If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best electric razor for a teenager is then I’d recommend the Braun 3 Series ProSkin as the best one.
Needing to find the best shaver under 50 bucks?
It is not always easy to find a good shaver for less than 50 bucks. Heck, sometimes it may even feel impossible; but, it is possible.
You just need a little expert assistance!
I’ve sorted through the contenders and am also going to bust out some wicked knowledge on the key factors to consider.
Capiche? Sound good? Let’s Get it Going!
Are electric shavers really worth it?
Shopping online for an electric shaver can be frustrating. Trust me, I know the feeling. I’ve been there, too. You may even be wondering if an electric shaver is worth it.
Well, let me break it down.
First thing first, how you remove unwanted facial hair is ultimately up to you. I’m not trying to tell you that there is ‘only one right way’ or ‘you have to do it this way or that way’. Nope, that is not my style.
Some guys love wet shaving with a straight blade. My buddy says it is like a fusion of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance meets Robert Deniro in Taxi Driver.
Most normal, relatively well-adjusted men, however, find straight razors time-consuming and kinda scary (also like Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver).
Even safety blades and disposable razors can be uncomfortable. Different tools work best for different people, and it is all about finding the one that's right for you.
For current purposes, let’s just look at the economics of disposable razors versus an electric razor or electric shaver.
An individual disposable blade is indeed cheap. But, here is the thing: your disposable is going to need to be replaced, and that can add up.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, disposable cartridges end up setting you back approximately 40 cents per shave. Let’s say you shave 3-4 times a week. Well, 3.5 over 52 weeks is equal to 182 shaves. 182 shaves multiplied by 40 cents is going to work out to 72 dollars. That is 72 dollars for just a single year of part-time shaving.
Next, consider that a reasonably respectable electric shaver can last about five years. Of course, check the warranty and all of that, but the models introduced below should have a standard two-year warranty. So, that is at least two years.
Two years of disposable razors are going to cost you, according to my rough ‘back of the napkin calculations’, a little over $140. In other words, an electric shaver provides at least $140 of value so long as it lasts for two years (and (assuming that it provides a shaving experience that is no worse than a disposable).
Don’t worry, bro. There is no upsell here. I’m not trying to tell you that you should be spending $140 on an electric shaver! F* That!
Instead, you can spend 50 bucks and pocket the remaining money. That seems like a much better idea. What do you think?
When you really take a moment and do the math, buying disposable razors is pretty much like throwing money away.
What to look for when grabbing a budget-friendly shaver?
There is a trick, tho. You have got to be able to hunt down an electric shaver that delivers a solid shaving experience. (What can I tell you, there is a lot of junk out there. Bizarrely branded shavers from anonymous Chinese factories are now all over Amazon.)
It can be tough to not only sort through that whole mess of junk but also figure out exactly which functions you do and do not need.
So, grabbing a budget-friendly shaver is all about knowing what to prioritize. The following bullet points bust out what you can expect and should be looking for in a shaver under 50 bucks. Or scroll down even further for our top recommendations and reviews
Price
Electric shavers seem to be getting more expensive but you shouldn’t need to break the bank or your budget, to get your hands on a tool that will take care of business.
In preparing this post, I only considered shavers that can be had, at least sometimes, for less than $50.
Everyday vs Travel Shaver
The first thing you will find is that a lot of cheaper shavers are marketed as ‘travel shavers’. As a general rule, you need to know that a travel shaver is only going to have a single shaving element and a single blade.
A single blade, as found in the typical travel shaver, is not going to be able to cut through more than two days of stubble. That means it will not be suitable for infrequent shaving. At the same time, if you are shaving every day you will probably find that a single blade is time-consuming and just kind of uncomfortable.
Can it Hold a Charge?
When looking at budget shavers, you are going to see that a lot of them will only run for 20-30 minutes. Or, even worse, they will claim to run for an hour but the battery quickly dies and cannot be easily replaced.
Do You Also Need a Trimmer?
