Panasonic ES8228S Men's Linear Vortex Nano Arc Foil Shaving System, Silver
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Customer Reviews of Panasonic ES8228S Men's Linear Vortex Nano Arc Foil Shaving System, Silver
Customer Review: 2nd Panasonic and still happy
Summary: 5 Stars
Sorry to be repetitive, but I purchased the Panasonic ES8109 a year ago and this is my review. Since then, I purchased the ES8228 and is the same razor with a different outer foil and travel case (scroll to the end for more information). I am still very happy with Panasonic shavers. Since the wife sent mine through the washing machine (dont ask) I missed it until the new one showed up. My only disappointment was living in a city of 80,000 I could not find a replacement foil and blade in town. I had to order it on the internet. My suggestion is to buy a replacement foil and blade as backup should one break or fail...unless you are willing to go under the razor for a few days while you order one or track one down. But I digress, here is the review...
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 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 $250 - $300 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).
EDIT - TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2011
Same as last edit. Still going strong. The first charging/cleaning stand finally started to leak from my original shaver that went thru the wash. 3 years on the original base, not bad. Now using the base that came with this razor....same unit, different color.
Customer Review: Beats Braun Shavers Hands Down!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this shaver from Amazon.com in October because Panasonic had an instant $30 rebate during the month of October. I had an older Braun Razor that was an earlier "Pulsonic" series but the foil over the cutter block always ended up getting a hole in it resulting in my face bleeding with one damaged hole in the foil. Braun sells the foil and cutter block assembly as a package and the cost keeps going up. I've spent three times the price of my old Braun shaver on cutter blocks and foils. I finally researched the Panasonic Nano Vortex and found that it had the fastest speed for I have a very thick beard and could be washed under the sink with water and hand soap if you're on a trip and don't want to take along the cleaning/charging unit. It comes with a beautiful leather case and with the wood grain and gold accents, it seems that Panasonic designed it to actually fit comfortably in one's hand. The trimmer is also a step above the Braun trimmer for it sticks out away from the razor instead of along side it where you may be trimming your moustache or sideburns and end up shaving your moustache or sideburns with the Braun...a design flaw with Braun that's never been corrected. The Panasonic also employs a soap cartridge rather than an alcohol cartridge to clean the razor in it's station. With Braun cleaning systems, you must replace the alcohol about once a month if not sooner. I've owned the Panasonic Nano Vortex since October 13th and shaved with it daily, yet the "status" light (a light that comes on to tell you to replace the soap cartridge) has yet to come on! With the Panasonic, it's cut my shaving time down to half of what a Braun used to take me. The lithium ion battery really does take less than an hour to fully charge the unit and the Nickel Hydroxide batteries that come in Braun's? Well, mine is dead and needs replacing but I could still use it while it was plugged into an AC receptacle. I found out that the Braun replacement battery would cost more than I paid for the razor initially. Before purchasing the Panasonic Nano Vortex razor I read complaints about the noise level from the cleaning/charging stand. I found this "noise" was the razor being turned on in the cleaning station when the soap and water mixture were in the bottom of it. Pretty good idea if you ask me that the razor is turned on to remove ALL residue from the shaver. Panasonic also has this razor set up for wet or dry shaves, in or out of the shower or bathtub, with or without shaving cream. I use it dry and am completely satisfied with it's results but have heard that wet shaving will be even closer! Panasonic also sells cheaper razors of this design for women so they may shave their legs in the bathtub for the unit IS totally submersible. It comes with a 30 day Panasonic warranty that if you don't like it, you can send it back for a full refund.
The only Negative thing I have to say about this purchase is that I first saw it in a Target store, but really couldn't tell much about it (with all the screws they put in their high tech razors so no one will steal parts...bad idea Target), yet when I went to Target to purchase the three soap cartridge packs, I found that they DON'T carry ANY parts for the Panasonic Razor line! You have to order it from Target online or another store in your area, whereas Target carries ALL the accessories for the Braun and Norelco line.
The best thing about the Panasonic Nano Vortex 8282s, is that they sell the foil and cutter block separately! The instruction manual says to replace the foil about once a year and the cutter block assembly, once every two years! Finally a company that sells the parts separately rather than in a package, but once again Target doesn't carry the foil or cutter block in their stores and you would have to purchase it online. My recommendation is that should you purchase the razor, buy the three pack of cleaning "solution" with it for this is all you'll need for I know you'll fall in love with this item as I have and in the women's line, it's a great shaver for your wife or girlfriend.
