Philips Norelco 8160XLCC SpeedXL Jet Clean Men's Shaving Set Reviews

• perfect shaver at a great price

  
  By A3DE371NOC3SVW on 2005-09-17
  Just purchased and have been using this shaver for one week. I was caused to change shavers when a Braun 7500 series died just beyond the warranty period. The new Norelco is beyond my expectations and is much better than my prior Braun. The Noelco is the quitest shaver I have ever used in over thirty years of shaving. It is also produces the cleanest shave I have ever received with few facial areas that you need to go back a second time to shave. Perhaps the only fault I can find with the shaver is that once you have used the automatic cleaner one must remember to either unplug the cleaner base or move the shaver (disconnect the point of contact between the base and the shaver)otherwise the shaver base goes from cleaning mode to charge mode. Otherwise a great shaver and Amazon with its rebate offer makes the shaver a great deal.
  
  

• It's a Norelco

  
  By A38Y27HY61WA1K on 2005-10-22
  What I like is what all Norelco's have...it's the triple circles that increases the surface area to cut with. That alone, in theory, makes it waay better than the other brands. But all Norelcos are about the same. I don't feel any difference from my old Norelco. It's a solid razor, but you don't need to spend all that money to get the same affect. The razor Jet Clean is luxury. If you rinse it on occassion, it will clean it too
  
  

• Corporate Greed Ruins Good Shaver...

  
  By A3FW4THIMBIN6V on 2007-06-10
  The shave I get with this is fine, but be warned: The Norelco SpeedXL series has a built in blade life. Once Norelco thinks you need to change the blades (and they tend to think you should spend the $36 more often than you will want), the shaver disables itself.
  
  The way it does this is that it turns on the "change blade" warning LED. And this LED uses so much power that it drains the batteries in just over one day. Worse yet, the shaver will not operate unless the battery is charged, so this results in a dead shaver until you replace the blades.
  
  Way to go Norelco. I used to be a big fan.
  
  

• Going Downhill

  
  By AK6XH365YKT43 on 2006-07-31
  I have been using Norelco shavers for more than 30 years so my face is "used to" rotary blade shaving. The 8160XL is my third Norelco razor. As far as I am concerned, although it doesn't cut as close, my HP102 produces an overall better shave. Just FYI, in the time that I have had this corded antique, I have replaced the blades (not lift and cut) once and I have replaced the brushes in the motor once.
  
  My second Norelco was a 5584 (I think) purchased in October 2001. I had to buy this third one (8160XL) because the 5584 failed due to a broken connection at the motor.
  
  The 8160XL does give a closer shave but it takes about three times as long to get it. You have to keep going over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over the same spots. It took me about 15 minutes to get most of the whiskers. There are still some remaining that I will get with the old one. Granted, with those few leftover hairs not being cut "below the skin line" my face won't be baby bottom smooth but if I run this piece of junk over my face much more I am going to start to wear the skin off.
  
  I am extremely disappointed in this item.
  
  
  

• Best shaving system ever

  
  By A14YFKMRMOVFO6 on 2005-12-21
  Have been using Norelco's for years. This is my 4th and by far the best. I only used my electric when I traveled. Since picking up the 8160, I use it every day home and away. It is simply a great razor giving me the best shave of any electric shaver I have used.
  
  My only complaint is with the cleaner. If you store it in the cleaner, it will still be wet when you go to use the razor in the morning. It is best to remove it from the cleaner at the end of the cycle and store it in the medicine cabinet. No biggie but a better design is needed.
  
  
• Razor good, cleaning station bad.
  By A20OCQNP96UDNB on 2007-05-16
  I have had this razor for over a year now and it has worked pretty good. As expected, I had to replace the blades after about a year. The cleaning/charging station was another story. It never worked right and is just a piece of junk. It might charge ok most of the time, but the buttons never worked when it was time to start the cleaning cycle. I just pour some of the cleaning solution in a shallow dish and run the razor in it for a few seconds. I wish I had saved some money by not getting it with the cleaning station.
  
  
• Good but not perfect
  By A29G8EDACR9JF3 on 2006-03-11
  All in all this is a very good razor, it gives me a good shave, the charge lasts a long time and it's very easy to clean. Like all electric razors, in my case, it does not shave my neck area very well and I have to just "neaten" the area with a regular blade. I have yet to find an electric razor that can do this however so I can't fault this model too much. In general it gives a clean, close shave and I am enjoying it very much. I love the fact that you can just rinse it under the sink to clean it and the battery indicator is a nice feature that most lower priced models don't have.
  
