Skull Shaver Palm Pro MX5 Review – A Notable Upgrade And Priced Nicely

Skull Shaver Palm Pro MX5

8.5 out of 10

The MX5 is the 2025 upgraded version of the Skull Shaver Palm, which had a decent upgrade, giving it four cutters rather than three. It now has a place among the best budget head shavers, as it is affordable for most of us, plus it still has the basics of all the other pricier Skull Shaver models.

Design & Build Quality

8 out of 10

Does the shaver have a solid build, or is it flimsy? Is the design user-friendly?

Features

8 out of 10

Are the features outside of the build and design useful and practical?

Contouring and Skin Contact

9 out of 10

Does the shaver contour very well and maintain skin contact throughout the shave?

Close Shave

7.9 out of 10

How close is the end result shave?

Comfortable Shave

9 out of 10

How comfortable are the cutting elements to the skin?

Value for Money

8.9 out of 10

Is it worth what's on the price tag?

Pros

The MX5 delivered a comfortable head shave without causing irritation

The ergonomic design makes a noticeable difference when shaving around the back and sides of my head

The flexible blades help the shaver adapt to the different contours of my head while shaving.

When shaving daily or every other day, I can complete a full head shave in just a couple of minutes.

The upgraded three-LED battery indicator is more useful than the one on the previous Silver Pro.

Cons

There is some negative online feedback regarding Skull Shaver shavers in general regarding long-term durability and the returns policy

It won't provide a shave quite as close as a manual razor

The individual cutters can no longer be removed, which makes them more difficult to clean thoroughly.

The Skull Shaver Palm has always been the budget-friendly alternative to the more expensive Pitbull models. In 2025, it received some noticeable internal and external upgrades, so I wanted to see whether the MX5 is a worthwhile upgrade and a worthy successor to the previous three-cutter Palm shaver.

In short, it was the best upgrade I found in the lineup (I have used and reviewed all of them). The Palm MX5 was given a four-cutter rotary cutter head rather than three cutters, additional runtime and battery size, plus a better LED feature. It has kind of become equal to the Silver Pro pre-2025 level (next head shaver up).

As usual, I’ll cover the features and design, along with the pros and cons based on how I view and experience them. I’ll also share how it performs – then wrap things up with my overall feedback.

Features

Unboxing the MX5 is pretty basic, due to it being the cheapest in the Skull Shaver lineup (as expected). The previous Palm did have a nose and ears trimmer attachment with it, which we dont get with the MX5, but not having that should not be a deal breaker.

Unboxed, I got the Shaver, Carver 4 Head Blade, USB-Type A Charging Cable, USB Adapter, Cleaning Brush, and a Mini Manual.

Warranty: We get a one-year warranty on the MX5, which is kind of the standard for the smaller brands. Philips gives us up to 5 years on their head shavers, which is hard to beat for these smaller companies and not to be overlooked (electric head shavers can fail to stop working).

Design, Ergonomics and Handling

One feature unique to Skull Shaver that I’ve really come to like is the way we hold the shaver. We can hold the shaver conventionally by gripping the sides, or we can slide our fingers underneath and cup it in the hand.

When I first purchased a Skull Shaver, I didn’t like this cupping design much. But after using all models many times, I’ve become accustomed to it and now actually prefer it over some of the other designs.

That cupping method makes it very easy to shave the back of the head.

I don’t just use it for the back of my head, either; I use that method for most of the head shave, especially around the sides. I found holding it the standard way best used for shaving around the ears and for adding more pressure on certain areas to try and get a closer shave.

There is a slight disadvantage, though. The body of this shaver is quite tall, which makes it a little bulkier than some of the alternatives.

Some other head shavers have more of a ball-shaped design. I have the Freebird FlexSeries and Remington head shavers, for example, which have a more rounded body that fits naturally into the palm.

This next clip compares the height of the Skull Shaver with the Freebird FlexSeries Pro to give you an example.

Some people may prefer that ball-shaped design because they find it more maneuverable.

