I waited several months after purchasing this unit to write a review. Other reviewers have emphasized the quality of the shave right out of the box, but there's another side to the story. This is easily the best performing shaver I've ever owned, and I've used Norelco shavers exclusively for the past 40 years. The 8900 charges quickly, shaves closely and comfortably, and cleans easily. The reason I'm not giving it five stars is simple: the cutter heads do not last nearly as long as they are advertised to last (one year) nor as long as other models have lasted me in the past. After just four months of use, I noticed the quality of my shaves was deteriorating. I tried cleaning the cutter heads more thoroughly and even recharging the battery before the charging indicator came on, but nothing worked. Finally I ordered a replacement set of cutter heads, and that has restored the shaving performance to its original level. Be aware that to maintain the quality performance of this unit, you may have to replace the expensive ($50) cutter heads much more frequently than expected. In spite of this drawback, I'm going to keep the shaver because it really does provide a first-rate shave so long as the cutter heads are replaced every 4-5 months.
I upgraded from my Sensotouch 3D as the battery was going and wouldn't hold a charge for more than three shaves. So far the 8900 razor is great, the motor feels strong and contours well. It fits nicely in your hand with no slippage. There was an issue with registration as the Norelco site did not recognize the barcode nor was the model number listed in their pull down choices. I had to manually enter the exact model number of the razor for the site to recognize and complete registration. I also read a couple of other reviews that stated they thought the razor was a knockoff because of this issue.
Interesting thing about the blades, my old Sensotouch 3D took the RQ12+ blade head (at a premium price) and you had to replace the whole head. With the 8900 you just replace the rotary blades themselves although the head is the same as the Sensotouch which means they are interchangeable. I know this because I popped the top of the head off of my Sensotouch (just the blade assembly... that's how you clean it) and it fit perfectly on the 8900 and worked fine. I took a close look and the head, blades were all the same. So to save money, just replace the blades but if you have an extra head from a previous model it will probably fit.
Bottom line -- you'll get a great, smooth shave, and this has some key improvements over older models. Just be prepared for a few small cons. If you're also looking at the Braun Series 7, I prefer this. However the rotary vs. foil style tends to be a preference/performance point depending on your beard.
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Long verson -- Smoothest shave I've had, right up there with the cartridge razors I used for 20yrs -- without the nicks and ingrown hairs. I shave daily for work, usually skip the weekends. Coarse, thick hair type. I moved to an electric in 2013 with the Norelco SensoTouch 3D (1290X). Then in late 2014, they redesigned the replacement heads, to universal hatred online. Instead of spending $65 on a poorly rated head replacement (recommended annually), I opted to spend some Christmas money on the Braun Series 7 foil shaver. Been very happy with that over the last year or so. Would have stuck with it, but I received this product as part of a promotion from Philips Norelco.
This model 8900 beats both previous razors. Compared to the SensoTouch 3D, the shave is a bit better. They've moved away from the charging stand and let you plug directly into the razor -- a huge win for frequent travelers. The cleaning stand now uses a cartridge instead of refilling a reservoir and they've removed the odd dunking-style contraption from the older version. Still not something I'd take on the road, but much better. The one down side is that they removed the integrated trimmer from the razor itself. Was a nice when I wanted to trim the sideburns or something real quick. Just slide the lever and the trimmer popped out from the body of the razor. It wasn't a strong performer, but it was convenient. With this version, you have to remove the shaver head and replace with the included trimmer head. But it's easy enough, and it has a semi-adjustable guard on it. Works well, just a little cumbersome.
Compared to the Braun Series 7, this is MUCH quieter, which the wife appreciates. Both the razor and the cleaning station for the Braun are pretty noisy. And the shave, while good with the Braun, is significantly better with this Norelco. I think the rotary just works better for my beard type than the foil by design. This also allows for a wet or dry shave, while the Braun is dry only. The one down side to the Norelco is cost of ownership. Replacement heads are more expensive (~$43 on Amazon every year, compared to $30 for a Braun foil every 18 months per their respective manual recommendations). But it's closer now compared to the SensoTouch ($65 annually). Cleaning cartridges are fairly close in price between the two. Again, the Braun is an excellent razor, and I'd have had no reason to change if Philips hadn't emailed and asked me to try out this one (first time that's every happened...who am I to say no, right?). But side by side, I've gotten a much better shave from this model. I'm willing to pay a little extra for the head replacements and deal with the minor trimmer annoyance. Think I'll stick with it.
I have been a Norelco user for years, and this shaver, at first blush, seems fine. The only reason I am giving it three stars is that it did not come with the beard styler as indicated on the packaging. I would have exchanged it, but needed the shaver immediately, as an older one I had was destroyed by TSA’s luggage “inspection”. Kind of a moot point as I don’t have a beard to trim, but I did pay for it...,
Update: I "chatted" with a Phillips/Norelco rep and they promised to get me the missing part ASAP, so I am happy. Rep was incredibly helpful and accommodating. I used the shaver this morning, and especially since I am used their products, it did a wonderful job, so I am raising it to 4.5 stars. Only reason I am not giving it five stars is the lack of a built in trimmer.
