My Phillips one is bloody awful. Are there any that truely aren't? STW collective's recommendations appreciated…

If you're used to wet shaving then they'll all seem rubbish. I'm really ham fisted at shaving so always use an electric, a Remmington in the three circular cutting heads design. Not great, but gives an okay shave as long as you clean it out after each use, it cuts better if it's not clogged with yesterdays stubble. For many years I had a beard just to avoid shaving.

Quite like my Braun Series 3. It's not as good as a wet shave (what electric one is?) but it's OK, cleans itself afterwards, and can be used in the shower.

£60 at Boots.

Braun 8000 series here, brilliant!

Will never be as close as a blade though, it's just the way all electric razors cut.

Another satisfied Braun Series 3 user. Used daily, shaves well, although 2/3 days growth really needs a wet shave.

I have a Philips one which is great. As above, it's not as good as a wet shave, but I get fewer in-growing hairs (which are horrible).

It keeps it's charge for over a month and has had nothing apart from charging & cleaning done to it in three years.

It was expensive mind (£180-ish).

I used to wet shave only on week days. I now shave every day, happily.

Oh, don't use the beard trimmer on yer scrote – it cuts…….

braun's are ace

Well I never got on with Brauns. Had a Philips one for the past few years and it's ace.

Much less skin irritation, shaves take 5 mins rather than 15, the blades last longer and it's easier to keep clean

I have an expensive Braun one, can't remember the model. Okay except for shaving the neck.

Blade shave after a sauna is perfect. Electric shaver in the glovebox for whedn you are late in the morning and forgot to shave.

I've got a Braun 590cc, it's ok but not as good as the older Remington sensitive one it replaced. Automatic cleaning thingy is good, but it's a bit slow to get a good clean shave & have to use regularly to get the best form it. I got it from Boots half price, would be worth taking advantage of such a deal – it's annoying you can't try before you dry!

I must be the exception to the rule as I can't get close with a wet shave, but then I've only had a wet shave about three times in the last 15 years. I have a very strong and thick stubble too.
philips shavers can be hit and miss, I bought one a few years ago and it cut my face to bits – but lots of people get on with them
I've had about 4 Brauns in the £60-80 range – they are solidly built, the foils and cutters last 8-12 months of daily use and I've only replaced them because I've broken the plastic housing and that's after 4ish years (1000+ shaves)
they've got even better recently, my current one is 2 years old and is showing no signs of wear and is only on it's second cutter and foil

I use a Philips 8000 series razor its a few years old, other half got it me for a christmas present a few years back, think it was one those boots half price at christmas offers. I don't have time to wet shave and supposed to be clean shaven for work every day so it does the job. The 3 disc blades last about 12 months if looked after and the battery charge still holds for about a month.

Only snag is if i use it every day, by dinner time i look like i haven't shaved at all, if i miss a day the next days shave is so much better for it.

Would recommend one of the new braun razors the higher end ones, had one for a week till i lost it somewhere, will be replacing when i get paid! think the other half pinched it for her legs, that was my second best chrimbo present this year!

Avoid the coolskin ones, mine is well **** but it is 8 years old, one of the first ones it just clogged up and then went all funny, had to clean it out with steri tablets, not nice.

That pic looks similar to my shaver. It comes with a fancy holder that cleans it too.

Still doesn't shave the neck properly

Electric shavers are fine if you have "soft" stubble. If you are a strong beard none of them are any good. Other friends have also tried "going back" to electric. The sad truth is that if you have a strong/dark beard you will only get a good shave from a blade.
I havent found the modern multi blade wet shavers any better than the single blade ones really. Maybe just a little faster.

The most important thing with a wet shave is HOT water and SOAP to soften the bristles first. You will then get a much much better shave than electric..

wet is the only way IMHO

hot and soapy as Radioman says a sharp razor and you can't beat it.

Quicker than an electric too.

Shower first to soften bristles then shave and rinse ———- smooooooth

Hot water for sure. Wet shaving rules. Don't like soapy water, or frothy shaves. I do like King of Shaves 'kinexium shave oil'. Works very well. Keep the skin & blade wet & it is nice & smooth.

Wet shave doesn't work for me – blood everywhere. It's so expensive too.

I have a Braun 8000 series – works very well indeed. I use the cleaning system which seems to really help give closer easier shaves.

the new Braun 390cc (may still be half price in boots). does well everyday and superb on a monday with 2/3 days growth. quiet too.

I've a braun 590 (cheap Boots offer like the 390 ones above but a year or 2 ago)

Nowhere near a wet shave, even with cheapo disposable razor. It's OK if I'm just shortening the stubble but no good for a smooth shave – you end up scaraping it across your face if trying to get a close shave & then a massive rash

What scaredypants said is pretty much my experience of the same (i think?) shaver. I'm not sure the fancy foil helps TBH.

