Review by Hunter Lawrence:

I used this product last night for the first time after a good traditional wet shave. It does what you expect every quality after shave to do, moisturize that skin and soothe it. It does EXACTLY that. It is very soothing and it beats any aftershave i have ever tried. It does not contain alcohol, and this is a plus for me because i have very sensitive skin. I highly recommend this product.

Review by Helena Valencia:

This aftershave is alright. It has a very discreet smell of soap and the cream is long lasting. It also absorbes into the skin very fast so you can apply other products almost immediately.

The only similar product I've tried (except really cheap brands like Nivea or Gillette) is the aftershave gel from Biotherm. I must say I like Proraso more.

Review by David Nobel:

I have been shaving more or less very day for over forty years, most of them using a rotary-type electric razor such as my current one. In all that time, I have rarely used any beard prep or aftershave. That is not to say that I didn't need it: My face is quite sensitive, even to the rotary electric, and was quite blotchy and irritated after every shave; but I simply ignored this.

However, for the past few years, I have been experiencing facial eczema, mainly around the base of my nose and on my cheeks. I finally decided to deal with this a few months back, and part of my strategy was to begin taking greater care with my shaving habits. Since then, Nivea for Men After Shave Replenishing Balm, Normal to Dry Skin, has become a regular and extremely satisfactory part of that new regimen.

After only a few days of regular use, the eczema disappeared for good, as did the chronic post-shave rash. I find the slight fragrance pleasant and subdued; my wife finds it sexy, which is a plus! The instructions recommend applying "a small amount," and I have found this to be sound advice: It is quite concentrated, and a mere quarter to half a teaspoon is all I need. Much more than this, and my face feels "plastered."

Since finding this product, I have tried a few other brands for comparison, but have always returned to the Nivea. Smells great, does what it says (soothes and replenishes), and is extremely economical to use.

Review by George Kraev:

I have a fairly sensitive skin and most aftershaves either don't do anything for me or are too harsh on the skin. This product however, is different. I tried several Nivea products, and while there is an aftershave for sensitive skin ( white bottle ), I find this one to be a lot better. Yes, it does give you a tingly sensation, but it does not leave your skin dry nor is it a gooey substance. It is slightly more viscous than most aftershaves but it has a fresh scent and the alcohol content seem to be just right. For me this is the perfect aftershave and since I found out about it I've been using it every day.

Review by javajunki:

Proraso has a long standing reputaton in the shaving industry so if you have never tried them, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Unlike some aftershaves with a heavy alcohol content, this does not "sting" but still provides a fresh, zing on application due to the menthal and allatoin. Won't dry skin, leaves face soft and supple. Very light fragrance fades and does not interfere with cologne or other fragrance. Simple, effective and very pleasant aftershave.

Review by J. Latina:

I have curly hair and have tried hundreds of dollars worth of pre/post shaving creams and oils and have never found the correct solution. Proraso has a very cooling almost numbing affect when applied under my shaving cream (always mug and brush) has redused breakouts and ingrown hairs. I would recommend this product highly. I cannot shave without it.

Review by Michael A. Fisher:

I purchased this product along with my first double-edged safety razor and the Proaso shaving cream. The smell is pleasant, though not at all strong. This product is great for softening the beard before shaving, and leaves my face cool and tingling after shaving. My skin has also been noticeably healthier since using this product. A little goes a long way, and I expect I will only need to purchase this product at most twice a year given the amount in each jar.

This product is a staple in Italy, and it's easy to see why. It's a classic, with no fills but good ingredients that leave user feeling refreshed after each application. I recommend this product

Review by Stan:

This product has been around for many, many years and used by many, many people worldwide for a reason. I first found this product in a specialty Italian food grocery store and it was on sale there for a reason. I tried it about 20 years ago and I have been a user ever since.

Review by :

Alcohol based;
This stuff WILL wake you up in the morning!
There is nothing subtle about alcohol interacting with you shaved skin. This will open your eyes!!!!
The fragance is classic and you'll feel you are celebrating V-E day, or just smell like your grandfather did!!!
This is a man's aftershave, you'll be reminded of better days of past, when your pappy took you to the barber shop, and those old barbers that told war stories, cut your hair with real scissors and blade.

Review by J. Toborowsky:

In this day and age, men's fragrances are usually sold from behind glass at a department store, with scents that go from fruity to nutty to musky to whatever. But there's something about Clubman aftershave that makes me forget about unisex hair salons and makes me think of a barber shop (complete with the red and blue pole outside, sitting and reading papers and magazines until your turn in the chair comes up, and the sound of snipping scissors and the smalltalk you get from your barber. It's fresh and clean, and doesn't cost and up.

Review by Kirk Lashley:

I love it. Gone are the days of astringent after shaves which burn and come in very strong overpowering scents. This gel has a subtle clean smell, and doesn't make you want to scream after a close shave. I've been very happy with this product as an after shave since it first came unto the market and have been using it ever since.

Review by Mr. Marcel Game:

I now have a difficulty in finding that product in France. I think that Gillette has changed products and is going to abandon the present one. I will regret it a lot because it is the best After Shave that I have tested until now. It is fresh and good-smelling and of course much efficent.

Review by Layabout:

I've been using this product as an after shave lotion for more than 40 years and nothing compares to it. A man's fragrance should only be smelled when you're inches away from him, not across the room. Almost all the other after-shave products on the market today are overwhelming--shake hands with a guy and you carry around his fragrance for hours. If you want a subtle cologne, use Royall Lyme or, for a change, Royall Spice.

Amazon.com had the best price on this item, less than half the retail price, with free shipping. A great deal!

Review by JRT:

It is not like me to write a rather negative review, but I was a bit disappointed with my recent purchase of Royall Lyme, a product that I have been using for over 40 years. This time - it takes me awhile to go through the last bottle - when I re-ordered, I noticed that the product is now manufactured under franchise to some company in the 'States, rather than in Bermuda. And there is quality difference. The new USA-made lotion is thinner in scent, watery and less , oh, zesty than the Bermuda-made original.

Did I purchase the wrong product? I mean, its more like the old Old Spice Lime after shave, the star of the local drug store after shaves than the original quality Royall Lyme.

Not bad - I'll continue to use it - but a bit disappointing. So, its only 3 stars from me.

Review by Comdet:

There's several reasons for wanting to use an electric shaver versus a blade. For me, it's been speed and comfort - an electric is faster, easier and less messy than using a blade and shaving cream. But, a dry shave with an electric is not as ultra close as a blade shave. Close enough for me, but if you're striving for the ultimate in closeness, you typically need to use a blade.

This Norelco is one of the few electrics that will match the closeness of a blade but it comes at a price - time and effort.

The shaver has a dispensing system where you push a button and it dispenses a small amount of Nivea cream. The Nivea is great stuff - very soothing, moisturizes, and has a nice, light scent. You wet your face first, then shave and push the dispensing button anytime you want some Nivea. The problem is, you need to dispense quite a bit of the stuff to get a comfortable shave, which gets pretty costly.

To keep the cost down and maintain high comfort levels, I use a gel-type shave cream first. Do one pass with the shaver, dunking it in water a couple of times to clear off the shave cream that builds up, then do a final pass using the Nivea. That keeps the Nivea use down to a small amount, but you still get the benefits of using the cream.

The resulting shave is as close, if not closer, than any blade shave I've ever had. It's essential that you use a light touch when using the Norelco - press too hard, and you'll get irritation, especially in the neck area. Also, you need to clean the head when you're done or the dispensing tubes will get clogged with the Nivea. Not hard to do - just run it under hot water while it the razor is on.

The shaver is water proof, and can be used in the shower. It's very similar to the previous model (8040 and related models), but with some improvements in ergonomics and overall design. The concept is the same, however, so if you can get older model at a discount, go for that instead of the newer model. The shave is the same.

Don't even think of shaving dry with this razor - you'll tear up your face.

Build quality is decent. A lot more plasticy than a premium razor, but in line with the price charged.

If you're looking to get the ultimate in closeness from an electric, you'll be happy with this. If, however, you're looking for speed and convenience, a dry shaver such as the Braun Series 5 or 7 should be on the short list. If you're unsure if you want to shave dry or wet (or want to do both), the Panasonic Arc IV is an outstanding shaver that can be used in both modes.

Review by Larry Diamond:

The most outstanding feature of this shaver is its comfort...but that comfort comes at a price. The shaver uses an innovative Nivea lotion dispenser that you pump into the body of the shaver. As you are shaving you press a button to dispense it. This works great for me. Produces a smooth, comfortable shave, I never have even the slightest bit of skin irritation.

As stated in other reviews, the manual does ask you to try the shaver for three weeks. I have and am very happy with how comfortable it is. But it still doesn't shave as close as a razor blade. I find the heads too big on my face to be effective in between my nose and lips so I still use a razor for that. Also I do find myself having to go over spots multiple times to get a trim to my satisfaction. On the other hand I have had electric shavers that cost more and have not performed as well.

You can check the cost of replacement lotion on Amazon and draw your own conclusions. The lotion that came with it is running low after three weeks of use. I can use shaving lotion or gel a lot longer before they run out and they cost less. But the comfort really is outstanding. Sometimes my razor still leaves my face red, this one never has. My face feels GOOD after using this, and that is certainly worth something. Comfort is a 5+ but closeness of shave and cost of replacement lotion brings the overall to a 4.

Review by Cody Thompson:

Awesome product. It works better than the sample you get with the razor. Also great price. Cheaper per bottle than anywhere else (typically pay around seven for each elsewhere).

Review by Bryan Carey:

Nivea Shaving Conditioner is a useful product to protect against skin irritation and it works very well when used with one of the electric razors that utilizes skin conditioner to reduce irritation while shaving. I own one of these electric razors and compared to others, I have found that the addition of skin conditioner does indeed make a difference in shaving. It makes shaving with an electric razor less irritating on the skin and makes me more likely to use an electric razor for my morning routine.

This shaving conditioner product is dispensed directly through the heads of the razor and it feels cool and refreshing when it comes in contact with the skin. It moisturizes well and what I find even more satisfying is the elimination of irritation. My skin doesn't react very well to a metal surface being rubbed across it, but this irritation is eliminated with this skin conditioner, and my electric razor now gets as much of a workout as my manual blade hand razors.

Nivea Shaving Conditioner is intended to be used with a specially- designed electric razor with a conditioner dispenser. Of course, you don't have to follow the manufacturer's recommendation. You can use this without the special electric razor by simply applying it directly to the skin, as a preparation to using a manual razor. It isn't easy to dispense this way, but it can be done. However, whatever you do, don't use this conditioner with an electric razor that is not designed as a wet/dry razor. Your skin might feel good, but your electric razor will be ruined.

Shaving can be irritating, but Nivea Shaving Conditioner helps to keep this problem under control. It succeeds at making the skin feel moisturized and protected and while the price is a tad high, it gets the job done, conditioning the skin with its special ingredients and eliminating irritation from the shaving experience.

Review by PeoplePhobic:

This is better for people with sensitive skin than the HQ171 extra fresh. It feels smoother and doesn't make my razor drag or my face burn like the evil extra fresh lotion does. The lotion packs last pretty long.

For me it is cheaper to buy the lotion packs than buy new gillette mach 3 turbo blades. (this would depend on how much lotion you use) Although I don't get as close a shave I get way less irritation.

Review by J. Mitchell:

This stuff actually works. I use it with my 7735x and it feels really smooth. It also doesn't burn like the HQ171 does.

Review by Kurt Swartz:

This is the best shaving head I have ever used. I needed to switch to an electric razor because my arms were not steady enough to hold a regular razor, because of 4 open back surgeries, and I would cut myself. This gives a clean shave cut free...

Review by M. Janczak:

I have used the Philips Norelco system for almost three years now. The recommended length of time to use one of the heads is for one year. The first two shaving heads I had were great (probably worth 4 stars), but then I bought this one and it seems like I have trouble getting a smooth shave.

The obvious difference I noticed was in color. The first shaving heads I used were gray, but this new one is white. Other than that, I don't know why or if Philips changed their manufacturing process, or maybe I just got a bum replacement.

When I shave, I usually have to go over my face twice with this new shaving head, then I still have to touch up my face with a regular shaving razor. Although I am disappointed with this head, using an electric razor is much nicer on face than a conventional razor blade. If you are considering switching, I would recommend giving the Norelco HS85 a try!

Review by dave:

Great, this stuff is like crack: once you start using you can't stop.

But this is a ripoff. They're .99 each at Wal-mart and Target.

Review by Comdet:

This works very well with the Norelco Coolskin line (I use it with my 8060 model). Provides an excellent "glide" across your face, pretty much eliminates any irritation, and moisturizes to boot.

It is pricy, however, and I've found that if you take a few preparation steps you can use a lot less without sacrificing comfort. First wet your face (warm water) and lather up with a liquid soap (I use a store brand, but any brand of liquid soap will work). Don't rinse. Dunk the Coolskin in warm water and start shaving. If you feel the razor start to drag, dunk it again in warm water. Do a single pass over your face. Then, dispense the Nivia lotion, and make a second pass.

I end up hitting the dispenser button only once or twice per shave, so the bottle of Nivea lasts for months. The soap protects your face during the first pass, and the Nivea puts down a nice moisturizing layer on the second pass. And, it's a lot less messy than using shaving cream or foam.

Not sure if this will work for everyone, but I get a great shave, takes only 2-3 minutes, and my face is smooth and comfortable all day.

Review by D. Arosemena:

I had a Philips 8160XL, but it irritates so much my neck skin. After that I bought a Panasonic linear electric shaver. Again, a lot of irritation on my neck, so I gave up and returned to razor blades. After a while, I want to return to an electric razor, for the long run savings, because razor blades are expensive. So I start looking. Finally, I have 3 posibilities: Norelco 9160XL, Norelco 8020X and Norelco coolskin 7735X. I found that Norelco 9160XL shares the same cutting blades than the 8160XL, so I discarted. The Norelco Coolskin 7735X was a temptin option, but this shaver use NiCad batteries (this battery suffers from memory, and after some time, retain less shaving time per charge). Finally, I decided for the Norelco 8020X.

Shaver:

This shaver has a body very similar to the new line of Norelco: Arcitec. The shaver is build on light plastic, but feels sturdy. The body is slim and very confortable to handle. You can use this shaver on the shower. Norelco recommends that you only use the Nivea for Men shaving conditioner, but I tried with shaving gel, and I got better results in the confort and closeness department. This is the reason why I tooked one star: Norelco should tell you that you can use others products, not only Nivea (this little can cost .95 on amazon plus S/H).

Charging:

Is recommended that you drain the battery before charging. This will prolong battery life. Charginf take only 8 hours. You have check, because if you charge more than 8 hours, it can damage the battery. Philips should had designed a system that shut up the current when the battery is fully charged. One full charge gave 30 minutes of continuos shaving (according to manual). I used an entire week before I had to charge it again.

Cleaning:

Very easy, just rinse the shaving heads using hot water (you can easily do this while you shower, or in the sink). You don't need special solution to clean.

Confort:

This, pherhaps is the most important area. This razon doesn't irritate my skin. Inclusive, I can wash my face using a product with salicilic acid. My recommendation is that you use shaving gel. The shaving conditioner gave me good results, but is not so great to justify the cost. In some days, I shave twice, and cero irritation.

In conclusion:

This is the best shaving system I ever tried. It gave me no irritation on my skin, no matter how agressive my pre-shaving wash soap is. I highly recommend it to any men with sensitive skin. The closeness is similar to the one when you shave with a blade following the grain. Just skip the shaving conditioner and use shaving gel (but not too much, because you can choke the shaving heads).

Review by A. Paz:

This is the third of Norelco's waterproof series that I have owned.

The overall quality is just as good as previous models and other Philips/Norelco products.

The shaver is constructed well and is lighter and more compact than previous models. Charging and battery life also seem to be very good.

The main problem I find with this new design is that the heads/razors are floating and not encased as previous models and most other shavers. When using this shaver in the shower this is not a problem. However, when you use this shaver outside of the shower, the lack of casing around the heads means that all of the hair pieces fall from the shaver to the counter or wherever else you may be (I would not recommend using this shaver in the car unless you don't mind getting yourself and your car covered with hair pieces). To me this is a major oversight and design flaw.

