Be Better Guys

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring reviews of BBG-recommended gifts  for guys. Check out our list of gift ideas, updated throughout the week, all the way up to Christmas.

The sun rises, rain falls, and guys shave. These are facts of life. For years, electric razors have made a claim to being a better shaving option: Little or no mess; you can shave most anywhere; improved technology gets you a closer shave; and for the design-minded, very stylish looks. Add to this the cost versus new blades weekly and you have a cost-effective, practical, good-for-his-grooming gift for guys. This would explain why they are such a popular gift for men during the holidays. Yet somehow, electric razors seemed to fall short. One knock against electric razors was that they left a guy’s face feeling like a clear-cut forest—yeah, most of the hair was gone, but feel all of the patchy stubble! Another was the comfort factor. The friction of the razor head back and forth on the face to get a good shave can leave irritated skin, especially around the neck. Plus, there is something soothing about a wet shave. So, the ideal option isn’t so ideal, or at least that was my experience.

However, the shaving game has gotten fierce and electric razors have stepped up theirs. Enter the newest line of Phillips Norelco electric razors. At Be Better Guys’ request, Philips sent their 1250X Senso Touch 3D with GyroFlex and UltraTrack head. The GyroFlex design allows the head to tilt, flex, and pivot to adjust to the curves of the face. The UltraTrack provides three levels of cutting to get the best shave. Plus, the AquaTec seal means you can have a wet shave, if you like, and cleaning is much easier. The design is slick, with a svelte, ergonomically-shaped body that has a cool Tron-like display that’s invisible to the eye unless illuminated. Finally, it has a lithium-ion battery that ensures 50 minutes of continuous use and longer shelf life.

Over the course of a week, I tried the 1250X. Generally speaking, it was a smooth shave. The razor is well-designed, easy to use. The noise level is minimal, except when using the built-in trimmer, which sounded like a Geiger Counter—I thought there was a radioactive isotope in my cabinet. On the days I used the 1250X without shave cream, the shave was fairly comfortable. The SkinGlide design uses a coated surface and rounded edges to minimize the impact of the rubbing and tugging on you mug. While the shave quality has improved greatly since my first experience with an electric razor, my face still felt stubbly and slightly razor burned. I tried using a shave oil for lubrication, which helped. The GyroFlex did allow for a more even shave all over my face—the patchiness that electric razors leave is another knock against them.

Having the wet shave option made the razor more appealing. Years ago, I used an earlier version of Philip Norelco’s three-headed monster that oozed lubricating goo to help the comfort level of the shave. But (and there’s always a “but”), the lotion clogged up the cutting surfaces and cleaning wasn’t always effective. The 1250X did a fair-to-good job with the wet shave, providing a closer and more even shave. Cleaning the stubble and shave cream out was a simple as popping open each individual head and rinsing it out.

So while I’m not convinced that I’ll ever use an electric razor over traditional one, I do recommend the Philips Norelco 1250X. The cost is a bit steep (suggested retail price $199, as low as $155; with replacement heads running $70). However, if your face isn’t easily irritated, if you like the convenience of being able to shave wherever, and want a quick and pretty good shave, this might be the answer for you. Oh, and this might be a good gift for a guy you know, too.