Panasonic PAN-ES8109S Vortex Nano Cleaning System

"I bought this shaver for my husband and these are his comments:

"Best electric shaver I ever had. Consumer Reports was right on the money with its recommendation. The price was very good and the quality of the shave is great (I had a delicate skin and a very tuff/hard hair). I use it wet with shaving cream for better results. Very happy with the gift from my wife.""

"I bought this shaver [...] in October because Panasonic had an instant $30 rebate during the month of October. I had an older Braun Razor that was an earlier "Pulsonic" series but the foil over the cutter block always ended up getting a hole in it resulting in my face bleeding with one damaged hole in the foil. Braun sells the foil and cutter block assembly as a package and the cost keeps going up. I've spent three times the price of my old Braun shaver on cutter blocks and foils. I finally researched the Panasonic Nano Vortex and found that it had the fastest speed for I have a very thick beard and could be washed under the sink with water and hand soap if you're on a trip and don't want to take along the cleaning/charging unit. It comes with a beautiful leather case and with the wood grain and gold accents, it seems that Panasonic designed it to actually fit comfortably in one's hand. The trimmer is also a step above the Braun trimmer for it sticks out away from the razor instead of along side it where you may be trimming your moustache or sideburns and end up shaving your moustache or sideburns with the Braun...a design flaw with Braun that's never been corrected. The Panasonic also employs a soap cartridge rather than an alcohol cartridge to clean the razor in it's station. With Braun cleaning systems, you must replace the alcohol about once a month if not sooner. I've owned the Panasonic Nano Vortex since October 13th and shaved with it daily, yet the "status" light (a light that comes on to tell you to replace the soap cartridge) has yet to come on! With the Panasonic, it's cut my shaving time down to half of what a Braun used to take me. The lithium ion battery really does take less than an hour to fully charge the unit and the Nickel Hydroxide batteries that come in Braun's? Well, mine is dead and needs replacing but I could still use it while it was plugged into an AC receptacle. I found out that the Braun replacement battery would cost more than I( paid for the razor initially. Before purchasing the Panasonic Nano Vortex razor I read complaints about the noise level from the cleaning/charging stand. I found this "noise" was the razor being turned on in the cleaning station when the soap and water mixture were in the bottom of it. Pretty good idea if you ask me that the razor is turned on to remove ALL residue from the shaver. Panasonic also has this razor set up for wet or dry shaves, in or out of the shower or bathtub, with or without shaving cream. I use it dry and am completely satisfied with it's results but have heard that wet shaving will be even closer! Panasonic also sells cheaper razors of this design for women so they may shave their legs in the bathtub for the unit IS totally submersible. It comes with a 30 day Panasonic warranty that if you don't like it, you can send it back for a full refund.

The only Negative thing I have to say about this purchase is that I first saw it in a Target store, but really couldn't tell much about it (with all the screws they put in their high tech razors so no one will steal parts...bad idea Target), yet when I went to Target to purchase the three soap cartridge packs, I found that they DON'T carry ANY parts for the Panasonic Razor line! You have to order it from Target online or another store in your area, whereas Target carries ALL the accessories for the Braun and Norelco line.

The best thing about the Panasonic Nano Vortex 8282s, is that they sell the foil and cutter block separately! The instruction manual says to replace the foil about once a year and the cutter block assembly, once every two years! Finally a company that sells the parts separately rather than in a package, but once again Target doesn't carry the foil or cutter block in their stores and you would have to purchase it online. My recommendation is that should you purchase the razor, buy the three pack of cleaning "solution" with it for this is all you'll need for I know you'll fall in love with this item as I have and in the women's line, it's a great shaver for your wife or girlfriend."

"This is a very nice shaver I got recently after returning the PhilipsNorelco 1050X because I did not feel it did an adequate job, especially for the price of $200 ($159.99 on sale). The problem with the Philips is you had to go over each hair 5 times before it would cut and caused significant irritation, even after two weeks. Not a problem with the Panasonic. Worked fine the first time AND it works wet or dry and was faster, with little irritation (even as a dry shave). Norelco I had to splash water on my face hoping it would help and still not as comfortable. Dry was even worse.

The difference between this model and the Vortex Pro Curve Silver with Hydraclean is this one has a more advanced system that does 4 different types of cleaning. And the display on the razor is upgraded. Besides that it is just the look and feel of the shaver and cleaning unit."

"I wasn't impressed after the first shave, it left stubbles on my neck but it totally shaved my chin and mustache cleanly. Panasonic stated to keep trying it for 30 days because of how your hair and shaver will adjust to each other. So I kept trying it and each shave just got better. After my 4th use my face was so clean and smooth. I got a razor like shave without any cuts or any discomfort, I love this electric shaver! Myfour blade razor could never cut cleanly around the neck area but this electric shaver did!



It was my first electric shaver and after reading the good reviews and trying it out, I'm glad I got it. I have pretty thick "islander hair" and a day without shaving and my face feels like sandpaper. The great thing about this shaver is it's wet or dry use. I always use shaving cream and water with this electric shaver and I always get a comfortable shave with no irritation. It's a tad noisy but I assume it's because of its powerful motor. I'd rather have it a little noisy and cut really cleanly than be underpowered and quiet.