In short, if you only plan to use this razor in the shower this is a great choice, but if you need to use the razor outside of the shower as well, you may want to choose something else.

Review by Alex:

Great new product form Norelco! I'm a long time Norelco user - started with Norelco Advantage 5 or 6 years ago, then had two different Cool Skin shavers, and now have been using the new 8060X for the past few weeks. I'm very happy with this razor and it's a step in the right direction from the previous models. It's smaller and more lightweight than its predecessors, it's easier to clean due to its open design, and not having to replace lotion cartridges every couple of weeks is a plus. I couldn't get as close of a shave with it at first, but as the manual says - some break-in is required, and now that I've used it for a few weeks - it's doing a great job and I couldn't be happier with it. Norelco Customer Service is also hard to beat - they stand behind their products and will go above and beyond to keep their customers happy.

Review by A. Paz:

This is the third of Norelco's waterproof series that I have owned.

The overall quality is just as good as previous models and other Philips/Norelco products.

The shaver is constructed well and is lighter and more compact than previous models. Charging and battery life also seem to be very good.

The main problem I find with this new design is that the heads/razors are floating and not encased as previous models and most other shavers. When using this shaver in the shower this is not a problem. However, when you use this shaver outside of the shower, the lack of casing around the heads means that as you shave, all of the hair pieces fall from the shaver to the counter or wherever else you may be (I would not recommend using this shaver in the car unless you don't mind getting yourself and your car covered with hair pieces). To me this is a major oversight and design flaw.

In short, if you only plan to use this razor in the shower this is a good choice, but if you need to use the razor outside of the shower as well, you may want to choose something else.

Review by Lisa Shoup:

Without question this is the best electric shaver I've ever used. I read the warnings about how it might take 3 weeks before I got a close shave but I have to say that the very first shave was just about as close as I could get from a regular razor and now, 2 days later, I can just barely begin to feel some stubble. It's comfortable, a nice weight, it holds a charge well and it recharges super fast! It's also easy to clean, comfortable in my hand and I just couldn't have asked for anything better! I'm completely thrilled with it. As someone else said, don't bother spending more on a "fancier" shaver, because this one will give you everything you could want. I recommend it without reservation!!

Review by delicateflower152:

I was so tired of replacing razor/blade heads on the Schick and Gillette non-electric models that are sold in the grocery/big box stores. The blades alone were close to for replacements, so I thought why not try an electric. So far, I'm delighted. This razor shaves smoothly in the shower and I experienced no razor burn on either my legs or underarms. I asked my husband about this complaint and he said the user was pushing too hard instead of letting the shaver glide over the skin's surface. Maybe that will help someone else. Anyway, the first time I used this, I dropped it - my hands are a bit klutzy. I was really upset because I thought I'd ruined my new shaver. Fortunately, it was simple to put it back together and it ran just fine after my accident. My only criticism is that replacement blades and a replacement head are more expensive than just buying a new razor. Guess when the head and blades need replacing, I'll just junk the old razor and get a new one.

Six weeks of using this razor have only confirmed my initial opinion. It shaves smoothly, without irritation, and does an outstanding job. I use it in the shower, soaping my legs before I shave, and I've had no issue with stubble or razor burns. In fact, you'll find yourself shaving more since it's so easy. I'm definitely a happy camper!

Review by S. Gayner:

I was replacing an old Remington DA-407, which I have used for about 15 years, but which is no longer made. I liked the Remington dual blade/dual screen implementation, but found that most of the newer models now have 3 blades and 3 screens. OK, time for me to move up to the triple class. I didn't want to spend a lot, and some of the newest models were selling for or more. I'd spend that if I had to, but wanted to spend closer to . I required a model that would work with a discharged battery, using the cord or with a charged battery, without the cord. I found the MSC-2700, which appeared to have all the bells and whistles, but was maybe one generation older than the newest. It has metal sides and not what appears to be a rubber coating on the newest models.

Now that I have shaved with it for about a month, I can report that I am happy. My unit is not noisy, as some reviews had mentioned. The also mentioned issue of capturing cut whiskers among the foils and allowing them to fall out when the shaver is tipped I find to be not a problem, but an advantage. A lot less whisker and dust get trapped inside and has to be brushed out. I get about 7-8 shaves between recharges. The shaver allows you to clean it by running the cutters under a faucet, but I find that drying the unit afterward is difficult. The brush does the job just fine.

All in all, I'm very happy. Thinking about buying a second one and putting it away for later use.

Review by J. Byer:

The (Factory Reconditioned)Remington MS3-2000 Micro-Screen3 Ultra Cord Mens Shaver has not performed as expected. The motor is slow and, as a result, the shave is not as good as expected. Prior to buying this reconditioned model, I owned the same razor for years, but it was brand new, not reconditioned, and it provided a nice shave. I had hoped to get the same service from this shaver purchase, but it hasn't happened.

Review by Kevin L. Pullin:

A shaver is like buying a washer and dryer, you have to have it but you really hate to have to buy it. This has been a better shaver for me than the 3 recent Norelco and Braun brands that I had previously used. Close shave, holds an excellent charge. This is a top of the line shaver that you don't have to pay a ton for. Easy to clean and looks great too! Has my highest recommendation.

Review by oneTest:

When I purchased this item it was listed as new. When it arrived it was clearly listed as reconditioned. The protective cap for the heads broke trying to put it on. I charged it over night and tried it. The shave was acceptable but you have to push harder than my experience with Norelco. When the battery indicator showed having 35 minutes left the thing died. I recharged it and it still works but you never know when the battery will die again. It goes dead at different minute levels each time. I cannot recommend this item in good faith to anyone wanting a good reliable shave.

Review by Richard H:

Three rows of titanium foils give a quick, close shave.

If you don't shave everyday, you may get a few pesky whiskers that don't want to get shaved. When I encounter this, I simply pop up the trimmer and trim those whiskers down to a stub that is easily shaved with the foils.

Review by G. Helms:

Decades ago I had to give up on shaving my armpits with a razor due to the terrible infections I would get afterwards. A friend suggested I try instead an electric razor; I've had a few but none really blew me away with the job they did...there were always hairs that had been left behind, or the shaver would catch and painfully yank small skin tags. Or worse, the shaver would try to yank out the hair rather than cut it.

Meet the answer to all these problems.

The Remington model WDF-3500 comes in an adorable light purple color. It tackled a year's worth of underarm growth on its first shave like a champ...though the trimmer doesn't pop out, angling the trimmer worked just fine, and in minutes the trimmer alone had given me as good a shave as some of my previous shavers had done. Switching over to the foils was amazing...there was no yanking of hair, no catching of skin tags...the foils slid gracefully over the skin and left NO stubble behind at all. On its first charge out of the box the Remington had given me the kind of shave I'd dreamed of for my underarms.

This is a wet/dry shaver; I only shave in the shower, and performed beyond my expectations. I'm delighted! If you've suffered from bad shaves, long hairs left behind, yanked skin tags and terrible pore infections after using a blade...give this a try.

Review by lewis948:

Based on the other good reviews, I bought this razor with some skepticism because I had been shaving with a blade razor for the last 20 years and lately have gotten tired of the rising prices of cartridges and the little knicks I would get using a blade. I have dark, course hairs, so I didn't have high expections for this chargeable razor. My review is based on using the razor DRY, and I cannot comment on using it in the shower. TIP #1: I found that by using the razor after getting out of the shower and toweling off that the hairs are softened and you get a closer shave than if you shaved dry before taking a shower. TIP #2: I remembered my father telling me years ago when micro-screen shavers came out that you get the best shave by moving the shaver in a circular motion. I started out with this razor using the usual up/down motion, but when I noticed there were a few spots that didn't seem like they'd gotten a close shave, I went over them in a circular motion and got an extremely close shave. TIP #3: On initial use, be sure to charge the razor for at least 15 hours. I was eager to use mine and tried to used it 12 hours after iniating the charge, and thought the razor was defective because it didn't work. I tried it a couple of hours later, and it worked fine. TIP #4: Clean heads with little brush provided after each use as directed. It's easy to do by just flipping up the top and only takes 2 seconds, so if it will keep the razor in good working order, I would recommend following the directions. PROS: Has countertop charger so you don't have to plug a bulky base directy into the outlet and the base has a slot to keep the little head cleaner handy. Kudos to Remington for making this fabulous razor.

Review by Rick V:

Background you can skip

I am a guy, in his late 30's, heavy (I mean HEAVY) beard growth. By the time it hits noon, dry or wetshave, the shade starts to slowly show.

To make matters worse, I suffer from THE most sensitive skin.

I tried everything, from upgrading my foam to ultraglide superconductor foam for inflamed skin (by Gilette) to going from 2 blades to 3 blades to 4 blades-with-lubra-wd40-strips. You get the point.

Over the years I learned that the very best thing to do for me was to actually do a wet shave under the steamy shower: brush my teeth while I soak under the shower and then after 2.5 minutes of brushing teeth my skin would well prepped to take sensitive skin foam and I could shave infront of my precious fog-free shower mirror.

However, gradually, as the week passed the skin around my neck would get increasingly irritated from the combination of wet shaving and stiff shirt collars and ties which I must wear for work. So I ended up NOT shaving on saturdays and sundays just to start the gradual irritation cycle all over on Monday morning. Much to wifey's dismay as she complained about my homeless look and expressed a deep desire not to be kissed by cactus-face Rick.

Anyways, call this facial viagra, or my salvation: I found the Panasonic ES8109 (also on Amazon). A wet(!!!!) and dry shaver that would supposedly not get my skin irritated and I could use it immersed in water.

I tried it and LOVED it. Read my Amazon review of it elsewhere. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks to get used to but once you have got it down, being a shower shaver like myself, you will find it competes with the best of the Mach III or IV or Final Episode... the thing works.

And instead of using foam with it I found that spraying on Lectric Shave with a little 1$ spray bottle COMPLETELY removed any irritation.

Also, my shave would hold as long as the manual shave did and in the end this turned out much cheaper...

About the actual item listed here: ES3831K

When I travelled for work I now wanted to have my ES8109 with me and did so a few times but it really is not a travelling shaver. It was too heavy/bulky and I needed to unplug power cables etc. and sometimes the button would get accidentally pressed and my shaver would be empty. Anyhoo, not a good travelling companion.

I knew I wanted a wet/dry electric and I already knew the more expensive 8109 workes magic. So I bounght this one, on a whim, during a sale.

When I use it with Lectric Shave in the shower it does a great job of getting me de-stubbled. It is really good and certainly not a 10$ shaver: the shave is smooth and the blades are sharp and seem to stay sharp.

All 3 Panasonic Traveling wet / dry battery shavers use the same head and replacement parts. The white one, though, has a trimmer (don't need that on a trip!) and the bigger black one is rechargable. But they have the same shaving hardware. I wanted one where I could rreplace / bring batteries separate and did not need a trimmer. I also did not want to carry any extra cables.

Conclusion

I guess I talk too much (its getting late here). The shaver is great travel value. Buy this as a companion to the best electric wet shaver I could recommend , the ES8109 (for an electric best dry shave go for the Braun) but again: you have to be a shower-shaver with extra sensitive skin and heavy beard growth to appreciate my recommendation.

Good luck in finding your own personal shaving ritual. I am happy I found mine after well over 20 years of suffering.

Review by lordhoot:

After using this shaver for over two weeks on a continuous basis, I can safely write that this shaver does give me a good shave. Unlike other quality travel shavers, this one come with a built in trimmer and a nice hard travel case. The trimmer worked just fine for touch-up work and the hard case protect the shaver's foils a lot better then cloth carrying bag.

The battery life for this shaver is bit questionable. If you don't used the trimmer, the battery life will improved. If not, it can get pretty short. I recommend recharageable batteries. Another reason for not getting a five star is that the shaver vibrate quite a bit. I didn't mind it too much but other users may be bother by it. I have a friend who once joked that this device is a great shaver and a great sex toy! Oh well, each to his own. Like most travel shavers, this device is not meant for people with hairy faces unless you want to shave every four or six hours. Its a single blade device that work well for people who don't have a lot of facial hairs to deal with. Being wet/dry, you can shave anywhere, in the showers or over the sink. It also allowed easier cleaning as well that leads to long lasting value.

The shaver is easy to hold but it not angled in any fashion. The previous model, ES4815 got a slight angle that does make shaving slightly easier. I should mentioned that most travel shavers, this device can be slightly noisy as well with a fresh set of batteries. But these are the only two negative things I thought to mention on this shaver. (I am not sure why it got a "Pro-Curve" label on it.) It should be noted that this shaver is also slightly longer then ES4815 travel shaver, probably designed that way to accommodate the trimmer.

But overall, I found this travel shaver to shave well and quite reliable. I am please that Panasonic finally added a nice trimmer to their line of great travel shavers. Hopefully, this shaver will last a long time like all my other Panasonic travel shavers.

Review by R. E. WORSLEY:

Have used this razor since Jan.'08 and it has been performing flawlessly since then. The June '08 issue of a leading Consumer Magazine has just rated this MS2-390 a "Best Buy", second only to the Braun 360 at 0.

After the initial 2 or 3 charge/discharge cycles to improve battery memory, it provides me with over 20 three minute shaves every morning, which more than lives up to the advertised 60 minute run time. This will vary, depending how you choose to keep this unit charged. I run it down completely and use the cord to finish up if the batteries run out before I finish. Then recharge it for 24 hours for the next cycle. The red low charge light will come on about half way through and the speed will slow down perceptively during the last half of the cycle, but will still shave until batteries are fully discharged. If you use the quick charge feature, at least once a year fully discharge and then recharge 24 hours to prolong battery life. Be sure to brush the cutters and blow off the screens after every shave.(I do not recommend using water to flush out razor cutters.) Do not expect too much from the trimmer except to get the occasional whisker that escapes the daily shave or to trim the sideburns. It is too bulky to be of any further use. After all, this is a razor to shave whiskers with and not for haircuts and trims. This Remington should provide many years of use as did my previous one. Even after the batteries are fully depleted, this razor will still work via the plug-in cord.

Review by M. Glosser:

I've purchased many Remington products over the years, so I'm familiar with the brand and quality. This shaver is no exception. If you want bells and whistles...keep looking. I wanted a basic, nothing fancy, twin bladed shaver with trimmer and that's what I got. It does the job without a lot of fuss and a good price. This would make a great 'first shaver' for a young fella.

Review by steve:

I am a devoted blade user (despite what the ads say, there are NO electrics that shave as close as a blade), but there are times that I just don't feel like going through the whole ritual of wet shaving. I've had all of the major electric brands at one time or another, including a Norelco rotary and an expensive Braun. I can say, without exaggeration, that this little eleven-buck throwaway shaver is the best electric I've ever owned or used.

When I ordered this, my main worry was that a battery-based shaver would be underpowered. Surprisingly, the lower power seems to be a plus. This shaver doesn't seem as aggressive and brutal as the plug-in and rechargeable models I've used. It doesn't irritate my skin but still has plenty of power to cut my very stiff hair.

Minor drawbacks: No trimmer; the clear plastic head protector doesn't stay on (but you can solve that with a rubber band); the cleaning brush is tiny and is hard to remove from the plastic protector (so I use a leftover brush from a previous shaver). Considering the price and performance, these are trivial issues.

Review by D. Halverson:

I have 4 types of travel shavers, all run on AA batteries. Of the 4

(Axis AX-1300, Remington Travel Shaver, Bell & Howell travel shaver,

and Braun Travel shaver) the Remington gives the best shave. While not a great shave it is good for the price of the shaver It is a good value given the price. On the downside the on-off switch is poorly designed and I can't keep the cap on the shaver. Of the 4 this is the one I use the most. The Axis 1300 is used the least used and at 3x - 4x the price the poorest value.

