REVIEWS

Panasonic ES8243A Arc4 Electric Shaver Review – Best 4 Blade Shaver

By Philip Yiga | January 5, 2015

If you have a thick hard to cut beard, try to use this 4-blade Panasonic ES8243A Arc4 Electric Shaver. The four blades will ensure that no beard / hair is left behind, the first blade will encounter the thick beard with ease, and the second blade will clear what the 1st blade failed to clear, then comes the 3 & 4 blades which will leave you with a super clean shave.

When it comes to design, this model looks more like its brother ES-LT41-K Arc3, though their is a much difference when it comes to functionality. For those who travel frequently, you should pack this electric shaver with you because it’s voltage can be changed, you can use it with a 220v.

[See price on Amazon….]

PERFORMANCE:-

Panasonic ES8243A has 4 blades however its motor power is only 13,000 Cycles per Minute. If I compare it with Panasonic ES-LA63-S which has 14,000 CPM and four blades, ES8243A losses the game to ES-LA63-S; this is so because motor speed determines how fast a shaver is. If it moves very fast, you will get a quick close shave and at the same time the shaver will be able to clear a thick / dense beard. On the other hand, ES8243A hand it shaves faster than Braun 7-790cc which stops at 10,000 RPM. In terms of rating, I will give ES8243A a 4.4 (94% customer satisfaction) because it has all essential features which you would need to have a real close shave and at the same time it comes at an affordable price. If your budget is below $100 and you’re looking for the best shaver, then ES8243A is your best bet.

DESIGN:

[box] Panasonic-ES8243A shares the same design with previous models like ES-LT41-K / ES-LT71-S so you can easily confuse them. However, Panasonic-ES8243A has 4 blades so its head is more likely to be bigger than the other 2 Arc3 shavers. Its LCD display has 10 stages, so it shows more data than ES-LT71-S This LCD display notifies you about the battery status so you can easily know when to charge the shaver. . The curvy ergonomic shape gives it a better grip than most electric shavers, so you can easily use it while in the shower. The only essential feature Panasonic-ES8243A does not have is a travel lock switch, so if you plan to travel, make sure you park it well in its travel pouch to prevent the shaver from turning on its self automatically. The head can pivot to different directions making it very easy to shave problematic areas like the jaw line & neck.[/box]

PROS:

It’s a perfect wet and dry shaver:- Ergonomically the shaver is very easy to hold, yet at the same time the four nano-tech blades will clear any thick course beard. If you have been using other shaver brands or models, the first time you interact with this Panasonic-ES8243A, will make you think twice. It’s a very nice shaving tool.

Easy to hold: – According to product description, this shaver weighs only 6.2 ounces. It not a very light shaver but at the same time it’s not heavy. The curvy shape and rubberized sides improve on the shaver grip. So if you want to shave while in the shower, go ahead because the rubberized handle will prevent the shaver from slipping off your hands. The head design is just perfect; it covers a wide surface area hence giving you a quick clean close shave. The head also pivots to different directions giving you the opportunity to shave from any angle of your choice.

Works with most shaving creams:- Panasonic ES8243A is a we shaver so you can use it with any good shaving cream of your choice. Wet shaving is recommended when shaving with a electric shaver. It softens and lifts flat-laying beards for cutting. I suggest you leather up with a good badger brush and let that shaving cream sit on your beards for a few minutes before shaving. Rinse of the shaving cream after shaving and dry your face with a clean face towel. After that you can apply Aftershave to kill germs and calm down the skin.

Comfortable shave:- This shaver feature 4 blades, two are on the outside and the other two are beneath the foils. These nano-tech blades can shave any type of beard. The shaver is powered by a 13,000 RPM motor speed, faster than that of Braun 7-790cc which is rated as the best foil shaver of all time. Now imagine what ES8243A can offer you with if it has (13,000 RMP). If test both Braun 7-790cc & Panasonic ES8243A, you will notice that ES8243A shaves faster than Braun 790cc. On the other hand, you don’t have to use too much pressure when shaving with this Panasonic ES8243A shaver, using pressure can cause skin irritation. May be the other thing I should not forget is Arc foil system which moves the shaver in a circular motion, following different facial contours hence capture and shave each strand on your skin.

Excellent build quality:- I would expect an electric shaver below $100 to have an ordinary shape but to my surprise, this Panasonic ES8243A has an excellent build quality. This is the kind of shaver you can use for years without getting tired of it. It has a pop-up trimmer which is found at the back of the shaver. Use this pop-up trimmer to groom your beard, mustache and goatee. The rubberized handle prevents the shaver from slipping off your hands and the size of head is pretty better than that of Panasonic ES-LA63-S.

