Panasonic ES8043SC Pro-Curve Pivot Action Linear Wet/Dry Shaver, Silver
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Customer Reviews of Panasonic ES8043SC Pro-Curve Pivot Action Linear Wet/Dry Shaver, Silver
Customer Review: Been shaving with a blade, this is first electric
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm like a lot of you, I've been shaving with a blade since day one but thought I'd try an electric shaver to touch up as needed, who knows, maybe even a replacement for my Mach 3 blades.
I'd call my beard fairly heavy but it seems a lot of you have it worse. I've always shaved AFTER showering when my beard is ready. I've seen buddies just grab their shaving creme, lather up and start sawing away. Dude, why not after your shower? I've got friends who shave IN the shower (they've told me this, I have no first hand knowledge!). If I don't shave every day and a half I look like a barbarian, a full beard in two weeks.
So, after much studying these types of forums I got me a Panasonic ES8043. I don't know what the "SC" means in the description of this shaver on this thread because mine isn't designated as such. Funny, they say, "give it a 30 day tryout so your face can get used to it." And their return policy is within the first 30 days! Go figure. Anyhoo...
I've had this for about two weeks. And as others have said about any electric shaver, there's no way in heck it can give me a shave as close as my Mach 3, just no way. Those who have always used an electric and claim this I can only guess just don't know what a blade-close shave can be. But...
It does do what I bought it for, that is--to tone down my barbarianness as needed. But after three or four shaves I notice the hairs it invariably misses are still growing wildly (mostly on my neck) and look to be seeking an ingrown kind of experience. So...three electric, one blade (and, yes, the blade shave is as close as a blade). I've found that if I wet my face maybe 5 minutes before I launch the Panasonic it really helps, because just electric on bone-dry doesn't work nearly as well. And I'm never going to lather up before hand because that's specifically what I'm trying to avoid, more as a time saver than anything else.
Who knows, maybe I won't grow my winter beard this season if this combination of shaving techniques keeps the cutting of my face to a minimum. It'll be cold without the beard, but change is good, right?
I gave it three stars because the final product was just as I'd expected. If it was truly a replacement for my Mach 3 blades I'd give it 5 stars.
Customer Review: Best electric shave ever...
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this razor for about a week. I'll start by pointing out that everyone's face and beard are different, so your results may vary. But for me, this razor gives me the best shave of any electric I've ever used. The speed of the motor seems to be the biggest difference between this and other electrics I've used - it just goes, and keeps going ever after several minutes of shaving. Previous electrics I've had, I would guess might have achieved maybe 1/3rd the speed, and that's probably only for the first minute or so of shaving before the battery looses a bit of its edge. This razor does such a better job at not leaving uncut wiskers, especially on my neck where my wiskers tend to curl a little and gave other electrics fits. The other big difference is that the shaving head tilts from side-to-side. My last electric, a Braun self-cleaning model, had a head that titled forwards and backwards. At least for my face, and the way I shave, the side-to-side tilt is much more helpful, especially for the chin, neck and moustache areas. Another plus is that the main shaving head is maybe 20% wider than other models that I've used, and much wider than an earlier Panasonic wet/dry that I had - helps me shave my face in fewer passes.
There are only three slightly negative things I can say, but none are deal breakers: a) if you hold down the power button for a few seconds, it turns the motor on in 'ultrasonic' mode for about 10 seconds, which is supposed to clean the blades. It doesn't, at least so far when I inspect the blades right before doing this and right after, I notice no change. b) the trimmer on this model is only about 50% as wide as on other models I've used. Actually, its good because its about the exact width of my sideburns, and it makes dealing with them much easier. But on the bad side, in the past I've often used the trimmer on my neck area, where the narrow width of this one would be a disadvantage - but so far the main shaving head does such a great job on my neck the trimmer has been unnecessary there. c) if you look at the product photo, the blue areas on either side of the main handle are rubber, and it feels cheap. I just got this shaver, but I'm guessing that down the raod the rubber is going to wear, crack, flake, dry, or come unglued from the shaver.
Customer Review: Don't fall prey to marketing, but it's a good electric razor
Summary: 5 Stars
After years of shaving with a blade, I decided about six months ago to switch to an electric, because I thought it would be better for my eczema-prone skin. I had never used an electric before, and I therefore had lots of homework to do. Eventually, I settled on this model.
