I was recently shopping for a new razor and decided to buy the Philips Norelco OneBlade Hybrid Electric Trimmer / Shaver. I’m not a big fan of shaving and tend to only shave a few times a week. The cuts and irritation are just something I try to avoid. Since picking up the Philips OneBlade Razor, I shave nearly every day with no irritation.

The OneBlade razor is basically a hybrid of a safety razor and electric hair trimmers. The head of the razor oscillates like hair trimmers and you glide it over your skin to shave. The razor is also double-sided, meaning you can shave with normal razor angles, and use the other side for trimming. Depending on the model, it’s powered by a Nickel-Metal Hydride or Lithium ion battery. Just wanting to give it a try, I went with the cheaper Nickel-Metal Hydride version for about $35. This included the razor, charger, and 3 guards for trimming.

After my purchase, I immediately ran to try it out. It’s a rather pleasant experience as far as shaving goes. My stubble was pretty long after about 4 days of not shaving, and the OneBlade had no trouble. There was no irritation and no cuts. I then snapped on a trimmer guard and trimmed my goatee. Again, no trouble getting through the thicker hair. This first time, I used shaving gel and it made the razor not glide as well as I would’ve expected. For me, shaving dry actually works a little better. YMMV. It’s also waterproof, so feel free to rinse it off in the sink, or even use it in the shower.

This razor is not for you if you must have a perfectly smooth-as-a-baby’s-butt shave. It does a clean job, but you can still feel the tiny stubble. If you have fast-growing facial hair, you’ll notice the 5-o’clock shadow around 3:30. If you’re like me and only shaved every 2 to 3 days, you’ll probably want to go back to every day or two. The good thing is, it’s a much more enjoyable experience that I don’t mind doing every day.

With standard 3-4-5-blade razors going for nearly $5 each these days, and only lasting a week or two, the $35 price tag for the OneBlade really isn’t that bad. It says the blade will last 4 months and even has an indicator to let you know if it’s getting worn out earlier. In comparison, 16 weeks of regular razors will cost between $40 and $80. Financially, the OneBlade is the same or a little cheaper than the alternatives.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the OneBlade Razor. I’ll be sure to post an update after I’ve hit the 4-month mark to report on whether the blade survived as long as it claims.