If you’re a guy that prefers the quick shave of an electric razer over the drawn out use of a blade, then Philips’ S6680 shaver maybe just what you have been waiting for.
As a 131 year old company, Philips’ name is synonymous with electric shaving. The company provides plenty of options in the electric shaver space ranging from the budget friendly and reliable Series 1000 shavers to the feature packed pricier Series 9000 options.
Over the past few weeks we have had the opportunity to use and test one of Philips mid-level electric shavers, the Philips S6680, and we discovered just how convenient and effective this electric shaver truly is.
Description
The Philips S6680 is a rotary style electric shaver that comes in a three flex head design. The body of the shaver is made up of a combination of plastic and rubber. The ergonomically designed shaver provides excellent grip and curvature that not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also improves overall blade-to-skin contact.
The front of the shaver features a large display panel with two physical buttons – the on/off and Guard Mode buttons, otherwise the minimalistic presentation of the shaver gives it a neat and clean appearance overall.
The panel is designed to communicate with the user with a series of icons. For example, a faucet with a drop of water tells you that its time to clean the shaver, while bars at the base of the display represents the level of battery charge remaining – three being fully charged. The display will also inform you when it’s time to replace the shaving heads, which Philips recommends you do every two years.
If you are looking for a shaver that you can take with you when you travel, Philips has you covered there as well. The shaver features a travel lock which you can set, avoiding the possibility of the shaver powering on while it’s transported. Additionally, the Philips S6680 comes with a handy travel case where you can store the electric shaver while on the road.
Minimized skin irritation
Philips has gone to great lengths to ensure that anyone using the S6680 enjoys a smooth and effortless shave.
Each flex head is cleverly designed to move independent of one another resulting in the S6680’s blades reaching all of your face’s contours.
To try to make your shaving experience less irritating on your skin, each flex head of the Philips S6680 is encircled by an aqua coloured shaving ring. Philips has applied an anti-friction coating to each of these rings to reduce any irritation that you may have otherwise.
In addition, the multi-precision rotating action of each of the blades lifts the hair or stubble on your face before cutting them. We found that the shaver did a good job in minimizing the number of times required to go over a certain section of skin although your experience my be different.
The company also recognizes that when you begin using a new electric shaver, there is going to be an adjustment period needed before your skin takes to the new razer, and so the company has added what it has termed, Guard Mode.
Guard Mode is activated by pressing its corresponding button on the display panel. Upon being activated, Guard Mode reduces the rotational speed of the blades resulting in a more gentle shave. For those with sensitive skin, this is a welcome feature. We would also recommend activating Guard Mode when first using the shaver and gradually transitioning to the normal rotational speed as your skin adapts to the S6680.
Wet and dry shaving
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of Philips S6680 is the electric shaver’s ability to perform well shaving your face as a dry or wet shaver. As a fully waterproof electric shaver the Philips S6680 can be taken into the shower for those that prefer that method of shaving.
In terms of performance, we compared the shaver under three different scenarios. The first, involved using the razer for a dry shave while the second involved a dry shave with some assistance from a shaving gel being applied prior to shaving. Last, the Philips S6680 was used in the shower in a full wet shave environment.
Although the S6680 performed well under under both the two dry shaving environments it performed less well in a fully wet shave in the shower. Although these are not exactly scientifically designed experiments, the S6680 was not as effective as it is when using it for a dry shave. These results are not however atypical for an electric shaver but still worth noting. If you want to maximize the Philips S6680 shaving ability it would be best to use it as a dry shaver.
One last point we would make about getting the best clean cut shave possible and that is regardless of the conditions under which you choose to shave, we would recommend you shave using a circular motion to capture hair growing in different directions.
If you are in a rush or find yourself constantly on the go, you can always skip any shaving aids like gel or cream and simply opt for a dry facial shave.
The S6680 is fully waterproof and can therefore also be used in the shower for those that prefer that option.
