Abstract: An electric shaver in which the conventional user actuated on-off switch is eliminated, the shaver being automatically actuated when brought into contact with the area of the body to be shaved and deactuated when removed, the shaver being provided with an electronic sensor switch (5) which is electrically connected to a contact plate (K2) on the outside of the casing (1) within the gripping zone and to the shear face (K1) of the shear head 2, the terminals (53, 54) of the sensor switch being connected to the control circuit of an actuating means (RL) for opening and closing the motor circuit.