Best Electric Shavers UK 2026: Foil and Rotary Rated, With Head Costs
Six foil and rotary shavers scored on closeness, comfort, battery, running cost and value. Running cost is the replacement head bill per year, at the maker's own schedule and today's UK prices.
The bottom line
The Philips i9000 Prestige scores highest at 86. It is close, very gentle and costs £207 with heads at £20 a year. The Braun Series 9 Pro+ shaves closest of all but costs £349 and £30 a year in heads. The Philips Series 3000 is the cheapest to own at £128.50 over five years.
- 6
- Shavers rated
- 86
- Top Index
- £12.50 to £42.75
- Head cost per year
- £128.50 to £499
- 5-year cost range
Scores are independent. Some retailer links pay us a commission, which never affects a score. How we’re funded.
The leaderboard
| Rank | Product | Index | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Philips i9000 Prestige (XP9204/10)Top rated | 86 | £206.99 | Amazon |
| 2 |  Braun Series 9 Pro+ (9510s)Closest shave | 83 | £349 | Amazon |
| 3 |  Braun Series 8 (8617s)Best foil value | 82 | £189.99 | Amazon |
| 4 |  Philips Shaver Series 5000 (S5898/50)Best mid-price | 81 | £109.94 | Amazon |
| 5 |  Panasonic Arc5 (ES-LV67)Closest for the money | 80 | £135.03 | Amazon |
| 6 |  Philips Shaver Series 3000 (S3241/12)Cheapest to own | 79 | £66 | Amazon |
Methodology
How the Index score is built
- Closeness 30%How close the finish is on 1 to 3 days of growth, from named independent tests and owner reports.
- Skin comfort 25%Redness, pulling and irritation, especially on the neck, from tests and owner reviews.
- Battery and charging 10%Rated cordless minutes, quick charge and how it charges.
- Running cost 15%Replacement heads per year at the maker's schedule and current UK prices.
- Value 20%Five-year cost of ownership (price plus five years of heads) against what you get.
We did not run our own shaving tests for this report. We compared published specs, priced every shaver and its official replacement head at UK retailers on 9 and 10 October 2026, and worked out the head cost per year using each maker's own replacement schedule. We then pooled owner ratings from Amazon UK and read hands-on tests from T3, GQ, TechRadar, Expert Reviews and The Telegraph.
Running cost is the head bill. Braun advises a new head every 18 months. Philips advises every 24 months. Panasonic advises a new outer foil every year and new inner blades every two years. Electricity is too small to matter: a shaver drawing 9W for a one-hour charge every few weeks uses well under 1kWh a year, which is less than 25p at the current price cap.
Each criterion is scored 0 to 100. The Index is the weighted sum, rounded: Index = round(Σ score × weight ÷ 100). For the Philips i9000 Prestige that is (86×30 + 93×25 + 85×10 + 80×15 + 84×20) ÷ 100 = 86.35, so 86.
- Head cost per year = head price ÷ replacement interval in years.
- 5-year cost = shaver price + 5 × head cost per year.
- Prices are the lowest from a major UK retailer for the basic bundle on the check date. Shaver prices swing a lot in sales.
- Closeness and comfort scores are our reading of named tests and owner reviews, not our own lab measurements.
Every product, scored
Philips i9000 Prestige (XP9204/10)
score86Index score 86 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%86
- Skin comfort · 25%93
- Battery and charging · 10%85
- Running cost · 15%80
- Value · 20%84
The gentlest shave here, at 59% off its list price, with cheap two-yearly heads.
Strengths
- Comfort near the top of every review we read
- Pressure Guard light ring teaches you not to press too hard
- SH91 heads every 2 years: £20 a year
- 4.6 out of 5 from 241 Amazon UK ratings
Weaknesses
- Foils still edge it for outright closeness
- No pop-up trimmer
- No plug in the box and no USB-C
At £206.99 it is 59% below its £499.99 list price. That changes its maths. Five years of ownership comes to £306.97, including £20 a year for SH91 heads replaced every two years as Philips advises.
Comfort is the reason it tops the Index. ShavingAdvisor put its comfort among the best of any rotary it has tried. TechRadar's six-month review said the pressure lights cut irritation and gave about 30 shaves per charge. Owners on Amazon UK give it 4.6 from 241 ratings.
Closeness is very good, not class-leading. ShaverCheck and TechRadar both say a good foil still gets slightly closer. TechRadar also thought its heads needed swapping yearly, not every two years. If you do that, heads cost £40 a year, more than the Braun Series 9 Pro+ bill.
Pick it if You have sensitive skin or a neck that reddens, and want a premium shave at a mid-range price.