Review by D. Watson:

I've had a lot of experience with electric shavers (20+ years) using several different brands and models. Before using this Remington, I was using a Panasonic ES8109 (about 0) for about a year. Before that, I had a Braun Syncro 7540 (about 0) for several years. Before that, I used several Remington dual foils. I was always happy with my Remingtons way back then, but I was lured away by the convenience of a self-cleaning shaver. Though this one isn't self-cleaning, Remington just might have won me back.

Pros:

*A close shave! I haven't had this close of a shave in years. It really is as close as a blade.

*It's fast. I didn't think three foils would be that much faster than two, but I find myself choosing the Remington over my Panasonic morning after morning for the speed advantage alone. It really does take far fewer passes to get everything.

*Holds a long charge. Since this Remington offers a quick shave, getting 10+ days out of one charge isn't a problem.

*Can be used with the cord. This is a significant draw for me, because I tend to forget to plug my shaver in, and when I need it, I need it NOW, not after waiting for it to charge. Some shavers (such as my Panasonic) can only be used in battery mode. This is probably a safety feature so some dunce doesn't try to use it plugged in while taking a shower. The drawback to that is that if you forget to charge it, you'll have to wait. And once the batteries stop holding a charge (inevitable with all shavers), you've got nothing but a paperweight. I kept using my Braun with the cord for years after the battery conked out (buying a new shaver only when I temporarily misplaced the Braun during a trip). It's nice to know I'll have that option with this Remington.

*The head assembly pivots very effectively and smoothly.

*The trimmer, when popped up, is positioned conveniently (for my taste, anyway), adjacent to the foils. It feels very natural to use, and it works extremely well. I like my Panasonic, but I've never gotten used to the odd, almost perpendicular, placement of the trimmer.

*Can be used wet or dry, and the head can be cleaned with liquid soap and water.

Cons:

*It's big, awkwardly shaped, and a little uncomfortable in the hand. Poor ergonomics.

*It doesn't come with a travel bag.

*It gives such a close shave, it leaves my skin feeling a little irritated. I remember now that I had a problem with my old Remingtons doing this (and I never "adjusted" to that). It's not a big deal (the price of a really close shave), but it's worth mentioning.

*The foil-protector cap is a little difficult to get on and off.

Overall, this is a fine, though imperfect, shaver. If I could give it four and a half stars, I would. I have three electric shavers available for my use now, and this is by far the cheapest. Yet it's the one I'll be reaching for tomorrow morning.

Review by W. Carter:

My experience with this shaver has been, for lack of a better word, inconsistent. As a result, I have waited about 5 weeks to post a review. When I first got the Remington F5790, I was quite impressed with its performance--even though its size and weight were somewhat more than I was used to. It quickly gave me a very close and clean shave. As I continued to use, it started to occasionally burn my skin so I decided I'd just try to be more careful. However, it was not long before the shaver started leaving nicks... It has now been my decision to go back to my previous shaver, Braun. Admittedly, shaving takes longer in the morning but at least I'm not running out the door with torn Kleenex corners stuck to my face.... I've seen numerous reviewers state that the shave is just not close enough for them. The only thing I can figure is that their beards must be quite a bit heavier than mine.

Review by P. Burgess:

I wish it were possible to give NEGATIVE stars, because that's the most this hunk of junk deserves. This is without a doubt the single worst product I have bought in my entire life. Ever. Period.

If I could say anything nice, it's that the battery holds a good, long charge. Beyond that, I'm pretty sure Satan himself had an unwashed hand in its development. The shaver drags across one's face like that rusty old push mower your parents used to make you cut the lawn with. Despite all the plastic flexy bits, it still somehow manages to completely fail to contour to one's face. At all. Then the plastic flexy bits pop apart, releasing angry little rotating knives of doom right against your skin. I'll never understand how someone thought this was fit to release to the public - they should all be recalled.

I'm mailing it back to Remington (along with an angry letter) because it can only be destroyed by throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom from whence it was forged.

Review by T. M. Clancy:

I purchased this product based on other reviews. It was a substitute for purchasing replacement blades for a norellco shaver I had been using. The quality of shave is not the same and with not much of a "Low battery" I found my self half shaven and unable to use the shaver when it was plugged in( it wont work!) and after charging for 10 minutes, the shaver only ran about 30 seconds.

I'm going to get replacement blades for my Norellco.

Review by Paul Moskowitz:

The Remington Flex360 family of electric razors includes the R-4130, R-5130, and the R-7130. The high-end R-7130 sells for around on Amazon, the R-5130 for , while the low-end model, R-4130, goes for on Amazon. The difference among the models is their charging systems. There is also a charging stand available for . These are all competitive prices. However, the true test of a razor is how well it shaves.

Over the years, I have used electric razors manufactured by Remington, Braun, and Norelco. I have found that this razor gives me a close uniform shave which is the equal of the best that I have had. It also does this in half the time of that of my previous razor, a rotary of Norelco of similar design. So, I can get to work a few minutes earlier, or maybe better, sleep a few minutes later.

In order to clean the razor, you have to flip the top open, but also take the shaving heads apart, clean them, and put them back together. This requires some careful alignment of the parts for the re-assembly step. I do this once a week.

The total cost over the life of an electric razor must include that of replacement cutting heads. The SP-5161 head for the R-5130 and the R-7130 sells for on Amazon, while the SP-3141 head for the R-4130 is . These are equal to or lower than the prices of replacement heads for other razors. The instruction booklet suggests replacing the heads every twelve months. That may be optimistic since I have had to buy replacement heads for other razors after around six months. However, it could work out to twelve months since the time per shave is only a few minutes, much lower than for other razors that I have used.

Review by L. Kent:

Tried this Remington R5130 rotary shaver after all the Norelco shavers I've tried recently run weakly and shave poorly. This Remington shaves better than the Norelco models I've tried, but is clunky, cheaply made and of very poor quality. The head cover does not snap on and stay place, but the biggest complaint is that the rotary heads fall off while in use. I can't forgive a shaver that self destructs while I'm using it despite giving a decent shave. Groping about the bathroom floor trying to find the head and cutter assemblies and putting them back in place is a bit irritating. At least the Norelco shavers don't self destruct.

Remington - you should be ashamed of producing a piece of junk like this.

Review by Steve D. Perkins:

For the past twenty or so years I've bounced back and forth, shaving with a blade for a few years and then shaving with a Norelco-style rotary for a few years. I got this razor for Christmas last year, to see how I like a foil electric for a change. I wish I had known what I was missing! This shaver may not be perfect, but I've really enjoyed it so far and think I'll be sticking with foil for awhile. Here are what I've found to be the ups and downs with this shaver:

PROS

----

(1) I had heard that the trade-off with foil shavers is that they give you a closer shave, but at the expense of more skin irritation than a rotary. Your face may vary, but I instead found the best of both worlds. I get ALMOST as good a shave as with a blade (the neck is still a difficult area), but after 4 or 5 months of use there's still no irritation.

(2) Supports cordless AND corded operation. This is a big deal for me because getting the best mileage out of a rechargeable battery means letting it run down as close to empty as you can. But if you let the battery completely drain, some shavers won't let you run off the wall outlet (the cord is only for recharging the battery). With this shaver you can treat the battery right and still not worry about getting stuck without a shave one morning. The battery life itself is awesome, by the way... I'm averaging around three weeks of use between charges.

(2) Good ergonomics. Not too heavy, but has some substance to it... feels great in the hand. Seems sturdy and well-built. I can't decide if the pivoting head helps or is just a gimmick, but for me at least it doesn't seem to hurt.

CONS

---

(1) I don't expect the ultimate in frilly luxuries with a mid-range shaver, but I do expect it to come with at least a cloth or nylon fitted travel case. This comes with NOTHING... just the shaver, a cord, and a plastic foil cover that would pop off after 10 seconds in a suitcase. Those fitted nylon bags that Norelco shavers come with can't cost more than a few dimes apiece, so I was really disappointed to see them cut corners on this.

(2) I agree with another reviewer in that I prefer sideburn trimmers that pop-OUT, away from the shaver, rather than pop-UP right alongside the foil. I happen to have a separate beard and sideburns trimmer that I prefer to use, and that's good because I would never use the one that comes built-in with this.

(3) Apparently Remington revamped their men's shaver lineup last year, and it's still EXTREMELY difficult to find replacement foils and cutters for the new models! I cannot find replacement parts for this shaver in any local store. When I first got the shaver last Christmas, the only source I could find was an online store operating out of England. Now you can find them in a wider number of boutiques, one of whom sells through Amazon. However, even today (April 2010) Remington still hasn't updated THEIR OWN online store with the replacement parts yet! This isn't the dealbreaker that it was before Amazon starting carrying them, which is why I held off on writing a review. But it still a little irritating, even if the shaver itself has been irritation-free.

Review by ~~Hummingbirder~~:

Yes, I said smooth legs. I am not going to blow smoke here. I ordered this from Vine because I thought my husband would like to try it. I guess I should have asked him first, duh. He flatly refused. But I ordered it, and by golly I was going to review it. So I put him on probation and commenced grooming.

For the record, I've always loathed electric razors. Both electric and blade razors irritate my skin, and for the past 20 years or so, I've used an epilator to yank out the hair under my arms and on my legs. It doesn't hurt much, and it doesn't irritate my skin. I'm happy with the way epilating works for me, and had no intention of changing my habits.

But back to Vine. I had to use it to do a review, so I plugged it in to charge, and read the instructions. I noticed right away they state this razor is meant to be used on the face. So right off the bat, I broke the rules! After it charged, I set to work. I used the trimmer blade to get the longer hairs off and the foil for the finishing touches. I was pleasantly surprised! I got a good, close shave, and my skin did not get irritated. I spend a few minutes after I get out of the shower using the foil to maintain the sleek, smooth hairlessness of my legs and underarms. My skin is smooth and soft. I'm very happy with the results, and even though I'm not using this razor for its intended purpose, the face, I'm going to keep right on using it. Oh, and by the way, my husband regrets not trying it. The look on his face when I finished was priceless! He should know I'm always right. Now I have a nice new razor and he's still using those stinging disposables.

Great razor at this price point. I do think it's a bit bulky and heavy, though.

Review by Tim W. Flowers:

I've always like Remington products. When the microscreen wore out on my old one, I couldn't find a replacement locally. Since a new shaver is about the same price as a screen and cutter set, I decided to just buy a new shaver. WalMart no longer carries the model I was using, so I bought the most similar Remington product I could find. It was the F3790.

After several days of usage, I'm thinking of returning it. The motor is underpowered and bogs down on longer hairs, and in general this shaver doesn't cut very close at all. It takes several passes over the same area to get satisfactory results.

This product is not up to Remington's normal standards. They must know this, as it's not even mentioned on their website. I think it's just a super cheap product meant to be sold in discount stores. But it's so bad it's bound to hurt Remington's reputation.

Review by TMc:

My old Norelco finally bit the dust after years of service, so I went shopping for a replacement. I chose this one for two reasons...one, price and two, it is cordless. BIG MISTAKE!! Bottom line, it just doesn't cut! I have to 'scrub' and 'scrub', and then it still leaves stubble. I'm a blond, so I don't have a heavy beard. Yeah, it's a bit noisy, but then that's not a big deal. Not cutting IS a big deal, at least for me. If you want a recommendation for someone who doesn't own stock in any of them, SKIP THIS ONE!!

Review by johnetx:

I have been using a Remington R-835 corded shaver for the last couple of years, and it's been a very good shaver. I'm mostly bald, and use the shaver for my beard and head several times a week. So as the r-835's cutters had gotten dull I started searching for replacement cutters. Well the cutters cost about as much as a new shaver, and the 835 had been discontinued so I then found this model, the Flex 360. Although it shaves pretty well, the design is so stupid and annoying that I had to describe it here. Each of the 3 cutters flexes on it's own and so does the head overall. That seemed okay, but also the cutters are attached to the shaver with it's own, individual cover. Well I soon discovered that if I shave when my face is the slightest bit damp, or when it's humid (bathroom after shower), that the covers can come undone and oops! The cutter falls to the floor! Also be cause of this stupid design, the whiskers don't fall into the big space in the head underneath the cutters, no, instead they accumulate directly under the cutters. As a result if I shave both head and beard, I 3 nice big donuts of hair under each cutter which have to be removed or the shaver sometimes won't even go, it just stutters like there's not enough power to spin the cutters. It's like you have to disassemble the shaver almost after every use! I'm thinking of going to Ebay to find another r-835 or maybe a Norelco 6940, this one's driving me nuts! Remington, you screwed up here!

Review by Willie Pritchett:

I got this shaver today as a Christmas gift. It gets as close as a razor. It did pinch a little in certain areas, but it seems to work well.

The only complaint I really had was that the protective cap doesnt actually fit on the thing, but other than that, it wasnt bad. The design is corded, rather than cordless, so if that is not an issue for you, this is a great shaver!

Review by Vito_jr:

Really don't like a dry shave, so I went looking for a wet/dry electric option. A little over a year ago I bought the Panasonic ES8168. It gave a good shave on the face but I needed to go over the neck several times for the closeness I wanted. All in all a good shave...but not great. Also, I wasn't crazy about the cleaning/drying/charging station - I didn't like having to buy the refillable cleaning units and it took almost four hours to complete all cycles.

Recently I picked up the ES8243A and couldn't be happier. Firstly, the shaver's appearance is much nicer than the online photos... the blue on the front is dark and the sides and back are slightly rubberized black (I think it is black). So if you are holding out for the black model ES8243K (with the cleaning unit) don't bother. The 8243A is the new "four blade" technology - purported to be a faster, closer shave. I have found it is what has been advertized - a faster and closer shave! The "four blades" actually refers to the outer foil, a "squarer" design than the 8168. There are still two inner blades, but spaced farther apart than the 8168. For me, the new head design touches more of my face than the 8168 and therefore cuts faster. I have read on other sites that the foil is a thinner steel, allowing the inner blades more access to the skin. The shave has been fast, gliding easily and for the most part needs only one pass for the reults I want. Big improvement!

Ergonomically the shaver is easier to hold than the 8168 and the head design hits all of the hard to reach areas of the neck.

Have been using it with Billy Jealousy Hydroplane shave cream, a great product. Because you only need to apply a very thin layer it is perfect for an electric shaver. The ES8243 glides effortlessly over it and the build-up on the razor is minimal. I usually rinse it 3 -4 times during each shave.

Until this shaver I have been of the opinion the electrics couldn't compare to the closeness of the Gillette Fusion (my previous fav), but all that has changed with the ES8243A. For the first time I can say the shave is as close as the non-electric options, and with no razor burn. IMO Panasonic has hit the bullseye with this product.

Review by Andrew L.:

Please note: I should probably finish evaluating these things before posting reviews since I changed this review in favor of the ES8101S before I figured out I was using too much pressure with the ES8243A and that was why I was getting irritation. So my recommendation is that the ES8243A is better if you don't press really hard into your neck/face like I was doing.

My old review that is true if you don't use too much pressure:

Let me start by saying I have sensitive skin and tough neck hairs which really seem grow in different directions, and I have always nicked/scratched my neck up when using a manual razor, especially around my reasonably protrusive Adam's apple. Six months ago I jumped on a deal for the Panasonic ES8101S (like the ES8109S minus the expensive cleaning station), and I have been pretty pleased with what it had to offer since it can be used both for wet-shaving and dry. I just found that regular dry-shaving with it would not provide enough skin protection, and wet-shaving would give me trouble around my aforementioned Adam's apple since wet-shaving does get closer than any dry-shaving shaver.

Then THE deal () for this ES8243A came along and I had to see if it could beat an already pretty versatile and powerful Panasonic shaver. Again I tried wet-shaving (shower, wash face, hot/wet towel, good shaving cream), and this shaver totally rocks for that, since it drastically reduces the time needed to shave and gets closer than any dry method. I just find that with my sensitive skin paired with shaving everyday, the closest possible shave may not be right for me. Enter Afta Pre-Electric Original-scented, which I find to be more pleasant and mild than the Fresh-scented variety. Conventional wisdom is to dry shave (with Afta) before showering and washing your face, but I find that the hairs do not stand up well and you end up needing to go over and over the same areas to get good results. So I tried this shaver with Afta AFTER my shower, and I will never look back! The hairs really stand up and, with my skin pulled taut, the shaver really plows right through them; it gets as close as I need without irritation on the area around my neck.

