What’s The Best Electric Shaver For Sensitive Skin (2019)? Top 5 List

This has got to be one of the hottest topics when it comes to electric shavers.

And it makes perfect sense—after all, most men that went for an electric razor did so just to get rid of the discomfort caused by shaving with a razor blade.

Regardless if you’re coming directly from traditional wet shaving or you just want to upgrade your current electric razor, you’ll most likely want two things:  a close shave and a comfortable, pain-free experience.

However, finding the best electric shaver for sensitive skin is not as straightforward as some might think.

And that’s simply because there isn’t such a thing as the best shaver, but one that is right for you.

Hopefully, this article will help you find precisely that so you can finally enjoy an irritation-free shave.

Prep work is really important.

Before getting to the actual shavers, I have to point out that prep work and shaving technique are particularly important for men with sensitive skin.

There are a few, but very important aspects to keep in mind that can make a world of difference between a poor and a great shaving experience, so I highly recommend reading the above guides as well.

No electric shaver out there will be good enough if you don’t get the basics right.

Rotary vs foil for sensitive skin.

Recommending one type of shaver vs another based on anecdotal evidence will always be somewhat personal and subjective.

And the topic of this article is no exception.

I personally prefer foil shavers as I’ve always found them to be more comfortable and easier to use. I feel more confident and in control with a foil shaver compared to using a rotary razor.

Moreover, some rotary razors, especially the ones in the lower-end segment, have a tendency to pull and yank the hairs and cause constant discomfort.

There are of course users that are not affected by these issues (or only to a small degree) and that’s perfectly fine too.

However, most men that have used both types seem to be on the same page as me when it comes to rotary vs foil shavers for sensitive skin.

For these reasons I consider foil razors to be generally a safer choice.

Choosing a shaver ultimately comes down to the user’s particular needs and personal preference and there is no absolute truth here. Always choose whatever seems to work best for you.

What are the qualities of a shaver suitable for sensitive skin?

Even though many electric shavers out there will work just fine for most men, there are some aspects to keep in mind if your skin is prone to irritation, razor burn or ingrown hairs.

As someone who had to deal with this for years, I tried many shavers in order to find one that wouldn’t leave my face looking and feeling terrible.

In my opinion, these are the most important hallmarks of a shaver suitable for sensitive skin:

Sharp blades.

It may be a bit surprising to start off with this one, but high quality, sharp blades are one of the key elements of a shaver suitable for sensitive skin.

Dull blades can cause the razor to pull the hairs and the closeness of the shave will suffer as well.

This will eventually lead to more pressure being applied and will force you to do excessive passes, increasing the risk of razor burn and irritation.

A great example of quality blades is Panasonic’s 30 degrees nano blades that have an aggressive 30 degrees bevel (as the name implies). This allows the blades to cut the hairs clean, efficiently and without pulling and yanking them.

You should also check out the replacement foils and blades when looking to buy a new electric shaver; they must be readily available and ideally not too expensive.

Gentle and fast.

Razor burn, rashes, and irritation happen when a very thin layer of skin cells is actually scraped off by the blades (it’s usually the skin around hair follicles that pokes through the perforations in the foils).

Some electric shavers are more aggressive than others and will leave you with a nasty, painful rash even if you’re not extremely careful.

Also, you will definitely feel the difference between a shaver fitted with a motor that runs at 7 600 CPM (cycles per minute) and with one that operates at 10 000 – 14 000 CPM.

An electric razor that has a more powerful motor will shave faster, smoother and with fewer passes, needs little to no pressure applied and contributes to a comfortable shave.

Yes, there’s more to an electric shaver than just numbers and specs, but a punchy and torquey motor is definitely a good starting point.

A shaving head that doesn’t get hot during operation.

This is yet another important and often neglected aspect.

If the shaving head gets very hot due to the friction between the blades and the foils, it will cause a great deal of discomfort.

You should also lubricate your razor regularly to reduce the heat generated during use and to minimize the wear of the blades and foils.

There are shavers that remain perfectly cool during use even in the case of an extended shaving session as you’ll see later on.

Being able to shave longer hairs that grow in different directions.

As someone with sensitive skin, you’ll sometimes have to wait a couple of days or even more between shaving sessions.

Your skin may need some time to recover and heal before subjecting it again to a potentially irritating factor, like rubbing a piece of metal against it.

Therefore, the shaver must cope well with longer hairs.

Lots of shavers have some trouble when shaving flat-lying hairs that grow in different directions, especially on the neck, requiring multiple strokes and thus increasing the chances of irritation.

Wet & dry operation.

As mentioned in a previous article, wet shaving can be extremely beneficial to men with sensitive skin.

Even though it takes longer and requires more prep work, it can make a big difference for some of us.

I encourage you to give it a try if your razor is suitable for wet/dry operation.

Some electric razors (like the ones from Panasonic) are a lot more gentle to the skin when used with a quality shaving cream.

