Andis sells its foil shavers under the ProFoil name, and most buyers meet an Andis foil shaver in the same place: at the end of a fade or a head shave, when the clipper has done the bulk of the work and something still has to take the stubble down to the skin. That finishing step is what the line is for.
This page is for you if you have decided the finishing step deserves a proper foil shaver and you are choosing between the models Andis currently sells. If you want one tool to take hair from a long length down to nothing, the clipper does that job first. And if you have not yet worked out whether a foil or a rotary shaver suits your face, settle that before you pick a model.
What a ProFoil shaver does, and what it does not
Every Andis ProFoil model is a foil shaver: gold titanium foils driven by a 9,000 SPM rotary motor. Andis describes the foils as hypoallergenic, and the design as contoured to the face for a close shave. That design gives the shaver one real strength – cutting short, dry stubble flat against the skin – and a set of limits that are worth knowing before you spend anything.
It is not a clipper. A foil shaver will not take down a full beard or long hair, and it works best once the hair is already short. It is not a wet shaver: Andis lists its newest model as dry use only, and a foil finisher is designed for dry stubble rather than a lather-and-blade shave. It is also not a fix for razor bumps or ingrown hairs, which are a skin problem rather than a shaving-tool problem. If you are still deciding between the two shaver types, start with foil versus rotary; if the hair is long, the tool you actually need first is a barber clipper.
The three ProFoil models share almost everything
Here is the part that makes the choice easier than the model names suggest. The current ProFoil shavers are not separated by power or stamina. Andis gives all three the same 9,000 SPM rotary motor, the same 80 minutes of lithium-ion run time and the same two-year warranty, and all three use the same gold titanium foil design. What changes between them is how they charge, whether they include a stand, and a little weight.
ProFoil Lithium Titanium (TS-1, item 17235)
This is the plainest way into the line. Andis lists it as model TS-1, item 17235, and the box holds the shaver, a blade guard, a blade brush, a dual-voltage charger and an adapter. At about 4.7 oz it is as light as the Plus model and lighter than the Plus II. There is no stand: you charge it from its own charger.
It suits someone who wants the ProFoil finish for the least money and does not need the shaver to live on a work station. The trade-off is exactly that missing stand, plus the shorter list of extras. Nothing about the shave itself differs from the dearer models on this page, which matters because the price gap suggests a bigger difference than there is.
ProFoil Lithium Plus Titanium (TS-2, item 17255)
The Plus version (model TS-2, item 17255) keeps the same motor, foils and run time and adds a snap-in charging stand, so the shaver stands upright and stays charged between clients. The box also carries a snap-on cap, a blade brush and a small bottle of blade oil instead of the plain blade guard. Weight is unchanged at about 4.7 oz.
It suits anyone who works at a station and wants the shaver to have a fixed home, or who simply prefers the tidier charging arrangement. The drawback is that the stand is the whole difference: if you charge from a cable and drop the shaver in a drawer, the TS-1 does the same job for less.
ProFoil Plus II (TS-3)
The Plus II is the newest of the three. Andis lists it as model TS-3, item 563612, and Amazon carries the black cordless version under item 563616. It is the heaviest at about 5.4 oz, and the only one that charges by USB-C, on a premium stand, with a magnetic cap in place of the older snap-on fitting. The in-box set is the shaver, the stand, the magnetic cap and a USB-C cord.
It suits a reader who wants USB-C charging on the station and the newer foil cap, and who does not mind paying the most for the line. The trade-off is that the extra money buys the charging and the cap, not a stronger shave: the motor and run time are identical to the two cheaper models. Andis also answers the obvious question on its own product page – this one is dry use only – so it is not the model to buy expecting a wet shave in the shower.
Which one to buy
If you only want the Andis foil finish, buy the TS-1. It costs least and shaves the same as the others. If the shaver will live on a station and you want it standing up and charged, the TS-2 is the more practical buy, and it is the model most home setups will find the easiest to live with. Pay for the Plus II when USB-C charging and the magnetic cap are worth the difference to you as working conveniences.
What none of them changes is technique. A foil shaver wants short, overlapping passes and light pressure, letting the foil float over the skin instead of being pressed into it. If your goal is a smooth head rather than a finished fade, our guide to shaving your head without irritation covers the order of work, and the head shaver guide compares the tools people use for it.
Keeping the foil cutting close
A foil shaver is only as good as its foil. Brush the head out after each use, keep the cutters free of hair and, once the foils stop cutting close or start dragging, replace them: Andis sells a ProFoil foil and cutter assembly as a spare part for this line rather than making you buy a new shaver. Our notes on how to extend the life of a shaver head cover the routine in more detail.
If you are weighing other brands
The ProFoil is not the only way to finish a fade or a head shave, and it may not be the right shape for your hand. If you want to compare the format rather than the brand, our foil shaver guide walks through what separates one foil model from another, and the barber electric razors roundup covers the barber-grade options.
Common questions
How long does the battery last?
Andis rates all three ProFoil models at 80 minutes of lithium-ion run time, which the spec sheet lists as 1 hour 20 minutes. That is long enough for a full working day of finishing passes between charges.
Do they run on a cord or on the battery?
They are cordless on their lithium battery. The TS-1 charges from its own dual-voltage charger and adapter, while the TS-2 and the Plus II sit on charging stands, the Plus II over USB-C.
Can I use it in the shower?
Andis lists the Plus II as dry use only. Treat the ProFoil shavers as dry tools rather than something to rinse under the tap.
Do I have to replace the foils?
Yes, eventually. The foils and cutters wear, and Andis sells replacements for the line. Replace them when the shave stops feeling close or the head starts to drag, rather than replacing the whole shaver.
Before you buy
Work out the order of work first: clipper, then foil for the finish, then the skin care you already use. Then pick the model whose charging suits the way you actually work, since that is the only real difference between them. Check the current price and availability on the card, and if the Andis shape turns out not to suit your hand, compare the format in the foil shaver guide linked above before buying anything else.
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