More Related Stories

3 Store Offers

Product Review: Page (1) of 2 - 12/26/05

email article

print page

The electric razor has undergone a steady evolution since 1931, when its first patent was filed. Since then, the noisy and sometimes painful process of shaving with an electric razor has turned into a pleasurable experience that?s faster and easier than using razor blades, shaving cream and water. Representing the pinnacle of that evolution is the top-of-the-line Philips Norelco SmartTouch-XL 9190-XL rechargeable tripleheader cordless/cord razor ($250, $200 street). We tried out this electromechanical contraption, and are starting to think that perhaps it?s time for blade users to consider switching from the old-fashioned way of doing things.

Through the years, the Norelco razor?s claim to fame has been its ?tripleheader? design, with three spring-loaded cutters that are arranged in a triangular configuration. These assemblies consist of a circular comb on the outside with a closely-fitting rotating blade spinning around inside at high RPMs. This is what Norelco calls the ?lift and cut system,? which supposedly lifts hairs first and then slices them off with the rotating blade. That sounds like it could be painful, but it?s not. Norelco has depended upon variations upon this theme for decades now, continually refining the technique by adding various spring-loaded features that allow these three cutting heads to closely follow the contours of your face. That all sounds great in the company?s ubiquitous advertisements, but does it really work?

Here you can see evidence of the evolution of the Norelco "lift and cut" line of electric razors over the past decade. On the left is a model from about 10 years ago, in the middle, a five-year-old razor, and on the right is the latest top-of-the-line SmartTouch 9190-XL from Norelco. Notice there's about 50% more surface area on the cutting heads of the SmartTouch razor on the right.

In a word, yes. To give you a little background here, over the past 35 years I?ve tried a variety of electric razors, including Braun, Panasonic, Remington, and four different Norelco models. All the Norelco units I?ve used have depended upon this tripleheader design. Of all the different approaches to electrically removing hair from human bodies, I believe this rotating tripleheader idea works best. Those circular cutting heads don't last forever, though. In order for this technology to continue to deliver its full potential, it?s necessary to buy new cutting blades for it once a year, which will cost you somewhere between $15 and $25. But I think that?s a small price to pay for a fast, close and painless shave. 

The blue LCD screen indicates how many minutes of shaving you have left on a battery charge. Note the faucet icon, reminding you to rinse the shaver clean.

Taking a look at this highest-end Norelco model, which I think is by far the best Norelco razor yet, it?s made of plastic, but doesn?t feel cheap. Its front has a shiny chrome-like plastic insert, which gives it an almost retro look, but its LCD screen shows that it certainly is up to date, with the blue background for the LCD also being made of a chrome-like substance. That LCD indicates how many minutes of shaving you have left on a battery charge (see graphic at left) , or you can configure the LCD to show a battery icon depicting how much of the charges left. Remarkably, after an initial four-hour charging period, this razor needs just one hour to charge, and as a result you get 90 minutes worth of shaves from that single charge. Given the speed at which this razor can finish up a shaving session, that?s well over a month?s worth of shaving without having to recharge. Wow.

Better yet, recharging this razor is an easy task, where you simply insert the razor into its included charging stand, and then plug the charging stand into an outlet. The charging stand has an unusual convenience, there there?s a small analog clock in its base that?s surprisingly accurate. Often when one is shaving in a hurry, the time of day is a piece of information that?s sorely needed. Nice touch, Norelco. The electrical cord is also quite versatile, because you can either plug it into the charging stand or into the end of the razor, giving you the option of leaving the charging stand at home if you?re traveling?all you?ll need is the power cord. As an added convenience, if you press down the power control and hold it for three seconds, the razor will lock, keeping it from accidentally turning on in your suitcase and running down its battery. Another plus for traveling is its stainless steel carrying case, one that is so hard it appears to be bulletproof, but it?s lightweight at the same time. However, it?s so large, will take up too much room in the suitcase, and I don?t think it?s a very efficient carrying case for the road warrior who prides himself in traveling light.

The razor has an ergonomic design, where it?s perfectly shaped to fit in your hand. When you turn the razor on, its operation is surprisingly quiet, but you can feel a small amount of torque when you turn on the motor, showing you that there is considerable power underneath, despite its quietude. Place the rotating heads to your face, and the shaving goes very quickly. There?s a small wheel that allows you to adjust the pressure of the floating heads against your skin. The wheel is cryptically marked ?S?, and ?N?, and I was wondering what those meant until I looked at the LCD display, where just above it were indicators for Sensitive and Normal. I noticed that in the Normal setting, the razor was more efficient and was still not painful or irritating to use. Unlike many electric razors which require multiple passes over your face, after just one pass most of the hairs were cut, even on a very heavy beard. I tested the razor under various conditions, where once I had not shaved for four days and had considerable beard growth. This Norelco razor easily sliced through all that dense growth, with no pulling or pain whatsoever. It also does quite well on stubborn neck areas, and difficult-to-shave areas such as the chin. In scarcely more than a minute, the shaving is done.  

Page: 1 2 Next Page