Review (3/5): No Norelco, I still prefer my 550 TL
I bought a Norelco 550 TL about 17 years ago and I still have it. I like the way the Floating Heads give a close shave, and the way the pop-up sideburn trimmer works crisply and efficiently. It cleans easily and is compact. I think I spent a $25 on my 550 TL brand new.
When I had the chance to try the Norelco Cool Skin 8040X, I looked forward to putting this Norelco newbie through its paces.
But I was very disappointed.
THe VERY first thing I DID NOT like (ZERO stars for this!!) was the plastic "Clamshell Packaging" -- which is a waste of plastic and time. IF Norelco had decided to incorporate a Travel Case into this Clamshell packaging with re-usable features, then I would have been content. But as it was, this was just a waste of plastic. Clamshell packages have sent numerous folks to the hospital with some nasty cuts inflicted while trying to open this sealed, thick plastic, stubborn packaging. Then again, it is a waste of plastics made even more wasteful when you consider the price of petroleum nowadays, and the inability to recycle this type of plastic. I suppose someone who wants to, can, with a little ingenuity and transparent mailing tape, take this Clamshell Package and create a travel container for their 8040x-- which might be a good idea, because the fabric travel pouch that Norelco supplies with this shaver only holds the shaver, and not the accessories -- unless you want to cram everything into the travel case and NOT close it.
Well.... now -- about the shaver itself. The instruction book is very thorough -- but the warnings interspersed throughout are in grey print -- how about bold black?
The shaver itself is nothing I would want to use all the time -- in fact, after trying it, I still prefer my 550 TL. The heads on the 8040X DO flex, but the moisturizing cream/gel only comes through two of them when all three heads with moisturizer would work much better -- the heads also drag across my skin -- and in some instances gave me a bit of razor burn -- especially on my neck. This shaver was used in the shower, so there was plenty of (acqua) moisture, in addition to gel moisturizer, available for a close shave, but the shave was not as good as it should have been.
Putting the moisturizer into the shaver is a feat that involves pumping the cartridge manually and then cleaning up the excess moisturizer that suddenly splats out of the shaver when it is full. Um.........
This Norelco 8040X is a nice idea, but it's gimmicky and labor intensive, when all I want is a quick shave and then a quick rinse of the heads and the knowledge that my shaver will be ready and willing the next morning. The Norelco 8040X IMHO probably work just as well on dry skin as on wet -- but it's nothing I would want to use on a regular basis.