Customer reviews from philips.com
Philips Norelco - Star Wars Dark Side Shaver - Black/Red
Average customer rating
4.2
(851 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 851 reviews
5 Stars
531
4 Stars
156
3 Stars
62
2 Stars
48
1 Star
54
81%of customers recommend this product.
(
645 out of
795)
Customer Reviews for Philips Norelco - Star Wars Dark Side Shaver - Black/Red
Customer Rating
3
Needs improvement in two areas
on April 22, 2019
Posted by: SteveDale
Gender:Male
I purchased a S9721/89 in June 2018, and was fairly happy with it, until I pulled off the shaver head to attach the trimmer. After putting the shaver head back on, the head to body attachment just got looser and looser over time. The head would tilt so far from vertical, while shaving, that you could hear grinding as the drive shaft was slipping, trying to engage the head. Got to the point where I could no longer open the head to clean the blades without the head pulling off the body.
Thinking that perhaps it was my fault when I pulled the head off the first time, I purchased a S9733/90 in December 2018, and decided to never pull off the shaver head. Now, four months later, the shaver head on this unit is getting loose, and starting to tilt and grind while shaving. I do need to use firm pressure while shaving to get a close shave on my puffy face.
Having now read similar reviews on this site, this appears to be a weak link in this shaver. The plastic used for the shaver head connecting shaft, is too soft to handle the metal retaining pins in the shaver body that snap into grooves in the shaft. The plastic grooves deform over time and allow the head to pull free from the retaining pins too easily. Those pins are probably somewhat spring loaded to allow them to spread apart to allow the shaft to pull free when removing the head from the body. When I have some time, I'll disassemble one the shavers and see if those pins can be made to pinch the shaft tighter, and not allow the head to be pulled off, so I can have one shaver with a permanently attached shaver head.
Another, less serious issue I have with these shavers, is that the shaver blades are inset very far from the edge of the shaver head, making it difficult to get hairs on the upper lip, near the nose. Really have to distort the nose to get a close shave up there. On all my older Norelco shavers (I've been using Norelco shavers, exclusively, for 50 years), the head design allowed for the blade openings to be closer to the edge of the shaver head, making it easier to shave close to the nose.
Pros: sleek design, charging/cleaning base works great (for me), digital battery level display, multiple speeds (i only use the high speed), long battery life (i get a week of shaves/charge), hard-shell travel case
Cons: no pop-up trimmer (separate trimmer is stupid), weak head to body connection design, hard to shave close to nose, 90 days to register (missed on both shavers), have to separate blades from head to rinse
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
1
The worst electric shaver I ever used, the Norelco S9311/84
on June 19, 2016
Posted by: RLHCA
Gender:Male
I applaud Philips for actually publishing negative customer reviews. I agree with the negative comments and add my review to that list.
I’ve used Norelco rotary shavers for over 30 years, upgrading to the S9311/84 in July 2015 based on the marketing hype. Among the many negatives, it gives nothing close to a clean shave, is far overpriced, and is very difficult to clean thoroughly.
In addition to the customer reviews, I’d initially check the independent rating services before considering a Norelco. It’s instructive to note that:
• Consumer Reports has no 9000 Series in its recommendations!
• Neither does BestReviews.
• ShaverList includes the 9700 Norelco in its ratings, but no other 9000 model.
It must be humbling for Norelco to find its ‘top of the line’ products with so little attention in the ratings after being tested by the independents.
I’ve used Norelco rotary shavers for over 30 years, upgrading to the S9311/84 in July 2015 based on the marketing hype. Among the many negatives, it gives nothing close to a clean shave, is far overpriced, and is very difficult to clean thoroughly.
In addition to the customer reviews, I’d initially check the independent rating services before considering a Norelco. It’s instructive to note that:
• Consumer Reports has no 9000 Series in its recommendations!
• Neither does BestReviews.
• ShaverList includes the 9700 Norelco in its ratings, but no other 9000 model.
It must be humbling for Norelco to find its ‘top of the line’ products with so little attention in the ratings after being tested by the independents.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
4
Lighter, noisier, lousy jet cleaner
on March 14, 2015
Posted by: weintrw
Gender:Male
I think I have used every Norelco shaver they have made. I intentionally skipped the Artitech. This is the closest shave I have ever gotten. But now there is noise, razor burn, difficulty in tight spots, poor design and workmanship and a very frustrating cleaning system. My sensotouch was a much better shaver in every respect. The new head for this razor should be released to fit that razor.
This is my third body, third cleaner, and second head. Now it works at least. The cleaner has a sensitive screen. If you dust it, it turns on its cycle, even though there is no razor in it.
