Good but not perfect
I bought this to replace a Norelco 5885 XL after the battery stopped taking a charge. I had the 5885 repaired at a Philips authorized place, but it still didn't take much of a charge, so I went back again and, in the end, still didn't have a razor that I could use for more than a few days. I finally decided to give up and get this. I paid about $40 for it (the price has since gone up) and the repair was $30, so I figured this was a faster way to get something that worked.<br /><br />In general, this is a very nice shaver. It's super-quiet, noticeably quieter than the 5885. It shaves a tad closer and needs less pressure to do so, and it seems to take a few less passes over the same area to get a close shave. The trimmer is just okay -- exactly like the old one. It won't cut you, but it won't easily make a clean edge for your sideburns, either. It's nice to be able to rinse out the head under running water.<br /><br />There are a couple of caveats, though. The design of the head is slightly different and it doesn't move as smoothly over my skin. For me, this is a noticeable and moderately significant disadvantage. The old one felt better. It took a bit more effort to get a close shave, but I enjoyed the process more.<br /><br />There's no battery meter. The old one told me how much of a charge I had. It wasn't all that accurate, but it let you know if you needed to charge the thing before going on a trip. But the battery lasts a long time -- I've had it for three weeks and I'm still on the first charge (I don't necessarily shave every day, though).<br /><br />I never cut myself with the 5885. With this one, I've had two nicks in the first three weeks. Using less pressure may help.<br /><br />I bought this over the more expensive Norelcos because I didn't want to carry a charging base on trips -- I just wanted a cord. I would have paid more, but Phillips just doesn't make the shaver that I want, which would be similar to the old one -- no base, but with a charge meter. In general, Phillips makes way too many models and it's awfully confusing trying to sort out the differences.<br /><br />Overall, I'm happy, but replacing my old one, for a dead battery, was way too much hassle and the result is a shaver that isn't quite as nice as the one it replaced.<br /><br />A note for those of you who've never used one of these: you'll get a close shave, but a blade will always be closer.
Rating: 4 stars