Electric Shaver Review

Andis ProFoil Lithium Review – Fierce Twin Foil No Frills Shaver

The Andis ProFoil Lithium is a shaver that many of us have seen or at least heard (it’s loud) when visiting the barbers. Many barber shops use these for finishing the fades on gents’ haircuts which it does a fantastic job at.

While it is clearly a great barbers tool, does it have a place for any gents to use at home or for travel? Well, that’s a good part of what this review will cover.

The intended use of Andis ProFoil is to shave stubble and for hair fades. However, I wanted to test out a couple of other uses.

After using the Skull Shaver Palm and then the Remington RX5 for a month each (both are head shavers) and reviewing them both, the next on the list to test and review was the Andis ProFoil Lithium shaver. I could see it had the potential to be a good head shaver, even though that is not the intended use it’s sold for. I also tested fades on a model’s hair trim (that will be my brother’s head).

Let’s take a closer look at this shaver and report how it performed after using it for a month, and suggest who and what it is best suited for.

The Brand – Andis is an American brand known worldwide that started making high-quality hair clippers in the 1920s. The company has been operated and owned by generations of the Andis family and still is today. It is one of the leaders in the grooming products business for barbers.

Description & Features

Andis states the Andis ProFoil is best suited for finishing shades and removing stubble. So, we can see that its intended use should not be for heavy growth or for more than stubble and shaving fine hair around the sides of the head after cutting.

It’s useful to keep the above in mind to keep expectations realistic.

• Handle/Body – The shaver body has a kind of 1970s retro look to it and does not look like many of our modern-day shavers. There is not much going on in terms of ergonomics. The lightweight unit weighs less than 5 ounces (140g).
• Motor – The rotary motor runs at 9000SPM (max) speed. It’s fast and is why it might be noisy.
• Blades and Blade head – Being a foil shaver means it has blades/cutters within the head that are covered with two foils that work together, cutting hair when it passes through the small holes. The dual foils on this shaver are gold colored titanium and the makers state they’re hypoallergenic. These foils stagger, with one being higher up than the other.
• Cordless and cord operation – The Andis ProFoil operates cordless and corded. If the battery goes flat then users can plug it in and have full power, rather than wait for it to charge again. Being able to get power if the battery goes flat is especially useful for barbers on the job. The shaver comes with 6 different adapter types (SAA, Europe, UK, US, Brazil, and Argentina) that can be attached to the adapter lead and changed.
• Charging and Battery – The Lithium-ion battery should deliver up to 80 minutes of runtime and takes 2 hours to fully charge. A green light is displayed when it is on charge and then goes off when it’s fully charged. The AC/DC adapter may be used in 100/240V sockets.
• Dry shaving – This shaver can only be used for dry shaving without any creams or soaps. The face must be dry before shaving.
• Accessories – As mentioned, the charger adapter has 6 plug types for various countries. You get a small cleaning brush and a foil guard, and that’s about it for accessories. Would have liked to have seen it come with a travel pouch or bag, though.
• Non-waterproof – Take caution when using the Andis ProFoil in the bathroom. It is not waterproof.
• Warranty – Andis offers a 1-year warranty ‘only’ on this shaver.

The features of the Andis ProFoil are pretty basic, which was likely Andis’s intention to keep it simple and practical for barbers.

How well does the Andis ProFoil Lithium perform and shave?

I gave myself a full month of using the Andis ProFoil to shave my balding bonce, and my face, and I tested it after trimming and fading my younger brother’s hair for fades.

When I first got the shaver out of the box my first thought was it was quite ugly looking compared to other electric shavers.

Then when I switched it on, I thought I had switched on a grass trimmer; it was so loud. Andis claims it is quiet, which might be compared to a lawnmower. It was even louder when I was shaving my head; however, noise level is not the most important aspect if it functions well.

I will cover the experience of shaving my head, and face and using it for fading separately as it performs so differently in these areas.

I’m going to cover the experience of shaving my head, face and using it for fading separately as it performs so differently on these areas.

Head (9/10)

This is one mean machine for head shaving, it was so close and the closest I have got from an electric shaver. Although it sounded like a lawnmower or garden strimmer, it blasted the hair away and got as close as possible to the wood.

It’s quite fiddly around the ears and going over the top of the head because of the shape and lack of ergonomics with the shaver, but it isn’t hard to use.

While a head shaver like the Skull Shaver is much easier and better for moving around the head, the Andis ProFoil is much closer.

When possible, it is best used with both foils touching the head, as advised by Andis, but this is not possible on awkward spots.

Face 7/10

The best thing about this shaver on my face is it got closer than most other electric shavers when using it on stubble. However, my sensitive neck was not too happy and I felt neck irritation.

After more uses, my neck did get more comfortable with this mini lawnmower going over it, and after applying after-shave balm, the flare-ups calmed down straight away.