Shave time is definitely less than with my previous Panasonic due to the extra middle "blade" and better design (flatter shaving surface), so this really is the best Panasonic shaver yet. It comes with a built-in timer and traveling case, which aren't critical but are certainly appreciated, and it doesn't come with an expensive cleaning station which is actually a feature IMHO. Cleaning stations aren't really necessary with wet/dry shavers since cleaning can be accomplished just by running them under water in turbo-mode with the occasional use of liquid soap and then wiping them dry. The only negative for some travelers may be the battery life since a full charge might last for only 5-6 shaves depending on how long each shave takes for you (mine take 6-7 minutes each). Thus, I would definitely recommend this shaver for even sensitive skin types over anything else on the market so far - wet or dry - when used after a shower and with the right skin conditioner.

Pros: Made in Japan (vs. China like my ES8101S), top of the line Panasonic with "4" blades, wet/dry versatility, closest shave for any electric without irritation (I've used the Norelco Advantage also but that irritated my neck), easy to clean (without needing a cleaning station), blades/foil last a long time, timer/battery life indicator, traveling case, trimmer, nice blue color

Cons: Battery life could be better

Review by big moose:

I bought this for with free shipping and I am very happy with it. It is a great bargain! It shaves close and is very quiet. Consumers Reports rated it number 3 in their test. But its price was well below the number 1 and 2 shaver. And I see it is now for under . Such a deal.

Review by R Doer:

Pros. Ergonomic design. Quite operation. Easy clean up with soap and water.

Cons. No cord for shaving when the battery is dead. Inadequate performance for long bear growth or course beard hair.

If you shave daily and don't have course beard hair this shaver will likely be a keeper.

Review by Roy Rothstein:

I just purchased this new razor from Panasonic. I got tired of hair left on my face that neither the Braun Pulsonic 7 or the Norelco Arcitec couldn't get. My family always tell me about the long hairs that were missed and the constant strokes over the same spot to get a reasonably close shave from the competition.

The new Panasonic worked well out of the box. It took 60 minutes to charge it. All I had to do was fill a little water tank with water and slide in the cleaning pack. It couldn't be any easier. My Panasonic was now ready to give me the closest shave I have ever had. I bought some Edge shave gel for sensitive skin, put some warm water on my face and applied the gel. The shaver did the rest. The trimmer worked perfectly and had no problem cutting my sideburns evenly and straight. I haven't used a shaving gel for a long time but the results were remarkable. It zipped through my beard and didn't leave any uncut hairs.. Clean up was simple too. I just rinsed off the shaving creme from the heads and placed in the hydroclean system. I had to set the clener for clean, dry and charge and my razor is now ready for my next visit.

This razor might be pricey but well worth the price. Panasonic makes tremendous products and this one lives up to it's reputation. While the Braun and Norelco were ok, this was super!!! Don't hesitate to buy this unit with Hydraclean...it works and it will save you time cleaning your new razor.

After 5 shaves, this is still the best shaver I have ever had. I have tried quite a few electric razors and this one tops the list.

It's 3 weeks since I started using this razor. I still think it is terrific. I opened the razor last night and found that it was perfectly clean. I have no problem with the hydra clean system so far. By this time I had problems with the norelco arctic and the Braun top of the line razors but none so far with this panasonic unit. I didn't pay 0 for this. I had a coupon for 20% off at a different internet retailer. I know it's alot of money but so far its worth it. I bought my son-in=law a top of the line Panasonic about 6 years ago. He replaced the blades and the screen and the shaver just died a couple of weeks ago. If this lasts that long, it will be worth the money.

It is now more than a month since I purchased this shaver and the shaves are getting even better. You don't have to press hard and the closeness of the shave is incredible. As for the cleaner, it does a very effective job, just rinse the shaving creme off the top which takes seconds and put it in the auto cleaner. The razor comes out like brand new. I have opened the razor after cleaning to see that it is spotless. I was really suprised. I haven't changed the cleaning solution yet because I am waiting for the indicator light to go on. The auto cleaner is definitely worth the money. It saves alot of time.

UP-Date

It is now Feb 20th 2010 and this shaver is still the best ever. You don"t have to press down to get a close shave. And the hydra clean system still produces an imacculate razor after the cleaning/drying process. You just have to rinse the shaving cream off the outside of the blades and let the collected water drain off( you're talking about seconds to do this). Then it is ready for the hydra clean system. Your beard has finally met its match!!!!

Review by Patrick R. Pfeiffer:

Starting with the headline-spectacular.

The unit comes as a black model with cleaning base (ESLA93K) and a silver standalone model (ESLA63S). Both function the same.

This shaver incorporates some firsts for Panasonic: 14,000 rpm motor; a 2'nd motor in the head that copies the Braun foil-pulsing concept and a head that pivots up and down like Braun's have for years (plus the usual Panasonic side to side). And the whole head arrangment is a little more elegant.

Brought forward from the past models are the 4-system head, the ARC foil and nano-sharpened blades.

The black version is a thing of beauty. First class manufacturing with solid, gleaming surfaces and perfect fit and finish. Thick sections of body and foil cap plastics. A premium product through and through.

The shaver is not as HUGE as it looks in pictures. But, it is a larger form factor than usual for a Panasonic. While it "looks" unwieldy, once in hand it melts in like a custom glove and is a natural to handle. It is heavier than other Pansonics out of neccessity as there is literally a second motor in the head. But it is not burdonsome.

The motor note to me is not as jarring or intrusive as other Pansonics. I think the thicker materials and more casing account for this. But it does not approach a rotary for being a quiet shaving experience.

Closeness: The best I have ever experienced, hands down. I've had great, close shaves with other shavers that feel "dry." Not bad-but a close, dry. On a good day with the ESLA93K my skin gets a "baby bottom soft" feel. I have never, ever experienced it until this unit.

Comfort: It was impossible for me to experience discomfort with this unit. I was unable to shave in any direction against any grain with any amount of pressure that was not completely comfortable. In fact, after a couple days my shaves were not as close-I figured out I was not pressing hard enough. You just don't feel pressure.

Speed: I am a 7-9 minute shaver. Always have been. An over-shaver, never feel done. It's hard for me to go past 5 minutes with this unit. I start feeling "done" about 3 minutes. It's fast.

Trimmer: Due to the nature of the head the trimmer looks small-I compared it is exactly the same size as the trimmer on the Arc Retro. Works fine, it is in a somewhat unusual location but I got used to it right away.

Cleaning module: The module works well and is the standard vortex dry cake of soap plus water system with a different design to accomodate the shape of the shaver. The manual mentioned active-drying, which I do not think was the case with my ES8228S cleaning base. Still not as good as the Braun module in my opinion.

It carries over my one pet peeve from past Panasonic modules which is no sleep mode. When you come back for lunch, the shaver blinks once every 2 seconds. Blink. Blink. Blink. Gives you the urge to take out the shaver-so what's the point of leaving it in until tomorrow? But this is a perhaps a personal quirk and the unit does the job well.

The module is a nice convenience that costs under 15 cents per day and the unit is easily cleaned by rinsing and/or cleaning with liquid soap per the instructions so either way it's fast and easy.

Other: Unit has a bright, pleasant blue LED display that shows shave time, battery remaining, I think it indicates when cleaning is needed and it flashes a replace foil symbol after one year. Oddly, the LED goes OFF while you are shaving-but as stated above blinks constantly when done charging. I don't know who thinks of this stuff for Panasonic but it's odd.

Summary/perspectives: The Panasonic ESLA93K is the best foil shaver I have ever used, without question.

*Should I try it if I am primarily a rotary user? IMO-if you have always preferred the rotary experience you will probably still prefer a rotary to this unit. It is a fantastic shaver but it is a foil experience 100%.

*Should I upgrade if I just bought a recent Panasonic? IMO-if maximum speed, comfort and the sensation of soft closeness is something you are willing to pay for, yes. If ultra Panasonic close is all you need, all the other recent models are great.

*Should I try it if I love my Pulsonic? IMO-yes. To me the ESLA93K is everything the Pulsonic has been to others that it never gave me. It's a step above, it is the ultimate foil shaver on the market today.

Review by Rich:

I don't think there is a perfect electric shaver out there, but this is very close. This is my 3rd electric shavers I owned. My first electric shaver was a foil shaver from Braun and which did it job fine. After seeing all the Norelco's lift and cut commercial, I finally got the Norelco Spectra 8825 XL and finally replaced it with a Panasonic brand. I will compare this barebones Panasonic Es 7103k with the other models I used.

Closet shave:

I will have to give this to the Panasonic by a narrow margin then Braun at 2 and Norelco in 3rd. Before I got this model, I tried my brother Panasonic and actually got a cut. Wow, this electric shaver is the closest thing to a Bic razor. I have not yet gotten any cut or bleeding from this newer model, but my skin feels tender and definitely need some lotion afterward. The blade speed is 10k rpm compare to Braun at 7-8k rpm. Higher end Panasonic shavers go up to 13k rpm. I considered the Braun average and Norelco have trouble with thicker hair around the moustache area. All three does evenly in the bread part of the face with a long trimmer on the first wave and switching back to the main shaver for the softer cut. Hairs under the neck needs a first past with a long trimmer on the Braun and Norelco, but not necessary for the Panasonic, which seem to chop almost all areas evenly without the long hair trimmer.

Smooth shave:

Norelco or Panasonic, then Braun. While this model takes off my face top skin layer like no other electric razors out there, my skin does feels fresh after I give it some aftershave lotion. Norelco design hands down is the easiest on the face. No aftershave lotion at all. The triple rotating blades on the Spectra, while doesn't cut as close, definitely fits my face contour better creating an even cut. Braun (older model) definitely has a close shave but its foil/coil (not the current triple heads models) missed some hair under the neck and mustache and need more passes than both the Norelco and Panasonic.

Power:

While this is not the most powerful Panasonic model out there at 10k rpm, it definitely feels more powerful then Braun or Norelco. Granted the Norelco design is a little different. Norelco is the quietest follow by Braun. This model is also as noisily as my father Remington and tad under the decibel of some hair trimmer.

Construction:

I like Panasonic, Norelco and Braun design and construction for varies reason, the Remington design is another story. On the outside all three are equally solid. Under the blade, Panasonic looks the sturdiest. Its coils looks thicker then the Braun. I am not sure why all the plastic parts under the Spectra blade have never been broken all these years, but they still work fine. I got to say this flush on design and construction for all three bases on personal preferences.

Features:

All three were easily to wash. All three have swivel blade heads. Norelco has the best contour to face. Braun and Panasonic foil head pivot in different way. Panasonic head pivot side to side, horizontally, that doesn't lose power from the base motor. Braun head pivot vertically closer to the face, but comparably to a non-pivot head, it seem to lost power from the base motor in the design. Both Braun and Panasonic coils going up and down where this Panasonic triple blades move up and down independently. I am not sure if the 30 degree blade or its power is the reason why the Panasonic get the closet shave. The digital screen shows how much the battery is left, but is always on. The only drawback I see in this design is the rechargeable batteries. Only Norelco works both as a recharge and cord plug in. The older Braun and Panasonic work on a charge only and cannot plug and play. The Braun batteries died and never worked again, I hope this won't haven to the Panasonic. The newer Braun models have fixed this feature.Shave wet is a nice feature also.

Overall the closet shave for a barebones unit that price is right. Just wished it had the plug and play feature.

Review by M. Mercado:

Bought this shaver due to its low price and decent spec's. When it arrived I figure I'd get a few months worth of usage and off to the garbage. I had gotten really tired of my older Remington Rotary leaving my face with razor burn and I considered a Foil Shaver this time might help? Well, the day I first used it I was left in complete amazement, it was actually a pleasure to shave and not have any irritation on my neck or the red blotches that accompanied my former shaves. This Electric Shaver has the Cutting Blade at a 30 degree angle, and a speed of 10K RPM which compare to other shaves is not a speed racer yet this formula seem to be the ticket!. It is also a wet/dry shaver, meaning it could be used while in the shower. I am wiling to venture and say that the slower speed and the angle of the blades are the contributing factor in my complete satisfaction with this Panasonic Shaver. The shaves are really close and although no electric shaver will completely match a razor blades shave, it does a fantastic job good enough to step outside looking clean shaven and fresh, you'll find yourself shaving so much more that the wife will start to wonder what's going on? I've even planned on purchasing a second unit as a backup since the price is right and it would be a better investment then purchasing the foil and blade replacement. Lets face it, (pun intended) when you look good you'll actually start feeling good specially when the feedback form your viewers is positive due to your representation. You gonna Love it!

Review by Ivonne Rangel:

The item arrived sooner than expected! Is a pretty good razor with a very good blade. I think I probably got the best razor for the price I paid. Careful with it if you have a sensitive skin! It really shaves! It has a long lasting battery life even if I decided to purchased it with a 220 V converter in order to use it when I travel.

Review by R. Rubio:

I had bought an electric shaver about 7 years ago and it wasn't that great even though it was one of the more expensive ones. Lately I had gotten interested in them again because of the convenience and hoped that over the years they've gotten better. What I found is that using it is actually more of a hassel than my disposable Gillette razors.

The battery life doesn't last long and when it's 'dying' it slows down significantly so you don't get quite the shave you should be. It also misses some spots and the shave is not as close as you would get with a typical razor. It actually takes me longer to shave with this thing.

Now I'm back to using the disposable blue Gillette razors. They do the job and anything closer and you'll be drawing blood. They're cheap enough to toss guilt-free when they start to get dull.

Review by C. Perry:

Ok, so this is my third Panasonic wet/dry shaver in about 5 years and, by far, this one is the best one yet. I've experimented with other manufacturers' shavers over the years, including Brauns, Norelcos and Grundig shavers, but I've ultimately found nirvana, ok, not quite nirvana, but a most pleasant shaving experience with Panasonic shavers. I love Panasonic's shavers because I like being able to shave in the shower with an electric shaver and a little glycerin based shaving foam (Gilette Series foam in the long silver tube works best for me and doesn't gum up the shaver like gels do). I swear, this unbeatable combination (i.e., shower steam, Panasonic wet/dry shaver and Gilette Series foam) shaves me closer than even the best blades that Gilette offers (at present, the Gilette Fusion) with far less irritation and with no annoying little cuts in conspicuous locations around my face and/or neck.

Just to review, my first Panasonic wet/dry was great and served me well for about 3 years, but when the Panasonic models came out a few years ago with the Vortex cleaning systems, I just had to have one, so I moved on to the model ES8078 wet/dry shaver. The ES8078 served me well for a year-and-a-half - until I dropped that bad boy in the shower earlier this week! 'Nuf said. It didn't break into a zillion pieces or anything, but the motor just stopped working. (It's actually kinda funny because I was so preoccupied with ensuring the safekeeping of that little shaver ever since I brought it home, chiding my poor wife for even looking at it wrong, and then my dumb arse drops the dang thing in the shower. AAARGHHHH!!!) Anyhow, after a quick review of the top of the line shavers from various manufacturers currently available (including the new Braun Pulsonic models), I opted to go for the latest offering from Panasonic. Even though the new Brauns cost 0 more than the Panasonics, their motors are still slower, and you still can't shave with 'em wet. For the uninitiated, higher motor speed = faster moving blades = less friction = less irritation. Panasonics have consistently had the highest motor speed available in any electric shaver.

I've shaved with the new ES8109S shaver for a few days now, and my first impression after the very first shave was that I got a very close shave (consistent with the performance of my prior Panasonics) and, try to understand this, my face did not FEEL as though I had just shaved. It may sound a little odd, but you know how your face feels sensitive to the touch after you typically shave? Well, that sensation, at least for me, was far less apparent after shaving with the new Panasonic. Heck, maybe it's the new curved blade and foil assembly that reduces irritation or something. In this respect, the new ES8109S actually outperforms Panasonic's prior top of the line offering (the ES8078) and actually causes even less shaving irritation than that model (which itself wasn't all that irritating to begin with). Also, much like the prior models, the little pop up trimmer on the side of the new shaver is great not only for trimming sideburns (which I actually never use it for), but also for capturing those awkward little hairs that lie flat or may be becoming ingrown. The latest model is also quieter than the last model and has a more substantial feel to it while holding it.

