Panasonic Electric Razor for Men, Electric Shaver for Men, ARC5 with Premium Automatic Cleaning and Charging Station, Wet Dry Shaver, Cordless Razor, with Pop-Up Trimmer ES-LV97-K, Black

I could kick myself for not going with electric razor sooner. I've been using razor blades for 30 years now and I recieved this panasonic arc 5 as a gift and this has been life changing for me. LIFE CHANGING. How could I be so stupid wasting tons and tons of money on expensive razor blades and handles which dont last and irritate the skin. I wouldn't shave daily because I wanted to make my blades last as long as possible. I also shaved minimal so that there would be less irritation and cutting of skin. Nicks would still happen occasionally. Shaving cream bottle after shaving cream bottle. So much time and money and headache. I never thought an electric razor could shave close. I'm the kind of man who thinks men should be clean shaven so its an important ritual. The panasonic arc 5 cuts as good or even better than my best blades. Japan steel is amazing. Japan makes great products. I'm an advocate of anything made in the USA, In Japan, or Germany. Usually you can't go wrong. High quality engineering. I use my arc 5 daily now, even when I'm actually done shaving I keep on shaving because its so relaxing and therauputic to use. So easy, So gentle. Just like a REAL blade its important to go in different directions to get the perfect shave. Right to left. left to right. downward, upward. angled. pull your skin taut in some areas might help. Exactly the things I do when using a real blade. I do this with my new shaver to acheive perfection. The pop out trimmer works perfectly for sideburns. The cleaning unit is awesome. Once I'm done shaving I dump the shaver in it and it starts charging. The stand is beautiful looking. If I need to clean it , which I do maybe once a week, I push one button and it begins the clean and dry cycle. You just need to setup once with the tiny packet of panasonic soap and some water and it lasts about month before you need to refill with water and another little packet of soap. I now recommend electric shavers to EVERYONE I know. And the shaver I recommend is the arc 5 or the arc 6 along with the cleaning stand. I think battery life is great. Mine never gets low since I have the stand. I couldn't imagine not having the stand. Comes with travel case. A little brush. One or two packets of soap. Oil. Cord. You can lock the head or you can let it pivot freely. There are two arc 5 versions one has more pivotal movements than the other. The arc6 besides having more an additional "blade" array, has additional pivotal movements somehow.

tldr; this arc5 shaves my head smoother. with no stubble. better than anything ive tried. backstory: i started shaving my head using a manual razer. but i had a tendency to get ingrown hairs. so i started shaving with the hair grain. that is not as close shaving. so i looked for something else. thats when i found the pitbull silver pro. ive been using it a year. its advantage over the arc5 is its multi-blades that wrap around the head. making for a faster shave. but im left with the stubble look.. which is nowhere close to a shaved head look. as a note, the pitbull gold pro has shorter stubble. but still has stubble and is much more expensive. all of the rotory shavers had stubble with the gold pro being the least. i used an ai-search engine. asking the question of how long the stubble would be for various electric shavers. the arc 5 was the closest. manual razer first. arc5 second. arc5 the good: extremely close shave (im shocked). no hair pulling. i shave dry, sometime lectric shave. the bad: shaver head very large. hard to shave around ears. the shave head is flat. takes a lot of passes back and forth to get that smooth shave. i touch my head with my free hand to find the stubble and then shave it smooth. the manual is inaccurate. there are a lot of iterations to the arc5 evidently. the ugly: that premium automatic cleaner/charger. unnecessary and waste of money. at the time im writing this i can buy an arc5 for $129. save the $70. plugging charger into shaver is easy and a quick charge. the foil and blades are very expensive to replace but do last a long time when buying genuine products. final thoughts: when searching for a head shaver i didnt know what i wanted. everybody talked about how great the pitbull is. well, it is great if you want stubble. nobody talked about using an electric shaver on the head. but, for me, thats the way to go. is it for you ? ? ?

