Review on Philips Norelco AT830 46 Frustration by Lauren Neal

This shaver was bought to replace a 6583XL, also from Philips Norelco, which was over 25 years old. The old razor just stopped working one day (didn't respond to the on/off button at all, despite the indicator light showing it was charging etc.). The shaver arrived on time in a non-disruptive box along with a cleaning brush. , warranty card, user manual, quick start guide and charging cable. The shaver was not charged when I received it so I charged it the night before using it. No surprises in the user manual or quick start guide. The shaver is very quiet. Much quieter than my old 6583XL. The heads have the usual Philips-Norelco flex to allow the razor to follow the contours of your chin and around the Adam's apple of your neck. The entire head can also rotate around an axis, although this ability seems more of a gimmick than a practical enhancement to shaving performance. My first impression is that the shaver works pretty well. I was able to get a close and smooth shave in less than 5 minutes. I used the razor dry like I used my old razor. The shave was smooth and clean, but no better than my old 6583. And on my old 6583, the shaving heads were never changed once a year. of their lives, so they were 25 years old. The new razor has newer blades and better technology that promises honing and shaving, but I haven't felt any noticeable difference in terms of a clean or close shave. The shave was quicker (not as many passes over the same area as my old razor) but that's about it. This razor can also be used for wet shaving, with or without shaving gel/foam. So you can use it in the shower if you want or use shaving cream if you're used to it when switching from regular razors. The instructions for use describe wet shaving as "more comfortable" and dry shaving as "more comfortable". The shaver is very easy to clean. You press a button at the base of the shaving head and the entire head opens, allowing you to hold both the hair collection area and the head under water to clean it. The head doesn't fully detach like my 6583XL, so you can do it with one hand. I used to clean my 6583 razor about once a week, but since I got a new razor I just clean it after every shave for convenience. also with water. The user manual contains instructions on how to completely separate the shaving head from the shaver and then use the brush to clean each razor blade and comb individually. I'm not sure if all of this is necessary, but you can do it if you feel the need or desire. The battery should last about 10 shaves (50 minutes) on a full charge. A 3-minute charge from zero gives you a 5-minute shave. The charging circuitry is completely disabled once the battery is fully charged, so the shaver will not consume power if left plugged in after a full charge. The charge indicator changes color to show when you're getting at least one shave on battery power. According to the user manual, the battery is fully charged in one hour. The shaver cannot be used while it is connected to the mains. This is probably because it can be used both wet and dry. The shaver does not turn on when plugged in. There is also a retractable trimmer on the back of the shaver for trimming sideburns etc. Pros: Quiet operation Can be used both dry and wet Cons: Cannot be used when plugged in. The shaver does not have a replaceable battery. So when the battery dies (and it will eventually), the shaver becomes completely useless. The razor arrived completely empty. Lithium-ion batteries should be shipped with between 40 and 80% charge, not fully discharged. I was very upset that someone made the decision to ship these razors while ignoring simple best practices like battery level. Replacement heads are quite expensive (half the price of the shaver itself or even more). It looks like these companies are taking a page out of the printer manufacturer's books, where they're giving away the razor for next to nothing and charging you the cost of replacement heads. Conclusion: If you switch from another Philips Norelco shaver, you are bound to have some nasty surprises. Switching from something else is likely to be more convenient (and cheaper in the short term since you don't have to constantly spend money on shaving supplies), but no electric razor can deliver a smooth or close shave. Shave with a regular razor, even a new one.