After using electric and cordless shaver models from Norelco, Remington and Braun, I settled on the wet/dry features of the Panasonic models. I replaced my first one with a 3-blade ES8092 6 years ago. It shaved closer than other models, was smoother and more comfortable on my face, and you could wash the heads. It no longers works well. I may just need a new head, but instead of spending up to $40 on a new head, I decided to check out the latest and greatest in new shavers.
I didn't look seriously at the offerings from Norelco and Braun as I have been disappointed the performance of both those models and poor durability with Braun shavers. I was astonished to see that the Panasonic models have lower prices than both the Norelco and the Braun. I settled on the Nanotech Vortex 4 blade models. The blades are extra sharp. One blade has a wider opening to handle my coarse African American graying beard hairs, two regular blades handle the bulk of the shave, while a fourth finishing blade leaves your face as smooth as a baby's bottom. I recall how the Norelco rotary had a blade system that lifts the hair while a second blade cut if off. Unfortunately, when it pulled that hair up, it sometimes pinches and the second blade cuts off some raised skin. It was uncomfortable and abrasive. This Panasonic is smooth and painless. There is a turbo mode with an extremely high vibration rate to clean the blades under running water. It is a significant improvement over my previous Panasonic 3-blade model. I highly recommend Panasonic's Arc IV 4-blade shavers. The shave is top notch and build quality is great.
The cleaning system that comes with this model is a waste of money and time. I bought this model because it was only about $25 more than the ES8243 model without the cleaning system. What a waste. It takes over an hour to clean and dry. It's noisy. It uses costly proprietary detergent cartridges that must be replaced monthly. It is a gift that keeps on taking your money and you don't need it anyway. It's just a gimmick folks. Don't fall for it. You will be happier with the cheaper model.
Amazon has the best price along with top notch customer service, but I bought mine down the street at my local Target for 6 dollars more. Panasonic ES8249S Arc IV Nanotech Vortex Wet/Dry Rechargeable Shaver, Silver
Have tried Norelcos triple-blade, no good. Tried the top of the line Braun, seemed to take too long to shave, and had to go over the same area 5 times to get a close shave (also VERY noisy)! The Panasonic Arc IV is very quiet, I can ACTUALLY HERE the stubble being shaved, and shaving only takes 5 1/2 minutes (I know this, because the shaver has a timer). I clean it in the stand 4 times/week, which keeps the shaver looking new every time I use it. I like not having to press it hard to my face, to get it to shave close (head is spring loaded, to give the correct amount of pressure). I just bought the cleaning cartridges, 3/$12.70 on Amazon subscriber program, and will have them sent every 6 months. Face still feels shaved after 8 hours (this is very strange, but nice).
I have always been an opponent for an electric razor for a number of reasons, biggest one is that I have sensitive skin and without pressing really hard on my face, never seemed to get a close shave. After my friend got his, and after a recent visit to the big box store where I got to see a 40 dollar price tag on disposables, I was convinced to try. I opted for the most bang for my buck and a model that was wet dry, you can actually use shaving cream with this model, which helps to nearly eliminate the break in irritation of most razors. The shave I get in just 2.5 minutes (the razor has a timer) is so smooth and so easy, its sad to think of all the money and time I have wasted over the years on traditional shaving products. Fantastic shaver, fantastic value.
Up front note: I shave my entire head, so if you're looking for a head shaver's view, this is it.
I received the Panasonic ES8249S about two weeks ago and have been using it each day since then. Previous to using the Panasonic, I used Mach3 blades. When using blades, even the good ones like the Mach3, my neck would break out with painful razor burn/bumps, I'd get acne around my chin and mouth, and sometimes I'd break out in a rash on the back of my neck. So blade shaving with my sensitive skin was a 2 or sometimes 3 day per week deal, there was no way I could shave every day. The days in between I'd be running around with a day or two of growth on my head and face. Not very professional, but this is the way it was for me for 20+ years.
Not anymore.
While I had tried a variety of electric shavers in the past, they all had some kind of downside: the shave wasn't close enough, they were hard to clean, got too hot, or whatever. Always something. So while the reviews here were very positive, I wasn't overly optimistic about the ES8249S. Fortunately, the ES8249S has so far proven to be a different breed of electric. While it doesn't shave quite as close as a blade (I don't believe any electric can), it get's pretty darn close, and the cleaning system is about as dummyproof as you can get. Just place the shaver in the base unit and hit the button and you have a nice, clean shaver waiting for you the next day. Simple.
But I think the biggest upside for the ES8249S is that I can use it in the shower. I think having a warm, wet head helps the ES8249S give a closer shave, and it certainly makes keeping the sink area clean since there are no hair clippings to clean up. I use HeadSlick shaving cream by HeadBlade, just rub it all over my head and face, and shave up. It takes me between 7.5 and 9 minutes to shave my head, neck and face to the level of closeness I desire - about the same time it took to prep, shave, and clean up using a blade.
This shaver has been a huge hit for me, I can now shave my head and face every day without suffering from rash/burn/acne, the quality of the shave is very good, and the convenience of the cleaning system is welcome.
I highly recommend that bald guys give this electric a try. I love it!
Update on 8/12/10: I've been using the ES8249S for about 3.5 months and so far it's been rock solid, a real winner. I did notice, though, that the shave quality was degrading a bit, where it would take additional passes and time to get a close shave. Not really a great big deal, my shaves were taking 10 minutes instead of the 8 minutes I got when the shaver was new.
So I purchased the blade replacement kit (not the foil, just the blades) for 16 bucks and now the shaver is as good as new. Being that I shave my entire head each day, taking between 8 and 10 minutes, and considering that most people only shave the face, I use my shaver about 3 to 4 times as much as a once-per-day face shaver does. So while a head shaving guy like me will need to replace the blades once every 4 months or so, a face shaver should be able to get away with replacing the blades once a year or less.
Great shaver! - Electric Razors - Electric Razor - Wet Dry - Shaving'
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