  
• Norelco Speed Shaver
  By A27MGVH039KU0O on 2007-02-22
  The jet clean shaving system included in the package with this shaver is oversold. The structure if the shaver head is such that it can be easily cleaned with warm water immediately after use, so there appears to be no additional cleaning required. The shaver is quite similar to earlier models of the same type, so very little difference in the quality of the shave has been noted. Placing the battery charging hardware in a plug-in module so that only low voltage is present on the shaver cord is a safety improvement.
  
  
• This product is poor quality
  By A1HHLMN9OMGHCS on 2006-01-03
  After less than 3 months of purchasing this product, it stopped working. The unit no longer holds its charge and connecting the shaver to the mains supply doesn't help either.
  BTW - For anything purchased longer than 30 days ago Amazon's return policy leaves a lot to be desired too. It has put me off buying anything electronic from this site in the future.
  
  
• Comfortable, but jetclean is disappointing
  By A3EK2KTYHJCPB9 on 2008-02-25
  I've been using this razor for about 2 years now. I really like this razor compared to the last "entry level" norelco I used to have. This one has much more rounded edges on the blade guuards and the pivoting and motion of the heads is much lighter and smoother. This gives a better experience when using.
  
  I will say, I have to go over areas twice - once to cut them down, then again to get the smoothest shave. I can still feel stubble when done, but it's comparable to any other results I've gotten with an electric razor. So in a nutshell, the shave itself isn't all that much better or faster than lower models, but it's more comfortable.
  
  Other advantages are the fact that you can rinse the razor clean - that's a big plus for me. Also, you can use it corded or cordless. It's much quieter than lower models and the power seems to remain more constant over the life of the charge vs. cheaper ones seem to get significantly slower at a half charge. The LED lets you see when you're running low, which is needed b/c as I said, the noise and power is fairly constant up until the last 1 or 2 lights of the charge meter.
  
  My biggest dissapointment was the jetclean system. It takes a very long time to cycle and is twice to 3x as noisy as using the shaver itself. Since I get ready before my wife, I usually didn't run it so it wouldn't wake her up. About 1.5 years into use, the charging pins that connect to the power cord corroded and pulled out of the unit making the jetclean useless. Also, you're supposed to empty the used liquid weekly. So if you don't use it every day, you're either keeping the shavings in the solution longer than reccomended or you're throwing away a lot of solution.
  
  I will say the reservoir is easy to clean and use, and is perfectly matched to the bottle of solution. It was easy to use without making a mess. The other reason I didn't clean it every day was that if left in the jetclean device, I found the razor was still wet with solution the next morning. It was also recommended to rinse the razor with water after using jetclean, which to me defeated part of the purpose of cleaning with an an-ionic solution to help prevent mineral buildup on the razor.
  
  My recco is to buy the razor but skip the jetclean. Just rinse with water instead and then leave it open to dry.
  
  
• Nice for the price
  By A21V3WQ3CKYY4J on 2007-08-31
  This razor doesn't have all of the bells and whistles that some other more expensive models have. However, it does provide a nice close shave. Over the years I've bought cheaper razors and one more expensive one. As yet, this particular model seems to strike the best balance (at least for me) between performance and price. Also, battery life, at least so far, has been excellent
  
  
• Improved, and a great shaver
  By A1M24LVM6J1IYY on 2007-01-05
  I have been using various shavers for over 40 years. I have tried most of the major brands. In the past, I preferred the Remington because it is powerful and fast. But the Remington irritates my skin. The Braun is less powerful and less irritating, but still irritating. I had previously used the Norelco Rotary, perhaps 15 years ago, but it was too slow and not close enough. However, although most shavers remain pretty much the same over the years, this Norelco is a giant step improved above prior models. It shaves faster, and is much easier to clean. The old Norelco was difficult to clean. This shaver can be cleaned very well just with hot water. However, I use soap as the lubricant. (If you use oily stuff, marketed as various pre-shaves, which basically puts a film of oil on your face, there will be a tendency for the gunk to accumulate under the blades. I recommend just using ordinary soap.) This new model of Norelco has larger blades, and better shape, allowing for a closer and faster shave. Also, it is much quieter than the back and forth models. Think of the inefficiency of ramming the blades of an ordinary shaver back and forth. The rotary energy here more efficiently and quietly goes to shaving the beard. As I have aged, my beard has become less dense. If you have a tough beard, and a thick beard, you may prefer an alternative. However, if you want a close shave, from a quiet mechanism, which is relatively easy to clean, I recommend this Norelco. You may not need the well designed cleaning bay, and may prefer just the shaver and charger. I hardly use the cleaning system because just hot water works so well, using soap as a lubricant. Interesting, the brochure recommends just a clean, dry face. I have found that soap works better. Anyway, I would recommend this shaver as one of the best available. And the long trial period suggests the manufacturer's own confidence in its product.
  