While shaving my face the shaver did skip quite a few bits on my neck, which is partly due to the shaver’s lack of ergonomics and my neck sensitivity. Going back over my neck too many times causes irritation.

Other electric shavers and wet shaving razors are better for my face; however, other less sensitive guys might love using it and take advantage of the closeness it gives.

Finishing fades (10/10)

It comes at no surprise that the Andis Profoil scores a 10 out of 10 here, as this is one of its main intended uses. It makes the fade look so much better, and the staggered foils make it very easy to use providing great results.

Excellent tool for barbers and those who cut/trim family members’ hair at home.

Bottom Line – Great head shaver for a close shave and perfect for finishing fades. Not so great on the neck.

Build quality and Ergonomics – 7/10

There is nothing going on in the ergonomics department here; it’s very boxed in its look and kind of old-fashioned or vintage. The staggered foils are one of its selling features that makes finishing fades easy.

While electric shavers we use on ourselves require head flexing and good ergonomics –the Andis does not really require those attributes for barbers doing their finishing work on a haircut as they need to be able to control the shaver.

The whole unit feels solid enough, and it is lightweight for its size.

Holding & Grip – 7/10

There is little grip on the side pads where a user holds them. While shaving the back of the head is a little awkward, shaving the face is fine, and when finishing fades, it seems to have the correct build that helps when using it for that task.

If grip is important to a buyer they should consider buying the T2 Andis ProFoil Plus shaver. The sides of the T2 provide additional grip.

Ease of Use – 7/10

It does take a few uses to get familiar with the Andis ProFoil shaver. It’s easier to use on finishing fades, but it takes a little time to get comfortable with using it on the face and head.

Around the mustache area can be tricky to shave as the head and foils are large.

Cleaning and Maintenance – 7/10

A user must blow away what they can from inside the head and then brush off any excess debris with the mini brush provided. I can see how the air blowers at the barbers come in handy to blow away the stubborn debris.

It’s not the easiest electric shaver to clean up after use, but it isn’t hard; it just takes a little care.

These foils can also be taken out to enable a user to clean them more thoroughly. The only problem I see is taking them out too often may damage the small notches that hold the foils in place.

The foils and cutters must be cleaned after every use to enable them to perform best. It’s a shame they cannot be washed, but it’s not waterproof.

How often do the cutters/blades and foils have to be replaced? Andis advises customers to replace the foils and cutters every 6 months. This will depend on how often you use the machine, but if a user shaves with it daily or every two days, maybe 6 months is tops, but barbers would need to change them much more frequently.

Users can replace just the foils (with the head) or with the cutters. The foils and cutters together cost around $25 US, and the foils without cutters cost around $15 US. Not too expensive!

The cutters are easily removed by holding each side and pulling up, and then to replace them just click the cutter in its groove provided.

Charging and Battery Life 9/10

Unlike many of the modern electric shavers these days, the Andis ProFoil doesn’t have a digital screen with details of how much charge it has left or anything else. It simply shows a green light while it’s charging that goes off when it is fully charged.

Andis states the shaver needs to be charged for 2 hours as it is not charged when it is sold. Mine did have some charge, but I gave it a charge that was less than 2 hours anyway.

It holds its charge very well, and I used it for 3 weeks before it needed recharging. The advertised runtime is 80 minutes which is very good for a high-powered motor.

Value for money – 9/10

For the right user and barbers, it’s a fair price to pay (approx $70 US) as it’s a professional tool primarily.

Are any common user comments worth Mentioning?

A common complaint over the years has been some buyers have found it stops charging after a period of time, and they can only use it when it’s corded.

A bunch of users have had issues with the foils breaking. They are very delicate and need to be taken care of, and use the foil guard when it is not in use.

On the pros side, as expected, many guys with balding heads love the close shave it gives and rate it highly. I could not agree more!

It’s a must-have for barbering, as mentioned!

Final Thoughts – and who is the Andis ProFoil Lithium Shaver best suited for?

Of course for barbers that need a good tool for skin fades and tapers and beards with face work then it’s a no-brainier and a must-have.

Balding guys who want the closest shave they can get on their heads have a good chance of loving this machine. Especially if their face also gets along well without irritation, unlike me. This would mean they only need this shaver rather than one for the head and another for the face (it is not really the shaver’s intended use, though).

If anyone does a lot of home haircutting and trimming, then this is a great addition to improving their barbering skills and getting a finer finish for their family’s haircut.

This is not a shaver I would recommend for men with sensitive skin; it is too aggressive.

For most other gents, I don’t see this as the first choice of electric shaver for facial hair shaving unless the closeness of an electric shaver comes above all other functions and matters mentioned above.

Keep in mind I played around quite a bit with this shaver and pushed it more than what the company Andis states it should do.

The Andis ProFoil shaver is a professional mean-cutting machine.

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