Philips Bodygroom Shaver Disappointing

Philips Bodygroom Shaver claims to to be able to trim and shave all body zones. The TT2021 model I purchased recently doesn't do either very well. The unit cost AU$66.44 at BigW, but I have since seen units offered at the Shaver Shop for AU$49.95 (some with a cash back offer from Philips as well).

As I discussed in December it would be useful to be able to do hair cutting and shaving with one gadget. When travelling, having to carry a razor to shave and electric clippers to trim my hair is an annoyance. There are some grooming kits such as the Phillips (Norelco in the USA) BG2030 Professional BodyGrooming System, which have a common motor body with separate clipper and shaver heads. Instead the TT2021 uses the one head for both.

The TT2021 looks like small oscillating electric razor with a trimmer on each side of the foil. It is not a rotary razor, like the usual Philips ones.

This design is a compromise. The foil area is relatively small and so it takes a long time to use it for shaving. The foil is relatively coarse and does not give a close shave (more of a five o'clock shadow look). The cut hair falls from the foil, making a mess and is not retained in the unit as with shavers.

The two trimmers are close to the foil surface and are activated all the time. This is useful as you can use the trimmers to cut longer hairs with one sweep and the adjust the angle of the unit slightly and cut the short hairs with the foil with the next sweep. However, on any concave curve of the body, either or both of the trimmers come in contact with the skin when you don't want them to, causing uncomfortable scraping.

The two trimmers work well on short relatively stiff hair. They do not work well on longer hair, such as on the head. The teeth of the trimmers are finer than those of hair clippers. If the combs are used these become clogged and have to be cleaned frequently.

I found the TT2021 only useful for cutting longer hairs on my neck before using my regular shaver. I did not find it usable for cutting hair anywhere else on the body. The unit is not suitable for trimming and shaving all body zones, as claimed by Philips. With this unit you will still need a set of clippers for the head and a razor for the face and other parts of the body. Instead of having one all in one unit, you will end up with an extra unit.

The unit has good points, being well shaped to fit comfortably in the hand and water proof so it can be used in the shower. The charger stand works well. The battery life is very long, but I unfortunately found that out this morning when the switch stuck on and I could not turn the unit off. I will be returning the product to BigW for a refund.