Oh, one more thing, the ES8109S comes with Panasonic's latest iteration of its Vortex Cleaning and charging base, which is slightly different from its prior models, but appears to use the same cleaning cartridge. The Vortex quietly cleans, lubricates and even fully recharges your shaver for you (alternatively, you can just plug the power cable for the Vortex directly into the shaver to recharge it). The cleaning/lubricating solution in the Vortex consists of a slender cartridge containing a detergent based solid that becomes "activated" when it mixes with water in the Vortex base. The cleaner is not alcohol-based, so it does not evaporate over time like the Braun cleaning solution does - along with the money you'll spend on their big, expensive refills.

In summary, I highly recommend the Panasonic ES8109S shaver to persons like me with sensitive skin that is prone to irritation (I know you're thinking, "Why didn't he just say that from the outset?") Hope this review helps!

LONG TERM UPDATE! - Well, I've had 8109S for almost one full year now and it's still going strong. I've noticed it's become slightly less efficient at capturing the few hairs on my cheeks that tend to lie flat, so it's about time for the annual changing of the foil, which I know (based on past experience with Panasonics) will restore the shaver to its fullest hair capturing & cutting potential. One tip I have about cleaning the razor - I shave and rinse clean my shaver every day, and I only clean it in the Vortex when it needs charging which, for me, is about once every two weeks. This cuts down on the usage of the cleaning cartridge. The need to clean your shaver will depend in large part on what you shave with (I use a foam, which tends to rinse cleaner than creams and gels). Also, one more tip regarding the cleaning cartridges in the Vortex cleaning system - you DON'T HAVE TO replace the cleaning solution at the manufacturer recommended interval. You can definitely get away with using them longer. I tend to use them until the service light on the Vortex base turns on, then I change the cleaning cartridge and water in the Vortex and it's good to go. I'm only on my third cleaning cartridge in the year I've owned the razor.

EVEN LONGER TERM UPDATE! - Well, it's a little over a year-and-a-half since I purchased this shaver, and it has died on me. It all started about two weeks ago when I noticed that it was holding less of a charge between chargings, i.e., I could get progressively less and less shaves per charge. Then the display started giving unintelligible readings that did not correspond to the charge level. Then, today, I go to try to turn on the shaver and no response. All in all, this shaver performed exceptionally well throughout it's lifespan and, considering the price of "next-best option" Gillette Fusion blades, was far less expensive, and less irritating, over time than shaving with blades. I have to admit I thought it would've lasted me a little longer than it did as past Panasonics I've owned have lasted longer. Now, I could try to have this thing repaired for some astronomical price, only to have it stop working again. Or, I could take this opportunity to purchase Panasonic's latest offering, the Arc IV Nano Men's Wet/Dry Rechargeable Shaver, which I've scoped out and seen positive reviews of here on Amazon. I think I'm going to go with the new Panasonic, but this time without the Vortex cleaning base as this was the 2nd Panasonic shaver I've owned (one of which I dropped) that I am now stuck with a useless Vortex cleaning base. Happy shopping!

Review by K. Gehrke:

My 3+ year old Braun 7526 Syncro with Clean and Charge finally had enough. Prior to that was a blade preceeded by a Norelco.

Lets jump back a few years and share my history...

I have always broken out with razor burn and ingrown hairs on my neck for as long as I started growing facial hair. Cheap razors were terrable so I asked for an electric. The Norelco made it easier to shave but still had the issues. Several months later it was back to the blade. Someone suggested a foil shaver and, after much hesitation, I purchased the Braun. Wow! What an improvement over the blade and rotory shavers. I have been happily using it daily for almost 4 years. Dare I say...almost enjoy shaving. Razor burn is almost non-existant unless you grind away in an area for too long a time (come back to the area 15 minutes later helps), ingrown hairs are 98% cured, and it shaved closer than a rotory with only a few passes. A win/win combination. The cleaning system is great except when away from home and you have to do it manually.

That brings us to the present...

The Braun has hit the snooze button and no longer wants to get up in the morning with me. After many hours of research I thought I wanted another Braun...their top of the line Pulsonic model. Almost bought one based on a few blogs on the web. I did cringe at the asking price of 0 - 0 suggested retail. I have always enjoyed Panasonic products and noticed this razor at half the asking price of the Braun. It seemed too good to be true, but Panasonic products have never let me down yet. I gave it a try, knowing I could try it for 30 days and send it back if unhappy. I had nothing to lose.

I have had it a week now and nobody is taking this shaver away from me. I dare you to compare the 2 razors back to back and honestly say the Braun is worth double the price. They are, in my opinion, in the same class. The Panasonic is quieter both shaving and in the cleaning stand. It shaves closer and cuts more hair on the first pass, eliminating a 3rd or 4th pass. The Braun would sometimes knick my adams apple or lip and I have tried to get the Panasonic to do it but it wont (call me stupid). Since I dont have to shave 3, 4, or 5 times on my neck, the razor burn is gone. The ingrown hairs are 99% gone (I have had only one this past week). The cleaning gets the blades cleaner and they smell soapy clean and not chemically clean. The best part, a bonus if you will, is the Panasonic is water-resistant. Not only can you rinse the head off underwater at home or on the road, but you can shave in the shower or use shaving creams or lotions (gels are not recommended). The top of the line Braun can be rinsed under water but not used "wet" or with creams or lotions. The only drawback I could find is the travel bag they supply. I was hoping they could have supplied a better case to hold the cord and shaver for extended trips. Not a big deal though, on a big trip...I will have a big suitcase so I'm sure there will be plenty of room in there for a cord.

In conclusion, a great shaver with all the current technology and features offered by the competition at a reasonable asking price.

EDIT - MONDAY JANUARY 21, 2008

Since purchasing, this razor still continues to be my favorite. I have now started using it "wet" by warming my face with hot water, then applying a Neutragena shaving cream. The results are better. It shaves more hairs on the first pass, the cream eliminates any friction, and gives me the closest shave yet with an electric (some areas of the face feel like I shaved with a blade).

EDIT - SUNDAY JANUARY 18, 2009

Still loving it and using it everyday. However, the wife ran it through the front load washer tonight. It is now very clean. Still runs but needs a new set of blades. For added measure and the price of new blades and foil, I found a really good deal on the ES8228S shaver. The only difference between the two is the ES8228S adds a zippered vinyl travel case (vs cloth bag with draw strings) and the head has independent floating foil (each of the 3 foils is on their own suspension to track the curves of the face better).

Review by goodwir:

I am 63 and my skin is a lot more tender and subject to cuts than when I was younger. I have been using electric razors off and on for about forty years - Primarily Norelco but also Remington, Braun and Toshiba. During those forty years I did not notice any significant change in the quality of the shave or the pulling, picking and burning that came from shaving certain facial sections over and over again. Panasonic takes electric shavers to a level that is comparable to a blade (which still gives the closest shave) without the mess and pain. I was not sure it was working until I felt the smoothness of the shave. Shaving is much quicker because there are few do overs and it does not irritate sensitive skin. A remarkable and greatly needed advance in electric shavers.

Review by Anonymous:

Best feature of this shaver is the close, pain-free, smooth shave. I would say 99% as smooth as razor, the difference is nominal (Can't tell the difference visually). I have a thick, tough beard and the Panasonic breezes through in very few passes. I get even better results on shaving the mustache, compared with my razor. The neck area is where the shaver has some difficultly, although I think it may be because the shaving cream has a tendency to wash off in the shower. After a second application of cream I can get as close. No razor burn, no in-grown hairs (I do get these with razors). It takes a few extra minutes to complete the shave compared to razor (maybe 7-8 min vs. 5-6 min). All in all I am pleased with the experience and do not plan to move back to razor.

Review by Rick V:

Background you can skip

I am a guy, in his late 30's, heavy (I mean HEAVY) beard growth. By the time it hits noon, dry or wetshave, the shade starts to slowly show.

To make matters worse, I suffer from THE most sensitive skin.

I tried everything, from upgrading my foam to ultraglide superconductor foam for inflamed skin (by Gilette) to going from 2 blades to 3 blades to 4 blades-with-lubra-wd40-strips. You get the point.

Over the years I learned that the very best thing to do for me was to actually do a wet shave under the steamy shower: brush my teeth while I soak under the shower and then after 2.5 minutes of brushing teeth my skin would well prepped to take sensitive skin foam and I could shave infront of my precious fog-free shower mirror.

However, gradually, as the week passed the skin around my neck would get increasingly irritated from the combination of wet shaving and stiff shirt collars and ties which I must wear for work. So I ended up NOT shaving on saturdays and sundays just to start the gradual irritation cycle all over on Monday morning. Much to wifey's dismay as she complained about my homeless look and expressed a deep desire not to be kissed by cactus-face Rick.

Anyways, call this facial viagra, or my salvation: I found the Panasonic ES8109 (also on Amazon). A wet(!!!!) and dry shaver that would supposedly not get my skin irritated and I could use it immersed in water.

I tried it and LOVED it. Read my Amazon review of it elsewhere. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks to get used to but once you have got it down, being a shower shaver like myself, you will find it competes with the best of the Mach III or IV or Final Episode... the thing works.

And instead of using foam with it I found that spraying on Lectric Shave with a little 1$ spray bottle COMPLETELY removed any irritation.

Also, my shave would hold as long as the manual shave did and in the end this turned out much cheaper...

About the actual item listed here: ES3831K

When I travelled for work I now wanted to have my ES8109 with me and did so a few times but it really is not a travelling shaver. It was too heavy/bulky and I needed to unplug power cables etc. and sometimes the button would get accidentally pressed and my shaver would be empty. Anyhoo, not a good travelling companion.

I knew I wanted a wet/dry electric and I already knew the more expensive 8109 workes magic. So I bounght this one, on a whim, during a sale.

When I use it with Lectric Shave in the shower it does a great job of getting me de-stubbled. It is really good and certainly not a 10$ shaver: the shave is smooth and the blades are sharp and seem to stay sharp.

All 3 Panasonic Traveling wet / dry battery shavers use the same head and replacement parts. The white one, though, has a trimmer (don't need that on a trip!) and the bigger black one is rechargable. But they have the same shaving hardware. I wanted one where I could rreplace / bring batteries separate and did not need a trimmer. I also did not want to carry any extra cables.

Conclusion

I guess I talk too much (its getting late here). The shaver is great travel value. Buy this as a companion to the best electric wet shaver I could recommend , the ES8109 (for an electric best dry shave go for the Braun) but again: you have to be a shower-shaver with extra sensitive skin and heavy beard growth to appreciate my recommendation.

Good luck in finding your own personal shaving ritual. I am happy I found mine after well over 20 years of suffering.

Review by lordhoot:

After using this shaver for over two weeks on a continuous basis, I can safely write that this shaver does give me a good shave. Unlike other quality travel shavers, this one come with a built in trimmer and a nice hard travel case. The trimmer worked just fine for touch-up work and the hard case protect the shaver's foils a lot better then cloth carrying bag.

The battery life for this shaver is bit questionable. If you don't used the trimmer, the battery life will improved. If not, it can get pretty short. I recommend recharageable batteries. Another reason for not getting a five star is that the shaver vibrate quite a bit. I didn't mind it too much but other users may be bother by it. I have a friend who once joked that this device is a great shaver and a great sex toy! Oh well, each to his own. Like most travel shavers, this device is not meant for people with hairy faces unless you want to shave every four or six hours. Its a single blade device that work well for people who don't have a lot of facial hairs to deal with. Being wet/dry, you can shave anywhere, in the showers or over the sink. It also allowed easier cleaning as well that leads to long lasting value.

The shaver is easy to hold but it not angled in any fashion. The previous model, ES4815 got a slight angle that does make shaving slightly easier. I should mentioned that most travel shavers, this device can be slightly noisy as well with a fresh set of batteries. But these are the only two negative things I thought to mention on this shaver. (I am not sure why it got a "Pro-Curve" label on it.) It should be noted that this shaver is also slightly longer then ES4815 travel shaver, probably designed that way to accommodate the trimmer.

But overall, I found this travel shaver to shave well and quite reliable. I am please that Panasonic finally added a nice trimmer to their line of great travel shavers. Hopefully, this shaver will last a long time like all my other Panasonic travel shavers.

Review by D. Smith:

I've had a top of the line Braun 8000 series (8595) for about 6+ years. It just started to fail recently - I didn't feel like trying another replacement foil/blade and after over 2,000 shaves - I guess it's hard to complain. If this new one lasts the same duration, then it will be well worth the money for just over

.12 per day plus consumables (cleaning solution & replacement foils).

I opened this new shaver morning (790-CC4), charged it, and started using it. I like the variable setting (3-steps) for mild to intense. I like the feel of it and although the display is less sophisticated than my old one, this one might be more practical in usage. It has a Li-Ion battery and so is a bit lighter, and seems well-constructed.

The real test is the shave - and this is the best result I've ever had from shaving with an electric. On rare occasions I'll use a blade for a special occasion and a blade is usually much closer than most electrics - but I've been okay with a slight sacrifice using an electric in the past. My face right now feels so shockingly smooth, I'd swear I shaved with a blade this morning... So the proof is in the pudding - and I'd wholeheartedly recommend this shaver if you're partial to electrics.

Review by Carson:

I have used electric shavers for 30 plus years. Never owned one costing this much. Well worth the money, the shave is nice and clean. The automatic clean up works great.

Review by Guy in California:

You don't HAVE to use the cleaning function of the Braun. You can use it like any other shaver and clean it with a brush. But if you don't mind paying ~/year on these refills, then the cleaning system works great. I hope eventually someone decides to make generic versions of the refills or sells the fluid only so we can refill them (like they do with inkjet printer cartridges). I would NOT take the advice of the guy who recommended using alcohol and lemon juice as a refilling liquid. Lemon has sugar (and other impurities) in it, and alcohol doesn't have lubricating agents and may strip the lubricating that the blades need.

Cleaning every other day may seem like a money-saving idea, but I have found that even if you don't use it for weeks, the cleaning fluid still evaporates and you have to replace it almost as frequently, so I figure I might as well get the benefit of cleaning rather than let the stuff just evaporate away.

I hope Amazon starts selling these things directly since buying it from J&R is not a good deal because of the shipping charges. Instead, go to Walgreens or some other store that sells the shaver system, and buy it there. BestBuy.com sells it for the same price with free shipping. J&R's prices are regular street prices (not 50% off).

Review by R. Tock:

I've owned a Braun Syncro for about a year and a half now. It's the closest shave I've ever had without cutting myself, and that includes the new triple blades. But those refills are pricey. Another Amazon review gave me a clue as to how to make each cartridge last six months. Here's how: Clean your razor once a week instead of every day. Between cleans, remove the cartridge from the cleaning machine and reseal the cartridge with the original plastic tab. No more evaporation problem. I've been very happy with the results.

Review by W. Tong:

I have been a regular waxer for years and I used to epilate, but found that most did not work well or would pinch my skin. This epilator is the cream of the crop! It met all of my expectations and more!

Packaging is nice, but whatever, let's get to the good stuff. It is well-designed, comfortable bean shape that fits nicely in the palm of your hand. It allows for good grip and control, especially with the components on the inside rumbling around.

I used this on my forearms, upper thighs, lower legs and even....underarms. The epilator worked well for all areas and the massaging rollers really do help ease/numb any discomfort you may have. I braced myself for the pain, and was surprised to find little to none at all (keep in mind I'm a regular waxer). The sound of the epilator is a little overwhelming, as it is quite loud.

The optional shaver head is great on it's own and even better with the trim attachment---does the job quickly and easily. I like the fact that if I don't have the option of epilating (hair is too short), the shaver works just great.

