Back in September my Remington Titanium R450 shaver died (I posted about it HERE). I already had a backup razor the Philishave 6000 Easyshave that I thrifted in March (HERE) but I decided to quickly look on Amazon to see if they had a cheap electric shaver for sale (as when feasible I like to have backups for most things I own that see common use).
Shopping Amazon I happened upon the generically called MAXWISDOM rotary electric shaver for $13.99 CDN or $16.09 after taxes (LINK HERE if you want to see it yourself). I did not have high hopes as it had no model number, resembled most oriental shavers you could find on Aliexpress or Temu and had the usual Chinese overselling on the packaging. But I figured that since I wanted a backup razor anyway I would use it for a few weeks and if it turned out to be a dud of a product I would use the Amazon 30 day return policy and get my money back. In that event I would use the Philishave and take up my search for a backup shaver again.
I’ve been using it for a little over 2 months now and these are my impressions so far:
PROS:
- The fit and finish of the product is a matte black that resists fingerprints. The plastic molding is flush and although it doesn’t feel super premium it doesn’t feel cheap either. It seems sturdy and could withstand a fall without significant damage in my opinion.
- The magnetic shaver head is gimmicky but I like it because it’s one less point of failure vs. one that is hinged. The magnets are strong enough that it holds the shaver head in place and doesn’t have any give when you’re using it.
- The claims about the battery are mostly accurate. It takes about 2 hours to charge fully. The battery does indeed give about 70 minutes of continuous use without needing to be charged. I like the fact that it can also be used with a 5V adapter and USB C cable while plugged in so in the event that the battery fails or wears out you can still make use of it without having to replace it.
- The razor and motor work well enough that it gets through a 3 day growth of very course hair in about 10 minutes. I would not recommend using it on a beard growth longer than this (about 2mm) as the motor struggles at that point. The ideal use for this razor is daily maintenance or a 1-2 day beard where shaving time in these scenarios is reduced to anywhere between 5-7 minutes.
- It will never give a shave comparable to a razor but it gives a close shave enough for a job interview, court hearing or not to scare children and little old ladies on the street.
- It’s inexpensive. This razor is 1/3 of the price of other brand name entry level electric rotary razors on the market. At the time of purchase it was also about 1/2 price of the Aliexpress offerings that I looked at.
CONS
- The copy for the Amazon listing does this shaver no favors. Oriental manufacturers and resellers love to “upsell” their products with grandiose claims . It’s always the greatest, the best or most innovative. The 3D floating head is just a detachable head that has a center pivot. There’s also basic information omitted like the listing or instructions don’t even have information like the model : RS320 or the capacity of the battery inside the shaver.
- It says wet/dry use but I DO NOT recommend using this razor in the shower or anywhere near water. I do not trust that wet use claim and it even says right on the product not to expose the chassis with the battery to water! I DO recommend cleaning the head with the small provided brush after every use so it lessens the strain on the motor however.
- Longevity. I’ve listed it as a con so far but if the product continues to perform over time without losing significant function or breaking altogether I will move it to the PRO list. So far over the period of 2 months with use 5 days a week on average it has held up well.
Conclusion
Warren Buffett once said “Price is what you pay but value is what you get.” It seems an appropriate quote to me as for $13.99 this shaver turned out to be excellent value. Don’t purchase the product expecting the performance of a $200 shave but If you expect a basic electric rotary razor but at about 1/3 the price of other comparable models you will be pleasantly surprised.
CatsGamesWhatever 