Review (5/5): Very happy with this razor
I am very impressed with this razor. I have used electric razors most of my 35+ years of shaving. I was skeptical using it for the first time, I thought it wasn't working because it is so soft to the face and so quiet. It didn't sound "agressive" like my other razors did. WRONG!!! The shave was close, my skin was not irritated at all, and it cut smooth basically in the first pass. This unit is first class.
My previous razor was a Braun foil. I bought one for myself and another for my son from Frys because of the price. JUNK!!! We both have heavy beards, he more so than I, and both of us had terrible 5 o'clock shadows by 10:00AM! And the skin irritation on my neck, just horrible.
I took a long time comparing all the available models. For me this model provides the best mix of features and price. I definitely recommend the Speed-XL shaving heads. Other nice features are it can be cleaned under the faucet, it charges quickly and maintains that charge for a long time, and it provides what I consider one of the best shaves I've had in a long time. The heft and feel is good. Materials are good. Workmanship is good. The only feature I'd like to have is a battery charge indicator.
The other Speed-XL model is the 8160. It includes the cleaning system with a much higher price. Now there is the SmartTouch-XL which may be overkill. But if price is not an issue...
May, 2012 - I can't believe I wrote the original review almost seven years ago. I'm still using this razor and it still works just as I expressed back then. The battery still keeps a great charge, and the shave is still excellant. I went on a 10 day vacation last year and the charge held for the whole trip. This is truly a great product.