Panasonic Linear ES 8092NC Electric Shaver

Ask any male that shaves daily, "what would you pay for the perfect shave"? The most common answers are 'a lot', 'anything', and 'just tell me how much,I'll pay it'.

Shaving is basically a primitive act; an all out assault on ones face. With a blade, you're removing a thin layer of skin every time you shave. That doesn't even consider the nicks, cuts, and other abraisions. With many electrics, ones faces burns, turns red, skin becomes rough, and of course a few nicks. No one I've ever met looks forward to a shave, and for very good reasons.

I think the pursuit of the perfect shave may be elusive, but the good news is, the Panasonic linear ES 8092NC is knocking right at the door of near perfection. I actually purchased the ES 8095NC, and can't find any differences between the features of the two models, so I will assume there are only cosmetic differences, hence a new number.

The shaving head is unique, in that it is angled at 30 degrees, to really put the blades at an angle to cut. This really does make a difference in that ones face is in perfect contact with the cutting surface of the razor. Now why did it take so long for a company to figure that out?

The head on this shaver moves in every direction, and the blades also move independently. There is also a control lever on the side for very soft movement, less movement, and to lock the head in place. The head always remains at a constant 30 degree angle, regardless of the position of the softness lever. Your beard type and shaving method (wet/dry) will determine which setting is best.

The Linear motor is amazing. It is much, much more powerful than any competitor. The average electric runs at less than 5000 rpm. The Panasonic runs at 13000 rpm, and the motor does not slow down at all in the heaviest beard harvest. Not only is the motor powerful, but it is smooth, with very little vibration. The noise level is less than most electrics, with a higher pitch. This linear motor is unrivaled in terms of speed and power. There's just nothing else like it on the market.

Now, although the razor is very fast, very powerful, and very smooth running, how is the shave experience? To answer that broadly, it is just fantastic. But, that does depend on your preferences, and there is no shortage of shaving options with this razor.

Your first decision is; wet or dry? This unit is completely sealed and water tight, so you can shave in the shower with or without shaving cream, at the sink with shaving cream, or dry. Each will depend on your personal taste, skin type, and beard growth.

For wet shaving, I find you have to use shaving cream, or the foil doesn't glide freely enough, at least for me. But the shave is literally as close as a blade, and your skin remains moist and supple, with few if any cuts or nicks. You will have to go over the same areas a few times, a usual complaint about electrics, but there is one big difference here. The razor is powerful, quick, and glides, so your face receives no burn or cuts. It is really a new experience.

Dry shaving is probably better for me. I find my skin is so sensitive that it can't be too wet, or I get a few nicks, even with this razor. But I do like the wet shaving too because my skin overall remains so soft. It's a tough choice each morning!

Dry shaving should never be dry, use a pre electric lotion to lubricate your skin and make the beard stand up. I have a very course beard, sensitive skin, and the hairs grow every which way. I like Williams ultra; it's a lotion. The Panasonic linear just glides and cuts like no other razor ever could. Incidentally, most people think I shave with a blade because my shave is so close.

The charger is induction, meaning you just set it in this small stand, and it charges through the bottom of the unit. Very easy. Depending on your use, you will get quite a number of shaves on a single charge. If you travel, you probably don't need to bring the charger for trips lasting a week or less. But the charger is small and light that traveling with it is not a problem. The unit comes also with a soft travel pouch.

The head and foil should be replaced as needed, but probably at least yearly. The foils edges do dull with use, and so do the blades. This is true of all electrics. This will probably cost about 50 dollars or so, but, that's the price of perfection.

Cleaning this unit is a dream! Add a drop of regular liquid soap, any kind, hold it under the sink pressing down the power button, and the motor revs from 13000 to 17000 rpm for 20 seconds. The unit is always fresh and clean. No hassle, no fuss, and no special cleaners to buy.

This unit is as close as a blade, really truly. With so many options; wet or dry, shaving head softness, I cannot imagine any scenario where one wouldn't find this as close to the perfect shave as one can possibly get.

Throw away those caveman blades, and come into the modern world. Before this, I was a die hard Braun fan. So long Braun, there's a new shaver in town. Panasonic linear is today's shaving leader.

UPDATE 10/15/2004

I recently had to have this unit serviced because it would not hold a charge. As soon as it got wet, the unit completely drained of all power. I don't know if this is a recurring problem, but Panasonic stood by the product, and repaired it. It appears as if the unit was actually replaced rather than repaired, but it is hard to tell exactly what was done. None the less, the unit is back, and working great. I have found, for me, the best method is wetting my face (not in the shower), and shaving with a thin coat of shaving cream or gel, just to make the beard stand up, and lubricate the skin. I can't over emphasize the importance of both lubricating the skin and having the beard stand up as the keys to a great shave. I still love this product, and would not consider shaving with anything else.

Update January 22, 2005

Sorry to report my unit has once again broken down. It's the same issue where it does not charge. I suspect that this unit is a lemon. Otherwise, it's a poorly designed product that does not pass the durability test, especially as a wet shaver. I am going to send this back to Panasonic one more time, but I have reached the end of my patience. A quality product does not fail twice in one year. I'll update this again with a final conclusion.

May 2005:

The unit was again repaired, but is not the same. This unit does not perform as it once did, so I'm not satisfied with it anymore. I'm going to try to mail it back to HQ with a strong letter of dissatisfaction, because I won't use it as is. It sounds as if my experience is not typical, but please read other reviews for long term reports on durability.