For me, though, I really like the cupping design of the Skull Shaver, so the taller body isn’t an issue.

One design feature it does not have is rubberized grip sections for holding it more comfortably and for preventing it from slipping in the hand. However, the way it is designed, with the two grooves on the sides for holding it in the standard way and the cupping design, kind of eliminates the need for rubberized sections. In short, I find the design keeps the shaver very stable in the hand when used!

Cutter Blades and Head Section

While the head section does not have any flexible head movement, unlike a few other head shavers like the Philips and Remington, I found it does not seem to be a huge disadvantage. The extra head movement is a slight plus, though, for the most similar-designed shavers to compare with the MX5, the Philips lineup.

All four rotary cutters flex together, and the individual cutters also have some flexibility of their own (i.e., they press in with pressure). Not every head shaver has this feature, and I found it helps the shaver maintain skin contact throughout the shave.

The head section can be taken off just by twisting the shaver head and removing it from the body. Its only use, as far as I can tell, is that it can be used to attach another attachment (none come with the MX5) or for replacing the whole head and not just the cutter section. The standard Skull Shaver Palm came with a nose hair trimmer that attached to the section when removing the head, so that feature was useful for that version of the Palm.

The cutters that come with the MX5 are what are known as the Carver Blades. These also come with the Pitbull Silver (SX5) and are said to be for coarser hair. When I compare the Forte (which comes with the Gold & Platinum) and Carver blades, I would say I find the Forte just slightly more comfortable (that is, very slight, though).

Hair Collection Chamber

Another feature I like about Skull Shaver head shavers is the collection chamber underneath the top cap.

When I remove the cap, there is a chamber that collects some of the hair and debris produced during shaving.

It doesn’t collect everything. I still find plenty of hair and debris come out of the cutters themselves when cleaning, but it does help.

Battery, Runtime and Charging

The MX5 also gets an upgrade to its battery and runtime. Skull Shaver claims around 60 minutes of runtime, compared with approximately 45 minutes on the previous Palm.

The battery has also increased from 600 mAh to 1,000 mAh for the MX5 compared with the Palm standard, which is quite a jump.

In my own use, I’ve found I get around an hour of runtime from a full charge, which is more than enough for several head shaves.

Another noticeable change is the battery indicator.

Instead of the single indicator on the previous model, the MX5 has three dots showing the remaining charge.

As the battery runs down, the dots count down. When I’m down to one dot, I know I’m getting towards the final third of the charge, so that’s when I’d give it a recharge.

I think the battery performance and LEDs are good and suffice, although I do like to have a percentage charge LED indicator like what the Pitbull Gold and Platinum feature.

We get a USB-Type A cable and adapter with the kit. It is not a Type-C and uses the Skull Shaver proprietary connection, which is worth noting for those who would prefer a Type-C.

The charging port has a rubber stopper supplied. I make sure I keep this and have it attached when wet cleaning the MX5 to prevent the electronics from getting damaged.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The MX5 is easy enough to clean and is fully waterproof with a rating of IPX6. I only give the head section a blow and brush out for about three shaves, and then give it a wet clean before the fourth shave session.

This is my wet cleaning routine:

1. Pop open the head.
2. Blow/brush out loose debris. I also tap the head lightly on the side of the sink or on my palm, which removes debris.
3. Add a couple of drops of hand antibacterial soap (optional).
4. Add a splash of water.
5. Run the shaver for 10–15 seconds.
6. Rinse.
7. Let the blades dry for a few hours. I pat dry the excess water with a tissue to dry more quickly.

You might find that inside the collection chamber, debris gets stuck in the corners. I found it easy to clean out with the brush, or mostly with some tissue. I prefer to check and clean this area before the shaver gets wet, as it is just harder to remove when wet.

We are advised to replace the blades every 3 – 6 months. Mileage will vary for each of us based on usage and hair type.

After every wet clean (and this should be done after wet shaving too), I add a couple of drops of oil on each of the cutters and power the shaver on for around 15 seconds. It is important for maintenance and getting the best out of the cutters.

