I have tried many cordless shavers and always been let down by the battery, not this time.

This is a brilliant shaver with plenty of settings to work with. Blades are very shard and it does give a precision when used correctly. Battery seems to last forever and most important it’s always has charge when you need it.

Just buy it you won’t be disappointed.

After my trusted model of six years, the battery finally gave in. For something that had served me well for all those years, and since these years have passed, it’s understandable Phillips no longer manufactures that model. Searching for another was incredibly cumbersome as technology has understandably changed in that timeframe, yet coming across countless branded and unbranded listings. However, the reviews weren’t favourable regarding battery and general performance, as well as working longevity, some saying a few weeks to a year. I stay with familiar brands as I know what I’m purchasing. I was undecided between two Phillip models, the series 5000 11 in 1 and 7000 14 in 1. Both reviews weren’t brilliant, but they were better than the others I had encountered, yet still considering the Prestige 9000. Still, at over 100 and between 50-70 more expensive between these two models in comparison, I wasn’t going to part with it if it turned out to be price over quality and hype. I managed to snag it at 109.00 instead of the 130.00 it’s priced elsewhere, which is far more reasonable (kudos to Amazon). After reading/watching countless online reviews, even going as far as Amazon US reviews, as their market is generally more extensive than the UK. I parted with my 109.00 but took comfort in that If I didn’t like I could return up to two months later. Now I have been using it for three weeks. I can give a fair, honest (brutal, if required) review.

In my reviews, as they are often detailed, I separate them into three categories, pro, med and con, before finishing with the conclusion for ease of reading and to allow you to focus on areas you are particularly interested in whilst trying to answer as many questions as possible that I had before my purchase.

Pro:
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* I was initially concerned as others have stated it’s “heavy” In all honestly, I don’t find it heavy. The reason others may feel this is they’ve potentially only ever used or come from those that are “plasticky”, which I cannot bash as this is typical of most trimmers nowadays, and I have used these previously myself, against those. You’ll inevitably feel a difference in weight. Since my last wasn’t plasticky, I genuinely don’t feel the difference, nowhere near the “weight training” expectation others have stated.

* When I first unboxed, I timed how long it would take to charge (as you cannot use it without charging up the first time). Supposedly this was to take 1hr. However, 44 minutes later, all three of the lights were statically illuminated, and as of yet, still, three weeks later, with my frequency, I haven’t needed to recharge.

* One of the reasons I decided to go ahead and purchase it myself was the integrated adjustable steel guard. I’ve never had the best of luck with plastic guards. They’ve either broken from continuous placement and removal or become misshaped over time which ultimately causes an uneven cut. Most shavers, when used guard-less, are the standard static 0.4mm, and multiple loose guards are necessary or having to adjust a slider to move a singular plastic guard to your desired length (which is often limited length selections). With this model, I don’t personally use the supplied guard often, as I rarely rock facial hair that exceeds 5mm. However, I have let it grow beyond this to test out how well it cuts above this length and to see if the guard got in the way of reaching under the nose effectively to trim the moustache area at various compatible cutting lengths, which I have found, at least in my case, it hasn’t had issues with doing so. It can reach around 1mm without unnecessarily digging into the nose.

* Others have stated it’s “noisy” Sure, it’s certainly not as quiet as hair clippers. I did a dB test, and it ranged from 65-70db, which is similar to the Phillips OneBlade. If you want something softer, this isn’t for you, and I’d suggest going down the hair-clipper route.

* The battery is phenomenal. I have used it two days per week for the last three weeks, roughly 10 minutes per time, and it’s not dropped a bar as of yet.

* While the power button is “firm” to press, there is an inbuilt activation lock by holding the power button down for around 3 seconds and the same to unlock. Mine is primarily kept in its travel case when not in use, and it’s unlikely to be pressed while travelling as the pouch’s upper and lower sections are firm. This feature may be handy for those with small children if yours is on view. Convenient to have but no use to me.

Med:
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* While the increments of 0.2mm are versatile for most, once you reach 2mm, the increments then change to 0.5. While this isn’t an issue for me, I appreciate this could be limiting to others.

* It is not the widest of heads (5cm). This element is both a pro and a con, as a smaller blade is easier to work with. Although the slight increase in time isn’t much of an issue for most, as each first pass cuts evenly and smoothly without having to repeat.

* As expected, the lowest available 0.4mm doesn’t give you those clean, crisp lines you’ll need to follow up to perfect with a foil or manual razor. While 0.4mm is sufficient to provide a basic outline shape, it’s a trimmer, not a razor. That said, the “skin follower” does obstruct a clear view of where the edge of the blade will pinpoint meet the skin while using it on the neckline does take a little patience and practice, but with experience, it becomes easier.

