Electric Shaver Review

Philips i9000 Prestige Review – A Technology Upgrade and More

If you’re currently (2025) checking out the top-tier electric shavers, you’re bound to come across the Philips i9000 Prestige or the number i9000.

Released in 2025, the Philips i9000 Prestige is not to be confused with the i9000 or the i9000 Prestige Ultra, which also came to market in 2025. This model (i9000 Prestige) sits between the i9000 and i9000 Ultra in terms of price and level of features.

Philips certainly likes to confuse things with closely related models and did a good job at that with the i9000. Basically, there are three types, though!

In this review, I’ll outline the pros and cons of the i9000 Prestige features (as I experienced them), its actual performance, and who I believe it’s best suited for. As always, this is based on my own hands-on experience — no fluff, no hype, just a real perspective

Description & Features

The shaver I used for this review is model XP9202/33. The first part of that number, XP92, is key. As long as you see XP92, you know you’re getting the Philips i9000 Prestige—it is the same shaver and performance.

The numbers that follow the XP92 will simply indicate the color and accessories included in the bundle, and these numbers may differ depending on the country in which the shaver is sold. Mine (XP9202/33) came with the cleaning pod, charging stand, travel case, and beard trimmer.

SkinIQ Technology (Simplified)

This type of information is what we find on the sales page, which aims to impress us with high-tech jargon.

I’ve tried to simplify it!

• Power-Adapt Sensor: Think of it like cruise control for your shave. The shaver detects the thickness or density of your beard. It automatically adjusts its power up or down to maintain a steady, comfortable shave, even over changing areas. I’m not sure if I’ve noticed this feature working, but I will trust Philips on this one.
• Motion-Control Sensor: It gently nudges you to shave smarter, not harder. It senses if your strokes are too fast or clumsy (it tracks movement) and, when paired with the App, it can suggest better techniques. I discuss this more below—see the GroomTribe App section.
• Pressure-Guard Sensor: The small light ring around the head serves a purpose beyond style—it indicates when you’re pressing too hard. More about this feature below.
• Hydro SkinGlide Coating: Imagine tiny, slick beads on the shaving surface that let it glide over your skin with half the friction. It’s like having a mini skate-rink between the blades and your skin, making shaving smoother and more comfortable. I have found the shaver is very comfortable to use, so this feature could be partly attributed to this comfort.

GroomTribe App & Bluetooth Connectivity

The shaver can be connected via Bluetooth to the Philips GroomTribe App. I’ve used this feature for review purposes. While it’s interesting to see data on my shaving style (such as the amount of pressure I apply), I found it to be more of a gimmick than a practical tool.

As an experienced shaver, I don’t feel the need for an app to guide my technique. For someone new to electric shaving, however, it might provide some useful feedback to begin with. Still, it could also prevent you from learning how to shave with your growth pattern and the pressure that works best for you, if you pay too much attention to what this Motion-Control Sensor tells you.

The App can offer more shaving guidance if needed, and I suppose some guys will appreciate this type of tech more than I do.

The Groomtribe App naturally leads me into needing to explain the Pressure Guard System.

Pressure Guard System

There is part of me that likes this type of feature, as it can help me understand how much pressure I am applying while shaving. However, I believe they are only useful indicators and not a rule to follow.

It works by making the rim light around the top section change color:

• When the light is blue, you’re applying too little pressure.
• When it turns green, you’re applying the optimal amount of pressure.
• When it turns orange, you’re pressing too hard.

This feature enabled me to pay attention to my shaving style and take my time a little, which is not a bad thing for me (I can often be in a rush). However, following it as a rule and not a guide could work against a user.

The reason I state that this feature could work against a user is that if I had followed it without stepping into the orange mode, my shave finish would not have been close enough—I prefer more pressure, along with skin stretching, to achieve a close shave.

If you have more sensitive skin and need to avoid irritation, then you’ll probably benefit from the guidance of this feature.

The ring light can also be switched off if you find you dont need that feature.

Design & Ergonomics

The i9000 Prestige feels solid and well-built. It has a slightly “squarish” body, similar to the Philips Series 5000, 7000, and 9000. It is quite different from the Philips S9000 Prestige, which fits more snugly in my hand due to its contoured shape.

