Norelco 8894XL - The Ultimate Electric Shaver
Written: Jul 21 '04 (Updated Jul 21 '04)
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Pros: Sleek, Comfortable, Amazing Digital Display, Sensitivity Settings, Close Shave, Easy to Clean, Large Battery Life
Cons: Still not as close as a manual shave, but maybe one day :)
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend this product because it looks great, shaves incredibly close, is very easy to clean, and the advanced polymer display tells you everything you need to know.
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| svt_amateur's Full Review: Norelco Spectra 8894 XL Electric Shaver |
I am a gadget freak, and this extends even to shavers. Ever since I was able to purchase one at age 16 I have used electric razors. I have used the Norelco 8894XL for over a year now and have found this razor to be the best electric razor I have ever used.
I decided to buy this razor after my Norelco Advantage razor (the one you can use in the shower) quit on me. I loved how well the Norelco Advantage shaved my face, but since the appeal of having a wet/dry shaver wore off a short time after getting the Advantage I decided instead to get a dry razor. And since I'm the gadget freak I am, I had to have top of the line, therefore I bought the Norelco Spectra 8894XL.
The 8894XL has the thing that I want in all my gadgets, and that's eye appeal. It's a "High Gloss Piano Black Finish" which basically looks black but when put under a bright light looks like a dark midnight blue. The rest of the shaver is stainless steel which flows really well with the finish and makes it look almost futuristic, but I guess that's why it was featured in the James Bond movie. What really makes this razor a piece of eye candy is the Advanced Polymer Display, which shows you: 1. Shaving minutes left indication, full and low battery level. 2. Head Replacement Indicator. 3. Cleaning Indicator. 4. Low Battery Indicator. The display can also be programmed to show either in digital (where it shows the actual minutes left) or bar meter (where bars are used to show how many minutes are left).
Next up is what shavers are used for, and that's the cutting system. Of course, as all Norelco shavers do, this razor has the unique "Lift & CutŪ" system, which supposedly lifts the hairs as it cuts in order to provide an even closer shave than other razors. Norelco also states that this razor has the unique lift and cut technology dual blade technology, which is a technological enhancement to Norelco unique "Lift & CutŪ" system, which means increased blade width & sharper blade angle lifts whiskers sooner and higher. This razor also has individually floating heads, which allow the heads to move independently and contour control, which automatically adjusts in multiple directions to hug the unique contours of your face. Another feature not found in my previous razor but I have found to be a necessity is the two-stage cutting system which has slots to shave longer hairs and holes to shave stubble. One of my favorite features is only found on the Spectra, and that is the personal comfort control, which adjusts spring and pressure of the floating heads for your specific skin type to maximize comfort. I have found this feature to be invaluable since I have really sensitive skin, and as such I leave mine on the most sensitive setting.
This razor also contains a built-in full-width precision trimmer, that I have never used since I don't have a beard or mustache and have never needed to trim my sideburns, but others may find this feature to be a necessity. It is also washable and rinses clean under the faucet. It has a soft rubber grip and a ultra silent system which combines a low noise motor and stainless steel housing to produce the quietest electric shaver I have experienced. It comes with a countertop stand which I use to hold the razor on my counter and also a genuine soft leather pouch, which I use when traveling. The razor comes with a cord to charge the razor and the razor can be used either as a cordless rechargable or for those that forget to charge the razor it can also be used corded. It also supports worldwide voltage, and adjusts automatically from 100V to 240V AC for those who travel internationally.
When I first bought this razor, I charged it for the full hour which produces around 100 minutes shaving time (it will take several charging and discharging cycles for the time remaining to become accurate). I believe in the last year I have only had to charge the battery 3-4 times, and that is with normal everyday use, so the battery life is excellent. Cleaning this razor is a breeze, as the advanced polymer display reminds you when to open the heads and rinse clean, which is usually every 7-10 shaves. The only thing that you will need to remember is the monthly cleaning which mean removing the heads (very simple to do) and then rinsing them in a cleaning solution (I use alcohol) and then applying a drop of mineral oil or using the Norelco lubricant spray (I use the Norelco lubricant spray as it was included in a package I bought several years ago online). I would recommend purchasing the Norelco lubricant spray as it is hard to find mineral oil, the spray is very cheap and lasts for a very long time, and it makes your razor smell like one from a barber shop that has been freshly cleaned (it's hard to describe the smell, but I think it smells very good). Apparently the display is suppose to tell me when to replace the heads, which usually occurs once a year when the razor detects the blades aren't rotating as they should, but I have yet to have this notification given so I guess the self-sharpening blades are still performing well (I haven't noticed a difference yet).
Although I am very fond of this razor, please don't think that this is the ultimate razor if you are interested only in closeness - manual shavers will probably give you a closer shave, although they are messier and in my case take longer to shave. It takes me usually less than a minute to shave, and that is on the most sensitive setting, which means I must sacrifice closeness and speed for less irritation, and I only have to clean this razor once every week or two. I have never been able to do this with any other razor I have owned, and that is why I say that the Norelco Spectra 8894XL is the Ultimate Electric Shaver.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 200
Noise Level: More quiet than most
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