I ve only had this razor for 3 days now, but I m already very impressed with it. Previously I was using a Braun 7000 series razor (which also has a cleaning system), and this is streets ahead.

My skin still hasn t adjusted to the Philips, but it s quite obvious that it will deliver a closer shave more quickly and more comfortably than the Braun. It s not as close as a wet shave, but I doubt an electric razor ever will be. The cleaning system works brilliantly, and on this, the 1095 model, the razor and the cleaning dock are all made from very good quality materials and look good on the bathroom shelf.

The only slight annoyances that I ve identified so far are that to use the trimmer you have to detach the shaving head, and that after it s been cleaned the razor demands a couple of hours drying time - annoying if you shave, put it on to clean and then notice that you missed a few hairs and want to go back.

All-in-all a great product, highly recommended - at a good price from Amazon too!


Don t throw out the razor yet

I got this shaver as a replacement for the daily grind of smearing shaving cream in the morning, using a Gillette Mach3 or Fusion and often ending up with redness and occasional cuts. I have been using this for many months now and here s what I ve found.

Positive -

1. The RQ 1095 shaver is indeed a very good product and the shave is at par with the best that Gillette has to offer, minus the cuts or redness. The shaver glides very easily over the face and is capable of the closest possible shave.
2. The cleaning kit and solution are very good and the shaver feels like new each time I clean it (usually once every 2 weeks).
3. The battery indicator is very accurate and a great feature to have.
4. The portable charger is also very handy for short trips.

Negative -

1. The trimmer is pretty poor and I often end up using the Mach3 to catch any hairs that the trimmer ought to have snapped up.
2. The cleaning kit does take a fair while to clean the shaver and after the cleaning it automatically starts charging the shaver. I don t particularly like this as it means you can t just leave the shaver plugged in while it s cleaning. Overcharging the battery could ruin it.
3. The shaver has not reduced the total time I spend each morning. Despite that I can t think of going back to a razor full time.
4. The Jet clean solution only lasts for 2 applications and thus requires a change every month.

Some tips -

1. The instructions provided in the manual are simple enough and if you have not used a shaver before, be patient with this shaver as it does take time to get used to it. Everyone has different skin sensitivities and it may take your skin longer or less to get used to this.
2. Personally I get a better shave by using a pre-shave conditioning solution. I have tried shave oils but they don t do the trick for me. A conditioning solution along with a splash of water is the way to go to ensure that the skin is never dry while shaving. Dry shaving is over hyped and moisture is the key to a better shave.
3. Use both up/down and circular motions while shaving and do not press the shaver too hard. Instead if you feel that the shaver s missing a spot, simple splash water and then gently go over the area again.
4. After I m done shaving, I always use an after shave balm to prevent dryness or irritation. I feel that it certainly helps.

Overall this is a good product and I would recommend this over similar shavers. The HS8060 was the other model I was considering but the cleaning kit with this model was the deciding factor. The 8060 shaver does come with a built in shaving lotion dispensing option but the pre-conditioning gel along with an occasional splash of water does the same for me with this one. If not for the poor trimmer, this would be a 5/5 product.