PROs:
o Glides right through 2 or 3 days growth with no skin irritation, unlike foil shavers that may rip you up.
o No more cleaning fluid, it cleans under a hot water faucet.
o Quieter than foil shavers.
o Charges quickly.
o Light ergonomic cool looking design.
o Another excellent Philips personal care product.
CONs:
o No built in trimmer, you must change out the entire head for trimming (trimmer not so good).
o Battery is not as long lasting as many. It may only go up to 5 days for tough beards.
o You cannot shave while the machine is attached to the charger cable.
They claim that you can use this with shaving cream, but I have not tried that yet. Overall, I recommend this for guys like me that try not to shave on the weekend.
Feature Product
- Perfection in every pass: Each shaving head moves in 8 directions to cut up to 20 percent more hair
- Special Wet & Dry electric Edition with aquatec technology so you can enjoy a comfortable dry shave or a refreshing wet shave with gel or foam
- The wet & dry electric shave system cuts hairs up to 30 percent closer to the skin for close and comfortable shave
- The smart clean system allows for easy maintenance: cleans, lubricates, dries, and charges your shaver
- The click on beard styler, equipped with five length settings, gives you the flexibility to create the look you want
- Voltage: 100-240 V; Stand-by power: 0.15 W; Max power consumption: 5.4 W
Description
Our most advanced shaving system, the Philips Norelco shaver 8900, series 8000 cuts hairs up to 30 percent closer to skin with its vtrack precision blades. The shaving heads, with contour detect technology, move in 8 directions to cut up to 20 percent more hair in a single pass.
I've used Norelco electric shavers for over 25 years and kinda just accepted the fact that I was sacrificing a really close shave for the convenience of an electric shaver. However, the 8900 model really blew that theory. The improvement is far more than I expected when upgrading from the last one I purchased nearly eight years ago (and it was still running strong, BTW). And the cleaning system works great too! No more worries of neglecting to clean my shaver. Just turn the cleaning system on and leave it alone. This shaver was well worth the investment! (I wasn't given this shaver in exchange for a positive review. I bought it and am satisfied with my purchase.)
Stunned with how Norelco keeps making these shavers better from each generation to the next. This 8900 shaves incredibly close and is smooth and gentle.
Amended review. Although this is an excellent shaver after using it for months I find that the placement of the on/off button is ergonomically incorrect. Note that I use this razor for not only my face, but to shave my head as well. When holding the razor one's hand rests naturally on the power button and inadvertently shuts the razor off mid shave because just a slight touch activates the button.
I had a Norelco Aquatic for years that I loved...just bought new blades for it and gave it to my son, who now loves it. I decided to upgrade my shaving experience and see if a higher dollar shaver was worth the fuss, so went the series 8000.
My only regret is that I didn’t make the switch sooner! Wow! What a difference in quality, comfort and closeness!!! The 8000 is far superior in every way to it’s little sibling.
I really enjoy the cleaning system too. It’s nice that it doubles as a charging station. It’s a nice clean setup for the bathroom counter as well.
Even thought the beard and sideburn trimmer is a seperate attachment, it is far superior to the flip-up version on the Aquatic. So any inconvenience by changing out the head is far eclipsed by the quality of the trim.
Overall, worth every penny to upgrade...if you’re on the fence...get off and make this purchase!
I am 53 years old and have been shaving for a very long time. I have gone back-and-forth between electric and traditional cartridge razors. I've now been shaving several years with a Harry's razor. They do a pretty good job but they are difficult to shave around The mouth and just below the nose. I also get cut about once a week. Gillette fusion razors are pretty good but the trimming/edging blade dulls quickly and they cost a lot. I just did my first shave with this razor and it was a wet shave. Was never able to do that with any of the prior Electric Phillips or Braun razor that I have owned. The last electric razor that I own was a series 5 Braun shaver. It was so bad it was almost impossible to do a shave with it. I have a skin condition now that is made worse by a regular razor so I was having to shave with a regular razor around the rash and then use the Braun just for that small patch. That gets frustrating after a while . So with this new Phillips 8900 series razor I had a pleasurable shave with no cuts it was very fast the unit is extremely quiet. Did not miss any hairs anywhere. I am in disbelief and yes it was as close as a blade. And no I am not a spokesperson for the company. Can't speak to how it would dry shave I would probably only do that in a pinch. I think an electric razor dry does irritate the skin a bit.
I've been using Philips rotary shavers for 25 years and I really like my new S8950/91.
Amazon had a $20 off coupon for it so I only paid $119, which made it unbeatable compared to something like the current Star Wars SW9700/83 nonsense at $260, and they both use the exact same SH90 shaving heads.
I compared this razor (S8950/91) side by side with a 9850 unit (S9733/90) - they both are sold without the cleaning station, which I think is a waste of space and money when running hot water does pretty much the same job.
They use exactly the same shaving heads and shaving unit bottom and head holder, along with the SH90 shaving heads (I swapped them between units and compared every single component)
I really doubt that the gimmicky speed system on the more expensive razor makes any difference, and the different display didn't feel necessary at all, especially with the steep price difference.
Overall I'm extremely happy with this new Series 8000 unit and I have no doubts it will last me several years, like my previous units.
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