Philips Norelco – 9500 Rechargeable Wet/Dry Electric Shaver with Quick Clean, Travel Case, and Pop up Trimmer – Silver
$239.99
Last updated on August 11, 2024 2:21 am Details
Photos: Philips Norelco – 9500 Rechargeable Wet/Dry Electric Shaver with Quick Clean, Travel Case, and Pop up Trimmer – Silver
8 reviews for Philips Norelco – 9500 Rechargeable Wet/Dry Electric Shaver with Quick Clean, Travel Case, and Pop up Trimmer – Silver
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Philips Norelco – 9500 Rechargeable Wet/Dry Electric Shaver with Quick Clean, Travel Case, and Pop up Trimmer – Silver
$239.99
TechMatcher –
I have owned a few different electric shavers, and this Norelco 9500 is the best yet! Right out of the box and onto the charger, I gave it a full charge and tried it out on my 3 days of growth. No issues at all, fast, smooth and fairly quiet!
It came with a Quick clean pod – a first for me. After unsealing the liquid cartridge and placing it into the pod – I saw how the contraption worked and was pretty impressed. You turn the shaver on as it sits upside down in the cleaning pod, and it cycles on and off – cleaning, de-odorizing and lubricating the shaver all at once. Seems to take about 30-60 seconds. It says to let it sit in there until it dries. Done.
If you’ve never used an electric razor before, you’ll notice that you can shave in about 1/3 of the time. You can even sit down and do 2 jobs at once if you want – or use it in the shower!
Overall, it comes with a case, charger cord, cleaning pod and cartridge. I would have liked a charging stand though like I have for my other shavers….thus 4 stars.
BestbuyGuy210 –
I’m 36 and just recently started “shaving” never liked using a razer. Always used a walh peanut sub zero clipper to get my facial hair off. I know that’s not ideal. But I really hated using a razor. I do have sensitive skin. And can’t even use sensitive shaving cream. So last yr I decided to try Philips wet dry electric razer. I loved it right away. It shaved my face completely and didn’t require using shaving cream. But that is a base model. I thought I didn’t needed a more expensive model from Philips. I always knew that philips is the leader in personal hygiene. So I said i would give this higher end 9500 model a try. And man o man. This thing is not only beautiful, cool and clean. It shaves way better than my old entry level. Smooth face with no damage to my sensitive skin without using any cream. The Built in sensor that lets you know you are shaving at the perfect angel is great. It actually matters how you position these things and not just about pushing down hard. Works perfectly and looks cool. I love RGB so this is an extra value. Lol.
Super well built and very classy. My wife and my best friend said it looked amazing.
Charging is fast and this uses the same charger as my old one. Just in Case I lose one or the kids mess with it. The shaver come with a circle stand/holder that doubles as a cleaning station. One free refill is included.
LCD display is nice and gives you all necessary info and it does not stay on after you turn off. Saves battery. This is so fancy and I love that.
But This is a shaver 1st and foremost. It shaves exceptionally well. Last forever.. has an lcd screen. And looks amazing while doing it. It may cost more but for the quality you get every thing you wish for and a little bit more. Plus the warranty is great should anything happen. I personally have had great experiences with Philips warranty. I highly recommend 100%. You won’t be disappointed I’m sure!
Ps-I can’t really speak about the pop up/out trimmer as I can’t or won’t use since I don’t like facial hair. But I’m sure it works great as well!
ShawnInKB –
The pivot heads tilt nicely to conform to your face and neck. I like the feedback lights that show if you are pushing to hard, not enough, or just right. That helped get used to it very quickly. It’s remarkably quiet – at first I thought I had it on some kind of “low setting,” but it’s just a lot quieter than my old shaver.
The digital lock is great for travel to keep it from coming on and it comes with a protective travel case. The cleaning cartridge is easy to use and it only takes a minute to run.
I have a beard and the flip out trimmer works well for managing beard lines and upper lip.
Been using for about a week and so far doesn’t irritate my skin. There’s an optional Bluetooth connected app that tracks how well your shave was, how long, reminders to clean, a guided shave, etc. It also has videos to show you how to use the razor features, the cleaning pod, etc.
Overall pleased.