Now that we’ve covered the boring part, it’s time to check out some actual shavers so you can narrow down your options.

What are some of the best electric shavers for sensitive skin (2019)?

1. Braun Series 9 9290cc

See the price on Amazon

Pros

• Extremely comfortable and gentle to the skin
• Close shaves
• Great for longer, wiry, flat-lying hairs
• Suitable for very sensitive skin, ingrown hairs
• Excellent (and necessary) cleaning station
• Fast and powerful, suitable for coarse beards

Cons

• Similar closeness to the less expensive Series 7
• Pricey
• Overkill for light beards and/or everyday use
• Manual cleaning can be difficult

The Series 9 is the latest and greatest from the popular German manufacturer and represents an evolution of the iconic Series 7.

Building upon an already great foundation, the Series 9 is a more powerful and more advanced electric shaver that takes comfort one notch higher.

Shaving with the Series 9 is a real treat; the foils remain cool during use and the shave is supremely comfortable, with no pulling or tugging even when shaving a three days beard.

The addition of the fourth cutting element, called the Direct & Cut trimmer, makes the Series 9 very efficient at cutting longer hairs that grow in different directions, requiring fewer strokes compared to most other foil shavers.

The shaving head of the Series 9 9290cc with the updated, Titanium coated trimmer.

The Series 9 is really impressive at how it manages to provide close shaves while being very gentle to the skin. It feels effortless to use and will have no trouble shaving even very coarse stubble.

For these reasons, the Series 9 is probably the best electric razor out there for men with sensitive skin, provided that the budget is not really a constraint.

There are several variations of the Series 9, all of them offering the same performance. You can opt for a dry only model, like the first generation 9090cc (currently discontinued), or for a wet & dry variation, like the 9290cc.

The cc models include an automatic cleaning station, while the s models do not.

The 9290cc that I reviewed in great detail here seems to be the best option as it generally costs less than all other Series 9 cc models and is suitable for wet and dry use.

For more details, you can read a comprehensive comparison between all the different Series 9 variations here.

I’d recommend you to opt for a Series 9 that also includes an automatic cleaning station. It works great and makes cleaning a non-issue.

With that said, the Series 9 is a bit pricey and for most men, other less expensive options can also work just fine.

2. Braun 7 Series 790CC

See the price on Amazon

Pros

• Very comfortable (even during a dry shave)
• Suitable for very sensitive skin
• Close shaves
• Reasonable price compared to a Series 9
• Works surprisingly well with longer, flat-lying hairs
• Suitable for coarse beards

Cons

• Shaves as close as the less expensive Series 5
• Manual cleaning can be difficult
• Pricey

The Series 7 is a shaver that needs no introduction, being one of the most acclaimed shavers out there for its performance and supremely comfortable shaves.

Also, due to the micro-pulsations and specially designed middle trimmer, it’s very effective at shaving coarse, long or short hairs that grow in different directions.

It has a powerful motor, a 3 blade cutting system and a micro-foil that was designed to be gentle to the skin.

The 790cc is the most popular variation of the Series 7 and arguably the most representative model for this family of shavers.

While you can only shave dry with the 790cc, Braun offers several wet/dry variations as well.

For example, the Series 7 7865CC is an almost identical shaver but it can also be used with shaving cream or gel.

However, the Series 7 is actually very comfortable during a dry shave, so you don’t really need the wet/dry feature in this case.

If you’re willing to give wet shaving a try, a Panasonic electric shaver would probably be a better option as the comfort will be greatly improved in that case.

The Series 7 can also be a more budget-friendly alternative to the pricey Series 9.

As I said in the direct comparison of the Series 7 and Series 9, for most men the Series 7 will work perfectly fine and only a few will see a significant difference when using the Series 9.

In fact, the Series 7 with its slimmer shaving head feels more nimble and maneuverable, making it a better option especially for someone just getting started with electric shaving.

For more details on all the other Series 7 models you can read our in-depth comparison and pick the right one for you.

3. Braun Series 5 5090cc/5190cc

See the price on Amazon

Pros

• Very comfortable (even during a dry shave)
• Suitable for sensitive skin
• Similar to a Series 7 performance-wise
• Very good value for money
• Excellent design and build quality
• Suitable for coarse beards

Cons

• Noisy during use
• Not as refined and smooth as a Series 7
• Manual cleaning can be difficult

The Series 5 from Braun is basically a Series 7 that costs less and doesn’t include some of its premium features, like the personalization modes and the so-called micro-pulsation technology.

However, these features don’t make such a big difference in real life and the Series 5 represents a viable, more affordable alternative to the Series 7.

The Series 5 is available in several variations, suitable for wet/dry or dry only use. You can buy it with or without the cleaning station.

Regardless of your choice, they all provide the same shaving experience, being very comfortable during use, which makes the Series 5 a solid option for men with sensitive skin.

