that provide decent working conditions.
I’ve written in a bit of detail about Andis elsewhere on this blog. A considerable part of Andis’s product range is still made right here in the good ol’ U S of A. Keep your eyes open for the Star Spangled Banner, as it will be proudly displayed on the packaging.
The Andis ProFoil
Let me introduce you to the Andis ProFoil.
The Andis ProFoil is frankly the leader in the micro foil category. Just about any barbershop you walk into in America will have at least one of these bad boys. This is, simply put, a shaver that all barbers want to own.
Even tho the ProFoil is a classic in the American barbershop game, it has not traditionally been marketed to civilians.
One reason may be that the ProFoil is proof that looks are not everything: it looks industrial, retro, and even gimmicky at first glance. But, don’t be fooled: the ProFoil delivers pro-level function and power as well as impressive value and quality.
It is most definitely not one of those ‘jack of all trades’ (master of none) gadgets. If you are starting to build your barbering at home arsenal, bringing in some specialized tools, such as the Andis ProFoil, could be an excellent next move.
More and more guys are starting to use this micro foil shaver at home. Let’s look at the features and benefits in additional detail below.
Discover the Andis ProFoil’s Features & Benefits
You already know that the Andis ProFoil is a tried-and-true workhorse from America’s classic barbershop game. Heck, it was originally designed to make it easier and faster for barbers to create precise, masculine beard styles.
Let’s dig in to why the Andis ProFoil has become a classic and what are the exact features that it could bring to your home shaving game.
Closeness of Shave
There is no point beating around the bush, the Andis ProFoil delivers a shave that is extremely close.
How does the ProFoil deliver such a close shave, you might be wondering. after all, the ProFoil is pretty much just two staggered foil guards. It is is a simple enough design but there is actually a magic in the simplicity. This design allows the shaver to follow your face’s contours and deliver a close shave with minimal irritation.
Four aspects of the design are worth noting:
- The rounded foil guards are thin. In fact, they are so thin that there is only a minimal gap between your skin and the ProFoil’s internal razor blades.
- The staggered arrangement of the foil guards is also noteworthy -- it keeps the razors at a sharp, 45° angle. And, it makes easy for you to use a seesaw motion when shaving with the Andis ProFoil.
- The holes in the foil are just the right size. This allows stubble to slip easily in to the cutting chamber so that even very short hairs are cleaned away.
- The gold tint on the foil guards comes from a material known as gold titanium. This gold titanium foil is hypo-allergenic.
These features deliver some major benefits. First and foremost, you are gonna get an incredibly close shave, that is practically guaranteed to be closer than what you get with a normal electric shaver.
In fact, the only way to get a closer shave is to start sharpening your straight blade.
Not only do you get a close shave, you also don't have to worry about cutting yourself and getting blood all over the place. In fact, when used correctly you do not even need to worry about minor irritation or redness.
Trust me, you are more than likely going to really enjoy the way your skin feels fresh after shaving with the Andis ProFoil. Its like going in to the barbershop.
Powerful and quiet rotary motor
If your facial hair is relatively thick or coarse, you already know that not all small shavers will be able to get the job done. You don’t want to be left with patches of stubble. A sufficiently powerful motor is gonna go a long way towards getting you a shave that is sharp and fresh.
The ProFoil’s motor is surprisingly powerful and gets up to a maximum of 9,000 strokes per minute (SPM).
By way of comparison, high-end shavers from Panasonic and Braun, i.e. the Arc5 and Series 9, respectively, feature motors that are in the low ten thousand strokes per minute. (of course, those tools also have more shaving elements.)
The motor on the Andis ProFoil is also surprisingly quiet. To my ear, it only makes a gentle humming sound while in operation. The sound is quite relaxing. However, please do beware that are some negative comments on Amazon about people who find the motor not to be quiet enough.
Great Lithium-ion battery
The Andis ProFoil’s battery is a definite advantage, and in fact it is probably its most commented upon feature.
It delivers a runtime of 80 minutes per charge.
This kind of superior battery life is a major source of convenience if you like to take your shaver with you while traveling or when going to the gym
Superior battery life is a major advantage even if you only intend to use the ProFoil at home. At 80 minutes per charge, you would expect not to need to charge this thing more than once every two months. And, amazingly enough, that has been my experience with the Andis ProFoil.
Why does the battery last so long? Simple answer: lithium ion is a superior technology. As a result, the battery will stay charged, i.e. without use, for several years. You also don’t need to worry about the battery ‘refusing to take a charge’. While that may happen with a cheaper, nickel-based battery, it is unlikely with lithium ion batteries.
Corded / Cordless Operation
Not only does the battery last a long time, but the Andis ProFoil was designed to be used either corded or cordless. This means that if, for example, the battery dies and the shaver powers off while in use, you can simply attach the power cord and BOOOM continued shaving.
Do be aware that the shaver’s battery will not charge while it is in use.
External Design: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?
The Andis Profoil’s body -- its ‘shell’ or ‘case’ -- is made out of polymer (plastic). Let’s put this way, it is not going to be winning any beauty contests.
At first glance, you will likely feel that the Andis ProFoil’s body comes up short. But, what it lacks in appearance it makes up for, i would suggest, in functionality. First, the entire machine is light, at less than a third of a pound
Next, the Andis ProFoil is not just small, it is also shaped in such a way that it should fit easily in your hand. This was an intentional design choice as Andis aimed to produce a shaver that could be used with a single hand by busy barbers. In this respect, it also has an easy to use, thumb-controlled switch for toggling on/off.
