Philips Norelco AT830/41 Shaver 4500, Rechargeable Wet/Dry Electric Shaver, with Pop-up Trimmer & Cleaning Brush, Frustration Free Packaging

I just bought this new shaver after Air France lost my suitcase containing my previous one. I have to tell you that I am absolutely astonished at the level of incompetence by Air France & Delta at locating missing baggage. And let me be clear from the outset that I'm not even mad that it got lost in the first place. I fly a lot realize that eventually I'll have a bag go missing. No big deal, really. My consternation arises from the fact that two days after it went missing they located the bag, and this is important because at that point it was *no*longer*missing. They "know" it's my bag and needs to be delivered to me. I'd already moved on from that first city but I gave them another address that was good for the next four days, so you think they'd just send it over to me, right? Nope. Fail. So then I gave them an entirely new address that was good for the three more days. I have to have gotten it by now, right? Nope. Epic fail. Nearly two weeks of these shenanigans go by, with near daily phone calls to the airline and also constantly monitoring a completely useless website called "WorldTracer" that shows the "status" of my bag...all for naught. Here's a hint: the website status never changes and no useful information ever appears. Despite all of my efforts (along with over $50 in roaming fees to repeatedly call the airlines while traveling through Europe), they can't seem to get my bag sent to me. Anywhere. At one point I even received an email from Delta CONFIRMING that it had been delivered to me. I'll give you one guess... If you guessed that it had not, in fact, been delivered, you win a prize for guessing correctly. At 16 days into this saga I gave up on ever seeing the bag again, but did request that in the event of actually doing something to solve my problem that instead of trying to send it to me in Europe that they should just send it back to my home in the USA where I would get it at the end of my 27-day trip. (Spoiler alert: they never did.) Want to know the fun part of the story? I had a Tile bluetooth tracker in the suitcase and it registered as being at an airport outside of London (said airport not being part of my itinerary) and it just sat there for two weeks. I told multiple airline employees where it was, only to be told that "...it can't be there" or "we don't use that airport" or similar nonsense. You know, like I was making it up. I literally told them where to look for my bag but nobody would bother doing so. So, 27 days later I arrived home without the suitcase containing (among other things) my Norelco shaver. I bought this new one and immediately felt at home using it. Ergonomically it feels identical to the one that Air France lost, but I wonder if there is some slight improvement over the prior one because it seems to shave a little easier. Maybe it's just that it has new blades. I don't know. All I can tell you is that I'm instantly happy with it and don't regret the purchase, except for the fact that it's $90 out of my pocket, and I know there's no way in Hades that Air France is going to cut me a check for my lost bags. If they can't find my bag even after being told where to look for it, what's the likelihood of them finding their checkbook? Here are the lessons learned: 1) This is a great shaver. My face feels as smooth as baby's butt, thanks to Norelco. 2) Never check a bag with Air France unless it's something you want to lose, like a suitcase containing the evidence of a crime, or maybe all the keepsakes and love letters from a failed relationship.

http://www.paupersdime.com/guide-buying-an-electric-razor-shaver-philips-norelco-braun/ That guy led me to finding this razor. His review was detailed and the critical reviews point to issues that so far are not showing their head yet. I have a thick beard like many other men who have reviewed said they have as well and using this on the beard worked out in getting rid of all the hair acceptably. I first tried it on my cheek using a swirling motion to see how it would work to get rid of the thick section. It worked alright. It took many passes over the same area with some tugging of the hairs but in all the section was quickly shaven down to my amazement. This satisfied my curiosity about the power of the motor in doing work. To me this is fine, it did alright seeing as I had just received this product in the mail with whatever charge it came with. Next I tried out the trimmer attachment. It wasn't as awkward as others had made it out to be. It did its job of trimming down the beard. It didn't take it off completely but when used in combo with the razor itself it reduced the amount of hair tugging substantially and to me seems the best way to remove a large beard. This is a wet/dry razor. As the website reviewer stated, for the price get the combo since it allows you to rinse the inside compartment to keep it clean. To me that is all its good for. I used it in the shower to try it out and it didn't clear the wet hair all the way off my face. I ended up trying for many minutes to get the last hairs cut and it just refused to do so. After my shower I dried my face and the unit and used it dry to clean it all up. Not super effective in the shower. The unit itself opens up well and the blades themselves look very easy to change to the HQ8 replacement razors. Philips Norelco HQ8 Dual Precision Replacement Heads Each little razor is held in by a little bracket which to remove is just a twist of a knob to pull off, swap the heads following the user guide, and put the bracket back. They say to replace the heads yearly which I never knew before. They seem cheap to replace. It is quiet! Thats cool. I have been using this at least 4 times a day for the past three days. That is how quick my hair grows to a five o'clock shadow! My face feels like it has gotten used to it quickly although people say you should allow 21 days. Hopefully I will have used this enough to see if it was worth the purchase price before the return period is up, but so far so good. I'll review again if a battery issue happens like other say it might.

