I've used almost every high end electric razor on the market in the last 15 years. I've had the Braun, both the pulsonic and the 7 series. I've had the Panasonic and I've had several Norelcos. The only model I've not tried are any of the Remmingtons, based on their consistanly poor reviews.
In summary, if you looking to go to electric you have to choose between the foil shavers, like the Braun and Panasoinc or the rotery model, like Norelco. My experience with foil shavers is that they seem to cause more ingrown hairs on my face, than any other method of shaving. The Panasonic in particular almost cuts too close, and left me with razor burn. I tried shaving with it "wet" as they advocate, with cream.. this method left me with a 5:00 shadow at about 11:15.. and made a huge mess. If I was going to futz with shaving cream I'd use blade.
Which in the end, not one electric I've ever used does as good a job as a cheap disposable blade.. except this one.
Prior to this razor I had been using one of the 8000 series models with the "faster shave" heads, those have three rings of holes on them. The claim being it was 50% faster and X amount closer. I found those heads to be pretty irritating to my face, even after a year of using it, and it seemed to pull my skinn and missed more whiskers than I'd expect, leading to ingrown hairs or that super long solo whisker you missed all week that your wife plucks off with a tweezer right before you go out with her.. ouch.
The 8000 series is about $20.00 to $30.00 more than this model as well. Years ago my first Norelco was a 7000 series and I remembered it being very good. With that in mind, when my 8000's blades dulled and it was time for a new set.. rather than spend $40.00 on new blades I figured and extra $20.00 for a whole new razor. Not wanting to spend $200 on the top of the line, I stepped down this time, and I'm very glad I did.
The heads on this razor are better than the more expensive model, it shaves closer, comfortably, than any razor I've used.. which was too close, and it does so in a way that is very comfortable and easy to use. No pulling skin no missed hairs, no ingrown hairs, and no rash like the panasonic.. And, although I like the cleaning base for the Braun, it was like haveing a new razor every shave, it was still $6.00 a month just for the cleaning solution. This one is just about perfect.
The only complaint I have, as they've cut costs on these things, Norleco has eliminated the carrying case, very handy when you travel as the blade cover comes off easy and if you nick a blade.. you're screwed and they've eliminated the charger stand.. a very very nice place to store the unit when you're at home. I'd pay for those things to get them added back in the box.
This is a no frills razor that works fantastic, and the price is certainly right. Highly reccomended. Philips Norelco 7810 Men's Cutting System
What impresses me most about this shaver, as opposed to the Philips/Norelco shavers I've had before, is the battery life. The others were good, but I've gotten over 24 shaves from one charge (Caveat: I have what most people would call a "very light" beard- I need to shave or I look like a dork). I appreciate that it's quieter and lighter than past models, although admittedly at first it felt "cheaper." I can hear when the blades are cutting, indicating I need to keep at that spot, and when they're not, indicating that I can move on. I disagree with reviewers who miss the docking station- it's an unnecessary piece of clutter and landfill waste. As with other Norelco shavers I've found that they work best with a clean, dry, cool face. First thing when I get out of bed is usually fine, but sometimes a quick wash with cool water and then a few moments to dry completely is helpful, like if I'm in a hot climate. I think the charger could be more travel-friendly, that is, compact, but with this long battery life you'd need to be on the road for a long time to bother bringing it. I agree with other reviewers who wish a travel case had been included; I'll use my old one, but it should still come with one. And as for the cleaning brush, well, you should never need it. You should just dump the scraps in the trash and then give it a quick rinse, shake out the excess water and put it back in "its spot." It takes seconds and means it will always be clean the next time you use it. The only other thing to comment upon is that it would be better to have a meter indicating remaining battery life instead of just stopping.
I have been using Norelco electric razors since 1989. My last product was the model 6843XL that I bought in 2005, I replaced the cutting heads twice. Recently I bought this model 7810XL an it is awesome. It's very noticeable the closer shaving that you get. The speed of the cutting heads is higher and quiet. The design of the cover of the head has different patterns, lines as the former but also little holes that catch the shortest remaining stuble. The capability of to be cleaned with hot water under the faucet is an additional advantage.
I recommend to any that previously own an old model that try this one.
My first Norelco shaver lasted 30 years. My second Norelco, model 6865XL lasted 6 years. The battery died and I think I may have messed it up trying to solder in a new battery. It still works but is not dependable. So, based on the reviews here at Amazon, I decided to try the Norelco 7810. I was disappointed with it after shaving with it for a week. On the plus side it is nice looking, it's quiet, and can be cleaned by rinsing it with water. However, in the most important category for me, how close it shaves, it comes up short. I found it took me 3 times longer to shave than it did with the 6865xl model. I had to go over areas of my face 10 or 12 times to get anything near satisfactory. Like I said earlier, my 6865XL still works so I was able to compare them side by side. There is no comparison. A couple of passes with the 6865XL and I was done, and my skin felt just about as smooth as it does using a hand razor and shaving cream. After I shaved with the 7810 my skin still felt like very fine sand paper. I then ran my 6865XL over the same area once or twice and now my skin felt smooth without a trace of roughness. So, the 7810XL is on it's way back to Amazon and my search goes on for another good shaver. - Norelco - Cordless - Rechargeable Batteries - Washable'
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