The 5090cc model that we reviewed a while ago is one of the best options as it comes with a cleaning station and it usually costs less than other similar Series 5 variations.

Just like the 790cc, this Series 5 5090cc can only be used dry, but again this won’t be a problem as it is very gentle to the skin.

Since the 5090cc has been phased out in the meantime, the newer 5190cc is now my default Series 5 recommendation.

The 5190cc is also suitable for wet & dry use. Other than that, it’s extremely similar to the dry only 5090cc in terms of features and performance.

4. Panasonic ES-LV9Q

See the price on Amazon

Pros

• Very fast and powerful
• Very close shaves
• Can be suitable for sensitive skin
• Excellent wet shaving performance
• High quality, sharp blades
• Great build quality
• Very easy to clean manually

Cons

• Pricey
• Not as comfortable as a Braun Series 9
• Overkill for light beards
• Bulking shaving head takes some getting used to
• Not ideal for long, flat-lying hairs

The Arc 5 is Panasonic’s high-end line of electric shavers.

Currently at its third generation, the defining characteristic of this family of shavers is the (rather excessive) 5 blade shaving head.

Coupled with an industry-leading 14 000 CPM linear-drive motor, the Panasonic Arc 5 is a fantastic performer that excels at providing extremely close shaves.

While the previous generation did so at the expense of comfort, the latest models are better in this regard and can represent a viable option for men with sensitive skin that also need a really close shave.

Apart from a completely redesigned body that now features brushed aluminum on certain models like the ES-LV9Q, the novelty brought by the latest Arc 5 is the new shaving head.

Particularly, the foils. They were redesigned to be gentler to the skin and two rollers were added to improve the glide on the skin and prevent you from applying too much pressure.

I will admit that I was very skeptical at first, but after using the new Arc 5 I can honestly say that they really work. Unlike other Panasonic shavers, the foils don’t get too hot and the shave is usually smooth and irritation-free.

I wouldn’t say that it’s the most comfortable shaver out there right now (Braun is still the best in this regard), but if you don’t have particularly sensitive skin and are especially interested in getting a very close shave, this may be the one to have.

If you’re willing to give wet shaving a try, the ES-LV9Q is a real joy to use. Panasonic shavers are generally extremely good with shaving cream and this one is no exception.

Keep in mind though that the Arc 5 will work best on relatively short facial hair as it’s not as effective as a Braun Series 9 for example for catching longer, flat hairs.

The ES-LV9Q comes with an excellent automatic cleaning station, but to be perfectly honest, the razor is very easy to clean manually.

So the station is not a must-have in this case and you can save some money by getting an Arc 5 model without a station (for example, the ES-LV6N).

The shavers listed so far are definitely some of the best out there, but they may not fit within a tight budget. Sharp blades, fast motors, and an overall high-quality shaver usually come with a higher price tag.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a good product that’s also easy on the wallet.

Granted, it won’t match the performance of the high-end razors, but they can get do a very decent job, especially if you shave more often.

5. Braun Series 3 3010s ProSkin

See the price on Amazon

Pros

• Comfortable
• Suitable for sensitive skin
• Inexpensive replacement shaving heads
• Very good value for money
• Wet & dry use
• Excellent for beginners

Cons

• A bit underpowered for coarse, dense facial hair
• Works best when used on shorter hairs
• Doesn’t shave as close as the more advanced Braun shavers
• No slide-out trimmer

A great inexpensive option is another razor from Braun, the Series 3 ProSkin 3010s that I reviewed in detail here.

It is a surprisingly good shaver for sensitive skin, providing very comfortable shaves.

You won’t get the same closeness and performance as with the more advanced Series 5 or 7, but then again the 3010s is significantly cheaper and will be good enough in many situations.

If you have light to medium facial hair, the Series 3 will definitely be a suitable choice. You should also consider it if you shave daily or every other day and you’re more interested in comfort than getting a very close shave.

Compared to other similarly priced foil shavers like the Panasonic Arc 3, it does a surprisingly decent job at shaving a 2 to 3 days beard as well. But again, don’t expect Series 7 like performance.

The Series 3 3010s offers excellent value for money as it has a very reasonable price and the replacement shaving heads are inexpensive.

Final word.

You probably noticed that I didn’t recommend any rotary shavers; as I said in the beginning, I find foil razors to be more suitable for skin that is prone to irritation and razor burn.

This was simply my personal experience after using both types and I think in most cases a foil shaver will have a greater chance of providing a comfortable shave.

If you prefer a rotary shaver there are definitely some solid options out there, like the Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige.

To wrap it up, a shaver suitable for sensitive skin is not a whole different machine that does some kind of magic.

Getting a pain free shave is a matter of doing the prep work right, taking your time, using the right technique and, of course, the right shaver.

Don’t forget to always follow-up your shave with a soothing, hydrating balm.

If you have any other questions make sure to post them in the comments below