Customer Reviews

Philips Norelco 8825XL Spectra Rechargeable Cord/Cordless Men's Shaving System

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just got my first Norelco model 8825 XL, after 7 years using a Braun 4501. I considered these two brands the top in the electrical shaving industry. In some aspects I founded the Norelco reigning over the Braun and in other aspects the Braun is much better. So, the question you should ask yourself is what type of hair are you trying to shave?

Let first look at the Norelco series:
The different between the Norelco's Spectra (8000 series), Quadra (7000 series), Advantage (6000 series), and the Reflex (5000 series) is one major feature added to each series. The Reflex sports the basic "Lift & Cut" system. The Advantage is the same but include a lotion dispenser. The Quadra's "Lift and Cut" system has two types of head with a slot and hole. The Spectra series has what the Quadra does, but include a comfort control. Both the Quadra and Spectra don't have lotion dispenser. There are also more special features that can be found in each series by looking at the 2nd digit. For example the Spectra 8894 have a digital screen where the bare-bone lower number Spectra 8825 have just a green light.

The performances, Norelco vs. Braun:
I have soft hair in the beard area and thicker hair around the lips (mustache and chin area). The Norelco does a superior job in the beard area; it cut it clean with a couple of strokes. When using the Braun (older model 4501), I sometime have to use a long trimmer and then go back over with the coil. The Norelco three individual heads move over the sides of the face a lot better. Braun does do a superior job over the mustache area. It coils has more and bigger holes then Norelco. The Spectra with it dual slot and hole head is good but takes longer time to cut down the thicker stub. The old Braun battery (NH-) is dying on me. Norelco battery (NiCd) is replaceable and you use it charged or just plug and play, which the Braun could not do. Overall, I prefer the Norelco's design.

The features I like:
I am still playing with the Personal Comfort Control and am not sure if it is necessary. The more sensitive the level is the long it takes to cut so far. The long hair trimmer is great, but that is almost standard in most models, but not the Advantage's Series. Plug and play is great, since I don't travel every day. Cleaning is simple; just rinse it in the sink. I like the solid construction the Norelco's design is, the rotating machine is fun to use and is very smooth.

Definitely an excellent shaver, but I don't know that it has enough superior features over Norelco's 7000 series "Quadra" models to warrant paying so much more for it. The differences between the two are as follows:

(1) The Spectra system has a dial that adjusts how easily the three razor heads move in line with your face. I can't see that this is anything more than bells & whistles. The normal/maximum setting (which is what the Quadra would be on all the time) allows plenty of flexibility, even for my pointy chin, so I don't imagine that most people will have any need of the "higher sensitivity" settings.

(2) The lower half of the Spectra system model is not as wide as the Quadra models--purely an aesthetic feature: it doesn't make the razor fit any better into your hand.

(3) The last difference, and perhaps the only one that counts, is Norelco's assertion that the Spectra system has an "improved" lift-and-cut system. The improvement is that each head has nine blades rather than the 15 of the Quadra. The reason, says Norelco's website, is "to give the shaving system a more open structure. This allows faster cleaning. Increased blade width and a sharper blade angle lifts whiskers sooner and higher for a closer shave." It would be nice to try both the Quadra and the Spectra to see if this really makes any serious difference.

Several final notes about this particular model (the 8825 XL):

(1). The charging light is steady while charging and blinks rapidly once fully charged.

(2). The blue finish is a bit lighter than it appears on Amazon's web picture. In certain lighting the razor almost looks purple.

(3). In agreement with a previous reviewer, if you decide on the Spectra system it's better to try and get the 8831 XL model, which costs the same as the 8825 XL and comes in a off-white color. Its Nickel Metal Hydride battery keeps its charge for longer longer (70 minutes vs. the 45 of the 8825 XL, which has a Nickel Cadmium battery; the 8894 XL, Norelco's "top-of-the-line" model, has a Lithium Ion battery that gets 100 minutes on every charge--obviously the model to get if money is no object). The 8831 XL also comes with a car charger (handy if you need that sort of thing).

I had been using a Norelco Reflex series razor for about 1 1/2 years when I decided to advance to the 8825XL Spectra. First thing I noticed was that the Spectra shaved my neck area much better than the Reflex...and my neck hair is really tough to shave close, since it sort of grows sideways.

I also LOVE the fact that I can just rinse the Spectra under warm water to clean the blades and heads...it's so much more convenient than using a brush with the Reflex.

The comfort control is a nice feature...it doesn't really seem to affect the shave per se, but the more sensitive settings do make the shave more comfortable, which I like since I have pretty sensitive skin.

First of all, get the 8831xl, NOT this 8825xl which simply isn't worth spending over $100 on. That's the only reason I gave it just 4 stars instead of the perfect 5. The 8831xl gets 5/5 stars. You can always return any Norelco shaver within 2 months for a full refund, so get your hands on any Norelco Spectra shaver ASAP!

