Panasonic ES8249S Men's 4-Blade (Arc 4) Wet/Dry Nanotech Rechargeable Electric Shaver with Vortex Cleaning System, Silver
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Customer Reviews of Panasonic ES8249S Men's 4-Blade (Arc 4) Wet/Dry Nanotech Rechargeable Electric Shaver with Vortex Cleaning System, Silver
Customer Review: Amazed
Summary: 5 Stars
I've gone back/forth between using electric and manual razors several times in my life. I've always liked the convenience of the electric razor while I've appreciated the closer shave that you can get with the manual razor. Nowadays, I travel a lot and because of the restrictions on liquids for carry on, electric razors are just so much easier.
I've been a lifetime customer of the Norelco rotary razor having practically one of every new model including up to the latest Philips Norelco arcitec 1090 Men's Shaving System which I reviewed and gave high marks to.
Recently my arcitec stopped charging and so I went back to manual shaving with the best of the best in a manual shave: Gillette Fusion Power Razor, Phantom, 1 Razor. At the same time I went a looking for a replacement of the Arcitec and ran across this razor which had many impressive reviews. I was a bit skeptical because whenever I've tried a foil shaver in the past I've been seriously unimpressed with the performance.
But I decided to give it a shot since I was unhappy with the fact that my Arcitec had died (and I had grown a little unhappy with how the Arcitec never seemed to get my neck shaven all that well no matter how long, what direction or how many passes I made on my neck -- even after replacing the blades). Ordered it Friday and it came Saturday. Took a quick try with it right out of the box (there was enough charge in it) and was happy with the first impression, so I decided to keep it and give it a full whirl in the morning.
Shaved with it the next day and I was blown away by how close it was able to shave. To put it in perspective, when I shave with the Fusion razor, I shave both with and against the grain (e.g. down and then up on the sides of my face) so I can get the closest shave. The Panasonic was at least on a par with the Fusion and totally blew away the Arcitec. Even more amazing it was done with relatively low effort. Shorter than it takes me to shave with the Fusion (and much less messier) and way, way shorter than with the Arcitec (about 1/4 of the time). No signs of skin irritation on my neck (typical with the Arcitec) or my face.
Very, very happy!
Update (1/21/11): I've been using the same blades since I got the shaver and while I was still able to get the close shave I'm happy with, it seemed to be taking more time and more passes. So I decided to replace the blades (Panasonic WES9020PC Combo Replacement Shaver Foil and Blade Set) and wow... major difference... closer, faster shave with much less pressure and work. I'm guessing that this is just how it was when I got the shaver and it's just gotten harder every so slightly over time. I'd estimate that it is probably better to replace the blades on the order of 6 to 8 months of daily shaving (at least for me). Luckily, putting this on Amazon's subscription service also saves you 15% on the price.
I also have to say that I find the self cleaning system unnecessary... Much easier (and cheaper) to just rinse the head in the sink.
Customer Review: For a head and face shaver, this product is a winner!
Summary: 4 Stars
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!
Customer Review: Decent shave but noisy
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been using electric shavers for over 20 years now. I have a lot of bumps and such on my face, so I switched to electric shavers as I got tired of the weekly "bleeding" I'd endure from the first shave from a new blade on my old "scrape" razor. My most recent electric shaver was on it's last legs, so I started researching on what I might like to buy next. I saw this shaver, the Panasonic ES8249S Arc IV Nanotech Vortex Wet/Dry Rechargeable Shaver, as part of a gold box deal here on Amazon. Although I'd never used a "foil" shaver, the reviews seemed pretty positive, so I decided to give it a go. After a few months use, below are my pro's and con's:
Pros:
- While not as close-shaving as a blade, it gives the closest shave I've ever gotten from an electric shaver.
- I don't do a good job of manually cleaning/washing my shaver (I don't do it often enough), so the automatic cleaner is a nice, easy feature.
- While your mileage may vary, my face didn't need any adjustment time with this shaver, as I typically have when switching to a new shaver, which was a pleasant surprise.
- I get a close shave without having to use any cream or lotion.
Cons:
- The first time I used it, my wife immediately commented on how much louder it was than my old shaver. It sounds like a combination between a dental drill (it has a very high speed motor) and a bug zapper (you can hear the individual hairs being cut). The cleaner is similarly loud and runs for well over an hour when cleaning your razor
- The shaver's head is large and shaped such that I have some trouble shaving up to my sideburns and under my nose. At first I thought it just might be something I need to get used to, I still need to use the trimmer more than I did with my other razors
- The cleaning cartridges don't last as long as they're supposed to. According to the manufacturer's specs, they should last about a month, but I get the "status" light telling me to change my cartridge after two weeks. You don't have to change it then, but you can't use the cleaning unit to clean your shaver until you do, which is annoying (and expensive). My beard is not overly heavy, so I'm not sure why it doesn't last closer to a month.
