Good shave, Problems with Cleaning System and Base
Written: Jan 23 '07
Product Rating:
Durability:
Ease of Use:
Battery Life:
Effectiveness:
Pros: very close shave, fast cleaning cycle, long run time
Cons: poorly designed base, noisy, cleaning system definitely needs work, trimmer could be better
The Bottom Line: If you can deal with the noise and cleaning system, this shaver is a good buy. If you can't deal with the noise and cleaning system, don't buy this shaver.
shecker's Full Review: Remington MS5500 Electric Shaver
This is a modified version of a review I posted earlier. Due to unforseen problems, this review needed to be updated.
I wanted to buy a backup shaver. I tried several different shavers and finally decided this was the shaver I wanted. I had a Remington several years back. Anyone remember the interceptor line? If you've never heard of them or don't remember them, the interceptors were very good shavers. At the time, it could be argued they were the best. I had one for over 5 years before it died on me. And I think the only thing that died was the battery.
I ordered the shaver from drugstore.com. When I got the shaver, I charged it up and gave it a go. The shaver does a decent job when it comes to shaving. It's almost as close as the Panasonic Vortex shavers, (assuming it is clean). Don't try taking this shaver in the shower as it is *not* a wet dry shaver. Now it's time for the good, bad, and ugly.
The shaver has several neat features which I have found useful. The one that I particularly like is the pop-up
mini-foil. Normally, this foil is in the down position which allows it to work with the 2 main screens. When you hit a tight area, you can bring this foil into the extended position. The shaver is somewhat bulky (but balanced), so this feature is very helpful. I have seen reviews in which people say this foil does not work. I can't speak for them, but as for me, it does what they say it does and is effective at it.
Another cool (and not so cool) feature is the trimmer. The trimmer can be either down, even with the foils, or extended. There are times when long hairs just won't be cut by the foils. So putting the trimmer in the middle position (even with the foils) takes care of this problem. If the hair is not too thick, the trimmer has no problems.
The run time on this shaver is quite good. I like the fact that it can run for up to 60 minutes. Plus, if the main battery runs out during your shave, push a button and you should have enough power to finish the rest of your shave. This shaver has a small reserve battery. If that's still not enough, the shaver can be plugged in. I've seen shavers, specifically the Panasonic shavers, which do not have a long run time. Granted, you can plug some Panasonics in, but it is slightly inconvenient. The Panasonics I've had needed to be charged for 5 minutes or so before you could finish the shave. That's more of a pain in the rear.
Now, we get to the cleaning system.
The cleaning and oiling of the Remington shaver takes about 25 minutes. It is one of the fastest cleaning cycles around, which makes it nice. However, there is a catch to this which will be explained later. The Braun shavers take an hour to complete this process, and the Panasonics take 3 hours. Granted, you are not going to have a full charge in 25 minutes, but it's nice to know that the shaver is clean (somewhat) and can be used if necessary.
Now, it's time to get into the quirks and cons.
The biggest con with this shaver is noise. Out of all the shavers I've tried, this one is the noisiest. Put it this way, if you have someone sleeping, and you want to shave, better close the bathroom door because this shaver will likely wake them up. I thought I could deal with the noise, but it soon became too much. As mentioned earlier, the cleaning cycle takes about 25 minutes. Unfortunately, it doesn't do the best job at cleaning. I discovered after the cleaning cycle, there is still some stubble left in the cutting chamber. At first, I thought this was normal because this chamber is larger than the ones in the Braun and Panasonic units. When I found stubble on the cutting surfaces, even after cleaning, that raised up a red flag. Bottom line, the shaver is not completely cleaned during the 25 minute cleaning cycle. Better pull out the brush that comes with it, you will probably need it. Further research has revealed this doesn't affect just this model. From what I've read, even the newest units with the self cleaning system have this problem. As you will see later, I eventually returned the shaver to Remington. During this process, I found another issue with the base itself. I emptied out the cleaning fluid in preparation for packing the shaver. When I gently shook the remaining fluid off the pump assembly, a large rubber gasket fell off. I couldn't figure out where it came from, so I fit it back in as best I could and finished packing up the unit. The next items are really not cons, but quirks, and not just with this shaver, but potentially any shaver.
