Philips compact shaver tested: shaving top, travelling quality flop
The Portable Shaver from Philips shaves everything away when tested - and does so gently. But it lacks a few things to be the perfect companion when travelling.
I'm amazed at first - and then puzzled. Philips calls the PQ888/06 a "compact shaver", but with a length of 9.5 centimetres, a width of 6 centimetres and a thickness of 3 centimetres, it doesn't really have the dimensions that I imagine "compact" to mean.
Of course, it is smaller and, at 135 grams, also lighter than most electric shavers, but compared to the recently tested, albeit significantly more expensive Panasonic 900 S, the Philips takes up almost twice as much space in the toiletry bag.
The manufacturer supplies a custom-fit case for the shaver - which has no space for the charging cable. This means I have to lug it around separately. So much for the topic of "compact". I can't leave it at home either, because Philips uses a proprietary charging cable. I find it incomprehensible that USB-C is not used.
The alternative would be an ultra-long battery life. But here, too, I am disappointed: the PQ888/06 offers 60 minutes of battery life. This is average compared to the brand's other electric shavers - but nothing more. If I use the appliance for five minutes every day, the battery is empty after ten days. Unfortunately, there is also no precise battery indicator.
So I can actually do without the cable for a week's holiday. Provided I remember to fully charge the shaver beforehand. For longer absences, I would grudgingly pack the cable. After all: the battery is fully charged again in just one hour.
Simple blades, but effective shaving
Luckily, I didn't "shave" the test immediately after these disappointments. Instead, I used it as intended for a fortnight in everyday life - and was already surprised after the first shave, but this time in a positive way.
The PQ888/06 has an extremely simple design: It has exactly one button to switch it on and off and just two round shaving heads. These are flexible and move in all directions when pressure is applied. But this simple design is enough for a good shave. Philips recommends replacing the shaving heads every two years.
I am particularly impressed by how gentle the blades are. I usually shave wet and therefore always have a bit of trouble with dry shaving. When I tested the Panasonic 900 S mentioned above, for example, I immediately had reddened, very dry skin.
This is not the case with the Philips. I can shave every day without water or foam and apply some balm afterwards - my skin tolerates it perfectly. I could also shave wet with the waterproof PQ888/06, but I don't do it in the test. This is because it shows its strengths in shaving speed when I use it just like that.
Everything is ready in one and a half minutes
The Philips compact shaver is ideal for daily, ultra-fast shaving. It takes me around one and a half minutes, compared to five minutes or more for a wet shave. The face isn't quite as smooth afterwards as with a safety razor, but with my fairly thick beard growth, that doesn't play a big role in the overall look.
If you get up early in the morning and don't want to invest a lot of time, you will appreciate this quality - not only when travelling, but also at home. When tested, it proved to be a good shaver for everyday use.
This is also due to the fact that it is quick and easy to clean. I can remove the upper section with the blades, knock out the stubble and rinse everything under water.
The lid for the razor is clever: it protects both the blades and the case or toiletry bag when travelling. There is also no risk of spreading cut hairs around. I can also block the switch-on with a long press so that the Philips doesn't accidentally start up in my luggage.
I've packed enough battery or grudgingly packed the cable separately, so nobody can stop me on holiday stoppeln.
In a nutshell
Simple and good, but not as suitable for travelling as expected
The Philips PQ888/06 gets good marks for its qualities as a shaver. Although it has no frills and only two shaving heads, the shave is thorough and, above all, fast. You can simply rinse off the waterproof housing. Those with sensitive skin will appreciate the gentle blades. They are therefore ideal for dry shaving.
The model is less convincing when used as a travel shaver: The compact shaver takes up more space than expected. It is not significantly smaller than normal models such as the Philips Shaver Series 5000, which are also similarly priced. The fact that Philips does not use USB-C and the charging cable required for this does not fit into the travel bag supplied is a total misconstruction.
Pro
- Gentle shave
- Simple operation
- Fast loading time
- fair price
Contra
- Proprietary charging port
- Cable has no space in the supplied case
- Shaver not particularly compact
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Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
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