However, the i9000 Prestige remains comfortable to hold and features a generous rubberized grip on the sides and back. It also tapers down to a slimmer bottom, which helps with handling.

Head and Blades

I’m a big fan of the head on this shaver. It features a 360-degree flexible movement, allowing for easy navigation of the various contours of the face, such as the jawline and chin.

Each of the three rotary blade head sections flexes individually. Additionally, each of the three rotary blades flexes individually and presses in slightly.

I found all these components work very well to maintain constant contact with the skin, ensuring I get an even shave everywhere.

The head is easily removable and can be replaced with other attachments, such as the beard trimmer. More about this in the accessories section below!

Replacement cutters are part number SH91, which Philips recommends replacing every 2 years. Mileage will vary based on usage and the coarseness of your beard hair.

The size and shape of the i9000 heads have been improved. I mentioned a while ago how Philips introduced these five-sided angular-type heads that were just too squareish. The new i9000’s bottom head tapers down thinner (see photos below), and it is more rounded compared to the previous S9000 (and other Philips Series). This should improve the shaving experience — even if only slightly.

To me, the above translates to a lot of cutting rotations happening at high speed, and blades that may cut somewhat deeper than others, particularly those with dual or twin tracks. Of course, the main thing that matters about all this is when the shaver is in action—does it all equate to good performance (more about shaving performance further along)?

Built-in Detail Trimmer

The shaver features a pop-up detail trimmer on the back, which can be activated by sliding a button down.

While it’s there to help with sideburns or a few stray hairs, I have to be honest and say it’s not a great trimmer. It gets the job done—just about—but it isn’t as effective as those on a Braun Series 9 Pro Plus or Panasonic Arc 5 and Arc 6.

I also noticed that it creates a strange, “rattly” noise (see next video below) when it’s released and the shaver is running, which makes it seem somewhat tacky to me.

Charging and LED Indicators

The charging time and runtime are pretty much standard for this level of shaver.

• 1 hour of charge equals 1 hour of runtime (my testing confirmed this).
• 5-minute quick charge for one shave.

We get a USB charging cord with the shaver, but no adapter is included. Philips claims they are not including them to save the planet, but I can’t help but think they are more interested in saving a few pennies.

I like having a charging percentage LED on a shaver, and the i9000 Prestige features this on its clear and modern LED screen, along with other indicators.

An additional button with three dots, located below the power button and LED screen, is used to activate various functions (four functions).

1. Activates the amount of charge left as a percentage, which I find useful.
2. Activates and deactivates the travel lock. A travel lock is a feature I like to have.
3. This activates and deactivates the Pressure Guard System (the rim light). I find it useful that I can deactivate this light to save battery power. I don’t need it very often, especially after the first couple of times I’ve used it and realized it’s not something I need.
4. The fourth function is to connect the shaver to the Groomtribe App via Bluetooth.

I quite like the more advanced-looking LED screen like this. However, we are mostly talking bells and whistles here, not necessities that provide a good shave.

The LED percentage charge indicator on the i9000 is also activated when any movement triggers it, even when the shaver is lying on a table or other furniture. I quite like this—pick it up and see how much charge is left LED—but of course, it is not necessary. It can be completely deactivated by activating the travel lock, which is useful if the LED keeps getting triggered too easily (in transit, for instance).

When the i9000 is placed in the Quick Clean Pod and the shaver is powered on, the LED screen counts down 60 seconds—a cool additional feature (see photo below).

Cleaning and Maintenance

You can clean it manually by popping the head open and rinsing it under the tap. The touch button feature to pop open the head is great, and I find it very useful to have the head stay attached when leaving the shaver to dry after cleaning (i.e., no extra component left drying).

I usually add a drop of antibacterial soap, run it briefly, rinse, and let it dry, as you can see in the video clip below.

Once a month, I recommend removing the cutters one at a time for a deeper clean. These cutters all display an arrow to guide us in turning them left or right to remove and replace them correctly. It is slightly fiddly doing this, and I recommend removing, cleaning, and replacing each one at a time. I recommend this method to prevent losing any cutter component or not being able to refit them correctly.

