Foil vs Rotary for long time rotary user

[cpm0813]

I have been using Norelco rotary razors for almost 20 years. Been looking to replace my current Norelco which is a number of years old and I have to keep opening up and resoldering the connection to one of the motor leads every so often.
I have been looking at reviews online for the last few months, and consistently the Braun foil razor is the most recommended.
Has anyone switched to the Braun after using rotary razors for many years? Why did you switch and what do you think now?
Looks like there are good sales for both Braun and Norelco for Prime Day; any specific ones on sale anyone would recommend, either Braun or Norelco?
Thanks!

 

[ajkel64]

Welcome to the forum. The man that may be of assistance is @Scaramouche. He has a wealth of knowledge regarding some of the Modern Shaving Systems. I have no idea but both Norelco and Braun seem to be quite popular in the small amount of literature that I have read.

 

[Mitzie]

Slightly closer shave with foil shavers but the foils and cutters are less robust and need replacing every 6 months or a year.

 

[SalS]

Try the Norelco One Blade

 

[Scaramouche]

Welcome to the forum! You'll find a number of friendly, knowledgeable and helpful folks here - it's a great community of all things shaving! As far as electric razors, quite a few advancements have been made over the years, but the basics have stayed the same (with the addition now of cleaning stations for various models). I routinely use and switch between DE shaving (with an occasional cart thrown in), foil, rotary and trimmer - as in weekly or monthly.

There are essentially three types of electrics - the previously mentioned foils, rotaries and trimmers, and basically all can be used wet or dry these days. And they are all substantially different in the way they shave. In the trimmer market, for daily shaving the Philips OneBlade is pretty much alone, and although an "electric" in the technical sense, is really just a sized-down beard trimmer/hair clipper that will shorten your beard, but will really just give you a "Brad Pitt barbecue shave" so unless you're going for the rugged Marlborough Man look daily, isn't really in the running for a smooth morning shave. Its advantage is that it's quick and foolproof - cutting yourself with a OneBlade would take some deliberate effort.

As far as foils, the primary vendors here have become Braun and Panasonic, and you might throw in Remington as a distant third (with a smattering of others thrown in like Wahl). All make multiple models, and all are capable of providing a smooth, (fairly) close and comfortable shave. Depending on your beard, skin type, shaving style (daily, weekly, monthly), and technique. Foils have the advantage of shaving closer (slightly) than rotaries (and certainly trimmers), can be more comfortable (or not), and are often quicker than other electrics. They can also give you razor burn and ingrown hairs more readily (or not) than other shavers. You didn't mention cost, but generally considered top-of-the line are Braun's S9 shavers and Panasonic's Arc 5/6 series: mid-range are the next numbers down - S7/8 and Arc 3/4. Remington doesn't make a really expensive razor, but their Heritage Series is usually considered their top.

As far as rotaries, Philips Norelco pretty much stands alone, with again a smattering of others like Barbasol and, interestingly, Remington. If you're accustomed to shaving with a rotary, switching to a foil will require some time to adapt your skin, beard and technique - usually around a month. The same is true of switching back, just because of the way the shavers cut and the way your beard grows back. A rotary shaver generally works better at shaving several days' growth, or for an infrequent shaver. And then there's the variable of shaving wet, so asking "What's the best electric razor for me?" is sort of like asking "What's the best car?" Philips top rotaries include their Prestige and Series 9000 razors, with multiple models and options.

An excellent starting point for you might be this site, which has not only great reviews but user experiences, as well as a library of technical information on all things related to electric razors:

ShaverCheck • Electric Shaver Reviews & Guides

ShaverCheck is the place for unbiased, real-world electric shaver reviews and comprehensive tutorials & guides.

shavercheck.com

Keep posting on your progress, and again, welcome!

 

[ShadowShaver86]

Try the Norelco One Blade

Second this wholeheartedly, i've used one for 4 years and it's just awesome for my mustache area and lips, it won't be fully bbs but it gets close enough and is super easy to handle and rinse off. I shave in the shower and use shave creams and it's just a joy to use such an effortless machine.

