Customer Reviews

Philips Norelco 7240XL Cord/Cordless Rechargeable Shaver

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

For background information, I have used Norelco rotary razors for the past thirty years, my last was an 850RX. Have used the 7240XL for two weeks. Did hours of web research before buying.

Positives:

1. Shaving: Very smooth, fast, close. No razor burn. Blades conform easily to my angular features without needing to stretch skin. Note: for best results do not press against skin. A lighter touch works better. Shaves two day old beard as easily as one day old. Shaved longer hairs on neck without pulling. Trimmer is equally effective.

2. So quiet I though it was defective, until I used it to shave.

3. Easy to clean with tap water or brush. Stands upright on counter without need of a base.

4. Shape provides a good grip regardless of how it is held.

Negatives:

1. Shape may take some getting used to, but personally has not been a problem. (See "4" above)

Summary: As the title says, the 7240XL exceeded my expectation

This shaver can do a job almost same as the razor blade. At the area around mouth, it does a great job, if you let it go through a few times, also stretch the skin little bit, it does a clean cut as good as razor blade.

At the area near the ears, it does not work as well as razor blade. So do not toss out the razor blade yet.

It does a very close shave like razor in most part of the face, compared to other electrical shaving systems I have.

This razor is a good value. I tried Norelcos' more expensive model with more cutting blades, but didn't like it and returned it (to Norelco, not Amazon). One of my peeves on some models is tripping the on/off button because of it's placement. This model is better that way because you can hold it many different ways. My favorite is still the top of line black Spectra, which charges super fast and has an incredible battery life (132 minutes on my display). This razor uses the same cutters as my Spectra, which was one of the reasons I got it.

I bought this to replace an aging (10 years old) Norelco that had trouble holding a charge. It is true that this model is easy to clean; cuts well and is a little unusual feeling in the hand. But as far as I'm concerned the compliments end there.

Maybe mine is defective but this shaver has the shortest charge capacity of any shavers I've known. After one or two shaves it needs to be recharged which takes a couple of hours. So, for 15 minutes of shaving you need a 2 hour recharge? This is no deal. In fact, this is no good.

It seems many have not had this problem or so I've not seen it in their reviews. But if this is the new "face" of Norelco; I think I'll take my face somewhere else.

I'd been using a Norelco 5863 XL for years before this. When it finally kicked the bucket following an unfortunate water-immersion incident, I figured I'd go for its direct successor. Bad move. Norelco's manufacturing standards appear to have dropped precipitously over the last decade.

Here's what's wrong with this shaver:

1. It just doesn't shave as closely as its predecessor. Additionally, the springs on the floating heads seem to be a bit stiffer, or else the heads just don't fit together as well - the point is, instead of smoothly gliding from one position to another, the heads are noticeably popping into position as you shave. It's disconcerting.

2. The trimmer is just godawful. It's now spring-loaded, which is as convenient to open as the old one with a manual level, but comes with a really severe drawback - you can only use the trimmer by pulling down across your face, not by pushing up. If you try to push, the trimmer will just close, since you can no longer hold it open by holding you thumb on the level. I don't know about anyone else, but pulling is completely useless for me, thus making the trimmer useless as well.

3. The water-cleanable feature is a half-truth. Yes, you can rinse it out after use, but it still recommends you take it apart and clean with a brush once a month - exactly as frequently as the old non-water-cleanable model.

4. It feels like light cheap plastic [...] in your hand.

5. Sure the pictures on Amazon look ugly... but they really don't do it justice. This could very well be Darth Vader's shaver. If you've got a techno-dystopian theme going in your consumer electronics, then go for it... otherwise, you may want to reconsider.

Mine is currently en route to Norelco's returns facility (at my own expense, naturally), after which I will wait 6-8 weeks and hopefully get a refund. Sorry, but Amazon's staff recommendation of this shaver is just not warranted.

Starting out in '50's with a Remington and into '60's with the blade, I continued with blade until I received the 7240XL. My hand had started to shake and I was using lots of styptic stick so decided to try an electric. I found the 7240XL on line and read at the time 19 reviews which convinced me to give it a try. I cannot say enough good things about this shaver. The shave I get now is equal to or better than the blades and no styptic. I have found that the less pressure I apply the better the shave. The first few days were difficult for my neck but once I reduced the pressure on the shaver I have not had an issue. It holds a charge for about 10 days and is very quiet. Rinsing under the faucet is a real plus. I highly recommend this shaver. I wish I had tried it sooner.

The shaver came with an instruction booklet--which I needed after 60+ years of soap and blade shaving--and the booklet suggested trying the razor for a week or two before deciding whether or not to keep the "shaving system". After ten days of using it, I decided to keep it, and now, after a month, I'm glad I did. The quality of shave is getting better and better, and apparently both my beard and I needed some training. It is easy to clean, and I'm getting three or more shaves out of each recharge of the batteries. The booklet suggests a removal and cleaning of the whirling cutters every month, and while the print in the booklet is big enough, the drawing showing the removal and replacement of the cutters is too small for me to interpret--a call to Norelco assured me they'd send a larger illustration--not yet received. Other than that--I like it a lot.

This is my 5th or 6th Norelco razor and while I like the way it shaves, I only gave it 3 Stars because it runs slower than all my others and takes a very long time to charge. Without another one like it, I almost believe mine has a charging problem which makes it run slower. It does give a close and smooth shave.

At first glance, this little gizmo resembles something from the plant Zrylon-5. I have only used it once so far, but it provides an incredibly gentle shave to the point where you barely know it's there. The tap-rinse feature is great, and I did not expect to find a trimmer too (not advertised). The only possible minor quirk is that it took me an extra minute or so to shave my neck, but the machine again was gentle. Overall, my first shave was as close as any I've ever had...really.

I was hesitant to buy this razor to replace my 20 year old Norelco Triple Header, but after charging it up and using it, all my reservations were gone.

This razor shaves nice and close and is extremely quiet versus my old razor (it sounds so quiet, I think once in a while the charge is going down, but it's not!). The ability to rinse it out with water to clean it is a nice feature not to mention I think it is light weight and easy to hold. If you can get past the unusual looks, you'll like the feel and quality of this razor and it stays charged for a long time.

The ultimate test? I'd buy it again in a heartbeat!