 |
Philishave Cool Skin HQ6707
by bunandgol
I have had this razor for over 2 years and use it occasionally when not using my Babyliss I trimer ( see separate review)
It gives you a really close shave as it has three foil rotary blades , the good points are that it can be used under the shower , as its water proof and prevents razor burn by having a moisturizing ... facility by slipping a pouch of moisturizer in the flip slot at the back the razor
To get the moisturizer on to your face there is a rubber button on the back of the shaver, and when pressed, it pumps out a small amount of cream onto your skin and because the tiny spout is placed above the heads,then this means providing you shave upwards, you get a nice experience
One of the best features I feel however is the floating heads. The 3 heads float normally in their seperate sections, you can press them down etc, but then they can shape even further because each head is placed on a seperate 'section', and these sections move to the contours on your face, meaning I can get a baby-soft shave in places not possible with previous electric shavers. This contour system also means you don't 'dig' into your skin, it just glides around
The razor is rechargeable and is ready to use after about 3 hours charging the razor plugs into the charging stand and comes with 4 packets of moisturizer , the nivea versions are very expensive to replace
I tend to use this razor when I need a close shave so every once a week and would recommend it as after 2 years its still going strong , the only fault it has is that it didn't come with a trimer which would actually have given it 5 stars
Read the complete review |
 |
Braun FreeControl Washable Mains Shaver 1715
by Nar2
When I travel home at weekends I shave with a battery powered shaver. It has no trimmer and its squat shape is very handy to have as well as to hold. However I'm fed up of replacing batteries. I wouldn't mind if they last a year but I replace 2 AA batteries every two months and although I don't mind using the Philishave, I'd rather keep ... it for actual long destination travel than anything else "local."
The biggest disappointment however has been to find a shaver which is cheap to buy unless it has a budget brand name that I'm not too keen on and the models I've found so far whittle down to Superdrug specials or shavers you can buy in pound shops. I've had these before and they never last due to their fragile build. Along at my local Home Hardware store, I found a "FreeControl Washable Mains Shaver 1715" by Braun. It's not the most advanced shaver in the world but I like the fact that it has a washable head, has a side trimmer and at £19-99 looked like a bargain with a good name. After all, Braun has always been a market leader in men's shavers and aside from other costly alternatives (Remington ones at £35) I thought I'd give the Braun a go.
Once I got the shaver home it was a terror getting into the blister pack that this shaver is contained in. Equipped with a cleaning brush and a bottle of cleaning oil, the product also comes with a European twin pin plug adaptor cord and unlike Philips' cord the Braun one is similarly curly but it doesn't have much length to it. This may be a downside to some, but it all depends on where you use your shaver and for the wall mounted plug in the bathroom there's plenty of cord compared to doing it from a wall socket down below in my bedroom.
In its design, the Braun Free Control 1715 is quite an easy shaver to hold. It is long and angled, just the way a shaver is supposed to be and unlike my larger Philips rechargeable shaver that I use during the week, the Braun 1715 is slightly heavier possibly due to its components of being mains power only. A plastic acrylic protection cover protects the micro foil on top of the shaver; this is the worst aspect of the whole shaver in terms of using it. Whilst it may protect the foil from being tampered with or free from dents just by being put away, I find the top is a difficult piece of plastic to remove despite being helpfully pliable. The body of the Braun 1715 is a mix of black plastic with rubber inserts and blue accents with silver understated writing. The main part that I hold in my hand is completely rubberised lending a much better grip when used than my normal larger silver Philips and the plastic gloss-less battery powered Philips.
As a self-confessed Philips fan, when it comes to shaving I tend to shave in a circular motion and the way in which Philips shavers tend to advise. Fast and quick is what I expect as a result and stubble growth isn't as quick to return.
The Braun 1715 on the other hand needs a little more time spent with it. I believe this may well be down to the fact that I'm conventionally shaving up and down my face with a flat head type shaver as opposed to the round blades on Philips shavers. As a result the micro foil does a good job of getting the hair off my face but I find that unless I spend a good few minutes with the Braun, the effectiveness over Philips shavers aren't as quick, effective and leaving skin soft. Stubble growth returns at the end of the day with the Braun and it does remind me of Philips "Dual Action," blades as opposed to the more effectiveness of their "Micro Action," blades which promise (and they do) a closer shave. When it comes to baby soft skin, I find I have to spend more time with the Braun to achieve this and mild razor burn is sometimes apparent with the Braun against the Philips.
Despite that the Braun 1715 has a very heavy vibrating action. It vibrates my whole hand, which I initially found disconcerting, and in this respect my Phillips shaver has much better vibration absorption.
Over the Philips, the side trimmer on the Braun flips up easily and there's a bit more space between it and the main shaver foil. In use the side trimmer has the same heavy vibration aspect but over the Philips design I find the Braun side trimmer a lot more effective due to its shape and slightly longer length of the actual head.
When it comes to cleaning, the Braun is a master by making the head totally wash proof. The shaver head easily comes off by pinching the sides and the entire shaver head (not the main shaver, mind) can be shaken under a running tap. I find this a lot better than Philips "dry" clean only although I tried a wet cleaning solution product by Philips many years ago and apart from being expensive I didn't find it to be completely effective.
So if you are looking for something mains powered, the Braun 1715 is well built and cheaply priced men's shaver. It isn't as effective as a Philips "round head," blade type though and for a close baby soft shave, the Braun 1715 needs a little more time spent with it to achieve this. Of course it all depends on your skin type for razor burn, but as I have combination skin it is no surprise entirely that I get some razor burn from using this shaver. However with the Philips round type blades, shaver/razor burn is completely absent. It goes to show there's more to just a circular motion to shaving when it comes to electrical "dry shaving." Thanks for reading! İNar2 2010
www.braun.com
Read the complete review |