 

[StuMcB]

I have the Remington Heritage shaver. Its a great mild shaver. Great for a relaxed shave with a little shave powder after a hot shower. However the Braun series 9pro i picked up off the bay is easily one of if not the best shavers there is. 3 days growth and BB shave for me. As for rotaries I was never a fan in my teen years or early 20's and that's probably why I went over to "proper" shaving and years of ingrowns, nicks and other stuff. You do need that 3 to 5 weeks (I found) adjustment with a foil shaver though, so if you do the jump make sure you have good prep and a bottle of anti ingrown AS. Personally I use bump stopper as it works for me. If you want to just try a foil and not spend sny real money, may I recommend the good ole kemei 2024 travel razor or the wahl lithium battery travel razor. Both are rechargeable and under £18 and give great shaves that punch above their price.........however stay away from the Braun travel razors, M90 & M60...just terrible.

Let us know what happens

 

[Flyboybob]

Welcome to the forum. I switched from a Norelco to a Braun in the early 1970s. The reason I switched was that the Braun gave me a closer shave faster than the Norelco. The Norelco back then was nothing like the ones today and the same comment applies to the Braun. In those days Braun couldn’t even import their shavers under the Braun name, but had them manufactured here by the Ronson cigarette lighter company And they were named, Ronson Shavers. Norelco had the same problem but manufactured them in the Netherlands but couldn’t use the Phillips brand until the 1980s.

Over the years I have used several different brands of screen shavers and currently I am using. A Braun 7893s since April 2019. I have been extremely satisfied with the shaver. It still holds a full two week charge and I have replaced the cutter/screen cassette only once. Although Braun, recommends changing it every 18 months, I change it when the quality of the shave diminishes. I switched from a Panasonic to Braun screen shavers because of two reasons. The first was that the trimmer on the Panasonic failed after about nine months and the second reason was the high cost of their replacement screens and cutters. I could have bought the same shaver on Amazon for twenty five more dollars than buying the replacement screen and cutters. Also, the Panasonic seemed to be rougher on my face than the Braun.

I’m one of the only posters on this forum that doesn’t use any pre-shave product. I wake up, and shave first thing after using the facility. I place nothing on my face and I get an excellent shave in five or so minutes. I also don’t have a cleaning station. It takes just a few seconds to tap the cassette and brush out the cuttings onto a piece of toilet paper and throw the toilet paper into the waist basket. A cleaning station takes up counter space, wastes electricity and serves no purpose other than to put more money in the shaver company’s pockets. I shave dry, before showering or wetting my face.

However, I live in a house with central air conditioning which keeps my face free of perspiration. Before I had AC, I would use a pre-shave powder stick which dried my face in humid conditions.

 

[tm3]

I have been using Norelco rotary razors for almost 20 years. Been looking to replace my current Norelco which is a number of years old and I have to keep opening up and resoldering the connection to one of the motor leads every so often.
I have been looking at reviews online for the last few months, and consistently the Braun foil razor is the most recommended.
Has anyone switched to the Braun after using rotary razors for many years? Why did you switch and what do you think now?
Looks like there are good sales for both Braun and Norelco for Prime Day; any specific ones on sale anyone would recommend, either Braun or Norelco?
Thanks!

I just happened across this and can relate my experience. I used to shave primarily with an electric and still do from time to time. I've tried most of the alternatives (they used to all offer 30 day money back guarantees) and while Braun is a nice shaver I much prefer Norelco rotary. I would say that for me the closest to Norelco is the Panasonic 5 series.

I have seem some surveys/reports online stating that a "majority" of men prefer the Braun over any other. I can't vouch for the legitimacy of said "surveys," however.

 

[noodles hovar]

Years ago (before getting the DE fever) I had a Braun foil rechargeable shaver. (7000 series, I think)

I especially like the self-cleaning docking station that sanitized the razor after every use.

It was like picking up a new razor every day!

 

[FireDragon76]

Of the two, I prefer rotary shavers for the comfort and durability.