Have you ever peered down at the electric razor in your hand and wondered how electric razors work…? When you think about it, an electric razor is a clever and sophisticated invention designed to make men’s grooming fast and fuss free.
Rotary Versus Foil Electric Razor, What’s The Difference Between Them?
Both razors deliver outstanding shaving results with different technologies. Whether a rotary or a foil razor is more suitable, depends entirely on such factors as your shaving routine, type of facial hair and personal preferences.
How Foil and Rotary Electric Razors Work
The foil section of the razor refers to the ultra-thin layer of metal which covers the surface of the blades. The holes or slots you can see in the foil, traps the hairs, allowing the electric razor to shave much closer to the skin, thereby giving you a smoother close shave than a rotary shaver. If you are looking for a precise finish such as trimming your sideburns, mustache or beard, then a foil electric razor is the one to go for. For people who shave every day, foils work best.
Rotary Electric Razors
Rotary units on the other hand have revolving or spinning heads. You will usually see three heads in a triangular shape. These rotary razors are designed to closely trace the contours of the face as you move the electric shaver in a circular motion.
The hairs slip into the openings in the three circular heads and are cut off completely. A rotary razor is very simple to maneuver around the more difficult problem areas of the face such as the chin and the neck which can be harder to get to with other kinds of shavers. If you have a lot of facial hair, a rotary razor gives you the best results.
These Are A Good Choice For Cutting Longer Thicker Hair
Rotary Razors Can Closely Follow Facial Contours
Rotary razors have 3 circular blades which spin and flex in the unit to closely follow the contours of your face. As these blades swivel and flex on their own, they are much better than a foil razor at following the outline of your face and neck.
Another Plus, These Shavers Are Quieter
Another benefit of rotary razors, they make less noise than a foil shaver, that offer you the additional benefit of letting you shave however you want to… In a side to side manner, circular motion or up and down. Plus, they do better with longer hair.
Here’s a fun guide to 6 timeless facial hair styles we appreciate
Which Type Of Razor Is Right For You?
Use A Rotary Razor If…
- Have thick or coarse hair
- If you don’t like the loud buzzing noise foil razors make
- Have facial hair which grows in lots of directions
- Skin which is not particularly sensitive
- If you have difficulties shaving the neck area
Use A Foil Razor If….
- You have really fine facial hair
- Prefer to shave on a daily basis
- Require a really close shave
- Like to clean your electric razor often
- Extremely straight facial hair growth
- You require precision shaving
Although most reviews offer the view rotary razors are somewhat better for people with dense hair and round faces, and that foil razors such as the Braun Series 7 are generally better suited to men with light and thin hair, at the end of the day your individual preferences should take priority over these basic guidelines.
See our list of the top 7 electric razors that may help you choose.
Most brand-name shavers come with a 30 day and sometimes more, money back guarantee. Experts state it takes about 30 days for your face to become familiar with any new shaver you buy. There’s chance you’ll notice a major change in the results of your shaving after that initial adjustment, so keep at it from at least a couple of weeks with any new razor you buy. If you are really unhappy with your new electric razor, then utilize the money back guarantee.
What Brands Of Electric Razor Should You Buy?
The premium brand names of shavers from Braun, Panasonic and Phillips Norelco are known for the quality of their razor construction and shave results. They all have long histories of production and these brands definitely perform better than budget brands in performance, durability, ease of use and comfort, making them much better value in the long run than a budget buy.
Most importantly, these well-known, brand-name shavers are backed up by decent warranties which we feel it is a really good thing, as no matter how good the brand-name, any electric razor can have some durability concerns.