Veganrichy –
The Philips Norelco 9500 shaver delivers smart technology, but incorporates a close, comfortable shave for those with skin sensitivity.
Pros:
– Smart pressure technology
– Phone app that tracks your shaving
– Close and comfortable shaves
– Strong trimmer
– Self-clean function
After charging the Philips Norelco 9500, I setup and paired it to the Groom Tribe App (by Philips). I was carefully walked through steps to setup the razor and set the sensitivity to my shave style, and skin closeness. Also, the app provided tips on using the razor to maximize my shaving abilities, and to help me with skin irritation. Since this was my first time using this style of razor, I felt appreciative knowing that there was a way to setup the razor to my skin so that it would give me the shave I needed without the skin stress. Likewise, the razor lights up blue, green, and orange to indicate if I am applying not enough pressure to my face (blue), the right amount of pressure (green), and too much pressure (orange). Again, another feature that the 9500 incorporates to help you get the best shave possible.
Next, after several shaves, I was able to sync up the razor to the Groom Tribe app. There, the app provided tips (such as shaving in a circular pattern) and timing your shaves to avoid skin irritation. This took getting used to, as I was shaving too long at first until I finally found a rhythm. The included beard trimmer is strong, and cuts around beards and sideburns with ease. I have not encountered any hair pulling issues with this trimmer, and it accurately trims with percision.
Finally, after adjusting the pressure of the blades through the app and on the razor itself, I put to use my timing and rhythm to use; the razor gave me a close and comfortable shave. I have not had any irritation, or ingrown hair issues while shaving. The tips that I received while shaving have given me the confidence to shave. My face is smooth and less irritated after a 2-3 minute shaving session.
Lastly, one if the best functions is the self-clean technology. When I finish shaving, I place the shaver on the included cleaning pod and then I turn the razor on. The razor and formula from the pod, work together, and clean the blades for one minute. The best part of this is, I can walk away without having to be nearby for it to clean. I would suggest opening the blade compartment and using the included microbrush to clean inside the blade housing. I have found some strands of facial hair leftover. Additionally, I would clean the trimmer separately since it does not get cleaned automatically in the pod.
I would recommend the Philips Norelco 9500 to anyone looking to improve their shaving techniques, track their shaving, and to worry less about skin irritation.
Liam –
I have been using Philips Noreclo shavers for several years. I have always been a fan of how quick and easy these shavers are to use. I don’t have to use shaving cream or worry about cutting my face. I just rinse my face and the shaver with some warm water and shave. And you can even shave without water which makes shaving very easy and convenient. Beyond shaving, this shaver also includes a pop up trimmer for quick and easy trimming.
This particular model is a step above the other Norelco shavers I have used. It is definitely a more premium model with its look and shaving capability. This model does an excellent job of shaving, I was able to get a very close and smooth shave with this shaver. It definitely seems to produce the closest and most comfortable shave of the shavers I have used. Beyond the shaving, it has a display that can show you the battery percentage which is also something that my other models did not have. It also has an LED ring around the top of the shaver to help guide you and indicate whether you are shaving properly. Additionally, you can also connect this shaver to the Philips GroomTribe app which can give you insights and recommendations based on your shaving.
This shaver also includes a travel case which is really nice, and it includes a stand that you can sit it in and clean it with when you are done shaving. The stand holds a container that contains a cleaning solution. When you put the shaver in the stand, the shaver can run and complete a cleaning by washing itself thoroughly with the cleaning solution. While this seems like a good idea in theory, I am not a fan of this and do not plan to use it on an ongoing basis. According to the manual, the “Quick Clean Pod Cartridge” that your shaver sits in and cleans itself in has to be replaced quite regularly. If you clean your shaver in it daily, you have to replace the cartridge every month. And even if you only clean your shaver with it once a month, you have to replace the cartridge every 3 months.
I have been using Norelco shavers for years and I have never had an issue keeping them clean with water. It is super easy and cheap to clean these shavers with water and I see no need to use the quick clean cartridge. After each use, I immediately pop open the top of the shaver and rinse everything out. It is super easy and cleans the device well. I do not recommend shaving and then not cleaning the unit. If you do that, hair particles will stick into parts of the device and be harder to clean out. But if you wash and rinse immediately each time, your unit should stay nice and clean. The packaging for this shaver says the quick clean pod cartridge is 10x more effective than water, so if you really want to get your shaver as clean as possible and don’t mind the expense and hassle of changing these pods out, then you may like this feature. At the time of this review, the quick clean cartridges cost around $6 each. Using the quick clean pods is optional and something I do not plan to do on an ongoing basis.
