Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Philips Norelco 5550 Shaver (per the box, the shaver has S5590 marked on the back of it) is the third Norelco rotary, electric shaver I have used in the past couple of decades, the previous one being a model 7110X purchased in about 2008, so I have a fair amount of experience with their product. Neither of my previous Norelco shavers have failed. The first one went to my father-in-law during an extended hospital stay, and my most recent one still exists in my bathroom having given way to this review sample provided free of charge. I have been curious to try an electric shaver that can be used “wet or dry” as I have never owned one that can be used with shaving foam or gel. First, I would like to tell users new to an electric shaver that what you read in Norelco’s literature is true, you do have to keep at it regularly for a somewhat significant period of time to let your skin get acclimated to a new way of shaving. Don’t give up too soon in frustration since Philips gives you a 45-day return window if you are not satisfied with the performance of the product. I might be a bit unusual in that I use both an electric and a blade every day that I shave. I have a couple spots close to my lips that are easy to nick with a blade (and bleed for what seems like forever), so I use the electric on the area around my mouth, under my nose and on my chin. I use a blade on my cheeks and neck — from the major manufacturer of blades as those club products do not impress me. A couple things I noticed right away is that the “precision trimmer” is not integrated into the design of this model like my previous shavers. Popping off the shave head and trading it for the trimmer can be a little frustrating as I had problems getting both of the attachments onto the unit the first time I swapped them. It is possible this may become easier with continued use. I do prefer the integrated trimmer that is still available on “lesser” models of Norelco shavers. If you have no use for the trimmer attachment, this is of little consequence. The second thing I had a small issue with is the cord. Previous versions came with a coiled cord which is easier and neater to store and when charging the shaver on your bathroom counter. Philips has kept the same connector on the charger cord, so I am able to use my old coiled cord charger. Both chargers put out 15 volts, but the old charger outputs only 4.5 watts as compared to the new one which is 5.4 watts, so I suspect the old unit will charge the battery slightly slower. Also the uncoiled cord of the new charger is rather stiff and very long making it a bit of a mess once you take off the twist tie. I’m not sure why it is so long since you can’t use the shaver while it is attached to the cord. The cord extends across my four foot wide vanity and reaches to the other side of the toilet tank for a total of 72 inches of length. Maybe bathrooms are laid out differently in other parts of the world and don’t have an electrical outlet within a foot of a counter. The Netherlands…the tiny country with huge bathrooms. I just put new heads on my old 7110 a few weeks ago, so closeness of shave between the two units should be a fair comparison. I find the single shave head retainer of my old shaver much less fiddly when compared to the three separate retainers of the DynamicFlex heads. Another small issue I have is that the instructions for my 7110 recommend rinsing the heads under running water for cleaning “after each use or at least once a week”, while the 5550 recommends cleaning “after each use” by rinsing under hot water for a few minutes…that’s a lot of hot water. No additional cleaning recommendations or lubrication recommendation are made for the 5550 which I find surprising whereas the old shaver recommends cleaning with Norelco Razor Cleaner (or rubbing alcohol) and lubrication once a month. And make sure to replace shave heads at the recommended one-year interval as you will notice a decisive improvement in shave closeness and comfort. On to performance…the new shaver shaves as close as my old one and vice versa. What can I say? The cutters and combs that perform all the work look to be virtually identical to the ones I just bought for my old shaver (see picture). That being said, it is indeed a good quality of shave, close with minimal irritation…even when I used the Norelco on my neck which usually sees a blade perform shave duty there. A couple other niggles are a poorly designed rubberized grip area in comparison to my old shaver and an on/off switch that I have accidentally pressed more than once while shaving. The “wet” shave I was so curious about felt to be nothing special and I find using the shaver dry ends with similar results, at least for me. I seem to complain a lot…what do I like? So far, battery life is excellent, the lithium battery outperforming the (admittedly old) NiMH battery technology. The Turbo feature seems to be a great idea for those users with heavy beards (I am not one of them) as there is a noticeable increase in speed when engaging the feature. The multi function indicator display is well thought out and informative. The protective cap that covers the heads, when not being used, snaps on way more securely than my old one did even when it was new. Aesthetically, the new shaver is much more sleek and handsome than the old one. Fit, finish and choice of materials is top notch even with the 5000 series being two steps below the flagship 9000 series. Norelco makes a first rate product and has for as long as I have been familiar with their products. The quality of the shave will not disappoint blade users, especially ones that use inexpensive blade products. With an opportunity to return the product for a refund after a lengthy trial period, I see no reason for blade users that are contemplating such a change to procrastinate further. Electric shaver users looking to replace an existing unit should give careful consideration to features and design of the various models before making a choice. I’m comfortable recommending the Norelco product line as there is a price point available for virtually anyone.

