In a dry-shaving apparatus which is adapted to be connected to an a.c. source and which comprises at least one reciprocating cutter, there is provided a self-starting single-phase synchronous motor for driving the cutter. Via at least one drive mechanism, which couples the drive spindle of the motor to the cutter and which converts the rotary movement of the drive spindle into a reciprocating movement of the cutter, the cutter is made to occupy substantially one of the two extreme positions in its reciprocating movement in those positions of the rotor of the motor in which the driving torque has zero value.