Debris can get clogged in these cutters, so it is well worth cleaning them. I use a soft toothbrush to ensure I remove the stubborn gunk.

If I am not using the cleaning pod (see the accessories section below), I will also lubricate the cutters with clipper oil after every wet clean or every third shave. Philips says nothing about lubricating, but as a matter of habit over the years, and based on my belief in its usefulness, I lubricate frequently.

Accessories & Bundles

As mentioned, mine (XP9202/33) came with the cleaning pod, charging stand, travel case, and beard trimmer. This is the complete bundle, including everything—minus the nose & ear trimmer attachment.

The travel case is a useful accessory and comes with most bundles. I can fit the shaver inside and the power cord, and that’s about it—no more space.

I like having the Quick Clean Pod that comes with this model—it makes cleaning easier and helps keep the shaver in good condition. The cleaning is hygienic, and the fluid also lubricates the cutters. It’s definitely worth using the cleaning pod if you live in an area with hard water. You can read more about the cleaning pod here – Philips Quick Clean Pod Review and Demo Set Up – Worth Having With Shaver Purchase?

The cleaning pod is slightly different from the one I have with the Prestige S9000 (see next photo below). This bottom tub section looks a bit nicer with its clear black plastic and silver rim at the top (it is a thinner plastic, though, which is not good). The indicator on the i9000 one is red rather than clear. The i9000 and S9000 Quick Clean Pod function exactly the same, though, and the i9000 just looks slightly more attractive.

The beard trimmer attachment is satisfactory, and it effectively trimmed down longer growth before shaving when I tested it out. I did not use the dial to change the beard length with the comb attachment, as I only wanted to trim down my growth that was a little long before shaving. It is slightly awkward and cumbersome to use compared to a dedicated beard trimmer due to its attachment method to the shaver head.

The beard trimmer and nose/ear trimmer attachments are easily attached and detached. We can simply pull out the shaver head and insert the attachment, aligning it with the matching section on the shaver top.

There is also a model bundle that comes with a nose and ear trimmer, which some guys might find useful. However, these are relatively inexpensive to buy, and based on my experience, they work better as a dedicated tool rather than being attached to a shaver head.

The simple plastic charging stand is useful, but I would like it to be more weighted at the bottom. It feels slightly unsteady to me with the shaver docked inside, and a weighted bottom would make me feel better about leaving an expensive shaver inside.

Shaving Experiences

I was not new to higher-end Philips shavers before using the i9000 Prestige, having first used and reviewed the S9000 Prestige back in 2021, and then the later Prestige model.

I was unsure of finding much difference in performance between the i9000 and the S9000, and to be honest, even using them side by side, I struggled to find a better or worse shaver.  

I used the shaver daily, every other day, and on three to four days of growth. While Philips states this can shave up to 7 days, and it will – it makes it hard work for the shaver and takes more time (beard trimmers were invented for a reason), especially for someone like me with coarse hair.

• 2–3 days of growth: Excellent performance—close, comfortable, quick.
• 4+ days of growth: It struggled a bit more, with a few stragglers and patches that needed extra work. It’s going to be easier for younger guys and men with finer hair than mine.
• Daily shaving: Very good, though for me personally, daily use can bring irritation after a few days. If you don’t suffer irritation easily, it would make a great daily shaver.

Shaving every two days was my sweet spot, which enabled the i9000 to shave with ease.

Contours and Skin Contact

I’m not sure a shaver can follow the contours of shaving over the jaw and chin area while maintaining skin contact throughout the shave, any better than what the i9000 does. It is pretty much perfect!

The flexible head and blades, among other features, enable good contouring and maintaining skin contact.

Comfort

The i9000 gave me mostly comfortable shaves. It can shave close, so we must expect close skin contact with the head and cutters, which will affect the comfort factor.

The comfort factor of the i9000 is top-level, among the best.

Tricky Hairs/Areas and Leftovers

The only time I ran into any leftover hairs was when I shaved with over three days of growth (four days).

