Sly Bald Guys Forum
Head Shaving, Grooming & Care => Head Shaving Product Reviews => Topic started by: Sly Red on May 10, 2009, 03:24:16 AM
-
I received my new Panasonic Arc IV Nano from Amazon.com on Thursday and used it for the first time Friday morning. Plan to use it again this morning. As I've said before, with the Panasonic shavers prep is everything. I used my standard routine (wet shave) with the ES8243. The new shaver has four blades as opposed to my old 8043 which just has three.
Total charge time was very fast. The ES8243 fully charged in about an hour. The shaver body has a nice shape and fits the hand much like my 8043, so there was not much change there. The shaving head was a bit different. I'm still getting used to keeping the maximum shaving surface against my head to shave the most hair in fewer passes.
The shaving power is incredible. You can literrally hear the ES8243 mowing down the hair as it glides across your scalp. I have to make several passes up the back of my head and I still did not get any irritation.
In my opinion the Panasonic ES8243 was a worthwhile upgrade over my 8043. After using an electric for a couple of years it's probably cost effective to replace it with a new shaver as opposed to replacing blades and foils anyway, due to cost of parts.
~$125 plus shipping from Amazon.com
-
Thanks for the review SimplyRed O0
Maybe I will upgrade mine in a few months. I am excited about this.
-
Hey, Red.
How close does it shave your head? I've noticed on mine (I got a crappy walmart 20 dollar special electric razor) that it shaves way closer than clippers, of course, but it doesn't shave it slick like your face. Maybe it's just me not being able to shave worth a crap, but I am thinking it has to do with the shaver as well. Do you feel stubble once your finished? Every now and then if my razor is dull and I'm between paychecks (time's are tough man..), I use my electric razor to buzz my head. So, I was thinking if I buy a nice razor like your Panasonic, I can shave w/ it between Mach 3 shaves.
BReady
-
Thanks for the info Red!!
-
Hey, Red.
How close does it shave your head? BReady
Bill, the Panasonics will shave your head practically as smooth as a blade. I offer this caveat, though. Use a good oil and shave cream/gel and shave wet in the shower. Rinse the blades with the foil off frequently to remove clippings and you'll get a great shave.
Red
-
I found a place on-line called PremiumStore.com that has the ES8243K (black) for $84.99. This is a factory serviced unit with a 90 day warranty (I purchased a 2 year extended warranty for $9.95). Some people are not confident in refurbished units, clearly I am not one of them, I have had a good result with purchasing factory rebuilts of just about everything including starters, etc. The unit that I bought does not have the cleaning/recharging base although the store offers these (mo' money). I have read reviews of these that say the recharging/cleaning base is unnecessary and may even border on dangerous as, apparently, the cleaning solution is flammable.
When I get mine I will review it on this thread if that's OK with Red.
-
OK, here's the deal. I got my ES8243 at about 7pm (central) and registered my warranty. Then I plugged it in. True to the description I read the shaver was fully charged in an hour.
For the first shave I used Williams Lectric Shave. I did not wash my dome prior to the shave. I turned the shaver on and got just a slight hum, much softer than my Braun. I started at the back of the skull and went against the grain. This was the easiest shave I have had with an electric. There was no pulling or tugging, I never had to force the shaver, it seemed to glide over my dome. I did the sides and top in that order. I never used to get a good result on top of my head with the Braun, there was always stubble left behind. When I ran my hands over my head after the shave my dome was damn near as smooth as shaving with a blade. There was no irritation, either.
I have to say that I started off my sly life as a blade man. I only used an electric as a fill-in, or when I was in a hurry. I believe that I am a changed man. I can see using the 8243 as my main shaving tool from now on.
Clean up was a breeze, a cup of lukewarm water with a little shot of Dawn Anti-bacterial dish soap mixed in. Hold down the "on" button for about 2 seconds and the shaver kicks into turbo mode for about 20 seconds. I submerged the shaver head in the solution and at the end of the turbo cleaning cycle the shaver shut itself off. A cool water rinse of the blades and guard and a surface dry with some terrycloth and I was done.
Next time I will try it with lather just to see the difference.
Good call, Red. This shaver is definitely THE BOMB!
-
I really appreciate the double review.
Have a feeling I too might use this method at least some of the time.
Added it to my Amazon wish list.
Now I just gotta save my pennies.
Have a good day my friends,
Eric
(Day 3 haven't shaved it yet, but I will, promise.)
