Beard not withstanding, I use a razor of some sort every day. Yet, this bit of daily interaction with technology isn't something I think about very much. In fact, I've found that most of the strides in modern blade-grooming make it more difficult for me to shave with the precision I desire. All those two, three, four and even five blade systems just get in my way. My current trimmer does an adequate, but unexemplary job, commensurate with the criteria I used to purchase it: it was the cheapest one in the drugstore.
Enter the Wahl Lithium Ion+ Trimmer/Razor. This stainless steel device ups the shaving game for those of us with beards to a new level of satisfaction. Yes, it costs double what I think I paid for my last trimmer, but it is so much better.
First, it feels great in the hand. The stainless steel and motor give it just the right amount of heft to give you precise control, regardless of the angle you need to get it into.
The razor takes a full battery charge in an hour, but can do a fast charge, enough for a quick touch up, in about a minute.
Packaged with more interchangable blade and guides than I know what to do with, the made-in-America device gives you options for grooming everything from the length of your beard to the thickness of your nose hair. Seriously, the uniformity of the cut, the precision, made me feel like I had been shaving with a dull blade up until I tested this one, a huge difference for the better.
The motor unit ships with over twenty accessories, which is a blessing and curse. On the one hand: options, options, options. But, then you need to store them. Wahl's solution is to ship the razor with a black bag to hold everything. That means dumping everything out when you need to find something. Of course, most of the time you'll just need one or two of the accessories. Things aren't made any easier by having the labels on the look-alike combs molded in black plastic; they are hard to read, and you may have to get a calculator out to figure out which one is the size you want. Some razors come with a stand, including others made by Wahl. Almost without exception these don't really do a very good job of holding the accessories, and just take up room. Here Wahl includes an opaque piece of plastic that holds nothing but the razor. It almost looks like a throw-away piece of plastic designed to keep the product from shifting while in use. Don't chuck it, you'll need it to keep the razor from rolling around on the bathroom counter.
The razor comes with a five year warranty. Follow the instructions by oiling the blades occasionally and this should be a valued hi-tech addition to your morning routine
