Customer Reviews

Panasonic ES7056S Vortex Triple Head HydraClean Men's Shaver

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I've been looking for an electric shaver for a while, since my old Norelco was dropped and was exploded. I enjoyed using an electric for my cheeks and mustache and chin, but anywhere below the neckline just got destroyed by the Norelco. I'm not sure who came up with the concept of using three discs to cut hair from your face, but they should be beaten. My neck would turn red, get rashes, and the hair would not have been cut at all. So, Norelcos are out. I wanted a wet/dry shaver, so I discounted the Braun models (which are expensive and according to a friend less-than-ideal as a shaver), and I began looking. This Panasonic caught my eye, but there were dozens of models with basically the same technology and features, with random price fluctuations. It breaks down like this:

The ES8078S is basically this model with a new "Linear" motor. There is basically no difference in performance, but the new motor makes this one cost 30 bucks more.

the ES8077S is as the above one, but is a Gold color. Also 110 bucks as of this review, and both of these come with the Vortex cleaning stand.

And on and on and on.... there are dozens of these little choices, with tiny differences and random price changes and so forth. Its this way with Norelco, too, but it's annoying and looking for a new razor was a big pain. Hopefully this review will help if you're in the same boat.

I decided to go with this one. It went on sale the other weekend for 49.99 - 70% off! - and I couldn't wait any longer. I got it the other day and I couldn't be happier with it.

The shaver works great. That's the main thing I care about - My first shave, my second and my third are all perfect, razor close with NO IRRITATION! It says that normally your face needs 30 days to adjust from a blade, but the only thing my face needed to adjust to was the lack of razor burn and nicks. I've been using a Mach 3 and a Quattro, but this is just as smooth. My neck is perfect, too - the head doesn't irritate my skin and it's been noticeably better since I started using the Panasonic. I used it dry the first two days and then tried a wet shave out of the shower for the third, and the wet shave was great! I wasn't expecting an electric to perform this well, but I treated it just like a blade and the results are the same. The wet shave was (BARELY) closer, but only marginally, and I've been happy with the results. It's as quiet as an electric as I've ever used, and while certainly not silent, it's quiet enough to not wake roommates who are still sleeping, which is all I need in terms of volume.

As to other features...
The Vortex cleaning stand works very well. It is a little noisy for the first 15 minutes, but no more than a dryer or television in the background. The cleaning cartridges work for six months and I've only used the cleaning setting once for three shaves, so this seems like it'll last well, especially since a 3 pack of cartridges for the cleaning solution is only 10 bucks here. Also, you can use just soap and water to clean the shaver and it works just as well if you don't want to pony up the dough, but seeing as how I used to drop 10 dollars every four weeks for new blade cartridges, paying those 10 every 1.5 years seems like a deal. It also has settings for just drying, just cleaning, cleaning and drying, charging, charging and cleaning, charging cleaning and drying... whatever you need, this can accommodate your needs, and it looks pretty good, too. Not too stainless-steel-black-marble-countertop in looks, and not too soft, either. The black stand and this blue/silver/black shaver look great, and more importantly, feel good in your hand. It's very well made, heavy enough to feel solid and waterproof. You can take it in the shower with no worries.
These may seem like little things, but all the intagibles are here - noise, feel, look, etc. - and that really matters when you get a shaver you want to keep around for a few years.

If you're looking for a great electric at a bargain price (at 80, this is on the low end, price wise [Norelco's top of the line is 200, Braun is about 140, and even Panasonic's other models can reach mid 150s], but performs beautifully. Buy this and you won't be sorry!

I've used Panasonic Wet/Dry shavers for about ten years now, and wanted to upgrade from my 2003 "LINEAR" model to the new generation of shavers. Both Panasonic and Braun have really been pushing their versions of HydraClean systems, so I went with Panasonic's ES7056S, as it is submersable. After 45 days of daily use, I can report that the RPM's generated by the unit are painfully slow, making for long shaving sessions. The sideburn trimmer is clumsily located on the back side of the shaver, is only about an inch wide, and is flimsy. The HydraClean self-cleaning cradle is more or less a gimmick; you can get equal cleaning results by immersing the unit in plain soap and water for a few seconds. The HydraClean system requires the consumer to purchase additional cleaning pods over time~ helping Panasonic's bottom line, but wasting the consumer's time and money. When considering an electric razor, forget about all of the gimmicks~ look at how many RPM's the shaver produces. The higher the number, the faster the shave. This one is s-l-o-w.

First let me say that this razor gives me a good shave, which is its primary purpose, so that's good. I am a caucasian with a medium-heavy beard, and I get a generally close shave from the Panasonic. No electric razor is ever going to shave quite as close as a blade because of the simple fact that there is a screen between the blade and your face, but this one does a nice job. I have to go over some spots on my neck a couple of times, but I have to go a couple of different directions with a blade, too. (BTW, I use an electric because my neck breaks out a bit when I shave with a blade.)
The reason that I'm giving four stars instead of five is that I think the Braun is a better product overall. Here are some comparison points:
- The Panasonic is a little quieter
- The Panasonic can be used wet
- The Braun head pivots the right way, so the head stays at the right angle to your face as you move the razor up and down (which is the way most men shave). The Panasonic head rocks side-to-side, which doesn't make any sense to me. I don't see any benefit from that.
- The Braun's pop-up trimmer works better. I don't know what the problem is, but trimming my sideburns with the Panasonic trimmer is painful and frustrating, while the Braun is quick and clean.
- My experience is that the Braun can run longer before recharging.
- The two cleaning systems are basically equivalent. The Braun solution has a stronger smell that my wife doesn't care for.
- I was surprised to find that I actually prefer the way the Braun feels in my hand. Somehow it's more comfortable, even though the Panasonic is shapelier and looks like it should feel better. Maybe I'm holding it wrong.
And one more big plus for the Panasonic: it's cheaper!
So the summary is that this is a nice razor that works well for me, but the Braun just happens to work a little better.

