The Best Back Shavers, According to GQ
In This Guide
Best Overall Back Shaver: Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 5000
Why we love it: Name one category of body grooming devices that Philips Norelco doesn’t absolutely dominate. This brand has your back—and literally, in this case. Their 5000 series body groomer brings dual-action efficiency to the thickest thatches, with each hair getting chopped down by the trimming teeth, then mowed over by the foil head shaver. It is a great manscaper for your front and back half, but for the back specifically, I love its clip-in extendable handle that bends to whichever degree you need.
I do like this one as a body hair trimmer too—it’s adept for that, but prefer it as an actual shaver, especially on the backside. (I don’t know many guys who “trim” their back hairs to anything but a barely-there 0.1mm.) So just go bare-guarded with this and shear it all off.
If you do want a dual body hair trimmer/shaver from the brand, I suggest upgrading to the dual-ended Bodygroom 7000. But when it comes to straightforward back hair handling—especially for the solo shaver who doesn’t have a helping hand from his +1 or roommate—the less expensive and equally adept 5000 series is unbeatable.
Best Manual Razor Back Shaver: BakBlade 2.0 Back Shaver
Why we love it: This one looks all kinds of funny—maybe it could catch a pop fly before it clears the outfield fence, or maybe it’s an ancient torture device. When put to the test of shaving the back, though, this one truly is a home run.
Its nearly two-foot-long handle allows you to hold it high up over your shoulder and down to the lower back. Its wide razors cover enough real estate to do the entire task in a few simple minutes, too. My first time out, I wondered if it would really hit every spot, with no irritation or redness. And yet every time I have used the BakBlade, I get the same smooth results, no matter how long I’ve let my hair grow out. The one trick I have is an odd raised mole on the one side of my back (I have had it looked at, yes); I’m anxious to just glide this one over top that mole, so I do have to deploy some extra strategy in that section of the back—typically, just taking it slow with this same BakBlade is more than enough to get the results I want and need.
I’ve become a BakBlade evangelist—my texts are riddled with friends bragging about no longer having to ask their partner or roommate for help. The BakBlade does go through razors fast, since it uses three (sigh, proprietary) blades at once, and only includes three when you purchase. I suggest bundling in an extra dozen blade replacements, which should get you six months or so of smoothness.
Best Body Hair Razor: Gillette Intimate Razor
Why we love it: If you’re committed to shaving your back with the same cartridge-style razor as your cheeks (dealer’s choice on which “cheeks” I mean), then I’d happily endorse this manscaping sensation from Gillette. It’s built for your fragile, awkwardly shaped junk, which is why I trust it to navigate the blindspots on my back. (I like to apply the same thinking to my skincare and shaving: When in doubt, buy the product that’s built for the sensitive stuff.) I often ask my partner to shave my back for me, too, especially ahead of a long beach-sprawling week, and that’s when I want to deploy something that allows for this kind of precision and sensitivity, packaged into one.
As for self shaving: While the Gillette doesn’t let me reach every square inch of my back like I can with the electric and expandable options, it’s a terrific solution for battling wooly collar creep: shoulder-level shaves and upper-back cleanups. Be sure to stock up on some extra cartridges, too.
Best Ergonomic Back Shaver: Mangroomer Intellimax Pro Back Shaver
Intellimax Pro Back Shaver
Pros
- Includes interchangeable heads
- Folds and lets you get into hard-to-reach places
Cons
- Doesn’t give you a clean shave, but is short enough where it feels satisfying
Why we love it: Long before I employed my partner for my back hair maintenance, Mangroomer was a lifesaver. It’s the best electric manscaping option for any combination of shaving and trimming your backside; its two interchangeable heads allow for whichever task you need to tackle. And above all, this foldable and adjustable trimmer gives you full control over your shaving domain—that is, your backside and its many blindspots.
My preference is to use it as a dry shaver, since it won’t cut quite as riskily close as an actual manual razor. I’ve never had any issues with nicking or razor burn with the Intellimax Pro’s main trimming head, and honestly, I just leave its trimming head attached. It cuts to a 0.5mm stubble—so short it’s not even stubble—which feels as good as a shave for me (especially considering that it eliminates the threat of razor burn and ingrowns).
Best Ergonomic Back Trimmer: Panasonic Body Groomer ER-GK80-S
Why we love it: Panasonic’s all-star manscaper won gold in our best body groomers list for a few years running, for two key reasons. First, Panasonic always delivers serious power and performance. Second—and specific to back hair trimming—its vertical trimming head makes snipping hairs—even from behind your back and over your shoulder—ridiculously easy, skating over hairy skin without any friction or agony. (It does require the slightest flexibility to hit the centermost part of your back, but it’s a trick you’ll master after the first few uses.) This design also makes it great for snipping hairs in odd crevices, like at the top of your haunch, and in the armpits.