Customer Rating:  
Summary: Good, but Red Flag if you have a beard
Comment: The razor charges quickly, is powerful, and shaves close - all good things it does well.
The flaw is the pop-up trimmer that runs all the time, including in the down position where it's still exposed. If you have a beard, and the same is true for sideburns, and you want to shave close to it, you have to be very careful that the trimmer is on the away side or you'll do an unplanned cut on your beard/sideburns. That means you're constantly rolling the razor. It can be done, but first thing in the morning that's asking for a lot of thought for a task that shouldn't require any concentration.
If you don't have a beard, or it and your sideburns are close cropped, this shouldn't be an issue and you'll probably be happy with the shaver.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Closer than a blade on thick hair! Better than Panasonic, Braun, Norelco, etc!
Comment: I have owned this shaver for about 3 months now and this thing is amazing! It blows away Norelcos, Brauns, Philips, Remingtons and even Panasonics.. and I have wasted money on them all! I'll first mention that I have a very thick beard, not meaning that I have a lot of hair on my face, but just that my hairs are VERY thick and SUPER tough. I have cut and scarred my skin many times using blades, which is why I prefer electrics. Electric razors however normally just don't seem to work well with thick tough hairs, perhaps because the screen holes need to be dangerously larger to accommodate, or perhaps they actually need to spend more $$ on designing the screens/cutters better. I also get break outs from using electrics too long on my face - it takes me 15 minutes or more to shave every morning.
I've used top of the line Norelcos (SpeedXL blades and previous models), which seem to be the worst, never giving you a close shave, and always leaving you feeling like you have a 5 o'clock shadow. I've tried Braun's 8995, which was loud, irritating, and not much better than the Norelcos. It also was not wet/dry. I actually had good luck with Panasonic's es8152nc (wet shave), which I used for over 2 years. The screens/cutters for it however only lasted only about a month for me, and at $40 a pop, that adds up to about $500/yr to shave! Unfortunately, they discontinued it in favor of their newer models, which are complete cheap junk (stay far far away!).... after the batteries in my second es8152nc crapped out, and having a difficult time finding replacement batteries, I thought I would give Panasonic's new es8077s a whirl. What a disappointment! It cut my face leaving permanent scars and wasn't even as close as a Norelco. The newer Panasonic screens/cutters are also made like junk. I shipped that right back. (Thanks Amazon for the no hassle return). I finally ended up digging up an old es87152nc still in the package that turned up online.
A couple weeks later I saw this Sanyo shaver on Amazon which had some good reviews that appeared not to be written by the manufacturer like other products. Since wet shaves are the only way to go, and this can be used as a wet shaver, I though I'd give it a try. This thing shaves unbelievably close... even closer than my Gillette Fusion Power. I'll have gone over my face with my Fusion blade and I'll still hear and see the Sanyo cut hair when I run it over my face. It also actually can cut under my chin where I, amongst many others, seem to have lots of problems with. You might have to try a few times to get the angle right, but it will actually work. Just make sure you use this as a wet shaver, letting warm water soak into your beard first to soften things up, then use some Edge shaving Gel along with it.
I actually start off now shaving with my Fusion Power for my cheeks and the sides of my neck to limit irritation and breakouts, then use the Sanyo to touch up what the Fusion didn't get, as well as around my lip and goatee where I tend to cut myself a lot with a blade.
There are a couple drawbacks to keep in mind which are why I rated it 4 stars instead of 5. First of all, it uses the ancient (Circa 1899 - Waldmar Jungne) Nickel Cadmium batteries that are garbage, keep a memory, and don't have a very long life. There's no excusing them for not using lithium ion batteries. I only get a few shaves out of a charge, but it does charge quickly. Second, replacement blades are nowhere to be found. They don't even sell them on Amazon at this point! According to the package insert, you can supposedly go to Sanyo's service web site and order replacement blades, but take look and I wish you good luck with that because you will need it! I'm also guessing you might need a second mortgage on your house so you can pay for them. Finally, it has nicked my skin a few times, even while being very careful. You just have to remember to not put too much pressure on it down on your face while shaving.
I have yet to see how long the screen/cutter will last. However, it has lasted an amazing 3 months and definitely holds up better than the Panasonic's WES9006PC screen/foil, which after about a week would start getting loud and not giving as good of a shave.
I would like to end with mentioning that the level of noise this shaver makes that other people have commented on is really not that bad. If you're used to a Norelco, then yes it is loud, but it's quieter than the Braun 8995 I tried, and quieter than my Panasonic when the screen/cutter starts to go. Lastly who cares about noise when you can get such a great shave with this.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best Wet/Dry I've Ever Had
Comment: I have had wet/dry shavers since they first became available a few decades ago, and almost all have been Panasonic shavers until now. This shaver from Sanyo gives me the closest and smoothest shave of any shaver I've ever had -- and like others who have reviewed this product with high ratings, I have skin that easily nicks and a tough beard. The first of these I bought developed a switch problem after about 4 months. I sent it off for repair and received what appeared to be a new or refurbished shaver in an original box as a replacement within less than two weeks -- much better turnaround time then I ever had with Panasonic warranty repairs. Highly recommended for the quality of the shave and the service.
Customer Rating:
Summary: This Is A Great Razor!
Comment: I purchased this razor when my 3rd Braun 7000 Series quit. This great razor has me wondering, "Why isn't this thing famous or at least a household name?" The blades and head have held up twice as long as any other foil shaver I've owned. Cleaning is a snap - wet or dry. Charging takes 10 minutes tops and it -is- fully charged. It's a gem, a genuine excellent razor overlooked by too many.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best Ever
Comment: I've tried every electric razor I could including Braun, Panasonic and Norelco. The Sanyo outperforms them all. It's quicker and shaves closer. I was surprised at how well the Sanyo works. At the price, I think it's a great buy.
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