Good battery life:- When buying an electric shaver, make sure its battery life is very good because you can replace it once its dead. Panasonic ES8243A has a very good battery life; it can work for more than 5 years. So spending $99 on an electric shaver which works for 5 years and more is a good deal. This shaver takes only 1 hour to charge fully, but you will get 45 minutes of nonstop shaving. To a beginner these 45 minutes might seem less, but in actual sense, you will only use 5 – 6 minutes in a day to get a close facial shave. Now if I divide 45 / 5 = 9 If you shave twice a week, you will use this shaver 4/ 5 times without charging it.

Good on sensitive skins:- Panasonic ES8243A is a wet and dry shaver, you have the opportunity to choose from either dry / wet. However, men with very sensitive skins, you should opt for wet shaving because it reduces on friction between the shaver & your skin and at the same time it softens your beards making them easy to shave. I also advise you to shave towards the grain; this prevents pulling and nicking of the skin when shaving. I know when you shave against the grain you get a quick close shave, but this option works for men with normal skins. When it comes to stubborn neck hairs which grow to different directions, ES8243A will clear them in no minutes without causing any pain or skin irritation. It almost shaves like a manual razor.

Easy to clean:- This model does not come with a cleaning station, but that is not necessary because it has a vibration mode feature which shakes the shaver at 17,000 RPM. When you wet shave, gel / shaving cream will get stuck in the shaver’s head, so to remove it, you have to switch on the vibration mode feature, this will shake the shavers head and get rid of clogged beards & shaving cream. At the same time you can use running tap water & soap to clean the shaver. But make sure the shaver is completely dry and clean before storing it.

Quick close shave:- Some electric shavers will require you to make more than one pass to get a close shave, however Panasonic ES8243A features 4 nano-tech blades which move at 13,000 RMP hence cut through the thickest beard with ease. To improve on your shaving experience, you can leather-up with a good shaving cream.

Blades/foil last a long time: You don’t have to worry about parts, they are easily available online. This shaver uses; Replacement Outer Foil – WES9161PC, Replacement Inner Blade – WES9068PC, Replacement Foil & Blade- WES9020PC. These parts come at an affordable price yet they take long to wear out. If you handle this shaver very well, it will take you 18 months to replace any of these parts and that will save you lots of cash.

No shaving cream required:- This option is for men with normal skins, but those with sensitive skins, I argue you to apply shaving cream before using this shaver. Panasonic ES8243A performs very well on dry shaving. However, you have to first wash your beads with warm water so that hair follicles become soft hence making shaving very easy and first. After shaving you have to wash your face again with cold water to close skin pores and then apply aftershave to calm down the skin and at the same time kill germs.

Not messy:- I’m sure you have used different types of electric shavers in the past. You will agree with me that they always leave that sink messed up with shaved beards. It not difficult to clean the sink with water but it consumes time. On the other hand, when you use Panasonic ES8243A electric shaver, most of the shaved hair remains inside the shaver leaving less mess on your sink or bathroom floor.

Affordable Panasonic shaver:- I see no reason why you have to spend to much to get a close shave. It’s true, premium shavers have some added features, but according to my experience, you can do without these features and end up with a close & clean shave. Panasonic ES8243A price tag is below $100 and I’m sure you can afford that.

CONS:

Battery is not Replaceable:- I know this might sound crazy, because most electric shavers require battery replacement after years of using them, but this model does not have that option. The only thing you have to replace is a blade and that might take you like 18 months to change blades, which is a good thing. But the battery has the capacity to work for many years just like a cell phone battery, so, I might not see this as a big problem.

It does not adjust, so you will not be in position to have a custom shave. Sorry about that.

Won’t work while charging: I will take this as a safety precaution provided by Panasonic. No wet & dry shaver works when corded / plugged in power. I know we all want to have a shaver which works when corded & when its cordless, but wet & dry shavers don’t seem to have that feature. I have also checked other wet & dry Panasonic shavers, they don’t perform when corded. The same thing goes with Philips Norelco shavers.

Cost of replacement blades and foils are high:- This is something you should expect once things start falling apart. Grooming / gadget companies make most of their profits in selling parts. So, when it comes to replacing parts get ready to spend some good dime.

[See price on Amazon….]

FEATURES:

4-Blade Ultra-Thin Blades: – Panasonic has use Nanotechnology to sharpen the blades of this ES8243A Men’s 4-Blade (Arc 4) rechargeable electric shaver and this will guarantee you with a super close shave. The 30 degree angle stainless blades will not miss any hair / beard.