Overall, this is an excellent shaver. It produces great results with a close and comfortable shave. It makes shaving effortless with no shaving cream or worries and nicking your face. It is also very stylish and has some added conveniences like a battery percentage indicator and app connectivity. It also comes with a travel case that makes it easy to pack and take with you when traveling. While I am not a fan of the quick clean cartridge capability, this is optional and does not negatively impact the device in any way. Some may like this for extra cleanliness and if so, it is definitely included and can be used. All in all, I highly recommend this shaver!
Jacbo14 –
About 10 years ago I transitioned to using electric razors and I haven’t really looked back since. While sufficient for my needs, one of the problems I have had with different razors I’ve tried in the past is that they never get the shave quite close enough, especially when compared side-by-side to manual razors. That being said, I found my time using the Phillips Norelco – 9500 to be the closest I’ve come to that manual razor shave, without actually using a manual razor. It does tend to work best in my experience with some water and a little shaving gel, but even as far as dry shaves go, I really like the experience quite a lot, especially if you just need a quick touch-up. Lately, as with many during the last year-and-a-half, I have been letting my beard grow longer than normal, so most of my shaving comes from cleaning my neck and upper cheekbones, along with trimming to keep things clean. So, for me, this has been an amazing product, as it saves me a ton of time, and really satisfies most of my shaving needs in one device.
Now, if I did have one complaint, and I do, it would be the charging system. Basically, to charge the system you need to attach a power cord to the bottom of the razor while it is in the cleaning dock (or if you lay it on the counter). They do reference a separate charging stand in the manual, but it isn’t included in the package, and so the charging process can be a bit bulky to plug in and unplug the razor regularly. It would be a nice to just be able to have the cleaning stand double as a charging base, so I could leave it plugged in and charged at all times. Not a deal breaker, hence my high score still, but something to note as a minor annoyance.
But back to the good stuff, in addition to providing a close shave and little to no skin irritation, the razor comes equipped with a light that helps tell you how much pressure you should be applying. You can customize this, but I found it works great out of the box, and really helped me dial in when I should be applying more or less pressure to get the best shave. On that note, I also highly recommend that you read the manual when you get the razor. The operation and options are relatively straight forward, but the display relies on a lot symbols and visual cues to communicate things like pressure settings, cleaning needs, and status, all of which can be a bit hard to interpret without the manual to break everything down.
Back on the cleaning front, you can rinse the machine out with water afterwards, which makes clean-up nice and easy, and eliminates the need for special cleaning tools to keep the machine spotless. You can do more in-depth cleaning, and the manual recommends this on a monthly basis or so, but all-in-all, cleaning/maintenance is pretty easy. The dock also has a cleaning process with an included liquid solution that should last you 1-3 months depending on how often you use the shaver. Again, I recommend you read the manual to fully understand how to run the cleaning process, but essentially you power the razor on while in the dock, and the process from end-to-end takes about 1 minute or so.
Finally, there is an app that pairs with the shaver to help you track your shaving schedule and performance. In general, I don’t find this all that useful as I tend to try to keep shaving quick and simple, but for some who are more meticulous about their grooming routine, this is a useful addition to your toolkit.
All-in-all, I think this is a great product, and I have no issues recommending it. It’s the best electric shaver I’ve used, and I plan to have it as my main shaver for a long time to come.
JimC –
The Philips Norelco 9500 Shaver is a stunning package of technology and the latest entry by Philips in a new generation of connected consumer personal care products. It incorporates a number of important advancements in shaving systems and is designed to provide the ultimate in sensitive skin care of any shaver available.
Norelco shavers are manufactured by Philips North America (the tradename Norelco comes from North American Philips electrical Company.) which is a unit of Koninklijke Philips N.V. , a $20 billion Dutch electronics, lighting and medical products company founded in 1891. Among its best-known consumer products are Norelco grooming devices, Sonicare oral health products, Magnavox & Philips audio and video products, Philips kitchen appliances and personal healthcare.