For many years, I’ve struggled with finding the ideal portable electric shaver for my needs. I typically have to shave at least once a day (if not more) and having something available at a moment’s notice is key for me. The Philips Norelco 5550 series shaver is a really nice option for someone like me. The 5550 can be used as a wet or dry shaver. I prefer to use something when shaving so that my skin doesn’t get irritated, but I’ve used it dry, too and found that it’s pretty gentle. The shaver is packaged with a precision trimmer for sideburns and mustaches. I’ve seen it referred to as a ‘beard’ trimmer, but I don’t think it would work very well with super thick hair. The teeth just aren’t long enough. The shaver has a very efficient battery. It’s rechargeable, which I love, and comes with a charging cable (but no stand. That can be ordered separately). For an hour’s worth of charging, you will have about an hour’s worth of shaving with the 5550 shaver. If you are in a hurry, you can let the shaver charge for about 5 minutes and will likely get through a single shave. The 5550 also ships with a cover for the shaver head, but no carrying pouch. I would personally love to see this shaver come with a hard shell case for traveling, but I’d be happy with a soft sided case rather than have nothing to store it in. One of the reasons I like to have a case is so that I can keep all the accessories for a shaver in one place. Like I said above, I tried this shaver out in both wet and dry circumstances. I was very happy with both results. I felt as though the shaver did a good job trimmer. I really like to use it in between grooming with a standard bladed razor. I found that the shaver was easy to clean and store and it travels well.

This is a nice 3-headed shaver that doubles as a basic trimmer. It's nicely balanced and fairly light compared to other electric shavers I've had in the past. Out of the box, my shaver's battery was completely dead so I had to charge it for an hour before I could use it. I don't shave every day, and when I first tried this shaver, I hadn't shaved in three days, so I didn't even bother with the normal speed setting on the shaver and went straight to turbo mode. To be honest, I'm not even sure why there is a 'normal' speed mode since I don't know why anyone would want to shave using slower blade speed. Anyway, the first thing I noticed was how quiet the shaver was; I was able to listen to the TV in another room without even having to strain to hear it. I didn't rush the shave since I was shaving quite a bit more than stubble, and I was really impressed with the results on the majority of my face. My cheeks, upper lip and lower neck were very smooth. However along my jaw line I had to spend more time than I thought I'd have to, and it still wasn't as smooth as the rest of my face. I think this was mostly due to the size of the shaver head. I wound up hitting this area with a simple disposable razor to clean it up, so it wasn't that big of a deal for me. I finished up by popping the shaver head off and replacing it with the trimmer attachment to trim my sideburns. Overall, I'm pleased with this shaver and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I have owned several Phillips Norelco shavers and I have loved them all. I usually don't replace the shaver heads since I have never noticed a difference in shave closeness but would rather replace to get a fresh shaver with a new battery. This shaver has the nice pivot head that moves in all directions for a really nice shave. It cuts very close just as I expect from their shavers. It is nice to know that they have not reduced the quality of their shavers in any way that I can tell. It has a nice feel in your hand and even has a "turbo" button. I tried it and am not sure I will find myself using it much. I cannot see myself in need of a faster more turbocharged shave. That is just me. It is nice to know that there is an option for those who feel like they need more power in their shave. The one thing that I am not sure if I will like is the "change shaver heads" indicator light that will light up after about a year of use according to the instruction booklet. I will not know until I have had it for a year but could not see an option to disable that light when that time comes. If I have to put up with an always on warning light for me to replace the shave heads that will be very annoying. Cannot ding them for it yet as I have not owned it that long to see it. The battery lasts a very long time, which is highly desirable. It has a built in lithium battery. I have been using it for over a week now and have yet to recharge it. You can also replace the main shave head with the trimmer. If I used the trimmer every day this may present a problem, but since I do not use it every day it is not a problem. I am used to the old shavers where the trimmer is built into the shaver. This feature does make the shaver more slim and sleek so maybe that is the exchange. Overall I find this shaver to be of the utmost quality and performance. I think that Phillips has a great model in which it develops shavers. You can notice the quality from the second you pick it up to when you are finished with your shave. Add the waterproof functionality and long lasting lithium battery and you have another proven winner.