The smartlight, I have to say, I LOVE IT. It has got to be the best feature on this epilator. Without it, I would have just gone over the regular areas that I always wax. However, this light picked up every single hair in every nook and cranny on my body. I mean, I discovered hair in places I never knew I had hair----inside the bend of my elbow, on my hands, the crook behind my knee.

The only complaint I have is with the short cord. The cord could be longer, as I had to plug it into an extension cord for it reach properly, and it would be nice to have a swivel on the cord. Other than that, I love this product and would recommend it to others.

Review by Lincoln 6 Echo:

Review updated: July 17, 2009

I don't know what to say...this is a great product! I remember back in the '80s, we had this crude epilator with a curved rubber tube with tiny slits in it that would open up on the bottom and then close as the tube rotated. Well, it didn't work worth a crap and it hurt like the devil when it did grab a hair. So a couple decades later and there's finally a epilator that works the way you'd expect it to. And the greatest thing is, is that it doesn't hurt in the long run. It'll hurt a bit at the beginning, especially when you're doing thick patches of hair, but subsequent sessions it actually feels good. Basically the density of the hairy area you're doing, the more it'll hurt. Think about it...the more hairs you're pulling out at any given time, the more pain you feel...makes sense, right? But when you're just going afetr a afew strays or the sporatic regrowth, you'll hardly feel it.

Anyway, here's the deal. Hair grows in cycles. Not all hair is above the surface at any given time. So when you epilate and you think you're smooth, don't be suprised when you find new stubble a day or so later. But don't worry, that's not hair you missed, that's NEW hair. Because when you pull it out, it's just as long as the other hair that you pulled out before. And how long is the hair under your skin? You'd be amazed. The pieces I measured were typically 5-6 mm long. And hair typically grows 1 mm per 5-7 days. So if you do the math, once your skin is totally epilated, (usually over the course of a week), expect the advertised 3-4 weeks of smooth skin. And the thing is, is that if you epilate every month or so, over time, your hair will become finer and thinner. You may even experience total hair loss if and when any given follicle gives up producting hair. EDIT: I haven't found this to be true yet, but who knows...

The epilator drum or roller is very unique. It contains 40 metal flaps (tweezers) that move against plastic edges which grabs and pulls out the hairs as the drum rotates away from your skin. It really doesn't take much of a hair above the surface for the tweezers to work either. That's probably one of the greatest thing about this epilator. ie. you don't have to wait days for hair to grow to a certain length to epilate them. You can do it with 24 hours or so.

This epilator comes with several different heads and attachements. It comes with the epilator head with two snap-on attachements that supposedly alleviate the pain for new users. I found out that the one with the rollers wasn't really necessary. The advanced user head makes you use the epilator at a 90 degree angle from your skin. It also helps keep the RPM at a high rate. But it hinders fine placement in those hard to get areas. At which point, it's just as well if you don't use an attachment and go with the bare drum. The other head is a oscilating razor with foil grill as seen in many other razors of this sort these days. However, being a Braum product, it works really well. The razor also has a leading trimmer for those long hairs that won't go into the foil. There's also an attachment that supposedly cuts long hair at the preferred length for optimal epilation.

The spotlight on the on/off switch is excellent. It's one of those little LED bulbs that are used in those multi-LED flashlights, so it is pretty bright. It is kind of necessary in non-flourescent lighting as I notice that if I go outside in sunlight I can see a bunch of hairs (stubble) that I didn't know I had.

Anyway, if you want the very best of modern epilators, get this one. It'll save you tons of money in disposable razors and/or waxing. It'll pay for itself in just one month.

EDIT: The new Emjoi AP-18 Emagine Dual Opposed 72 Tweezer Head Epilator is supposedly more efficient, but it has mixed reviews. Some say it's wonderful, but others say older models of different brands work better.

Review by R. Thomson:

Of course, the title may not be saying much, since I use a shaver until it nearly falls apart, replacing the rechargeable batteries as they die. My last two shavers were a Remington Interceptor (which has the comb/trimmer between the cutters) and an ancient Remington triple screen. I have a fairly light beard, but do have a problem with hairs lying close to the skin. This has meant that even with the Interceptor I've had to use the side trimmer to cut those wayward hairs before the screen cutter would finish the job. The side cutters on both of my Remingtons failed within two months of each other, so a new shaver was mandatory. My son suggested I try a Braun.

I looked over the specs and decided on a Series 3. I felt the Series 5 and 7 were a bit too gimmicky for the price, and the Series 1 lacked the "comb", as Braun calls it, between the cutters. I had chosen the 370cc because I wanted to try out the cleaning/charging station, but the local Bed, Bath and Beyond store only had the 390cc in stock. With BB&B's liberal expiration date policy on store 20% coupons, the price was as good or better than anywhere else.

With the 390, I never use the trimmer, except for an occasional trim of my nearly non-existent side burns. The "comb" and cutters will grab those low-lying hairs, with a few extra passes, like no shaver I've ever used, and even take care of the occasional wild ear hair. The shave doesn't compare to a blade, but it is as good or better than any shaver I've ever used, and I have yet to get a shaver burn from it.

I've had it for about 5 weeks, and am in the process of running the battery full down before recharge three times, as recommended, to get full capacity. The first charge lasted about 3 weeks. The second charge is a little more than half gone, so it looks like 3 weeks on a charge is typical for my shaving. The shaver "Clean me" light comes on after every two or three shaves, so if you clean/charge it every few days, it will be ready to go when you have to travel. I drop it in the cleaner/charger daily, but don't plan to push the charger connection down until it needs cleaning, once I've gone through my full discharge cycles. When cleaning, the cleaning light stays on long enough for the alcohol-based cleaning fluid to evaporate, indicating that the shaver is dry enough to use. However, you can take off the head and run both the head and the shaver under the tap to clean it on the road. Even between cleanings, with the shaver in the station, the head will have a nice clean "lemony" smell, due to the proximity of the cleaning solution. It comes with a nice hard-side case for travel that should prevent any damage banging around in a suitcase.

At this point, if I had it to do over again, I would go with this shaver without a second thought.

Review by Wizzbert:

While it does a close shave, if you have a more ample face, you will be running it over and over again to get those last hairs.

It does take about 90 days before your face "adjusts" to the shaver. However, the biggest problem thus far is that the shaver will not charge in the cleaning station, despite the manual's assurance that it will charge in the cleaning station.

I have to take mine out about once a week to charge it, overall a minor inconvenience, but for the money, should not have happen in the first place.

Braun advises I drive over 1 hour to get the shaver "serviced" I say, I just won't get another Braun and not have to worry about it.

Review by B. Anderson:

I am in LOVE with this product! I got so tired of shaving EVERY DAY in the summer time just so I can wear shorts, capri's, or a dress. The first use was VERY painful. For me, it was worth it. I just used it for the third time, and it seems to be less painful with each use. If you go very slowly, and run the epilator over the same spot a few times, you basically get every hair -- and I only paid a little over 0 for this item. I tried waxing, but the hair breakage I was left with made the experience a total waste of money and time. I paid 0 for a full leg wax and bikini wax last year before I went on vacation, and still ended up shaving the whole vacation just so I could wear a bathing suit every day. I'm not brave enough to use this on my underarms yet. The best advice I can give is to use this in the late afternoon when you're not going to leave your house -- you are left with tiny red spots where the hair gets pulled out, but this is gone by morning. By the third use, the red spots almost had disappeared before bedtime. I hope you find this review helpful.

Review by Sophie:

Edit: One year later, I must report a complete reversal of opinion. Please read my new comment, which is 7th in the comments section.

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I am so glad I gave this product a shot. I was skeptical because my mom said she had tried something like this in the 80s or whatever, and she said 1) it hurt too much 2) it didn't really work (i'm assuming she meant it didn't get all the hairs.) Well, this thing DOES get all the hairs, and read on for my description of circumventing the pain involved.

First let me say that the product that my friend recommended to me was actually the Braun 5270 Silk-épil X'elle Body System Epilator but I got this one because it was the one in stock at Bed Bath and I wanted it immediately. We've compared notes and they seem to get the job done exactly the same. This one comes with more extras, I think. .

Ok, so you will know that this review is for you if you can relate to the following analysis. I have very fair skin and very dark, thick hair, which is a total nightmare on my legs. I have never figured out a truly sustainable hair removal system, until (I hope I don't jinx myself) now.

Shaving was always problematic: 1) all the hairs were visible from under the surface immediately after shaving, 2) as soon as I got goosebumps (all the time), they poked out above the surface (especially annoying when you are trying to enjoy the pool), 3) razor burn like WHOA that eventually meant I couldn't shave more than twice a week and it was painful and ugly.

Then I went to Argentina for a study program and did the whole waxing thing. It was nice because I could experience smooth, smooth legs and also avoid razor burn, but of course there's: 1) it's too expensive to be sustainable in the US on my budget, 2) you have to be hairy while you let it grow out to lead up to waxing, 3) itching like whoa while the hairs were growing back - I just couldn't exfoliate enough to keep ahead of them. They would grow in under the skin and I would have to pick them out with a pin. Gross. They didn't get inflamed like ingrowns, but they would just lay under the skin and itch.

This epilator is my answer. With it, my legs aren't perfectly smooth (not like after an Argentine waxing session) but it's sustainable daily and the results are good enough for me. If I want to be super smooth, then I can just shave one day for the pool or a wedding, but I don't need that every day. This is good enough to wear shorts. It might not be good enough for some people who have light/fine hair (eff them), but after battling my leg hair for a decade, my standards are lower than what they used to be. My legs don't feel perfectly smooth, and there are a black dots where hairs are growing in, but man, I can throw on shorts EVERY SINGLE DAY and it makes me SO HAPPY. I can finally accept a spontaneous invitation to go to the pool. Oh thank god. It's like a part of teenhood I never had.

Oh, also, I still get the itchy hairs growing in and laying under the skin, but it's not nearly as bad as waxing just because they aren't all coming in at once. Also, I just have to be committed to exfoliation and moisturizing and I can keep it under control. Itchy hairs growing in are way, way better than razor burn, so that's why it doesn't get me down. My leg skin has improved in tone now that I am exfoliating, moisturizing, and not hurting it with razor burn.

Basically, my new Hairy Days are smoother than my old Hairy Days, and my new Smooth Days are smoother than my old Smooth Days. Yay yay yay.

There are loads of helpful reviews to check out at the link for the X'elle that I posted above, and here's my little tutorial on how to get it done. When people say it is painful the first time, oh my god, it is. I couldn't have done my whole leg in a million years. I bought some VEET Ready to Use Wax Strips - Normal to Dry Skin: 20 Count and over the course of a week or two, I waxed my legs in shifts (you can do it all at once but it's tiresome and then you get the itchy regrowing hairs all at once). Waxing barely hurts, like ripping a band-aid, no big deal. It's nothing compared to epilating for the first time. Then as the hair started to grow back in shifts, I would start epilating it. Epilating hair that's growing back in doesn't hurt at all. The hair is sparse, and additionally, it's like in the first week or so of it growing back, it hasn't had time to really attach firmly at the root (it doesn't have that little bulb on the end) so it barely feels like anything.

I would imagine that if I stopped epliating for a period of time and then tried to start it up again, I would have to redo this whole process, because of my theory about the pain being a result of pulling a hair that has had time to firmly attach at the root. I don't intend to have any breaks though, because I don't have the same incentive as I used to (to take a break from shaving in the winter). I'll just, and I recommend to, keep it up consistently to avoid starting over.

Also, my friend who made the recommendation to me said to only epilate after a shower or bath when the pores are open, or else you might get little bloody dots. I have followed her advice, and no bloody dots.

Love you all,

Sophie

Review by Morley Dotes:

This electric razor is just so much better than a Norelco, or any of the other triangular razors. It is easier to cut your side burns...and the side burn trimmer is better as well! You get a very close shave. So much so, that I don't really see much of a difference between this and a razor, even one with the 4 blades on it. We recently stayed over a friends house and in the morning I wanted to shave and used a hand razor, I forget the brand.....I realized how much I missed my Braun. No burning with the Braun. No nicks either. For that matter, it was just so much nicer when I came home and used my electric, and it just showed me how much I love my Braun. You can wash the heads or you can let the machine clean it. I will mention one thing. Don't think that if you do not clean it every day the liquid will last longer. It will not. It evaporates, so use it. It does keep everything clean, however it is also an extra expense, and one that you really do not need to use unless you have the need because of some kind of medical issue. The heads are so easy to clean, though once in a while I will buy another cartridge (btw, they are cheapest here). You can easily travel with this (without the cleaner/holder). One last thing, my wife loves that it doesn't leave a lot of shavings in the sink. If you are considering this, all I can say is go for it. You won't be looking back!

Review by Norman G. Mcintosh:

Pleasantly surprised-Been using electric shavers for years. Shaves just as fast and as close as my Norelco. But with less irritation. And cost less too.I dont use the alachol bath. Hairs shaved are so fine, I cant even find them. My brother has a very sensitive neck and this is the first electric he has used that DOESNT irritate his neck. I recommend it.

Review by Mark R. Koppen:

I thought I'd wait a full month (and cleaning cycle) to write this review, and I have to give this razor 5 stars almost across the board:

Shave quality - ***** - After a few days I would have given this only 4 stars, as it seemed only as good as the Braun 7526 I replaced with this razor. But after a full 3 weeks or more, my face (or my technique) adjusted and this razor gives me a better shave than the 7526 in about the same time.

Comfort - ***** - This razor is far more comfortable than the 7526, not nearly as much irritation. I took care of my 7526, replacing the blades and foil annually, but this is a far superior razor. As a bonus, it is also quieter, which my wife likes too.

Cleaning - ***** - I have now run through a full cleaning cycle, and I think the automatic system helps save a bit of the fluid in the cartridge; I gained at least 4-5 days on the first cartridge over what I used to get (4 weeks). Cartridge changing is just as easy as before.

Styling - *** - The Braun guys should have asked their auto compatriots for help here. A silver razor, refrigerator white cleaning stand, and black power cord. Not nearly as nice as the black on black of the 7526. Just an esthetic issue, but you have to wonder what they were thinking.

Charging - it automatically charges each time you put it back in the cleaning unit, whether you clean it or not. Much better than the old model where you had to select "charge" every time.

Overall, this is a great razor - I don't know if it's because of the sonic feature, but whatever, it works. I wanted to be critical of this razor due to its cost, but it is a step above the 0-150 razor.

Review by Christopher C. Tufano:

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R385WY93I49NZW Hello everyone. This is a 9 minute and 37 second clip of my review and opinion on the Braun 760cc electric shaver.

I cover several aspects on ease of use, items it comes with, features I like, and any problems I have with the shaver.

I, at the time of making/publishing this video, am just getting over a cold so have a little bit of sniffles -- for this, my apologies.

I hope this video gives you some insight and useful information, and opinion, on this shaver.

Review by R. Nicholson:

This product contains three replacement heads for the Norelco 9160XL electric razor. After 1 1/2 years of continuous daily usage the original cutting heads were no longer giving a good shave. I decided to replace the original blades with this set.

The good:

1.)Easy to following instruction for replacement on the package, and the actual replacement process was incredibly simple and easy to do.

2.)The new blades functioned perfectly; because the decline in performance of the original blades was so gradual, it was difficult to believe how much of an improvement these replacement blades provided.

The not so good:

Only one complaint; the packaging. The replacement blade were embodied in a package that made it extremely difficult to actually get at the blades. There were a series of 6 grommet eyelets surrounding the entire package making it very secure. I literally had to force scissors between the layers of cardboard to get around the grommets to eventually get to the blades inside. In a word...frustrating. Plus, a slight slip and a bad cut may have occurred (I think everyone has experienced trying to open one of these newer hard-plastic wrapped items and knows just how difficult it can really be to get at the product inside).

Conclusion:

An excellent set of replacement blades. (I just hope they'll last longer than the 3 months it took for the original blades to start to lose their sharpness). Time will tell; but up to now, so far so good.

However, getting the blades out of this package could be considered a potential hazard.

