9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Norelco 8150XL Version
Date of Review: Aug 5, 2008
The Bottom Line: Decent shaver for the price; not remarkable but no slouch either
I have the Norelco version of this Phillips razor
BACKGROUND
I m a long time Norelco user and a long time electric shaver user. So I didn t need any adjustment period to get used to this razor from an electric razor standpoint. I have used this razor for 4 or 5 months now so feel I can give a fairly objective review. My other Norelco s generally lasted for several years if you replaced the heads. My last one started to give out from a battery standpoint and would only hold a charge for a day or two.
I should also note that I have a moderate beard so with a fairly smooth shave in the morning, I would normally not have a five o clock shadow . If I go two days without shaving I do have a fair amount of beard.
OPINION or should I say Epinion:
The first thing I noticed was the razor s light weight. The blue color looks good but a few things around the on/off button are a little cheap looking. But the feel and grip of the razor is typical of Norelco and easy to hold onto. Even though it s light weight, it still appears to be solidly built. The heads snap open and closed tightly and the buttons and all feel solid so it appears to be of decent quality.
The 8150 is waterproof so you can easily wash the razor under running water and while this may not be as sanitary as some of the more expensive razors with their cleaning systems, I find it adequate for my needs. I m the only one using it so I share my germs only with myself :>)
It takes me about a minute to shave, maybe a touch longer. I was pleased that I got over a month s worth of shaves on the first charge and it has been running about that long on subsequent charges. That makes it handy for travel even for extended trips so you don t have to carry the charger. One thing that is confusing however is that the manual discourages you from charging the battery until the battery low light comes on. Yet they give you a charger stand to cradle the razor when not in use. Anyway, I would highly recommend not using the charger except as recommended although I believe you can safely top off the charge, particularly if you re heading off on a trip the next day. Also, you can plug the a/c adapter-charger direct to the razor without using the charge stand. The stand is pretty cheap and easily slides or is knocked over.
The trimmer is really good. Some past trimmers on Norelco razors were poor at cutting and also had awkward angles. This trimmer sticks out nicely and very effectively cuts sideburns, etc.
The travel pouch is really good as well. It s compact and snugly protects the razor. I definitely recommend using the pouch to avoid the possibility of something dinging one of the rotor blades.
The second thing I noticed about the razor was how quiet it operated. In fact it didn t seem to be spinning as fast as I would expect so I wasn t sure how well it was going to shave. If I shave daily, it gives me a smooth shave although you have to make a number of passes over difficult spots. If I go for a couple of days without shaving, it still does the job but does have the tendency to pull hairs and give you a bit of trouble.
