Review (4/5): Close as a blade, but..........
I bought this shaver about a month ago because I'd had enough of cutting myself with my viscious Gillette Mach 3. Three cuts at a time on the cheek. Ouch! The good news is that I have no regrets buying this Cool Skin and I don't think I'll be going back to the Mach 3 any time soon. Like all things tho', pluses and minues:
Pluses:
- No more cuts.
- Shaves as close as my Mach 3 with less irritation.
- I can shave in the shower, which is absolutely essential!
- Great looking shaver, and one of the few that doesn't look like my grandfather's. The green color is super cool, and my wife thinks it has even improved the look of our shower!
- Very easy to clean under running water in the shower.
- One charge lasts a week or more.
Minuses:
- Takes about 2 - 3 three times as long as shaving with a razor.
- I don't mind the cost of the Nivea refills that much (see below), it's the waste generated by the empty sachets that bugs me. I wish they could have developed a refillable dispenser.
- The "advanced LED display" is pointless. Do I really need a flashing light to tell me to rinse the razor at the end of every shave? Or do I need another light that flashes to tell me I can pump lotion just after the thing's switched on? If it weren't for that great green color I could have bought the cheaper model and got the same functionality at less cost. All you really need is a low battery indicator.
- You pump the lotion or gel onto the heads with your finger or thumb. Using my finger gave me cramp in my hand. Using the thumb is OK. A more advanced design would be to have the lotion delivered automatically.
Finally, what about the lotion and gel? I found both worked fine. At a pinch I've also used ordinary shaving foam and even just water applied directly to my face. The most comfortable and closest shave is however obtained using the gel or lotion. I just bought a 5-pack of lotion at Target for $4.99. One sachet lasts me 4 or 5 shaves if I'm fairly frugal with it. So that works out at about 25c per shave which isn't too bad.
All in all recommended for those who are thinking of switching from razor to electric.