Customer Review: The best shave I've ever had, period.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll add my effusive praise for the Panasonic ES8228S to the others here. I've been using Norelco Quadra shavers for the past 8 years, quite happily; and had Braun and Eltron shavers before that (Eltrons have Braun bodies and upgraded gold plated foils and cutting blocks). I use blades fitfully in between - liking the close shave but not liking the nicks and longer ritual. I gave up on the foil shavers and went back to Norelco because the foil shavers required more care in use to avoid burn. Plus they seemed to need more frequent foil and cutting block replacement than the Norelcos. Norelcos also let you shave in a quick swirly motion I enjoyed.
The ES8228S is a different league than all of those. Unlike other foil shavers of my past, this one seems immune to shaver burn - while having all the closeness in spades. I attribute this to a remarkable synergy of technologies: the 13,000 rpm magnetic drive motor with its speed and relative lack of vibration; the curved dual thin foils with the hyper-sharp cutting blocks; the fact that the head and foil assemblies can independently move and pivot to fit your face; the excellent centrally mounted long-hair capturing cutter (the 3rd cutting block - more of a slot in between the two foils). I've always had a problem with stray long hairs down in my neck - and the ES8228S is the first shaver I've ever had that did a good job of getting these.
In use, the ES8228S feels incredibly light and smooth on your face. It's loud, but there's not too much buzzing on your skin. The beard disappears very quickly and afterward your skin feels remarkable unburned. It's just flat out the best shave I've ever had. BTW - I've only been using it dry. Part of what I didn't like about blade shaving was the hot water ritual. Used wet with shaving gel it's even better - but I always end up using it dry because it's plenty good that way and I'm done quicker.
The EW8228S charges quickly - about an hour for a full charge. It has a lithium ion battery which should last a long time. A big backlit LED display tells you level of charge as a percentage number. It comes with a cartridge detergent cleaning/charging unit (the "HydraClean" system)that washes and lubricates the shaver automatically; but the detergent cartridges cost $5/month ($15 for a 3 pack) list. They are currently discounted about 30% on Amazon. The HydraClean unit can charge, clean, rinse, and dry in any combination (e.g. you can set it to just charge, or just dry or whatever combination). It's a little noisy for the first 20 minutes of the cleaning cycle but then settles down. It has an odor that I find not to my liking, but the unit is certainly clean and somewhat lubricated afterwards. You can also clean the unit with water and hand soap using a an "ultrasonic" speed mode. It's very convenient and works very quickly and well. The charging cable also charges the shaver directly so use of the "HydraClean" bath unit is entirely optional. I've ended up using it once a week for the lubrication effect - and according to the docs I should be able to use it for 3 months at that usage level. I wash it under the tap after every use so it's clean as a whistle all the time.
The cutter and foil assemblies cost about 1/2 the cost of the shaver - list - to replace (once again, discounted about 30% on Amazon). This is a bit high - but given the extraordinary quality of the shave and the incredibly reasonable cost of the whole unit, I'll put up with it. The cutting block is supposed to last a year and the foil two years - so it's not like you're doing it all the time. Given how good this thing shaves with a fresh cutting block, this will probably be the first shaver I've owned where I don't resent replacing the cutting block every year.
All in all, it's clearly a quality unit with unbelievable performance at a real world price. Highest recommendation.
Customer Review: The best shave I've ever had, period.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll add my effusive praise for the Panasonic ES8228S to the others here. I've been using Norelco Quadra shavers for the past 8 years, quite happily; and had Braun and Eltron shavers before that (Eltrons have Braun bodies and upgraded gold plated foils and cutting blocks). I use blades fitfully in between - liking the close shave but not liking the nicks and longer ritual. I gave up on the foil shavers and went back to Norelco because the foil shavers required more care in use to avoid burn. Plus they seemed to need more frequent foil and cutting block replacement than the Norelcos. Norelcos also let you shave in a quick swirly motion I enjoyed.
The ES8228S is a different league than all of those. Unlike other foil shavers of my past, this one seems immune to shaver burn - while having all the closeness in spades. I attribute this to a remarkable synergy of technologies: the 13,000 rpm magnetic drive motor with its speed and relative lack of vibration; the curved dual thin foils with the hyper-sharp cutting blocks; the fact that the head and foil assemblies can independently move and pivot to fit your face; the excellent centrally mounted long-hair capturing cutter (the 3rd cutting block - more of a slot in between the two foils). I've always had a problem with stray long hairs down in my neck - and the ES8228S is the first shaver I've ever had that did a good job of getting these.
In use, the ES8228S feels incredibly light and smooth on your face. It's loud, but there's not too much buzzing on your skin. The beard disappears very quickly and afterward your skin feels remarkable unburned. It's just flat out the best shave I've ever had. BTW - I've only been using it dry. Part of what I didn't like about blade shaving was the hot water ritual. Used wet with shaving gel it's even better - but I always end up using it dry because it's plenty good that way and I'm done quicker.
