Philips Norelco OneBlade, Hybrid Electric Trimmer and Shaver, QP2520/70

I am very happy with the OneBlade. As background, I have sensitive skin and also have a skin condition that can flare up which makes shaving in my chin and mustache area very uncomfortable--a regular razor will usually take off the top layer of inflamed skin leaving red blotches that take a few days to heal up. As a result, I have shaved less and less over the years (difficult to do as a lawyer), and have a long and complicated system of shaving that usually involves trimming with a wahl trimmer to a shorter length, hot towel, shaving oil, badger brush, shave soap, safety razor, and multiple careful pases, followed by alum and aftershave. It is a huge pain. Plus, I would usually shave the night before due to the length of this routine and the fact that my skin would usually be pretty irritated after shaving, and wearing a shirt and tie would usually irritate my neck. So a lot of work, and I would have 8 hours of growth by the time I got dressed.As for my beard, I would say it is average--not super coarse and thick, but not thin or spotty. The trickiest spots for me to shave is usually my throat area, where I have whiskers growing in all different directions and there are some tight spots that I frequently nick trying to get a clean shave.I saw an online ad for this, and checked out some videos and amazon reviews before purchasing. I went into it thinking that even if I had to shave with a razor when I needed to be 100% clean shaven, I would still be happy with this product if I didn't make any skin flare ups worse and could keep my sideburns trimmed and neat. After my first shave, I am not sure if I need to use anything but the OneBlade.First, I expirmented by shaving part of my face dry, part wet in the shower, and part with shaving cream. I would say that I preferred the dry shave of all three. As a wet shaver, I think you need more than just water, as the directions say to use long passes. Personally, with the shaver and my skin wet. I had a hard time making long passes before I started getting some friction. The shaving cream reduced this friction. I am sure shaving oil might also work well. But this thing worked real good as a dry shaver, so essentially I am not sure if it is worth shaving with water or cream/oil/soap unless you just are dead set on shaving in the shower. The hair accumulates on the top of the blade even when you shave dry, so it does not get everywhere. There is definitely some clean up involved, but it is not bad compared to most electric clippers.After spending about a total 5 minutes shaving (which is way less than my usual routine), I looked completely clean shaven. If I really rubbed against the grain, I am not baby's butt smooth, but it is pretty darn close. It is pretty easy to use, you just lay it flat against your face, and shave with an emphasis of putting the top edge of the bade into the grain. Usually, I do not even attempt to shave against the grain with a razor for fear of irritation. I did it all over my face with the OneBlade with zero discomfort. One thing to note, you can nick yourself, especially if you have anything raised on your skin. I am sure there are ways to navigate around this as you get more comfortable using the OneBlade. As a shaver, I am very impressed with this product. It exceeded my expectations.Now for the downsides. First, you are going to be stuck buying blades for this thing. The initial cost of 35 bucks seemed reasonable, but blades are ~10-15 a piece. They say you can get 4 months out of one, but I cannot weigh in on that estimate yet. I think using water will cause the blade to break down quicker. It is also pretty delicate. I would be careful packing this thing for travel and would be careful where I store it as the tip is pretty dainty plastic. The unit does not have a light or anything on it to indicate battery life. Seems like it would have been easy to put an indicator on there, especially since it takes 8 hours to charge and will not work when plugged in. I think frankly the biggest con is the cost of replacement blades. But, for me, it is not much of a difference in what I was already spending between a razors (which were cheap for my safety razor), but shave oil, shaving cream, brush (I usually get about 2-3 years out of a brush), alum block, etc. I did use aftershave aver using this and probably will continue to do so.Also, I think that if you have a very thick beard, then this may not get as close as you want if you want a very clean shaven look.Some additional advantages are that I think this product would be excellent for body hair and for guys who shave their head, but clearly you will blow through replacement blades faster. That being said, there is no doubt a versatile product.For me, the OneBlade gives me a cleanly shaven look, and did not irritate my sensitive skin. Plus it greatly reduced the length of my shaving routine. For me, this thing has "wonder product" status right now I am extremely impressed. I will try to remember to update my review in a few months so I can discuss how long the blade lasted and whether any negatives have come to light with more use. But right now, if you are considering buying this, I would give it a go.

This is by far the best shaving-related purchase I have ever made. Let me explain why:Ever since high school, due to chronic issues with skin irritation and ingrown hairs (not acne), I have experimented with countless razors, trimmers, and skin products. All in all, I have spent hundreds of dollars of looking for for the right product, including manual razors, electric razors, electric trimmers, facial soaps, shaving creams, shave balms, after shaves, and "anti bump defense" products. Recently, I purchased a Feather safety razor ($150) after reading that this type of shaving might help with skin irritation.The problem is this - I have dark, thick facial hair which grows very quickly, and after any shave my skin becomes extremely irritated and breaks out due to ingrown hairs. I currently work in a corporate job, and so shaving frequently and looking clean cut is very necessary. Until now, I had settled for using a trimmer on my facial hair, and then maintaining the upper cheeks and neck by shaving with a manual razor (not ideal).The OneBlade is completely different from any of the above products, and without trying to sound over the top, it has changed my life. Basically, it is a facial trimmer that cuts extremely close to the face - just short of actually shaving. For me, this is perfect because while it is NOT as close as a clean shave, it gives the appearance of a clean shave, and is extremely mild on the skin. In fact, if it were any closer, I imagine it would cause the same issues as electric razors (i.e. irritation and ingrown hairs). I have never in my life had such a pleasurable shaving experience. It is just as painless as an electric trimmer, but it cuts closer to the skin. Even an old-fashioned safety razor, which does produce quite a comfortable shave, in my experience still causes ingrown hairs about a day later.I have seen negative reviews for this products, and I think the main problem is expectations and marketing. If you are looking to shave, then by a razor. If you are looking to trim your beard, buy a trimmer. But if you have sensitive skin and are looking for an alternative to shaving, buy the OneBlade.Pros:- Price. If we are talking value, I would have easily paid $350 for this razor (i.e. 10x what it is selling for). It's hard to put a price on something so life changing.- Design. Easy to use, waterproof, easy to hold and maneuver.- Battery & Blade. I've had the OneBlade for roughly 3 months and have had no issues with the battery or blade. I use it about 3 times per week. Am expecting that I will need new blade soon.- Wet or dry. This is a huge plus that I don't need to spend money on shaving cream. I exclusively use the OneBlade dry, and it works great. Usually follow with an aftershave or moisturizer just to refresh my skin, not due to irritation.Cons:Should come with a carrying case, especially because the head seems like it could be damaged if dropped or thrown around in luggage.Note:I've seen reviews regarding the quality of the shave. In my experience this product works well if you do the following: First, hold the razor head flat on your skin - will work better than if you approach from an angle. Second, move against the grain - for me, my hair is not all in the same direction, so I often have to approach from different directions. Even though I have thick hair, and sometimes let it grow quite a bit before using the OneBlade, it always gives the same quality result.6 stars out of 5. Thank you Philips Norelco for changing the game.