REVIEWS

Panasonic ES-LV61-A Arc5 Electric Shaver Review – Best Shaver To use Without Foam

By Philip Yiga | January 15, 2015

I’m a great fun of Panasonic foil shavers, however, when they first released this Arc5 Premium 5-Blade Electric Shaver , its price was high, but this year the price has been sliced by half and I guess you and me can now take advantage of this Premium 5 blade Panasonic shaver.

[See price on Amazon….]

Difference between ES-LV61-A Arc5 and ES-LV81-K Arc5 ? Yes, there is a slight difference between these two Panasonic shavers, ES-LV81-K Arc5 seems to be an advancement of ES-LV61-A Arc5, it comes with a cleaning system, yet the ES-LV61-A Arc5 doesn’t have a cleaning system, however, the rest of the features seem to be the same; for example, both models have the same motor CPM speed of 14,000, 5 blades, Arc Foil, Wet & Dry shaving option, and so much more. When you hear of 5 blades, don’t think that you will all these 5 blades on the exterior, this shaver features only 3 blades on the outside and two inner blades which deal with very thick course long hair, however, the 3 exterior blades are widely spaced, but these 3 outer blades can’t miss any hair / beard.

Price Comparison:- When I compare the price of this ES-LV61-A Arc5 and that of ES-LV81-K Arc5 , the margin is quite big, because ES-LV61-A Arc5 is half the price of ES-LV81-K Arc5 , may be the only reason I give for the high price of ES-LV81-K Arc5 is that extra auto cleaning system, but still, those with some bucks to spend will find ES-LV81-K Arc5 affordable. The multi-flex pivoting head of this shaver makes it easy to use, it will glide over your face in an amazing way, the head is quite big and wide, and so it will cover a wide area which means you will get a quick close shave in no minutes.

PERFORMANCE:

[box] Panasonic ES-LV61-A Arc5 Electric Shaver has a mutli-flex pivoting head which gives you the opportunity to shave from any angle of your choice. You will also be in position to reach problematic areas like the neck & jaw line and shave them closely. ES-LV61-A Arc5 shares the same design like Panasonic ES-LV81-K and these two compete with each other effectively. In my opinion, if you buy Panasonic ES-LV81-K you will be paying for a cleaning station, otherwise these two models look alike and they do the same job. ES-LV61-A is a very fast shaver; its motor speed is 14,000 RPM which is a standard motor drive speed for all Panasonic premium shavers. It also has very sharp blades and an ultra-thin foil which enables the shaver to maneuver through a dense beard with ease. Judging from its features and what other people say about this model, I give a 4.5 / 5 rating (95% customer satisfaction)[/box]

RELATED MODELS:

DESIGN:

This 5 bladed shaver has a nice design, it was finished in a dark blue color which is my favorite color and the handle of the shaver is curvy and well studded with rubber on the sides. This rubber provides the shaver with a strong grip, so you can use it while in the shower, the studded rubber will prevent it from slipping off your hands. It’s 10-LCD stage display will show you battery & shaver status hence help you know when to charge and when to replace parts. This display is found at the front of the shaver below a travel lock. The main purpose of travel lock is to prevent the shaver from turning on its self while you’re in motion

[See price on Amazon….]

SPECS:

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PROS:

Shaves well than most Norelco shavers: – This foil shaver can shave better than a norelco. It features 5 stainless sharp blades which rotate at a very fast speed and leave no beard / hair on your body. Since it’s a very effective shaver, you can even use it to shave your head.

Good Speed: – its fast linear motor drive enables the shaver to pass through any thick beard with ease. The cycles at 14,000 CPM and delivers a very close shave within a few minutes. It does not matter if you have a long thick beard, this shaver will cut it in no minutes.

Quick Charge (3 Min – 1 shave):- Sometimes you can get caught up by time yet you need to have a very quick shave before heading to work / business meeting. During this confusion, the last thing you need is to wait for your electric shaver to charge fully. Good news is that ES-LV61-A offers you a quick charge / quick shave option. Now, this is what you can do; plug the shaver in power as you take your birth, the moment you’re done with the shower, and the shaver’s battery will have some power. By default, a 3 minutes charge can give you 1 good shave. After having that close smooth shave, leave the shaver charging and rush to work. However, if you don’t have anyone to leave at home to monitor the shaver while it’s on charge, do the charging at night.

