Norelco Spectra 8894XL James Bond Edition Electric Razor

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Gary B. Garland

January 17, 2003

Okay - this is the-gadgeteer site, and the Norelco Spectra is certainly a gadget.  So why did I feel compelled to write a review about, of all things, my razor?  Find out dear reader...

I remember shaving my peach fuzz as a kid, and my mother warned me not to grow up too fast - I’d eventually have to do it every day.  Well, as is often the case, mom was right.

I went from blades to electrics and ultimately back to blades again, never having found that holy grail of the perfect razor.  And while my search still continues, the Spectra is a lot closer to my goal than the rest.  I’d like to mention the designers of the  www.norelco.com should be shot - the photos are hard to see, and nearly impossible to make out.  Areas that look like links are static photos.  Oh well, their lack of photos will require yet another 1,000 words...

Special Spectra Features
What is the Spectra, you ask?  I’ll tell ya.  It is Norelco’s upper level of razor.  To be a “Spectra,” the rotary razor must have 4 key features:

1) A personal comfort control setting
2) Improved lift and cut technology
3) Conveniently wash the razor clean under the faucet
4) Improved 2 stage cutting system. 

The top of the razor is 3 circular cutting areas that remind me of a transporter pad.  What’s interesting is that each of the 3 heads is able to shift a bit when you depress it at any point, and that the entire assembly is also able to pivot.  If you look at the thing you’ll have a better idea of what I’m saying, but if you can imagine it, put your chin in the center of the assembly, and the entire assembly will pivot inwards to cup your chin.  While that’s happening, each of the 3 cutting heads will also cup your chin at whatever necessary angle.  Nifty!

Alrighty, let’s look at the personal comfort control setting, one of the key features which prompted me to write this review.  There’s a knob to the right of the razor, which has 9 “clicks” which go from S for sensitive to N for normal.  When the knob is rotated, it turns gears which ultimately turn a shaft in the center of the razor’s face (if you lift the razor’s head, you will see the shaft directly below the middle.  Above the shaft (when the head is closed) is another shaft (let’s call it the top) which is attached to a spring that controls the pressure of each of the 3 rotating cutters.  If you press the top a bit, you will feel more resistance to the conforming heads - nifty!  The shaft is ingeniously angled with 3 ramps - turning the shaft causes a different part of the “ramp” to contact the top, therefore adjusting the pressure of the spring which is transmitted to the cutter heads.  While I could feel a difference in the cutter head tension, I did not feel any difference shaving.  I did, however, adjust the knob from sensitive to normal one click each day - supposedly normal gives you a faster shave.

Another feature of the shaving system is the lift and cut technology.  I took the cutter out of the head to really look at this thing.  The gist of the technology is a relatively dull copper “pre-blade” which tugs on your whisker.  This causes the hair to lift, and then the spring effectively falls below the cutter which can then nip your pre-tensioned whisker.  I did find the shave to be close, but not quite as close as my linear electric razors, like a Remington or Braun.

The other 2 major features require little discussion.  The ability to lift the main head and rinse the assembly is a major boon, and the grooved/slotted cutters look like they shouldn’t work, but they apparently work quite well - this razor cuts much faster and more equally than any other electric I’ve owned.

I should mention Norelco expects you to have an adjustment period, and essentially warns you will experience some nasty discomfort the first 2 or 3 weeks until you have the best shaves of your life.  While life wasn’t as bad as they warned, I did have some discomfort the first couple of weeks, particularly when I would step into the shower and feel like my face was a bit raw.  Unlike a blade, these things are intended to be used when your face is dry, and I don’t like waiting until after I’m out of the shower - that can take another 10 minutes or so - no good.

A typical shave with the Norelco takes me 2 to 3 minutes, which I think is a bit faster than my pre-Norelco days.  I would also like to point out the razor hits tough spots quite well - the cleft by my upper lip no longer has me looking like the fuhrer, and my neck hairs are cut fairly well.

In contrast to the Norelco, I had used blades for my neck, in conjunction with my expensive linear razors.  I feel the linears did shave closer, particularly when I would check my checks with the back of my hand against the grain.  But as I don’t generally have business associates check the closeness of my shave, I opt for the speed and comfort of the Norelco razor.

As I am a gadgeteer and must get the best at all costs, I opted for the “James Bond edition.”  Based upon how poorly the last film did, I’m not sure how desirable a James Bond model of anything would be, but I do know I bought the absolute best Norelco has to offer - features include the best battery they have (I believe lithium ion polymer - maybe I can swap it into my ipaq?)  Features also include a polymer display (big deal, looks fluorescent) and 100 minutes of shaving on a 1 hour charge (now that’s impressive - we’re talking about 1 months’ worth) - in fact, I’ve been using my razor for some 3 weeks on the original charge, and it still says I have 45 minutes left.  Stepping down to the 8890 model gives you 70 minutes of shaving time, I believe nickel metal hydride batteries, and a nicer looking silver razor (versus the “exquisitely enhanced lacquer finish on the James Bond model” - which is basically a navy blue/black).  You can keep stepping backwards in model numbers which basically cut the shaving time a bit, and change the finish.  Also, going lower limits your display a bit - you go from full readouts to bar graphs to nothing.

Price?  Norelco says up to $249 for the James Bond model.  Gary says about $160 on e-bay, and a tad lower at (drum roll) - Wal-Mart.  I did not have time to comparison shop all the models and prices - basically, use your judgment - I think I paid about $25 more for the top model than the one right below it - if it didn’t say Norelco’s best I wouldn’t have bought it - but it did and I did, as usual...when you consider how many times you’ll use this, you’ll see that your cost per shave is less than $1/day if you use it for 1 year (actually, for 1 year the cost should be about .50/day - far cheaper than the cost of shaving cream and those whacky Gillette triple blades.

Conclusion
There is definitely a learning curve for your face with the Norelco.  I once tried a different version about 10 years ago and returned it for ripping my face apart.  The Spectra had a smooth transition from my linear electric/blades, and I feel it gives me a more comfortable shave in far less time, and a more complete shave - the tough neck and upper lip regions are no match for these blades.

Price: $249

Pros:
Works well
Very fast complete shave
Quiet
Nifty display
Rinses under tap
100 minutes (30 shaves) per 1 hour charge

Cons:
Bulky case/charger
Not as close as a linear razor