  
• shaves great-cleans not so great
  By A112GU8H8NKLZ1 on 2007-05-12
  the razor shaves great, one of the closest I've had. The cleaning is a little more complicated. The reservoir needs topped off every 2 weeks, and you can't just leave the razor in the cleaning station and go. For best performance and battery life you have to watch the cleaning station, and when the razor has dunked for the final time, you need to unplug the station and remove the razor. The razor is always clean and works well, it would just be more convenient if you could put it in the cleaning station, push the button and forget it until next usage.
  
  
• good when wet
  By A1TEO2P3WZKYTH on 2006-02-09
  I have been using Norelco products for many years. This razor gives a close shave but is uncomfortable when shaving. My older one still shaves smoother but not quite as close as this new model. When you wet your face or razor everything changes - it is smooth and shaves close. If you leave the razor in the cleaning unit and it is still wet then you use it, you will get a great shave. The instructions about battery charging goes back to the dark ages of rechargable batteries. It they use the old type that require all these proceedures to avoid "memory" then this is indeed a CHEAP product.
  
  
• great shave
  By A1YEDF9ECBF2HF on 2006-12-24
  I used this against 3 days worth of growth. It cut though effortlessly. It didn't irritate my face and it felt fine - no adjustment for me. I was very impressed with the closeness of the shave.
  
  
• Failure
  By A2EH0BISLQJ33R on 2007-03-04
  Would rate at no stars if possible. First one failed after 7 months, would not hold charge. It was replaced under warranty; the replacement failed after 8 months, again, would not hold charge. Customer Service said to send in for repair, no estimate of how long I'd be without a razor. My response is "forget it." Braun, here I come.
  
  
• Love this shaving system
  By A149XS8VFUASRB on 2007-11-06
  just bought the Norleco 8160XLCC jet clean system. Love the shaver for its close shave. This shaver shaves just as close as my old and more expensive 9160 with the adjustable height/contour system. I especiailly like the jet clean system as it really works. The only downside is that after the cleaning cycle ends, the system goes into charge mode which will degrade the batteries if the system is repeatedly charged when not needed. I wish the system would just go to standby vice charge after a clean cycle
  
  
• Works nicely
  By A3N34NEB1G1HIC on 2006-11-10
  This product works very well and is smooth. It feels soft and does not feel like it is pulling the hairs from my face (when used with one day of growth). The ability to rinse the razor under water is a nice feature. The cleaning solution seems use up very quickly.
  
  
• Not bad!
  By A1NRCOFHE09YJ6 on 2006-12-14
  I've always been wary of electric razors, but I have to say this one works pretty well for me. It took no time for my face to get "used to" this razor (in the past it was hell to try to get through a couple of weeks with other kinds). The first day I used it I got a nice, close shave with no irritation.
  
  A single charge lasts me a couple of weeks, so even though I've brought the charger with me when traveling I've never had to use it (I'll be leaving it home the next time). I haven't actually used the cleaning system yet, because you can run the entire razor under hot water and clean it out no problem. I just leave it on the counter to dry until I come home from work.
  
  My only complaint would be that like most other people (and all other electric razors that I know about) it doesn't get all of those hard to get hairs on my neck without several passes, and the trimmer doesn't get close enough to my sideburns. Not a problem though, I just keep a disposable razor in the shower and touch up---just a few seconds with no lather so not a big deal.
  
  I would recommend this product to anyone looking to make the switch.
  