-
OK, today I used the 8243 in the shower with HB Head Slick. This shaver has made a believer out of me. I felt like I definitely got as smooth a shave as I ever did with a blade but, just to be sure I had my wife run her hands over my head and critique my result. Her response:
"It's as smooth as a baby's tooshie!"
What more needs to be said?
-
OK, today I used the 8243 in the shower with HB Head Slick. This shaver has made a believer out of me. I felt like I definitely got as smooth a shave as I ever did with a blade but, just to be sure I had my wife run her hands over my head and critique my result. Her response:
"It's as smooth as a baby's tooshie!"
What more needs to be said?
I am one SICK puppy!
I just ordered this with Monday delivery from Amazon!
I am going to need a second "medicine cabinet" in my bathroom just for my head shaving materials!
You guys are what we call enablers!
Be well my friends,
Eric
-
I'm thinking of trying something like this if I continue to have skin problems. It may be kinder to my scalp than the blade. I'd still want to use the blade on the fringe area; though. I'm not sure I want to spend $125 for something to shave the 25 hairs that I still have left on top.
-
You guys are what we call enablers!
Be well my friends,
Eric
We do what we can.
-
Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m a newSLY here and maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about but if your goal is a dome without the slightest trace of stubble, the Panasonic ES8243 needs to be your weapon of mass destruction!! I’ve used it on my dome for 3 days, my face for 1 month and it puts all other razors and shavers out to pasture. If I was the CEO of Norelco, Braun or Remington, I’d be VERY concerned about the mortality of my company. I’ve got most of my head hair and it’s still thick as well as very tough, wirery, fast-growing facial hair but the Panasonic is over-engineered for such a lowly, Neanderthal challenge. Reach out and touch that glowing thing in front of you where you are reading these words and move your hand from side to side. The sensation you’re feeling is exactly how your dome will feel once you use the ES8243. It’s that awesome!
I’m nowhere near a physicist and for reasons I can’t comprehend, shaving in the shower really prepares the vermin-stubble for complete and total annihilation. My best guess is that it’s got something to do with the steam but I’m not quite sure what that is. In fairness to the Headblade and other disposable, cartridge-type razors , I’m a new SLYguy here so my experience shaving my head with a manual razor doesn’t even make it into novice territory. My first few attempts with the Headblade were successful but they did leave my scalp irritated, flakey and I ended up with what I’d call, dome-zits. So far, the Panasonic ES8243 has far out performed any manual razor that I’ve used and it left no irritation or zits.
The following routine is what I use order to achieve my “monitor dome” and if you comply, you’re sure to end up with the same results as this SLY.
During your regular shower routine massage some hot water on your scalp once or twice for a few seconds.
Towards the end of your shower regimen apply 10 drops of “Shave Secret” shave oil (you can get this at Wal-Mart for 4 bucks) into your scalp. This should take about 8 seconds
Rub a conservative amount of Headblade Headslick on to your dome. This should take about 7 seconds and when you do this, you’re really going to feel the stubble rear its ugly head.
Fire up the Panasonic and applying minimal pressure, mow the vermin stubble against the grain like a drunken landscaper that slipped nitric oxide into his Toro “Z Master- 74915”.
This process will take about 5 minutes and during the vermin eradication -
The Panasonic will easily destroy whatever stubble you had and you will hear it do so.
Use your fingers to feel for any missed areas and go over them. The missed sections of stubble will feel like sharks tooth while the acceptable areas will feel like a squeegee testing ground.
Once satisfied, towel off and apply a healthy dose of Headlube. Do this while the steam is still present in your bathroom.
Prepare yourself for a day full of victory!
-Owen
-
Owen, welcome to the Panasonic Posse. There are but a few of us, but we understand the great cosmic powers of the Panasonic Linear system.
I'm making you a co-Guru! O0
Red
-
Now that's a review!!! Nice job Owen!
-
Owen, welcome to the Panasonic Posse. There are but a few of us, but we understand the great cosmic powers of the Panasonic Linear system.
I'm making you a co-Guru! O0
Red
The Panasonic is the way for this SLY! Can't say enough about it. O0
-Owen
-
I've been using the Panasonic twice a day for over six months and it has totally exceeded expectation!! About 10 days ago however, the razor started to migrate south and it seems like there's no way to turn back the call of the wild. The LCD display is beyond FUBAR as it's continually in "((()))" mode, directs me to change the blades as well as clean it. The charge level indicator clearly displays signs of neurosis as it can’t decide if it needs a charge or it doesn’t. The time used/remaining shows something similar to 8'88 but the so-called digits constantly change and look more like markings you’d expect to find on the side of an alien spacecraft and not like actual numerals at all – useless at best. When the Shaver runs it seems to be cranking at full throttle; somewhere between regular and clean speed. I've tried to reset the shaver by holding down the power button for over a minute and that has helped but, only minimally.
