Why do electric razors suck so much???

[mike_torres84]

I've tried THREE different electric razors in the past two years and they're all garbage. What am I doing wrong here???

First I bought a cheap Remington for like $40 thinking it would be fine for basic shaving. Thing barely cut anything and died after 6 months. Fine, you get what pay for.

So then I spent $75 on a Braun Series 3 because everyone said Braun was good. Better than the Remington but still takes forever to get a decent shave and misses patches constantly. Plus it pulls my hair half the time.

Last month I said screw it and dropped $160 on a Panasonic Arc5 thinking this HAS to be good at this price point. And yeah, it's better, but I still have to go over the same area 3-4 times to get what my disposable razor does in one pass.

My buddy swears by his Philips Norelco but honestly at this point I'm wondering if electric razors are just a scam. Am I missing something obvious? Do I need to spend $300+ to get something that actually works?

I'm about ready to just go back to cartridge razors and call it a day. Someone please tell me there's hope because I really want this to work.

Mike

 

[culcreuch]

They don't really......it just depends how you use them

Need some more information

What is your beard/hair type?
How often do you shave?
When do you shave?
Do you use a preshave?
What preshave prep do you do?
What are your expectations?

 

[Jim Elliott]

I've tried THREE different electric razors in the past two years and they're all garbage. What am I doing wrong here???

First I bought a cheap Remington for like $40 thinking it would be fine for basic shaving. Thing barely cut anything and died after 6 months. Fine, you get what pay for.

So then I spent $75 on a Braun Series 3 because everyone said Braun was good. Better than the Remington but still takes forever to get a decent shave and misses patches constantly. Plus it pulls my hair half the time.

Last month I said screw it and dropped $160 on a Panasonic Arc5 thinking this HAS to be good at this price point. And yeah, it's better, but I still have to go over the same area 3-4 times to get what my disposable razor does in one pass.

My buddy swears by his Philips Norelco but honestly at this point I'm wondering if electric razors are just a scam. Am I missing something obvious? Do I need to spend $300+ to get something that actually works?

I'm about ready to just go back to cartridge razors and call it a day. Someone please tell me there's hope because I really want this to work.

Mike

Welcome aboard, Mike.

I get the frustration but I think you might be having technique issues more than equipment problems.
The Arc5 especially should be giving you way better results than what you're describing. A few questions:

Are you using it wet or dry? Some people get better results with shaving cream/gel.
How's your prep routine?
Are you using short strokes or trying to cover big areas in one pass?
When's the last time you cleaned the heads thoroughly?

The Series 3 at $75 is actually pretty solid for most people, so if that was pulling your hair you might have coarse/thick hair that needs a different approach. The Arc5 should handle anything though.
Don't give up yet - once you dial in the technique with a good razor like the Arc5, it beats cartridges hands down for speed and convenience. But there's definitely a learning curve coming from disposables.
What's your current routine step by step? Might be able to spot what's going wrong.

 

[mike_torres84]

Thanks guys. Here's my routine:

I shave right out of the shower while my face is still dripping wet. I figure the moisture helps right? I use whatever body wash is left on my hands as lubrication.

I hold the razor like a regular razor and scrape it across my face in circular motions from top to bottom. When it doesn't cut I just go slower and press way harder. Sometimes I can feel it grabbing the hairs and ripping them out but that means it's working right?

I never clean the thing. It's electric, shouldn't it be self-cleaning or something? There's definitely a bunch of hair stuck in there but I figured it would just fall out eventually.

Been using the same heads for 8 months on the Arc5. The manual said something about replacing them but for $50? That's highway robbery. They still look fine to me.

Honestly I think you electric razor guys are just making excuses. If I have to read a manual and follow some complicated routine just to shave my face, then yeah, cartridge razors are way better. Shouldn't have to be rocket science.

 

[Jim Elliott]

Thanks guys. Here's my routine:

I shave right out of the shower while my face is still dripping wet. I figure the moisture helps right? I use whatever body wash is left on my hands as lubrication.

I hold the razor like a regular razor and scrape it across my face in circular motions from top to bottom. When it doesn't cut I just go slower and press way harder. Sometimes I can feel it grabbing the hairs and ripping them out but that means it's working right?

I never clean the thing. It's electric, shouldn't it be self-cleaning or something? There's definitely a bunch of hair stuck in there but I figured it would just fall out eventually.

Been using the same heads for 8 months on the Arc5. The manual said something about replacing them but for $50? That's highway robbery. They still look fine to me.

Honestly I think you electric razor guys are just making excuses. If I have to read a manual and follow some complicated routine just to shave my face, then yeah, cartridge razors are way better. Shouldn't have to be rocket science.

There you go. Your technique is wrong. The Arc5 is a foil razor. You need to use straight motions, not circular. Circular motions are for when you use rotary razors. You're not cleaning the razor properly, you don't seem too keen on changing the foil/cutter set, and you're dismissing the maintenance and care of your razor as a "complicated routine." Stick with your cartridge razors. We're making excuses? No. It's also not about shaving with electrics being "rocket science." It's your total inability to understand that like anything, there is a (very slight) learning curve with electrics, and you don't seem to want any part of it.