  
• Just bought a refurbished model
  By A1GQMJUA0ZIOPF on 2007-02-07
  I bought this model refurbished for about $70 and I'm highly disappointed. The good point is that the razor is definitely very quiet, but it does not cut close at all. Also, I don't know why the new one comes with all that cleaning equipment, when the refurbished model I got says to just rinse it with water and came with no cleaning unit.
  
  I've only used this for a few days, and I'm not willing to "allow 30 days for my skin to adjust" because my return policy will expire. So I'm returning it. I've been using a previous Panasonic model for over a year that gives me a closer, better shave than this razor.
  
  
• Great shave
  By A2P1CNC2AOFQ9B on 2007-07-09
  My husband and my son both have this razor. They love it!! Nice smooth shave ( as I can attest too!)
  
  
• A great replacement for my 14 year old Norelco razor
  By A506HOOCVL8GW on 2007-12-25
  I was debating between the Braun self cleaning razor and this one. Since my beard has been trained over the past 20 years with the Norelco 3 blade system, I went with the Norelco.
  The razor was well-packaged, no too difficult to remove from the box like some modern-day clam-shell packaging. This was in a box, protected well and easy to remove.
  The charger base is not small, so if you have limited counter space, try a different razor. The Braun seems to take up about the same space, so if you want self-cleaning, it is a toss-up.
  The unit charges up for one use in a few minutes. The shave is very close... much closer than my old Norelco. Some major improvements have been made to the shaving foils on the three blades. Shaving is 30% faster than with my old unit as well, saving me time in the morning.
  The cleaning process is interesting. You put the razor in the base and "lock" it in place. Press the cleaning button and it grinds into motion. The cleaning is loud and obnoxious. Don't start it cleaning if your partner is sleeping in the other room because it gets very loud and the process takes about 5 minutes. I've never had a self-cleaning razor, so I don't know if they all are this loud and take so long. I was afraid to leave the bathroom the first time I cleaned it.
  Here's a tip. Make sure to open the razor cover and tap out the trimmings in the sink BEFORE placing unit into the cleaner. This will extend the life of the cleaning solution and make cleaning more thorough.
  
  All in all, I like this razor and would definitely buy it again.
  
  
• Super Shaver............
  By A3K6097ACJXYT3 on 2008-05-08
  OK here is the deal. I purchased this razor based on a review that Consumer Reports had in a recent issue on electric shavers. This was top rated for Rotary Shavers. I own the Braun 1775 and the Panasonic 8077s. I liked the Braun but it is a bit uncomfortable, however it provides a good shave for about $35.00. If you are looking for a basic shave with no frills extras this is a great razor. I use this at work in an emergency. The Panasonic is also very good. Using this for some time, proved only to be a 4 star shaver at best(I rated it 5 when purchased). The shave is ok but you need to pass the difficult spots(neck) a couple of times to get a close shave. Its comfortable, the cleaning system is fair, the wet/dry feature is nice but its definately harder to get a close shave with a wet face and its nicely designed. The Norelco far exceeds my expectations. The motor is very quiet. One may think its weak, but its very strong. The shave is extremely close, comfortable and gets those difficult areas with ease. I fell in love with this early on. I do not believe in the cleaning system in any razor,so I will not comment on this feature. Just rinse under hot water and let dry. Gentleman I would highly recommend this razor. I think each persons beard is different, but I will tell you this rotary works for me. Hope this helps in your descision.
  
  
• Shaver's great, cleaner silly
  By A3P5NVQ9CHE1VJ on 2008-05-12
  First I would like to say that this is the best Norelco I've used, and I have been using many of them over the last 30 years. However, the cleaning device is poorly conceived and cheaply executed. The biggest weakness is that it is not a "smart" charger, and does not stop charging when full. This shaver is actually a lithium battery, which means run it all the way down after it's first full charge, then keep it topped off, like a laptop. The cleaner liquid itself is super. I tried different soapy water and alcohol solutions and all of them resulted in worse shaves.
  My protocol is to rinse the shaver under water right after shaving, to get rid of most of the hairs. Then I dip it briefly into a small container with the cleaning solution, then rinse it again. Works like a charm, and the cleaner device went to the trash. BTW, this is now a clearance item, so shop around.
  