So for historical context, I've owned 2 Panasonic ES LA93-K's over about the last 10 years. Before that I owned an old Braun. I've always used electric shavers. I did a lot of research before buying the 93's and they were a top rated shaver. The only problem I had with them was the battery would die and not charge. Last one lasted 4 1/2 years. They were always like shaving with a Lexus - high quality shavers. Before I bought the last one I tried the venerable Braun Series 7 7865 and the then newest iteration of Norelco. Neither one was as good as my first 93 so I bought another 93. I always liked them but I can't say I was happy with battery life. Shaves were always close the first 6 months to maybe even a year, but the blades do dull and it took longer and more work to get a close shave. Also, they got progressively louder as they aged to the point where it was very annoying. But they worked. This time out I decided to revisit the world of shaver reviews just to see if there were any new improved entries. I have to heartily recommend shavercheck.com. A really excellent site! I sort of was hoping that either Braun or Norelco had something that had lept ahead of the pack. Yes - there were improvements for certain, but their newest shavers, sometimes costing a small fortune, had their detractors and failings. Again - the shavers that were standing out were the Panasonics. Panasonic has not been standing still. My Arc 4 had evolved to an Arc 5 and an Arc 6. New smaller faster motors. New head designs. New blades. New charging stands. As always - mostly good to great reviews with a few disgruntled owners. On balance it looked like a no brainer to get another Panasonic. So I bought the Arc 5 ES-LV97-K. This shaver comes highly recommended by Ovidiu on shavercheck.com. He is very practical, saying that you're not going to sacrifice much to the very expensive Arc 6. You'll still get a very close shave that is not a problem for sensitive skin. So after a month here is what I've experienced. The 97 has some definite design and engineering improvements over the old 93's. The motor IS faster. There are more blades that cut more efficiently. The whole shaver is lighter but very substantial. The head is smaller and swivels in 6 directions. I call it the "bobblehead" because it works so well. It still cleans extremely easy under the faucet or the charger/cleaning stand. BTW, you can wash it manually and just dry in the stand - unlike the new Braun series 9 where you HAVE to run the cleaning cycle using their cartridges, etc., every time you charge the shaver in the stand. This new shaver is A LOT quieter than the old 93's. It shaves smooth as silk and is a real pleasure to use. My old shavers I had to grind away at my face forever to get a decent shave. The secret with this 97 is let it do its own work. Not too much pressure. Be patient and go slowly. Let it catch and mow down the whiskers. Keep the blades clean (I now clean it manually every 2 days) - it really makes a difference. Keep the foil as flat against the face as possible and of course try to go against the grain (you'll hear it cutting). Avoid side to side movement which isn't allowing the blades to cut efficiently. I follow Ovidiu's advice and lock the head for round radius's like jaw etc. That works better too. Then unlock for best bobblehead effect. So....am I impressed? You bet! This is really a big step up. I'm still getting baby close shaves in one half the time - yea! My only question now is how sharp will the blades be after 3-6 months? (replacement blades never seem as sharp as OEM). And will the battery live longer than 4 1/2 years? Bottom line - I'm super happy with this shaver - and for the price of $171 - what a good deal!

Overall this shaver works very well for cleaning up my early stubble. It sometimes misses hairs on the more curved parts of my jaw, for that reason I’m giving it 4 stars because I think it it could be a little more efficient for a shaver that costs over $200. Pros: • Little to no irritation for my sensitive skin • Cleaning station is very convenient, you can usually get away with swapping the cleaning solution every month. • Can usually clear most of my stubble in 1-2 swipes. • Water resistant so you don’t have to dry shave. • Convenient shape, easy to handle. Cons: • A little inconsistent for contours (Chin and lower jaw). • Replacement blades are a bit expensive (≈$60-$100). • Pretty noisy.

