Panasonic - Arc5 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver - Matte Black

I’m switching to this electric Panasonic Arc5 razor after having used another brand’s wet/dry electric razor for the past 13 years. The Arc5 razor is lightweight, and the matte black plastic doesn’t look or feel very premium, however, a silver/chrome model is also available and the warranty is 2 years. This razor performs very nicely and gives me a close shave both when using dry and wet with shaving cream. I very rarely have to make more than one pass over the same patch of skin, though I find that when shaving dry it’s easier to pull the skin taught to raise the hairs since I don’t have to work over the shaving cream. The first time I used the razor I did experience a bit of razor burn and irritation, especially around the Adam’s apple; the manual suggests that it could take up to 30 days of regular use for your skin to acclimate to the new shaver. That, plus I haven’t clean shaven properly in weeks as growing out your beard has become quite trendy during the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, I did use the trimmers first to trim my facial hair down to stubble before shaving and was impressed with the efficiency and smoothness of the pop up trimmers; they didn’t catch, pull, or snag once, which my old electric razor used to do constantly. If you like the stubble or 5 o’clock shadow look, you could probably even stop there. The LCD is bright and easy to read, but it really only gives you information about the remaining battery life and whether or not it is set to the “cleaning” mode. The charging cable connector is uniquely shaped, so if you lose it or it breaks, you’ll need to get a model/series specific replacement cable. It lasts about 2 weeks on a full charge (1 hour) if your daily shave averages about 3 minutes. While the unit I have did not come with a charging base, there are contacts on back of the handle for automatic charging when the razor is placed into a charging base. What I did find interesting about this razor is its beard density sensor which changes the motor speed based on the density/coarseness of the section of beard it is trimming. You can hear the motor sound change as it encounters thinner or thicker patches of hair, which works well on my uneven and patchy beard growth. The razor also has a cleaning cycle and comes with blade oil to maintain the blade sharpness and a brush to clean out any shavings. The top pops off easily for cleaning, and the foils and blades are simple to remove and replace when needed. The unit did come with a leatherette carry case and a plastic protective cap for travel. Overall, I really like this razor and think it performs nicely for my daily shaving needs.

I’ve been using electric razors since the early 80s, my first one being a good ol’ reliable Remington. Then over the years I’ve had all the major brands and finally settled on Panasonic. For my beard this one does the best job of them all. I have some hairs that are super thick and tough, I can’t use a razor as these hairs cause the blade to dig in and cut me. After trying an electric long ago and this never happening I was sold on using electrics ever since. My old Panasonic Arc3 is really showing its age, and it was about time to retire it, I’ve had it for 11 years and it never let me down. In that time I’ve gotten a couple other ones “Norelco and Braun” to try out and for me they just didn’t work as well. I saw the Arc5 and finally decided to try one out. Unboxing: The Arc5 came in a nice retail box, and inside the razor was in a nice leatherette carrying pouch along with a charger, lubricating oil, cleaning brush, smoked plastic protector for the head, and paperwork. There’s no room in the pouch for the charger so that would have to be packed separately when traveling. Using: The first thing I did was plug it in and charge it up, it was half charged so getting a full charge took less than an hour. There’s a nice graphical battery display on this one, different from the LCD display of the Arc 3. I also washed it thoroughly making sure the head was clean. These Panasonic's are very easy to clean too. We have an automatic dispenser with antibacterial hand soap in it and it dispenses just the right amount for cleaning. I then run a little water over the head and turn it on and run for a few seconds, “there’s a cleaning instruction sheet included that shows pretty much the same”. After letting it dry out I went ahead and shaved. I let my beard grow out a couple days beforehand so that I could give it a good workout. My old one didn’t have any problems with this so I figured this one would have to equal it for me to be happy and I wasn’t disappointed. I noticed that this one has more of a hum to it and is quieter than the old Arc3. I see in the specs that the Arc5 has a 70k cut per minute rate “cpm”, and the Arc3 is rated at 13k cpm. That’s a big difference, and surprisingly it’s quieter doing so “could be the age of my Arc3 too”. Shaving seemed pretty much the same except it cut through hair a lot faster “probably due to it having 2 extra blades and higher cpm”. And the wide head pivoted around my face just as good as my old one. Afterwards I was left with a very nice, close clean shave. I’ve never used shaving cream or lotion with my shavers, something I may have to try one of these days but have never really seen a need to use it. Conclusion: Once again Panasonic has produced an excellent razor, for my beard type it works great. I like the pivoting head; it has a lot more movement to it than my old Arc3. I like the two extra blades, makes shaving that much faster. The way the head pivots more too means I’m not moving my wrist around as much getting into all the little spaces around my face. And like my old one it’s very easy to keep clean. My only minor complaint is the trimmer popout, I think the Arc3 had a better one, and is easier to use, but it’s not that big of a difference to worry about. I’ve found that with all electric razors you have to try them out to see which one suits your bear/skin type, everyone isn’t the same, but for me this one is pretty much perfect. If it works for you I’m sure you’ll like the Arc5 by Panasonic.

