Review (5/5): Wake up to the sound of a clean, close shave.
I was shopping for replacement cutters and combs for a Norelco Micro Action (formerly Lift & Cut [formerly Rotatract]) shaver and noticed that for less than $10 more I could have a whole new Norelco shaver. I was sold.
Norelco Reflex Plus shavers combine 4 features pioneered by Norelco and improved over time. Rotary heads reduce the vibration common to reciprocating shavers. Floating heads individually hug the skin. Lift and Cut blades gently pull whiskers into the cutter for a closer shave. Everything rides on a set of pivoting platforms that bulge slightly at the center of the head assembly. The bulge allows the heads to maintain contact with the contours of difficult to shave spots like the concave hollows of the neck below the chin.
I've been a Norelco man from my first crop of peachfuzz to my current orchard of gray quills, so the first shave wasn't a surprise for my skin. It was as close and comfy as I'd expect from a Norelco.
The real revelation was the sound. The previous Lift and Cut was like shaving with a Black & Decker DustBuster. The Reflex Plus is so quiet, you can actually hear the cutters slice off the whiskers and then fall silent on the next pass over the same area. This is a real help for those times when a mirror isn't nearby. You could actually shave by the sound alone!
A somewhat poignant note: Models at the economy end of the Norelco line are now made in China and lack carrying bags of any kind. When I travel, I roll my shaver in an article of clothing, usually a T-shirt, so the carrying case is no biggie. Still, I miss seeing the words "MADE IN HOLLAND" on the bottom of every Norelco I've owned.
Times may change but at least the quality of the shave has only improved.