 "Awesome shaver! Awesome customer support!" | 2009-11-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3GOEFCWETC23E |
I purchased this shaver (model 8243A) this past May 2009. It's my third Panasonic shaver. I've tried Brauns, Norelcos, and even a Grundig shaver over the years, but Panasonic seems to be the best - for me at least. I have sensitive skin, so shaving in the shower works best to keep the blades cool and delivers an irritation free, very close shave (try this shaver in combination with a little Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Shaving Cream for a truly close, irritation free shave). I would say an even better shave than the Gillette Fusion because I experience absolutely no minor cuts or irritation when using the Panasonic. (I only use the Gillette when I forget to charge my shaver!)
Like I said, I purchased this shaver this past May, and five months later the LCD began displaying unintelligible readings. Then the shaver just died - it wouldn't turn on. I've never had that sort of problem with my Panasonics in the past, and since it was still well within the 2 year warranty, I contacted Panasonic by phone. I was instructed to ship the shaver to their service center in Texas. About 2 weeks later, I received a new replacement shaver in the mail, and get this, Panasonic sent me a brand spankin' new model ES8249K - the Arc 4 Nanotech shaver with the Vortex cleaning system. I was a little annoyed by the turn around time, but it was obviously worth the wait! The ES8249K shaves exactly the same as the 8243A - it's the same shaver but just can be used in the Vortex, whereas the 8243A can't. Thanks Panasonic for your awesome shaving product and awesome customer support! You've got a loyal customer in me, and like Ahhnold in The Terminator, "I'll be baaaack" when it's time to purchase my next shaver! :-) |
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| "Husband loves it" | 2009-11-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: AR90DVRLW821O |
| I purchased this shaver based solely on the reviews I read on Amazon for my husband who has not owned an electric shaver for many years. He loves it! It provides a close shave in or out of the shower (without first-use irritation) and he likes the convenience of the battery charge display and that it that it holds a charge for two or three weeks; no need to leave it sitting in a charging base. Thanks Amazon reviewers! |
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| "Best shaver, period. What more could I ask for?" | 2009-11-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3KC2HW37BTKZX |
This shaver is amazing. I used to shave with a Mach 3, and then the mid-range Panasonic ES7056 (which was quite good). My beard is *so* coarse, thick, and fast-growing that I would cut myself several times per shave with the Mach 3 (and yes, I do know how to use it properly). I then switched to the Panasonic ES7056 which gave me a decent shave without the cuts. Unfortunately, that broke after two years of use and I upgraded to shaver that I'm reviewing now (the Panasonic ES8243A Arc IV). There is a definite difference between my old Panasonic and this one. If my old Panasonic was good, this new one is hands down better, with the razor making short work of my very coarse hair. The four blades do not appear to be a gimmick--I definitely feel like I am able to shave more quickly with this razor. My old Panasonic razor came with a one year warranty. I am glad to see that this one comes with a two year warranty on battery and razor considering that my last Panasonic electric razor broke just before the two year mark.
Pros: Probably the best shaver available, waterproof (can use in the shower, which I do regularly), very easy to clean (don't bother getting the more expensive version with the cleaning station...it cleans itself), two year warranty. This is a no fuss razor that does its job and does it VERY well.
Cons: There are a couple small spots on my neck that I still have to go over multiple times in order to get everything (this has been a problem with every razor that I've owned in the past)...although, this problem is much improved with this new Panasonic (I guess no electric is perfect) , replacement blades / foil is expensive (they're around $40, I can't comment yet on how long the foil will last but if it's anything like my last Panasonic, it should go at least a year), at over $100, it's not cheap (but it is worth-it).
Final thoughts: if you have a beard that is thick and/or tough to shave, I can't recommend this razor highly enough. It's not cheap, but if shaving with a non-electric razor causes many painful cuts (like they do for me), this electric gives a fantastic shave without the pain and embarrassment and for me has been money well spent. Note that if you're used to non-electric razors, it will take at least a few days and possibly a couple weeks for your face to adjust and for you to get the most out of this razor. |
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| "Best razor I've ever owned" | 2009-11-14 |
| - Reviewed By kurtedwards |
| I have been using an electric razor for many years and have always used Norelcos. Tried a new one with this Panasonic--never had a closer shave. This is terrific, plus battery life is excellent. |
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 "A 5 Star Razor if Panasonic's Customer Service Was Better" | 2009-11-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1VTLPR852Z7JT |
I've been blade shaving since I started shaving (68 yrs old). I've tried several electrics but I was not satisifed with any of them so when the wet/dry shavers came along I thought I'd give this one a try. I purchased it in December '09 and I wanted to use it a while so I waited until to write this review so I could give it a fair rating.
I will have to say that I was impressed from the start, but I do have some recomendations though. When wet shaving reduce your lather by 3/4 and keep your lather wet and thin. A lot of thick lather seems to clog up the head somewhat. I also have tried shaving using just warm water but using just a little lather seems to work a lot better. I sometimes dry shave whenever I just want a quick touch-up and I believe that using a pre-shave lotion such as Williams Lectric Shave works well this way.
About 6 months or so after purchasing the razer all the read-outs started staying lit when the shaver was in use. This didn't bother me to much and didn't seem to affect the performance of the razer but I contacted Panasonic anyway just to make them aware of the problem. Their response was NONE. I sent them another e-mail a couple of weeks ago and still no response.
So I would say that this is a 5-star razer and comes with 0-star customer service.
Bottom line is this shaver will give you good close shaves, not as close as a blade but by the same token it does not remove as much skin as a blade does either. |
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| "Amazing Shave!" | 2009-11-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2Q7I7X9Z2O34G |
First, I have read comments that these reviews are fake. I can't speak for other reviewers, but I am an actual customer with no connection to Panasonic.
I have been shaving with electric shavers for almost 10 years (two Norelcos and the Braun Activator, which started to die on me about two months ago -- a slow painful death). While these shavers got the job done, the results were not great. With the Activator, for example, it would sometimes take me more than 20 minutes to shave, and it wasn't rare for my neck to appear very red.
The Arc IV is a different story. I have owned it for less than two weeks, and my face already feels better. It takes less time to shave, less passes, and because it can be used wet, there is less irritation. It's also not as noisy as the Braun (but louder than Norelco).
So far, I have shaved with shaving cream (good) and shaving oil (excellent). I will try a dry shave in the future, but for now, I am enjoying the fact that I have what I think is a better option with the wet shave.
I did like the automatic cleaning with the Braun, but it was noisy and bulky. The Arc IV does require a little more cleaning effort (put some liquid handsoap on the outer foils, turn it on until it foams, rinse it, take the foil off, rinse the blades and let it dry), but it's not a big deal. I also got tired of spending $12 every two months for Braun's cleaning solution.
I highly recommend this! |
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