The Best Affordable Electric Shavers In 2024 • ShaverCheck (2025)

Electric shavers are often associated with a high purchase price.

And that is indeed the case with some of the high-end, feature-packed models.

Also, the more complex and advanced a shaver is, the higher the cost of the replacement heads will be.

These things can make the budget-conscious buyer stay away from electric shavers altogether.

And for good reason — nobody wants to spend a lot of money on something when there are cheaper ways of dealing with facial hair.

Luckily, some electric razors offer excellent performance for a reasonable price.

In this article we’ll explore some of the best budget electric shavers out there and see what makes them suitable in several use cases:

Having owned and used these shavers myself for several years, I’ll also share a few actionable tips on how to get the most out of an inexpensive electric razor.

Let’s get started!

Hallmarks of an affordable but capable shaver

1. High-quality shaving head and decent power

Over the past 20 years, I’ve tried many shavers at very different price points.

And the one thing that had the biggest impact on the shaving performance was the actual shaving head.

Basically, the part that does the actual cutting.

When a manufacturer tries to cut costs in that area, the performance and longevity of the shaving head will take a hit.

A good shaving system is however backed by a motor that is powerful enough.

A shaver will require many passes for a smooth shave and will even snag some hairs if the motor isn’t powerful enough.

So while some non-essential features like a beard density sensor or power settings can be left out, good blades and a snappy motor are must-haves.

Also, 3 individual cutting elements should be enough for most users; four, five or six blades can be overkill, particularly in the context of shaving daily.

2. Basic features: Hair trimmer, waterproofing, flexible cutters

A versatile and practical electric razor should include all the basic features.

I think a pop-up hair trimmer (or a separate attachment) is really useful and at least for me, a must-have.

They’re really handy for some quick touchups — sideburns, goatee, moustache — and for cutting some stray, stubborn hairs.

A waterproof shaver is very easy to clean with tap water and I don’t think I would ever want to mess around with brushes or cans of compressed air.

Since these are budget-friendly razors, they won’t come with a cleaning station, so they must be easy to clean.

High-end shavers have very complex flexible shaving heads. And while they are impressive, I wouldn’t say they make a tremendous difference.

What does make a difference is having independently moving cutters.

With enough range of motion, this feature is truly useful in practice and will make the shaver more effective and more enjoyable to use.

Out of all the different features, I think these are the most important to have on an electric razor.

Fancy LED displays, beard density sensors, power settings and Bluetooth connectivity are nice to have, but not essential.

And most of them won’t improve the shaving performance in any way.

An automatic cleaning station can be very practical, but it adds a lot to the purchase price and most shavers are easy to clean manually.

The OEM cleaning refills also imply a higher cost of ownership.

3. Solid build quality

Another common practice for keeping the price low is to include fewer goodies in the retail package (things like protective caps, travel cases, lubricants, and so on) or to sacrifice build quality.

We definitely don’t want a poorly built shaver, so we’ll steer clear of those.

Durability is and should be high on your list when shopping for an electric razor.

4. Good battery life

Some low-end shavers that have very affordable prices also come with much smaller batteries than others that cost only marginally more.

For example, the basic Braun Series 3 shavers come with a smaller battery than the Series 3 ProSkin models.

Since the price difference is small, the ProSkin models are obviously the better option.

Also, some of those smaller batteries also have a very long charging time and if the shaver is cordless-only, that would really be an annoyance.

5. Cordless & corded use

Also related to the battery aspect we have the corded & cordless operation.

Most of today’s shavers are cordless only and this trend continues to grow in 2024.

And in most cases, I don’t think this is a deal breaker.

If the battery is large enough, with good reliability and charging takes less than an hour, that’s good enough for most users, myself included.

However, since you’re probably interested in using that shaver for as long as possible, would make a lot of sense.

When the battery can’t hold a decent charge anymore you’d still be able to shave with the cord plugged in.

So I made sure to also include a few affordable shavers that work well and can be operated both codless & corded.