Skull Shaver suggests replacing the Carver Blades every 3–6 months. Mileage will vary based on use, hair type, and how well you care for the blades and shaver. We could get closer to 12 months from a set!

Shaving Experiences

It’s worth mentioning that these shavers work best when there is only one or two days of growth.

Once I get to three days or more, it becomes more difficult to shave the hair and makes the shaver work harder. If the hair is longer than what a trimmer can comfortably handle without a guard, I’d recommend trimming it down first.

If I use one of these every day or every couple of days, the shave is quick and super convenient.

Contours, Comfort, Speed and Closeness

• Contours – Staying Close to the Scalp: As expected and based on my experience with the other Skull Shaver models, the blade system maintains contact over the scalp throughout the shave. I didn’t get any blade overlap that I can get with some head shavers.
• Comfort: I find it very comfortable, with the rotary cutters throughout the shave and no irritation. The hugging-the-scalp blade system also helps with comfort.
• Speed: Job done in a matter of a few minutes, and maybe 2 minutes when shaving daily.
• Closeness: This is the trade-off for a non-wet convenience shave; I dont get that manual razor closeness. I get a kind of wet-and-dry type sandpaper feel, but my head looks pretty much bald.

Tricky Areas – Around Ears and Back Of The Head

I dont have much trouble shaving around the ears, which is a tricky area for most of us. I can fold my ear downwards and run over the area a few times and make it clean-shaven with the MX5. You might need to practice a little with the MX5, but you’ll soon find your method that works.

I have already mentioned how easy the MX5 is to maneuver around the back of the head, and the rotary cutters shave very well over that inion lump at the back of my skull. That inion lump is quite tricky with standard electric shavers, but it is not an issue with teh MX5 and other dedicated head shavers.

Wet and Facial Shaving

It is possible to use the MX5 for wet shaving with our favorite lubricant and using it in the shower. However, I am not a big fan os shaving wet with an electric shaver, as that seems to miss the point of the convenience of using an electric shaver, and I dont actually get any additional benefit.

I tried out a lather and wet shave with the MX5, and as expected, I got no additional benefits.

The option to wet shave is available if needed, though!

We can use the MX5 for facial shaving, and some guys do use these dedicated head shavers for facial and body shaving. I dont like using it, as it lacks everything that a dedicated standard shaver has and is too bulky. However, the standard Skull Shaver Palm with the three-cutter head was much better for using on the face because of having less blade span (still not ideal though).

Price and Replacements

The prices (USA) at the time of this review:

• Palm (non-MX5) – around $54
• Palm MX5 – around $44

The price difference is quite minimal, which makes the MX5 upgrade relatively easy to justify.

Replacement Carver Blades cost around $25 per replacement (USA). That means roughly $50 – $100 per year on blades unless you stretch them further.

Important — Skull Shaver pre-ticks the subscription box on their website, and this signs you up for replacement blades every 90 days (you’ll be billed for this). You might think you’re getting a discount on the shaver purchase when you’re actually subscribing to blade shipments every few months. So double-check which box is selected before purchasing.

Final Thoughts – Verdict (Who’s It For?)

The Skull Shaver Palm MX5 was the best upgrade I found for the 2025 Skull Shaver upgrades, and it puts it into one of the best budget head shavers. Plus, it is extremely good (some of that is subjective, of course).

We are really getting a Pitbull Silver for just over $50, which is well worth considering for anyone.

The only person looking for a dedicated head shaver I could see who I think this would not be best suited for is someone who doesn’t want that cupping design and prefers a more ball-like shape that fits in the palm better.

It does lack a travel lock and the center cog that removes the cutters for cleaning individually, which is unfortunate and worth noting.

Of course, we dont get that razor-close finish with the MX5 or any other dedicated head shaver (there is always a trade-off), but what we do get is a no-mess, convenient shave at a very reasonable price.

If you have any questions about the MX5 or have experience you would like to share, then do join me in the comments section below.

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