5 Stars for the product itself, with 1 or 2 Stars off for the needless obstructive packaging.

Addendum Feb 24/08:

Interesting to note that they've changed the packaging on this product (since my original review) making it appear that it's less hazardous to access. However, as I haven't purchase this specific product package, I can't comment on the ease of access (or safety) of the new packaging.

R.Nicholson

Review by William O. Wood:

Somehow Norelco actually made the HQ9 SpeedXL heads worse than the old lift-and-Cut heads. To make it look like the heads will produce a faster shave, they reduced the area of the outer ring to make room for two additional cutter rings inside the outer ring.

The problem? The inner rings have a slower surface speed than the old, larger area, outer ring. So you actually have a smaller high speed cutter area while the inner rings end up pulling your beard hairs when you try to shave as fast as your old Lift-and-Cut shaver.

Why can't you buy the old lift-and-cut heads to fit you new Smart-Touch shaver? Like all Norelco rotary rasors, each model uses a slightly different drive pin to make you buy the newer, more expensive, heads. Philips knows how to make their old products obselete so you will buy the new "better" stuff.

Review by D. Dell:

Replacement blades are a must. The razor will remind you about once a year which is fine in most cases. But, if you have a heavy beard or shave more than once a day, as I do, then you should replace the blades every 8 months or so. The reminder on the razor is only a suggestion, not a command. After all, it does not know when the blades get dull. So, I simply ignore the reminder and replace the blades when I feel it is necessary.

One thing you must do is use the new blades for several days until they settle in and adjust to your skin. Until then you may have a little irritation. Another problem I have solved is the hair on my neck. I use to think the harder I press the razor, the better it would get those stray hairs. But, all I got was a rash. I discovered that if I simply use a very light touch and not press hard then it got those hairs much better and with no redness.

Replace your blades at least once a year and your face with thank you.

Review by Robert Silvers:

He determined they are not durable because the 'replace heads' light came on soon after he installed them. That is just because he replaced the heads early before the light came on. The light is just a timer and comes on every so many minutes of use. His new heads were fine, but he did not understand what makes the 'replace heads' light come on.

Review by William T. Vargas:

This is the only product for the HQ 55 (+) plus, but the box only says HQ 55

Review by JD:

The product works fine. The life of the heads is not very good - about 1 year and the expense is too high.

Review by R. A. Martinek:

These are replacement heads for what I consider the best all-around electric razor on the market, the Quadra 7865XL. (My first Norelco electric lasted 30 years.) The razor itself is efficient-but the "business ends" are the heads. The manual says to replace them every year, but they are rather pricey. I was not thrilled by this aspect of the product, but experience has shown that you don't have to replace them that often IF YOU KEEP THE HEADS CLEAN. I brush mine out every time I use the razor, and clean the entire head assembly every one to two weeks. The major cleaning is easy: take the entire head assembly off the razor (the hinge snaps into the body) and place it in a small dish of Formula 409™ (DO NOT USE A CLEANER CONTAINING AMMONIA! It will destroy the plastic parts and cause corrosion of the metal.) or similar household surfactant cleaner for a few hours, then take the heads out to rinse and clean them as instructed. Then I lubricate them as instructed. Do not overlubricate! Following this procedure, I can make them last a year and a half, and I shave my entire head every day.

However: You will notice a decrease in efficiency after about a year, and if your whiskers (or hair) are particularly tough, yearly replacement may be a necessity.

Also note that the instructions indicate a "breaking in period" for new heads. This is quite true of any self-sharpening electric razor head. Two or three shaves after replacement, there is a marked increase in efficiency.

In sum: a good product that works as advertized when used according to the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations. With extra care in use, it works better than advertized.

Review by :

the replacements were painless and easy to install....the best replacements for the best electric razor!

Review by Paul Moskowitz:

The Shave:

The floating heads on the Norelco electric shaver really do a good job of conforming to the curves of my face. It takes me about five minutes to shave according to the built in timer on the handle. The shave is much more uniform than that of the Braun 3615 that I have been using for the past few years. However, the shave is not as close. Before the Braun, I used a Norelco 5801. This model is a big improvement over the old Norelco which was slow and not very close at all.. The trade-off with respect to the Braun is one of a closer shave using the Braun vs. a more uniform shave with the new Norelco.

Maintenance:

The clippings are collected in pockets under the shaving heads, This is an advantage in that the clippings are not scattered over the bathroom sink as they are with some electric razors. The pockets have to be cleaned out every shave or two. This is not a big problem. It only takes a few seconds. The manual indicates that the RQ10 shaving head assembly must be replaced every year. Amazon offers the RQ10 for . By contrast the Braun cutter and foil assembly which lasts for about one year sells on Amazon for around .

If you are buying this product, I suggest that you search Amazon and Google for the best price.

PS: I found that I had to replace the head assembly after 6 months. I am now using a Remington Flex 360 Rotary Shaver which has a design similiar to the Norelco but provides a faster, closer shave, and costs a lot less.

Review by D.M.K:

Amazon sell this for about half what phillips/norelco website sells it for. Great deal if you own a Arcitec shaver

Review by Kurt Swartz:

This is the best shaving head I have ever used. I needed to switch to an electric razor because my arms were not steady enough to hold a regular razor, because of 4 open back surgeries, and I would cut myself. This gives a clean shave cut free...

Review by M. Janczak:

I have used the Philips Norelco system for almost three years now. The recommended length of time to use one of the heads is for one year. The first two shaving heads I had were great (probably worth 4 stars), but then I bought this one and it seems like I have trouble getting a smooth shave.

The obvious difference I noticed was in color. The first shaving heads I used were gray, but this new one is white. Other than that, I don't know why or if Philips changed their manufacturing process, or maybe I just got a bum replacement.

When I shave, I usually have to go over my face twice with this new shaving head, then I still have to touch up my face with a regular shaving razor. Although I am disappointed with this head, using an electric razor is much nicer on face than a conventional razor blade. If you are considering switching, I would recommend giving the Norelco HS85 a try!

Review by Ankur Chandra:

I've found that replacing the shaving heads really improves the performance of my shaver. By the way, the Norelco HQ5 supports the following Norelco models: 5887XL, 5886XL, 5885XL, 5867XL, 5865XL, 5864XL, 5863XL, 5862XL, 5861XL, 5855XL, 5849XL, 5848XL, 5845XL, 5841XL, 5825XL, 5821XL, 5814XL, 5811XL, 5802XL, 5801XL, 5669XL, 5602XD, 5601X, Q-One.

Review by :

It may seem like an unnecessary expense, but replacing your razor's heads every year is the best thing you can do. After 365 shaves, the blades do start to dull, even though no physical wear is evident. Replacing the heads gives you a fresh start so that you can experience the closest and most comfortable shave possible.

Review by BCD:

I have been using the Norelco 7775X for about a year and three months now and it is a great product. When it came time to get replacement blades I could not find them anywhere so I looked on Amazon and sure enough they had some. I think the price is good and they work in my razor perfectly. I would recommend them to anyone who needs them.

Review by Gary Baker:

Just buy this online. It's almost impossible to find these replacement heads in regular stores like Target, etc...

Makes a great shaver even better. If it's been a year since you replaced your blades, or if you have no idea how long it's been, try these.

Also, forget about the Nivea gel packs that come with this shaver. Regular shaving cream works just fine.

Review by BigBehemoth:

This is the 4th electric shaver that I have owned and the 2nd rotary type. I have owned the top of the line shaver from Panasonic, as well as mid-range units from Braun and Remington.

The same thing has happened every time in the past. I give it two to three months and then I am back to a disposable razor that can shave closer, with less hassle, and less irritation. The number one reason each time for going back to a disposable was how the electric shaver failed to handle my neck hair. None of them seemed to be able to the job no matter what and then the hassle on the units I had that had an expensive cleaning unit made it a pain to use.

Well I got the bug again to try an electric razor one more time and ended up purchasing this unit. And now after having it for a while I have to say that this is the best electric shaver that I have had. First and foremost it can handle my neck. It can't get it all in one pass, but the others couldn't do it no matter how many times I tried! Second, being able to just rinse the head under the sink is wonderful. No more cleaning systems that are bulky and expensive with the continual cost of the cleaning solution. Third, is that it is a surprisingly close shave. I kind of expected a 5 o'clock shadow by noon with a rotary shaver, but that isn't the case here. It is very close to a shave with a razor, NO KIDDING!

It isn't the perfect electric razor, but it is more than worth the price. There are only two things that stick out with me that could have been done better and both are related to charging. First, it takes 8 hours to charge the unit from being almost dead, with no quick charge capabilities. You can get around it by just using it plugged in when you are in the middle of the charge. Second, is that there is no battery level indicator. It would be nice to have some sort of idea of how much of a charge you have left.

In my book, these are just two minor issues that aren't that important to me, but keep me from giving it 5 stars. I have and will continue to recommend this unit to friends.

Review by foiegras:

I bought one of these six months ago and it works as well as any of the more expensive Norelco Shavers I've owned over the years (quite a number of them).

The more expensive ones charge faster, and might give information about how much usage time remains, but aside from that they have essentially no advantages.

I have a much more expensive one that lasted about 2.5 years and stopped holding a charge. Out of curiosity I took the thing apart (requires a small hex screwdriver), with the hope that I could replace the rechargeable batteries myself. What I found inside was essentially a very cheaply made product containing very cheap components (and this was one of the Norelco Razors made in Holland, that cost around 0). All the moving parts are made of plastic, and the batteries were two AA NiCads soldered in place. Some of the newer and more expensive Norelcos now have Lithium batteries. Anyone familiar with Lithium batteries knows that although they charge quickly and hold a lot of charge, when new, they degrade quickly and can become unusable in as little as a year or two.

Based upon what I saw inside of the more expensive razor, I would treat all Norelcos as disposable items not expected to last more than a couple of years, 3 at the outside. This is not your grandfather's Norelco razor; cost and quality have been engineered OUT. Given this, I'd go with a cheap one like this one I'm rating, because the function is essentially identical, and when it dies on you, you can toss it without feeling like you got ripped off.

The (replaceable) heads on this razor will last about as long as the razor itself (Norelco says to change them in a year but they will last a lot longer than that with acceptable performance). Anyone who has bought replacement Norelco heads knows that they cost almost as much as this razor, which is another additional expense you can avoid if you buy this razor then toss it when either the internal batteries, or the heads, die on you.

Review by David Pearlman:

Before obtaining this shaver (through a promotion) I had been using the Philips Spectra 8890XL shaver (the so-called "James Bond" shaver), which was the top of the Philips line a few years ago, which at the time was widely reviewed as the best available electric shaver, and which retailed for around 0. I had doubts that this shaver, which retails for about half that, could best the one I already had.

In terms of shave, I was wrong. This 8240XL (which is identical is shave to sister models 8250XL and 8251XL) is a TERRIFIC shaver. With this new shaver, I can shave much more quickly, and it handles the hard to shave areas (e.g. my neck) with more aplomb. In addition, it's a lot quieter than my old shaver, and it's lighter!

Outside of the shaving ability, this is a somewhat bare bones model. That means no shaving height adjustment, no digital readout of battery life remaining (just a light which lights only when you're charging and blinks when the charge is done), and no stand. But the shaver itself is excellent. What a surprise.

Now I'm left in the strange position of considering relegating my old expensive Spectra to my travel kit!

Review by TastyBabySyndrome:

I have been trying out new razors, getting a charge out of all the different designs that have been coming out, and have gotten a lot of experience along the way. Amongst the types I have tried are : The tri-heads with and without foaming action, the newer heads that set like they are on a platform, and a few different types of clippers. Out of all the razors I have tried I like this one the best, and the reason for that is because I (1) like the mixture of old and new, (2) like the length of the long-hair trimmer, and (3) like the way the extra pivot works on this razor. It feels like an old friend, but with a better smile.

There are not really any downsides on the razor that are glaring to me, so I'll list the positives I have noticed. First, there is a new pivot that allows the head to move forward and backward and does not make the head stationary. That means that more ground is covered and a better shave is given. A second thing I like is that the length of the long-hair trimmer has not changed. On many of the newer models, the trimmer has been shortened. This leads to a trimmer that is harder to see, one that doesn't do as much work, and one that can break easier. So, the staying with the same build is a good thing. Next, the charge the item carries is long-lasting, making it a great tool to travel with. I have a problem with forgetting my cord, I already did that once with this model, and it did not matter. I was away for a week and still I got a good shave. And, lastly, it is does not throw too much glam t you and try to make something shiny to hide flaws in the design. As I said before, it is an old design but with some newer additions to make shaving better.

If you want a good shave and need something new, you should try out this razor. It has been tough, has been reliable, and has been the one razor I have liked after the newness has worn away. That says a lot about something: when the newness of something becomes day-to-day, what is it, really? For this product I would have to say "a little over five stars in my book."

Review by J. Canavera:

I've owned 3 Norelco shavers in my life. Each lasting more than 10 years. The local repair shop who has serviced my previous 2 Norelco's noted that the new ones aren't the quality of the old. Time will only answer that question but I can state that the 7340 system sold here is a much changed version of what I have used in the past.

First the 7430 is light....extremely light. It is very quiet, something that takes getting used to. It's also the first Norelco I've owned without the comfort control setting. I was initially reluctant since on my previous 2 Norelco's the comfort control setting seemed to affect the closeness of the shave. This particular razor has the HQ8 heads. The higher priced models use the HQ9s. From my research the biggest complaint about the HQ9 head is that it seems to take more time to get a clean shave. Based on 3 weeks of use of the 7340, even without the comfort control, not only do the HQ8 heads shave as fast as my older Norelco's but the shave is also closer.

This shaver also allows the use of water to rinse the heads clean. This is a major advantage over my older Norelco's since I use a pre shave product that can cause the blades to need frequent cleaning. Now the after shave rinse to the head assembly keeps things much cleaner without having to disassemble the heads, which was what I previously had to do.

On the negative side the razor is delivered bare bones. No case to store or transport it in. It won't fit even my older cases. My previous Norelco had a battery gauge which allowed me to know when to recharge the shaver. This razor has a charge indicator but its only purpose is to indicate when the shaver is being charged and that it has reached full charge.

My older Norelco's would slow down as their batteries started to fail. This one just stops when the voltage falls below certain level. Obviously not a good thing if you have no available AC outlet at the time. To get the best battery life you do need to let the batteries run down. If you constantly plug it in to keep it "topped off", you will be replacing batteries on a more frequent cycle. Note that this service normally must be done by a service person since the batteries are soldered in. In past experience I got at least 4-5 years service out of one set of batteries.

Overall this is a good lower cost Norelco. It's Chinese made so from my stand point I will have to wait and see if it holds up as well as my former shavers that were Holland manufactured.

Review by Mick Felder:

I bought the shaver from Best Buy for three weeks ago. I'm 63 and have been using Braun shavers for the past 25 years because I felt they gave a closer shave than Norelco.

This Norelco, which although is made in China, seems very well made. It is remarkably quiet and comfortable, a pleasure to use. After three weeks of getting my beard accustomed to the shaver I can say it seems to shave reasonably close and gets all the hairs - something my Braun had a problem with.

I just completed a test, shaving half my face with the Norelco, half with my old Braun (not in the best shape), and after judging my beard the next morning, the Norelco easily won. It's not as close as a blade - by 5 p.m I notice a stubble, but considering how easy it is to use (and washable) I really can't complain! an excellent shaver at a reasonable price.

Review by Sam:

As most other Norelco razors are using batteries, this is one of only 2 models left that will work when the batteries die. Also, the HQ55 blades are every bit the equal of the HQ8 and HQ9; I have both and the only difference is that the newer versions are a little faster.

Norelco has very little info on this model; be aware that they will tell you that it uses the newer style power cord with the external transformer and that is not the case. It uses the old fashioned plain coiled cord.

Review by George J. Brewster:

After 20+ years with my original Norelco, it finally broke. I was looking for a simple razor without too many bells and whistles. This is a simple design, does a great job and it is relatively inexpensive. I don't care for rechargable razors simply because I don't like them sitting on my bathroom sink all the time, I prefer one I can put in a drawer when I'm not using it.

