Panasonic ES8228S Men's Linear Vortex Nano Arc Foil Shaving System, Silver

I've always had a difficult time shaving. I have a very fast growing, thick, heavy, dark beard, combined with soft, sensitive, light brown skin. Because of this, if I miss even a single hair shaving, it shows up rather clearly. This is true even if it's a hair that gets cut, but not cut as short as the others. I almost always look like I have a 5 o'clock shadow, even right after shaving. The only time when I don't is when doing 3 passes with a straight razor...but I'll get to that. I started with an old Norelco rotary electric, and it would always miss large portions of hair on my face, and especially on my neck (I have a rather pronounced trachea and fairly sharp jaw, both of which are difficult to shave around). I switched to cartridge razors (specifically, the Gilette Mach III), but they tend to be too dull after only a couple of shaves, and the blades would clog with hair far too quickly (usually after a single pass). After reading about straight razors, I decided to give it a shot. I started with the style with replaceable blades, but the blades are VERY thin, and so flex and cut if hitting any hairs which haven't been sufficiently softened. Also, the blades were good for about 1.5 shaves before I had to replace them...they would just dull too quickly. That said, I learned about preparation and good shave soaps..that crap cheap Gillette foam in the red (or orange?) can doesn't lubricate nearly enough...I stopped using it completely. I just kept nicking and cutting myself too much, though, and I still tended to miss areas, due to the angles of my neck and face. I then switched to a real straight razor, and was pleasantly surprised...I found out about shaving with the grain, then across the grain, then against the grain (full 3 passes). I found that doing all 3 tends to give me pretty bad razor burn, so I usually stuck with 2. However, the hair on my neck grows in every direction, so no matter WHICH way I shaved, I would hit some hair with the grain and others against...I'd always end up with nicks on my neck, no matter how careful I was. Also, learning to strop is something I didn't manage to master...I can't keep the blade sharp enough to do a good job, and I would always start to get tugs and pulls after a few shaves which I couldn't recover no matter how much I stropped the blade (I tried a couple different blades, too, and they arrived shave-ready...so I know it's my stropping technique that is faulty). Also, it was easy to miss spots, and too easy to get cut. The advantages of the straight razor were complete control over the shave angle, only a single blade, so no clogging, and when using the type with disposable blades, no worries about the blade going dull. Also, it had the nice effect of removing the top layer of dead skin off of my face, something shaving dry with an electric doesn't do. The disadvantages of the straight razor were the difficulty shaving around my chin and neck, as well as the problems of grain on my neck, the steep learning curve of stropping (and shaving), the concentration required to avoid getting too many nicks (I ALWAYS got nicks), and the time...it was so time consuming to shave that way. So, I started reading reviews of wet/dry electric razors. I primarily looked at the nice Norelco Rotaries, and then foil razors. I have never tried a foil razor before, and so was interested in what was offered. I finally decided on the Panasonic ES8228S after reading numerous reviews. Another reviewer commented that he couldn't cut himself, even when he tried. This is not true for me. I've tried dry shaving with it, but it doesn't give me a close shave, it irritates my sensitive skin, and it doesn't remove that top layer of dry skin (it actually will start to flake if I dry shave it enough). Wet shaving is the only way to go, for me. I've been using the same shave soap that I was using with the straight razor (Van Der Hagaan), applied with a boar bristle brush, and it provides sufficient lubrication while not clogging up the razor, as it rinses away easily in water. I've found that using too much hot water to try to soften up my beard hairs results in the skin becoming too soft, and the slot cutter on the razor (for longer hairs) grabs my skin and cuts it, leaving nicks. So, what I do is I hop in the shower, get my face damp quickly, get my face out of the running water and lather up, and immediately shave with the Panasonic. I do it by sound (I can hear the hairs being cut) and feel. There's no advantage to doing it in front of a mirror, as the Panasonic doesn't wipe away the soap like a straight or disposable razor does...I still can't see what I'm doing. Also, with the foil razor, it turns most of the hair (when it's short) into powder, and it's nice to just rinse it away in the shower. Once the shave soap on my face is rinsed away, though, the foil starts to stick to my skin and will "jerk" without gliding smoothly, missing hairs. Also, to avoid cuts, I use the top and bottom foil while trying to avoid the slot cutter near the angles, like under my chin, and around my lips. I've avoided all nicks and cuts this way, by being careful. While this usually results in a good shave, it's difficult to tell how high to go on the sideburns, and I still miss small patches around my chin and neck, so when I get out of the shower, I use Neutrogena sensitive skin shaving cream and a disposable razor to catch what's left. this works alright because there's not much hair (the razor still clogs, but it's not so bad, as the electric gets most of it). A note: this razor works best for me if I shave EVERY day. If I skip a single day, the hairs on my face are long enough to lay down, and the razor just glides right over them without cutting a large percentage of them, even on the flat area of my cheeks. I have to be careful to get them with the disposable after I'm done showering. The cleaning base is nice, but unnecessary. I recently took the razor on a month long trip, and left the base at home. Cleaning it under the sink using "turbo" mode and liquid soap and water (as the instructions say how to do) works fine, and of course the power cord plugs directly into the razor to charge it. The base is noisy, and the flashing lights are annoying if your bathroom faces the bedroom, but one doesn't actually need the base nor the cleaning cartridges to use this razor. The case it comes with is soft, and only holds the razor...the charger won't fit in it. As other reviewers have pointed out, there's no way to lock the flush mounted power button, and so there's a risk of it accidentally turning on in your luggage. This actually happened to me in a duffel bag in my car, but luckily I heard it and pulled it out and turned it off. It would be nice to have a hard case for it, or some sort of lockout on the button to prevent this from happening. This is easily the best electric razor I've owned. It's not perfect, but no razor will be for the challenge of shaving my face. I'm very happy with it as a wet shaver in the shower.