I spent about £150 on a Phillips electric razor that claimed to be just what my sensitive skin needed. I started a job where I had to be clean shaven everyday and thought it would do the job.

What a load of rubbish. I perservered for about a month as i thought it would take time for my skin to get used to it, but it was rubbish. It took ages, gave me a far worse rash than wet shaving, didn't get that close so I had a 5 o'clock shadow by about 10am.

I went back to wet shaving and then thought I'd give the electric one last try about a month ago. Ha Ha….what a load of cak. Straight back to wet shaving.

My dad's got a Braun and the only time I tried that it was better than the Phillips.

Nowhere near a wet shave, even with cheapo disposable razor. It's OK if I'm just shortening the stubble but no good for a smooth shave – you end up scaraping it across your face if trying to get a close shave & then a massive rash

Have to say this has been my experience also.

Electric = no mess but impossible to get a rash-free, close shave without spending ages digging the thing into your face. Wet = close shave, but it's a messy faff with the foam/oil and subsequent mopping of blood.

Summons Richard Branson to create the Virgin shaver…

for those who have issues with wet shaving might I recommend the metro-sexual route. My facial hair is like iron filings and will happily stop most elecric razors dead so I've got no choice but scraping away at my face wet.

Get some high quality pre-face scrub/foam/oil/balm (the shaving company make some good ones in a set of three) and try a variety of razors. There are some very expensive, very good wet razors out there but I would suggest trying ASDA own brand first, they're actually quite good and cheap too. It's a bit of faff and mess but your face really does come out of it very smooth.

Check your shaving technique too. If you're tough enough, shave the wrong way, i.e., against the grain, there's a lot more opportunity for cutting yourself and it does smart a bit afterward (hence the balm) but it provides a face so smooth you'll get no complains about thigh burn on that day, if you know what I mean.

Summons Richard Branson to create the Virgin shaver…

Now I'd pay good money for a Dyson roller ball electric shaver (perhaps)

Go a Braun Series 3 for xmas and its by best shaver so far! Struggled with by previous Philips Travel shaver, 2 discs instead of 3 and Braun Razor model.

I've tried three or four different brands of electric over the years, but none of them have given less rash or as close a shave as wet shaving. I'd like the convenience, the the quality of shave is just rubbish.

They key to wet shaving is to soften your bristles. This will give you a smoother shave and your blades, even the soft as shiite disposable stuff, will last much longer.

I shave whilst I'm in the shower so my face fuzz is nice and moist in warm/hot water and properly soaked. Even then, I let the foam sit on my face for 30 seconds before I start. I tried oil and found Somersets the best, but it gums up the razor quite easily, and a razor full fo sticky mess does not a good shave make.

I used to have problems with shaving my neck, but since using a Braun series 3 the hairs seem to have trained to grow in one direction making it a lot easier
also, if you're using electric do not wash/ wet your face beforehand as it will not work
this thread just proves that how you shave very much comes down to the individual's face
and that Braun make the best electrics!

im a hairy fella and my stubble comes out like concrete reinforcing wire so i feel i should add to this…
i electric shave every other day.need to be smart for work but a dark day is dooable.
my £60 leccy shaver (philips?) does the job but i have to be metodical and keep going over and over to get it smooth.it takes the majority off fast but the stragglers take time to remove.
wet shaving rules but is a bind and i only do it for special occasions or if i want about three days run of no shaving needed.
What i usually do which is different is if i have about two/three days growth and want to get it smooth,pain free, is leccy shave the majority off, then quick wet shave to smooth things right up!works well and no rash,burn,cuts etc.
also nivea after shave balm is good stuff.the idea of putting anything on my red raw bleeding face seemed like madness but it works a treat!

also the three round head shavers are very quiet compared to the straight long foil, side to side jobs.last one i had sounded like an electric sander!

Wet shave in the shower – takes 2 minutes max.

"if you're using electric do not wash/ wet your face beforehand as it will not work"
+1
very true.shave first, then shower if using electric.other way if a blade.

Summons Richard Branson to create the Virgin shaver…

Shaven virgins? That's a specialist magazine title if ever I heard one! 😉

I used to find wet shaving a hassle. Now I just do it in the shower and all the hassle seems to have disappeared. There is a chrome plat with the mixers taps on so I can see where I'm going.

The main thing I didn't like about wet shaving was going to the sink and going through all that rigmoral having just finished showering.

do those people who shave in the shower not find it leaves masses of hairs all over the bath?

Do you not rinse the bath after you've used it?!

Every time I've used an electric shaver an hour or so later it feels like I actually used sandpaper.

Just got a single blade safety razor for Christmas and am learning how to get one with it after years of gillette things.
I like it but you have to take your time a bit. That's part of the fun.