Here is a summary of the key features:
• Philips Norelco 9500 Shaver, Model: S9985/84
• 72 self-sharpening Dual Steel PrecisionBlades provide 150,000 cutting actions/minute designed to minimize tugging and the need for multiple passes
• Smart Hair Sensor measures beard density 500 times per second and adjusts power as needed for maximum efficiency
• 360 degree ContourDetect flexible heads follow facial contours to maintain skin contact for a closer shave
• ComfortGlide Rings around cutter blade assemblies with anti-friction coating to reduce skin irritation
• Pressure Guard sensor gives a continuous color signal: blue (too light)/green (correct)/orange (too much) to indicate shaver pressure and optimal closeness
• Motion Control sensor provides guidance on shaving technique to reduce required number of passes
• Shaves dry or wet, using water, soap, shaving foam or gel
• Waterproof (IPX7), may be used in shower, fully washable
• OLED display gives charge status, feedback on shaving technique,
• GroomTribe app connects to shaver via Bluetooth, monitors shaving activity, suggests changes
• Pop-up precision trimmer for mustache, sideburns, eyebrows
• 60 minutes of cordless shaving time, lithium ion battery is fully charged in 60 minutes
• 15 volt, 5.4 watt/360 mA charger
• QuickClean pod provides automatic cleaning/lubrication, serves as charging stand
• Travel lock to prevent activation when stored in luggage
• Shaver dimensions: 7.2 inch height, 2.7 inch depth, 2.5 inch width; Weight: 8 ounces
• QuickClean Pod dimensions: 3.2 inch height, 3.9 inch diameter
• Includes shaver, travel case, QuickClean Pod, cleaning fluid, cleaning brush, charger
• 45 day risk-free trial + Two year warranty on parts and labor
I have used Norelco and other premium quality electric shavers for many years so I know what to expect and demand. This new Norelco 9985 joins my Norelco 7940 which was the previous top-of-the-line model and has given me flawless service for the past couple of years. I also own a lower cost Norelco 3134 shaver that I keep at my Summer cottage. See photo comparison of the new and old shavers.
Like all Norelco shavers the 9985 is elegantly styled and very ergonomic. It is a nice combination of chrome, silver and black. It is fairly lightweight, but feels substantial in your hand. There is rubberized grip material where your index finger and thumb would grasp the shaver and your remaining three fingers cradle the bottom of the shaver’s body. It is a bit longer than my older Norelco and a bit heavier (8 ounces vs 6 ounces.) An OLED display on the front of the shaver indicates charge status, shaving efficiency, a notice to clean the shaver, the Travel Lock status and Bluetooth data connection.
When you press the power button on the shaver and raise it to your face you will see a ring below the shaving head which lights up to indicate the degree of pressure you are exerting while you shave. Blue means you are not pressing hard enough, orange means too much pressure and green is just right. This visual guide is very effective and really helps to improve the quality of your shave.
The shaver head consists of three flexing pentagons, each containing one cutting blade housed in a ComfortGlide ring with an anti-friction coating. I was a bit puzzled by the shape but then realized that the large grooved pentagons both stretch and smooth your skin and also help to lift the beard hairs up for a closer cut. Very clever engineering!
Each cutting head has 24 blades, 15 in an outer ring and 9 in an inner ring. Collectively the three cutting heads have 72 blades which rotate at about 2100 RPM, producing about 150,000 cutting actions per minute. The Smart Hair sensor on the motor measures hair density 500 times per second and adjusts the cutting power continuously to optimize shaving efficiency.
However, before you can use all of the 9985’s features you need to download the “GroomTribe” app to your smartphone. This requires pairing the shaver with your phone through Bluetooth but the process is very simple. Once paired, the app will offer a “guided shave” which monitors your shaving progress and provides tips to improve it. Usually the tip is just “Use smaller circles” or “Move the shaver slower. ” You will also be asked questions about skin irritation and the app will adjust the comfort setting between Normal, Sensitive and Extra-Sensitive accordingly. You can also manually select any of these settings, but only through the app. (You cannot change settings using just the shaver.) The app also has a number of helpful illustrated tips to improve your overall shaving experience. I found the app useful at first, but really did not need it after I used it a few times. The lighted pressure indicator on the shaver itself was much more useful than the GroomTribe app.
