Microforce By Shavepro Cordless and Rechargeable Shaver

Time Owned: 4+ years Item Usage: 2-3 times a week -- The Good: (The positive qualities of the item) -I bought this for trimming, touch ups between shaving, catching patches of hair I missed, etc., in this regard the Microforce works wonders -Close shave (not quite as good as a manual razor but for what it is and the cost, you shouldn't expect that) -Long battery life (I recharge it maybe once every 2 months or so?) -Solid construction, feels well put together, can take a beating (tossed in a bag numerous times for travel with no care as to it's safety, never affected the razor) -This shaver really is waterproof, works just as well wet as it does dry, perhaps even better as the water serves as light lubrication for the razor foil. -Lasted me about 4 years, great for such a cheap razor The Bad: (The qualities that may be negatives or unexpected for some) -After a ~6 months, especially if used in the shower often, the finish on the outside of the razor starts to deteriorate/rub off. This is purely aesthetic and doesn't affect the functionality so I see it as not that big of a deal. -Can't really be used in lieu of a manual razor, though I didn't buy it expecting to do so. Would take forever to try to shave a full beard with this (if even possible). -- Final Recommendation: Buy Don't get this razor if you want something to give you a fully electric shave with no manual razor. Do get this if you want a great little razor for touch ups, trimming, and keeping yourself looking your best between regular shaves (or if you shave every day, for example, this may work just fine). Nearly indestructible, this little guy can be used in the shower then thrown into a bag and tossed around without another thought and work time and time again with very infrequent recharging. My first one lasted me 4 years and I just bought another to replace it, same quality I've come to expect from Shave Pro! -- How I Rate: - Five Stars - Accomplishes purpose for purchasing and greatly exceeds expectations. - Four Stars - Accomplishes purpose for purchasing and meets all expectations; item is and works as described. - Three Stars - Accomplishes purpose for purchasing but does not meet all expectations; misleading posting or small defects. - Two Stars - Reasonably accomplishes purpose for purchasing but significantly deviates from expectations/has numerous flaws. - One Star - Does not whatsoever accomplish purpose for purchasing. Entirely flawed, defective or deceitful.

I have used the battery-powered version of this product for a long time, and have had very satisfactory performance, except for having to change batteries. This is why I got the rechargeable version. I followed the directions for charging, and noticed that even after charging, the shaving action was very weak. I recharged the battery after it pooped out (about 2 days after initial charge), and the result was the same. I would ship this garbage back to to shipper, but it isn't worth the trouble. I will save the head to use when my battery-powered unit wears out. I believe half of the internet-based commerce is based on garbage like this. I won't do this again. I learned my lesson.

I'm normally very forgiving of consumer products, but Shavepro took far too many fatal shortcuts with what could have been a star product -- and still could be, if they'd make the effort to fix this tiny but powerful shaver's many serious (including fatal) problems. First, what's actually good about this product: - Astonishingly small: If you're looking for the most compact but fully capable shaver out there, this is the one. When new, the MicroForce delivers excellent performance. Many pocket shavers don't do a very good job, but this one does. Again, however, only when relatively new. - Ample coverage: A lot of pocket shavers go for the 'thin' profile by using a narrow head. The MicroForce head is narrower than a full-size shaver, and also shorter, but not so small as to be tedious or ineffective. It does the job, and does it well. Again, however, only when relatively new. - Holds a charge: There are rechargeable and battery-operated (2 X AAA) versions of this, and both will run for at least several full shaves before requiring recharging or new batteries. (The battery-operated one does not work well with rechargeable batteries.) - Comes with a replacement foil, though you'll never need it -- for all the wrong reasons. Sadly, there's also a lot of problems with it, some of them serious: - By far the biggest problem with the MicroForce is the terrible switch, which inevitably starts becoming unreliable and then eventually fails. Shavepro cheaped out on this part of the product with a cheap-as-possible slide switch, so that you can absolutely rely on it dying permanently long before you'll never need to replace a foil or blade. I know this from having tried several, of both types. They always fail, and fail permanently. Nothing will help. It's just dead. Sadly, this occurs only a few months into use, when the blade, foil, and motor are still perfectly fine. I've thrown away several of these that were in perfect working order except for being completely unable to turn on. I will never buy another one, only for this reason, but if ShavePro fixed this one fatal problem, it would make all the difference for me. - The leatherette sleeve is low quality. There is no hemming on the sleeve, so it starts to fray pretty quickly, and then just gets worse. It would probably hold up a lot longer if it was just hemmed properly at the opening. An improved sleeve would be lined plastic and closable in some way, or even just a little bit bigger so that the fraying didn't render it useless as early as it does. A hardcase would be an even better option. - The protective plastic cover is a little too easy to lose, partly because of its small size but more because it's clear and becomes effectively invisible on any surface it lands on. This could be fixed by tinting it. Any colour will do, I don't care, as long as it's not clear. I would happily pay more for an improved version of this otherwise excellent little shaver, but with its fatal switch problem, it's effectively a disposable product with only a few months' use at most, and for that should be much cheaper than it usually is.