An electric razor needs break-in time—not for the razor, but for your face. If you’re switching from a manual to an electric, or even from one electric style to another, generally you’ll need to give your skin two weeks to adjust to the new tool. We couldn’t figure out exactly why this break-in period is necessary. Is it your face? Your shaving style? The razor itself? Different sources give different answers, ranging from new-user error to the need to “train” skin as it adjusts from healing the scrapes caused by a manual razor to dealing with the pulling and shearing mechanisms of electrics.

We did a literature search and found no independent, non-industry-supported research on the topic, though judging from our experience, the break-in period is real. Your first electric shaves will be patchy and probably painful, and you shouldn’t touch things up with a manual razor (which defeats the purpose of the break-in period). All major shaver makers offer a 30- to 60-day money-back guarantee, and we recommend that you give your new shaver time to reach peak performance—but if it doesn’t, don’t be shy about requesting that refund.

To get the smoothest, most comfortable electric shave, no matter which shaver you choose, you need to remember that electrics can’t easily get as close as a blade. Most electric shaver makers offer advice on how to get the optimal shave. Unfortunately, that advice sometimes conflicts. Braun, for example, suggests shaving first thing in the morning. (“We recommend that you shave before you wash, since the skin tends to be slightly swollen after washing.”) Philips Norelco says to wash but not shower (“…otherwise your skin will be hot, puffy…”). Our testers used different techniques. Dan has dabbled with electric razors most of his adult life, and his technique is based mostly on saving time. Since he has two kids, he’s always in a rush first thing in the morning; when using a manual razor, he shaves in the shower. But with an electric shaver, he waits to shave during a calmer moment midmorning.

No matter when you shave, be sure to follow some basic-technique tips. Men’s Health UK offers a fairly extensive tutorial, but the takeaway is: Go lightly. Don’t press those cutting blades into your skin. Instead, gently pull the skin taut with one hand and let the razor glide over your face in slow, steady strokes; experiment with circular motions and straight strokes, and going with or against the grain (you’re looking for the perfect balance of closeness and post-shave comfort). All of the razors we recommend have pivoting heads, so maintaining a proper angle is easy, but if you’re using a shaver with a fixed head (such as a Wahl), make sure to hold the head at a right angle to your skin. Nearly every shaver manufacturer—in a tacit admission that these devices don’t really shave as close as a blade—recommends that you snag your longest, toughest facial hairs first, using the shaver’s built-in trimmer. Several of our testers said they used a manual razor to get those hairs at the end of the shave, which to us felt kind of like a “what’s the point?” proposition.

One question we’ve been asked a lot is whether to use a pre-shave. The best known of these is Williams Lectric Shave, an alcohol-based solution that helps “the shaver glide with less irritation.” It used to claim—see this advertisement from a 1982 issue of Field & Stream—that it made a “beard stand up.” How much this actually happens isn’t easy to establish, and in our group, Dan was the only tester who actually used and liked a pre-shave. The magic ingredient in most pre-shaves is isopropyl myristate, a synthetic oil created by compounding alcohol and a fatty acid. Combined, the two provide lubrication (the substance is also a key ingredient in Liquid Wrench) without a greasy feeling, so claims that they help an electric razor to glide are probably credible.

Our writers don’t regularly use Lectric Shave—for Dan it smells too much like his Uncle Larry’s bathroom. His preferred pre-shave, Kyoku for Men Electric Pre-Shave Optimizer, contains that key ingredient, which he says does make his skin feel smoother and more taut for shaving. Other pre-shaves include powders, which are effective but messy according to Amazon customer reviews, and thicker creams (such as in Mennen’s Afta), which tend to gunk up the shaver, making it tougher to clean.

You can use shavers in the shower, but a dry face is generally recommended to get the smoothest electric shave. We found that using shaving cream made for a foil-clogging, extra-gooey experience. Using shaving cream is likely to increase the amount of time you spend shaving, if you want to reach the closeness you’d get going dry.

Most shavers are rinsable, and you can easily clean them under water with a quick brush of the foils. Some, like the Braun Series 7 models we recommend, come with cleaning stations. Generally, replacement cleaning cartridges last about three months and cost $5 each if you buy them in four-packs. You should also follow the manufacturer’s instructions for replacing foils and cutting blocks. Braun recommends replacement every 18 months (the block and foil come as a single unit, running about $30 for the Series 7 and $50 for the Series 9); Philips Norelco and Remington recommend annual replacement.

One warning for those on the go: The foil heads found on most electric units are fragile, and if you dent or bend one, you’ll need to replace it. Most shavers come with some kind of case or shaving-head protector. It’s a good idea to use that.