Really happy with the shaves I get from this shaver - almost as close as a blade, but without any blood. On/off button is a little inconvenient, in that one can accidentally turn the shaver off when changing its position, but I don't find that a big deal. Shave heads pull off and you just pop the trimmer on to get the sideburns and longer hairs. Not quite as convenient as the pop-up trimmer, but not that bad either. I think the trimmer works adequately.

A long time user of electric razors, this is one of the best. It has a flexible head. Quickly charged. Cuts clean. Two speed.

I have not been a fan of electric razors, but a recent hospital stay changed my mind. A full charge brought it to 10 days of usage and then only down to two-thirds of a charge. Smooth shave, great price and a quality product. Win, Win, Win! No I am not tired of winning!

Close shave. Easy to hold Was available in the store

I bought this to replace another Norelco shaver that I had used for 7 years. It gives an incredibly close shave and is easy to rinse and clean. I use Lectric Shave pre-electric shave lotion and it is like a blade shave. I don't recommend using this or any electric shaver without a pre-shave lotion as you won't be pleased with the results. I would buy this shaver again and would recommend it to anyone wanting a reasonably priced quality shaver.

I purchased this for my husband and after a couple months of use, he is still quite thrilled with it. He says it does a great job of shaving, and doesn’t need to be charged very often. The only concern is that when changing the shaver head to the trimmer, you have to pull the shaving head off. It seems like after multiple times of interchanging there’s the potential for it to break. Other than that, he’s happy with this shaver!

This shaver does a nice smooth shave and is very quiet and holds a charge for a long time.

This particular rotary charges fast and works very well along face and neck area. It needs many passes for my thick stubble so shaving 3 times a day is best for this type of model. I'd recommend it to any thick stubbled man to use. It is worth the money and faster than using any razor.

I bought this : because it was a Phillips, it was light weight, simple to operate, ease of cleaning, and it does a good job, I am waiting to be able to make a judgement on blade life , cost of replacement BLADES AND ARE THEY EASY TO CHANGE. BUT AT THIS POINT, I LIKE IT !

Runs slower than older models except in Turbo mode. Easier to clean than the ones with a chemical bath. Good detachable Trimmer. Doesn't work while plugged in. Battery lasts about a month before charging.

Battery last long and it cuts close,but not as close as my 30 dollar Phillips shaver.for big faces it seems very wide.

I love the shaver, its size I can take it everywhere, I like its potency and I can recharge the batteries and it last quite a long charge and leaves the face clean.

WORKS SMOOTHLY USE IT IN MY EASY CHAIR THE BED AND IN TH BATHROOM IN THE AM. WORKS GREAT CLEANS BEARD NICELY CHARGE LASTS FOREVER....I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT...

I've only had to use it a few times so far but I like the way it works it doesn't rip my hair out charges fast just seems simple and easy to use for the money I like it

I has used other norelco razors and they were good but this one is the best. It gives a good shave. Cuts nice and easy to use.

Great shaver! The batteries last for a while and has quick charging.