Review by Paul Moskowitz:

The Shave:

The floating heads on the Norelco electric shaver really do a good job of conforming to the curves of my face. It takes me about five minutes to shave according to the built in timer on the handle. The shave is much more uniform than that of the Braun 3615 that I have been using for the past few years. However, the shave is not as close. Before the Braun, I used a Norelco 5801. This model is a big improvement over the old Norelco which was slow and not very close at all.. The trade-off with respect to the Braun is one of a closer shave using the Braun vs. a more uniform shave with the new Norelco.

Maintenance:

The clippings are collected in pockets under the shaving heads, This is an advantage in that the clippings are not scattered over the bathroom sink as they are with some electric razors. The pockets have to be cleaned out every shave or two. This is not a big problem. It only takes a few seconds. The manual indicates that the RQ10 shaving head assembly must be replaced every year. Amazon offers the RQ10 for . By contrast the Braun cutter and foil assembly which lasts for about one year sells on Amazon for around .

If you are buying this product, I suggest that you search Amazon and Google for the best price.

PS: I found that I had to replace the head assembly after 6 months. I am now using a Remington Flex 360 Rotary Shaver which has a design similiar to the Norelco but provides a faster, closer shave, and costs a lot less.

Review by D.M.K:

Amazon sell this for about half what phillips/norelco website sells it for. Great deal if you own a Arcitec shaver

Review by T.J.:

In this review I am going to cover the BG2030 and also compare it to the previous model, the BG2020. There are some big differences between the two models and just because the BG2030 is the newer model, it may not be the one for you. Also, this is a body groomer and as such, body anatomy will be discussed. If you are easily offended, stop reading this review now.

If you are like me, you saw this body groomer and wondered what the big difference between this and a regular electric razor was. Well, after having been in those shoes, let me explain. If you've ever tried to cautiously use an electric razor or an electric trimmer on parts of your body below your neck, then you probably had a mixed experience. On some parts of your body it works, whereas on other parts it was painful and simply not possible. Those days are now gone. Regular electric razors/trimmers were never designed to shave the entire body. However, body groomers have been designed to shave the ENTIRE body and have blades that are closer together to prevent pinching the skin, thus providing a pain-free experience.

For the sake of clarity we need to address the parts of the shaver. In the picture you will see that there are two different heads that you can attach to the handle. The attachment with the foil on the inside and the cutters on the outside will be referred to as the foil attachment. The other attachment that doesn't have a foil will be referred to as the trimmer attachment. Also, there are 2 trimming combs and each trimming comb has 5 different settings, allowing you to trim your hair from anywhere to .12in(3mm) to .43in(11mm). Those are just the length settings when using the combs; you can get a smooth shave when you use the foil attachment. Also, all the pieces can be stored in the back of the charging stand. Unfortunately, there is no travel case.

Underarm Hair:

Prior to the BG2030, the BG2020 really struggled here and it took a lot of time. Now however you can use the trimmer attachment to knock down most of the forest. However, once the forest is down, minor maintenance with the foil attachment doesn't take long.

Chest and Ab Hair:

No problems at all. I was a little concerned about the nipple area but both the foil and the trimmer attachment were able to be used without any pinching at all.

Groin:

In the words of another reviewer, the "Bodygroom" is Shaft, Beanbag, and Starfish safe. No nicks or any pain...no worries at all. You can trim the forest to any length, and then follow up with foil attachment if that is your desire. Because of the design of the groomer, you can shape things any way you would like. I experienced no skin irritation, however, I would imagine that most people will experience at least some irritation. I have used the shaver both in and out of the shower and have noticed that I get a smoother shave when I'm in the shower. This is due to the warm water relaxing the skin and opening up the follicles, which makes it easier to shave. Like any electric razor, there are going to be some hairs that lay flat that you're just not going to get no matter how hard you try. When it comes to effectiveness, I actually think that my Mach 3 does a better job in getting everything smooth, but the body groomer is more convenient, and also allows you to trim certain areas instead of going completely smooth if that is your desire.

Battery:

NiMH

Travel:

Come on, Norelco, no travel case? Why do you do this?

--------------BG2030 compared to the BG2020----------------

The most obvious difference is that the BG2030 comes with the additional trimmer attachment. Also, you now only have 2 combs with multiple settings vs. 3 combs that had fixed settings. Sounds like the BG2030 is perfect, right? Well, what isn't obvious in the picture is that the BG2030 trimming combs only attach to the trimmer attachment and DO NOT fit the foil attachment! This is a HUGE change because the BG2020 model allowed you to attach trimming combs to the foil attachment. Norelco, what were you thinking?

The reason that this is a problem is because if you want to do both a trim and a shave, then you have to swap out head attachments whereas before you just had to remove the combing attachment. If you keep the body groomer in the shower, then that means you also have to keep both head attachments in the shower. Personally, it's frustrating to have to change out the head attachment and now when I travel I have to take both heads instead of just the one.

If you plan on doing any traveling with your shaver (without the charging stand), you'll probably want the BG2020, mainly because you can put a combing attachment over the foil to protect it. Also, you don't have to take the additional head. If you want to travel with the BG2030, then you'll need to find a way to protect the foil or else you'll have to take the charging stand with the storage compartment to keep the foil attachment in.

-------------------------- Overall Opinion ----------------------------

This is a FANTASTIC shaver, but I'm rating it 4 stars because Norelco chose to do away with combing attachments for the foil head. If they'd provide that like they did in their previous model, the BG2020, then the BG2030 would be untouchable. They also need to add a travel case and a lanyard to it so you can hang it in the shower vs. having to lay it down and damage the foil. If you are looking for a groomer to just trim and shave your groin area and chest area, then I think the BG2020 might be a better fit for you. If on the other hand you're going to be shaving big areas that have a lot of hair to knock down and you don't mind switching heads all the time, then the BG2030 will probably work better for you.

--------------BG2030 compared to the BG2040 and New Opinion----------------

I have not tried the BG2040 however, it appears as though Norelco fixed many of the problems that were found in the BG2030 with the removable heads and attachments. After 2 years of using the BG2030 I can tell you right now that even though I only do weekly maintenance, it's incredibly annoying switching between the foil head and the trimmer head every time I use it (even though it does a GREAT job). Also, the BG2030 is just not practical to travel with, something which I frequently do. With a foil head on one end and a trimmer head on the other end, the BG2040 appears to be Norelco's best effort-to-date. If I were to buy a new razor today, I'd absolutely go with the BG2040. The extra money you'll spend on it is well worth it, if only for getting rid of all the attachments that litter the bathroom counter or shower. Thank you Norelco for listening to your customers, but why do you fall so obviously short? You designed the BG2040 and the charging stand for easy travel but still, you deny the faithful a travel bag??? That makes about as much sense as a football bat. The lanyard option was always nice for the wet/dry razors too, so how about that while you're at it?

Review by NLH:

Ok, so I'm a pretty hairy guy. For the past 8 years I've tried about 10 different razor/clipper/trimmer products to clean up my chest/stomach area and I've yet to find one that I really, truly liked. Either it was a straight electric razor which cut everything down to zero (not the goal), or some sort of "trimmer" device which invariable failed to work properly.

The BG2020 was the closest I'd gotten to something useful...It would take me a solid 30 minutes and LOTS of back-and-forth over the same areas, but if you held it juuuust so, you could get the job done. It was a pain -- I'd have to dedicate some time, and because my bathroom lights are pretty hot, after standing there trimming for 20 minutes I'd start to sweat, so I'd have to take a break and come back and finish later. All-in-all, a process, but the job got done.

I got the BG2030 in the mail this morning and all I can say is that I'm *stunned* at how well it works. I hooked up the trimmer attachment and gave it a quick whirl before I got into the shower...just to see how it worked. I was so amazed at how quickly it trimmed everything down, that I just did the whole job right there in about 5 minutes. No exaggeration -- what used to take a solid 30 minutes took LESS than 5 minutes with the BG2030. Nothing more needs to be said -- if you want a quick, simple, easy way to trim down body hair, this is the best product I've ever used. Period.

Now, for other areas (the "nether regions"), it's not quite so miraculous -- that's not to say it doesn't work, and it does, but it's no better than the BG2020, which worked perfectly. So this will continue to work perfectly down there as well.

All in all, a 5-star product and worth the extra money over the BG2020 without hesitation.

Review by Paul Moskowitz:

The Shave:

This is a lower-cost version of the Norelco 1090. The major diffference is the display. The floating heads on the Norelco electric shaver really do a good job of conforming to the curves of my face. It takes me about five minutes to shave. The shave is much more uniform than that of the Braun 3615 that I have been using for the past few years. However, the shave is not as close. Before the Braun, I used a Norelco 5801. This model is a big improvement over the old Norelco which was slow and not very close at all. The trade-off with respect to the Braun is one of a closer shave using the Braun vs. a more uniform shave with the new Norelco.

Maintenance:

The clippings are collected in pockets under the shaving heads, This is an advantage in that the clippings are not scattered over the bathroom sink as they are with some electric razors. The pockets have to be cleaned out every shave or two. This is not a big problem. It only takes a few seconds. The manual indicates that the RQ10 shaving head assembly must be replaced every year. Amazon offers the RQ10 for . By contrast the Braun cutter and foil assembly which lasts for about one year sells on Amazon for around .

PS: I found that I had to replace the head assembly after 6 months. I am now using a Remington Flex 360 Rotary Shaver which has a design similiar to the Norelco but provides a faster, closer shave, and costs a lot less.

Review by Dragonwort Castle:

I have used Norelco shavers for many years and prefer them to all other models I have tried. This review comes from much experience with the brand.

This Arcitec design looks fancy and works well, but gets three average stars because it really works no better than the previous non-space-age, less expensive designs. The 1050, 1060, and 1090 all operate the same, they just have a different display: none is better than the other, and don't waste money on the Cleaner accessory. It is fairly comfortable to hold (I prefer the feel of the original model because this is one is smaller), and looks fancy sitting on the counter, but it does not do a better job. It requires cleaning after each use as there is no space for the hairs. I have always cleaned my shavers after each use anyway. Unless you just want the apperance, it is not worth the extra money.

Technically: The triple-blade per round head (each cutter has three spinning blade areas) does not do any better than a double cutting blade. Kind of like a Saturday Night Live skit in the 70's, Jim Belushi said, "Buy a triple bladed razor. For those that will believe anything". Lift-and-cut is a ridiculous concept and a marketing ploy, but Norelco's do a nice job. Norelco went back to more diagonal openings with this model, which is good. Many other newer models have lots of little pin-holes which are worthless, as the hairs have no time to enter a small hole with shaving motion. You would have to set it directly on a hair to cut it. The less pin-holes the better.

Feel: The head design feels better on the neck, and has not caused razor-burn if I do not stretch the skin tight like I need to with the original model. It takes the same time to shave as my older unit, and I get no better results, no faster. It takes the same time to get a smooth shave, and the same persistance in some areas.

Function: It is a little bit easier to shave under the nose, above my mustache, but not a major difference. It is much harder to trim my sideburns with this unit as the heads almost cut my hair on my head above the ears the way it is shaped. Very poorly designed trimmer, so I use my older shaver for that.

Battery: Early, new battery life is good, as with most new battery devices. But, it states to not over-charge. Meaning, you need to be around when recharging to unplug it after it is charged; not good for those that shave and must go to work. The other units would shut off after charging.

Cleaner/Charger: Again, one needs to be around when it is finished to not over-charge. The cleaner is not necessary and a waste of time, money, and chemicals. I use a razor brush from an older unit, brush it out quickly over the wastebasket (one can't blow it out without getting hair dust all over the bathroom, and it can't be shaken into the wastebasket as easily as the older models), and I spray it quickly with Remington Silicone Lubricant (I can only find it at Wal-Mart, which is the only thing I ever go there for, by the way).

Overall: Buy it for looks and keep your old one in the drawer for sideburns. Nicer on the neck.

I would return it, BUT, it was a gift, AND I like the look of it. I know, I know!!

Update 12-29-07

I purchased a Braun 9595 through J&R on Amazon, and it has a 60 day trial return guarantee. This is the first micro-screen razor I have used and it is better in all respects to the Norelco Arcitec except for the fancy styling. It is fast and comfortable, and my face feels razor smooth. I was able to return the Arcitec and am really happy with this Braun 9595 model.

Review by GatorJ:

I have shaved exclusively with electric shavers my entire adult life. A bit of a ritual, but I always buy the new top of the line Norelco as soon as it becomes available. I currently have the 9195XL and the James Bond Spectra shavers. I pre-ordered this on Amazon and was anxious to get it as it clearly is a major departure from Norelco's typical styling. It arrived completely dead which I thought a bit odd, but charging it was the another first. No cord plugs into the bottom, it has two small round electrical contacts the size of ball bearings, one on each side. It charges in its stand or the travel case, a nice touch. The new head arrangement pivots FAR more than any prior model and it really hugs the contours of your face and neck. It is relatively quiet, shaves VERY fast and very close with no irritation. It is also extremely easy to clean. Each cutter/comb assembly hinges up, but remains attached to the head making it very easy to rinse out without worrying about the cutters and combs separating from one another. Since the whole head assembly must be replaced to get new cutters, I suspect that part will command a premium. The protective head guard will not come off until you physically remove it, another Norelco first.

Negatives? Price, depending on your perspective. The trimmer is worse than useless. it is quite small and mounted at an odd place in relation to the cutting head making it especially awkward to use. I use a separate beard and mustache trimmer as I have never found an electric shaver to have a good one.

Bottom line: this is Norelco's best shaver to date...at least for my face. It also comes with a 60 day money back guarantee, so you risk nothing by trying it....which you definitely should.

Review by Eddie:

Intro:

My first electric was a Norelco. Once it died I switched to Braun and while the cleaning system seemed attractive at first I got tired of spending on the cleaning solution. I then got a cheap Remington which is pretty decent for the price (around I think) and later got a Panasonic ES8097.

My favorite razor was the Panasonic. It offered a superb shave, cleaning was fast, easy, and cheap. The wet shave was pretty useless, though, and the battery was terrible. I have to recharge it once it indicates an 80% charge. This started a few months ago at 40% and keeps climbing each month. This is why I decided to get a new razor.

Arcitec 1090:

This is a good electric razor, but it has some notable drawbacks:

- Trimmer

- Only cordless use (although the battery is supposed to last long). For the price, I would have preferred the ability to keep on using the razor once the battery dies in a few years.

- Limited range of motion (as mentioned in other reviews). My older Norelco "hugged" my jawline and chin much better. Norelco boasts about "optimum skin contact in curved areas" but when shaving often there's not enough contact in some areas. Contact is great on the cheeks and neck.

- No wet shaving. I prefer dry shaving, but the option would have been a pleasing addition for such an expensive razor.

- Price. It's a nice razor, but not 0 nice.

On the positive side:

+ Great shaves with very little initial irritation. After using it for a few days there was no irritation at all.

+ Fast shaves

+ Comfortable

+ Low maintenance

+ Easy to clean. No need to purchase additional cleaning supplies. One can use the small brush provided, rinse under hot water, and/or submerge the head in hot water with a bit of soap and turn the razor on.

+ Nice display which is not ON all the time.

+ Charging stand and pod. The pod is a bit larger than the razor itself, but I did not find it inconvenient when traveling.

+ Fully charged in one hour

+ Seems to be well constructed. Originally I had purchased a Remington F-720 designed by BMW. As soon as I took it out of its box I was disappointed. It felt like a cheap toy. I returned it and got the Norelco instead.

The 1050x, 1060x and 1090x have slightly different features but the razor itself is essentially the same. One can download the manual and compare them. I chose the 1090 since the price difference with the 1060 was minimal where I bought it, and I liked the idea of being able to see exactly how many minutes of battery I had left. I was lucky to find a place that had them on sale, and additionally I had received a coupon for a 30% discount in my purchases. I am very happy with this razor, but I would never pay 0 for it.

Conclusion:

Overall I'm very happy with the Arcitec 1090X. For the price, I think that Norelco could offer a better product. I'm glad I found a great deal on mine, otherwise I would have chosen a different razor probably similar to my Panasonic.