Electric shavers

There are two main types of electrical shaver: foil and rotary. The foil design uses a set of layered metal bands for shaving, that partially pull out the hair before cutting off the extracted length, and then allowing the remainder of the hair to retract below the skin. The rotary design has a circular blade structure, usually three in a triangular arrangement, which shaves in a similar manner to the foil design.

Some of the very early mechanical shavers did not use electricity and had to be powered by hand. It wasn't until as recently as 1928 that an American, Jacob Schick patented the electric razor. The Remington Rand Corporation developed the electric shaver further, producing the first commercial brand in 1937. And it was the Philips Corporation that later invented the very successful concept of the revolving electric razor.

A typical electric razor uses a small direct current (DC) motor, and is usually powered by rechargeable batteries, or less commonly now by mains current. Early versions of the electrical shaver were meant to be used on dry skin only. More recently shavers have been designed which allow for shaving cream and moisture.

Modern electric shaving products offer excellent results for most people, given the time to adjust and bed the shaver in. Simply decide whether you want a mains powered or a rechargeable model, or a shaver with both of these features.

When properly used, most electric shavers can offer the user a shave that is nearly or just as close as with a razor. This is possible because an electric shaver rolls up the skin ahead of the hair, forcing the hair up above what would be considered the skin line, where it is then cut off. The hair then retracts below the skin's surface.

An electric shaver is easy to use and is ideal for the first time shaver; if used properly, it is very rare to receive a cut or razor burns when using one. Another advantage is that a person can shave when on the move. The device catches most of the hairs and, as no lubrication is required, there is no mess to clean up.

When looking at a range of shavers from the same manufacturer you will find that you often get the same quality of shave, as they often share common parts. The price difference is largely due to the additional features and overall finish of the shaver. The more basic shavers do not have features such as charge displays, and usually have shorter running times and longer recharging times (if rechargeable). Some of the more modern electric shavers now come with their own lubricating gel. These tend to offer the best shaves, but you do need to clean up afterwards.