Skin Friendly:- Men with very sensitive skin (African American Men), I recommend this shaver to you because its ultra-thin foils will maneuver over your skin with ease and leave you with a clean / smooth shave. Panasonic ES-LV61-A features three foil systems and each of them performs a unique tusk. (1) Lift Tech Foil which deals with flat-laying beards – it lifts them up for cutting without pulling / irritating your skin. (2) Finishing foil which deals with stubborn beards found on your neck or jaw line. (3) Slit Foil which deals short stubble / short beards. It also catches long beards and shaves them as close as short beards. Since you have a very sensitive skin, I suggest you leather up with a good shaving cream before using this shaver. It is a wet & dry shaver so feel free to wet shave. Shaving cream softens and lifts beards making them easy to cut / shave. Always rinse of that shaving cream after shaving with cold water and then apply a good aftershave to kill germs and calm down the skin. You can as well massage your skin after shaving, it also calms it down and it prevents bumps and related skin irritations..

Shave in the shower:- You can either shave via the sink or in the shower. Both options are good but make sure you have a mirror in-front of you so that you clearly see what you’re doing. Many men ask if they can shave in the shower and avoid clogging it. The best way of preventing clogging the shower when shaving is to turn on the water so that it keeps on running as you shave. The main reason why I suggest this is because shaved beards will be washed away by running water on instant. Don’t wait for beards to compile up and then flash them with water.

Well built & light:- On the glance, the shaver looks big and heavy. True the head is big because it accommodates 4 blades. Two blades are on the outside and the other two are inside. When you hold this shaver, you will be shocked because it’s light and well balanced. It weighs 4 ounces only and its dimension is 2 x 2.8 x 6.3 inches. Since the shaver is well balanced, you don’t need to use pressure when shaving. Simply hold the shaver firmly in your hands and move it on your skin smoothly. The head pivots to different angles, so when you reach the neck & jaw line, you can change your shaving angle. When you press and electric shaver against your skin, friction occurs and this results into skin irritation.

Best foil shaver for shaving head:- Bald heads have become fashionable, gone are the days when only black men used to have bald heads, now you can meet various white men on New York streets with bald heads and they look nice. I think one day I should give it a try but I’m not sure of the shape of my head looks nice when its bald. Maintaining a bald head all time will require you to shave at least 3 times in a week. I guess that sounds like too much work, but if you own an efficient electric shaver, the all process will be easy. Panasonic ES-LV61-A has 5 Arc blades which shave as close as a manual / straight razor and it will not irritate your scalp or cause any bumps. If possible, you can leather up your head before using this shaver. Doing this will guarantee you with a clean & smooth head shave.

Easy to clean:- I know this model does not come with an automatic cleaning station like Panasonic ES-LV81-K but that should not freak you out because it is equipped with a sonic vibration system which rotates the shaver at 17,000 RPM hence shaking out any clogged hair / gel in the shavers head. As if that is not enough, you can use tap water, soap and a brush to clean this shaver. An automatic cleaning system just makes the all process fast but it consumes cartridge & cleaning solution which cost money. I have seen some people asking if it possible to buy an automatic cleaning system on its own and use it on this shaver. My answer is a NO. I have tried to look around and I did not find this accessory being sold alone. So if you want the cleaning system, opt for Panasonic ES-LV81-K.

Affordable:- When ES-LV61-A was first released it was priced at $499 (almost $500). Wow, that was a big price tag, but as time goes, new shavers come on the market and this has forced Panasonic to cut down on the price of ES-LV61-A, it now costs $149.99 (70% ), you save $350. I don’t know if this is a limited time offer, but go to Amazon a verify today’s price because chances are high that the shaver will go down / up.

Dual Voltage (AC 100 – 240V) – Panasonic ES-LV61-A has a dual voltage system. It automatically detects your areas voltage and adjusts the shaver to that. This feature will protect your shaver’s battery and at the same time it makes the shaver user friendly. If you want to travel, carry this shaver with you because it will work from any part of the world.

Clean close shave:- If you have been shaving with multiple blade razors (Gillette), It is time you switch to a better option. Panasonic ES-LV61-A is ideal for any man; it shaves as close as a manual razor without pulling / cutting hair under the skin hence saving you from ingrown hairs or bumps. You can choose from wet / dry shaving, but in my opinion, wet shaving offers the best results.