After buying the 8825, I found the 8831 on eBay and I called Norelco and asked what this unlisted model was all about. They said it's a special model that they only sell to certain department stores, like Macy's, every now and then. Anyway, the 8825 has only 45 mins of shaving time while the 8831 has 70 mins. The 8831 package also includes a CAR CHARGER. And thirdly, the 8831 is pearly white, not blue like the 8825. Other than these three differences, THAT'S IT, no other differences whatsoever. Oh wait, there is just one more difference... the price! The 8825, which is Norelco's entry-level Spectra model, sells for over $100. The 8831 sells on Ebay for about $60 shipped. One of Norelco's top-of-the-line shavers for WAY under $100, are you kiddin?! Nope, it's an absolute steal. You might be wondering if I own both shavers now... nope! I bought this 8825 first but then returned it to Norelco within 60 days for a full refund and then bought the 8831 on Ebay brand new for about $60 shipped.

The 8825 was my first electric shaver ever, and I really did need Norelco's recommended 3 weeks for my hair to get used to electric shaving. By the way, all of the Spectra models shave the same, as they don't differ with their blades. It's just that the higher models like 8890 and 8894 have fancy displays and bells and whistles, none of which make for a better shave than the 8825 or 8831. Anyway, I was using Mach 3 razors for the past few years. The Mach 3 was great for my face, but I rarely could ever get a close AND comfortable shave on my neck without irritating it and getting red bumps, and I could never comfortably shave every morning, it always had to be at least every 36 hours or every other day. But with my new Norelco Spectra, now I can shave every morning without ANY irritation and I can also comfortably shave my neck CLOSER than a blade now. Sixty bucks to feel like a million. I'd say that's not a bad deal. What do you think?

I bought an 8825XL about two years ago. Prior to that I had used Brauns for many years. I am very happy with my Norelco.
I kept buying Braun razors because, when new, they give a very nice shave. The problem, for me, was that the shave quality deteriorated quickly because the foils in the head are so darned delicate. So I would buy a new Braun and in about 3 months it would need a new foil. But, of course, I didn't really want to put out the $30 quite that often so I would go for months with a poor shave. I would usually buy new foil and blade when I started getting nicked up. I bought the Braun with the cleaning system, thinking that taking the cleaning out of human hands would fix it. Didn't work that way, though. I was getting a little more out of a foil but I was paying $5 per month for the juice.
Anyway, I gave up and bought this Norelco. The first shave was _very_ nice. Just as good as a new Braun. And now, two years later, I have still not bought a blade set for it. The shaves are at least 90% as comfortable as when new.
The Norelco has been reliable and it is easy to clean. Once every couple of months I take the heads apart and clean the blades with alcahol. My wife commented on how quiet it was the first time I used it.
But maybe the problems with the Braun are just me. Maybe other Braun users have mastered the trick of handling it without messing up the shave quality. I'm sticking with my Norelco.

I sent this to Norelco and asked that it be passed on to the engineering and marketing people who created this product.

I hate this razor! I used to have a 5814XL that finally died. It was one of many Norelco razors that I have had for over 35 years. When I needed to replace the 5814XL, I bought the 8825XL and after using it for 7 months, have come to despise its ability to provide a close shave. Here are my comments on that deficiency as well as others:

1. Even right out of the box, this shaver did not provide as close a shave as the old 5814XL.
2. I suspect that in order to make it easy to clean, the cutting mechanism was modified to emphasize chopping the hairs up very finely. In fact, I observe that the debris is indeed smaller than in the 5814XL. Unfortunately it is so small that it falls out of the holes in the cutter heads thereby making a mess in the bathroom. I think this may have compromised the ability of the 8825XL to shave close.
3. The removal of the AC-DC converter from the shaver body to the cord is a mistake.
4. The cord becomes unwieldy to store especially in the pouch. The converter plug is so heavy, it falls out of any socket that is a bit loose. This is especially a problem when shaving with the cord attached.
5. The cord with its huge plug does not coil well. The presence of the plug prevents the cord from being curled into any sort of small ball. In fact, the stiffness and direction of the exit of the cord from the plug prevents the cord from being even closely wound around the plug. This means that the cord and plug have effectively become twice as large.
6. Presumably the point of removing the AC-DC converter to the plug was to reduce the size of the shaver body. This was probably due to some styling guys wanting a "sexy" shape. The shape is also a problem. The shaver wants to tip over when stored on a shelf on its back. Clearly the engineers noted this and added the two vestigial bumps on the back. That this was an afterthought is clear since the bumps are so small - the result of ensuring that the plastic housing ejected easily from the mold during production.
7. The adjustment wheel does not stay in the N position. There is not enough friction to maintain that setting. It constantly wants to move toward the S position.
8. The desire to have the head on a hinge has also caused problems. The detent that holds the hinge in the shaver body is not big enough. Sometimes when I open the head to clean it, the spring action of the hinge and the smallness of the detent result in the head actually flipping off of the shaver. Once this resulted in all of the head guts coming out. As a result, I am no longer sure that the cutters are matched up. However, do not attribute the lack of closeness of shave to this happening. It did not shave close even before the head popped off.
9. Since you have designed the head to flip open, the plastic cover that protects the head during storage no longer has threefold symmetry. As a result one has to look to see that the cover is oriented correctly. That is really dumb!
10. The detents on the protective cover are not strong enough. The cover wants to pop off particularly when you try to put the shaver in the storage pouch.
11. The storage pouch that provided is hard to use. It appears to be too small, although I think this would not be the case if the protective head cover were more secure and if the cord coiled more neatly with the huge plug.