Key takeaway

Purchase price and cost of ownership are the two important factors to consider when you have a limited budget for a shaver.

High-end, advanced electric razors come with a hefty price tag.

They usually provide superior performance, are fitted with the most powerful motors, have multiple cutting elements and incorporate several advanced technologies.

But the things that matter the most for getting a close and comfortable shave are a reasonably powerful motor and a high-quality shaving head.

That said, we’re interested in findingelectric razors that have these key features and leave out the ones that aren’t absolutely necessary.

In doing so, they manage to offer the best value for money and represent a great compromise of cost and performance.

Let’s check them out.

What are some of the best affordable shavers in 2024?

1. Braun Series 3 ProSkin 3040s

See the price on Amazon

Also available atWalmart,Braun.com.

I consider the Braun Series 3 ProSkin 3040s to be the best affordable shaver for most users.

It shaves well, has a reasonable price, it’s durable, reliable and easy to clean.

Moreover, it has an integrated slide-out hair trimmer, something not all the models in the Series 3 ProSkin family have.

While Panasonic shavers are generally better at providing closer shaves, the Braun Series 3 is more comfortable and more forgiving, especially during a dry shave.

This makes the Braun Series 3 ProSkin a better option if you have sensitive skin.

It’s also better at capturing those longer, flat-lying hairs compared to Panasonic, making it more versatile and suitable to be used daily and up to every 3 days or so.

The current Series 3 ProSkin generation includes several models, suitable for wet/dry and dry-only operation.

All of them are however waterproof and can be safely cleaned with water.

Some of them even come with an automatic cleaning and charging station, like the Series 3 3050cc, but those are a bit pricey and we’re mainly interested in the affordable ones.

With that said, the Braun Series 3 3040s ProSkin is usually my default recommendation.

And that’s mainly because it’s readily available, affordable and as mentioned earlier, has a hair trimmer.

Performance-wise, all Series 3 ProSkin models are identical.

And they are some of the most comfortable entry-level shavers out there.

The closeness, while good enough for most users, is not the best at this price point.

In my experience a Panasonic Arc 3 will be better suited for someone particularly interested in getting a close shave.

Being a basic shaver, the Series 3 also works best when used on shorter stubble, so you’ll get the best results if you use it regularly.

However, it does fare better than other foil shavers in this price range when used on a 3-day beard for example (it’s better than the Arc 3 in this regard).

Since the 3040s is waterproof, you can simply rinse it with water for easy cleaning.

You can also try shaving with your favorite shaving cream or gel.

However, I don’t find wet shaving to improve the results in a significant manner in the case of the Series 3 (in my opinion Panasonic razors work way better).

Because it’s a wet&dry model, the 3040s is a cordless-only shaver.

It is however fitted with a very reliable battery that provides at least 45 minutes of use on a single charge.

The replacement shaving heads for the Series 3 ProSkin, called cassettes, are the 32B (black) and 32S (silver).

The cassettes are usually priced lower than the foils and blades needed for Panasonic shavers, so the costs of ownership will be lower in the case of the Series 3.

Deciding which one to get should mainly come down to your needs (closeness vs versatility, comfort and better value for money).

2. Braun Series 3 ProSkin 3000s

See the price on Amazon

Also available at Walmart, Braun.com.

If you were put off by the fact that the 3040s above doesn’t work corded as well, then look no further than the Series 3 Proskin 3000s.

This one is a cordless & corded model and the shaving performance is identical.

And despite being marketed as dry-only for safety concerns, it’s also waterproof for easy cleaning.

Moreover, it usually costs less than the 3040s.

So what’s the catch?

Well, the Series 3 ProSkin 3000s doesn’t have a hair trimmer as you can tell from the picture below.

So that’s the compromise you’ll be making with the 3000s.

Apart from the lack of a hair trimmer and a more basic battery indicator, everything is the same as in the case of the 3040s at number 1 on the list.

The Series 3 3000s even uses the exact same 32b replacement head, so it’s inexpensive and durable.

