PANASONIC ES8109S: The Best Shaver Out There! (Better than Braun Pulsonic!)
Written: Sep 27 '08 (Updated Feb 15 '09)
Product Rating:
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Effectiveness:
Pros: Closest shave I've ever had. Vortex cleaning system even better. Price is right. Love it!
Cons: Cleaning apparatus a little noisy for first 20 minutes. No corded operation (fortunately charges quickly).
The Bottom Line: You will not find a better shaving solution than this little gem of a shaver. It's the best shaver out there, including the far more expensive and popular Braun Pulsonic.
vara's Full Review: Panasonic ES8109S Hair Trimmer
I haven't written a review in a little while, mostly because I've found little to inspire me enough. . . but leave it to this little baby, of all things, to do just that! Here's the funny thing: my most recent review? About the Panasonic ES7056S shaver! Sadly, after two happy years with that shaver, my wife accidentally knocked it to the floor. The shaver still worked, but the trimmer piece flew off, and the battery started losing its charge quickly. It was time again, to find another shaver. . . but this sad story has a happy ending! Read on. . .
MY SHAVING JOURNEY (MODIFIED): Yeah, this is how I started my last shaver review, too. But it helps keep things in perspective! Ahhh, it was like yesterday when those grisly coarse hairs started sprouting from my face... but let's fast-forward a little bit. I've been through several models of electic shavers after ditching the conventional razor. I started with three Norelco wet/dry shavers, but grew tired of the inefficient and inexact rotary shaving method. Then, I picked up a Panasonic ES7056S. I was in heaven for the year that it lasted... it was my first self-cleaning shaver, could be used in the shower, and it shaved much closer than any of my previous Norelcos ever had.
The Panasonic ES7056S was great, but there were a few things about it that bugged me. First, the cleaning apparatus would clean the shaver really well, but the heating element that was supposed to dry my shaver didn't quite do that every time, and my shaver would come out a little damp, sometimes with a faint hint of mildew smell, which I hate. Also, the shaver took quite a bit of work to cut in the neck area, which is a hassle with almost all shavers.
SMACKDOWN!Panasonic ES8109S vs. Braun Pulsonic! In my search for a new electric shaver, I came across a very sexy new offering from Braun: the 7-series Pulsonic shaver. This thing was expensive (retail around $250), but promised to revolutionize the shaving world with its 10,000 microvibrations per minute. It had a nice little digital read-out on the bottom of the shaver telling you when to charge and/or clean your shaver. Very nice indeed! But when I compared the stats to the Panasonic ES8109S, I was surprised:
- The Panasonic runs at 13,000 rpms, more than Braun's 10,000. - The Panasonic can be used wet/dry. The Braun cannot. - The Panasonic's cleaning solution is non-alcohol based. Braun's still is. - The Panasonic uses a heating element and a fan to dry the shaver. The Braun, to the best of my knowledge, uses a heating element only. - The Panasonic's shaving head is arced. The Braun's foil, like most other shavers, is flat. - The Panasonic is half the price of the Braun Pulsonic! - The Panasonic's cleaning solution is cheaper than the Braun's.
Hmm! I was sold. Confident I had done all my research, I bought my ES8109S on eBay for a great deal (I think it was around $100).
OUT OF THE BOX: The ES8109S isn't quite as much of a looker as the ES7056S was, and it certainly isn't as sexy as the Braun Pulsonic. It's lighter than the ES7056S was, which is nice, but it also feels more fragile, with lighter plastics than before. That said, it still feels very secure and sturdy, and is still an attractive looking device, especially when sitting in its cleaning cradle. The cleaning cradle, by the way, is a major improvement from its past iteration, and won't take up much space on your bathroom counter. The old cradle used to have an extendable arm that you would insert into your shaver for charging. Every now and then it would slip out during the cleaning process. Luckily, Panasonic did away with that arm altogether: just plop your shaver straight in and you're ready to go.
FEATURES WORTH MENTIONING: There are some cool features that aren't really mentioned in a lot of reviews, so I'll list them here: - Pop-up trimmer: That one's obvious. Even $10 shavers from CVS have 'em. - Nanotech blade technology: I dunno what Nanotech means, but supposedly Panasonic advertises it's their sharpest blade yet, and stays sharp longer. - Quick-clean Mode: Hold the power button for 2 seconds, and the shaver goes from 13,000 rpms to a blistering 17,000 rpms so you can clean it really well under water when you are on the road and don't have the charging base with you. - Arc foil: This is a new feature, and more than a gimmick. It allows you to zero in more on trouble spots. Particularly helps when shaving in the neck region. - Lithium ion battery: The newest, smallest, lightest that can be had in these shavers. The best part: you can't overcharge it! - Flexible / locked shaving head: This can be switched on and off, depending on your liking. The head can swivel from side to side, and straight down. The latter is nice, as the springy feel of the head prevents shaving cuts and irritation. If you so desire, the shaver can be locked into a rigid position. I usually leave it on. - Linear Power Delivery: Whether at 100% charge or 10% charge, this shaver will cut just as strongly and you won't hear the motor die slowly. - Vortex Hydraclean System: Fully charges, cleans, and dries the shaver. New for this model is a fan which, in addition to a heating element, completely dries your shaver. More on this below...
