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Philips Norelco 8020X Moisturizing Shaving System

Discontinued

Reviewed June 2009
Philips Norelco 8020X Moisturizing Shaving System

pros
  • Close shave
  • Lotion dispenser
  • Nice design
cons
  • No beard trimmer
  • Long battery-charging time
  • Doesn't trap cut hairs
  • Few features
 
 
Where to Buy
 
 
 

Average Customer Review

(34 customer reviews)

for $89.99

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Awesome, July 31, 2009
upgraded to this from the 7 series. Shaves closer even dry. Works great for shaving in the shower.
Best Norelco shaver ever, May 19, 2009
I finally parted with my former noreleco moisturing shaver of several years and decided to try the 8020X. Best shaver ever and as good a shave as I have ever had. I only wish that they had made the housing for the moisturizer transparent. It would have made it much easier to see when it is time to refill the reservoir.
Waste of Money!, April 1, 2009

Great product when it works! I bought this in December and it worked fine for 3 months. After three months it just stopped. I initially went online and got chat support from the philips website. The person on the chat support determined that the razor is defective and told me I would get a replacement piece in 10 business days and provided me with a chat incident number. I was really please till 11 business days later I had not received my replacement and decided to call the philips support line. They were unable to trace my chat incident number and said that it is probably the razor head that was defective and needs to be replaced, however, the razor head is not covered under warranty! Great workmanship and excellent support (NOT)! How is a defective razor the consumer's problem? In conclusion, if anyone does decide to purchase this product, be prepared to forgo your investment if it stops working like mine did!

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Don't be scared... it won't bite., March 1, 2009

When I first started using this razor, I was VERY skeptical, being it was my first electric razor. I received it as a Christmas gift and figured it was as good a time as any to stray away from the world of manual razors. When I first used it, I was scared to say the least. I didn't know how it would feel, perform, or how my skin would react to it. After I finished my first shave with it, I was a bit unsatisfied. It missed a lot of hair, and left my skin feeling irritated. When I went on to review other electric razors I found that it is very common for electric razors to miss hairs, so I gave this product the benefit of the doubt and decided to give it another shot. My second shave was more enjoyable. I decided to slow my shave down, and give a little more attention to how I was maneuvering the razor. My results the second time around were a little more favorable. It didn't leave behind as many hairs and my skin was less irritated and a lot smoother. After a few more times of use, I decided to break down my shave a little more and read the instructions that came with the razor. Turns out, reading the instructions and following them make a HUGE difference. Who would've thought? After about the first month of use, it became clear that keeping this razor was the best decision I've made in a long time. Now that I have a personalized shaving system down, not only is my shave quick and close, but it's also enjoyable. This razor cuts close. And I mean CLOSE. And with little to no irritation depending on how hard you press. Sometimes it's hard to gauge how easily certain spots on your face get irritated, so some irritation is just inevitable. The floating heads contour to everything nice and fluently. Philips Norelco advises the consumer to not buy any lotions or cremes to put on your face because it could possibly damage the razor. But I found that I actually get a better shave if I use the dispensing moisturizer in unison with a good face wash, and I can't imagine it doing any harm to the razor. It's never caused me any problems. All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this razor to anyone and everyone. It's a great razor for first time electric razor users as well as long time veterans. It also shaves just as well as the Braun Pulsonic Series 7 (I should know, I've used the Braun as well, thanks to my roommate) if used correctly, and at half the price! Do your research, give yourself some time to form a shaving routine, and give this razor a chance. You won't regret it.

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Worked for about a year, February 18, 2009

I bought this shaver to replace a previous cool skin model that had lasted 3 years and then became unreliable. Sometimes, when you hit the power button, it wouldn't turn on, even with a freshly charged battery. I always liked the rotary shaving system, so I stuck with Norelco and purchased this unit. Now, after just one year, I'm having the same problem as I had with the previous model. If I'm going to pay over $100 for a shaver, I want the thing to last more than a year. I have a little travel shaver that runs on AA batteries as a back-up that I bought at Wal Mart for $10 about 7 years ago. It still works every time, but I can't shave in the shower with it. I haven't had much luck with foil shavers, but I've decided to try a Panasonic ES8234A Arc IV Nano based on customer reviews.

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Where To Buy

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.org

The Philips Norelco 8020X is included in a roundup of electric shavers by ConsumerReports.org. Eight foil and nine rotary shavers are covered in the report, with editors scoring them for shave, cleaning, noise and features.

Review: Shavers on the Cutting Edge, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, May 2009

2. Consumer magazine

Consumer magazine, New Zealand's equivalent of ConsumerReports.org, recommends a Moisturizing Shaving System razor that's similar to the Philips Norelco 8020X. In naming it the best rotary shaver, testers say it gives a clean but comfortable shave and is easy to use.

Review: Electric Shavers, Editors of Consumer magazine, July 2008

3. Choice magazine

The Philips HS8020, which is similar to the Philips Norelco 8020X Moisturizing Shaving System sold in the U.S., is top-rated among rotary shavers at Choice magazine, the Australian equivalent of ConsumerReports.org. Testers say that it is very easy to clean and comfortable to hold but say it doesn't have a mustache trimmer and takes eight hours to charge.

Review: Men's Shavers, Editors of Choice magazine, June 2008

4. Which? magazine

Which?, the British analog of ConsumerReports.org, is known for its fair testing and reporting. It has mostly good things to say about the Philips Coolskin HS8040, which is similar to the Philips Norelco 8040X that's sold in the U.S., but it takes exception to its lack of a beard trimmer.

Review: Electric Shavers, Editors of Which? magazine, Oct. 17, 2007

5. The Sunday Times (U.K.)

David Phelan tries the six electric shavers and compares them in this article. The Philips Coolskin HS8060 (similar to the Philips Norelco 8060X in the U.S., the top model in the series) is said to give a creditable shave dry, but Phelan says that it's difficult to dispense the right amount of moisturizer and that the fragrant lotion can irritate skin.

Review: Test Bench: Electric Shavers, Alex Pell and David Phelan, Jan. 20, 2008

6. Amazon.com

The more than 30 owners posting at Amazon.com weigh in on the Philips Norelco 8020X, giving it a good average rating. Some owners say the recommended Nivea lotion is expensive, and they apply shaving gel directly rather than using the dispenser function. The higher-end Philips Norelco 8040X and Philips Norelco 8060X receive similar ratings.

Review: Philips Norelco 8020X Moisturizing Shaving System, Contributors to Amazon.com

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