Laifen P3 Pro Electric Shaver review: A smooth, comfortable shave and impressive battery life

The same handful of names have dominated the electric shaver category for years, and while the big players have steadily improved what's under the hood, the actual designs haven't changed all that much. You know the drill: long, contoured handle, rubber grip, a price tag that makes you wince when it's time to replace the foil head.

That's something personal care appliance maker Laifen seems determined to shake up. This relatively fresh brand has built a reputation in the last few years by taking categories the big guys had got comfortable in, like high-speed hair dryers and electric toothbrushes, and producing kit that looks and performs like flagship money but doesn't actually cost it.

The P3 Pro is the brand’s current flagship shaver. It's a compact foil model milled from a single block of aluminium, powered by dual linear motors at a combined 24,000 cuts per minute, with a three-element shaving head, IPX7 waterproofing, USB-C charging and a quoted 100 minutes of battery life. There's even a little glass window on the front so you can watch the motors at work.

I've been using the palm-sized shaving gadget for the past month to see if it performs as well as it looks. Here's what I think.

Laifen P3 Pro review: price and availability

The Laifen P3 Pro is on sale now in the UK and the US, with availability gradually expanding elsewhere. In the UK, you can pick it up direct from Laifen EU or via UK retailers like Amazon, where it's currently listed for just short of £170.

In the US, it's listed at $199.99 on Laifen's own site, and Australian buyers are looking at around AU$249.95 RRP, with regular discounts dropping it closer to AU$200.

For context, that puts the P3 Pro a fair bit cheaper than the obvious rival, the Panasonic Arc5 Palm, which often costs nearly twice as much. So if you're after the premium travel-shaver vibe without quite paying flagship money, the Laifen is a worthy contender before you even switch it on.

Laifen P3 Pro review: design and build

The first thing that hits you with the P3 Pro is how unusual it looks. It's not your typical long, contoured shaver with a rubberised grip. Instead, it's a chunky little metal cuboid, milled from a single block of aluminium, with a small glass window on the front so you can actually see the dual motors at work. It's a bit like one of those open-window watches, and yes, it's a flex, but it's a fun one that I’m glad is there.

The little glass display panel up front is minimalist but does the job, with a subtle icon for the travel lock and another for charging status. It’s all you need in shaver like this.

Build quality is where the P3 Pro really shines. Everything about it feels expensive. The sandblasted aluminium has that cool, matte finish that reminds me of a MacBook, and the magnetic foil head snaps into place with a satisfying click. There's no plasticky feel anywhere here, it feels high-end, almost like an Apple gadget rather than a bathroom appliance.

Image 1 of 2

The issue with all that metal is that it adds up. At 180g, it's heavier than you'd expect for something this small, and because the surfaces are so smooth, it can be a bit slippery when your hands are wet. I almost dropped it in the sink a couple of times before I worked out a proper grip.

It's also worth flagging that there's no pop-up trimmer, which is a shame. For sideburns and tidying around a beard line, you'll still need a separate tool. Given how compact the P3 Pro is, I get why Laifen left it out, but I'd love to see one on a future model.

The travel-friendly aspect is nicely thought through, though. There's a proper travel lock activated by a long press of the power button, the USB-C port is sealed with a sturdy rubber flap, and the whole thing slips into a wash bag without any drama. Just be aware that the travel pod is sold separately, which feels a bit cheeky at this price.

Laifen P3 Pro review: performance and features

So, does it actually shave well? In short, yes, and surprisingly so for a brand that's still relatively new to this category.

Laifen has gone with a dual linear motor setup, which it markets as 24,000 cuts per minute. The slightly nerdy reality is that each motor runs at 12,000 CPM, but the two work in opposition to cancel out vibration, and the result in your hand is genuinely impressive. There's none of that buzzy, rattly feel you get from cheaper shavers. It just hums along smoothly while at work.

The shaving head uses two foils plus a central slit trimmer for catching longer, flat-lying hairs. These foils are ridiculously thin at 0.055mm, and they're made from a low-nickel stainless steel, which is good news if you've ever had a reaction to dodgy metals on your face.

In day-to-day use, I found the P3 Pro one of the most comfortable foil shavers I've tried in a while. It glides over the skin without that scratchy, dragging feeling, and I didn't end up with any redness, razor burn or post-shave irritation, even when shaving against the grain on my neck. For anyone with sensitive skin, that alone is good news.

Image 1 of 3

Closeness, while very good, isn’t exactly best-in-class. On the cheeks and neck, it gives a properly clean finish that lasts the day, but on thicker stubble around the chin and moustache, I felt it sometimes needed an extra pass or two to get it smooth. If you go four or five days between shaves, you might find yourself working a bit harder, but for daily or every-other-day use, it's spot on.

Cleaning is especially easy, too, thanks to the shaver’s magnetic head. You pull it off, rinse the lot under the tap, shake it dry, and you're done in under a minute. The whole shaver is IPX7 rated as well, so you can use it wet or dry, in the shower or over the sink, and not worry about it breaking. One small mystery: hair clippings barely seem to collect anywhere visible. The shaver always looks weirdly clean, even after a proper going-over. I'm not complaining, though! I just suspect these might turn up somewhere eventually.

Battery life is another top thing about this shaver. Laifen quotes around 100 minutes of cordless use per charge, and in my testing I actually got a fair bit more than that with normal everyday shaves. There's also a quick-charge feature that gives you roughly seven minutes of use from just three minutes plugged in, which is especially useful for those times when you've forgotten to charge it before a trip. USB-C charging means you can use the same cable as your phone or laptop, so there's one less faff to deal with when on the go.

Laifen P3 Pro review: verdict

The Laifen P3 Pro is one of those products that makes you wonder why the bigger brands haven't done the same sooner. The build quality is nothing short of exceptional for the money, and the shave itself is comfortable and consistent. I also am a big fan of the travel-friendly touches like USB-C, quick-charging and the travel lock all show that Laifen has actually thought about how people use these things day to day.

It isn't perfect, though. The lack of a pop-up trimmer is a real miss, and the metal-and-glass body can be slippery when wet. It’s also a massive shame that there’s no carry pouch included in the box, and an extra kick in the teeth that the travel pod costs extra - especially when the shaver is pitched as a travel companion.

If you've got thick stubble and you tend to leave shaving for several days, you might want a more aggressive shaver, but for daily or near-daily shavers who want something that looks the part, lasts ages between charges, and doesn't irritate the skin, the P3 Pro is a really easy recommendation.