Customer Reviews

Philips Norelco 8140XL SpeedXL Men's Shaver

5 star:		(190)
4 star:		(114)
3 star:		(39)
2 star:		(30)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

Those new XL shaving heads make a huge difference. The additional blades they added change the whole feel of the shave for the better. The shave is a more friendly shave. The heads almost feel soft against your face as you're shaving. For years I have used Afta pre-electric shave to cut down on irritation but I find with this razor it's no longer needed. It is very quiet and I must agree with another reviewer that it sounds like it's on low power. It's not. I thought that the new heads would shorten the amount of time I needed to shave but that wasn't true. It took just as long. Go figure. I would have given this razor 5 stars except after I got it I realized that it does not have a low battery indicator. That was an unwelcome surprise. The 8150XL or 8151XL does.
ADDITIONAL REVIEW AFTER TWO MONTHS OF USE: Other razors wind down slowly when running out of juice. Not this one, it goes from full speed ahead to dead in three seconds. When it does that, turn it off and then back on. It seems to have another 30 seconds of shaving when you do that. I don't know if this was an accidental or intentional design but that little trick is not in the manual.

I researched and researched and then I researched some more and eventually selected the 8140. While I do like the unit, it does not shave as close as a blade. It is quicker then shaving with a blade, easier, there's no mess, etc. The unit is also exceptionally quiet compared to other electric razors I've used in the past. It's lighter then I would have expected. The new head design is also more advanced then Norelco's I've used in the past and it does a better job in tough spots like your chin. I have no intentions of returning the unit and I will continue to use it happily, but it does not shave as close as a blade. The good thing is that when you come home from work with that 5-o'clock shadow, you can spend less then 60 seconds running it over your face to get a quick clean up. Lastly, it's a nice looking shaver and having the ability to clean it under the tap is great. I do recommend this product.

UPDATE JANUARY 2009 - I've been using this razor at least 5 times per week since originally posting this write up. A charge still lasts a good two weeks. I've replaced the blades once. I'm still very happy with this unit.

So the 1980's gave us lift & cut. The 90's gave us Norelco's Reflex and Quadra systems. Now finally, for the first time in its 70+ years as the leading maker of rotary shavers, Norelco gives us a system that covers more area, with more speed and comfort than ever before. It doesn't just promise a faster, closer shave, it delivers.

I can't speak for all guys, but let me try to break-down the electric / blade dilemma. Blades are closer, but cause irritation. So most blade users tend to skip a day to avoid that. Furthermore, you get a closer shave with a blade if you let the stubble grow a bit, so skipping a day is a common practice. But blade shaving gives guys far more options in terms of products to choose from, both for shavers and shaving conditioners and gels. Simply put, if you want a close shave and the ability to control all aspects of shaving, and see what you're cutting, the blade is the best way to go.

Then there's electric. An idea hatched from the 1930's, and later re-marketed in the late 1950's space age / cold war era that told us that blade shaving was a thing of the past. Electric shaving promised to be as close as a blade for decades, but never delivered. But over the years it has delivered its promise of a safer, faster, and less irritating shave. For guys who don't like shaving around the sensitive lips and nose areas, electric has its advantages.

All electric shavers fail to cut the longer neck hairs effectively, including the new Norelco XL series. But the XL is still a major breakthrough. Simply put, it has switched me back to electric after 6 years of using blades. The new rotors have three rows of blades, and an innovative mix of slots and holes for stubble, making-use of dead space that was Norelco's weakness since their beginning. The XL has the inward tilt mechanism introduced with the Reflex system. And it has the late 80's lift-and-cut technology, which doesn't work exactly as advertised, but it does shave flat areas of the face as close as a blade (the cheek and upper lip areas do get the closest cut).

The XL series is easy to clean under hot water, another development from the Quadra series, which is even better and more effective here.

