Norelco Shavers

The name “Norelco,” which is actually a modified acronym for “North American Philips Company,” will probably be phased out sometime in the future. Philips began co-branding the name of its personal care products to “Philips Norelco” last year, with the hopes of eventually dropping the name “Norelco” from all of its products.

Improvements in Shaving

Since the company originated, the advancement of men’s shavers has come a long way. The first Norelco shavers were introduced in the early 1930s. The first electric shavers were normally quite loud, and they often irritated the skin more than a normal, manual razor would. However, over the past 80 or so years, Norelco has developed several shavers that are arguably easier and produce a closer shave than most razors that utilize actual razor blades and require water and shaving cream.

What started as a primitive form of an electric razor, shavers by Norelco have evolved into many different models that all have three shaving heads positioned on the end of the shaver in a triangle formation.

Tripleheader Design

Norelco’s “tripleheader” design is unique and innovative. The three shaving heads on the shaver are practically fool-proof and hardly ever miss a hair. The way the heads are spring loaded into the shaver is also a system that ensures the closest shave possible.

The shavers use a “lift and cut” design in which the facial hair is lifted by the razor and then cut by the blades that lie inside of the cutting heads.

The cutting heads on the shavers usually last about one year. It’s easy to replace the heads, but a new set costs about $20. Without replacement, the shaving heads will eventually become dull and may cause excessive irritation.

Recharging Norelco Shavers

The battery-powered shavers by Norelco are easily re-charged. Some of the higher-end models come equipped with a screen that tells the user how many minutes are left for shaving before the battery will die.

The batteries in the newest model shavers can hold a charge for several hours of use, and when they need to be re-charged it only takes about one hour. Because it only takes most men approximately five minutes to complete a face shave, users usually only have to re-charge their shavers once per month.

Re-charging is simple. Like most small appliances that might need to be re-charged every once in a while, a Norelco comes with a handy charging stand. The stand plugs into a wall outlet, and the razor can sit on the stand while it re-charges.

Popular Models

There are many models of Norelco shavers. All range in price, but the most expensive models which come with all the bells and whistles usually retail for about $150. Of course, it’s possible to find older models, used, and sometimes even new shavers for sale in various places such as auction websites like Amazon.com.

Following are some of Norelco’s popular shaver models:

• Norelco Speed-XL with Jet Clean System model 8160XLCC
• Norelco SmartTouch XL Model 9160XL
• Norelco Cool Skin Rechargeable Shaver model 7775X
• Norelco Speed XL Rechargeable Shaver Model 8151XL