Customer Reviews

Philips Norelco Speed 8240 Men's Shaving System

5 star:		(272)
4 star:		(169)
3 star:		(56)
2 star:		(42)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

Before obtaining this shaver (through a promotion) I had been using the Philips Spectra 8890XL shaver (the so-called "James Bond" shaver), which was the top of the Philips line a few years ago, which at the time was widely reviewed as the best available electric shaver, and which retailed for around $200. I had doubts that this shaver, which retails for about half that, could best the one I already had.

In terms of shave, I was wrong. This 8240XL (which is identical is shave to sister models 8250XL and 8251XL) is a TERRIFIC shaver. With this new shaver, I can shave much more quickly, and it handles the hard to shave areas (e.g. my neck) with more aplomb. In addition, it's a lot quieter than my old shaver, and it's lighter!

Outside of the shaving ability, this is a somewhat bare bones model. That means no shaving height adjustment, no digital readout of battery life remaining (just a light which lights only when you're charging and blinks when the charge is done), and no stand. But the shaver itself is excellent. What a surprise.

Now I'm left in the strange position of considering relegating my old expensive Spectra to my travel kit!

I have been trying out new razors, getting a charge out of all the different designs that have been coming out, and have gotten a lot of experience along the way. Amongst the types I have tried are : The tri-heads with and without foaming action, the newer heads that set like they are on a platform, and a few different types of clippers. Out of all the razors I have tried I like this one the best, and the reason for that is because I (1) like the mixture of old and new, (2) like the length of the long-hair trimmer, and (3) like the way the extra pivot works on this razor. It feels like an old friend, but with a better smile.

There are not really any downsides on the razor that are glaring to me, so I'll list the positives I have noticed. First, there is a new pivot that allows the head to move forward and backward and does not make the head stationary. That means that more ground is covered and a better shave is given. A second thing I like is that the length of the long-hair trimmer has not changed. On many of the newer models, the trimmer has been shortened. This leads to a trimmer that is harder to see, one that doesn't do as much work, and one that can break easier. So, the staying with the same build is a good thing. Next, the charge the item carries is long-lasting, making it a great tool to travel with. I have a problem with forgetting my cord, I already did that once with this model, and it did not matter. I was away for a week and still I got a good shave. And, lastly, it is does not throw too much glam t you and try to make something shiny to hide flaws in the design. As I said before, it is an old design but with some newer additions to make shaving better.

If you want a good shave and need something new, you should try out this razor. It has been tough, has been reliable, and has been the one razor I have liked after the newness has worn away. That says a lot about something: when the newness of something becomes day-to-day, what is it, really? For this product I would have to say "a little over five stars in my book."

The new Philips Norelco (formerly known as just Norelco) 8240 comes to you in a box with a window that allows the shaver to be seen within its clear plastic packaging. You will need a sharp pair of scissors and/or a Rambo-style Bowie knife to hack thru this hard plastic covering and remove the shaver. Use extreme caution when doing so. Once you've defeated the packaging, you will find the sleek, gunmetal gray shaver; a protective cap; a small cleaning brush; a curly AC power cord; English/Spanish instruction booklet and a basic black zippered nylon case.

The manual says you should plug the shaver in and let it charge for a full 12 hours before using it for the first time. The light on mine started blinking within the first hour, but I left it plugged in overnight anyway. When I tried the 8240 out the next morning, I was amazed at how quiet it is. My old Braun buzzes like a lawnmower, but this thing just whispers! The Norelco will supposedly go for up to 17 shaves before it needs recharging, and you're not supposed to recharge it until the battery is nearly depleted. Note that this model lacks the LOW BATTERY indicator light available on the 8250 and 8251 models.

The overall design of this razor is quite impressive. The three shaver heads rock all around individually and the entire head assembly pivots on side bolts. This allows the cutters to hug your face while you shave for better results. Best of all, there's a latch on the front that allows the hinged top to be popped open for easy cleaning. After shaving, you just push this button and run hot water inside the hair collection chamber and under the blades. Then you just leave it open to air dry. On the back of the 8240 is the standard spring release trimmer for mustaches and sideburns.