A lot of you guys are searching for ‘best corded trimmer’ and gettin’ a whole bunch of weed-wackers. Turns out - like I told my Uncle Vito just last week - Google does not know everything.
Just to be clear, the following is a review of electric shavers. These are devices that are designed to shave facial hair as if you were using a traditional razor (but without the blood).
Pivoting Head
A pivoting head is more important than the hardware in your electric razor.
Here is the thing, sufficiently good hardware i.e. stainless steel blades and a kinda powerful motor, are going to be found in every device out there. Picking a budget shaver based on hardware is like buying a cell phone because it has a color screen.
Sticking with the computer analogy. Say you have a supercomputer from the 1970s but it comes without a mouse - is that going to work? The underlying hardware is powerful enough to send a man to the man, but neither you nor I am going to know how to use the f*cking thing.
A good-enough electric shaver needs to have a pivoting mechanism that is installed between the motor and the razor's blades. This little beauty is technically called a ‘pivoting head’ or more simply still a ‘shaving head’.
There are still stranglers that insist on churning out electric razors without a pivoting head (cough Wahl, cough). All of the electric razors recommended below have a pivoting head because it is important.
Foil vs Rotary
This used to be your proverbial ‘chicken or the egg’ debate, at least among dudes who like to talk about electric shavers.
But in recent years the technology used in foil razors has continued to advance and advanced quickly. Meanwhile, rotary razors are just kind of treading water.
Foil shavers are now generally preferred by the electric shaving cognoscenti, and I am in full agreement.
Scroll down for my specific reviews and recommendations.
Reviews
There are a ton of electric razors out there today.
In fact, all of the big players in the consumer electronics world are producing very solid entry-level shavers. Whether it is Braun or Remington or Panasonic these guys all have specialized all have what you need, you just need to avoid getting districted by unnecessary bells and whistles.
My ranking is based on my sense of honour, and my mission to help you: stay safe, and stay sharp. That is why ’ve gone through their major product lines as well as speciality and newer offerings. The following introduces five electric shavers that you should be able to pick up for under $50
I got you, hommie.
Braun 3 Series ProSkin
Braun is a beast in the electric shaver arena. For whatever reason, the guys at Braun just take facial hair removal very, very seriously. Their budget shavers are called Series 3, which is simple enough. But, there is a catch: Braun Series 3 originally referred to the shavers having 3 blades; but, nowadays, it is also made up of 3 product lines.
The alpha male in Braun Series 3 is the ProSkin. Let’s quickly go through its advantages.
First, for sure, the stainless steel blades are going to be one of the advantages of going with Braun. (The blades and the foil guards come in a single unit.)
A second advantage is that the external shaving elements, i.e. the foil guards, are dynamic and mutually independent. This is going to make your shaving experience feel relatively smooth.
A third advantage of the ProSkin is external design. The Braun ProSkin gets high grades for the textured rubber sleeve, which delivers a good grip and ease of use. Although this is a budget shaver, you are not going to feel like you are using something ‘cheap’.
The final big advantage of the ProSkin is the battery. Not only is the battery level indicator improved compared to older versions, the battery itself delivers a 45 minute charge. Considering that much more expensive shavers still only achieve a 50 minute charge, that is very impressive and is more than you would really need for day-to-day shaving.
Finally, a couple small advantages: Some models of the ProSkin have wet/dry functionality. And, some models of the ProSkin do have a basic slide-out trimmer.
Given a budget of $50, it is hard to find a disadvantage to the Series 3 ProSkin. But, there are a few things you should know.
First, all Series 3 shavers use a “fixed shaving head” - what does that mean? A fixed shaving head means that the mechanism that holds on to the blades does not rotate - the blades stay in place while you move the shaver. The result? Your shaver is going to feel less ‘smart’ and the entire process is going to be more manual than a more expensive model.