Good on short stubble:- Shaving short stubble can be a challenge especially when using an electric shaver. I always use a manual razor to shave my 5 o’clock stumble but I have never tried electric shavers for this purpose. However, when I was scrolling through customer reviews on Amazon, I found a user who said that this shaver does well on short stubble. According to my knowledge, you have to let your stubble grow out well and then shave it close with an electric shaver. May be the lift and cut foil caters for this short stubble. I have to give it a try and see if I get a close shave.

Identical Trimmer:- Its pop-up trimmer is well defined. It is located at the back of the shavers head. This trimmer can be used to shape your goatee, mustache and side-burn. I don’t recommend using this pop-up trimmer for body hair, it is customized for small jobs.

Durable:- There is one thing you need to know about electric shavers. After buying it, you will need to spend money on it at least once / twice a year. Grooming companies like Braun, Philips, Remington and Panasonic are here to make money so don’t get fooled that owning an electric shaver is cheaper than a safety razor. Good news is that you will only do part replacement for this shaver every after 12 to 14 months. Parts you can replace include; foil Inner blades and Outer foils. A full set of Panasonic WES9032P Men’s Electric Razor Replacement Inner Blade & Outer Foil will cost you $69.06. In my opinion, that is a small maintenance cost for 12 – 14 months.

Best Shaver to use without foam:- Did i say that you can use this shaver without gel / shaving cream? I’m not sure if I did. But now you should get it right. If you do very well with dry shaving, there is no reason why you should leather-up. Leave the shaving cream / gel to men with sensitive skins. Simply wash your face with warm water to soften the beards and open skin pores. Dry your face with a towel and start shaving.

CONS:

Manual Cleaning:- This particular model does not come with an auto clean jet system, so the best option is to run tap water over the blades and sweep out all clogged hair and shaving cream. If you have been used to auto cleaning jets, you might need to adjust to manual cleaning, but once you get used, all will seem fine.

Noise:- Some users have reported serious noise when using this shaver, the 14,000 CPM motor produces a lot of noise when the shaver is doing its job. However, after a while, you might get used to this noise and concentrate on getting a close & clean shave.

Can’t use it when plugged in power:- This is a safety precaution for all wet & dry shavers. It saves you from getting into trouble when wet shaving.

Noise:- It not as silent as Norelco 9700 shaver.

[See price on Amazon….]

FEATURES:

Lift-tech foil which captures underlying flat hair and expose it to inner blades for cutting.
Wet & Dry shaving option, this makes it a good electric shaver for men with sensitive skins, apply some gel and start shaving without getting any irritation.
30 – Degree Stainless sharp blades for cutting long and thick beards juts like short hair.
Multi-flex pivoting head which can tilt to any angle, this feature makes it possible to get a clean neck shave.

5-Blade Ultra-Thin Vibrating Foil Cutting System
30 Degree “Nano Blades”
14,000 CPM Linear Motor Drive
Pop-up Trimmer
10-Stage LCD readout
Lock Button
Sonic Vibration Cleaning Mode for quick clean-up
100% Waterproof
Slit Foil
Finishing Foil
Multi-Fit Arc Blades
Face-Hugging Multi-Flex Pivoting Head

FULL DIGEST:

Standard Voltage:- The shaver works well with both voltages [110 & 240V], this will give you the opportunity to shave from anywhere. For those who travel too different countries, you don’t need to spend any more cash on grooming when you change location, simply switch on the shaver, it will up the current voltage and charge full to give you a nonstop cordless shaving.

Plastic Shield:- Even though some people throw away this plastic shield on the first day they unpack this shaver from its box, I will not recommend you to do the same, because the main purpose of this plastic shield is to protect the head of your shaver from getting damaged.

Getting a Close shave with this Panasonic ES-LV61-A Arc5 :- Most users recommend shaving against the grain because it will give you a quick close shave, however, you have to be very gentle when doing this because when you put to much pressure, you might end up with bumps or ingrown hairs. I always advice my readers to shave towards the grain because it is much safer, though, when using an electric shaver, it is not that easy to get a close shave when you follow the grain and in most cases, defining this grain can be difficult to some men, because beards can grow in different direction on different parts of the face, that means every time you will be changing shaving directions, which is a little bit tiresome.

