Review of Norelco Speed XL Rechargeable Shaver Model 8151XL

Review of Norelco 8151XL

Before I bought this shaver, I read all 131 reviews of the 8140XL(a very similar model) on amazon, and was concerned, since many reviews were from previous norelco owners, who beleived that the newer norelco was of much cheaper quality than previous ones. I'm writing this
long review mainly to address worries that I had, which will hopefully help others in making their decision.
My last shaver, a Norelco 5811XL(Quadra line), I had for over 6 years, and the shaver and battery still work fine, but the trimmer broke a few months ago, so I've been planning to buy a new one for a while. I was never thrilled about the ease of shaving, I always had to make many
passes, and if the hair was too long, I either had to trim my face first or endure some pulling. A bit of a PITA, but I still found it much easier and more convenient than a blade. So I don't expect amazing results from this shaver, but I expect it to work at least as well as my previous model.
The main things that drew me to this particulat model is the ability to rinse it under water, the larger surface area of the blades and their potential for a quicker or better shave, and the lithium battery.

Here are a few downsides to the shaver:

- The travel pouch cannot hold the power cord, just the shaver(with or without the cap, contrary to one review), and the brush if you want.
- The protective cap does not fully enclose the heads, so it doesn't prevent hair from falling out of the heads like previous caps did. This was possibly done to aid in drying
- The power cord is not coiled, and has a transformer on one end, making it bulkier than with previous shavers, which had the transformer built in.
- The "automatic" charging stand does not autmoatically shut off, so you have to remove the shaver after its done charging. You can use the cord without the stand, but you still have to unplug it when its done charging.
- replacement heads/blades are most expensive yet: The ones I saw were $40.

I knew all these issues before I purchased it, and was concerned, but I realized that there are some benefits even to these disadvantages. For example, the pouch without the cord is more compact, and for most people a fully charged battery will last at least a week(I think the advertised 17 days is an exageration, however). The new cord would be annoying if I have to travel with it or move it, but it makes it easer to leave it setup in the bathroom with the stand. Also I expect to rarely
need to travel with it, especially since mine came with a free car charger, which does have a coiled cord, which I can easily leave in a seat pocket in my car.
I preferred the old caps, which prevent the shaver from making a mess, but if you rinse the shaver after each use, that shouldn't be an issue(as I mentioned I beleive the new cap was designed to allow it to dry). I still would rather have the old ones, and just dry it with the cap off if necessary.
There is nothing about the charging stand that is automatic, that is a false and blatantly misleading statement. That said, I find it a bit more convenient than plugging the shaver in(which you can still do), and is no worse than older models in this respect. The stand can be left plugged in, just remove the shaver once it's charged.

Some advantages:

- quick & easy to clean - no cleaning solution to buy
- long battery life, low battery indicator
- The case is semi-rigid and has more padding(better protection), and is slightly more compact
- Does not feel cheaper or lower quality than my older Norelco(contrary to other reviews)
- dual voltage transformer, like previous models
- charger stand is more stable than I expected, and optional

Of course what probably matters the most is how well it shaves. It's not much faster or much closer than my previous Norelco, but maybe a little of each. My skin does feel smoother after a shave, but I can plainly see the hair anyway. I still have to make many passes in some areas and usually miss a few hairs, it's almost impossible to get everything. I should also mention that I hadn't changed the blades on my previous Norelco in years, so any improvement could simply have been due to fresh
blades. There was a significant amount ofirritation, even though I've always shaved with an electric, it took a few weeks to get used to it. The blades must be set closer to the screen than prevous shaver, as I also managed to nick myself more than once, and that's the first time that happened to me with an electric in my life. The trimmer is about the same as previous Norelcos, it works fairly well.

Bottom line: The shaving quality is mediocre, but If you were happy with previous(but not ancient) Norelcos, and the power cord and other issues above are not deal-breakers, then you will probably be satisfied this one.

Product Description
Norelco Speed XL Rechargeable Shaver Model 8151XL. 50% more shaving surface for a faster and closer shave every time. Rechargeable cord/cordless shaver. this unit stands out from other Speed XL models because of the additional battery low indicator to tell you when to charge your shaver. Contents: shaver, storage/travel pouch, charging stand, protective cover, charging cord, cleaning brush and BONUS CAR CORD ADAPTER!

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