Review of Rotary and Foil Electric Shavers

Shaver terminology.

Rotary shavers An electric model shaver with typically two or three rotating blade cutting heads that first lift the stubble and then cut it very close to the base

Foil shaver An electric shaver with one cutting block of multiple blades that vibrates at high speed under a thin perforated steel foil. Typically for these models the foil and cutter have been ground on the same machine so for best results both parts should be changed at the same time.

Short-hair trimmer is a tool on most shavers used for precise finishing (side burns, moustache) or cutting down hairs that are difficult to reach.

Self-cleaning Shavers Most manufactures now offer  certain models within their range that come equipped with charger cleaning stand that both freshen the shaver’s head by removing debris and also recharge the battery.

Electric shavers have a long history, see image of an early electric shaver below:-

but the high quality razors of today are equally split between foil shavers and rotary shavers. Both versions of shaver have their positives, and the choice comes down to personal preference. As a guide line to popularity Panasonic seem to offer the very best in Foil shavers for style reliability and results and Philips seem to have some great products in the Rotary category however their RQ series do not receive great reviews while the HQ series do score highly..

Most rotary shavers have two or three cutter foils that lift the stubble up off of the skin before cutting it away. All should work well enough on the face, but it is the lower neck hair that separates the best from the rest. The top of the range model shavers now have pivoting platforms and even the rotors swivel and pivot, allowing them to hug the contours of the face, and most come equipped with a trimmer for longer hair and sideburns.

Of course, all electric shavers, regardless of whether they are foil or rotary, compete with traditional manual razors for market share. Anyone considering in switching from manual shaving to an electric rechargeable shaver should remember to try the new product for at least fourteen days to allow the skin to adapt.

Date: 16/11/2010