Panasonic ES-LF71

I bought this shaver to replace an ancient Philips rotary shaver that was on it's last legs, and also because I was told that a foil shaver gives a closer shave than rotary shavers.

First impressions were good. The shaver feels nice and solid in the hands with comfortable rubber grips and positive feeling controls. Battery level is shown as a 5-LED display. You get a rather snazzy pouch for storage and travelling purposes. A small bottle of oil is provided should you choose not to use the cleaning base.

The shaver head itself has 3 foils with an integrated long hair cutter. The shaver head also automatically adjusts to facial contours, though it can also be locked for better detail work. One thing that I like about this shaver is that the foils are not straight; they have a very slight convex curve to them so they deal with concave areas (such as under the chin) better. Plus the curve also stretches the skin, enabling hairs to be cut even closer. The shaver makes a loud ''buzz'' when in use, but this doesn't matter too much.

The quality of the shave is second to none. It is a lot more comfortable than my old Philips shaver and the shave really is that smooth. Its like a wet shave but much less messy. This shaver is a wet and dry model so you can use it with shaving cream/foam or in the shower if you wish. There is a built-in trimmer for trimming sideburns and the like.

The shaver comes with a really nifty base that cleans, lubricates and charges it. The only downside is that the replacement cartridges are expensive, but you don't need to use the cleaning base as the shaver head can also be washed under the tap.

I recommend this shaver to anybody who requires a close shave with the minimum of fuss. It also looks great and is easy to use and clean. Recommended.