Design: ________________________ This shaver has stunning design, it looks like shaver from the future. Feels very good in the hand and back side of the handle has texture to improve grip and help avoid accidental / slippery drops. Device has 5 replaceable shaving blades which are doing great job, and flexible head which is designed for both efficacy and comfort. Backside of the head has adjustable pop up trimmer blade and front has beautiful display which shows LED percentage (in increment of 20) of the battery charge. Experience: _____________________ I have really strong beard which sometimes I let grow little bit but this shaver did great job and provided clean cut and pleasant shaving. On some spots I had to use pop up trimmer (chin and parts of the neck) but results were surprisingly good. Most of the time I use razor but with this shaver I will definitely start skipping razor’s more than ever before. Definitely great shaver, if it can shave my hard brush beard, it will work for anyone else. I love it. Features: ____________________ First I want to mention that device works on both 110 and 240 volts which makes this great for (international) travel because it will work everywhere in the world. Also it comes with travel case, small double sided cleaning brush and bottle of cleaning oil. Device has travel lock switch to prevent accidental running in the case or bag, and this could be activated by pressing power switch in sequence (press / release, press and hold for 2 seconds). Shaver has sensor which automatically adjust the cutting power based on your beard thickness. Fast charge makes this device ready in minutes. Device can be used on dry or wet face and device itself is washable which makes cleaning effortless. Pros: ___________________ Design 5 shaving blades Sensor adjusted power Travel lock switch Flexible head 110-240V compatible Great for travel Fast charge Easy cleaning Travel case 2 year warranty Cons: ____________________ None

Note that this review is from someone who's been using rotary electric shavers for life, and my first time using foil shavers. The shaver is well built, newest in the Arc 5 line with five foils, so it's large, covering the most surface on shavers of this type. The whole shaver is made in Japan. It comes with a charger that is 100v-240v -- with 110v plug (Needs an adapter when traveling abroad). Also comes with a compact case in the shape of the shaver. It charges quickly, but using a proprietary plug. It came as a surprise that it doesn't use a standard or wireless charger. The internal Li-Ion battery is replaceable but not user-replaceable as the seal can break when opening the shaver (As per instructions). A display shows the percentage charge remaining (but not an estimation of time remaining). It seems to be able to go for weeks without recharging so this is fine It's also somewhat loud, compared to other shavers. It's waterproof and can be used in both dry and wet shaving. The shaving head pivots to follow the contour of the face, and can also be locked in place. I personally find it more steady and quicker to use by locking it. It does produce a clean shave, but I have to go over several times. It doesn't work very well with overgrown beard. It's best to use a trimmer first. Also because the shaving head is so large and the foils are a bit far from the edge of the shaving head, it can be blunt when trying to shave around facial hair. For this it comes with a trimmer that pops from the back of the shaving head, and works very well for cleaning off sideburns. After several uses, it gets better, although problem areas like around the neck persist. No issues whatsoever with nicks or cuts. Cleaning: The manual recommends to wash, rinse and then oil it daily. This seems a bit much to me. Opening it and rinsing it is actually very easy. I'd say the easiest shaver to clean. Note that there is also a version of this same shaver with a rinsing base. Holding the base of the shaver feels natural. It has a grip area on the front right below the pivoting head, and the whole back is rubberized. Overall it's a great foil shaver that produces smooth and close shaves. Give it about a week to get used to it.

This Panasonic Shaver is one of the best electro Shavers you can buy in the market... it does the work without harming your face and takes all the facial hair without any problems...

I hate shaving because I always seem to either cut above my lip,or I end up with several in grown hair. I’ve always been wary of electric razors but decided to give this a chance. I am very pleased with this device and have tried it out for a few weeks now. Pros: -precise shave. It gets clean to the skin without any cuts on my face due to the 5 blades that give me a nice smooth movement. -noise: it’s quiet which I like a lot. I was afraid it would be too loud in the morning when my family is asleep, but there is a nice soft sound that is not too loud. -movement: it moves along my chin and mouth area very nicely. There is a very loose pivot joint that allows it to navigate your face in smooth motions. -battery life. When first opened and powered on, the Digital display indicates you have about 30% charged. After about an hour of charging I was at full power. It’s been over a week and I’ll use it every morning and the battery life is at 80%. -traveling pouch. Nice little leather-like pouch addition to store it in. Cons: -size: it’s somewhat bulky for my hand, can get a little uncomfortable. It’s not too heavy but feels awkward in my hand. -sideburn trimmer: this doesn’t get a clean cut to my sideburns due to the position of the head. When you pop out the trimmer, the head is now locked where it will not move. But the trimmer is either too short or the blades does not cut well. Overall I am very pleased with the Arc5. It gives me precise shave and the battery life is very good. I am disappointed with the side burn trimmer, but overall very happy with the Arc5.

This Panasonic Arc5 shaver seems to be an iterative update to the previous model that addresses some of the major complaints about the older unit. The biggest complaint seems to be bulk and weight, this new unit is very slim and easy to hold with good weight and balance. The head is still relatively heavy but that's because there's 5 foil heads and all the motors in that area, but its still not heavy. The battery power is excellent, it took only 30 minutes to charge from 20% to 100% and apparently the run time is 45 minutes which should be good for a full week of business travel. There is a nice pleather case and the charger is high quality. The charging connector is a little bit clunky but most folks will only need it once a week or so. If you want a more seamless experience, buying the charging and cleaning base may make more sense. Overall a great shaver, highly recommend since a few years worth of razors costs similar.

The shaver seems pretty solid and all-around quality shaver. I prefer the horizontal shavers as opposed to the circular ones. I think these shave a bit cleaner than the circular/triangular ones do. The package includes the basic things like a case, charger and some oil. Nice little package and will be great for traveling. This shaver also has a side trimmer. The head on this shaver is pretty loose compared to other ones I've had. It's a floating head so it's just a bit different than what some people might be used to. There is an option to lock the head in place too so there is that. Shaver cleans really nice and is easy to clean so that's always a bonus.