I quite like the particular design of the Philips Norelco Speed 8240XL Men’s Shaving System, and it’s certainly unique to Philips. I’d used an older Norelco a few years back and found it “okay”, but had since switched back to the regular water and razor. But, a few years had passed and I could see that changes were coming about so I thought I’d give the electric razor another shot!

All in all, I really like the 8240XL. It looks awesome with it’s sleek, curvy design, and it’s “gun metal” coloring. It really sets the expectations high when you rip it out of it’s packaging. When you first get it, you’re recommended to give it a good 12 hours on charge in order to get the battery in to the optimal condition.

After leaving it overnight to charge, I fired the baby up and I have to say, it was a lot quieter than I expected. It was almost a let down after all the build up but obviously it’s a good thing. I can be having a shave early in the morning now without worrying about waking the rest of the house up.

The handle is comfy, easy to hold and maneuver, and it’s generally very easy to use. The blades seem very sharp and do a good job of gliding through my stubble. It doesn’t quite cut every single hair in one stroke but it’s not far off, and it doesn’t quite rival a wet shave with a razor, but it’s acceptable in my opinion. If I wanted my face to be 100% immaculate on a particular day then I’d probably still opt for a wet shave with a regular razor, but for the other 364 days of the year, this is perfect.

One thing worth pointing out is that this is obviously purely designed for guys wanting a clean shave, so bare that in mind. The blades aren’t height adjustable, so it’s all or nothing. On top of that, it’s not the best shaped razor to sculpt a beard or moustache, so again, bear that in mind. For myself and the average person wanting a clean shave however, the 8240XL is great.

The 8240XL does come with a side trimmer that pops out on the back of the razor, but it’s not great. It’s useable and just about does the job, but a tad flimsy and as I say, not great.

Other than those minor flaws though, I’ve very impressed. It will last for about 12 – 15 shaves on each charge and it’s incredibly easy to clean. You just flick a button and the front bade unit flips up. You can then give it a quick rinse and leave it to dry. Simple.

Here’s an overview of the 8240XL:

Pros:

• Great looking design
• Very quiet motor
• Easy to clean
• Easy to hold and maneuver
• Pretty good battery life

Cons:

• Hard to sculpt a beard or mustache
• Side trimmer isn’t great
• Cannot adjust cut height

Overall, I really like the 8240XL. As I say, there are a few considerations to make, mainly that this is purely designed to perform a clean shave, and a clean shave only. But, for the 90% of men that do want a clean shave, the 8240XL gives a very impressive and worthwhile result. Highly recommended.

Click here to get the Philips Norelco Speed 8240XL Men’s Shaving System from Amazon.com