Worth the extra money vs. the Quadra/7000 Series Models??
Pros:
Excellent shave: close and painless.
Cons:
Color/finish might have been done a little better.
The Bottom Line:
Norelco Spectra is probably the best rotary shaver on the market. But buy the Quadra/7000 series if you're looking to save $30 or $40.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Definitely an excellent shaver, but I don't know that it has enough superior features over Norelco's 7000 series "Quadra" models to warrant paying so much more for it. The differences between the two are as follows:
(1) The Spectra system has a dial that adjusts how easily the three razor heads move in line with your face. I can't see that this is anything more than bells & whistles. The normal/maximum setting (which is what the Quadra would be on all the time) allows plenty of flexibility, even for my pointy chin, so I don't imagine that most people will have any need of the "higher sensitivity" settings.
(2) The lower half of the Spectra system model is not as wide as the Quadra models. This is purely an aesthetic feature. It doesn't make the razor fit any better into your hand, but it does give the razor more of a "sleek" look.
(3) The last difference, and perhaps the only one that counts, is Norelco's assertion that the Spectra system has an "improved" lift-and-cut system. The improvement is that each head has nine blades rather than the 15 of the Quadra. The reason, says Norelco's website, is "to give the shaving system a more open structure. This allows faster cleaning. Increased blade width and a sharper blade angle lifts whiskers sooner and higher for a closer shave." It would be nice to try both the Quadra and the Spectra to see if this really makes any serious difference.
Several final notes about this particular model (the 8825 XL):
(1.) The charging light is steady while charging and blinks rapidly once fully charged.
(2.) The blue finish is a bit lighter than it appears on Amazon's web picture. In certain lighting the razor almost looks purple, less so now than when I first looked at it, though. Norelco probably could have done a little better than the "high gloss blue" color, especially for a razor this expensive. I suppose this is their way of tempting you to buy the 8894 XL, which has a beautiful black finish. The 8825 XL is still an attractive model, though.
(3.) If you decide on the Spectra system it's better to try and get the 8831 XL model, which costs the same as the 8825 XL and comes in a off-white color. Its Nickel Metal Hydride battery keeps its charge for longer (70 minutes vs. the 45 of the 8825 XL, which has a Nickel Cadmium battery; the 8894 XL, Norelco's "top-of-the-line" model, has a Lithium Ion battery that gets 100 minutes on every charge--obviously the model to get if money is no object). The 8831 XL also comes with a car charger (handy if you need that sort of thing).
Pricing: E-bay is the best place to purchase these razors. I paid $69 for my 8825 XL (brand new, factory-sealed), plus $10 for Priority Mail shipping (vs. $129 at Amazon.com or at Target). I should have explored the E-bay website a bit more, b/c the next day I found the 8831 XL model (which I hadn't been able to locate when I first tried) for $60. These are "buy-it-now" prices (i.e., you don't have to put in a bid). You can get the 7000 series Quadra XL models, however, which are currently selling for $85 at Target, for a mere $40 on E-bay.