As far as functionality goes, it is great. I always go with this classic Norelco design as I think it is the best of all time. I replaced my 4 year old Norelco (that is right, 4 years without needing new blades or any problems-which is why I trust this brand) with this one. Does not feel as well made as my old one, but still very nice. The grip material replaced shell material from previous models (is it for function or is it for corner-cutting? I do not know). Cool digital display. It has increased water proofing than my last model. The first time I used it I didn't have to shave again for longer than usual because it was so close. Also, this model will not let you shave while it is plugged in. Guess what? My last model having a dead battery didn't mean it was bricked because I could plug it in and shave. This one...once the battery no longer will hold a charge (and I bet it is cheaper than previous models and will die faster) it is probably useless. At that point are you going to replace the battery or just buy a new one prematurely? My old one lasted so long...just got dull and gross and it was time to replace it. Lastly: I was very disappointed with the attention to detail Norelco usually has. The print on the back was washed out in places, uneven, and really just cheapened the overall appearance of the product (see the photo: "ELECTRONICS" is washed out in the first few letters, and other places have issues). It is very noticeable to the naked eye. If they are not at least making their print look nice on the outside, what is the quality of the stuff on the inside? Little things like this lead me to believe the brand is in decline. Or making products cheaper specifically for Amazon, or some QC/QA middlemen are not being used, to cut corners. The "no hassle" packaging is a euphemism for corner cutting and was very chincy for a supposedly high quality product. Do not get me wrong, this thing is effective and is functionally terrific, but it will be used as an experiment to see if it lasts as long as the last one and test to see if the brand is still holding up to their sturdy older products.

Replaced my Sensotouch 3D with this shaver since Philips ruined what was a great shaver, the 3D, with "new Improved replacement head" that is horrible. I guess this is considered a step back from the 3D but the quality of the shave is equal to the 3D even when it had the original head, and absolutely kills the 3D now that the original replacement head for it is not available any longer. I noticed that this shaver is now out of stock and Amazon does not know if or when it will be available once again, so I guess Philips is doing everything they can to force people to buy their $200 - $350 models, but the day I would do that is the day I will just stop by the barber shop daily and get a top quality shave. I can do that many times before that would total $350. If they eliminate all their shavers that cost less, maybe some folks will stick with them regardless of price, but I'm not one of them. I've used a rotary shaver for the past 20 years and have always counted on Norelco, but if this razor konks out, I'll be trying some other brands and options. It's sad to see Philips falling into the greedy mold like so many other companies have, but I guess stockholder dividends are driving the train now with them, too. Please excuse the editorial comments, I'll get back to the 4500..if you can find it somewhere I would advise you to buy it before they all disappear, because this shaver delivers a nice, close, comfortable shave every single day. I don't use gel or shaving cream since going to all that trouble was why I gave up on a razor, but for years I have used a pre-shave lotion to help get my beard ready for a close clipping. Not Williams Lectric Shave or some watery substance, but an actual lotion that truly helps, like Afta pre-electric or even a house brand of CVS that is comparable to Afta, but has a much more noticeable aroma. Applying that and allowing it to dry helps make shaving with the 4500 a real pleasure for me just as it did with the Sensotouch 3D in its earlier days. I prefer plugging the cord directly into the razor rather than into a stand and the case for my 3D fits this razor well for travel so those two issues are not a problem for me. The price is really reasonable and all things considered, it's an excellent shaver. I highly recommend it if you can find it. It's a winner and I'd be amazed if you can find a comparable shaver in this price range.

In reading the comments I noticed that almost no one compared different shavers. I have used a Norelco for years but I wanted something that was better and quicker to use on a two or three day beard. I have a Philips Norelco 4500. I bought the Wahl Smart Shave and the Braun 3040s. After a two week trial I came up with the following observations. On all three the blades float so they stay close to the face as you shave. On the Norelco and the Wahl the head swivels too. It’s nice but I would not miss it if it were not there. The Norelco is smoother and quieter than the other two. It is also the easiest to clean. It only takes one hand. Norelco recommends (and it is true) that saving in a circular motion works the best with their shaver. The Norelco and the Wahl have Lithium batteries. The Braun has an NiMH battery. I like the Lithium. I think the Wahl and the Braun shave closer than the Norelco but they are all close. As for the trimmers, they all cut about the same. I would not buy a shaver without it. The Wahl is harder to manipulate. It has a nice metallic finish but that makes it hard to move up or down. It slips under your thumb. The Wahl has the better battery and charge level indicator and a five year warranty. Wahl replacement head and blades are not on Amazon now. The Braun blades are easier to replace and the part is available on Amazon. Norelco blades are also easy to replace and available on Amazon. I like all three shavers. For those with a light beard or with a medium beard and you shave every day I would recommend the Norelco. For those with a heavy or a three day beard I would recommend the Braun.