Regardless of the conditions you choose to shave under, we would recommend making sure to shave using a circular motion to get the best results possible.
Battery
The Philips S6680 can take up to 60 minutes to be charged fully. Once fully charged the shaver can be used for as much as 60 minutes.
Philips notes that it takes just three minutes to five minutes to be able to use the razer for a single shave so if you find yourself in a situation where you have drained the battery and are late for an engagement, it won’t more than a few minutes (literally!) to get enough power to take that quick shave before running out of the house!
Accessories
One thing we always watch out for is just how much value a seller provides with respect to their product.
Philips has traditionally differentiated between its electric shavers based on the accessories provided and the 6000 series shavers are no different. The Philips S6680 comes with just a few accessories including a beard styler, travel case and a brush for cleaning. Other versions of the 6000 series as well as the higher level 7000 and 9000 level shavers can include charging stands, cleaning pods and as well as charging pads. Please consult Philips full lineup for further information.
The beard styler is both functional and effective for those looking to keep their beard well groomed. The styler allows for five different lengths which you can set manually. The only gripe we have about the styler is the fact that it is a fully detached component that must be manually snapped into place on the shaver head after removing the flex heads to be used. We would have preferred to have seen the styler as part of the overall body.
In addition to a small cleaning brush, Philips provides a protective all black travel case. It’s a good idea to keep the charger inside the protective case between uses and out of harms way.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning the Philips S6680 is not difficult we recommend cleaning the shaver after each shave. To clean the S6680 properly simply turn on the shaver and rinse it under warm water. Next, switch off the razer and press the smart release button to flip open the main shaving head. Then rinse the main chamber under running water to clean out any extra hair that may still be in the unit. Clean out the main shaving head by rinsing it under running water as well. Finally, you should let the entire unit air dry before closing the shaving head again.
The S6680 also has an LED icon which will also remind when it’s time to clean the shaver, but for optimum performance we would suggest cleaning after every shave rather than relying on the shaver’s recommendations.
What we like
Guard Mode: The ability to reduce the speed of the blades which results in a more gentle shave expands this shaver’s appeal to those with sensitive skin who often have problems using electric shavers.
Long battery life: Fully charged the battery results in 60 minutes of usage.
Flex head independent movement: The three flex heads move independently of one another resulting in the ability of the shaver to match the contours of your face and neck more efficiently.
Quick charge capability: The shaver can be fully charged within just 60 minutes.
Anti-friction coating: The coated rings around each flex head reduce skin irritation.
Travel case: The travel case protects the shaver between shaves as well as when travelling.
LED display: Provides useful information in an intuitive manner.
Easy to clean and maintain: The effortless cleaning process makes the Philips S6680 easy to maintain.
Wet and dry shaving: The versatility of being able to shave under wet or dry conditions provides the ability for the user to determine how and under what conditions to use the shaver.
What we don’t like
Beard styler connection: By having the beard styler as a separate unattached accessory, there is the need to completely remove the shaver’s main head from the body and then attach the beard styler. This is somewhat inconvenient and time consuming.
Three level battery indicator: The three level battery indicator is simplistic and we would rather see a number representing the percentage of the battery’s charge remaining.
Final thoughts
Finding the right electric shaver for your face can be a tricky task. On one hand, you want a shaver that can get the job done quickly and efficiently while on the other hand, you want to make sure that the shaver you choose has the ability to give you a clean shave without resulting in skin irritation along the way.
Philips S6680 strikes a balance between these factors giving users several options with respect to using the shaver. Whether you choose a completely dry facial shave or a shaving in the shower or something between the S6680 does a fine job in our estimation.
In the final analysis, we found the Philips S6680 to be an electric shaver that successfully reduces skin irritation without compromising on performance, and we believe it’s worthy of consideration if you’re in the market for an electric shaver.
For information regarding current pricing and availability of Philips’ shaver S6680, please click on the button below.