Neither a pro nor a con:
- Panasonic recommends you replace the blades after two years and the foil covering after a year. On my old rotary head shavers, the only thing you'd have to replace is the rotary head blades. So, with a foil razor, you have an added annual expense as compared to a rotary.
- The location of the on/off switch relative to how I hold the shaver ... the way it fits my hand, I usually end up accidentally turning the shaver off twice a week while shaving.
Overall, I give this product four stars. It gives a close shave and although it has a few "nits", it was a good buy.
Customer Review: Don't bother with the other brands - Panasonic makes the best.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of electric razors for a long time now, ever since I had a dorm room without a sink - buying an electric meant I could shave without hoping whether the bathroom down the hall was empty or not. However, neither of the razors I've owned before this Panasonic really did the job all that well.
My first one was a Norelco 8825XL Spectra Shaver (factory refurbished), though mine wasn't a refurb. Cut decently, though never great, and never did that good of a job under the chin. Worst of all, if you missed a day, it would penalize you in a big way by ripping and tugging at my stubble-turned-whiskers; painful. The rotary blade setup is also very complex and tedious to clean properly, and in my case, prone to mechanical failures too.
After about three years of shaving with it, I got tired of dealing with it and replaced it with a Factory Reconditioned Braun 7526 Syncro Smart Logic Shaver purchased from Amazon. Nothing wrong with the refurb and I found the foil-type razor to work much better than the rotary, but it was still not as effective as I'd hoped. It took too many passes to get anything off from under my chin, to the point where I'd end up with razor burn (and some patches that, once missed for a day, I'd have to use the popup trimmer on). This one at least wouldn't penalize me with ripping my face if I skipped a day, but it did mean I would have to spend twice as long working on my shave the next day.
Fed up with this, my wife bought me this 8249S earlier this year. First shave out of the box, I knew it was something far better than anything I'd ever used - three minutes and I actually had a truly smoothly shaved face. Unlike my previous razors, this one doesn't penalize you for skipping a day. If I skip shaving all weekend, Monday morning I spend about 30 to 60 seconds longer (according to the timer) than my normal three-minute shave. I don't have to take as many passes to cleanly shave my face, which means I no longer have razor burn mixed with missed whiskers.
To top it off, the cleaning station is a very welcome addition. The Panasonic WES035P Vortex HydraClean Cleaning Cartridge and Filter (3 Cartridges) are supposed to last a month but I've been getting closer to 40-45 days out of each one, and that's with a clean after every single shave. I definitely recommend getting them with Subscribe & Save here, though unfortunately Amazon doesn't have a "once every four month" option which would be perfect.
All told, I've never been as happy with a razor as I am with this one.
Customer Review: Best shave I can remember.
Summary: 4 Stars
I used the blade in my youth, but the sensitivity of my skin was too great. So for the past 35 years, I have been using electric shavers. I started with Norelco, but then went Braun - and have stayed with them until now. I was using the Activator 8550 series for the last 5 years. It was OK but buying the foils, cutter blocks, cleaner, and other expensive maintenance items seemed endless. I eventually had to replace the case as well, due to the on/off switch malfunction that is popular with them. I had to keep a spare cutter block/foil pair handy because I want every shave to be as good as possible and never got more than 6 months out of one without performance suffering.
It finally got to where it just wouldn't shave close no matter what I did. It also took way too long to shave, requiring too many repeated swaths. The shaver motor would cavitate with a high-pitched motor whine unless I "inched it" into uncut beard areas slowly.
It was an expensive shave when new and I dreaded replacing it. However, it had to be done. I researched, read many reviews, and the lot fell on this Panasonic Arc IV. I was glad it arrived in only 3 days, even using the "Supersaver" free shipping.
I wanted to try it out using a shaving gel, so I got some "Gillette fusion Hydra" stuff at the local drugstore. Man what a shave. This thing shaves as close as I remember a blade ever being, AND faster. If the gel I apply starts to dry on a part of my face, (when completing side A and moving to side B) I simply wet my hand, splash on just a little water, and finish up without any problem. No nicks, bumps, or redness. I am very happy with the shaver and only hope it continues to perform as it does now. It is a true baby-hiny-smooth shave!
The only "con" I can think of is that "the head" (being a bit large when comparing to my old shaver) cannot fit around my ears to shave the side-of-the-head areas just above them. I keep my hair short and usually shave about 3/8" above my ears. I therefore used a disposable blade razor, just to do those 2 little areas. It's not a big deal and I doubt others will have the issue. But to shave close in those 2 areas afterward - well, I haven't quite figured that out as yet. The pop-up trimmer is also excellent for trimming up. The LCD communication is a good addition too, although the constant flashing seems a bit exaggerated. I am also pleased that it uses a Lithium-Ion battery, as opposed to the NiCads of old.
All in all - This is a very well designed unit. The charger, modes, cleaning, sound, and grip are totally excellent.