Cordless Shavers

[AlexGT]

I have used the panasonic Linear for several years and it has worked for me, I like that I can take the panasonic to the shower without problems, It does irritate around adams apple but the secret it to glide it gently not using too much presure.

Can you believe this? there is also a forum for electric razors it is called "Tell mr. steelbeard"

http://iavbbs.com/gflinn/

HTH
Alex

 

[hyeTotum]

I Love It! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Can't 'ya just see some guy over at that shaver forum posting something like:

.......Man, I can't believe it! I just added my 712th electric shaver to my shelf! And thanks to everyone for that cool mod that let me hook up a Ryobi lawnmower engine to overdrive my Special Magenta Titanium Victor Kiam Anniversary Edition Remington "BeardFlinger" Clickie model! Man, you talk about a smooth shave -- that puppy takes off the top half-inch of epidermis every morning! BTW, that forklift idea for holding the shaver up to my face works great, too! I can't tell you how tired the wife and children got helping me raise it until you guys had me go rent that baby! This will crack you guys up, too! I just saw that some group of characters started up a forum about FLASHLIGHTS, if you can believe that! Hahahahahaha...

What a world!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Saaby]

As long as they don't EDC a Norelco /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Do really expensive, compact shavers use lithium 123s??

 

[paulr]

I don't like blades and haven't used them in many years.

It seems to me that rotary works a little better than foil if you have heavy beard growth (i.e. if you haven't shaved in a couple days), but otherwise they're about the same.

Get a unit with a trimmer, or have a separate trimmer, for really heavy growth. It's also good for sideburns, neck hairs, etc.

The manufacturer's main scam is that the rechargeable cells aren't easily replaceable. When they crap out after a year or so, most people buy a new razor. With Norelcos you can disassemble the razor and change out the cells (solder tabbed Nicad AA's). You can get tabbed cells from batterystation.com or wherever.

After about 3 sets of replacement cells over a 5 year period, my Norelco pretty much completely stopped working (internal charging system crapped out or something). I bought a Braun (forget what model) just to try something new. It worked fine for the usual year or so, but oops! The cells are installed in some way that you can't get them out without breaking something (no normal assembly screws).

Another hassle with rechargeable shavers: if the cells go flat, for most models, you can't shave until you've at least partially recharged the cells, say for 10 minutes. If you have to shave before running out the door to work in the morning, you may not have 10 minutes to wait for your razor to become usable. A few of the more expensive models are specifically labelled "AC/Cordless" which means you can use AC power even when there's zero charge on the battery. I wouldn't buy another cordless shaver without this capability.

After the Braun failed I decided I was simply fed up with the intentional product obsolescence and I couldn't think of any times I'd really needed to shave with no AC power available. So I bought a Remington corded shaver which I'm reasonably happy with. I'd say its shaving action isn't quite as good as the Braun's, but it's terrific to be free of worrying about the stupid batteries. The AC cord is really not much of a nuisance since there's an outlet close enough to the shaving mirror in most bathrooms.

Finally, for convenience/travel/whatever, I have a cheap Sanyo shaver powered by normal (non rechargeable) AA cells. It has no trimmer and only one foil head, so it's not that great a shaver. Unfortunately, there seem to be no good shavers that use replaceable batteries. Note that Braun also makes a cheap AA-powered razor, but it's veven worse than the Sanyo.

 

[asdalton]

One of the reasons for battery failure is incorrect charging. The lifetimes of nickel cadmium batteries are greatly shortened if they are recharged after every use, recharged constantly, or discharged until they are completely dead. Unfortunately, sometimes the directions tell you to do exactly these things that will shorten the battery life. Add that on top of the "dumb charger" technology that accompanies most rechargeable household products, and you have a recipe for ruined batteries.

That's how I have nearly ruined the battery in my Sonicare toothbrush--I followed the directions and kept it in the charging stand whenever I wasn't using it. (This started over two years ago, before I knew how to deal with rechargeable batteries.) Now it will hold only enough charge to be used for 4 days without recharging, in contrast to 14 days when the battery was new. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Norelco is actually better than most manufacturers, because they give correct instructions for prolonging battery life. Here is what the instruction booklet for my razor says: "Battery performance is best if you recharge only when the batteries are (almost) completely empty." The razor has a red LED that indicates when the batteries are low enough to need recharging.

However, it would be nice if more rechargeable products had an adequate charging management system--smart chargers and detailed battery level indicators--so that people wouldn't have to worry about whether they are ruining their batteries without knowing it. I have a top-end Norelco Quadra razor that has just that, and its batteries have over 90% of their original capacity after 4 years of regular use. It is an expensive $150 model (the most advanced Norelco until the Spectra series came out), but you get what you pay for.

 

[paulr]

Waiting for the batteries to go almost empty is an annoying method because it means the shaver stops working in the middle of a shave, and you have to recharge it. It just complicates things too much to have to pay attention to such stuff. Yes, smart charge management is pretty much a necessity. I wonder if the new Norelcos will have it. Best of all is just make the stupid cells easily user-replaceable.

