In the nick of time (Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium Energy)

Member Name: grahamt

Product:	Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium Energy
Date:	02/06/09 (118 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality shave; solid design

Disadvantages: None that I've discovered yet

For most of my life I have worn a beard. It was only in the last few years that my beloved hinted that maybe the look was a little out-of-date. For someone of my advancing years a beard can have the opposite effect to that which we seek to achieve in our youth (an illusion of maturity). At my age, it was suggested, it just makes you look old. Or maybe she had grown tired of the scratch when things get up close and personal?

Even when I had a beard it didn't remove the need for "personal grooming". I still shaved: I am one who has areas where even the hirsute would wish for less, (don't ask!) and not just because of my age. I [still] have a Pifco Beard Trimmer and, over the years I have had a variety of electric shavers, mostly Philips, both mains rechargeable and battery.

Once the beard had gone I thought that my beloved would be happy but, no: the results produced by the electric shaver were not living up to her expectations: she wanted me to try wet shaving! Now, I had never wet shaved in my life. However, a programme on TV about a new invention, the vibrating wet shaver, resulted in her presenting me with a surprise birthday present: a Gillette Mach 3 Turbo shaving set. This was supposed to present the ultimate shave!

Now, I have been using that razor for over a year, with varying success. However, it has now been consigned to the bin: it finally fell apart, due to a serious design fault. I have written a review of this razor if you want to learn a bit more about it and why it might be best to avoid it. What I needed was a replacement, one that would do a better job and be more reliable.

Recently I saw a comparison of razors on Channel 5's The Gadget Show. They compared various razors, both wet and dry, and in the end the winner was a Wilkinson model. It suggested to me that this is where I should look for my next razor.

The Wilkinson Sword Quattro razors come in powered and standard format. The powered versions also come on versions with and without a beard trimmer on the opposite end of the handle to the blade. Whilst browsing around Boots I spotted the basic model, the Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium Energy, the one without the beard trimmer, on sale at half price - £4.20. This looked exactly what I needed and at that price I couldn't really go wrong. I bought it plus a pack of five replacement blades, which cost me an additional £5 or so.

The Quattro has a far more sensible arrangement for the supplied Energizer AAA battery: it is inserted in the end of the handle and secured with a rotating cap. No danger here of the handle snapping in half!

The handle has rubber inserts which deliver a firm grip even when the razor is wet; little chance of it slipping out of your hand or rotating under pressure in use. I use mine in the shower and have not had any problems. There also appears to be no problem with water leakage, especially into the battery compartment.

The blade assembly is attached and detached at the other end by depressing a button, much like the Mach 3. The vibrating motor is switched on and off with two buttons.

So, what's so special about a vibrating razor? The claim is that it makes the hairs stand up more and also that the blades cut more effectively. I admit I am still less than convinced. The major differences between the Mach 3 and the Quattro are suggested by the names. The blade assembly of the Mach 3 has three parallel blades that cut, cut again and then once more. The Quattro, has four.

Why should four be better? Wilkinson claim that their blades are set closer together and so there is less chance of the skin bulging into the inter-blade space and so getting nicked. Wilkinson also help to avoid skin cuts by stretching eight tiny wires across the blades. I suppose that the purpose of these is also to stop the blades deforming under use. This might also prevent skin nicks.

What I can say for certain is that during the time I have been using the Quattro I have not once suffered any skin cuts whereas this was a fairly regular occurrence with the Mach 3. What I can also say is that the shave that I get from the Quattro feels smoother that that which the Mach 3 provided. The Quattro seems to be able better to deal with all of the nooks and crannies of my face, not leaving any difficult areas with residual and untrimmed stubble.

I have been using the same blade, the one that came initially with the razor, now for over a week. So far there are no signs that it is losing its edge. The Mach 3 had a coloured strip on the blade, which wore away when a change was recommended. The Quattro leaves it to your judgement. If I get a fortnight out of one blade I will be quite happy; so far the signs are good.

I shall, of course, be giving the Quattro an extended test and only time will tell if it proves to be a successful choice; the Mach 3 initially appeared satisfactory. Should the Wilkinson Quattro encounter serious problems over time, you will read it here in an update.

For now, however, no news is good news.

Summary: A reliable and effective powered wet shaver