The ability to shave corded will come in handy after years of use when the battery charge will go down really fast.

Or maybe you just don’t want to wait for it to charge (which takes roughly 1 hour).

3. Panasonic Arc 3 ES-LL41-K

See the price on Amazon

Also available atWalmart,Panasonic.com.

Side note: The UK/European variation is called the Panasonic ES-LL21-K.

The Arc 3 models from Panasonic are in my opinion some of the best budget electric shavers because they offer very solid performance for the price.

And even if the prices have gone up during the past couple of years, most buyers would still consider them affordable.

If you’re interested in getting a close and fast shave, I don’t think you can find a better option for the same money.

There are a lot of different models in the Arc 3 line, but the ES-LL-41-K is usually the pick of the range.

It’s fitted with a very nippy 13 000 CPM (cycles per minute) linear-drive motor, just slightly less powerful than the range-topping Arc 5 or Arc 6 models from Panasonic that come with 14 000 CPM units.

This, along with the sharp, high-quality blades make the Arc 3 one of the best-performing budget shavers out there.

Unlike the pricier Arc 4 and Arc 5 models, the Arc 3 only comes with three cutting elements.

However, it is still fast enough and suitable even for a medium to coarse beard.

A side benefit of having a less complex shaving head is the lower cost of the foil and blades set (part no WES9013PC).

Another advantage of the ES-LL41-K (and of any other Arc 3 model in fact) is the ease of cleaning and maintenance.

Since the inner blades are separated from the foil block, you have great access for a thorough cleaning.

Speaking of which, you’ll only need a bit of liquid soap and you can rinse everything with warm tap water.

All Panasonic Arc 3 shavers are fully waterproof and can be safely cleaned with water or used in the shower.

There’s even a special cleaning setting, called Sonic mode, that makes the blades oscillate at a very high speed, dislodging any stubborn dirt buildups.

I can honestly say that you really don’t need a cleaning station with a Panasonic shaver — they are that easy to clean.

Finally, it is a very robust and solidly built shaver that can take a beating.

It’s also nimble and easy to use, making it a great choice for a first-time user.

In fact, its shaving head is slimmer compared to other Arc 3 models like the ES-LT67-A or the latest Series 700 generation.

All Panasonic shavers are fitted with an excellent pop-up trimmer that’s very effective and useful for some light grooming, like tweaking your sideburns or edging a beard line.

In my opinion the Panasonic trimmer is a lot better than the one found on Braun razors like the Series 3 ProSkin or even the high-end Series 9.

The ES-LL41-K even includes two adjustable guards that fit over the extended trimmer and you can trim a full beard to the desired length.

This can also be useful when you haven’t shaved in a while and you need to pre-trim your beard.

Like all entry-level shavers, the ES-LL41-K works best when used on shorter facial hair, so shaving daily or every other day will give you the best results.

Otherwise you’ll have to spend a lot more money on something like a Braun Series 8 or a Series 9 that can capture difficult hairs more efficiently.

Finally, if you have very sensitive skin, using a pre-shave lotion or even shaving creammay help.

Panasonic shavers work great with shaving cream, so if you’re not against wet shaving, you should definitely give that a try.

4. Braun Series 5 5118s

See the price on Amazon

Also available at Walmart.

Almost 5 years ago, Braun released three new lines of shavers (initially only in the USA and Canada).

Among those newly released models, there was a new Series 5 which was also the most reasonably priced of the three.

And while the initial Series 5 models were decent in terms of performance, they weren’t any better than the Series 3 ProSkin that costed less and had a slimmer head.

However, Braun recently updated the Series 5 and these new shavers (with models names that start with 51 like the 5118s) come with a Turbo mode.

Precisely, the user can select a high-power shaving mode which makes the shaver feel noticeably faster and more effective.

And the best part is that these new models with the fast Turbo mode cost the same or only slightly more than the previous, non-Turbo models (the ones that start with 50 like the 5018s).

While it’s a complete departure from the OG/discontinued Series 5 shavers, the new models cost a lot less and offer decent performance for the money.