The XL gives me the closest electric shave I've ever had. And I can use it daily for a consistent smooth look without irritation. Add the recent development of products like Anthony for Men's alcohol-based pre-shave solution, and electric shaving suddenly has advantages worth making the switch. I liked the XL so much, I got the 9160XL for home, and the less-expensive 8140XL for my office. The 2 shavers are the same, except for the smart touch pivoting feature, which is not a big bonus in my opinion. The pivoting feature makes it possible to shave the neck and chin faster, but the results for both shavers is exactly the same, meaning that some neck hairs are going to be missed, making it necessary to use a blade to do some quick cleanup. Electric is far from perfect, but this is the closest and most comfortable electric yet. I'm sticking with it.

And since the XL is Norelco's top of the line model, it is still made in Holland. All other Norelco's are made in China. it won't be long before the XL is made in China as Norelco develops it's next breakthrough. But the XL is the big breakthrough as far as I'm concerned. I'm hooked. And I'm a total shaving geek now.

On the plus side, like most mid-line Norelco shavers, it delivers a decent shave, is fairly quiet, and deals with longer hairs fairly well. I've been a loyal Norelco rotary fan for close to 20 years.

Times have changed since Philips bought Norelco. The early Norelcos were the best shavers I could find and lasted a long time. The last several Norelco shavers I've bought, however, have either gone dull and/or the batteries have grown week within a year of buying them. I honestly believe Philips/Norelco is doing this on purpose to sell more expensive replacement blades and shavers? The sad thing is you buy a $70 shaver and the replacement blades run about $40. And, in my experience, the batteries (which cannot be replaced) die before the second set of blades wear out. So you're out $110 in about 18 months and have to buy a new shaver.

Fed up spending a small fortune these last several years on Norelco products that just don't last I tried the latest Braun "360 Complete" shaver and so far am very pleased. To my surprise it shaves MUCH closer than my 8140XL and with less irritation. I don't know how long it will last, but based on the quality of the shave, and their short life, I'm done with Norelco.

I recently purchased this item after 4-5 years with my previous Norelco - in fact, I've never used any other brand of electric shaver. The differences are remarkable: 1. It is so much quieter than my previous shaver that it just doesn't seem to be working very hard. 2. Its design allows much closer contact with the skin than my previous shaver. 3. The fact that it can be cleaned after every use with running water from the faucet is its greatest feature for me. In summary, I am absolutely delighted with this shaver and have nothing but praise to give to its designers. Thanks, Norelco!

I don't leave many reviews here, but I had to write a quick "Thumbs Up" for this razor. It's the closest shave I've had with an electric razor so far. It's my first rotary. My previous razor's were Panasonic's and Braun foil razors. Two of those were more expensive than this one. I've always touched up with a twin blade razor... UNTIL NOW. Also, I shave my head. Not only is this great on my neck and beard, it even get my head including the tricky spots near the ears. Cleanup is quick and easy and I don't have to shell out $5 a bottle for some solution. I never had any razor burn and didn't need to give it a few weeks to adjust the manual suggested was common. The shave was close and comfortable from day 1. It's very quiet, which initially caused me to think it was underpowered. It's got a 60 day return policy - give it a whirl.

The New Speed XL systems work ok but remember, this is very subjective as faces differ. I've tested several of the Speed Xl series and found them all adequate provided I don't press too firmly. They can quickly irritate the skin or actually cut. Not sensitive skin friendly by any means. This shaver has 3 rows of rotating blades which cut perfectly well but don't do as well as a good foil shaver in my case, even after the 21 day recommended break in period. You might need that much time to adjust but you'll know up front how any shaver will perform new as it is the sharpest. There is a lot of plastic and cheap feel but the heads and motor seem well built. I compared this shaver to my Panasonic pro curve linear and Braun activator. Both shavers did much better overall than the Norelco. The Braun is decent but the head quality is not the best. The Panasonic, on the other hand, did very well and seemed much better in quality. There's nothing really wrong with the Norelco and I can recommend it if you must have a rotary. If you don't, the Panasonic is the best going. Meanwhile the Norelco must be used with care and they're a bit pricey. Make sure to stock up on Remington's shaver saver spray. It sharpens and lubes the heads of any good shaver and lengthens life of the head. As always, follow the directions.

I bought my first electric shaver about 55 years ago and my first Norelco only a few years later. Since then I've tried them all, and this is by far the best.