- can be used in the shower
- can be used with face/shaving cream
- can easily be cleaned with water
- multi-voltage charger (can be used in other countries)
- quality and relatively long-lasting battery
- razor quality and speed stays constant even as the battery charge decreases
- very good trimmer
- sturdy casing, easy to hold with wet hands
Razor Shopper Beware:
- cleaning systems are a marketing gimmick, they do not clean any better than soap and water; the alcohol and chemicals used in cleaning systems can in fact be bad for your skin
- many electric razors sold in the US are crippled of their multivoltage capability; counterpart models sold in other continents often do have multivoltage capability
- shaves-per-second, vibrations per second: these are meaningless statistics that are almost marketing fraud
- Panasonic sells a model just like this one, but without the trimmer. Panasonic calls it the "hypoallergenic" model. This is a gimmick, because the model with the trimmer is also hypoallergenic. Actually, just about all good electric razors are hypoallergenic.
- manufacturers use a multitude of intentionally confusing model numbers in order to sell the same razors to different "marketing segments" at different prices. You will have difficulty shopping on model number. Shop on manufacturer and feature set, because model numbers could be different for practically identical razors. [...]
On using an electric razor
- I was surprised at how close it shaves. Genuinely as close as a blade
- Give your face a week or two to get used to the electric, if you were previously using a blade. Your skin must get used to it. Also, your facial hair will grow in a different direction (unnoticeable to the eye)
- The razor foil on this model is supposed to last for a relatively long time. Overall, using this electric razor is far cheaper than Gillette models that rake in huge profit on their blades.
Customer Review: Not As Good as a Safety Razor, But...
Summary: 4 Stars
Pretty darn good nonetheless. I agonized over the purchase, as I have had both good and bad luck with different razors. As an owner of a Braun, a Norelco, and now a Panasonic, I feel comfortable giving it 4 stars, based upon the following:
1. I also use an old Gillette Safety Razor. No matter what you read, nothing is going to be that close. This razor will keep me looking like I have shaved for a good 10 hours. If I was going to go out again after work, I would have to shave again. As it is portable and fits in my briefcase, this is not a problem for me.
2. This razor shaves in both wet and dry. In wet, in beats both my Braun and my Norelco. I used it with shaving cream for the first two weeks, so that my skin would get used to the razor. I have not received any razor burn using it wet and with the head on swivel. Dry, it is the equal of the Norelco, and almost as good as the Braun, but the user should be cautioned not to press too hard unless they like razor burn.
3. This razor also allows the user to use it with the head fixed, or able to swivel. If you loved shaving with the old Brauns, then use it fixed. The swivel feature basically eliminates razor burn, but it may require a second or third pass over the tougher areas of the face.
4. The charge has lasted for almost three weeks, shaving every day. I have a light beard, so it only takes a few minutes to shave.
5. I have had to use my regular razor to touch up the neck. Now granted, I have weird hillbilly hairs growing out in odd directions, so that might be some of the problem. Regardless, it does not do a good job on the neck. My Braun does a little better on the neck, but sometimes irritates the skin in doing so. The Norelco also does a little better on the neck and the corners, but it does so with a little loss of control, due to the positions of the 3 rotary heads.
6. Overall, I give it a strong 4 stars. If it did a better job on the neck I would not hesitate to give it 5 stars. The wet/dry feature is great, and it makes cleanup a snap. I am very pleased with my purchase, and would recommend this to friends or family.
Customer Review: Light and Quick
Summary: 5 Stars
I have the identical shaver, the ES8077S. The difference between the two is that this ES8043SC model does not include a cleaning station.
I bought this as a replacement unit for my old Braun 5550, which after a few years of use has finally died.
If you prefer not to purchase the bulky cleaning station (from the ES8077S model), the manual suggests an alternative method to clean -- using liquid soap and water; this would be convenient when on the road!
Replacement Parts & Accessories (Retail prices & model # as indicated in insert):
1) Protective Cap (WES8044X7158): $0.62
2) Outer Foil (WES9085PC): $35.00
3) Inner Blades (WES9064PC): $21.95
4) Charging Adapter (WES8044K7658): $16.11
5) Self-Cleaning Recharger (WES8078H4218): $41.89
6) Detergent Cartridge 3-pack (WES035P): $9.99
Pros:
- The Panasonic Vortex is relatively light, and easy to hold/grip.
- Wet/Dry: One of the main features that won me over. I decided to get this unit instead of the Braun Activator because of this feature. I usually shave right after I take a shower, and my old Braun wouldn't cut cleanly until I fully dried off. First thing I did when I received this unit was to try shaving after a shower -- worked perfectly.
- Speed: For my old shaver, I had to take several passes, and yet still missed stubs here and there. With the Vortex, I was able to shave cleanly in one quick pass. I'm impressed!
- Head Pivots: The head of the shaver adjusts smoothly to the contours of my face.
- Battery: Right out of the box, I used my shaver for about a month before charging!
Cons:
- After my shave, my skin got a bit irritated at first use. After a few uses, my skin was able to adjust.
- Came with a cheap travel bag.
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Some reviewers have mentioned the noise of the unit. With any electric shaver, the noise is unavoidable. I didn't find the noise too annoying, though some of you may.