Customer support is excellent by the way
So this is a backward step for the razor and cleaner, but the head is thinner, giving a closer shave.
Pros: closest shave ever
Cons: noisy burns mis cleans expensive
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
2
Good shave, but sideburn trimming and cleaning both cumbersome
on December 26, 2014
Posted by: LongtimeCustomer56
Gender:Male
The shaving is decent for me, but about as close as the other Norelcos I've used over the last 35 years (none of which cost more than half what this model does#. Where it really falls down is in handling sideburns and in cleaning.
There is no longer a convenient pop-up sideburn trimmer. Instead, you need to turn off the shaver, snap off the unit with the heads and snap on the beard groomer / sideburn trimmer device. This device doesn't cut my sideburns easily and I find it difficult to get my sideburns even because the attachment is so large that it's hard to see what I'm doing.
Cleaning is a chore, at least if you use all four cleaning methods, as recommended in the instructions #two types of rinsing, the SmartClean System and occasional brushing). The SmartClean System takes up too much room on my counter and the fluid gets sloshed around when our maid cleans up the bathroom.
Pros: decent shave
Cons: sideburn trimming difficult, smartclean system clumsy
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
1
Great close shave but quality of product is terrible
on August 30, 2019
Posted by: martygr
Gender:Male
1. RQ12 shaving head will stay connected to handle, it pops out every time I try to use the shaver.
2. The auto-clean system is unreliable, it is intermittent at starting the process and finally the pump that controls the cleaning fluid has failed.
3. This is the second Philips high end shaver I put up with and the last one. I have bought a Braun Series 9
2. The auto-clean system is unreliable, it is intermittent at starting the process and finally the pump that controls the cleaning fluid has failed.
3. This is the second Philips high end shaver I put up with and the last one. I have bought a Braun Series 9
Cons: very poor qualit product
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from philips.comBy Philips Consumer Care, September 16, 2019
Hi there,
Thank you for sharing your experience with our shaver on here. We're sorry to hear it hasn't lived up to your expectations. Surely, this should not be happening, and your disappointment is understandable. Your input is valuable to us, as it helps us improve, and we will make sure to forward it to our Product Development team.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch via social media. We’re available 24/7 on Facebook (https://philips.to/fb247) and Twitter (https://philips.to/tw247). Alternatively, you can reach out to us via the contact page on our website (https://philips.to/2XeizXO). One of our colleagues will then try their best to help you further.
Hope to speak to you soon!
Kind regards,
Philips Consumer Care
Thank you for sharing your experience with our shaver on here. We're sorry to hear it hasn't lived up to your expectations. Surely, this should not be happening, and your disappointment is understandable. Your input is valuable to us, as it helps us improve, and we will make sure to forward it to our Product Development team.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch via social media. We’re available 24/7 on Facebook (https://philips.to/fb247) and Twitter (https://philips.to/tw247). Alternatively, you can reach out to us via the contact page on our website (https://philips.to/2XeizXO). One of our colleagues will then try their best to help you further.
Hope to speak to you soon!
Kind regards,
Philips Consumer Care
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
1
Poor
on August 22, 2017
Posted by: Sbbourke
Gender:Male
It was great for six months now can barely shave. It's like a blunt blade I had read same in reviews but did not
Believe. Don't buy
Believe. Don't buy
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
5
Best shaver I've owned in 30 years!
on December 17, 2014
Posted by: dmdmx2
Gender:Male
Norelco's 9700 is the best razor I've had in 30 years. It is the closest shave to a blade that I have ever gotten from an electric razor. They made the design much, much easier to clean by just running under hot water. My Norelco 8000 series would just gum up under hot water, so this is fantastic. Especially considering that the razor is automatically charged each time you use the automatic cleaner, thus reducing the batteries lifetime. Li-on batteries have a maximum amount of times that they can be charged. So I will use the automatic cleaner only when my charge is low. I don't know why they didn't put in a clean only option. But that is the only thing about the entire razor system that I'm disappointed about. Otherwise, I can't be happier with the razor!
Cons: charges everytime you use the auto cleaner.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com
Customer Rating
1
Base is defective - DO NOT BUY
on May 21, 2016
Posted by: bnuns409
Gender:Male
Similar to other reviewers, when I have the razor in the base, it will run the clean cycle without me actually pushing the clean cycle button. Sometimes it runs the clean cycle 3-4 times in one charge (and even runs when it's not being charged).
AVOID THIS RAZOR
Cons: defective clearning base
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting philips.com