Next, the Braun ProSkin is going to struggle with longer hair. So, I would not recommend using it on more than three days of growth. (Same rule of thumb will apply for any entry-level electric shaver.) And, if you have a patch where hair is growing in all different directions, then you are best off to trim before going in with the Braun ProSkin
Finally, almost by definition, a budget shaver is not going to come with a cleaning station. For this reason, you need to think about how you are going to clean your tool. And it is for this reason that I recommend grabbing a water-friendly model.
Braun 3 Series (310)
Having trouble finding a Braun 3 Series ProSkin in your price range? Determined to use a *very* basic, bare-bones shaver? If so, you might want to check out either the 300s (dry only) or 310s (wet & dry).
I am reviewing the entire series here, but please note: only the dry models, i.e. the
the 300s, will work while charging. As a result, if you wanna shave for a long time, then you are gonna want to look at the dry only. (The wet & dry models, i.e. the 310s, will not function while charging.)
Most - but not all - of the advantages in the ProSkin are also found in the cheaper Series 3.
You are still getting three blades of stainless steel, which are on a fixed shaving head. As with the ProSkin, the blades will be packed underneath two foil guards and a single slit trimmer.
The three external elements -- the foil guards and trimmer -- will also move independently. The result is that a Series 3 will feel the same on your skin as you shave.
The disadvantages of the Series 3 are going to be the way it feels your hand - it lacks the ProSkin’s rubber grip - and most importantly the battery life.
On the one hand, you can use this shaver with or without it being plugged into your power outlet, which is handy. But, on the other hand, the battery life on the Series 3 is very weak. You are not going to get more than 20 minutes of charge. So, while some guys might be happy that they can use this device with or without the cord, in practice you pretty much need to be at least prepared to use the cord, because the battery empties so quickly.
In fact, there really is not that much more to say or write about this thing. The Braun Series 3, for example, does not come with a trimmer. This is a bare-bones (“basic bitch”) of a shaver.
Philips Wet & Dry Cordless Rotary Shaver (S5400/08)
Did you know that the rotary shaver was invented by Philips Laboratories in the Netherlands? As early as 1941 they were registering patents for “a shaving head consisting of cutters that cut off the hair entering the head of the razor at skin level.”
There was even a time when rotary shavers were considered to be ‘new’ and even ‘better’ than foil shavers. According to my research, that time ended in the late 1970s (it may or may not have been caused by the second Oil Shock.) Whatever the exact timing and cause, just like platform shoes, by the 1990s the rotary shaver was done. Unfortunately, someone at Philips just refuses to let this thing die.
Why am I telling you about the birth and death of the rotary shaver? You need to know that the rotary shaver is a Phillips product: the same way you think about Kodak when you think about photographic film, Phillips is deeply invested in rotary shavers.
Of course, color film is a dead industry and rotary shavers should also be dead. But, somebody at Phillips -- maybe the Grandson of the inventor? -- insists on keeping these things alive. So, if you absolutely need a rotary shaver at under 50 bucks, do everyone a favour, and get it from Phillips.
Editor’s note: I apologize for the above article, which is very unprofessional. My boy John just does not have any love for rotary shavers.
Remington (F5-5800)
Remington is one of those american manufacturing businesses that seems to be struggling for an identity. As my nerdy brother, the accountant, would say: they are struggling to find a clear value proposition for today’s consumer. Remington’s business problem is, I would argue, ultimately a potential windfall for us as consumers. See, Remington is now in a cycle of needing to over-deliver to win back disenchanted consumers.
The F5-5800 is a good example of Remington’s desire to over-deliver. It has a number of functionalities that are normally only available in more expensive models. It is no surprise that the F5-5800 is probably Remington’s most popular shaver and has helped them stay in the game.
This is Remington’s answer to the three blade shaver. The blades are stainless steel and housed beneath two foils and a single slit trimmer. The geniuses at Remington call this “Intercept Technology” but is pretty standard. It is the same functionality that is used by Braun’s Series 3, for example, and should allow the external face of the shaver to move smoothly across your face.