The automatic cleaning system is noisy and it can take an hour to clean and dry the shaver. No problem if you use it and jet out before work, but I wouldn't turn the cleaning feature on if I was going to be in the same room for a considerable amount of time. The great thing about the cleaning system is that you don't have to use it. You can rinse off your shaver and put it in the holder to dry naturally.



Overall, this is a great product. If you want a close, comfortable shave, use this product with water and shaving cream if you have tough hair."

"i have my whole life used razors to shave. i have used every razor on the market and they are really no better than the other they all have irritated my skin. i have used a braun 360 shaver before and it tore my skin up. i decided to try electric shavers one last time read reviews on the panasonic wet\dry shaver and purchased it. I will say if you have sensitive skin like i do and i mean really sensitive this panasonic is a gift from god for both shaving my face and my head. i can believe i didnt find it earlier."

"I heard about this product on a website for men who shave their heads so I decided to try this product on my face before shaving my head and was very surprised with the outcome. It shaves closer that my rotary razor and even gets the tough spots. I have shaved wet and dry with it and the shaves are equally top notch. I rate this razor above Braun and Norelco and only one hour to charge is great. It is a little louder than some other razors but considering the closeness and comfort, it's worth it."

"This is an excellent shaver. I've been using electric shavers for about 8 years now and this is by far the best. My Norelco Coolskin wasn't holding a charge anymore, so I started looking around for a new shaver. I've always used a rotary head shaver and wasn't sure I would like a foil type, but this Nano gave me the closest shave I've had in a long time the first time I used it. I've used it dry, wet, and with shaving cream, and it performs well in all situations, with shaving cream providing the closest shave. I wear a goatee and the Soft setting allows the shaver head to swivel and move so that shaving in this area is very easy.



The shaver is light and isn't overly loud considering that it runs at 13,000 RPM's.



There are two things keeping me from giving this shaver 5 stars. First is the length of the clean and dry times. The Clean/Dry/Charge cycle takes at least an hour to complete, with the Dry/Charge cycle taking about 30 to 45 minutes. There is a Charge only cycle and the shaver re-charges quickly. Given the quality of the shave this shaver provides, I can deal with the long cycle times. My second complaint is the fact that you can't easily replace the re-chargeable battery, but all re-chargeable shavers are like this to my knowledge. I don't understand why manufacturers provide new blades, and foils, but expect you to throw the shaver away in 3 or 4 years when the battery stops charging.



Bottom line, this is a great shaver that does what Panasonic says it will do. If you currently use an electric shaver, you won't be disappointed with this one."

"Well, I've been using electric shavers for over 35 years, and this one tops 'em all! My recent one was the Braun with the Hydra-Clean sysem, and while being well-built, it just couldn' give me the shave I wanted. After giving it to my son, I ordered the 8228S from J&R at the great price of[$]. As usual, prices for this unit in Canada retailed for $299.95! I was a little leery at first using it in a wet environment, but now I shave 90% of the time in the shower. The unit is light, compact, quiet(compared to Braun and Remington), and lasts about as long on a charge as the Braun. The shave is uncomparable, period! I've been using it for about 1 month now, and it consistently gives out smooth shaves, and the closest cut I have ever had. Only con I would bring to the table is the cleaning system. Here, Braun has the faster (and quieter) system. However, Brauns's cleaning solution is alcohol based, and will evaporate in no time if left uncovered in the cleaning unit. The panasonic's solution is detergent based, and I only use the clean function a couple of times during the course of a full charge, so should last quite a while. You can save a lot of time and money by simply getting this unit, because none of the other foils or rotaries even come close!"

"This is my second purchase of this model shaver to have as a spare and for travel. After years of dissatisfaction trying other shavers on my unfortunate combination of tough beard and sensitive skin, finding this shaver, which gives a close, smooth shave whether used wet or dry, lifted the morning dread I once experienced as I approached having to shave. The blades and foil are durable. Several shaves can be had on a single charge, and charging works on foreign and domestic current automatically. I prefer to clean the shaver by hand; it's quicker than putting it through the cleaning base designed for it, a 3-hour process -- just use liquid soap and hold the shaver under running water. My minor complaints are the placement of the on-off button, which can be unintentionally touched during use, and the design of the trimmer, which can cause it to pop open during use. Had it not been for these, I would have given this shaver five stars. Despite this, I still highly recommend it."

"I have used a Panasonic ES7003 for years and was pleased with it. It got so that a full charge would last 2 days max, so I was looking to upgrade. The 8101s charges in one hour and I get days of great shaves. I have a fairly heavy beard and it takes a few min to get a nice close shave. The new Panasonic 8101s gives me a nice close comfortable shave. The linear motor performs flawlessly and is a nice upgrade from the ES7003. The dry shave is good but the wet shave is great. I did not want one of those "cleaning stations" and I think they are a waste of money when you can just put a little soap on the head and switch it to the clean cycle. I have enough on the counter now. I have looked at the other brands but when a friend bought a Panasonic with a "linear" motor and swore by it I knew I would have another Panasonic. The only problem was he paid $90 for his and just call me cheap but its difficult for me to spend more than $75 for a razor. I got this on J&R for considerably less [...] I would gladly purchase another 8101s, but I am sure they will be discontinued by the time this one wears out. Since my last Panasonic lasted for years, I expect this one will as well. I have even dropped it on my outside shower's concrete floor with no problem. The only con would be the charge indicator. It would be nice to have a graduated scale instead of you have one more shave."