I have now purchased a Norelco 6863XL. It works really well and I am pleased. Therefore, please note that the combination of marketing and styling has really worked to the detriment of function in your more top-of-the-line shavers.

I've owned the 8825 xl for about a year now, I used it religiously for the 3 months that it recommends, but not much changed after the initial 4-5 weeks. The sensativity settings are pretty much useless, and I've found that setting it to a "more sensative" setting is actually a little more irritating, as it takes MANY more passes to get the close shave. The built in trimmer is noisy, but otherwise works fine.

I previously owned the Norelco Advantage 5615(the one with the Nivea lotion dispenser). I found that the Advantage does a much better job for my sensative face/neck, I wish I would have replaced it with another Advantage. If sensativity isn't an issue, this is a great razor, it cuts VERY close and the battery last for what seems like forever. It's rather robust too, as I've dropped it once or twice in the shower with no apparent damage. If sensativity IS an issue, go with the Norelco Advantage 5615.

I just got my first Norelco model 8825 XL, after 7 years using a Braun 4501. I considered these two brands the top in the electrical shaving industry. In some aspects I founded the Norelco reigning over the Braun and in other aspects the Braun is much better. So, the question you should ask yourself is what type of hair are you trying to shave?

Let first look at the Norelco series:
The different between the Norelco's Spectra (8000 series), Quadra (7000 series), Advantage (6000 series), and the Reflex (5000 series) is one major feature added to each series. The Reflex sports the basic "Lift & Cut" system. The Advantage is the same but include a lotion dispenser. The Quadra's "Lift and Cut" system has two types of head with a slot and hole. The Spectra series has what the Quadra does, but include a comfort control. Both the Quadra and Spectra don't have lotion dispenser. There are also more special features that can be found in each series by looking at the 2nd digit. For example the Spectra 8894 have a digital screen where the bare-bone lower number Spectra 8825 have just a green light.

The performances, Norelco vs. Braun:
I have soft hair in the beard area and thicker hair around the lips (mustache and chin area). The Norelco does a superior job in the beard area; it cut it clean with a couple of strokes. When using the Braun (older model 4501), I sometime have to use a long trimmer and then go back over with the coil. The Norelco three individual heads move over the sides of the face a lot better. Braun does do a superior job over the mustache area. It coils has more and bigger holes then Norelco. The Spectra with it dual slot and hole head is good but takes longer time to cut down the thicker stub. The old Braun battery (NH-) is dying on me. Norelco battery (NiCd) is replaceable and you use it charged or just plug and play, which the Braun could not do. Overall, I prefer the Norelco's design.

The features I like:
I am still playing with the Personal Comfort Control and am not sure if it is necessary. The more sensitive the level is the long it takes to cut so far. The long hair trimmer is great, but that is almost standard in most models, but not the Advantage's Series. Plug and play is great, since I don't travel every day. Cleaning is simple; just rinse it in the sink. I like the solid construction the Norelco's design is, the rotating machine is fun to use and is very smooth.

The 8825XL is the least expensive model in Norelcos top of the line Spectra series. Its still very expensive but the shave is about as good as an electric gets. Quality of construction is unsurpassed. Cleaning it is a piece of cake. Just flip the cover and rinse under a tap. Older, non washable razors were a pain to clean. The built in trimmer is about average for an electric which means that its not very effective. Most important is not so much how close a shave it gives ( most electrics shave close for the most part) but does it get ALL THE HAIRS? Shaving the neck and below the jaw is the real test for an electric. The Spectra shines in these areas as do rotary razors in general ( an inherent weakness of the foil razor designs such as Braun and Panasonic).

The only trouble with rotaries is that they can be irritating to SOME people. The Spectra addresses this with a sensitivity adjustment wheel which sets the stiffness of the floating heads. Most sensitive = least stiff, which means that less pressure is needed when shaving which will greatly decrease the chance of irritation. Because of this feature, those who have had irritation trouble with rotaries in the past and are not satisfied with the lousy neck shave of foil razors , should definately check the Spectra out.

A great razor overall but is it worth it over the cheaper Norelco models? The shave is slightly closer, more comfortable and the washable feature is a great time saver so YES I will say it is worth it.

This is by far the best shaver I've ever owned. It's quiet, nicely designed, provides a close shave, comfortable, and works for weeks on one charge (I'm on day 15 for one charge). It has just the features I want(cleaning under the faucet, sensitivity levels)and no more. If you like Norelco, this is the one to buy.