Con:
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* A deal breaker for most. It’s not a 2-pin plug (shaver plug). It’s a standard UK 3-pin, so if you want to use it with the power cord, you must use it out with the bathroom, which isn’t ideal; as mentioned above in the con section, it’s rather messy, you can purchase a 3-pin to 2-pin adapter separately but again an additional cost to the consumer. Who wants to sit and hold a shaving bib while attached to a wall outlet, let’s say, in their bedroom? No one. Thankfully with the brilliant battery and the five-minute charge to get you through one shave will be a rare occurrence. Still not ideal for a full recharge when required out of the bathroom.

* You will undoubtedly want to use a shaving bib as it does make some mess (particularly without using the plastic guard). When focusing on my upper lip, I must close my eyes as the cut hair gets catapulted in all directions, ultimately ending up in my eyes. I have overcome this by using it predominantly in the shower, as when the hair is wet, it’s less likely to fly around than when dry and being able to rinse the entire unit afterwards, which also gets a little messy and harbours hair in small crevices such as the dial wheel.

* Of course, I was aware of this before my purchase. I would’ve preferred a digital percentage indicator instead of a three-light guide which correlates to 33% each. How accurate is questionable when on the last bar; you could have 33 or 3% remaining becoming an issue, particularly if you don’t have 5 minutes to quick charge, then another 10 minutes to use, and your charger isn’t with you to use plugged in. You can get third-party cases. However, I appreciate not everyone will want to do this as it pushes that price up more so on what is an already expensive purchase.

* While the battery is fantastic and could last around six weeks if you only do maintenance two days a week at 10 minutes each, the cable is loose for that duration. If you are like me and have countless others already in every room, it would be easy to be misplaced and not be at hand when required, even to use corded when caught short on time. If you are away for a few weeks on holiday, you will want to pack the charger for extra security. It’s better to take and not need it than not have it when you do.

Conclusion
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So would this be worth purchasing at the usual price of 130.00? I’d have to say no, and thankfully I didn’t even at 109.00, it’s a little steep. The price needs adjusting as it is undoubtedly overpriced regardless of its performance and overall craftsmanship. Now, had this been in the region of 75-85, I would have no issues saying, “It’s a must for all men with short to medium beards” Unfortunately, due to the price, it does the complete opposite of ostracising many and understandably. For that reason, I feel it’s justifiable to remove a star.

That said, sure, there are more pros than cons. If you rock a beard of 10mm and below and hate switching between an array of low-quality guard attachments that end up broken, weakened, giving an uneven cut or become misplaced whilst wanting a mind-blowing good battery in an hour, then this is for you if you can stomach the price tag then you won’t be disappointed if you fit the above criteria.

At least for my cause, I like it. Sure, it has its flaws, but as do others and if the battery health holds out well as my previous, then I’d say it’s worth the investment as it does a fantastic job of doing what it’s supposed to do. To echo, don’t purchase as a detailer; you’ll undoubtedly be disappointed.

I was fed up with beard trimmers with cheap plastic trimmer combs that break & bend so I thought I would give this a go. Firstly the motor is powerful & cuts through my curly tough beard better than any other trimmer I have had, easy clean & easy adjust so very pleased so far. Only downside I can say is the weight & size is big but a small inconvenience for the power & the second is the very salty price! More than twice the price of any trimmer I have ever bought before. If this last me years with no problems then I will think it was worth the price, time will tell.

Feels sturdy, though it may be cumbersome but it isn’t, it’s easy to us. I was in two minds as have seen mixed reviews, but am glad I bought it. The built in comb was the selling point for me. Just dial in the depth and away you go. 2mm turned out to be good for me. This is not a balding trimmer, so will always leave some stubble, which is what I got it for, you won’t be able to shave your head bald, it is for short beards and that stubbly look. I don’t want a beard, but there is a point in the week, if let my stubble grow, where it looks at its best, this is ideal for keeping my stubble there. I like the way they have made the dial and the metal case a little reminiscent of a torque wrench, I take it that was the idea – MAN STUFF – LOL. So far the comb has not dragged on my skin and has been comfy, so far, so good. I can not say if it is any better than another, I do have another, but I used it to bald my head but I am back to long hair at the moment, they are different horses. But if you have the spare cash for a stylish trimmer to keep a short beard or stubble in check and like the idea of dialling in the length and not loosing the comb/guard then you may well like this. (There is also a plastic combe/guard supplied to take it a little longer, but I have no use for that so can’t comment on it).

Very good set of clippers that feel sturdy and very professional. My only minor gripe that prevents me giving this 5 stars is the placement of the guard that helps keep it at the correct angle for your face. It blocks the view of what you are doing when using these for precision edging. Other than that this is an excellent product with a very long battery life. The ‘lock’ feature for storing it while you travel is also very useful, means it doesn’t switch on in your bag and drain the battery.