- Type
- Rotary
- Battery
- 60 min, 5-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- SH91 (£39.99)
- Heads per year
- £20.00
- 5-year cost
- £306.97
- Charging
- Stand, USB-A, no plug
Braun Series 9 Pro+ (9510s)
score83Index score 83 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%96
- Skin comfort · 25%92
- Battery and charging · 10%85
- Running cost · 15%62
- Value · 20%66
The closest electric shave you can buy, priced like it.
Strengths
- Top for closeness in T3, GQ and The Telegraph
- Handles 1, 3 and 7-day growth
- Made in Germany, 5-year warranty on registration
- 4.4 out of 5 from 597 Amazon UK ratings
Weaknesses
- £349 for the basic bundle
- 96M head every 18 months: £30 a year
- 2-pin plug and no USB-C
Every test we read put the Series 9 Pro+ at or near the top for closeness. T3 called it as close as an electric shave gets. GQ's tester, a rotary fan, said it won him over and handled five days of stubble without tugging. The Telegraph's barber panel called it the best shaver money can buy.
Running costs are the highest here bar Panasonic. The 96M head is £44.99 on Amazon (Which? lists £57.99 as its full price), and Braun says to change it every 18 months. That is £29.99 a year and £498.97 over five years, the most expensive to own in this report.
That cost is why it sits second. It scores 96 for closeness and 92 for comfort, but only 62 for running cost and 66 for value. The trade-offs testers mention are small: a buzzy motor, a messier shave than rotary, and a rear trimmer that can catch your finger.
Pick it if You shave daily, want the closest result possible, and the price is not the main concern.
- Type
- Foil
- Battery
- 60 min, 5-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- 96M (£44.99)
- Heads per year
- £29.99
- 5-year cost
- £498.97
- Charging
- Stand, 2-pin plug
Braun Series 8 (8617s)
score82Index score 82 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%88
- Skin comfort · 25%86
- Battery and charging · 10%85
- Running cost · 15%66
- Value · 20%78
Most of the Series 9 Pro+ shave for £159 less.
Strengths
- 4+1 head with a 40° pivot
- £189.99, down from £399.99
- Made in Germany, 5-year warranty
Weaknesses
- 83M head every 18 months: £26 a year
- Only 99 Amazon UK ratings on this listing (4.4 out of 5)
- 2-pin plug
The Series 8 uses Braun's 4+1 system: four cutting elements plus a trimmer, on a head that pivots 40°. It is the same layout idea as the Series 9 Pro+ with one fewer element. ShavingAdvisor, comparing head shaves, rated both the Series 8 and the Series 9 Pro closer than the Philips i9000.
The 83M head costs £38.99 from Braun's own shop, every 18 months, so £25.99 a year. Five years comes to £319.95. That is £179 less than the Series 9 Pro+ over the same time.
It scores 88 for closeness and 86 for comfort, a step down from the flagship but still above every rotary for closeness. The Amazon listing has only 99 ratings, at 4.4, so the owner evidence is thinner than for the others.
Pick it if You want a Braun foil shave and would rather keep £159 than gain the last bit of closeness.
- Type
- Foil
- Battery
- 60 min, 5-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- 83M (£38.99)
- Heads per year
- £25.99
- 5-year cost
- £319.95
- Charging
- Stand, 2-pin plug
Philips Shaver Series 5000 (S5898/50)
score81Index score 81 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%78
- Skin comfort · 25%82
- Battery and charging · 10%85
- Running cost · 15%78
- Value · 20%86
Beard sensor, pop-up trimmer and cleaning pod for £110.
Strengths
- SkinIQ sensor adjusts power to beard density
- Includes Quick Clean Pod and travel case
- 4.4 out of 5 from 1,634 Amazon UK ratings
Weaknesses
- Clearly less close than the i9000
- SH71 heads are £44.99, the same as Braun's 96M
- Pod refills are an extra cost if you use them
The Series 5000 brings Philips' beard-density sensor and 360° flexing heads down to £109.94. This bundle adds a Quick Clean Pod, a cartridge and a travel case. Philips rates the motor and battery to last seven years.
Heads are the SH71 at £44.99 from Philips, every two years, so £22.50 a year. Five-year cost is £222.44. If you use the cleaning pod, refill cartridges add to that. The pod is optional and a rinse under the tap works.
An i9000 owner who reviewed both models said the i9000 was faster and needed fewer passes than his old Series 5000. That matches our scores: 78 for closeness against 86. For £97 less, it is the better buy if your skin is not sensitive.
Pick it if You want a capable rotary with extras for around £110.