The Series 5 5118s is the most affordable model and the one I would recommend.

Performance-wise, I find it a bit more powerful than the Braun Series 3 ProSkin and pretty much on par with the Panasonic ES-LL41-K.

I wouldn’t say it shaves closer, but it is possible to get the same closeness faster compared to a Series 3.

And given the price of the Series 5, that’s pretty good.

Just like the Series 3, the Series 5 5018s is comfortable during use and will provide a reasonably close shave.

It’s a wet/dry model, so it will only work cordless.

Its selling point (apart from the low price) is a so-called EasyClean system that allows you to clean the shaving head without removing it.

In practice, it’s not nearly as effective as advertised and I would actually remove the head and clean it thoroughly since it only takes seconds to do it.

The Series 5 5118s doesn’t have an integrated hair trimmer, but it comes with a separate attachment that you must use instead of the regular foil head.

It’s really handy if you need to pre-trim your beard before shaving, but for more finesse work it is rather bulky and more cumbersome to use compared to the one on the Panasonic ES-LL41-K for example.

To summarize, the Braun Series 5 5118s is an affordable, comfortable electric shaver that would be a suitable choice for users who shave daily and up to every 3 days.

For a beginner, the S3 ProSkin might be a better option since the foil frame is more compact, so it’s easier to use and also glides smoother over the skin.

5. Philips Norelco Shaver 2500

See the price on Amazon

Also available atWalmart,Philips.com.

UPDATE: If you can’t find it anymore, the Philips Norelco Shaver 3600 would be a very good, reasonably-priced alternative.

Let’s now check out an affordable rotary razor.

Rotaries have a few specific pros compared to the foil shavers above.

Generally, these would be a quieter operation, better performance on longer facial hair and more durable shaving heads.

The latter is of particular interest to us because buying replacement heads less often means a lower cost of ownership.

My pick for an affordable rotary in 2024 would be thePhilips Norelco Shaver 2500 (S1311/82).

This model has a couple of compelling features that make it a better option than other similar rotaries.

TheShaver 2500is acordless & cordedshaver, which is always a good thing.

And unlike other similarly priced models in the Series 2000 like the popularShaver 2300, charging the Shaver 2500 takes less than an hour compared to 8 hours.

But the biggest advantage of the 2500 over the 2300 is that it is in fact a bitmore powerful, which translates into a faster and more enjoyable shave.

In fact, the Shaver 2500 feels exactly like theShaver 3600 or 3800from th

They even use the same shaving heads, the SH30, which are durable and fairly priced.

For these reasons, I think the Shaver 2500 is the budget rotary razor to buy right now.

You would need to spend a lot more on something like the Philips Norelco 9500 to get a significant performance upgrade.

The Philips Shaver 2500 is very comfortable and can even handle a 3-day beard.

It’s easy to clean most of the time with its flip-open head that you can simply rinse under the tap.

It has an integrated hair trimmer as well.

I’m not a big fan of the trimmer because it’s quite thick and the spring holding it upright is very weak and folds back easily, but it’ll get the job done eventually.

Rotaries however also have a few specific shortcomings.

For most men, the closeness of the shave won’t be quite as good as with a Panasonic Arc 3 for example.

Also, unless you know from previous experience that a rotary works best for you, a foil shaver is generally a safer choice.

But as far as rotaries go, this one is one of my favorites and I think it punches above its price.

The Norelco 2500 is remarkably gentle for a rotary and very enjoyable to use.

And with a reasonable price, cordless & corded use and durable heads, it’s also a great option for the budget-oriented buyer.

6. Remington F5-5800

See the price on Amazon

Also available at Walmart, Remington.

Remington is currently more of an underdog in this competition with Braun, Panasonic and Philips, arguably the 3 biggest players.

Unfortunately, for the past 15 years or more, most Remington shavers couldn’t really compete with the offerings from the other big brands.

But there’s one model that stands out from the rest: the Remington F5-5800.

