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Feeling and looking good after a shave

Philips' new Shaver S9000 Prestige

I am not an electric shaver kind of person, preferring the trusty razor blade, which, to me, still gives the closest shave.

But electric shavers are getting better and I'm intrigued by Philips' new Shaver S9000 Prestige, which the company says gives the world's closest electric shave.

It features a multi-directional ContourDetect head with three shaving rings said to capture hair growing in different directions and of varying densities. The rings consist of Philips' new NanoTech precision blades, which are said to cut hair with the highest precision and can go very close to the skin. The rings have anti-friction, metallic-pigmented coating for a smooth glide.

The S9000's two-tone black and gun metal finish looks sleek and premium. Its ergonomic handle has a front display that shows battery power, shaving intensity and other information. A big power button sits in front and a shaving intensity rocker is sandwiched between the power button and the display.

A rear rubberised grip lets you hold the shaver firmly.

There is no charging port. Instead, the shaver supports Qi wireless charging and comes with a sleek-looking Qi wireless charging pad. It can be used with other Qi wireless charging pads, but you have to place the shaver at a certain angle to charge it. It is advisable to use the wireless charging pad it comes with as that has a dock to keep the shaver in place.

  • FOR

    • Close to skin shave

    • Premium feel and look

  • AGAINST

    • Pricey

  • SPECS

    PRICE: $599

    WEIGHT: 190g

  • RATING

    DESIGN: 4/5

    PERFORMANCE: 4/5

    BATTERY LIFE: 4/5

    VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

    OVERALL: 4/5

The included travel case allows you to stow the shaver, trim head, power adapter and wireless charging pad.

You can lock the shaver when travelling with it. Just press and hold the power button for three seconds to prevent the shaver from being accidentally switched on. To unlock, repeat the same process.

When I first put the S9000 to the test, I had not shaved for 10 days. Philips claims the gadget is able to shave a seven-day beard. I did not have a beard, but I had enough moustache and a goatee for a shave.

I was pleasantly surprised at how close to the skin the S9000 felt, which is comparable with my razor blade shaver. Using only water to wet my face, the S9000 was able to shave off my facial hair without much issues.

There was the odd pinching, especially when I went over parts of my face with thicker hair. But overall, this is one electric shaver I would gladly use.

It is much more convenient and actually provides a cleaner shave than a razor blade, which might miss some strands of facial hair.

On the downside, at $599, it is rather expensive. For that amount, I can get a huge supply of razor blades to last me a long time.

The S9000's battery life is rated at an hour. I think this is about right as the S9000's battery level was at 85 per cent after I had used it for 10 minutes.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 29, 2019, with the headline Feeling and looking good after a shave. Subscribe