I recently purchased the Panasonic Arc 5 Electric Razor, and I am thoroughly impressed. Historically, I haven’t been an electric razor user, but this product has completely changed my perspective. If you’ve avoided electric razors due to concerns about skin irritation or the inability to achieve a close shave comparable to a traditional razor, the Arc 5 is worth reconsidering—it truly delivers the best of both worlds. The product is exceptionally well-made, with a sleek design and solid build quality. The model I selected included a cleaning unit, which not only enhances convenience but also ensures the razor remains in optimal condition. From the moment I unboxed it, the craftsmanship and attention to detail were evident. After two or three uses, I was genuinely impressed by the closeness of the shave and the lack of irritation—a common issue I’ve experienced with other electric razors. Over the past week, I’ve come to appreciate the unique experience this razor offers. Unlike traditional wet shaving, which is often a hurried task in the midst of a busy morning routine, using the Panasonic Arc 5 feels like an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the process. This razor transforms shaving from a mundane chore into a more mindful and enjoyable activity. I’ve found myself sitting down, watching TV, and taking my time to shave thoroughly. The electric shaving process encourages multiple passes over the face, allowing for a closer, smoother shave that feels effortless. That said, it’s also efficient for those moments when time is limited. Without the need for water or a mirror, you can achieve a quick, polished shave in just a few minutes. Simply listen for the razor’s motor to stop clipping hair, and you’ll know you’re done. To maximize the razor’s performance, I recommend using Lectric Shave pre-electric shave lotion beforehand and Level 3 aftershave to refresh and protect your skin post-shave. These additions made a noticeable difference in both comfort and results. This product truly stands out. The closeness of the shave rivals that of a traditional razor, and after multiple passes, the result is remarkably smooth—akin to a baby-soft finish. It has quickly become a part of my daily routine, offering both convenience and a satisfying sense of self-care. If you’ve been hesitant to try an electric razor or have had negative experiences in the past, the Panasonic Arc 5 is worth serious consideration. With a bit of time and patience, it delivers exceptional results. I wholeheartedly give it five stars and strongly recommend it.

TL;DR fantastic product, works as advertised, has every feature (and then some), powerful, fast, and best in class trimmer. Fogetabout the Braun. I had every intention of buying a Braun 9000 series shaver. I wanted the best. However, watching the reviews I saw that the trimmer on the Braun was rather muted (small and tight to the body of the shaver, thus not easy to use and most reviewers said so). I then came across the Panasonic ARC5, which is most often compared to the Braun 9000 series and compares favourably. In fact, I think they're quite close in design and features, but the Panasonic has a superior trimmer. I wanted a Braun, but my gut told me to go with the Panasonic because the trimmer issue would bug me. A few reviewers noted that the Panasonic had a louder buzz, with a more annoying pitch. The point of importance here is that YOU will not have both shavers and you cannot do a relative comparison. The real question is: is this thing too loud or annoying? Answer: No, of course not. It's a shaver. It buzzes. It's fine. Before this I always used a good Philips shaver, and my last one has been a faithful aid for too long. It was a real eye opener just how SHARP and FAST and POWERFUL this new shaver is. Yeesh. I've been using a DULL shaver for too long. That is, my blades may be a tad old. However, I have never experienced an electric shaver this sharp before. I've never come close to a burn or rash or a hair-pull. It works PERFECTLY. The "bobble-head" mode is a "subjective feature" - use it if you like it. However, you can turn it off and the razor is locked down to a brick-mode, if that is to your liking. I didn't like the "flexible head" mode at first, but I now prefer it - except for shaving under my node. Of course this is easy to clean - just snap off the foil and rinse everything under the tap BUT... it comes with a "cleaning box" which will automatically clean the shaver completely - you just drop the shaver into th e box and turn it on. It'll clean and dry and charge the shaver perfectly. It does seem to want to buzz and flush for a couple of hours but it DOES WORK. It appears to me to be a bit of overkill, but it's cute if you like that sort of thing. If you can buy the shaver without the cleaning box then I must admit here that I don't think that you need it. The shaver detects difficult areas in your beard and shifts gears and runs harder/louder. I don't notice any difference in feel, however. It cuts quickly and I am 100% satisfied with its performance. Oh, and the trimmer is very sharp and fast and works as I expect it too. I've long forgotten about a Braun shaver. The shaver has a travel mode lock - where you can't accidentally turn it on. It has a cleaning mode (which sounds different) which I use when rinsing under the tap. While the shaver advertises as working with water (in the shower) or gel, I've not bothered - most reviewers (on Youtube, etc.) think that's a gimmick. Perhaps it may aid in avoiding irritation but I get no irritation from this shaver. TL;DR fantastic product, works as advertised, has every feature (and then some), powerful, fast, and best in class trimmer. Fogetabout the Braun. PS. I'm reviewing this now because Amazon is pestering me. I've had it for a month or so. I have no idea how long the battery will last. Right now it is stinking powerful!

