Review (4/5): It's Worth It (I hope)
I first started using Norelco razors in 1978; my dad gave me one for my fourteenth birthday because, as he told me: "Your voice is starting to squeak". That first model, a corded one, lasted me for fifteen years before it finally gave out. I then went through a couple of cordless models whose batteries would get flaky after about four years apiece.
Then I decided to invest in the model 6885XL "Quadra Action", a $120+ wonder which had a digital readout telling me how many minutes of charge I had left (it was good for about 45 minutes, or two weeks). Also, I could rinse it out under the tap, which made cleaning it a real breeze. It would even tell me when to do the cleaning!
Alas, after barely two years, the head assembly broke because of a shoddy little plastic nubbin wearing down too much. This fact is, I believe, relevant to the model I'm reviewing here, as I'll explain in a little bit.
Feeling completely betrayed by a company which used to produce such a great product, I decided to try the competition. Remington makes a rotary razor called the Titanium, so I gave it a whirl. Unfortunately, after about a year I couldn't take it any more: it gave me such a progressively worse facial rash that friends started to ask me what was wrong. Even replacing the blades didn't help!
So, about two weeks ago, I broke down and started looking at Norelcos again. The first thing I ascertained is that the head assemblies in all of the models I examined, be they el-cheapo or mega-expensive, look exactly the same as the one in the 6885XL, meaning that I can reasonably expect them to break in about two years. Coincidentally, this is the length of the warranty period. So the expensive razors are out. After all, if I'm going to buy what is effectively a glorified disposable razor, I might as well not spend a lot of money. After concluding that I prefer the dual corded/cordless option, the 6843XL, for around $50 on sale, proved to be my best choice.
The razor's instructions advise that it could take up to three weeks of exclusive use "to fully enjoy the closeness of a Norelco shave". I can assure you that I was feeling the joy on Day One. The difference between a Norelco and a Remington is like the difference between Rocky Mountain National Park and the Gobi Desert. Within a week my skin had almost completely healed.
I did notice a few oddities. As another reviewer also noted, I was quite surprised at how slow the razor seemed to run. It will be interesting to see if I still get a decently smooth shave in a few months, as the blades start to wear down. Given how new blades cost almost as much as the razor itself, I would hate to have to buy them more than the recommended once a year.
The other disappointment is that the charge is good for only about a week, not two weeks as with my previous razors. The instructions warn that, although the razor can be used corded, overdoing it will cut down on battery life. On the other hand, once the batteries are shot, I'll just (hopefully) use the razor as corded full time.
The charge indicator doesn't tell you when the batteries are fully charged, but if you let it charge overnight, that should do the trick.
Cleaning the razor is straightforward. You just pop the head assembly off (no hinges on this model), dump out the hairs from the "hair chamber", and use the handy little brush to clean things out. The instructions recommend cleaning the actual head assembly about every two months. Fair enough.
The travel pouch doesn't look too sturdy, but I don't do much traveling. Plus, I can always use the old pouch from several razors back.
Note that, like practically everything else nowadays, the Norelco 6843XL was made in China. I have terrible misgivings about this, considering how much shoddy merchandise China foists off on us, but it isn't like I have a lot of choice in the matter. The Remington was also made in China.
P.S. My favorite absurd instruction from the manual: "When discarding razor, unplug razor ...."
Ummm .... yes. Thanks for that useful tip. I doubt the cord would stretch all the way to the trash can!