I finally received this shaver for my husband. He is very impressed after just a few shaves. It gives him a very close shave and lets him tidy up around the edges. He loves that you can charge and clean it in the base, or charge it without the base using just the cord adapter when traveling. The refills are affordable and do a great job cleaning and keeping the blades in top form. I haven't found anywhere else to buy them other than here, but I don't mind and I'll keep looking, too.

I was pretty skeptical about this shaver. I've had them all Norelco triple headers, the Braun with the cleaning system and all of them didn't seem to do it for me. That said, I HATE shaving with shaving cream and a razor.

I struggled through the last couple of years with a Norelco triple header. I kind of felt like a caveman - never a very close shave. For those hairs on the neck that lay down, forget it.

Anyhow, I bought one of these and was really shocked and amazed. I shaved with a razor to compare and this is as close to the razor as I can get. On top of that, it is a treat to take this shaver in the shower and shave with gel and then wash the whole thing out.

Why did I wait so long to try this?

Edit - 30 days later:

Still feel the same about this shaver. This is simply the closest shave I have gotten from an electric shaver. The shave compares to a a good shave with a razor. Highly recommended product.

Look no further, because this is the one. I've researched tons of different shavers, not to mention thrown away tons of money doing it!

But having owned this shaver for a few months now I can happily report that is the best shaver I've ever owned, bar none. It's attractive, solidly built, and in my opinion a steal at eighty bucks. The competitors are more expensive and most can't even be used in the wet/dry setting.

I really can't think of much to fault with this shaver. I will hold on to it until it literally falls apart.

I ha had trouble with the razor cutting my neck/throat hair. It says to stretch the skin but it still does not get all the hair. The Cleaning is good and handy and yes the arm wiggles loose. I will have to stick with my bladed razor.

I've tried every Gillette and Schick razor that has ever been invented in my search for a close and comfortable shave and never thought I'd find an electric that would do the trick. I have super-sensitive skin (neck area especially!) and always got razor burn from those regular razors so about two years ago, I took a chance on the top of the line Norelco at the time(James Bond shaver). It worked o.k. but did not do well on certain areas of my face (mustache and neck) even when making several passes so I had to go over those areas again with a regular razor (defeating the purpose of trying to save shaving time and get rid of the razor burn). Anyway, I was shopping for X-Mas gifts online about a week ago when I saw this shaver and the positive reviews written about it. At the time, it was listed for $49.99 (what a deal) so I went for it with the thinking that I could always sell it for what I paid if it didn't work. Well the gamble paid off big time because this shaver blows away the Norelco and plows through the hairs that were left behind. I never thought I would say this but I actually look forward to shaving now- no cuts, irritation or razor burn period! At time of this review, this shaver is selling for $89.99 and is still the best deal out there. Do yourself a favor and buy this thing before Amazon realizes how good it is and raises the price again!

Excellent Shaver at a great price. I will never use a rotory shaver again! This panasonic shaver does a fantastic job on flat surfaces such as the cheek and the upper lip AND seems to hold it's own on the more curved surfaces of the face. I use the shaver wet with a little shaving gel and it seems to produce better results that way.

Pros:
Exceptionally close and comfortable shave
Works best wet with a little shave gel
cleaner base works well and leaves the shaver fresh and clean
Shaves the upper lip very well (which is always a problem with rotory shavers)

Cons:
Both shaving and cleaning can be relatively noisy
Has occasional difficulty with longer hairs (as do most electric shavers)

Overall, I'm very happy with this panasonic shaver. After reading a TON of reviews and refusing to pay the outrageous price that some companies are charging, I decided on this Vortex shaver. I also considered the linear drive model, but at the time the price difference didn't seem justifiable.

3 month update: I've been using this shaver pretty much every day for the past 3 months and am still impressed with the results. For my daily shave I use a non foaming shave cream which seems to give the best shave with the least discomfort. The cleaning base seems to also do a very good job. I generally use it every third day or so to extend the life of the solution. I'm guessing you can get the shaver just as clean manually, but it's really convenient to just set the thing up and let it run while I'm heading out the door! Overall, I'm very happy with this shaver and highly recommend it.

The shaver is great and the cleaning system really works, EXCEPT for the fact that the vibrations cause the hold down arm to work loose. Sometimes it separates while the shaver is on and it runs totally down, other times it separates while still cleaning and the shaver sits in the fluid. I finally got a large rubber band that I put under the base and around the hold down arm during the cleaning and it is working fine now. I would give the product a 5 star rating otherwise.