I've had other razors and believe me, this one is the most reliable on I've had! It works well, does NOT hurt? (maybe the people who had one that pinches or hurts them got a bad one?) A feature I like and use often is the head pops up to cut longer hair...unfortunately at times I need this before I use the regular cutter. Battery life is acceptable, power is good, and just a few swipes is all you need. You really can't compare a blade razor to an electric- they are not yet comparable for cutting or time used. This razor, however, has a better level of shaving than other electrics, closer to a blade than the others. In convenience an electric is much better than any blade- you can use it anywhere, dry, just sittin' around!