Staffers tested foil shavers as well as rotary shavers.
"The staffers who used the rotary shavers used each one of those for a week. And the staffers who used the foil shavers used each one of those for a week. And they each self-evaluated for smoothness," said Maxine Siegel, Consumer Reports.
"This seemed to pull a little on my hairs and was a bit uncomfortable," said Staffer Mike Gikas.
"It gave a very smooth shave and didn't pull any hairs," said Staffer Dave Trezza.
Sensory panelists also evaluated the shavers. In order to judge roughness, they trained with sand paper. The scale consisted of 1 being the roughest and 9, the smoothest. Panelists then touched the staffers' cheeks, jaws and chin to assess the closeness of the shave.
All the shavers rated good to excellent.
"If you're buying a shaver for a man who already uses an electric, stick to the type they use, since their skin is already used to it," said Siegel.
The top-rated foil shaver was the Braun 360 Degree Complete for $170. The Philips Norelco Speed-XL came out on top for rotary shavers. The Norelco sells for $130.
Experts suggest using a new shaver for at least three weeks before deciding whether it's right for you.
Both shavers recommended by Consumer Reports offer at least a 30-day money-back trial.