I joke that it is a magic shaver, because you don't hear anything and don't feel anything.

That's a slight exaggeration. You do hear a very slight hum, but it it is so quiet that I really thought something was wrong the first time I used it, but I quickly noticed that whereever it touched my face, the whiskers disappeared.

It does cause some minor skin irritation, but it is instantly cured by a few drops of after shave balm.

Very easy to clean, and a charge lasts about two weeks.

Very light, very comfortable in your hand. Can't find a single negative.

This is my first new razor in several years, so it's basically being compared to a 7+ year-old Norelco. Also, I have never shaved using traditional blades, so I can't compare it with that experience. With this said...

Pros: There's a lot I like about this razor. It gives a really close shave. Much closer than I've gotten from previous electrics. It still could be a little closer, though, but not by much. It's cordless, which is very convenient, and the charge seems to last quite a long time. So far, one charge seems to last about 4 weeks for me, with shaving every day for about 3 minutes or so. Pretty good. It also is very ergonomically designed -- very comfortable to hold. I like that it is so quick to charge -- only takes about one hour. You also have the option of cleaning it with either water, or with an included brush. The water does a great job of cleaning out all the little hairs. I still worry about getting it wet too frequently, though, so I usually clean it with the brush and just clean it with water about once a month.

Cons: The biggest con is that while there are "charging" and "done charging" LEDs on the razor, there is no "Battery Low" LED. This means you only know when the battery is dead when it dies while you are shaving. Once you've gone though a couple charge cycles you will learn about how long it goes between charges, but nonetheless it'd be nice to have a warning. It's really only because of this that I knocked off one star. But one other con is that the power adapter is somewhat large, as opposed to older Norelcos, so if you choose to use it as a corded razor, it might be inconvenient to store the adapter near the razor if you keep in, for example, a medicine cabinet.

Other thoughts: Worth noting that you don't need to use the included stand if you don't want to -- the cord can plug directly into the razor for charging. Also, it can operate as either a cordless or corded razor, although the manual warns that using it as a corded razor too often will hurt the battery, so you pretty much have to choose one or the other. Comes with a very small travel pouch, head protector, and brush. Great razor overall. Only knocked it one star because there's no Battery Empty LED... some other Norelcos have this feature, but many of them are more expensive than this one. This is a great value for the money.

I am a man who hates to shave; it's a daily chore I happily forego any time I'm not working and have no place to go. I've been through a number of electric shavers in my time, of both the three-headed and foil varieties, and I have not really been happy with any one of them. As far as my face goes, foil shavers just don't do the job, especially on the neck - and those blasted foils tend to break quite easily, so the first thing you know you're rubbing a sharp metal edge over your face. The three-headed Norelco shavers I've used in the past have worked fairly well but never seemed to deliver as close a shave as I wanted or expected.

These Norelco XL shavers may cost a little more than your average electric shaver, but they really do the job. Finally, I have a razor I can be happy with. This little beauty delivers what is easily the closest shave of any razor I've ever used, even on those neck hairs that eluded all my retired and discarded models. I'm talking about a huge, very noticeable difference. This shaver seems to mold itself to my face as I move from one area to another - the feeling was downright uncanny the first time I used it. I've probably cut my shaving time down by two-thirds, and I get a much closer shave, to boot. That alone makes this product worth the price, as far as I'm concerned.

The battery has been a wonder all by itself, as well. It takes almost no time at all to fully charge this shaver - I don't think it's taken less than a half hour for me as of yet. And that battery charge lasts forever. I can go two weeks or more without needing to recharge, whereas I used to have to charge my old shavers at least once a week. These XL shavers are also wonderfully easy to clean. No longer do you have to worry about popping the cover off and fumbling it into the toilet bowl (hey, with my luck, it could happen) because the top doesn't detach itself completely - it attaches via a hinge that makes for really easy access and cleaning. Best of all, you can actually rinse the shaver clean.

All the technical mumbo-jumbo about shavers mean little to me. All I care about is getting as close a shave in as short a time as possible - and I haven't found any electric shaver that can even compete with this Norelco model in that regard. This is by far the best electric shaver I've ever used.