 

[jayflash]

I'm on my second set of NiCd's in my 12 year old Braun. Still prefer a Mach III or double blade Gilette disposable.

 

[asdalton]

[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
Waiting for the batteries to go almost empty is an annoying method because it means the shaver stops working in the middle of a shave, and you have to recharge it.

[/ QUOTE ]

The idea is to recharge the razor when the red warning light comes on, not when the batteries are completely dead. (Running rechargeable batteries dead is one way to damage them permanently.) The Norelcos are designed so that there is enough battery power to finish the last shave even when the red light comes on while shaving.

 

[Orion]

I have a Remington TCT that I purchased not too terribly long ago [less than a year], and I'm already needing a second screen changing. Is that normal for a microscreen shaver? Seems aweful soon to me, especially when a new set cost $20. One of my pieves is that you can't JUST buy the screens. You have to buy the 'blades' part with it, making it more expensive. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

 

[Jim_Elliott]

By cordless, I'm assuming you mean cord/cordless. They are SO much more convenient than cordless-only. I would recommend any of the Norelco Reflex Plus (known as Philishave Super Reflex in non-US countries) razors. They are moderately priced, and deliver a very close shave. I use the first generation of Reflex Action razor, a Philishave HQ5401 corded only model. I'm very happy with it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif But, again, I'd recommend any of the Norelco Reflex Plus/Philishave Super Reflex razors.

 

[Jim_Elliott]

[ QUOTE ]
Orion said:
I have a Remington TCT that I purchased not too terribly long ago [less than a year], and I'm already needing a second screen changing. Is that normal for a microscreen shaver? Seems aweful soon to me, especially when a new set cost $20. One of my pieves is that you can't JUST buy the screens. You have to buy the 'blades' part with it, making it more expensive. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It is definitely normal for a foil razor such as yours. The screens and cutters wear down a lot quicker than with the rotary razors, one more reason to go rotary. By the way, check out my electric razor message board, Electric Razor Rap, if you have any other questions pertaining to electric male facial shaving. The link is in my profile.

 

[Wingerr]

Panasonic makes nice cordless shavers that use removable cells, which I much prefer to the built in cells, for the reasons Paulr mentioned- Being able to immediately swap out some rechargeable cells is a major plus; so anything I look for will have to be able to run on standard cells.
The Panasonic ES805S works off AA's and works well, with a nice precision hum to it-

 

[Jim_Elliott]

[ QUOTE ]
keithhr said:
After an adjustment period of two weeks, the norelco was unable to get most of the hair off after spending 20 minutes of continual shaving.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's your problem right there. The adjustment period is NOT two weeks. It's a minimum three weeks, and in a lot of cases, longer than that. You should also never spend twenty minutes shaving.

 

[James S]

[ QUOTE ]
The screens and cutters wear down a lot quicker than with the rotary razors, one more reason to go rotary

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one reason why the continual lubrication and cleaning provided by the base in the braun syncro model is so nice. My screens and blades have lasted over 20 months now. I'm starting to think I can tell that they are starting to go dull, but they still work fine. When it's time to replace them I won't feel bad as they have lasted longer than any other foil shaver I've owned.

I just can't recommend the rotary ones. I've owned 3 different models and they all made ground beef of my face, even the last one I used for a whole year before replacing with my current shaver. For me, they do not work.

 

[keithhr]

I actually used it for more than two weeks, closer to 3, but that isn't my problem because I can't see waiting a minimum of 3 weeks for anything to work. My other shavers never took that long for me being accustomed to the shave.

 

[Wingerr]

[ QUOTE ]
Jim_Elliott said:
[ QUOTE ]
keithhr said:
After an adjustment period of two weeks, the norelco was unable to get most of the hair off after spending 20 minutes of continual shaving.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's your problem right there. The adjustment period is NOT two weeks. It's a minimum three weeks, and in a lot of cases, longer than that. You should also never spend twenty minutes shaving.

[/ QUOTE ]
I always wondered about the adjustment period stated in the manuals-
Just what is going on during this adjustment period? The only thing I could think of is that it may shave closer than you're used to, and actually take off the peaks of your skin, but why would it take time before you're able to get a close shave? Getting the follicles to grow in the same direction?

 

[Atomic6]

Stop Everything! Have you guys tried the New Mach3 Power??

This new cordless, AAA Duracel powered Mach3 is really good!

Mach3 Power

I paid $12.00 at Target. First shave was this morning. Really different and, well, really a clean shave. Not used to the sounds coming from a triple blade razor.

 

[Banshee]

Anyone have a recoomendation on where to send my Norelco for a "clean n lube" and a set of replacement batteries?

The current (original) set barely hold a charge for 7 days of shaving. Other tahn that I'm very happy with my Norelco. It's over 12 years old..and still cuttin' well