You can try the Philips Norelco 8240 risk-free for 45 days. If you're not fully satisfied after using this shaver exclusively for three weeks, you can send it back to Philips Norelco for a refund--but it must be shipped prepaid by insured mail. So you really have nothing to lose but the cost of shipping. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best electric razor I've ever used. But, if you've got the extra cash, you might want to go for the higher grade 8250 or 8251 model.

"WARNING: Close supervision is necessary when this razor is used by children."

Once again I'm giving a shaver review, and once again I have to say that I've yet to find an electric shaver that can either beat or come close to the "good ole water razor" brand. If you want or need a very close "baby" shave (say the military or such where your face will be closely looked at a few times a day, then do yourself a favor and don't look at electric shavers, but go with the water/razor brands). With that out of the way, lets get on with this review.

This is a good middle line Norelco shaver. There are no thrills in that you cannot adjust the cut height, it's not one of those more expensive "cool" looking ones that Norelco sells (if that appeals to you) and most important is that there is no low battery indicator. So that if you're like me and just keep on using it not thinking that it's not been charged, it'll just go out while shaving.

However I've found that I was able to get around 12-15 shaves out of one charge. So that's not bad.

It's easy to clean.

Not loud at all, compared to many others I've tried (even more expensive)! If you have someone sleeping right close, they won't even hear it!

You do need to give it a good charge before using (overnight or such), so don't expect to open it and charge it for five minutes then use it.

I'll say that if you have any acne, be CAREFUL as this will give you a good cut! Boy did I bleed after being careless and running right over a pimple that must of had skin or such sticking out.

IMHO this shaver would make a good gift for that gentleman needing a first shaver or someone who does not like a lot of "extras" to fool around with on the razor. It's basic, does a good job, not a lot to fiddle around with.

I'll say that if you take care of it, keep it clean, and charged it will last you many years.

Having not used an electric shaver for nearly 30 years, I was interested in how much they had improved (if any) in that time. This Norelco is pretty good as electrics go.

You are required to do a 12 hour charge before using the shaver to fully condition the battery (also after periods of one month or more of non-use). After that, the shaver is supposed to recharge in as little as 1 hour. I have yet to run it down enough to require a recharge, though, so I can't comment on how accurate that is.

The shaver feels good in the hand and is easy to move and control. However, with its round heads, it is problematic to sculpt a beard or mustache. This shaver is pretty much for those who go completely clean shaven. The pop-up trimmer is just about useless, as it does not lock into place, and moves when you put any pressure on it. I took an unexpected divot out of my beard because it is so flaky. I recommend that you just ignore the trimmer in considering this shaver. The trimmer dropped this from a 4 to a 3 star review. It is pretty badly designed.

Needless to say, electrics just don't give as close a shave as a blade, period. That said, I was able to get a clean "looking" shave easily with this shaver, although you could obviously feel the difference by touch. For quick touch-ups, however, this works well, and I find myself using it more and more for that.

Since I have a goatee and mustache, there are many parts of my face where this just doesn't work. I still have to trim around the goatee with a blade or smaller trimmer (I tried a Norelco trimmer set, too, with mixed results.), so this shaver cannot fill all my shaving needs. It is good for large blocks of open face or head only.

Construction seems good, although the head seems kind of light weight. Lots of plastic parts, but a good, solid feel in general. The rotary cutters and related assembly can be replaced (annually, per the instructions). The heads track well over uneven skin for a consistent shave. Directions are included for several levels of cleaning, and they are clear and concise.

If you are clean-shaven on face or head, this could be a very useful shaver for you. If you have more sculpted facial hair, it will be less useful. I will not be giving up my blades for this, although it has become useful for quick touch-ups.

The Norelco 8240 offers the best value/comfort/performance for the money I've found. Lower models in the Norelco line lack some very effective features (floating heads, multiple inset rotary heads, etc.), while higher models are much more expensive with no benefit to performance (some do a poorer job of shaving, including the ARC series).