It was still more effective at removing leftover hairs and patches compared to a foil shaver, such as the Braun shavers, when I went back over the areas. However, I did notice a few hairs that the shaver or I missed, or both, about 10 minutes after shaving.

When shaving with less than three days of growth, I had no issues with leftover or tricky hairs.

I found it easy enough to shave under the nose area, which is an area that rotary shavers can struggle with. You can use the built-in trimmer if you have trouble shaving under your nose.

Speed and Closeness

Of course, the speed of shaving varied based on my beard length, but overall, without a timer in hand, I would call it a fast shave every time.

The closeness was not that far from a manual razor close. In some areas, such as the cheeks and most areas, really, it was manual razor close.

I could see men with fine hair getting a shave identical to that of a manual razor. However, I do believe the 5 o’clock shadow comes much quicker with an electric shaver.

Post-Shave Feel, Debris, and Sound Level

I had a slight stinging feeling on my skin after shaving. This was to be expected, as I shaved very close to the skin and always added additional pressure while stretching it to achieve a very close shave.

If I were to follow Philips’ guidelines and shave lightly, using the Pressure Guard System lights as a guide—then I would experience less or no stinging. However, that would not result in the close shave that I desire. Still, you can follow Philips if reducing irritation is one of your main concerns.

Most of the debris was collected very well inside the shaver head, as I expected with a Philips shaver, unlike a Braun shaver.

Another aspect to mention is the quietness that Philips shavers excel at, and the i9000 is no different—it is much quieter compared to a foil shaver.

Wet Shaving

Like all modern electric shavers, this one can be used for both wet and dry shaving. I tried it with traditional shaving cream, but I didn’t find any additional benefit. It adds mess, which goes against the convenience of an electric shaver and is one of the reasons to opt for one over a manual razor.

However, if you prefer or want to try electric wet shaving, this shaver performs well, and you might even get a slightly closer shave, although I did not.

Head Shaving

The i9000 is the first rotary facial shaver that I have found the documentation referring to head shaving. This was great to see, as I don’t have to include a disclaimer on this one that goes like this—if the shaver faults while in use (i.e., head shaving), the company may not honor its warranty if there is a fault.

Philips advises against shaving with hair growth of 1.5 mm.

The head shaves were great. Very comfortable, pretty quick, and the shaver followed the contours of the scalp and maintained skin contact very well.

The closeness was not quite as close as I get from the Braun Series 8 head shaving or a head shave with the Braun Series 9 Pro, but it beat those in contouring.

The bottom line is, if this shaver ticks all the boxes for you as a facial shaver, then it also pairs as a good head shaver. However, I would not recommend it for someone who only wants to use it for head shaving, as I believe there are better options, such as the dedicated head shavers I have used and reviewed.

Costs

The i9000 Prestige is currently priced at around $250 / £220, depending on bundles and regional offers. Prices fluctuate with sales, so please treat this figure as an approximate estimate.

As expected, it falls within the same price range as the Philips S9000 Prestige, which I believe may no longer be produced, given that Philips introduced these i9000 models.

It costs less than the i9000 Prestige Ultra and slightly more than the i9000, which was also expected.

Final Thoughts – Verdict (Whose It For?)

The Philips i9000 Prestige provided a comfortable and close shave with minimal irritation. The ease of clearing up patches and tricky hairs, or even the lack of them, is worth noting.

It’s easy to use, quiet, and shaves at a premium level.

That said, a few drawbacks stood out:

• The detail trimmer isn’t great.
• The shape is quite square, unlike the S9000 Prestige, and more similar to the older 9000 Series.
• The GroomTribe app isn’t something I find useful.
• For longer growth (4+ days), it takes more effort and time.

I won’t go into much detail about the differences between the i9000 Prestige and the S9000 Prestige. Still, I can say that when I shaved with them side by side, I found nothing that was too different, with neither one being significantly better than the other. This is good news for the i9000 Prestige!

The technology of the i9000 will be favoured by some, while others may do without it, and some may even find it a hindrance. Philips is leading the way in this tech!

If you’re looking for a top-level rotary-style shaver, the i9000 is a worthy consideration.

Do drop a comment below if you have further questions about the i9000 Prestige or if you have any experience with the shaver you would like to share.

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