Led Digital Battery Indicator: – This is found at the front of the shaver, the led light will show you the level of your battery charge, it’s digital and figures can clearly be read, even in darkness.

13,000 CPM Linear Motor: – If you have a very thick course beard, this shaver will pass through it in no minutes. Actually some men have reported to get a close shave within two minutes. The 13,000 CPM motors moves so fast and this makes the shaver to its job in-time.

Dry & Wet Shave: – It is a waterproof shaver, so you will have a change to shave while in the shower, and at the same time, you can leather up with shaving gel and get better results.

Turbo Cleaning Mode: – This works differently from Braun / Philips Norelco’s cleaning systems. When you turn on the turbo cleaning mode, the shaver will clean its self using ”vibration”, it will shake all beards out, but this feature is very effective on dry shaving.

Stainless Steel Foil: – Since it’s a wet & dry shaver, the stainless steel foil will last for long without getting damaged by water / shaving cream. These foils are also smooth, so they will glide over your face / skin without causing any irritation.

Washable: – Since the shaver does not come with its own cleaning system, you can wash it via the tap. Simply run water over the head and get rid of clogged hair.

FULL DIGEST:

Bald Head Shaving:- It is possible to use this ES8243A to shave a bald head, however, the head must have been shaved before using a head shaver / a razor, the ES8243A can be used to maintain the bald head, it’s very good at shaving short hair and it will also not irritate your scalp.

Panasonic ES8243A vs ES8103S :- When I compare the design of these two models, they actually look alike, but there is a slight difference in the performance of these two models, this ES8243A and one extra blade, the ES8103S has only 3 blades, so, I’m sure that the extra blade found on ES8243A gives it a competitive edge against its brother, you will stand a high chance of getting a close shave when you use ES8243A especially around the neck because that is the most difficult part to shave with an electric shaver.

Does it come with a Trimmer:- Yes, it features a pop-up trimmer which you can use to shape your side-burn or mustache, it’s a very effective trimmer which does a very good job. But if you have an independent beard trimmer, you can use that, results might be the same. If you have never used a pop-up trimmer, simply switch on the release button which is found below the trimmer, this will unlock the trimmer, once the trimmer is out, but its edge on the side-burn / mustache just like you always do with a beard trimmer / clipper.

Reducing Irritation:- In most cases, some men get irritated when they dry shave with this ES8243A, you can get away with this problem by lathering up before shaving. This is a wet & dry electric shaver, so if you don’t do well with dry shaving, then apply shaving cream or soap and switch to a wet shave. You will get a very quick close shave and your skin won’t be irritated.

Getting a Close shave with This ES8243A:- If you have a very tough beard, the best way of getting a close shave is to shave with the grain, this won’t give you an instant close shave, but it will that thick beard and you will be left with some short hair. So, to get a real close shave, you have to make a second pass, however, this time you will shave against the grain, but be very gentle when doing this otherwise your skin might get irritated during the process.
Comparing Norelco Rotary Shavers with This Panasonic-ES8243A Foil Shaver:- I’m not sure if you have ever used Norelco shavers, some are good but they take long to give you that close shave, sometimes you have to make more than one pass to get better results, and that sound like a waste of time, however, this Panasonic-ES8243A is a foil shaver, it features 4 blades which won’t miss any hair / beard, your first interaction with this shaver will make you fall in love with it, because it’s performance is just tremendous.

Shaving above the Neck:- Judging from the shape of its head, you can easily shave above the neck, I know this is a tricky part to shave, but with this Panasonic-ES8243A, you don’t have to worry.

No Stand:- I know you have seen Norelco’s and Braun’s with stands, I’m sorry this Panasonic-ES8243A model does not come with shaver stand, but it comes with a head cover and a zippered travel case which you can use to protect the shaver after use.

Teenagers & First Time Users:- Many teenagers are fascinated to grow a beard, but at the same time they want to experience their first shave in an unforgettable manner. This Panasonic-ES8243A is a very easy to use electric shaver, it can be used by both teenagers and first time shavers, it’s very easy to operate and clean. The price might be a little bit high for college students, but performance and results are tremendous.

Cordless:- If you always prefer a comfortable shave, then this is the best electric shaver for you. Charge it fully and unplug it from power to start shaving. This Panasonic-ES8243A will not work if you keep it plugged in power.

No Mess While Shaving:- Even though you will hear some noise when using this Panasonic-ES8243A, it does not leave any mess after shaving. Hair is collected in the shavers compartment so your sink won’t be messed up after shaving.