Sorry to be repetitive, but I purchased the Panasonic ES8109 a year ago and this is my review. Since then, I purchased the ES8228 and is the same razor with a different outer foil and travel case (scroll to the end for more information). I am still very happy with Panasonic shavers. Since the wife sent mine through the washing machine (dont ask) I missed it until the new one showed up. My only disappointment was living in a city of 80,000 I could not find a replacement foil and blade in town. I had to order it on the internet. My suggestion is to buy a replacement foil and blade as backup should one break or fail...unless you are willing to go under the razor for a few days while you order one or track one down. But I digress, here is the review... My 3+ year old Braun 7526 Syncro with Clean and Charge finally had enough. Prior to that was a blade preceeded by a Norelco. Lets jump back a few years and share my history... I have always broken out with razor burn and ingrown hairs on my neck for as long as I started growing facial hair. Cheap razors were terrable so I asked for an electric. The Norelco made it easier to shave but still had issues. Several months later it was back to the blade. Someone suggested a foil shaver and, after much hesitation, I purchased the Braun. Wow! What an improvement over the blade and rotory shavers. I have been happily using it daily for almost 4 years. Dare I say...almost enjoy shaving. Razor burn is almost non-existant unless you grind away in an area for too long a time (come back to the area 15 minutes later helps), ingrown hairs are 98% cured, and it shaved closer than a rotory with only a few passes. A win/win combination. The cleaning system is great except when away from home and you have to do it manually. That brings us to the present... The Braun has hit the snooze button and no longer wants to get up in the morning with me. After many hours of research I thought I wanted another Braun...their top of the line Pulsonic model. Almost bought one based on a few blogs on the web. I did cringe at the asking price of $250 - $300 suggested retail. I have always enjoyed Panasonic products and noticed this razor at half the asking price of the Braun. It seemed too good to be true, but Panasonic products have never let me down yet. I gave it a try, knowing I could try it for 30 days and send it back if unhappy. I had nothing to lose. I have had it a week now and nobody is taking this shaver away from me. I dare you to compare the 2 razors back to back and honestly say the Braun is worth double the price. They are, in my opinion, in the same class. The Panasonic is quieter both shaving and in the cleaning stand. It shaves closer and cuts more hair on the first pass, eliminating a 3rd or 4th pass. The Braun would sometimes knick my adams apple or lip and I have tried to get the Panasonic to do it but it wont (call me stupid). Since I dont have to shave 3, 4, or 5 times on my neck, the razor burn is gone. The ingrown hairs are 99% gone (I have had only one this past week). The cleaning gets the blades cleaner and they smell soapy clean and not chemically clean. The best part, a bonus if you will, is the Panasonic is water-resistant. Not only can you rinse the head off underwater at home or on the road, but you can shave in the shower or use shaving creams or lotions (gels are not recommended). The top of the line Braun can be rinsed under water but not used "wet" or with creams or lotions. The only drawback I could find is the travel bag they supply. I was hoping they could have supplied a better case to hold the cord and shaver for extended trips. Not a big deal though, on a big trip...I will have a big suitcase so I'm sure there will be plenty of room in there for a cord. In conclusion, a great shaver with all the current technology and features offered by the competition at a reasonable asking price. EDIT - MONDAY JANUARY 21, 2008 Since purchasing, this razor still continues to be my favorite. I have now started using it "wet" by warming my face with hot water, then applying a Neutragena shaving cream. The results are better. It shaves more hairs on the first pass, the cream eliminates any friction, and gives me the closest shave yet with an electric (some areas of the face feel like I shaved with a blade). EDIT - SUNDAY JANUARY 18, 2009 Still loving it and using it everyday. However, the wife ran it through the front load washer tonight. It is now very clean. Still runs but needs a new set of blades. For added measure and the price of new blades and foil, I found a really good deal on the ES8228S shaver. The only difference between the two is the ES8228S adds a zippered vinyl travel case (vs cloth bag with draw strings) and the head has independent floating foil (each of the 3 foils is on their own suspension to track the curves of the face better). EDIT - TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2011 Same as last edit. Still going strong. The first charging/cleaning stand finally started to leak from my original shaver that went thru the wash. 3 years on the original base, not bad. Now using the base that came with this razor....same unit, different color. EDIT - July 14, 2012 Still using it. It just keeps going, still love it and have recommended it to many others.