I've never dropped the razor so I can't explain why it seems to be on its way out. I contacted Panasonic and finally sent the shaver back for replacement two days ago. I’ve been assured that a new razor will arrive back at my place within 14 days and to be honest with you, the customer 800-line was very helpful and apologetic! In the interim, I’ve been using the Headblade but as my melon is still blessed with considerable thick turf, the razor dulls very quickly and doesn’t yield results anywhere near as close as the Panasonic. With regret, I’ve decided to forego sly until a replacement Panasonic arrives. I hate to say it but any day now, I’m going to be in the market for a comb!
-Owen
PS I'll file a follow-up report once I hear from the Panasonic center in Texas.
-
Thanks for the reviews.
-
So...Wet/Dry. Can you use it in the shower?
-
So...Wet/Dry. Can you use it in the shower?
Yes, you definitely can. You can also rinse the blades in hot soapy water.
-
I've owned electric razors before. Two years ago, when I only shaved my head in the summer months, I had an electric razor. I had it for about six months. I used the electric razor for my face and a blade for my head. What turned me off of electric razors is because of the cutter and screen needing replaced. So I went to Wal-Mart and they had them in stock, but they cost almost as much as a new razor. They do work great, I have to agree. The only thing that turned me off of electric razors was the fact the replacement parts cost nearly as much as a new one.
-
PS I'll file a follow-up report once I hear from the Panasonic center in Texas.
It’s taken about 3 weeks for me to receive word from the Panasonic Warranty Center in Texas. This time frame is a week outside the 14 day response time I was previously quoted. That’s not too shabby in today’s world but the frustrated professor in me is inclined to grade response time with a C minus. Several weeks ago I was told by the 800 service rep that I would be sent a “NEW” Panasonic shaver in exchange for the broken one I returned that was still under warranty. I was a little disappointed to discover that the shaver I received today has been “factory reconditioned” <Begin Procedure - Groan, roll eyes back and ponder reliability issues – End Procedure>. Aside from the $14 postage and insurance cost incurred returning the razor back to Texas, the reconditioned razor arrived at my place free of charge. I believe that the reconditioned razor is only warranted for the balance of the initial warranty but, the new razor looks and functions as new!
Sidebar…
In the past 3 weeks I’ve become fairly adept using the Headblade, the Mach3 and fighting off the siren-song of orphaned manual razors at Walmart in the hopes of finding a Panasonic-close shave. The best results were attained with the Mach3 but unfortunately, the razor lasted three days at most and the cartridges are costly!! It takes a lot of money to look this cheap?? LOL I read a review posted by another SLY about the Kmart Torque razor and decided to give that a try so, I gassed up the Wrangler and schlepped northward. As luck would have it, the razor was completely out of stock at my so-called “local” Kmart – is the razor that good???!! The next nearest Kmart would put me a little too close to the Canadian border and as I was fresh out of Loonies and Toonies and more than just a little tired, I decided to end my quest for the torque there and then.
So, what’s the good news? Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the reconditioned Panasonic razor produces fantastic results and I am once again, totally SLY!!
-Owen
-
To anybody that may see this, it's Friday October 8th at 9:00pm. This razor has just been put up as a "fill in" deal of the day on Amazon.com for $87.99. Don't know how long they'll last...
-
Hey guys, I came across this post and this shaver sounds perfect.....but then I came across this one. The ES-LA93.
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-ES-LA93-K-Mens-Shaver/dp/B002N5MHLK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310460891&sr=8-1
However, the head on this one looks quite large, but the 14000 rpm attracts me as I'm looking to get my head as close as possible as if using a blade
If anyone has tried this razor, or maybe both, any feedback would be great, I can't decide
-
Now i also came across this one that looks pretty good, The ES8249S.
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-ES8249S-Nanotech-Vortex-Rechargeable/dp/B0021AG0Z6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1310490113&sr=8-6
-
now this one, I'm really confused now haha.
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-ES8228S-Linear-Vortex-Shaving/dp/B00176V2SK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310496515&sr=8-1
I'm thinking i should just got with the original post for the es8243a, i think the head might be too big for my liking on the other ones