Like the Braun Series 3, the F5-5800’s external elements can move independently, which Remington refers to as Pivot & Flex). Unlike the Braun Series 3, however, the F5-5800’s blades are housed in a shaving head that has some movement, i.e. a basic swivel function that allows it to pivot up and down. In this respect, like I hinted above, the F5-5800 is superior to the Braun Series 3.
The Remington can also be used either cordless and corded. And, it has an impressive, rechargeable battery that will allow you to shave cordless for up to 60 minutes. That is another feature that you will not get out of the Braun’s ‘basic bitch’.
Finally, the Remington comes with a very basic trimmer. At this price point, this is definitely a nice feature.
Of course, no product is perfect and this is especially unlikely on a budget. Here are a few things you should know about the Remington F5-5800.
First, it is kind of chunky and clunky. It is not necessarily going to fit as easily in your hand as, say, a Braun ProSkin. It also does not have a proper grip.
Second, a more important concern is that the Remington is realistically never going to be more than adequately comfortable. Of course, this will all depend on your particular face, but potential discomforts include: the foils getting warm, longer hairs getting caught and pulling, and then of course there is the big one of the motor not always being strong enough to hack thick facial hair.
Panasonic Twin-X Compact 2-blade Shaver ES4815P-S Silver | DC3V (2 x AA Alkaline) (Japan Model)
Straight talk: i was not planning to include travel shavers in this post, but, the Panasonic Twin-X forced its way in. Let me explain.
Panasonic is a leading manufacturer of electric shavers and most guys would agree with me that Panasonic’s foil shavers are gonna give you your closest shave this side of a safety razor, or a barber’s chair. This model - the Twin-X Compact - is technically a travel shaver and so I was sceptical, but because it manages to incorporate two foils (and two blades, which are of course stainless steel) it deserves your consideration.
The first advantage is quality and reliability. You are getting a piece of technology that has been designed and manufactured by one of the two top teams in the shave yourself game. It has been tested extensively and there is massive quality control. You have a more-than-fast-enough motor at 8,200-rpm that delivers even, consistent power. The foil remains cool even after extended use.
The second advantage, and what really distinguishes this handy little number is that it somehow manages to pack two foil guards in to such a small frame. Not only that but the foil guards move independently. I could not recommend a single element shaver for daily use and I still would caution on that front with the Twin-X Compact, but with two foil guards you are going to have a smooth shave that will get you shaved relatively quickly.
A third advantage is that the Twin-X Compact is powered by two AA batteries, which are obviously cheap and easy to find. Because it is battery powered, you have pretty much unlimited shaving time without the need to worry about plugging your shaver in to the wall.
In addition, the Twin-X Compact is waterproof, which means that it will be easy enough to clean it by yourself. And, this thing can be used to shave either wet or dry. I personally prefer to use a foil shaver dry, but the option of slapping some lube on my face before shaving is definitely a plus.
Getting your hands on a Panasonic for less than 50 bucks does mean some compromise. Like other travel shavers, this machine is basic and has a modest feature list.
In terms of disadvantages, please do note that there is no trimmer, there is no LCD display, and ultimately this is not going to be able to stand up to more than a few days of stubble.
So, ultimately, if you are looking for a budget shaver as a back-up then I think this is an excellent choice. But, if you are an infrequent shaver then i would steer clear of this and any other travel shaver: it just does not have the functionality needed to deal with longer hairs. What about if you intend to shave every day but are on a budget? In that case, i would still recommend the Braun Series 3 over this little puppy.
Bottom Line
Given a budget of $50, it is hard to find a disadvantage to the Braun Series 3 ProSkin
The Braun Series 3 is popular with guys who need a budget-friendly electric shaver, as it balances price, performance, and reliability.
If the Braun ProSkin is unavailable and you know you will be using your shaver plugged-in (so, you are not worried about battery life) then you also cannot go wrong with the basic, and cheaper, Braun Series 3.