... HOWEVER to get a shave as close as you could with a Gillette ProGlide razor with this razor you do have to go over and over the spots a few times to get it that close. It's still impressive to feel your face that smooth with an electric razor the downside is going over it Beach spot like 10 times back and forth causes some degree of razor burn I guess depending on your skin type and face. Dallas razor burn issue doesn't really happen if you're willing to just get a close shave and if you need to do your face quick and it'll just look like a 4:00 shadow or not even then you can sacrifice the razor burn which is significant there's no aftershave balm I've ever put on that can truly help really bad razor burn and you can't be good for your skin to have to push the razor against your face that hard. But the fact is you can get a razor close as in a razor blade close shave with this electric razor and that does fascinate me I didn't think that would ever be possible. In fact usually to push that hard and go over it that many times to get that close of a shave you will cut yourself with this freezer how I don't know but I guess if it has to get that far down into the skin to push the hairs up then just like a regular razor it's going to cut you a little bit but again this is not something that has to happen that happens if you push it against your face really hard to go back and forth 10 or 12 times over each spot in every direction to get there like the Gillette ProGlide or Gillette Mark 5 whatever the best razor you think is to get the equivalent of a blade shave. Cleaning it is extremely easy the contours of your face that it follows and you can go against the grain and not have to push super hard to get a very close shave almost as close as a blade it works out really good I would highly highly recommend this razor I'm still astonished at what it can do for an electric and... MY LAST ADVICE if you're like a day or two past needing a shave using the Panasonic and going over each spot like two or three times instead of 10 will get you a close shave and then if you just want your face and take the sagelette razor you don't have to put shaving cream or just a little move and just feel for the spots that might be a tiny bit rough and just go against the grain really fast over them which only takes about a minute you can get a really really cool shave pretty fast and without any razor burn. I hope this helps and I hope you have the same experience I did or better.

5-23-25 This is one of the best electric shavers. I’ve used in my 45 years of using various brands. I am giving this one star because I can’t give it zero. This is also the most expensive electric shaver I’ve purchased, and within six months of use the foil has a hole and needs to be replaced. I have never seen this happen with any other brand that I’ve used and when I called customer service, they said that I could send my shaver back to a repair facility at my cost to see if they could find something wrong with it but the foils are not covered under warranty . Tthey are approximately $80 to replace and that rate I will have purchased a brand new shaver after two years! Do not buy this product even though it gives you a good shave. Panasonic does not stand behind or provide quality products. UPDATE 9-26-25: I bought a new foil with new blades on Amazon in July 2025 to replace the ones with a hole after five months of use. The new foil that I replaced in July now has a hole in it and that’s only been in use for three months. This razor well gives you a very smooth shave will cost you a new razor after just nine months because the foils cost $75 and you have to replace them every for six months. Do not buy this razor.

A photo is more than thousand words. See my selfie after 1st shaving from this shaver. It’s better than all the shavers i had used, range from Philips, Braun, Xiaomi. The charger is old school thing, not USB-C. it’s universal voltage 110-240. Highly recommended.

This shaver does an excellent job compared to my previous shavers (major brands). It is comfortable and shaves very closely. Shaving is much less of a chore when you know you are going to get a great result. The cleaning/drying/charging station is great - works really well. I have been using this shaver for more than a year now and have encountered zero issues. I wish I had discovered this shaver long before this.

this really is a good product and a good price compared to the Arc 6, cleaning base station is pretty cool and great addition, but the official liquid is costly in my books.

Es de las mejores compras que haya realizado en mi vida, la recomiendo ampliamente.

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