Required Replacement Blades for this Panasonic-ES8243A:- After 12 – 18 months, you might be required to replace the nano-tech blades, this will enable you get a close shave throughout. But the best replacement blades you can use are ”Panasonic WES9068PC Electric Razor Replacement’‘, these inner blades are stainless steel and they do a very good job.

Shaving Legs & Chest:- It’s quite possible that you can use this Panasonic-ES8243A to shave your legs or chest. I see no obstacle; it’s a foil shaver, so you use it to shave your legs / pubes / bikini area and so much more. Just be creative and see what happens.

Black Men with Course Hair:- Most black men have very thick course hair and not all electric shavers can give them the best results. However, this is the best electric shaver for thick course hair, every black man should own this Panasonic-ES8243A, the 4 nano-tech sharp blades will pass through the course beard with ease. You will get a better close shave than what you always get with other electric shavers.

PANASONIC ES8243A VS ES-LT41-K VS ES-LT71-S

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I would have teamed Panasonic ES8243A with its fellow Arc4 shavers like ES-LF51-A, ES-LA63-S and ES-LA93-K but it has 13,000 RPM , it can’t compete with the other Arc4’s which have 14,000 RPM, the speed factor pulls it out of that league but it can rub shoulders with Arc3 shavers featured in the chat above.

When you look at the comparison chart above you will notice that Panasonic ES-LT41-K, ES-LT71-S and ES8243A have almost the same features. The only main difference between ES8243A and the other two mentioned models is number of blades. Panasonic ES8243A features 4 blades yet the other two models have 3 blades, they belong to Arc3 category and I’m feeling like I’m doing them a favor to compare them with an Arc4 shaver, but also in the other side where it belongs, it can’t compete very well.

Panasonic ES-LT71-S has a travel lock and an automatic cleaning and charging system, this explains why ES-LT71-S is at a higher price that the other two models.

WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS?

Beginners: – If it is your first time to shave, then this is the best electric shaver for you. After purchasing it, charge it fully for 1 hour, this will give you 45minutes of nonstop shaving. Since it is your first time to shave with an electric shaver, I suggest you start with a wet shave option, but try dry shaving on other parts of the body like the chest / legs, once your skin does not get irritations / bumps, you can as well practice dry shaving on the face.
Men with thick course hair:- I have already mentioned that black / African American men have thick course hair and they find it tricky to use electric shavers, but this ES8243A Arc4 Electric Shaver was tailored to cut through any type of beard, be it soft / course / hard as steal and so much more.
Men with very sensitive skins:– In most cases, sensitive skins don’t do well with dry shaving, so the wet shaving options just makes this ES8243A Arc4 Electric Shaver as the best solution for men with sensitive skins.

”Panasonic WES9068PC Electric Razor Replacement Inner Blade:- It is recommended to replace these blades at least one in a year to improve on the performance of your Panasonic-ES8243A Arc4 electric shaver.
Panasonic WES035P Vortex Hydra Clean Solution Cartridges :- This works on all Panasonic shavers, you can use it to keep blades if this shaver lubricated all the time, this will guarantee the durability of the blades and at the same time improve on the performance of blades.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Is it a must to leather up with shaving cream to use this electric shaver?

No. This is a wet & dry electric shaver; you can choose the best shaving option for yourself. However, men with very sensitive skins, you have to leather up with shaving cream before shaving with this electric shaver. Shaving cream softens and prepares your beards for shaving. It also prevents friction between your skin and the shavers head.

Does this shaver work with 220V?

Yes. It has a dual voltage system which supports both 110v & 220v, so feel free to place your order today.

It sucks to toss away a razor because its battery can’t hold charge any more, does this model last for long?

The life span of an electric shaver’s battery is determined by so many factors. By default Panasonic ES8243A can last for 2 years and more, but if you handle it well, it can work for 4-5 years. However, it does not have a travel lock so the possibility of turning on its self while in motion is high and this drains the battery which results into short life span.

Can I use this shaver on a bald head?

Yes. Why not? This is a foil shaver, it has ultra-thin foils which are smooth and skin friendly. You can maintain your bald head with Panasonic ES8243A, it cuts close and clean but not as close as a manual razor.

What is the difference between ES8103S vs ES8243A?

In my opinion, the only difference between these two models is that extra blade. ES8103S has 3 blades yet ES8243A has 4 blades. That extra 4th blade changes everything. You will get a quick & close shave because of that extra blade.

Does it come with a charge stand?

No. The only way you can charge it is by plugging it into a power source.

Is this shaver quite?

I can’t say it is quite / not because the way we take in noise is quiet different. But it makes some little noise. It is not 100% quite like other premium Panasonic shavers.