So how well does it work? Superbly! The shaving function is the equal to or exceeds the best electric shaver I have ever experienced. It is quiet (no loud buzz like some electric shavers) and it removed every trace of my stubble with absolutely no irritation to my skin. I am accustomed to very good shavers and this is certainly the among the best I have ever used. I did shave for about 12 minutes, more than the suggested 3 – 4 minutes, but I am not about the break the habits of a lifetime just to stay within Norelco’s concept of an ideal shaving time.
Did the “Guided Shave” help? No, not really. It just made me nervous to have my $1,000+ smartphone sitting on my bathroom counter so that I could watch the screen for instructions. I kept imagining the phone being destroyed by getting knocked off the counter onto my marble floor tiles. I think the concept of a Bluetooth-connected shaver, guided by an app, is techno-overkill. As I noted earlier, the advice given by the guided shave feature is pretty trite and unnecessary. Perhaps a neophyte to electric shavers might find it useful but I don’t think it added any significant value. I suggest that you spend some money on a good, lighted, magnifying shaving mirror and you will achieve far better results than by relying on the advice of this app
When finished, I rinsed the shaver and put it into the cleaning/charging station. The included QuickClean pod is compact and it will consume about 12 square inches of your bathroom counter space. It is a patterned black plastic with the base containing the replaceable cleaning cartridge and can be used to hold the shaver. Power for the 62 second cleaning cycle is supplied by the shaver and an icon indicates when it is time to replace the cleaning cartridge. At the end of the cycle I opened the shaver head and it was spotlessly clean and glistened with a light lubricant fluid which had a nice aroma. So I give this feature top marks for effectiveness. The downside is that the cleaning cartridges need to be replaced every three months at a cost of about $6 each time. Not a huge cost but something to keep in mind.
However, I was curious if just rinsing the shaver heads would adequately clean out all of the clippings. The next time I shaved I opened the shaver head and saw my beard clippings filling the head. I closed it up, then rinsed the head under running water and opened it again. It was completely clean! The new design somehow allows water to flow through and clean the heads thoroughly without opening them! So if you want to forego using the cleaning system I think you will still have a fairly clean shaver by just rinsing it.
The flip-out trimmer is adequate for the occasional sideburn, eyebrow or mustache trim. However, the separate trimmer head on my 7940 shaver is a superior design which gives much better control and visibility.
The shaver comes with an elegant, form-fitting travel case. But there is no room for the charger in the case! I wish that Norelco would change the design of its chargers to a USB-C system. That way a simple USB-C cable could recharge the shaver and eliminate yet another electronic item to pack on trips. Norelco makes the assertion that a full, 60 minute charge is sufficient for up to 20 shaves, but most men will shave longer than 3 minutes, which means that you can really only expect 6 or 7 shaves before depleting the charge. Fortunately, the digital display on the OLED screen removes the guesswork about how much charge remains.
OK, so how do I rate the Norelco 9500? For pure shaving function, it certainly is unmatched. The flashy color LED pressure indicator and motion control sensor can really improve your shaving technique over time. The display feedback is superb and the QuickClean pod is excellent for maintaining your shaver without taking up much space. The look and feel of this shaver is a marvel of engineering elegance.
In summary, the Philips Norelco 9500 Shaver has easily earned my unqualified five star rating. I can assure you that it is well worth its cost and you will agree with me that it delivers an absolutely superb shave every time!
k1zit –
I’ve been using an electric shaver for over 15 years. The technology has gotten so good that the closeness of the shave rivals a manual razor. Over the past 15 years, I’ve been on a quest to find the best electric shaver. I’ve used everything from Braun series 7/9, Panasonic arc3/arc5, to Phillip Norelco rotary shavers.