I purchased this shaver to replace my 7 year old Braun 7570 Syncro. The Braun had been gotten really loud over the past couple of years, due to a loose fitting foil block. A new foil didn't fix the problem, so I decided it was time to retire the old girl. I read every review on Amazon and everywhere else before making my decision. It was tough, since I've owned 3 Brauns over the past 16 years, but I really wanted to try a wet shaver and I liked the idea of the 13,000 RPM linear Panasonic motor. Plus, Amazon has great deals on the Panasonic stuff which I just couldn't pass up. I just couldn't see spending twice as much on the top-of-the-line Braun. OK, on with the review. The feel of the Panasonic is totally different from the Braun. Like a Japanese car versus a German car. Very different, but great in their own way. Most noticeable is the weight and balance. The Panasonic is much lighter and the motor is in the shaving head, shifting the balance from the handle into head. No bad, just different. The cleaning/charging base is much more streamilined and compact than the Braun. My only gripe is the power cord. I prefer the springy coiled cord of the Braun which feels much higher in quality. But you don't shave with the power cord. Shaving performance... WOW! Since I've been shaving with an electric for 16 years, I didn't need the 30 days recommended to let my face adjust. I could tell from Day 1 that I made the correct decision. Great close shave, especially on my upper lip. Shave time for me is about 5 minutes, but I'm picky and keep going over those tough spots under my jaw until they're silky smooth. I can do it in about 3 minutes if I'm in a hurry. The best part of the new razor for me is when the foil starts to heat up after a minute or so, I just run it under cold water for a few seconds. Not only does the razor stay cool, but the wet foil glides over my face much easier than a dry foil. I never got serious razor burn or a rash with the Braun, but the redness, especially on my neck, is significantly reduced with the Panasonic. I actually enjoy shaving now! In addition to not liking the power cord, I don't like the Panasonic cleaning system as much as the Braun. I prefer the antiseptic quality of the Braun solution and the alcohol based cleaner dries in a fraction of the time. Since I rinse the new shaver after every use, I don't have much need for the cleaning base, so this isn't as big a deal for me. If I was just rating the shaver itself, I would give it 5 stars. As a system, the cheap power cord and water based cleaner knock it down a notch for me. All in all, I highly recommend this shaver.