This 3-blade foil shaver has an affordable price, being among the least expensive in this guide, but also shaves very well.

The closeness in particular is impressive and I would place it somewhere between the Arc 3 and the Series 3 in that regard.

And as long as you don’t have sensitive skin, it will be pretty comfortable as well.

It doesn’t look or feel as premium as a Panasonic, but it sometimes costs half the price and shaves almost as close.

Moreover, it works both codless&corded which further sweetens the deal.

It’s easy to clean simply by rinsing the shaving head with water..

The replacement foil and blades are generally easy to source and fairly priced.

So while this Remington isn’t the most comfortable or sleek shaver on this list, it’s among the more economical ones and gives a close shave.

Moreover, you’ll be getting a shaver from one of the pioneers in this industry.

For more details, you can also refer to my review of the 5800.

What about travel shavers?

While refining my list of recommended low-cost shavers, I also considered some travel electric razors.

After all, these are the most economical option, at least when it comes to the purchase price.

But after giving it more thought, I decided against it.

A travel shaver just wouldn’t be a suitable option for most users as their main shaver.

It might work for someone with very light facial hair, but that’s about it.

Moreover, when used regularly, it will require new foils/blades pretty quickly.

And that can be a problem with many compact shavers.

You often can’t get the parts or they cost more than a new shaver.

That isn’t a big deal if you were to use it sparingly (only when traveling), but it is a problem if you plan on shaving with one every day.

I think it would make more sense as a complementary shaver.

You can check out my travel shavers guide for a few good options.

How to get the most out of an inexpensive electric shaver

Once you’ve settled on a particular razor, it’s time to put it to good use.

Here are a few easy, but very effective tips when shaving with a budget-friendly shaver.

Try shaving more often.

As mentioned throughout this guide, entry-level razors can have some trouble with difficult facial hair.

I’m talking of course about hairs that grow parallel to the skin and/or in different directions.

To mitigate this shortcoming, try to shave while your whiskers are relatively short (less than 2mm).

I often talked about shaving daily or every other day, but it really comes down to how fast your beard grows.

If you have light to medium facial hair you can get away with a few days between shaving sessions.

Use a pre-shave lotion or a quality shaving cream.

Pre-shave lotions are inexpensive and effective in most cases.

They cause the hairs to stand upright, making it easier for the shaver to capture them and overall contribute to a smoother, faster and closer shave.

It only takes seconds to apply a pre-shave, but it can really improve the performance of a basic electric shaver.

My current favorite is the one from Speick; it’s very effective and a great addition to anyone’s dry-shaving routine.

See the price on Amazon

If you can’t get it, then the tried and tested Williams Lectric Shave would be a great inexpensive alternative.

I know most men prefer to shave dry for the convenience of it, but wet shaving can be a great option for someone with very sensitive skin for example.

Panasonic shavers work particularly well with shaving cream, so if you have one give it a try and see how it goes.

Clean and lubricate your shaver regularly.

This is something you should be doing regardless if you have a cheapie or a high-end electric razor.

Hairs, dead skin and dirt buildups will reduce the efficiency of the cutters and they will also wear out faster.

Lastly, not maintaining proper hygiene of your shaver is a surefire way to infections.

Regular cleaning and lubrication will prolong the life of the foils and blades while ensuring that your machine performs optimally.

Having to replace the shaving head more often pretty much defies the whole purpose of owning an affordable shaver.

Most modern electric razors can be easily cleaned with tap water and optionally some liquid hand soap.

Your user manual should include detailed instructions on how to perform a thorough cleaning.

Here is my cleaning routine if you want to check it out.

Make sure your razor is charged.

You’ll want to take advantage of all the power the shaver is capable of delivering.

That said, you may experience a performance drop when the battery is almost out of juice.

Not all electric razors can maintain peak power when the battery is low and this is when some hairs can get snagged.

Modern batteries aren’t affected by the memory effect anymore, so you can charge your shaver as often as you need without any worries.

That pretty much concludes this roundup of my recommended inexpensive electric razors.

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