In the last few years of using some of the higher end shavers on the market, I’ve come to the realization that the long held debate that foil shavers provide a closer shave than rotary shavers simply no longer holds true. For the longest time, the Braun series 7 and the Braun series 9 provided the closest shave I’ve ever received from an electric shaver. For me, the Braun series 9 was king for several years. This changed about a couple of years ago when I tried Phillip’s flagship “S9000 Prestige” shaver. The Prestige S9000 not only gave me a slightly closer shave than my Braun series 9, but it was also a lot more comfortable contouring around the natural shape of my neck and face due to the rotary blades. The S9000 nudged the Braun series 9 out of first place. I’m happy to report that this Norelco 9500 provides the same degree of closeness as the flagship S9000 prestige. It is also extremely comfortable. Maybe even slightly more comfortable than the prestige. This is almost a perfect shaver. However, there are a few glaring cons that prevented me from giving it 5 stars. I’ve listed some of the pros and cons that I came across while using this shaver.
**********PROS**********
– Does not cause ingrown hairs! (There’s been some really good razors I’ve used in the past like the Panasonic ARC5 that cut extremely close but also caused a lot of ingrown hairs. That’s an instant deal breaker!).
-Extremely close and comfortable shave. The rotary blade housing has an extra large surface area to provide stability and comfort. Great design choice!
– The most comfortable handle on a shaver I’ve ever held. The extra long and stout handle makes it easy to grip from multiple angles depending on where you’re shaving.
– The LED lighting actually serves a functional purpose. Lights up green when you’re mainting optimal pressure, orange means you’re applying too much pressure, blue means it hasn’t detected your skin.
– Included on-screen display and button allows you to change the shaving feedback. If you don’t care for the LEDs or the pressure fedback, you can disable it completely or partially enable it so that it will only turn orange when you’re applying too much pressure.
– Very functional bluetooth app capability that provides feedback on your shaving sessions. Philip’s “Groomtribe” app gives you the duration of the shave, whether you’re applying too much or too little pressure during each shaving session, and also keeps track of your technique (you should be using circular motions). My favorite feature of this is that you don’t need to take the phone into the bathroom with you all the time. The shaver automatically keeps track of your shaving sessions on it’s onboard memory and then transfers them via bluetooth to the app whenever your phone is in close proximity!
– Very pleasing aromatic fragrance after a cleaning cycle using the included quick clean pod.
– Only takes 1 minute to complete a cleaning cycle. Other razors I’ve had in the past that came with cleaning stations would take upwards of 5 to 10 minutes of loud cleaning cycles.
– Love the included release button that opens the shaving head. This allows you to quickly run some warm water in the hair chamber to clean it out. Convenient if you run out of cleaning solution or just want a quick clean.
– Very soft yet rigid travel case. One of the softest materials I’ve ever felt. Love that it’s a low profile case.
– Good battery life. On a 100% charge, a 3 minute shave will only drop it down to 94%.
– Great pop up sideburn trimmer. Don’t need to fuss about with swapping out attachments.
– IPX7 certified so you can use this in the shower with no worries.
– Made in Netherlands!
**********CONS**********
– Really not a fan of the charging system. As you can tell by the picture, you have to manually attach and detach the power cord to the bottom of the shaver when it’s sitting upright on the cleaning station. Not only does this look a bit tacky, but it also requires too much manual overhead with constantly having to attach and detach the cable. I’m not sure why Phillips just didn’t integrate the charging system into the cleaning station. This is big deal and largely the reason I dropped a star on an otherwise perfect shaver.
– You can’t have the shaver plugged into the power cord during a cleaning cycle. I understand that this is largely due to the safety mechanism that prevents the shaver from being used on your face when plugged in but I was hoping it could be charged during a cleaning cycle.
– Not a fan of the shiny plastic faux chrome accent. I don’t think plastic should ever be chrome plated. I think either adding an actual metal accent or just leaving it frosted silver would look much better in my opinion.
– No manual speed adjustment. I must admit that I think the automatic speed that the shaver uses is absolutely perfect and does a great job of balancing speed and comfort. However, it’s nice to have the ability to manually increase/decrease the speed for personal preference.
Overall, the Philips Norelco 9500 is almost the perfect package. In terms of the performance alone and the shave that it produces, this is the pinnacle. You will not be disapointed with the level of comfort, noise, and the extremely close shave that this unit produces. However, the lack of an integrated charging system on the cleaning station is a huge miss for me. If you can overlook this, then this is a fantastic shaver that I’m sure will bring you years of excellent grooming.