Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsOutstanding Rotary From Norelco
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020
Superb shave and shaver. A user of multiple electrics, including Panasonic's ES-LV9A-S and Braun's 9385cc foils, as well as DE (double-edged) razors, this is one of the best rotaries I've used (Norelco's 9000 Series Prestige is a worthy competitor). Historic issues with all of these, for many shavers, are that they are either too noisy, too irritating (or too dangerous), too slow, too messy, or too ineffective. The 9700 is quiet, fast, efficient, convenient and comfortable, and provides almost as close a shave as my DE razor using my artisan shaving soaps (a wet shaver), as well as a more consistent and even shave - and the new head design just seems to glide over your face and leave nothing behind. It's also orders of magnitude quieter than any foil shaver, and vibration-free.
For the first time in 50 years of shaving with almost every kind of shaving gear, I really can report no negatives with this shaver. The cleaning system is as good as Braun's (and cartridges are less expensive, non-alcohol based and last longer - reportedly 3 months vs. a month), and better than Panasonic's (which requires a separate water tank, can be smelly, and really needs distilled water). The 4 hour drying time is not an issue because I'm not going to be shaving again in 4 hours, but if you really wanted to the actual cleaning only takes ten minutes, so you could rinse and shave again after the cleaning cycle is done before drying was complete. It doesn't sanitize like Braun's alcohol cleaner, but I'm not convinced that having something generating hot alcohol vapor on your bathroom counter is a good idea - I'm not planning on sharing my shaver, and my soap isn't sanitized either. Having a cleaning station at home is very convenient because you just rinse the shaver and drop it in the station when finished shaving, and automatic electronics take care of the rest - completely silent induction drying ensures a dry shave head for the next shave. On the road, you just pop off the top plate with the shaving heads, rinse under hot water, and pop back on - finished cleaning!
The shave itself is the most comfortable I've experienced, the battery lasts forever (in my case close to two weeks of shaves without recharging), and it's the quietest electric I've ever used - orders of magnitude quieter than the Panasonics or Brauns. The beard/moustache/sideburn trimmer is not integral to the shaver, but it's far more robust and effective than the pop-up kind, and switching heads is a snap. Norelco has cleverly made this a system razor, so other snap-on attachments like the beard/hair trimmer or facial brush will work as well, without having to purchase another device or carry a separate device when traveling.
This design also lets you change out individual comb/cutter sets in the event one is damaged or you don't want to change the entire head, something not possible on most earlier Norelcos. A complete set of cutters/combs with the top plate is about the same price as Braun's or Panasonic's cartridge heads, and you get about a year of shaving with any of them with similar use. A lit indicator tells you when to change heads, but it really depends on your beard and how frequently you shave. Display is large and easy to read, and appears accurate for percentage of charge left; an electronic travel lock effectively disables all buttons for travel or storage. Another well thought-out feature is the 3-speed motor, allowing adjustment for skin sensitivity. I really haven't had to use anything over the medium speed yet, resulting in an extremely comfortable shave for my more sensitive face. It works.
Like all wet shavers, you can't use it as a corded razor, but unlike its Norelco wet predecessors, you can connect a cord to recharge it on the road, without carrying around a bulky charging base, and charging is quick (less than an hour for a full charge, or maybe five or ten minutes for one shave). And unlike the earlier Norelcos, the shaver itself (as well as the cleaning station) has an automatic cutoff so you can leave it plugged in after it charges without wrecking the battery. The included carrying case is comparable to Braun's, hard-sided, and superior to Panasonic's; none of them have room for accessories like a cord, although that's probably a good idea considering the jostling it will get in your airline baggage and the potential damage to its plastic exterior - Panasonic's case is the least protective of the lot.
This is a dry and a wet shaver, so it works either way, but I have come to prefer a wet shave as more comfortable (for me); nothing like a shaving scuttle and warm lather, a habit I got from my DE shaving days. A dry shave is a great convenience travelling though, so it's good to have both options. As a dry shaver it should be at least as effective as its SensoTouch predecessors (previously the 1200 series, now 8000), and reportedly as comfortable, but I have not personally tested those dry. The new heads for this Norelco are some of the best Norelco has made in my opinion, and are now metal-reinforced and don't require a tool for changing or cleaning heads.
It's expensive (though comparable or cheaper than the top-of-the-line Braun or newest Panasonic), but you only buy quality once - highly recommended!