Shaving in the shower:- I find it convenient to shave while in the shower, but that means I need to use a water proof shaver like this Panasonic ES-LV61-A Arc5. It was tailored to work in both wet & dry conditions, so if you also like shaving while in the shower just like, then this is the best product for you.

Warranty :- If I’m to spend more than $100 to buy an electric shaver, the first thing I will look for is the warranty, because burning over $100 on just one shaving tool is a way too much. With that in mind, I had to check out this shavers warranty via its company website, they say you will get a 2 year warranty, which is a very good offer. When your shaver gets any issue during those 24 months, it will be replaced by a new one at no cost. But if you need a cash refund, I recommend buying it from Amazon, at least you will have a 30 day money back guarantee, that way Amazon gives you the best offer than the Manufacture of this shaver.

Shaving your head with Panasonic ES-LV61-A Arc5 :- Right, it’s possible to shave your head with this electric shaver. I think many users would like to use this machine for more than one purpose; actually, it can also shave off that chest hair. On the other hand, if you need a real close head shave, you need to trim your hair short, and this will make it easy to have a clean close shave. Hair found on your head is much thicker and stiff, it’s not the same as your beards that is to why I recommend trimming it short and then use this electric shaver to get a clean head shave.

5 blade vs. 4 blade Razor:- Many users wonder if a 5 blade is better than a 4 blades, what is the secret behind these blades and who benefits more? A 4 blade razor might miss some underlying hair because it doesn’t have that inner blade which captures such hair for cutting, yet a 5 blade razor features that inner blade. So this makes 5 blade shavers better than 4 blade Panasonic electric shavers.

Recommended To African Americans With Course Hair: – I’m sure many African Americans get in a real paradox when it comes to choosing the best electric shaver for their course thick beards / hair. But after doing some digging and extensive research, I discovered that many users with course hair love this 5 blade wet & dry shaver. It is a very rewarding investment.

Changing Blades and Foil:- This is a premium shaver, so the blades and foils will last for at least 18 months, that is almost 2 years without spending a dime. Even though the prices might be high on the first purchase, but in the long run you will save lots of cash. I recommend this shaver to every man.

Shaving Neck and Flat Hair:- This shaver is very good at shaving the neck and flat hair. The inner blade will capture flat hair using an advanced technology and expose it to sharp blades for shaving. But as this goes on, your skin will not get any kind of irritation, all you will see is a close & clean shave. On the other hand, when it comes to shaving your neck, the mutli-flex pivoting head will make it easy to shave that neck. However, you need to leather up the neck very well, this will make hair very soft and easy to cut.

Battery Strength:- It has a rechargeable battery which gets full in only 1 hour. Once the battery is full, you can have a nonstop shaving experience of 50 minutes. ”’WONDERFUL”

[See price on Amazon….]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I shave my head with Panasonic ES-LV61?

Yes. This is a very powerful electric shaver, it can shave your head in just minutes. The motor drives moves at 14,000 RPM

I always get ingrown hairs, can I use this shaver on ingrown hair?

Yes. Since it has a lift foil, it will gently lift and cut ingrown hair without causing too much pain. I suggest you practice wet shaving and apply aftershave after shaving. This will stop the ingrown hairs.

Is it possible to use LA93 cleaning station with LV61?

Each shaver comes with a custom design to fit accessories that come with it. If you look closely, you will notice the difference in design. If you need to use an automatic cleaning system, simply upgrade to ES-LV-81.

Does it capture hair when shaving or it spills it all over the sink?

I’m sure you don’t want to clean that sink after shaving. Lucky you, the shaver can capture hair from the inside so it saves you the hassle of cleaning that sink.

Can I use it from any part of the word?

Yes. This shaver has a dual voltage system which works on both 110 & 240 V.

What should I do when I see (Foil / Blade check indicator)?

This is a premium shaver, so when the foil and blades need replacement an message will show up on the LCD screen. Respond immediately and replace those two parts.

Should I use it with shaving cream or nothing?

This will depend on the nature of your skin. If it is too sensitive, use shaving cream but if it’s a normal skin; don’t use shaving cream. It also does a good job on dry shaving.

What should I do if I don’t get a close shave?

You can do two things. (1) Shave against the grain – direction to which beards grow too. (2) Try to wet shave with a very good shaving cream. Please don’t use force when shaving with this electric shaver, it might result into skin irritation and some areas might be left with hair.