There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance. Having clean clothes, tidy hair, clean shaven or groomed beard etc. Male grooming is very big business these days with a whole of host of gadgets such as a beard trimmer or electric shaver, gizmos, creams and potions to keep men looking their absolute best.
Unless you prefer the bearded look, a lot of men need to shave their face most mornings. Shaving is a daily male grooming routine, one that I hate. As much as I hate shaving, I don’t want a beard either, so I need to scrape my face with a sharp blade. I prefer shaving with a manual razor but even with new blades, it causes a lot of irritation to my skin so I thought I would give an electric shaver another go (I never got on with then in the past) and have been happily using the Wahl Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver.
Wahl’s Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver is an electric shaver that definitely stands out in the bathroom, you can’t miss it as it is bright yellow. It is a wet or dry waterproof and shock-resistant cordless electric shaver with dual foil shaving heads. It runs for an impressive ninety minutes between charges, so you can have thirty, three-minute shaves – one a day for a month before you need to recharge it (and it only takes sixty minutes to recharge fully).
In the box:
- Wahl Lifeproof Electric Shaver
- Foil Guard
- Charging Adapter
- Cleaning Brush
- Blade Oil
- Travel Pouch
- Instruction booklet
Apart from its cheerful bright colour, this shaver does have some other features. It features dual floating flex foils that move, meaning that the foils contour you face whilst shaving, resulting in a more comfortable shave with less irritation. The foil cuts extremely close at up to 0.1mm giving a good close shave, which leaves my face reasonably smooth after using it. It is enclosed in a durable shockproof housing that is practically indestructible. Equipped with ergonomic rubber grips to ensure a comfortable and secure hold. And for precision grooming, it is equipped with a pop up precision trimmer with stainless steel blades for edging sideburns and necklines. It also features a travel lock function so that it doesn’t switch on in your luggage when travelling, no buzzing around like an angry bee in your bag. Electric shavers are generally splashproof but the Wahl Lifeproof is waterproof up to 1 metre (3 feet) for 30 minutes, so it is perfect for using in the shower.
This is a cordless electric shaver, which obviously means that it has a battery. It is equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which gives 90 minutes of use, giving 30 three-minute shaves – enough for the month between recharging. Charging is easy, just plug in the charging cable into the base of the shaver and plug the adapter into the wall socket. The battery life is excellent and doesn’t seem to lose charge when not in use, so it doesn’t need to be left on charge to be able to use it the next day or a couple of days later – a full charge will take approximately 60 minutes. It also features a 5 minute quick charge. This feature is extremely handy as it will give enough power for a shave, perfect for when you forget to charge it but need to use it.
This bright yellow electric shaver is also a tough and durable shaver; Wahl go as far as saying that it is practically indestructible! It is a high impact, shock resistant shaver. Whilst I can’t comment on how indestructible it actually is, I have dropped it in the sink a few times and once on the floor and it has no visible damage and still works in the same way as when I got it – so I will take their word for it. It has been designed to withstand the rigors of everyday life and the ergonomic rubber grips make it comfortable to use as well as offering it drop protection.
I have already mentioned that I really don’t like shaving, I find it irritating, but I do like how smooth my face feels after a shave. Generally, I shave once a week with my trusty bladed manual razor and use the Lifeproof Shaver every day for the rest of the week (I mostly give my face a rest on the weekends). Whilst the Lifeproof electric shaver doesn’t get as smooth as my manual razor, it does do an excellent job and without so much irritation and is a lot quicker and easier. It features a three-cut system; the trimmer cuts longer hairs, 1st foil cuts shorter hairs, 2nd foil removes remaining short hairs and the flexible foils move with the contours of your face to give a better shaving experience. I won’t say that it makes shaving more enjoyable, but it does seem like less of a chore.
As with all electric shavers it needs to be looked after and maintained. This is a painless process. It simply means cleaning off shaving debris and changing the foils when necessary. Cleaning is easy as the foil pulls off and it is all easily rinsed under running tap water or in the shower (it is fully rinseable), it is also supplied with a cleaning brush to brush away any whisker dust from the cutters and foil.
Overall, I am very impressed with the Wahl Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver. It is very easy to operate and maintain, and whilst doesn’t get as close as a manual razor it does an excellent job, cutting quite close and with noticeably less irritation. I love the travel lock function that stops it accidentally switching on when travelling (who wants to hear something buzzing away in someone’s bag?). The travel lock is very simple to enable/disable, just press and hold the power button.
The Lifeproof Shaver doesn’t have a charging dock or cradle to place the shaver in when not in use or when charging. It does however come supplied with a zippered travel pouch that the shaver and charging adapter store neatly in. I actually prefer storing it in the pouch rather than in a docking cradle.
The battery life is excellent with a month’s usage from a single charge (based on a three-minute daily shave) and the five-minute quick charge to have a quick shave is a good feature if I have forgotten to charge the shaver for any reason. And I only need to charge it once a month.
I love that it is compact and lightweight, and neatly stores away in its own travel bag and the foil is protected with a plastic cover. Perfect for putting in your hand luggage so you can keep your face nice and smooth on your travels.
At £69.99 it isn’t expensive for a good quality electric shaver, especially when you compare it against the cost of buying good quality razor blades every month. Although, you will need to replace the foil and cutter every 12-18 months at a of cost £16.49 (which is still a lot cheaper than replacement razor blades).
I think that the Wahl Lifeproof Wet/Dry Electric Shaver is an excellent quality shaver that gives a close cut with a near smooth finish. The durable and shockproof housing, quick charge and long battery life also make it a cut above the rest.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £69.99
For more information or to buy, visit www.wahl.co.uk. Also available from Amazon here.