One aspect of the ProFoil that will not win points for functionality is that it can only be used dry. That is right, this device absolutely does not go with you in to the shower.
Because the ProFoil is ‘dry only’, you must remember to not run it or any of its components under water. Instead, you need to get rid of loose hairs with the little plastic brush. In the alternative, Andis suggests using a blow drier to get rid of stray hairs -- this doesn’t seem very practical for at home users.
Does Size Really Matter?
Size is a matter of personal preference perhaps, but it also has functional implications.
Some of the smaller foil shavers on the market are simply too small to be used on a daily basis.
A key consideration here is the number of ‘shaving elements’. In case, you don’t know: the number of shaving element is determined by the number of foil guards. There is going to be a real difference between shavers with one, two or three shaving elements.
On the one hand, two shaving elements is definitely preferable to a single head. But, on the other hand, two shaving element devices such as the Andis ProFoil are simply going to come up short when compared to a Braun Series 3 or a Panasonic Arc3, at least in some regards.
Why? What you need to know is that a three shaving element shaver is going to have two foils for shaving plus a third foil for trimming. This third, third trimming foil is going to take care of the ‘first pass’ -- it will quickly and efficiently get your facial hair down to a uniform, short length that can be tackled by the shaving elements.
Precisely because it was originally designed for helping barbers to quickly finish off their clients, the Andis ProFoil does not have the third foil designed for trimming.
Price
As the ProFoil is not subject to an expensive marketing campaign, expenses from fancy marketing agencies, television commercials, and celebrity endorsements can be taken out of the equation.
As a direct result, the lower costs are reflected in the price you pay, which should mean good value for money.
Made in USA?
Andis is a private company that is now on its fourth generation of CEOs from the same family. By any account it appears to be a success story.
It states on its website that,
“We are proud to invest in the American workforce—in people who provide quality, ingenuity, dedication and commitment to innovation unsurpassed anywhere in the world!”
It does appear that Andis continues to be actively investing and developing US manufacturing. It has a major plant in its home state of Wisconsin.
But, the ProFoil is not one of the products being put together at that plant. The ProFoil is not known to be either made or assembled in the USA.
- Perfect for finishing fades and removing stubble for an ultra-close smooth shave.
- Cord/cordless operation also guarantees that you never have to stop shaving even if your charge gets low
- The staggered hypo-allergenic foil heads provide the perfect cut while the lithium ion battery provides 80 minutes of nonstop run time on a single charge.
In my opinion, the Andis ProFoil is an especially good fit for you if:
- You shave daily or every other day at most. This razor is designed to be used on short stubble. Trying to shave longer facial hair, especially if it’s coarse, will only result in a poor shave. You’ll likely experience some hair pulling, nicks, irritation, and hair clippings flying all over the place. It’s also quite poor at catching flat-lying hairs since it only has two basic foil elements.
- You don’t have sensitive skin. As mentioned in the performance section of the review, the Andis ProFoil is not a gentle and forgiving electric shaver. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Multiple experts also assured us that there’s no reason for this razor to only be used by barbers. Though some do note that you might need to be more aware of technique than you would otherwise (since it doesn’t have a pivoting head), and, as with any electric razor, it’s important to swap in new blades as recommended by the manufacturer.
Maybe because its never been marketed to consumers and maybe because it is not branded in a stylish way (note the clunky box and gray plastic), the Andis ProFoil is an incredible value.
The Andis ProFoil is traditionally used by barbers for Finishing fades and cleaning up neck lines. You probably do not want to use this device to shave your entire face, day after day. But, if you are just getting started on only need to clean up little pockets of stubble, I highly recommend the Andis ProFoil.
Can this all-american bad boy make an excellent first electric razor for today’s teenager, i would argue in the affirmative.
Street Cred
While researching this post, I scoured the internet to see what other guys had to say about the Andis ProFoil.
Most of the buzz is positive. From barbers posting videos and tutorials about how they use this little bad boy to ordinary Joes who are now using the Andis ProFoil at home.
For example,
Alternatives
Just in case, you are not sure that Andis’ ProFoil is right for you. Here are a couple other small shavers for styling a masculine beard with sharp and clean lines.
- Wahl 5 Star
- Braun ProSkin Series 3
- Andis T-Outliner
The classic competitor to the Andis ProFoil is the Wahl 5 Star. Frankly, i don’t have a huge amount of experience with the Wahl 5 Star. I do know that it is considered to be a bit more powerful and a bit less forgiving the Andis. The Wahl 5 Star is also going to be more expensive.
If what you want is a three element shaver then I would point you in the direction of either the Braun Series 3 or the Braun Series 3 ProSkin. The third shaving element will be a trimmer that will make it more practical to shave your whole face. Also, while the ANdis ProFoil’s foil heads are fixed in place, the Series 3 comes with foil guards that are dynamic and mutually independent. This is going to make your shaving experience feel relatively soft and smooth. This might well be a better fit if you are looking to shave your whole face.
If what you really want is the added horsepower of a corded trimmer, then you need to get your hands on the Andis T-Outliner. Simple and easy to use, the Andis T-Outliner brings together a carbon steel blade, a powerful and relatively quiet motor, time-tested and highly functional design, and all of this in a product that is made right here in the United States.
The Call
You want to take your facial hair game to the next level but can't be bothered with wet-shaving?
The Andis ProFoil is an excellent solution. The Andis ProFoil is an excellent tool. It delivers both value and quality.
You know what to do, bro. I will see you in the next post.