REVIEW – The Yoose Alloy Mini Rechargeable Rotary Shaver is a travel shaver, and it’s small if you simply want a small shaver. But does miniaturization mean you sacrifice a close shave? Were corners cut just to get a really small shaver on the market? If the Yoose Mini Shaver measures about 2 by 2 inches, can it run longer than a few shaves require? I stuck my neck out for this shaver. Yes I did. The Yoose Mini Shaver looks great but let’s see how it performed.
What is it?
The Yoose Alloy Mini Rechargeable Rotary Shaver is a smaller-than-palm-sized shaver for travel or daily use.
What’s in the box?
- Yoose Mini Shaver
- USB-C charger cable
- Carry pouch
- Cleaning brush
- Multi-language instruction booklet
Hardware specs
- 5 color options: Black, silver, yellow, green, blue
- 1 hour charge time from fully depleted
- 1 hour run time when fully charged
- Floating shave heads
- 5.5 oz weight
- Rinseable / IPX7 water resistant
- Magnetic head assembly
- 2.44” x 2.04” x 1”
Design and features
My first question was answered by visiting the Yoose website. There is a very reasonably priced replacement blade head set for the Mini Shaver priced at only $14.99.
My second question was generated when I picked up the shaver for the first time. I thought it felt heavy, yet substantial and well-made. So I compared the Yoose Mini to my Philips/Norelco traditional size and shape rechargeable triple head shaver. The Yoose Mini is an ounce lighter. I think it’s the solid feel in a small package that threw me off. So my travel shaving kit will be an ounce lighter now.
The Yoose Mini Shaver sure is a good looker, but with its shiny finish, is it too easy to drop? I never did so during my testing.
Even though this shaver is said to be rinse-safe, I plan to only brush it out as I’ve always done with my other electric shavers. The Yoose Mini is not marketed on the Yoose website as a ‘use while showering’ shaver, but the Amazon description does say it is. Since the charging port is open, I recommend against getting this shaver wet. It cleans out fine without using water.
My best tip to offer to all experienced and prospective electric shaver guys is, ready?… Shave after you shower. I didn’t think this up. Someone told me after I shaved for years before showering. There is something about shaving my dry, clean face that yields a closer shave than if I shave before showering. This way, the shaver is also far easier to clean than if it’s loaded with not yet clean facial hair. The blade head mechanism will be easier to ‘blow out’ to keep clean, and the accumulated dry hair debris is more likely to shake out and brush out more easily.
Setup
The shaver had some battery capacity on arrival because it charged to full in 30 minutes. There is a white LED on the bottom of the shaver next to the charger port. The LED does the ‘breathing effect’ until it stays steady-on when the shaver is fully charged.
Performance
My face is used to years of electric rotary shaving, so I switched immediately to the Yoose Mini Shaver. First-timers to any form of electric shaving need to allow some time for their facial skin and beard to adjust to the change in method.
I tended to take about 5 minutes to shave because I like a ‘baby butt’ smooth result, and this is a dual head shaver vs. the 3 head setup I normally use. That kind of smooth shave requires repeat passes over each area, and firmer pressure of the shaver to my face. But the Yoose Mini gave a very good close shave. My ‘five o’clock shadow’ appeared not much earlier with the Yoose Mini than with my triple head shaver. Since the shaver is stated to run for an hour, let’s see if I get 12 shaves before having to recharge.
I shaved with the Yoose Mini for 12 days. Near the end of shave number 12, and only then, did the speed of the rotor blades start to slow and the red LED illuminated when the blades finally stopped. So at about 5 minutes per shave, over 12 days, I got 60 minutes of shaving time from the Yoose Mini. It worked to the minute, exactly as advertised.
Hand fatigue bothered me a bit on my first several shaves but I think I was trying so hard not to drop the Yoose Mini that I was gripping too hard. As I got used to using the Yoose Mini I relaxed my hand. I never dropped it when shaving or otherwise.
It took me several shaves to decide on the best grip to use with the Yoose. Use with the Yoose? With the most natural grip, I kept pressing the on-off button during shaving. I tried reversing the shaver with the button facing away from me, and that reduced most accidental button pressing. I tried a ‘death grip’ on the shaver. I tried shaving with the heads oriented horizontally, then vertically, and back and forth. Any user will have to move the shaver around their facial topography a number of times to get the desired closeness of the shave. This is all normal electric shaving.
What I like
- Very good shaving results
- Great price on the replacement blade assembly
- Very easy to clean
- Good number of shaves / run time per charge
What I’d change
- A more grippy finish would be helpful
- The price seems high if this is to be an occasional use or travel shaver
Final thoughts
I’m soon leaving on a long trip, far away, and I’m only going to take the Yoose Mini Shaver. Well, and some clothes. I’ll enjoy a slightly lighter shaving kit plus extra space in it since the Yoose Mini is so small, and I am not sacrificing much quality of my shaves. I’ll be gone for 12 days. I’ll charge the Yoose Mini before I leave and probably not again until I return.
Price: $89.99
Where to buy: Yoose and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Yoose.
