The most desired feature of the Philips Norelco 8240 is the three shaving heads that purport to offer 50% more shaving surface than conventional rotary heads. The other feature that adds value to this shaver is the Contour Following System, which follows the contours of the face comfortably shaving each hair with one stroke. Most customers that gave the shaver a positive review mentioned one or both of these features as value-added.
Two additional features, the SmartTouch contouring technology and the Reflex Action System, were frequently mentioned by a majority of consumers, both resulting in a close shave with minimal irritation. SmartTouch allows the 3 shaving blades to stay in close contact with the skin and the Reflex Action System automatically pivots each individual floating head to match every curve of your face and neck. The result is a close shave minimizing pressure and irritation.
Interestingly, the seemingly minor features are what most consumers found the most frustrating. These included the lack of a ‘low battery’ indicator and the pop up trimmer, which most agreed was poorly designed and therefore useless. Most of the reviews on the overall performance were excellent and varied only slightly due to length of the individuals’ beard.
Product Features
- 50% more shaving surface than conventional rotary heads for a fast, close shave
- Contour Following System follows the contours of the face catching each hair with one stroke
- Precision Cutting System contains ultra thin heads with two specialized shaving tracks:
- Slots to cut long hairs
- Micro-holes to shave short stubble
- Super Lift and Cut Technology purports a dual blade system that lifts hairs to comfortably cut beneath skin level.
Product Description
- Lithium-ion battery that provides 50 minutes of power per charge or a maximum of 17 days standby time
- SmartTouch contouring technology designed to handle the contours of your face
- Reflex Action System automatically pivots each individual floating head to match every curve of your face and neck
- Ergonomically designed handle for optimum control
- Spring-release pop-up trimmer to groom mustache, goatee, or sideburns
- LED power indicator and battery display illuminates when charged.
- FastRinse design for easy cleaning and a non-slip grip for safe handling and an antibacterial coating makes cleaning easy, the shaver simply rinses clean.
- Two-year warranty
- Also includes a charging adapter, pouch, protection cap, and cleaning brush
AMAZON.COM REVIEWS
Overall Satisfaction
“This is a good middle line Norelco shaver. There are no thrills in that you cannot adjust the cut height, and most important is that there is no low battery indicator. However, I’ve found that I was able to get around 12-15 shaves out of one charge. “
“I can shave much more quickly, and it handles the hard to shave areas (e.g. my neck) with more aplomb. In addition, it’s a lot quieter than my old shaver, and it’s lighter!”
“If you want a good shave and need something new, you should try out this razor. It has been tough, has been reliable, and has been the one razor I have liked after the newness has worn away.“
“Outside of the shaving ability, this is a somewhat bare bones model. That means no shaving height adjustment, no digital readout of battery life remaining (just a light which lights only when you’re charging and blinks when the charge is done), and no stand.”
“The motor is wonderfully quiet… it purrs in a low, comforting tone, without the high whine of most other rotary and foil razors I’ve tried.”
Close Shave
“The heads track well over uneven skin for a consistent shave.”
“If you are clean-shaven on face or head, this could be a very useful shaver for you. If you have more sculpted facial hair, it will be less useful. I will not be giving up my blades for this, although it has become useful for quick touch-ups.”
“The Norelco 8240 shaver feels good in the hand and is easy to move and control. However, with its round heads, it is problematic to sculpt a beard or mustache. This shaver is pretty much for those who go completely clean shaven.”
“I have pretty sensitive skin and the Norelco 8240 is fantastic at giving me a close shave without the irritation.”
“The shaving performance is excellent: It offers the 2nd closest shave I’ve had from an electric shaver yet gives almost zero razor burn to my sensitive/dry skin.”
Pop up trimmer
“Sideburn trimmer is a neat feature but it doesn’t work.”
“The pop-up trimmer is just about useless, as it does not lock into place, and moves when you put any pressure on it. I recommend that you just ignore the trimmer in considering this shaver.”
“The trimmer does not work well at all and is the only problem I had.”
Great charge, but no battery life indicator
“The one shortcoming of notice is that there is no “low charge” indicator.”
“The battery dies very suddenly, without warning — there’s no battery level light or gauge, and only a barely perceptible slowdown in blade speed shortly before it stops. If you’re not with your charger and near an outlet, you’re out of luck.”
Overall
Overall, 561 customers gave the Philips Norelco 8240 an average of 4.1 out of 5 stars, with 267 5-star reviews. Remember there is a 45 day money-back guarantee, as well as a 2-year warranty.