I'll add my effusive praise for the Panasonic ES8228S to the others here. I've been using Norelco Quadra shavers for the past 8 years, quite happily; and had Braun and Eltron shavers before that (Eltrons have Braun bodies and upgraded gold plated foils and cutting blocks). I use blades fitfully in between - liking the close shave but not liking the nicks and longer ritual. I gave up on the foil shavers and went back to Norelco because the foil shavers required more care in use to avoid burn. Plus they seemed to need more frequent foil and cutting block replacement than the Norelcos. Norelcos also let you shave in a quick swirly motion I enjoyed. The ES8228S is a different league than all of those. Unlike other foil shavers of my past, this one seems immune to shaver burn - while having all the closeness in spades. I attribute this to a remarkable synergy of technologies: the 13,000 rpm magnetic drive motor with its speed and relative lack of vibration; the curved dual thin foils with the hyper-sharp cutting blocks; the fact that the head and foil assemblies can independently move and pivot to fit your face; the excellent centrally mounted long-hair capturing cutter (the 3rd cutting block - more of a slot in between the two foils). I've always had a problem with stray long hairs down in my neck - and the ES8228S is the first shaver I've ever had that did a good job of getting these. In use, the ES8228S feels incredibly light and smooth on your face. It's loud, but there's not too much buzzing on your skin. The beard disappears very quickly and afterward your skin feels remarkable unburned. It's just flat out the best shave I've ever had. BTW - I've only been using it dry. Part of what I didn't like about blade shaving was the hot water ritual. Used wet with shaving gel it's even better - but I always end up using it dry because it's plenty good that way and I'm done quicker. The EW8228S charges quickly - about an hour for a full charge. It has a lithium ion battery which should last a long time. A big backlit LED display tells you level of charge as a percentage number. It comes with a cartridge detergent cleaning/charging unit (the "HydraClean" system)that washes and lubricates the shaver automatically; but the detergent cartridges cost $5/month ($15 for a 3 pack) list. They are currently discounted about 30% on Amazon. The HydraClean unit can charge, clean, rinse, and dry in any combination (e.g. you can set it to just charge, or just dry or whatever combination). It's a little noisy for the first 20 minutes of the cleaning cycle but then settles down. It has an odor that I find not to my liking, but the unit is certainly clean and somewhat lubricated afterwards. You can also clean the unit with water and hand soap using a an "ultrasonic" speed mode. It's very convenient and works very quickly and well. The charging cable also charges the shaver directly so use of the "HydraClean" bath unit is entirely optional. I've ended up using it once a week for the lubrication effect - and according to the docs I should be able to use it for 3 months at that usage level. I wash it under the tap after every use so it's clean as a whistle all the time. The cutter and foil assemblies cost about 1/2 the cost of the shaver - list - to replace (once again, discounted about 30% on Amazon). This is a bit high - but given the extraordinary quality of the shave and the incredibly reasonable cost of the whole unit, I'll put up with it. The cutting block is supposed to last a year and the foil two years - so it's not like you're doing it all the time. Given how good this thing shaves with a fresh cutting block, this will probably be the first shaver I've owned where I don't resent replacing the cutting block every year. All in all, it's clearly a quality unit with unbelievable performance at a real world price. Highest recommendation.

I've been using this shaver for about 2 weeks now, shaving almost everyday, I believe my shave is as good as its going it get with this thing. First all I have sensitive skin and shaving with a blade really irritates my face and neck, so bad that I resorted to using hair clippers for 2 years, which needless to stay I was always stubbly. I wanted a cleaner look and went back to blade and foam, again with the irritation, cuts, and break outs, so after many hours of reviewing electric shavers on the net I chose this model. I'm happy with the job it does on my face and would rate it as close as a blade on this part, but it doesn't do a good job on my neck, leaving behind patches of hairs, I have to go over and over to get most of them, which irritates my skin worst than a blade, and still there's stubble left. I found it does work better with foam, and feels better as it does get hot when used dry. So now I am debating sending it back, there are some more positives, like the excellent battery life, fast recharge, and solid Japan construction, but my neck looks like hell with the all the red patches.

I've been using the Braun 8995 shaver for over two years and switched to this Panasonic shaver a couple of days ago. I got a very close shave on first use without the nicks and cuts of the Braun. Also unlike the Braun this Panasonic shaver unit hardly vibrates although it does make a loud wining noise. The big difference between the two is that you can use the Panasonic in the shower with shaving cream which I consider a big plus. However the Panasonics recharging base is harder to use than the Brauns but you can also wash the Panasonic shaver under warm water without using its recharging base, saving on the cost of having to buy detergent cleaning cartridges every month. Another thing I like about the ES822S model is it is made in Japan not China which is rare these days. UPDATE 08/29/12 Broke after a year. Cartridge replacement stunk to high-hell and made water smell foul. I found the Panasonic very hard to maintain and keep clean. It does Not matter that it is made in Japan. If a Product from China is of high quality then buy it from China. I Have returned to using a regular old fashioned manual razor with Gillette Shaving gel and I find gives the closest least irritating shave. IMHO there is NO electric razor that shaves as close as a manual razor blade! Only use if you have a medical necessity to use an electric or need to save money on expensive blades.

