Philips Norelco Electric Shaver 8900 with SmartClean, Wet & Dry Edition S8950/90
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Product Specifications
- Perfection in every pass: Each shaving head moves in 8 directions to cut up to 20 percent more hair
- Special Wet & Dry electric Edition with aquatec technology so you can enjoy a comfortable dry shave or a refreshing wet shave with gel or foam
- The wet & dry electric shave system cuts hairs up to 30 percent closer to the skin for close and comfortable shave
- The smart clean system allows for easy maintenance: cleans, lubricates, dries, and charges your shaver
The click on beard styler, equipped with five length settings, gives you the flexibility to create the look you want
Product Description
Style Name:With Cleaning Stand Our most advanced shaving system, the Philips Norelco shaver 8900, series 8000 cuts hairs up to 30 percent closer to skin with its vtrack precision blades. The shaving heads, with contour detect technology, move in 8 directions to cut up to 20 percent more hair in a single pass.
Product Reviews
My favorite purchase of the year!
I have had been using a Braun Series 7 790 cc shaver for years. I liked it, but I never felt it was giving me as close a shave as it should. I decided to look for alternatives and decided I was going to try out one of the Norelco 3-head shavers. There are lots of different models at varying prices so I couldn’t really tell which one would be the best one to try. After weighing reviews and price point I chose this one. I am so glad I did.I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon, and this is THE best purchase I have made this year. I never really believed that the strange 3-head style of shaver could give an effective shave. Well, now I have tried it and I have no more doubts about it. This shaves wonderfully.I’ll start with the most important thing - The Shave:I am amazed at how well this shaver hits all of the different areas of my face, neck, upper lip, and jawline. I should mention that I only do dry shaves, not wet ones. Unlike my old foil shaver I do not need to press it hard against my skin for the blades to make good contact. They mention in the product description that it can take 21 days for your face to acclimate to the new shaver and get the most effective shave from it. I happened to get all of the benefits right out of the box on day 1. It’s a night and day difference from my Braun. Moving it in a constant circular motion is intuitive, easy, and it works. The heads really do pivot enough to conform to all of the angles on my face. When I’m done shaving I brush my hand across my face and verify how close the shave is. So much better than my foil shaver. I have had absolutely no issues with this pulling any hairs or causing skin sensitivity. I am impressed.Cleaning:Cleaning is absurdly simple with this shaver. The heads pop right off and a quick rinse of the heads and the shaver under the faucet takes care of everything. Air dry and it’s good to go. It doesn’t come with a brush which annoyed me initially, but I have found that it truly doesn’t require one. I have not had the unit long enough to have to replace the heads, but I have removed them (doing so individually is definitely best, as they recommend) and cleaned them. Removing the ring and the circular head and razor is easy, and replacing them back into the unit properly did not pose any type of problems. The engineering is very well done. I did not purchase the unit with the cleaning stand. I have no regrets about that. This shaver is far too simple to thoroughly clean without it and it would have been a waste of money in my opinion to shell out for the cleaning stand and cleaning solution.Construction and operation:I had read some peoples’ remarks that the shaver feels light, and hence insubstantial or cheap. I disagree completely. This has a solid heft in my hand and feels well-built. Additionally, it is very quiet compared to the Braun. I marvel at the difference every morning. At first I thought that this quiet shaver couldn’t possibly be powerful enough to give an adequate shave, but it is. The results prove it.I like the 3-light charge indicator. As soon as the charge drains down to only 1 light I plug it in and leave it charging while I’m at work. It holds a charge very well and I can get a couple weeks of shaves out of it between charges. I haven’t taken it traveling yet, but I have no reservations about doing so. I know that I won’t need to bring the cord with me and worry about charging while I’m on a trip. Here I will also mention that the travel case is very nice as well. It’s not hard plastic, but it is firm and protective and fits the shaver well. No need to worry about it getting damaged while jostling around in my bag. Also, the travel lock mode for the shaver is simple to initiate. Hold the power button down for 3 seconds and it’s ready for travel. The jostling will now not cause the shaver to turn on unexpectedly. Repeat the procedure to exit the travel lock mode and it’s ready to go again.Extras:I like the included display indicator for when it’s time to change the heads. Sure, I could find a way to keep track of when it’s been a year, but this function is even better. As far as the 2-year warranty, when I opened the shaver it gave options to register my purchase. At first I wondered who does that anymore when I have my online proof of purchase in my Amazon account. Still, for some reason I did so anyway. After registration the Philips Norelco website informed me that it was tacking on an additional 6 months of warranty coverage. Not bad. I’ll take it.The trimmer attachment - while dubious at first, I like the attachment quite a bit. I first thought that it should be a pop-out trimmer like what is found on many other brands of shavers. After using it I discovered that it is no hassle at all to attach to or remove from the shaver, and it has more than ample power. The comb that attaches to it adjusts easily with a built-in slider. And if I want direct contact with my face removing the comb is a piece of cake - just grab it in the center (not at the sides) and it pulls off with no effort.Minor disappointments (?):The only possible negatives that I have, and they are slight, are that it doesn’t come with a brush and it doesn’t come with a stand. As I stated above, I have found that a brush is unnecessary so in hindsight this is not a negative at all. As for the stand, I understand that I did not choose the product that includes the charging/cleaning stand, but some type of simple stand would still have been nice. It’s not a big deal, but laying it down on my bathroom counter every morning reminds me of being a freshman in college with everybody having their stuff laying around the sink area. It’s not a big deal, just a minor observation.In summary:I decided I was going to try a 3-head shaver for the first time. I chose this specific model because I didn’t want to invest lots of money in case I came to regret my decision. Now that I’ve been using it for a while I really don’t know what benefits a more expensive model could possibly offer. Racing stripes, perhaps? This model shaves so close that a different model can’t possibly give a better shave. It cleans so easily that a more expensive model won’t be any easier to clean. The value proposition of this thing exceeds all expectations. It’s made all the better because it’s a product that I use every single day.In my opinion this model is a worthwhile investment that I expect will give me many years of quality usage. I have no second thoughts about this purchase. If you’re searching for a better shave I cannot recommend this enough. Try it - you may love it just as much as I do!
