Reviewed by David Savage
Male grooming is becoming big business with more and more men taking pride in their appearance (although I think the manbun takes it a bit too far), using products from skin care to hair trimmers. While more men seemed to well groomed these days, beards seem to be the in-thing at the moment, but I don’t like them. The problem is, I hate having to shave. Shaving a lot, even with new blades, causes lots of irritation to my skin. So when I was asked to try out an electric razor from Wahl, I decided to give electric a go again.
Wahl kindly sent me their LifeProof Shaver. This is an electric razor which definitely brightens up any bathroom with its yellow colouring (most electric razors seem to black or blue in my experience). It is a wet or dry battery-operated waterproof and shock-resistant electric razor with dual foil shaving heads. It runs for a massive 90 minutes between charges (that means that you can have thirty 3-minute shaves – one a day for a month before you need to recharge it (it only takes 60 minutes to recharge fully).
It the box is:
- 1x Wahl LifeProof Shave
- 1x Foil Guard
- 1x Charging Adapter
- 1x Cleaning Brush
- 1x Blade Oil
- 1x Travel Pouch
- 1x Instruction booklet
The LifeProof Shaver features dual floating flex foils that move which means that they contour you face while shaving, giving a more comfortable shave. The foil cuts extremely close at up to 0.1mm giving a good close shave. It has a durable shockproof housing with ergonomic rubber grips for a comfortable and secure hold. It has an extendable precision trimmer with stainless steel blades for edging sideburns and necklines. It is waterproof up to 1 metre/3 feet, so can be used in the shower. It features a travel lock function so that is doesn’t go off in your luggage when travelling.
I have already mentioned the long-life lithium ion battery, but it also features a 5-minute quick charge that will give 5-minutes use, enough for a shave. The battery life is excellent and doesn’t seem to die when not in use, so it doesn’t need to be left on charge to be able to use the next day.
I have been using this shaver for a couple of weeks, when switching from a manual razor to an electric razor you don’t get the best results straightaway while you face gets used to the different shaving method, and am very impressed. While it doesn’t get as close as my manual razor it does get nearly there and I have less irritation (and no razor cuts).
The LifeProof Shaver has a 3 cut system – trimmer cuts longer hairs, 1st foil cuts shorter hairs, 2nd foil removes remaining short hairs – it does an excellent job.
Cleaning is easy as the foil pulls off and it is all easily rinsed under running tap water or shower. I do like the fact that I can use in the shower as I can’t shave with my manual razor in the shower as I don’t have my glasses on to see what I’m doing!
The razor is very easy to use and putting in and out of travel mode is simple, just press and hold the power button to enable/disable.
It doesn’t come with a charging or docking cradle but does have a zipped travel pouch that the shaver and charging adapter store neatly in.
Overall, I am very impressed with this shaver. The battery life is absolutely excellent and if I do forget to plug it in the 5 minute quick charge will be enough for one shave. It does cut very close and reduces irritation which means I can shave more often (much to my partners disappointment – I’m sure she will “accidentally” misplace the razor one day so I can’t find it!). It is also quite lightweight, so great for putting in your hand luggage so you can keep your face nice and smooth on your travels.
With Christmas approaching, the Wahl LifeProof Shaver would make an excellent Christmas gift for the male members of your family. If buying as a gift for you or someone else, just note while you won’t be buying expensive replacement blades for your old razor you will have to replace the foil and cutter probably every 6-8 weeks which will cost £17.99.
An excellent, quality razor with a close cut and smooth finish.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £64.99
For more information or to buy visit www.wahl.co.uk.