  
• great shaver, cleaning system superfluous
  By A1UD8ZTHRRM6HE on 2008-11-03
  This is my 4th Norelco, going back quite a few years. My last one was not very good, although the first two were great. The 8160 shaves very close and can handle a two day growth. How long an electric razor stays sharp is very related to how clean it is kept, as hair in the heads will dull the blades faster. To that end, Norelco ships this razor with a motorized stand to clean the razor heads. Basically what it does is submerge the razor in the cleaning fluid and turn it on and off occasionally. So you need not buy the XLCC, just buy the 8160 XL. You can submerge the razor in fluid yourself and turn it on and off a few times to do the same thing, and not have to worry about having space to store the stand. I'm experimenting with making my own cleaning fluid, which as far as I can tell is distilled water with a small amount of glycerine and a bit of an additive such as photo-flo which breaks the surface tension of the water so it will drain right off.
  
  One huge improvement over my prior Norelcos is the ability to rinse the razor throroughly with hot water. It does an excellent job of cleaning the razor, and then the fluid bath is only really needed to condition the heads. You can also buy a silcone spray which lubricates the heads to have them wear better. So save some money but make sure the razor you buy is washable and water tight. I highly recommend the razor itself.
  
  
• Norelco 8160XLCC - not bad but...
  By ASFW4Q0CSLVIK on 2006-12-15
  I had been use to foil razors but after 4 years w/ my Braun it was time for a new one. I bought the Norelco as I was interested in the self cleaning aspect. Overall it's not bad but as they say in the manual - it does take time for your skin to adjust. It is a solid unit and does last quite a bit of time on a charge. The shave eventually gets to be quite nice but give your skin time to adjust. It's a little difficult to get a clean shave around the side burns which is where the Braun was good but that's a small issue to deal with.
  
  
• Jet Clean is a rip.
  By AHZEWZWLB105V on 2007-11-29
  Ok, I'll admit right off that this is not the exact model I had. I had one that was a step lower and is no longer available. Like many reviewers have already said, however, all Norelco razors are nearly identical. The model I had also had this jet clean system, and I do not recommend it. The base in mine had shorted out, and by cleaning the razor everyday, I was also charging it everyday, making battery life less than stellar. If I went to my gf's for the wknd, I had to bring the charger. After about a year, my razor needed new blades [were getting dull, then one fell out and into the toilet]. $30 for new blades or $30 for new razor entirely... I got another cheap Norelco. This time I'll just rinse it under hot water and save $60 a year on the jetclean.
  
  
• Weak!
  By A27GXCJY3WMT53 on 2007-12-31
  My Braun shaver kicked out and I thought of trying the Norelco because I liked the features and was hoping to get a closer shave. The first thing that was a huge disappointment is learning how weak the motor is on the Norelco. When turning on my old Braun, my entire hand was vibrating the motor was so powerful. Of course, the important question is how close a shave it gives, and the answer - not very. I'm not sure if it's because of the weak motor or bad design, after 10 minutes of skin-stretching and going over the same parts of my beard, I still had plenty of whisers showing. Very disappointed, especially for the money. I expected a lot more from a brand like Norelco. It is going back.
  
  
• fjvisek review - Norelco 8160XLCC SpeedXL Jet Clean Men's Shaving System
  By A3TBRQF32C6UPZ on 2007-01-03
  I am very satisfied with the product and with the purchasing process.
  
  
• Great combo of price, performance, and features
  By A3FNZW0OFA55A0 on 2008-09-11
  First let me say I don't have thick facial hair and can almost get away with shaving every other day. My very first shaver was a Norelco -- since then I've tried razors (not worth the effort or cuts) and foil shavers (not a close shave and I have to go over areas, especially under the chin, over and over again). Since I don't have to shave much, I didn't want to spend much on a shaver, so I tried a Braun 1775 and I just got tired of the noise, vibration, and rough shave. Plus, the foil head is too delicate and gets damaged easily (I went through 2). I decided to go back to a Norelco, did some research and found the 8160XLCC. The price was reasonable and it had the features I wanted, especially the charge level indicator lights. I've had it for a couple of months now and I really love it -- it gives me a quick, close, comfortable shave, it's quiet and has good battery life, and you can clean it by running it under the tap without taking anything apart. It's also more comfortable to hold than the foil shaver. Also, the rotary heads are indestructible compared to foil shavers. Haven't used the cleaning system, doesn't really seem necessary.
  
  

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