Over the years I have tried a number of razors—any number of traditional one-four blade straight handles, as well as electric units from Remington and Norelco. All of them irritate my skin to some degree and leave razor bumps (Black men are more susceptible to razor bumps than white men because of the course curly nature of their hair), and the Remington models pulled more of my hair out, than cut it. Traditional razors tend to irritate my skin the most, and through experimentation over the years, I have found that Norelco brand razors tend to irritate my skin less than all the others. So, I have stuck with them for the past ten years or so.

The best Norelco I ever owned was the Norelco Advantage 5655 that I received for Christmas some six years ago. I did some research and was intrigued by what I found to say the least, a razor with a lotion dispenser built into the unit. Good bye after-shave! So, well, I begged my then fiancée (now my wife), for one and got it on Christmas day (she got her Sonicare which she begged equally for), and lets just say I was as happy with my gift as she was—and is—with hers (she loves the Sonicare and finds excuses to brush her teeth).

But occasionally I like to shave in the shower in order to save time on those rare occasions when I am running late: enter the Norelco Advantage 7735X, a cordless electric razor that can be used in the shower. The Advantage 7735X is similar in every respect to the aforementioned Advantage 5655, except for a cleaner design and water resistance.

The same level of shaving closeness I came to love with the Advantage 5655 is still evident with the Advantage 7735X. With just a soft push of the button on the back, the lotion (housed in packets) is dispensed onto the heads of the razor. The effect is soothing; it actually feels good as I shaved; cool, smooth, and easy as it glides over my skin (without pulling my hair), and my face smells clean without the stinging bit of aftershave lotion to deal with.

Since I also shave my head at least three time a week, it is important to me that any razor I use shave closely without, again, irritating my skin, and the Advantage 7735X does a fabulous job in this regard; after I shave my scalp it is smooth to the touch with only a hint of stubble—lets face it, I am not going to be able to get really close without using a straight razor!

Lotion Anyone

The Advantage 7735X came with 5 lotion packs by Nivea, which are easy to insert into the back of the razor. On average the packs last a little under a month, not too bad I suppose given their size. Replacement can be had at the local Target, Kmart, or any other store that carries Norelco products for about $4.99 for a box of five. Alternatively, you can order them via a form included in the packaging with the razor, or of course you can go to the Norelco web site (www.norelco.com), and place the order there. Amazon.com also carries the lotion packs.

It is worth noting that the Advantage 7735X will also accept menthol-based gel packs in lieu of the chamomile-based lotion packs. Replacement razor heads can also be purchased through any of the above-mentioned methods.

Charging and Recharging

The Advantage 7735X is cordless and comes with a charger stand that can automatically switch to the prevailing voltage, so traveling overseas will not be a problem. It also comes with a carrying case large enough to hold everything that comes with the razor, including the charging base, and up to five lotion packs, though it will be a tight fit.

The razor’s rechargeable battery pack adds little weight to the package and the Advantage 7735X really feels quite light in my hands as I shave, and the charge is enough to last me a good solid week of shaving without recharging. However I usually place the razor back in the charging stand when I am done shaving. A light yellow LED on the front of the razor illuminate solid when the razor is fully charged and will blink when it needs to be charged.

The shape of the razor may take some getting used to, but now I have the hang of shaving with it in either hand. After I shave I have to rinse the heads—which are removable, with hot water, which seems to get the heads clean, but the instructional booklet suggests cleaning them by hand every so often just in case.

Cleaning

Cleaning the Advantage 7735X is simple: after every shave I run the heads under hot water while the blades are rotating. Using this procedure usually dislodges all but the most stubborn hair strands. Every few months I take apart the head assembly and clean the heads, with a straight pin and then soak them in warm water. I do not use Norelco razor lubricant on the heads, but I suppose I should start in order to prolong their useful life and to keep the heads rotating well.

I have owned three other Norelco razors, and the only one that shaves as close as the Advantage 7735X was the Advantage 5655, so on balance I am very pleased with the razor and think I’ll keep it around for a while. And the really good news for my fellow razor bump suffers: I have not had a single bump since I started shaving with the Advantage 5655, and that trend continues with the Advantage 7735X. That alone is worth the price of admission, just shy of $100.00!


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 85.99
Noise Level: Average