- Type
- Rotary
- Battery
- 60 min, 5-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- SH71 (£44.99)
- Heads per year
- £22.50
- 5-year cost
- £222.44
- Charging
- USB-A, no plug
Panasonic Arc5 (ES-LV67)
score80Index score 80 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%92
- Skin comfort · 25%82
- Battery and charging · 10%72
- Running cost · 15%58
- Value · 20%80
Near-flagship closeness for £135, but the dearest heads to keep up.
Strengths
- Five blades and a 14,000 cpm linear motor
- Beard sensor adjusts power 14 times a second
- 4.4 out of 5 from 1,429 Amazon UK ratings
Weaknesses
- Foil every year and blades every 2 years: £42.75 a year
- Shortest battery here at 50 minutes
- Wide head can struggle on the jawline, some owners say
The Arc5 is old in shaver terms, but it still shaves close. One comparison of owner and test reports called it the value champion, with arguably the closest shave in its group. A Shavers.co.uk owner who had used electrics for 40 years called it the best he had owned.
Its weak spot is upkeep. Panasonic says to change the outer foil every year and the inner blades every two. Buying the foil-and-blade pack (£55 at Shavers.co.uk) one year and a foil alone (£30.49 at Fiyo) the next comes to £42.75 a year. That is the highest head bill here and £348.78 over five years.
Comfort scores lower than the Braun and Philips models. Some owners find the five-blade head too wide for the jawline and say it misses flat-lying hairs. The 50-minute battery is the shortest here, though one owner reports a week of daily shaves per charge.
Pick it if You have a thick, fast-growing beard and want a very close foil shave for under £150.
- Type
- Foil
- Battery
- 50 min, 3-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- WES9032Y pack (£55) + WES9173Y foil (£30.49)
- Heads per year
- £42.75
- 5-year cost
- £348.78
- Charging
- Corded or cordless, 2-pin plug
Philips Shaver Series 3000 (S3241/12)
score79Index score 79 out of 100
Amazon, 10 Oct 2026
Check price at AmazonScore breakdown
- Closeness · 30%65
- Skin comfort · 25%76
- Battery and charging · 10%85
- Running cost · 15%92
- Value · 20%92
£66 to buy, £12.50 a year in heads, and good enough for most beards.
Strengths
- Lowest 5-year cost here by £94
- Pop-up trimmer and wet or dry use
- 4.5 out of 5 from 3,992 Amazon UK ratings
Weaknesses
- Least close shave in this group
- Basic PowerCut blades and no beard sensor
- No plug in the box
The Series 3000 is one of the best-selling shavers on Amazon UK, with 3,992 ratings at 4.5. At £66 it costs less than two Braun 96M heads.
Heads are the SH30 at £25 from Philips, every two years, so £12.50 a year. Five years of ownership comes to £128.50. That is under half the Series 5000 and about a quarter of the Series 9 Pro+.
It is not as close as the others. One US comparison marked its sibling model down for its basic blades and cordless-only use. For a light or average beard shaved every day or two, owners are happy. For dense stubble, spend more.
Pick it if You want a dependable everyday shaver for the least money over five years.
- Type
- Rotary
- Battery
- 60 min, 5-min quick charge
- Replacement head
- SH30 (£25.00)
- Heads per year
- £12.50
- 5-year cost
- £128.50
- Charging
- USB-A, no plug
Spec comparison
| Philips i9000 Prestige (XP9204/10) | Braun Series 9 Pro+ (9510s) | Braun Series 8 (8617s) | Philips Shaver Series 5000 (S5898/50) | Panasonic Arc5 (ES-LV67) | Philips Shaver Series 3000 (S3241/12) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index score | 86 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 79 |
| Type | Rotary | Foil | Foil | Rotary | Foil | Rotary |
| Battery | 60 min, 5-min quick charge | 60 min, 5-min quick charge | 60 min, 5-min quick charge | 60 min, 5-min quick charge | 50 min, 3-min quick charge | 60 min, 5-min quick charge |
| Replacement head | SH91 (£39.99) | 96M (£44.99) | 83M (£38.99) | SH71 (£44.99) | WES9032Y pack (£55) + WES9173Y foil (£30.49) | SH30 (£25.00) |
| Heads per year | £20.00 | £29.99 | £25.99 | £22.50 | £42.75 | £12.50 |
| 5-year cost | £306.97 | £498.97 | £319.95 | £222.44 | £348.78 | £128.50 |
| Charging | Stand, USB-A, no plug | Stand, 2-pin plug | Stand, 2-pin plug | USB-A, no plug | Corded or cordless, 2-pin plug | USB-A, no plug |
Considered, not scored in full
Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra (XP9405)
Around £320 on Amazon. ShaverCheck found it shaves the same as the cheaper Prestige models, with better ergonomics.