When the shaver has just finished the cleaning process, there is still some cleaning fluid on the heads. You will know when the shaver finishes the cleaning cycle because the fan that dries the shaver will turn off. Even though there is some fluid on the heads, the shaver can still be used. If you want a completely dry shaver, it will take about 24 hours. The Braun and Panasonic shavers don't have this problem because their cleaning times are longer. The Braun and Panasonics also use heat to dry the shaver, the Remington does not. Now don't get misled here. If the shaver is in the middle of a cleaning cycle, don't pull it out. If you pull it out too soon, the shaver heads will have a significant amount of fluid on them. If that fluid gets to the electronic components of the shaver, it could potentially cause problems. There is one more thing about the cleaning fluid you should know. The primary ingredient in the fluid for virtually every shaver, (except Panasonic) is alcohol. Alcohol can be quite dangerous if not treated with respect and handled properly. It is flamable and can seriously damage polished finishes if it gets on them. Use common sense when storing and handling this stuff. Read the shaver's manual carefully and you will find this information.
This shaver takes some getting used to. However, this is true with any shaver you buy. The manufacturers will tell you in the manual that it can take 3 to 4 weeks before your face becomes used to the shaver. This is assuming you don't switch between blade and electric shaving. Switching between different brands of electric shaver, or even different models of the same brand of shaver, can extend this process out longer. As stated earlier, this shaver is somewhat bulky, so you will need to learn when to use specific features, like the pop-up mini-foil.
The shaver will miss some hairs, However, this is true with just about any shaver you use. Some shavers miss more hairs, some less. There are a couple ways to help minimize this. Remington recommends using a pre-shave product. Of course, they recommend their brand of product, which is to be expected. A pre-shave product works by cutting through moisture and oils on the skin, allowing the hair to stand up. Also, it helps your shaver glide over your skin easier. A side effect is that it seems to be an effective lubricant for the shaver. It goes without saying that the shaver will still need to be cleaned, so be sure and clean the shaver on a regular basis. Be sure to follow the instructions provided from the manufacturer as to how to do this. Don't confuse this with shaving cream as these are not the same. The
pre-shave products that are recommended are designed for electric shavers. If you use shaving cream with a shaver that is not a wet dry shaver, you could run into problems. There are a couple brands of pre-shave products out there and 3 forms they can take. The most widely known is Williams Lectric Shave. It comes in a liquid form, similar to a cologne. Lotion and powder sticks are available from other brands and possibly from Williams as well. If you go with a powder stick, be careful not to use too much as it can clog the heads on your shaver.
Another trick that works for me is to do a primary and secondary shave. Shave before you take the shower, take the shower, dry off, and shave again. The hairs that the primary shave missed are now standing. Most of them will be picked up by the secondary shave. To minimize the hairs left over from the primary shave, use a pre-shave product. This has worked for virtually every shaver I've had.
Finally, keep your shaver clean. It goes without saying a clean shaver will cut cleaner and closer than a dirty one. Small bits of hair (sometimes called whisker dust) can clog the shaver head, making it harder for it to shave close.
Now, we get to the trimmer. This particular shaver's trimmer is nothing to brag about, especially when it comes to thick hair. If you are like most people, only wanting to cut a few stray hairs, or trim the mustache/beard, it should work just fine. Now, this is where I need to make a confession. I like to shave my head every now and then. With the Braun shavers, I could let the hair grow out some, then use the trimmer to cut it off. In other words, I could use the Braun trimmer like a pair of hair clippers. I know you are not supposed to do this, but I did it. This takes some time, but it could be and was done. With the Remington shaver (and just about every other shaver out there), the trimmer won't touch the hair unless it is short, and I mean short. The trimmers on most shavers aren't designed to deal with massive amounts of hair. If you attempt to use your shaver's trimmer like hair clippers, and instantly get severe hair pulling, you can assume the trimmer won't do the job. One trick you can try is to shave with, not against the hair growth. That is how I got the Braun trimmers to work. If you still get severe hair pulling, then stop using the trimmer. Even using the method I explained, the trimmer can still get bogged down. This is where time comes into the picture. If this happens, back up to clear the trimmer then proceed at a slower pace. Bottom line, if you let your hair grow out then want to shave it, it is best to have a pair of hair clippers to do the bulk of the cutting. Then, the foils can be used to finish the job. Should you choose to embark on this mission, you'd better have some free time. Shaving your head is a slow and tedious process, especially if you have lots of hair or it is thick,, but it can be done.
One more thing, don't be aggressive with the foils. With pretty much any shaver, only a minimal amount of pressure is needed. If you press too hard, you will cause irritation and wear out the foils.
Over all, I'd say this shaver could be worth the money, but noise and the cleaning system are drawbacks. I could deal with one or the other, but not both, which is why I eventually returned the shaver to Remington. If you are looking for a close shave, then this shaver will do the job. However, if you want it quiet and clean when it comes out of the base (after a cleaning cycle), you should look elsewhere.
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