Although the best foil shavers generally shave closer, the Norelco 8240 cuts nearly as close (not quite, but the difference is virtually unnoticeable). The rotary heads, however, are MUCH more comfortable and not nearly as prone to razorburn as foil shavers. The floating heads on this model are excellent (not as stiff and MORE effective than the $130 ARC series), conforming well to my face, even at my sharp chin and gentle adam's apple.

Here is what makes it really superb compared to any other shaver I've tried in my 18 years of shaving:

- The $80 price (at Walmart, December 2009), on the low end of the price range that consistently offers the best value/performance ratio ($70 - $110).

- The motor is wonderfully quiet... it purs in a low, comforting tone, without the high whine of most other rotary and foil razors I've tried (the ARC series is much louder, as are Braun foil shavers). When I first used it, I though the battery must be low on charge, but I finally realized that it really is just that quiet all the time.

- The shaving performance is excellent: It offers the 2nd closest shave I've had from an electric shaver (The Braun foil shaver I've used for the last 6 years shaves negligibly closer), yet gives almost zero razorburn to my sensitive/dry skin (the Braun gave mild to moderate razorburn daily). Better yet, the Norelco shaves close WITHOUT need to pull my skin tight with a second hand as I shave. That is the main reason I switched back to rotary... Foil shavers only give a close shave by constantly pulling the facial skin tight with another hand while shaving.

- The ergonomics are very comfortable: It fits perfectly in my hand and feels very light. My Braun foil shaver always felt like holding a large cell phone... no ergonomics to speak of, which occasionally led to dropping it.

I'm convinced that negative reviews of this razor are either by folks with very strange face shapes or, more likely, folks who don't understand that a razor MUST BE BROKEN IN for about two weeks before it offers an optimum shave. On the first shave, the Norelco 8240 is unimpressive, but by the fifth or sixth morning (assuming you use it exclusively), it will adjust to your face and give you a remarkably good shave. The quality continues to improve slightly until about the end of the second week. Stick with it, and you'll be glad.

If I shave in the morning, I'll have the makings of a five-o'clock shadow in the afternoon. I've always used electric razors, and I've used wet/dry, single blade, and rotary blade. This Philips Norelco, might just be the best I've ever used. It gives a clean, close shave that lasts almost all day. The quiet motor at first seems like its hardly working, but it efficiently trims my beard. The battery holds a charge for a long time. Shaving below the jaw and around the neck can be tedious, but I've never had a razor behave otherwise. The trimmer, however, does not work well at all and is the only problem I had.

I owned a Norelco Rotary Shaver for about 8 years. It was working fine until the rechargeable battery would no longer hold a charge. I would have replaced it myself - but I don't know how to solder, so I broke down and ordered the Braun Series 3 340 foil shaver. I had done a little research and most of the "experts" all suggested that foil shavers shave closer than rotary shavers. Obviously, razor blades have the "closest" shave, but I wanted the convenience of an electric shaver. I do not have a thick beard - anything but. I only shave once every 3-4 days so I end up w/ long whiskers in spots vs. 5 o'clock shadow that some people get after an hour :)

Anyway, the Braun Series 3 is a beautifully constructed shaver - but it didn't work very well. It took many passes to cut my facial hair...and then I had to work it from different angles to successfully shave off the hair at different parts of my face. Yes, it finally shaved - but it seemed to take so much longer. In the end, I just wasn't impressed at all - so I returned it for a refund.

After a week or so, I purchased the Norelco 8240XL rotary shaver. It is not as nice looking as the Braun - and certainly doesn't feel as well constructed - but it shaved me beautifully the first time around. The trimmer works so-so, but I didn't really buy it for the trimmer. The 8240XL cleans easily. The only thing wrong with the 8240XL package is the travel case. The travel case only holds the shaver - and does not allow for the brush and charging cord. How cheap is that? Norelco really should include a larger case to accommodate the cord.

I give the 8240 XL 5 stars as a shaver....and 1 star for the case. 4 overall only because the shaver outweighs the case. I'd recommend this product.

