Panasonic ES8043SC Pro-Curve Pivot Action Linear Wet/Dry Shaver, Silver
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Product Reviews of Panasonic ES8043SC Pro-Curve Pivot Action Linear Wet/Dry Shaver, Silver
Product Review: Comparison Panasonic, Braun 360 Norelco Speed XL,
Summary: 5 Stars
The following review is because I found it excruciating to find an electric razor that really truly met all my needs. And because I can't trust anyone's opinion that hasn't really tried a few.
To start I have very sensitive skin on my neck, the hairs lie very flat as well there...and my beard hair is freaking tough. Freakishly thick, evil little guys.
The contenders:
Norelco (Phillips) has been around for a while and is known for their 3 head rotary design. I got a SpeedXL, 8175XL. Claiming 50% more surface area than before with three rings on each head.
Braun a big name in the foil shaver market and apparently the top rated by a certain consumer mag. I got a 8975, 360 Complete.
Finally Panasonic "Linear", the lone entry as a wet/dry shaver, boasting "fastest speed" and "sharpest" blades. ES8043 was the model.
The lowdown:
Norelco...bundled with lots of extras. Best feedback with most LEDs. Very quiet, picked up the wonky hairs. But I wasn't happy. I had little control over where it cut and it was hard to address the little problem areas. Also it doesn't cut along a line well...so if you want a beard and to shave your neck, not a good chioce.
I realize others may not have that concern...so how about the actual cut? Decent, but I had an OLD Panasonic model which was right in the ball park...and I wanted to replace that one. Back to the store with you!!! The cleaning on this was also harder as the rotary area wasn't very streamlined.
Braun. After that first round I was done. I went for the top (well almost, mine didn't have the cleaning station). The 360 Complete had new Gillette tech, a really cool looking foil patter, and wow!! it was $140. This guy was a little heavier than expect. Fired it up...and loud, MUCH louder than the Norelco, even louder than the Panny...and it vibrated more in my hand.
Not too worried, more power right? First off...we have a contender. It cut fast, and closer than my previous Panny, much better than the Norelco. Came with a nice little hard case for travel. Pretty much it was all good. I figured this was the same model as the one with the cleaning stand...so rinse clean right? NOPE. A three step process of open partly, shake out, open fully brush out, finally a drop or two of oil.
Hmm still it cut pretty darn nice. But it was very expensive. Better take one last look....I had a Panasonic, what do they have? Without returning the Braun I got the new Panny. Hmm..wet/dry, self cleaning "sonic mode" (add a touch of soap and cleans itself), 13,000 rpm motor. It was quiet, it was lighter.
Now I had the two contenders in hand, time to test on the 5 o clock shadow. Panasonic first. Quickly shaved one side of my face. Hmm quieter than the last...subconsciously thought might not live up. Felt that side of my face...HOLY &^*(& that is smooth, like perfect, blade-eque smooth, except one tiny ridge along the jaw bone I just missed.
Still this was the easy task...nice short hair, lets bring out the Braun again. It made quick work of the other side of my face as well. Well mostly...one spot stayed a little rough and I gave it multiple passes. Still very much acceptable. Before finishing up, I decided to run the Panny back over the area the Braun had some issues with. ...and some tell tale hair clinking noise....felt it. Perfect.
The easy winner: Panny
Done. Told my now exasperated GF I found it. My shaver. Fastest, middle quiet, cheapest of the bunch, able to clean itself with no special stand, and finally wet or dry capable. Awesome!!
Wrap up:
Norelco (Phillips) 8175XL:
Pro:
+Great accessories
+Best LED feedback
+Li-ion batter (pretty sure)
+Quietest
+Best on slightly longer hairs that are laying flat
Con:
-Least close shave
-longest time to shave
-those longer hairs get pulled a bit (ouch)
-a bit more irritation (more passes)
-Hard to cut along a line (beard shaping)
-iffy sideburn trimmer (fell all the time)
Braun 8975
Pro:
+Almost as close a shave
+good sideburn trimmer
+Top rated makes you feel cool
+indicator for time to replace cutting block
+best pivoting head
+Hard Case for storage
Con:
-Loudest
-Expensive
-Didn't cut as well as the Panny
-No allowance to even get it slightly wet anywhere
-Only one with Ni-MH batteries
-Heavy
Panasonic ES8043
Pro:
+Least expensive
+great cleaning that can be done anywhere (so special stand)
+Best shave, close and fast
+Much quieter than Braun
+Light
+Li-ion battery
+Only with full, in the shower Wet capability (not even tested...still won)
+Great sideburn trimmer, now a solid flip up design
Con:
-Lousy soft vinyl case
-weird plug design...have to look when plugging in for charging
-same brand as before
So there you have it. I don't want to sound too down on the Norelco, it just was slow, imprecise and didn't cut as close...maybe with enough time training your skin it would be better?
Product Review: Decent but not perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I replaced a cheap 3 head shaver with this one. This one works much better. Before I would shave with the electric and have to go back over everything with a razor to get even a reasonably close shave. With the ES8043SC I can do the whole job with just the shaver. It's not a perfect razor close shave but it does a decent job for the price.
One problem I had was trying to shave with a damp face. When your face is damp the shaver doesn't glide across your face as easy and it is difficult to get a good shave, though I haven't tried it yet fully lathered so it may work better that way and it works well enough with a dry face. It doesn't cause a lot of skin irritation for me either way, but that could be because I was already used to using an electric razor.
There are two models of this shaver. They are identical except that this one doesn't come with the base. I was worried at first that the lack of the cleaning base would be annoying but, it hasn't really been a problem. It is easy to clean and the lady friend likes the extra counter space. Overall, I would say that it is a good purchase if you aren't looking to spend a ton of money on a fancier one.
Product Review: Decent shave, disappointing charge life
Summary: 3 Stars
I've had this razor about 2 months now, so my face is pretty well adjusted to the switch from a blade shave (Gillette Fusion). I still can shave more of my face, especially the concave areas, slightly closer with blades than this electric, but it's close enough and faster.
My only issue is charge retention. The razor gave me about 20 shaves after the initial charge, but after the 2nd I got about 5 before it was drained - an annoying surprise on a business trip. I hand't used it for about a week following the full recharge, but I would have expected it to retain energy when not in use. I'm reviewing th owner's manual to see if it's me.
Product Review: Disappointed User
Summary: 1 Stars
Gave this promising well reviewed shaver a good try (about 3 months), but it's inability to provide a close shave, particularly in the chin and neck areas, combined with receiving frequent bleeding cuts, made me toss it into the drawer for no further use. And my beard isn't even very thick. I only shave every other day. I'm back to a Norelco triple rotary shaver, which performs better. I shouldn't have defected in the first place. Panasonic may sell very good shavers, but they're probably in the higher price range. I don't recommend this one.Product Review: Do not waste your money
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this shaver in Aug 09 after reading the reviews on Amazon. This shaver will only give you a good shave if you spend a lot of time going over problem areas (neck and chin for me). If you need a quick and clean shave, you will not get one with this razor. Most importantly, you can NOT use the shaver while it is being charged. You have to wait for it to charge up before you can turn the darn thing on! Extremely inconvenient if you lose the charge in the middle of a morning shave! The replacement cutter and foil cost about 75% of the cost of a brand new shaver! Outrageous! Also comes with the world's cheapest travel pouch and cleaning brush. In Januray 2010 (the day before I am writing this review) the battery malfunctioned and only holds the charge for three or four shaves! Called the factory and they said "send the shaver in at your expense, and we will replace it in two weeks!" This means I have to go buy another one to use while I wait for service. You can be sure it won't be a Panasonic!