Was my favorite shaver until the charging base stopped cleaning. Which naturally occurred when it was about 2 months out of warranty, and Panasonic wouldn't budge. "Buy our newer model for $220." Are you joking? Normally this failure might not have annoyed me so much (it was, after all, out of warranty) had I been using it exclusively, however I had been using it simultaneously with a Braun model during the exact same time period, trying to decide between the two. So technically the Panasonic was only used for half the warranty period. When you consider this, the foils literally outlasted the charging base. My Norelco costing less than half still works after 6 years. I typically have high regard for Panasonic products, however this experience left me disappointed in both the shaver's reliability and especially in Panasonic customer service. As I said it was my favorite shaver. It shaves closely and comfortably. It is a bit loud though. If someone was on the phone or listening closely to the TV, I leave the room as a courtesy. And if someone's sleeping, I have to sequester myself in the bathroom and close the door to avoid waking them. But most of the time that's no problem. The Braun I have shaves just as close in roughly the same amount of time, however this shaver somehow transmits better feedback to the user on closeness of the shave. In other words with the Braun I have to frequently "double check" the closeness of the shave with my hand before moving on to the next area, whereas with the Panasonic I could usually tell much more easily just by sound and feel when I was finished with an area of my beard. One note about shaver preference: Some of the reviews you'll find vary widely. I think it comes down to matching the type of foil on the shaver to the thickness of your particular hair. In my experience, the larger the holes in the foil, the quicker (and possibly closer) shave I'll get, but at the expense of comfort due to razor burns. The smaller the holes in the foil, the more comfortable the shave, but it may take longer to complete, particularly if you have thicker diameter hair.

I bought this shaver from Amazon.com in October because Panasonic had an instant $30 rebate during the month of October. I had an older Braun Razor that was an earlier "Pulsonic" series but the foil over the cutter block always ended up getting a hole in it resulting in my face bleeding with one damaged hole in the foil. Braun sells the foil and cutter block assembly as a package and the cost keeps going up. I've spent three times the price of my old Braun shaver on cutter blocks and foils. I finally researched the Panasonic Nano Vortex and found that it had the fastest speed for I have a very thick beard and could be washed under the sink with water and hand soap if you're on a trip and don't want to take along the cleaning/charging unit. It comes with a beautiful leather case and with the wood grain and gold accents, it seems that Panasonic designed it to actually fit comfortably in one's hand. The trimmer is also a step above the Braun trimmer for it sticks out away from the razor instead of along side it where you may be trimming your moustache or sideburns and end up shaving your moustache or sideburns with the Braun...a design flaw with Braun that's never been corrected. The Panasonic also employs a soap cartridge rather than an alcohol cartridge to clean the razor in it's station. With Braun cleaning systems, you must replace the alcohol about once a month if not sooner. I've owned the Panasonic Nano Vortex since October 13th and shaved with it daily, yet the "status" light (a light that comes on to tell you to replace the soap cartridge) has yet to come on! With the Panasonic, it's cut my shaving time down to half of what a Braun used to take me. The lithium ion battery really does take less than an hour to fully charge the unit and the Nickel Hydroxide batteries that come in Braun's? Well, mine is dead and needs replacing but I could still use it while it was plugged into an AC receptacle. I found out that the Braun replacement battery would cost more than I paid for the razor initially. Before purchasing the Panasonic Nano Vortex razor I read complaints about the noise level from the cleaning/charging stand. I found this "noise" was the razor being turned on in the cleaning station when the soap and water mixture were in the bottom of it. Pretty good idea if you ask me that the razor is turned on to remove ALL residue from the shaver. Panasonic also has this razor set up for wet or dry shaves, in or out of the shower or bathtub, with or without shaving cream. I use it dry and am completely satisfied with it's results but have heard that wet shaving will be even closer! Panasonic also sells cheaper razors of this design for women so they may shave their legs in the bathtub for the unit IS totally submersible. It comes with a 30 day Panasonic warranty that if you don't like it, you can send it back for a full refund. The only Negative thing I have to say about this purchase is that I first saw it in a Target store, but really couldn't tell much about it (with all the screws they put in their high tech razors so no one will steal parts...bad idea Target), yet when I went to Target to purchase the three soap cartridge packs, I found that they DON'T carry ANY parts for the Panasonic Razor line! You have to order it from Target online or another store in your area, whereas Target carries ALL the accessories for the Braun and Norelco line. The best thing about the Panasonic Nano Vortex 8282s, is that they sell the foil and cutter block separately! The instruction manual says to replace the foil about once a year and the cutter block assembly, once every two years! Finally a company that sells the parts separately rather than in a package, but once again Target doesn't carry the foil or cutter block in their stores and you would have to purchase it online. My recommendation is that should you purchase the razor, buy the three pack of cleaning "solution" with it for this is all you'll need for I know you'll fall in love with this item as I have and in the women's line, it's a great shaver for your wife or girlfriend.