My Arc5 has a digital display.
The digital display isn’t technically necessary, but it’s nice to have.
It tells me the battery level rounded off to the nearest 10%.
It also tells me how long my shave takes.
I noticed today that I had my Arc5 on for 55 seconds.
Sure, I had to go over every square inch multiple times, but 55 seconds is faster than my other shavers.
I’m guessing that the only other shaver that would be better (for me) than my Arc5 would be the Arc6.
I have read that the Arc6 is marginally better, but it’s way more expensive and the replacement blades/foil are extremely expensive, so the Arc5 is a better fit for me budget-wise.
I really liked the peanut. To the point I had three fall apart within a couple years because I refused to accept their reliability.
Now I just use a full-size wahl, which seems to have no flaws. The blade kept breaking on my peanuts, but I also like the big solenoid “motors” that the full-size wahls have versus the rotary plastic mechanism on the peanut.
Yesterday I listed my Braun 9 Pro on eBay.
I haven’t tried to sell anything on eBay for about 20 years, and the process has changed quite a bit.
I doubt anyone on BLF is interested in a barely used Braun 9 Pro, so I won’t link to it.
Plus, I’m trying to sell it for more than I paid for it, so it’s not very “budget” oriented.
I think it’s still a pretty good deal, but we’ll see if anyone bites.
Shortly after listing the Braun, I purchase another Panasonic Arc5 off of eBay.
I think I got an excellent deal.
This second Arc5 will be a backup for my current Arc5.
Also, I decided to trim my neck hairs every day with the trimmer on my Arc5.
Doing so makes my daily shaving time double, but otherwise the hairs on my neck get way too long.
The Braun 9 Pro sold on eBay today.
That was much quicker than I expected.
I have it all ready to ship and I’ll swing by the post office tomorrow morning.
Hair trimmer rather than specific shaver, but the Xiaomi Mijia clipper 2 has a USB-C port.
I bought it as a beard trimmer, it’s quiet and cuts pretty well, however, the comb is too big to comfortably use as a beard trimmer though and the built in length adjustment is a bit too short for my liking on the longest setting.
Picked it up on AliExpress for c.$24 so not bad value.
I’ve pretty much used only Panasonic razors all my life. I shave every day, or at the most, two days, and don’t grow much, so it works for me as a non-Sasquatch.
I’m currently using an Arc 3, that I just looked up, and found I bought in 2013, so it’s eleven years old(!).
Original battery, original foils and blades, still goes a 2-3 weeks before it asks to be charged, and hasn’t missed a beat. Nothing but regular rinsing in terms of maintenance. Haven’t babied it either, so the cell goes through the full SoC range every cycle.
But every time I pack for a trip, it’s a debate whether I’ll lug the AC wall adapter along, in case I might need it. Took care of that on the last AX order with a USB-A to Panny charging cable.
Nominally, the AC adapter produces 5.4V at 1.2A, so a typical USB charging port should be more than sufficient, but my curiosity about how much the razor really draws will have to wait until it arrives and I can test it.
These are epitome of the best appliances. They work, just use them and never have to think about it.
The fancy models with the cleaning docks, which require their own maintenance, happily are puzzling and unnecessary for me, if maybe not for Sasquatch.
UPDATE:
Afta is somewhat cheap, but not as inexpensive as it used to be.
There is currently another brand on Amazon that’s cheaper per ounce, though I haven’t used the other brand.
That said, I quit using pre-electric shaving lotion yesterday.
While it was necessary (on my neck) with my Norelco shavers, it doesn’t seem to be necessary with my Panasonic Arc5.
Necrobump!
I still like the Panasonic Arc5.
It’s great, but it has trouble shaving near my nose, so I dug out my old Norelco rotary shaver.
The Norelco does the job, but I’m on the lookout for a newer Series 5000/7000 Norelco because I think it’ll be more gentle (or work better) than my old Norelco.
I ordered a Philips Norelco Series 7600 Wet & Dry Men’s Rechargeable Electric Shaver.
It comes with a “Cleaning System” that I don’t think I’ll be using.
I was looking at the Series 5000, but the Series 7000 might be more durable.
This looks like a good place to ask. My son is leaving for BMT with the USAF soon and I’d like to send him off with a good foil shaver. Long battery time, easy to clean and under $100. Any recommendations? I went 30 years ago and the alkaline battery shaver I bought at the BX there made my days much easier!
I prefer the Panasonic Arc5 for foil shavers, but it’s a bit over your budget.
The last time I bought one, I bought it brand new on eBay for ~$106 (after shipping and tax.)
They can be cheaper if you don’t mind one that’s barely used, but buying used is risky.
I don’t know of a less expensive option that’s as good.
The Arc5 is not a good choice for some people with sensitive skin.
Luckily for me, the Arc5 doesn’t irritate my skin.
Good luck in your search!
EDIT:
The Braun Series 3 ProSkin is cheaper, but I don’t think it’s as good.
I’m pretty sure the Series 3 ProSkin is the budget recommendation for foil shavers.
Here’s a website all about Braun shavers…
I got a Braun series 3 (got a little crazy and bought myself a red one) and after 10+ years it’s stll working perfect. They say you can use it under the shower, but I don’t. First I shave and than I hit the shower. After every shave I remove the head en blow head and body a few times, every once in a while I brush them out. I totally ignore the “it’s time for a new head” signals. I bought a new head when the blade penetrated the foil. Idk if that’s sloppy? But my beard is not like barbwire and I stick to the habit as long as it feels and looks OK.
I just use a buzzy thing to trim the hedges and get The Greg House Look™.
If I try anything to get a closer shave (foil, rotary, etc.), it looks like I used pink dye as an aftershave. Gave up on that.
And by the next day, the hair just grows back anyway.
But I’ve been using the same Philips Norelco forever, and aside from battery life going downhill, it’s still chugging along great. And I do f all for maintenance other than occasionally disassembling to blow/brush out the compacted hair-dust. Don’t even think once per year, just whenever I get arsed enough to do it Just Because.
Today I ordered another Norelco shaver.
This one is the S5966/96.
It’s not as advanced as the other one I ordered, but this one should be better for shaving the hair right below my nose.
The Norelco shavers with the pentagon-shaped heads are supposedly terrible for that specific area.
I received this shaver today.
I shaved with it, and it cut my lip twice, which is a dealbreaker.
I’ve been using electric shavers for decades and I’ve never had this problem before.
This shaver has free returns, though I only have five business days to mail the shaver back.
This shaver is the reason why free returns are so important.
I wanted to order something from AliExpress for about $4, and to get free shipping the total needed to be at least $10
After quite a bit of thinking, I decided to look for the best rotary shaver (made by a Chinese company) on AE.
I ordered the Enchen Blackstone 3 for about $20
“Enchen is an independent brand that operates within the Xiaomi Ecosystem.
While Enchen handles the specific engineering, products in this ecosystem often follow Xiaomi’s “Industrial Design” language, which prioritizes a minimalist aesthetic, high-quality plastics, and modern features like USB-C charging at a lower price point than traditional brands.”
If I like the Enchen Blackstone 3, a potential issue might be durability.
Enchen might not be as durable as Norelco.
Anyway, I think I’ll quit ordering any more shavers until after I receive the two that I’m waiting for.
