Great Razor In The Water, But Beached On Dry Land
Written: Dec 02 '01 (Updated Dec 03 '01)
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Pros: Wet or dry capability, compact charger, easy to clean, built-in trimmer
Cons: Leaves patches unshaven, doesn't work well on neck hair
The Bottom Line: Works best in the shower with shaving foam, not a good choice for tougher beards.
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| workscorp's Full Review: Panasonic Sonic-1 ES 365 K |
Why I Purchased This Razor
My skin is cut easily by blade razors, and when you combine that with a tough beard which doesn't usually agree with electrics, you find yourself between a rock and a hard place as to which type of razor to use.
I finally decided to compromise and try a Panasonic wet/dry electric razor in the shower and purchased the least expensive model I could find (since this was a trial run).
How This Razor Has Performed
The Panasonic works well for me in the shower, as long as I use foam along with it. Shaving dry is not an option with this razor as it doesn't shave close enough unless I use a large number of passes and take about 15 minutes to shave. That also really irritates my skin.
It holds a charge for a good amount of time, but don't let it get too low or else it tends to start pulling on your beard rather than shave it.
This is the fourth electric I've had. It's the best when used wet, but second place for dry shaving. The Norelcos (2 of them) come in first, the Braun last place.
What I Like About It
The charger is very compact and easy to use. Just plug it into the upper outlet and sit the razor on top. It leaves the lower outlet free plus there are no cords.
Cleaning this Panasonic is a snap. When you're done shaving, all you do is press a button on the side and the foil cover swings up on a hinge. Rinse the blades and you're done.
Since it's waterproof you can leave it in the shower all the time (just remember to take it out and charge it now and then).
What I Don't Like
This particular Panasonic has trouble with tougher beards (2 or 3 head models probably do a better job). Shaving dry doesn't work out too well and every so often I've gotten nicked trying. It also leaves patches unshaven which must be gone back over several times (even when wet).
Neck hairs are troublesome for this razor. That's probably because these hairs tend to grow in all sorts of different directions. Rotary shavers, in general, are better at reaching these hairs because you shave in a circular motion rather than back and forth. This is a drawback to every foil razor but even the trimmer on this model has trouble.
Overall
This Panasonic is a good razor for people with softer or slow-growing beards. And it has an attractive price, especially if you want the wet capability. If there's even a remote chance your beard is too much for it though, get a rotary or multi-head foil model.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 49 Noise Level: Average
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Epinions.com ID: workscorp
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Location: Asheville, NC
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 7 members
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