Panasonic ES-LV81-K Arc 5 Multi Flex Wet/Dry Nanotech Rechargeable Shaver with Vortex Cleaning System

The Panasonic ES-LV81-K Arc 5 Multi Flex Wet/Dry Nanotech Rechargeable Shaver is the top-of-the-line model from Panasonic’s electric shaver line-up. This feature packed shaving system serves as both a wet and dry shaver for maximum versatility.

Being one of the most advanced shavers in the world, the Panasonic ES-LV81-K carries quite a hefty price tag. Best Electric Shaver Reviews sets to find out if it’s worth paying the premium for it.

Read Consumer Reviews on the Panasonic ES-LV81-K

Features

• Five-blade cutting system utilizing 30-degree Nanotech Blades for exceptional precision
• Fast, Linear Motor operating at 14,000 CPM (cycles per minute)
• Three unique foil patterns to cut the most awkward facial hairs
• Votex Cleaning System – Automatically cleans and charges the shaver
• LCD screen featuring a 10-stage display
• Pop-up trimmer
• Includes travel pouch

Design

The Panasonic ES-LV81-K comes in a very sleek black color and sports a strikingly large shaver head in contrast to its slender, contoured body. It’s rather heavy to hold, but feels robust and solidly constructed.

Located on the lower part of the handle is a blue LCD screen which displays how long you’ve been shaving, the current level of the battery power indicated by percentage and when cleaning the shaver is required. If you lead a busy lifestyle, you’ll appreciate being able to monitor the length of your shaving sessions.

Multi-flex Pivoting Shaving Head

The multi-flex pivoting shaving head pivots in multiple directions, ensuring that the angle of the head is constantly well positioned against your face for optimum contact. The head pivots back and forwards around 25 degrees plus pivots left and right around 20 degrees, providing a good range of motion.

Most foil shavers don’t allow side-to-side movement like this does. However, the benefits of this seem relatively minor. The large size of the shaving head enables you to cover a wide surface area in one pass, making shaving very fast.

Fast, Linear Motor

The Panasonic ES-LV81-K utilizes a high-speed motor which operates at 14,000 CPM to give you a fast shave and prevent the irritating pulling and tugging which is associated with slow shavers. Despite its high-speed, the shaver is remarkably quiet in operation, emitting just a low high-pitched sound.

Five-blade Cutting System

The cutting system is where the Panasonic ES-LV81-K really excels. The five-blade system comprises of five Nanotech blades which float independently to closely follow your facial contours for an incredibly close shave. The Nano polished blades are positioned at a 30-degree angle to ensure that your hair is cut at the root for the smoothest possible shave. The foils and blades are hypoallergenic to minimize irritation, making them suitable for contact with sensitive skin.

The three unique foil patterns have been designed to handle the most awkward of hairs. The Lift-Tech Foil is used to cut flat lying hairs, the Finishing Foil handles rough hair and the Slit Foil catches longer hairs.

Use either Wet/Dry

One thing we love about the Panasonic ES-LV81-K is the option to use it either wet or dry. It’s great for using in the shower to get a refreshingly close shave in the morning.

Votex Cleaning System

The cleaning system makes maintenance a breeze, allowing you to clean, dry and charge the shaver at the touch of a button. You simply fill the small water tank with water, then place in the shaver upside down to start the cleaning process. The detergent cartridge slots into the bottom of the cleaning dock.

Unfortunately, during the cleaning process, the LCD screen doesn’t give you any indication as to how much time is remaining for the cleaning/charging cycle to finish. However, if you start the system just before leaving home for work or just before going to bed, this will be a non-issue.

If you don’t fancy using the cleaning system, you can alternatively clean the shaver manually by adding a little liquid soap to the blades then activating the sonic cleaning mode which then proceeds to self-clean the shaver.

Charging Times

A full charge takes 1-hour, which gives you enough power for approximately 15 shaves based on spending 3 minutes per shave. This is very reasonable in comparison to other high-end razors.

You can plug the power lead directly into the shaver to charge it. This is convenient for travelling as you don’t need to take the bulky cleaning station with you.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

The Panasonic ES-LV81-K utilizes some outstanding shaving technology which gives you a very close shave either wet or dry with zero irritation.

You have a choice of cleaning options, either use the cleaning system or clean manually using the sonic cleaning mode after applying soap liquid.

The switch-lock is very handy for travelling to prevent the shaver being accidently turned on in your bag or suitcase.

Cons:

Pricy. However, if you can afford the premium, you’re getting yourself a top-notch shaving system.

The large shaving head makes it a little cumbersome to use at first. However, after a few weeks you quickly get used to it and appreciate the extra coverage the large head gives you.

The blades need to be replaced every 1-2 years, which makes maintenance pretty costly.

Final Thoughts

In comparison to Braun’s top-of-the-line foil shaver – the Braun 790cc, the Panasonic ES-LV81-K edges it in terms of features and shaving performance. The 5-blade Nanotech system combined with the high-speed motor gives you that extra close shave, plus the option of a wet shave is an added bonus. However, when you factor price into the comparison it evens out, so we advise you to assess your needs to decide if the added benefits are worth paying for.

If you’re looking for a truly refined shaving experience and can afford it, the Panasonic ES-LV81-K Arc 5 Multi Flex Wet/Dry Nanotech Rechargeable Shaver with Vortex Cleaning System is a fabulous choice and gets our recommendation as the best electric foil shaver.