WHAT I LIKE:
Closest shave I've EVER had: No bull. Okay wait there was that one time I went to the barber shop and paid $30 for a shave and a haircut, and with the help of steam, skin conditioners, lots of time, and a skilled hand, my face was baby-smooth. But on a day to day basis? Nothing comes close to the Panasonic ES8109S. I seriously thought I couldn't shave much closer than the Panasonic ES7056S... I was wrong. Turn this baby on and it emits a unique, higher-pitched drone that you don't hear in other shavers... I'm guessing that's from the high frequency motor. When used with a glycerin-based shaving gel (I use Nivea MicroTec), I can honestly tell you I get the same results as I did with my Gilette Fusion, in half the time. My wife has had to deal with me asking her "honey feel my face!" over and over. It's just awesome.
Actually shaves the neck! This feature actually deserves its own category, because I have yet to meet another electric shaver that can do it. There's a slight learning curve to it, but once I learned to twirl the unit around and find the best angles, the ES8109S actually shaved my neck closer than a blade cutting with the grain (cutting against the grain with a conventional blad does cut closer, but leads to ingrown hairs and irritation).
Great feature set! The features I mentioned above aren't just little niceties. They really make this shaver, again, especially when it comes to the neck.
Digital readout: A nifty amber readout lets me know how much charge I have, and when it's time to clean the shaver. I never get the latter warning as I clean my shaver often.
Good battery life: Although my past Panasonic never let me down, the battery did start to die sooner and sooner, which I attribute to overcharging. The Panasonic ES8109S uses a lithium ion battery, which can't be fried. The manual even says "this battery will not overcharge." Like the Panasonic before it, the ES8109S also charges quickly... in under an hour.
Cleans AND DRIES my shaver perfectly! I already knew the Panasonic Vortex system cleaned well, based on my previous experience. What I was looking for was a dry shaver at the end of it. Thanks to the newly added fan that works with a heating element, my shaver comes out bone dry every time. No mildewy smell here. Replaceable cleaning cartridges still cheap: $9.99 for a pack of three. One cartridge lasts me about two months, so do the math and you'll find it's pretty reasonable.
The operation of the self-cleaning cradle is simple. Slip the shaver in, and choose between the following options: 1) Clean Dry Charge, 2) Clean Dry, 3) Dry charge. The last option is nice if I've already given the shaver a good rinse and just want to dry it.
The entire cleaning process takes a couple hours tops, and most of that time is just "drying" time.
WHAT DON'T I LIKE? Okay, lest I start sounding like I own stock in Panasonic, there's a few *tiny* niggles I don't like too much on this shaver.
Cleaning process kinda loud: I only say this because my wife works nights as a nurse, and she'll complain if I start the cleaning process right when she is going to sleep in the morning. In Panasonic's defense, our bed is close to the bathroom, and only the 20-minute cleaning procedure makes noise. The drying fan makes a pleasant, quiet whirring sound, interrupted only occasionally by brief bursts by the shaver to shake off excess water. Really, it's not a big issue.
No corded operation: The Braun Pulsonic has this feature, but the Panasonic, for some reason, does not. If by some reason your shaver battery is dead and you need power right now, the Panasonic will not work if plugged into the wall: it will only charge. However, a short five minute charge gives you enough power for a full shave, so no biggie. Let's see, what else... hmm...
Accessories usually available online only: Why most retail stores are content selling inferior electric shavers is beyond me. Unfortunately, I haven't seen this shaver or its accessories to be readily available around town, though buying replacement parts online (foils, cleaning cartridges) is easy.
THE VERDICT: ... Seriously? Stop shopping around. This is the best! You can find this unit for just under $100 bucks. It's a steal. There's another Panasonic model, the ES8228S. It's basically exactly like the ES8109S, but it's made in Japan (not China), and sports some extra styling accents. And, it's also almost $50 more expensive. I say stick with the ES8109S. What about the Pulsonic? Its sexy face makes it a tempting buy, but it's seriously overpriced. After owning my ES8109S for a couple months, I saw a Pulsonic being sold at Wal-Mart on clearance for $109. What did I do? I bought it, and sold it on eBay.
UPDATE (1-29-09):Several months later, and this baby keeps right on cutting like brand-new. Clean-up continues to be a snap with the Vortex cleaner. I noticed Panasonic has made yet another shaver with a FOURTH shaving foil... the ES8243A. Though I expect this to be an awesome shaver, it's well over $50 more than the ES8109S, and as far as I can tell, lacks the Vortex cleaning apparatus. Hope that helps...
Happy shaving!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100 Noise Level: More quiet than most
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