The 8240XL is designed to be used as a dry shaver, but I evaluated it both as a dry shaver and a wet shaver. It has 3 individual heads with an innovative stubble catcher system. There's an anti-microbial coating that allows you to easily flush out the hairs caught behind the rotary heads. Compared to the Norelco 8040X wet shaver system, the 8240XL follows the contours of my face a lot better due to how the suspension was designed. The heads flex in all different directions and I did not have any trouble shaving my jaw area which is very angular.

In addition, the combs have 2 different methods of combing the hairs. They have tiny slits for long and thin hairs, while the larger holes can work the shorter and thicker hairs. With the 8040X, I found that it often left a few hairs unshaved. The 8240XL shaves 99% of my face, but I still have to use a regular wet razor blade to trim my sideburns and the few hairs that remain unshaved. The flip-out trimmer on the 8240XL is not that great for trimming hairs, but I found that it is useful for shortening long beards/mustaches that would be painful to shave using the 3 rotary heads. The trimmer keeps those hairs just the right length for the rotary heads.

The charging system of the 8240XL isn't as intuitive to use - you essentially plug in the AC adapter directly to the razor instead of docking the razor on a station. The Li-Ion battery pack should offer years of problem-free service. The travel pouch is a nylon pouch with a zipper that can secure the contents.

I used some Nivea shaving gel to shave using the 8240XL, since I figured it was water resistant and can be flushed under running water. I needed the gel so the heads could glide over my skin. When used dry, the 8240XL seemed too "grippy" to smoothly shave my face but it still did a great job wet or dry. The stubble catcher allows you to use the 8240XL on the go (in a taxi cab, on the road, or in the office), and the built-in spring-action trimmer is useful for shortening beard/mustache hairs for the rotary heads to shave.

The true benefit of an electric rotary shaver is how it handles my mustache hairs. Using a Mach 3 / Quattro / multi-bladed razor, I always get nasty razor burn if I shave on a daily basis. That is because the blade directly contacts the skin and I found it difficult to get a clean shave. With the Norelco 8240XL, I am able to get a very smooth shave on a daily basis without razor burn or irritation!

Pros: Ergonomic housing, fast charging, rotary heads follow square faces very well, quiet motor, smooth and close shave, stubble catcher works nicely, 120V/240V AC adapter, wet and dry use, and easy to service. Excellent battery life, can be used corded or cordless.

Cons: Still has issues with shaving 100% of my face, sideburn trimmer is a neat feature but it doesn't work. I recommend keeping a razor handy to shave the unshaven hairs and to trim sideburns. The heads are placed in a location where it is difficult to see where it has shaved. Use it with caution near your sideburns.

Overall: Very compact and efficient, but not an all-inclusive shaving system. I still recommend using some type of shaving conditioner or gel for better lubrication. I also recommend using a bladed razor for your sideburns and to shave any hairs that the Norelco missed.

Having been a non-electric shaver for years now, I yearned for the simplicity of an electric razor, but worried about the problems I'd had with previous electric razors: razor burn. I'm happy to report that after nearly a month with this razor, I've had not a single instance of that, and had very close shaves as well. Maybe not as close as a blade, but close enough that I don't complain and, more importantly, my wife doesn't complain.

This close shave appears to be due to the flexibility of the head design - all three razors display a great deal of movement, but on top of that, the entire head assembly can pivot to help keep the blades flat against difficult areas like the neck/jawline, which is where I typically suffered the most with previous electric razors.

It's fast and quiet - just a light whirring purr as it gobbles up the stubble, and when you're done, just rinse it out under the running sink. It can't get much easier than that.

I do, however, have to register a minor complaint, and it is that Norelco saw fit to leave out low-battery warning lights. This is cheap of them. At the price they are asking, this razor should include that. I scrambled to finish my shave the other morning when I realized that the motor was quickly dying - not realizing (having already lost my instruction booklet - PDF versions can be found on the Norelco site) that I can run the razor on the cord for a quick shave. It also would have been handy to include some kind of stand. After rinsing out the razor, it simply lays on the counter, dripping all over the place.

All in all, however, I'm very pleased. I'm actually prepared to put away my four-bladed razor and shaving gel at this point.