The EW8228S charges quickly - about an hour for a full charge. It has a lithium ion battery which should last a long time. A big backlit LED display tells you level of charge as a percentage number. It comes with a cartridge detergent cleaning/charging unit (the "HydraClean" system)that washes and lubricates the shaver automatically; but the detergent cartridges cost $5/month ($15 for a 3 pack) list. They are currently discounted about 30% on Amazon. The HydraClean unit can charge, clean, rinse, and dry in any combination (e.g. you can set it to just charge, or just dry or whatever combination). It's a little noisy for the first 20 minutes of the cleaning cycle but then settles down. It has an odor that I find not to my liking, but the unit is certainly clean and somewhat lubricated afterwards. You can also clean the unit with water and hand soap using a an "ultrasonic" speed mode. It's very convenient and works very quickly and well. The charging cable also charges the shaver directly so use of the "HydraClean" bath unit is entirely optional. I've ended up using it once a week for the lubrication effect - and according to the docs I should be able to use it for 3 months at that usage level. I wash it under the tap after every use so it's clean as a whistle all the time.
The cutter and foil assemblies cost about 1/2 the cost of the shaver - list - to replace (once again, discounted about 30% on Amazon). This is a bit high - but given the extraordinary quality of the shave and the incredibly reasonable cost of the whole unit, I'll put up with it. The cutting block is supposed to last a year and the foil two years - so it's not like you're doing it all the time. Given how good this thing shaves with a fresh cutting block, this will probably be the first shaver I've owned where I don't resent replacing the cutting block every year.
All in all, it's clearly a quality unit with unbelievable performance at a real world price. Highest recommendation.
Customer Review: Best shaver you've never heard of
Summary: 5 Stars
I'd like to add my review for this excellent unit as it seems to not get the attention it richly deserves.
I've extensively used and tested numerous electric shavers the past 2 years. I've used every major model and many lesser known products from $15-$280, including the newer wave of products such as the Braun Pulsonic and Norelco Arcitec.
The Panasonic ES8228S is the shaver on my counter and the one I use everyday.
A marketing problem for Panasonic is that typically their products are only found at speciality retailers like Best Buy, Sharper Image etc. In fact, my purchase of the ES8228S occured when I was delighted to see it at a major US Mass Retailer-Target-at a very reasonable price. I hope this experiment works and Panasonic increases its exposure in stores more familiar to the average consumer. I also hope Amazon continues to sell it online.
My review is for the identical unit for sale at Amazon and you'll have a great experience purchasing here as well.
Ironically, I was not thrilled with the last Panasonic I used, the 8043. However, the ES8228S has made 2 innovations from that model that really seem to mean something.
In addition to the fabulous 13000 rpm motor, the ES8228S line adds the ARC foil of its immediate predecessor, AND new "nano sharpened blades."
Many times terminology and features are thrown around in shaver descriptions. In my experience the combination of the motor, ARC foil and ultra sharp blade truly create a revolutionary experience.
Dry, the Panasonic matches the best shaves I'd previously had; which happened to come from the Remington MS series of shavers...also affordable, excellent units which however lack the elegance of the Panasonic and are much louder.
The motor speed and sharpness create an ultra close shave without tearing at the epidermis. You really don't feel the shave as you do in some units
Unlike the Pulsonic and Arcitec the ES8228S affords you the option to shave with shave creme, shave soap, shave gel, in the shower. This results in an obscenely good shave. But my dry shaves have been so good I've seldom felt the need.
The ES8228S is a bit smaller and lighter than the Pulsonic. Looks are highly subjective of course, but to me, its a beautiful, elegant and functional device in look and feel.
Braun has the best self cleaning module in my opinion. However, the improved cleaner with the Pansonic ES8228 comes close. It is small, and attractive. It offers several clever options...for example, you can rinse off the shaver and dry and charge the unit without cleaning it to save the cleaning cartridge. The dry cartridge in the Panasonic cleaner does last about 1.5 months, compared to about a month in the Braun, at the same price. It also doesn't evaporate if it sits unusued for a time for some reason.
Many knock the idea of a self-cleaner as a way to get extra money for cartridges. Personally, I love it. With an electric shaver you ought to spend $5 every month or two on a lubricant anyway. I'm happy to spend $5 per month on a beautifully clean and lubricated device every single day.
There are many good electric shavers out there, in many price ranges.
All I can say in conclusion is this is the best overall shaver I have ever used and I cannot recommend its purchase for yourself or as a gift highly enough.