Panasonic Series 900+ (ES-LS9A)
Expert Reviews called it the closest shave it has tested, but at £330 to £500 with costly blades it falls outside most budgets.
Braun Nevo
New in 2026 and well reviewed for quietness, but too few UK owner reviews yet to score fairly.
Philips Series 3000X (X3053)
£49 and well rated, but very close to the Series 3000 we rated. Pick on price and colour.
Manscaped Chairman Pro
The Telegraph's Best Value pick, but Expert Reviews found it weaker on longer stubble than full-size foils.
Buying explained
Foil or rotary: which suits you
Foil shavers (Braun, Panasonic) cut behind a thin, straight mesh. They tend to shave closer on cheeks and under the nose, and suit daily shavers. Rotary shavers (Philips) use three round heads that flex. They follow the jaw and neck well and are often kinder on sensitive skin.
Testers who switch between the two confirm the pattern. GQ's tester, a rotary user, found the Braun closer. TechRadar and ShaverCheck found Philips rotaries gentler but slightly less close.
Replacement heads: the cost nobody puts on the box
Every electric shaver needs new cutting parts. Blunt heads pull, irritate and miss hairs. The maker's schedules differ, and so do the prices, so the yearly bill varies three-fold across this report.
- Philips Series 3000, SH30: £25 every 2 years = £12.50 a year
- Philips i9000, SH91: £39.99 every 2 years = £20.00 a year
- Philips Series 5000, SH71: £44.99 every 2 years = £22.50 a year
- Braun Series 8, 83M: £38.99 every 18 months = £25.99 a year
- Braun Series 9 Pro+, 96M: £44.99 every 18 months = £29.99 a year
- Panasonic Arc5: foil yearly, blades every 2 years = £42.75 a year
Five-year cost of ownership
Add the shaver price to five years of heads and the order changes. The Panasonic costs £135 to buy but £348.78 over five years, more than the £189.99 Braun Series 8 at £319.95. The Philips i9000 costs £207 to buy and £306.97 over five years, less than either.
Buy official heads where you can. Third-party copies on Amazon cost half as much, but their ratings are far lower. A 94M copy we looked at had 3.3 stars against 4.6 for the genuine part.
Sale prices are normal, so wait for one
All six shavers sell well below their list prices for much of the year. The i9000 Prestige is 59% off at £206.99, and the Series 8 is 53% off at £189.99. Paying full price for a shaver is rarely necessary.
Plugs and charging
Braun and Panasonic ship with 2-pin bathroom plugs. You need a shaver socket or an adapter for a 3-pin socket. Philips now ships a USB-A cable and no plug. None of the six charges over USB-C, which GQ and TechRadar both flagged.
FAQ
Which electric shaver gives the closest shave?
The Braun Series 9 Pro+ scored highest for closeness in every test we read, and it scores 96 here. The Panasonic Arc5 is close behind for far less money.
Is a foil or rotary shaver better for sensitive skin?
Rotary shavers are usually gentler, especially on the neck. The Philips i9000 Prestige scores 93 for comfort, the highest here. Foil shavers can be gentle too: testers found the Series 9 Pro+ caused little redness.
How often should I replace electric shaver heads?
Braun says every 18 months. Philips says every 2 years. Panasonic says the outer foil every year and the inner blades every 2 years. Heavy beards and daily use may need sooner.
How much do replacement heads cost per year?
From £12.50 a year (Philips Series 3000) to £42.75 a year (Panasonic Arc5), at current UK prices and each maker's schedule.
Are cheap replacement heads worth it?
Usually not. Non-genuine heads cost about half as much, but their Amazon ratings are much lower than the originals. A poor head can irritate skin and wear the motor.
Do I need a cleaning station?
No. Rinsing under the tap and air drying works. Stations add convenience but the cartridges are an ongoing cost. We priced the basic bundles here.
Can I use these shavers in the shower?
Yes. All six are rated for wet and dry use and can be rinsed under the tap.
References
- 01T3: Braun Series 9 Pro+ review
- 02GQ: Braun Series 9 Pro+ review
- 03TechRadar: Philips i9000 review
- 04ShavingAdvisor: Philips i9000 Prestige review
- 05ShaverCheck: Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra review
- 06Expert Reviews: Panasonic Series 900+ review
- 07The Telegraph: the best electric shavers
- 08Philips: SH91 replacement heads (replace every 24 months)
- 09Braun: Series 8 83M replacement head
- 10Shavers.co.uk: Panasonic ES-LV67 and WES9032Y pack
First published 2 Sept 2026. See an error? Let us know.