I really like this shaver. I had a model 825 that finally stopped working after a few years of hard service...used exclusively to shave when I was showering and cleaned under the spray of the shower head daily. AquaTec works great. I was a little worried that Norelco stopped making this model type and then found the AT830 on Amazon that is essentially the same excepting cosmetics. I changed to electric shavers when I bought the 825 and had shaved with a razor before this change. In my opinion, the Norelco is just about the same shave results as the current generation Gillette or Schick, but it is far more convenient and less expensive over time. The Norelco is easy on the skin, whisper quiet and battery life is very good...easily goes two weeks between charges without a problem. I change the cutter heads every 15 months. Cleaning is easy...pop open the cutter and run warm water through and over the mechanism. I also have a Braun 7000 series that is about 15 years old and it still gives good service. The Braun did not prompt me to change over to exclusively using an electric razor. I was good, but not so good that I was going to change from a razor and I went back to using Gillette razors for a few more years, though now I will use the Braun occasionally. If I find Norelco is sunsetting this style of shaver from their product book, I will buy another to have in storage.

The headline says it all, but feel free to keep reading. On the surface, this does seem like a decent product. Build quality's nice, it's a breeze to clean, and the battery lasts something just shy of forever. When I turn it on, it's nice and quiet, and on my FACE, it worked satisfactorily... But... From day one, this thing has never once worked right on my neck. When I first started using it, I was going over my skin several times in several directions, which irritated the skin on my neck to the point that I went to work looking like I had a nasty rash for weeks. After my skin got used to it, the rash appearance wasn't so bad, but it was still there. I compensated by giving up and just not expecting a good shave on my neck. On my face, this shaver worked well enough-- not excellent, but at least decently-- for just shy of three months. Now, though it doesn't irritate my face's skin like it does my neck, I'm discovering that the blades feel rougher and the shave quality has gone down immensely. I don't regard this to be a good purchase when what passes through my thoughts every day when I touch the razor to my face is, "Shoulda bought something else. Heck, the cheap overseas razor I bought over a year ago still works better than this. Ugh... Should I spring the $35+ for new blades? Sheesh. For that price, I may as well just give up and spring for a new cheapo from overseas." The sandpaper headline comes from the second thought I have every day. "Sixty-grit sandpaper would probably work better than this. Would probably exfoliate, too." For reference, my preference is to use the razor dry. However, I have also tried it in the shower, with and without soap, and although the pain level goes down with a little lubrication, the shave quality is still just as bad.

Never used an electric razor, blade only. Thought dry electrics to be convenient but irritating and not "date shave" capable. I had an accident and broke my shoulder 6 months ago. Fine now thank you. Bought a 4000 series wet shaver at Target. It does in fact, take 3 weeks for your skin to "get used to" it as they caution before you give their shaver the thumbs down (I still don't understand, but it's true) and wet shaving was a must for me. I was just getting happy with it when the on/off switch failed. Back to Target. Out of the 4000 series so I bought the 5000 series, which I have been using since. The difference between the 4000 and 5000 is the positioning of the heads. The 5000's heads are spaced wider and the entire head assembly pivots from the handle, advertised for faster/better around the neck and chin. Many like the 4000 better, especially around the mouth where you want to hold the head more in position. I like my 5000 series but I'm getting another back-up 4000 series and compare and contrast. To blade aficionados not forced to try electrics, KEEP YOUR BLADE AND ENJOY IT MORE, with the outstanding closeness a second pass with a blade is effortless, and the savings on blades not doing the hard work pays for the upkeep of the electric, plus whatever your time is worth each day. I also bought an 8900 (=9000 series without the cleaning system, rinse with a dash of alcohol then a spray from a can of clipper lube that will last your life and one less redundant item to clutter your bathroom counter top with). Different and more expensive heads, 4000/5000 share the same, that is supposed to shave closer, we'll see. Given that the heads are half the price of the shaver and you need to replace them every 12 months or less, I have to problem owning all three and being done with it for a few years. We'll see if the 9000 series can replace the blade for date shaves, I doubt, it but Phillips Norelco is doing a great job. Haven't tried a Braun foil but foil shavers are what were around and disappointed me as a teenager. Register the warranty and keep your receipt! Phillips will give you an extra 6 months to 2.5 years total to do it online, but you must still keep paper. This is important as the 4000's are now being made in China I don't know about the 5000's. The 8900/9000's are made in The Netherlands.

Fully meets my needs & expectations. It’s “made in the USA” as compared to cheaply made from somewhere. I go for quality & functionality. I fully recommend this brand & by the way, I also purchased spare “blades” from Amazon. You need to change the blade after approximately a year ...

Es mi primera rasuradora eléctrica y quedé encantado. Tenía mis dudas de que pudiera lograr un rasurado al ras, pero si se puede! Excelente modelo para empezar.

Buen producto buen precio mi primera razuradora intrucciones claras el tiempo de entrega fue bueno y me parece que hasta ahora todo biem