Panasonic ES8109 Shaver
July 21st, 2008 by Todd B
For Father’s Day my family gave me a Panasonic ES8109 shaver. (OK, I actually bought it for my family to give to me!)
It comes with a self-cleaning station that also recharges the integrated battery in the shaver. A cleaning cartridge is inserted into the station which works in conjunction with a water tank to clean the shaver. When you finish shaving you set the shaver back in to the cleaning station which cleans the head of the shaver and then drys it. It takes about 2 and a half hours for the cleaning process to be completed including a dry cycle. The cartridges should last about six months and can be bought in a package of 3 for around $16 from Panasonic. The cleaning station has indicator lights on the front also to let you know when it is time to replace the cartridge.
What really attracted me to this shaver was not only the self-cleaning feature but the fact that it could be used as a wet shaver with shaving cream. It can even be used while showering! I have tried electric shavers before but I always ended up forsaking them and going back to shaving cream and a razor. I did not like how I felt after using an electric shaver. More often than not my skin felt burned and scraped from the experience of using the electric shaver. It was the idea of using the shaver with water and shaving cream that inspired me to try the electric shaver again.
I have been using the shaver for almost a month now. Though you can use it like a traditional shaver without shaving cream I always use shaving cream and water with it. I have not had a single uncomfortable shave with it. The ES8109 is not going to give you as close a shave as a razor, but it is much faster and shaves close enough for everyday use. I recommend using it with shaving cream and warm water for a comfortable and expedient shaving experience.