+ ½ – Amenities are excellent, though the basic functions seem inferior to previous generations of Norelco shavers
I’m comparing this with my older Norelcos (one of which is from the 1980s!), and I can definitely say this is a step forward in many ways, but I also wonder if the basic functions are a step back:PROs:It charges fast, and I mean really fast. And one charge can last for weeks.The attachments are fabulous. Norelco was really trying to do a true “all-in-one” shaver/trimmer/clipper, which is superb. Their goal is to replace several items in your medicine cabinet.In some ways, their marketing doesn’t seem to hit all the high points. The beard styler pops on & off super easy. It has an easy height adjustment, and also dubs as a neck trimmer, goatee trimmer, sideburns, etc.The attachments perform flawlessly, and my wife says the shaver works great for legs. I just wish it worked as good as my old Norelco on faces…CONS:I really have two big gripes. First, I don’t like the cleaning/docking system. It’s large, convoluted, & you have to buy refills of the cleaning solution. However, this system will keep the shaver running like new, and it will definitely extends the blade life. But looking back at my old Norelcos (which lasted up to a decade with minimal maintenance), I have my questions about the necessity of this.The shaver does clean out just fine without the cleaning station (rinse it out, but rinsing it out won’t lubricate it like the cleaning station does).My second (and biggest) gripe - the blades are too far apart. I suspect this is why it doesn’t shave as well as my older Norelcos (I have a 3 yr old Norelco, a 10-yr old Norelco, and one from the 1980s, which just recently died). When I shave with my older Norelcos, all 3 rotors touch my face at once (at least partially). On this new system, only 1⁄2 of one rotor touches my face at once.Since the blades/rotors are too far apart, I find the contouring system does not perform well. It takes longer to shave, and I find I have to push very hard against my face. They pivot great, and are super flexible, I just think they’re too big and too far apart for details and corners. I have to go over my face about 10 times, and it always leaves some strays behind (I eventually have to grab a razor blade to finish the job, which makes me wonder why I bothered with the electric shaver to begin with).Also, I notice any dampness on my skin or in the room (even some steam left over from the shower) makes it even more difficult. It just doesn’t seem to glide very well without shaving gel. The shaving gel works great in the shower, or in a humid environment, but I just personally don’t enjoy using shaving gel all the time.In the final analysis, despite the bells & whistles on this device, I question whether this is truly an improvement on previous generations of Norelco shavers.`
a great smooth shave
I have used Norelco razors for about 30 years and have been very happy with them .. I bought a Norelco 7370 and it was the most inefficient piece of junk I have ever used ..
Honestly worst purchase I’d ever had
Despite the many Positive reviews, this thing is certainly not worth the money. Honestly worst purchase I’d ever had.
Pretty good
Not quite as good as I hoped, but still pretty good. I just have a face that is difficult to shave closely. Lectric Shave helps.
Five Stars
Great shaver, does not irritate the skin and makes a very good shave …
good razor! interesting fact about the blades….
I upgraded from my Sensotouch 3D as the battery was going and wouldn’t hold a charge for more than three shaves.
Been torn between Braun and Norelco razors for years. Not anymore.
I have always liked the idea of shavers that have self cleaning systems. Previously I liked Braun. Nice shave well built and the cleaning system work well although a little noisy…
Great product.
I had a Norelco years back and made the stupid mistake of purchasing a Braun after being swayed by tons of reviews I read for both.
Four Stars
Very good shave. I guess more expensive models are better. No complaints.
good job.
like this product. use it with no problems. would recommend it to others. Mahalo.
Returning for Norelco Shaver 5100
comments powered by DisqusI just got it for my husband for Father’s day. He’s planning on returning it and going to the Norelco Shaver 5100.
