Remington RX5 Review – Tried, Tested and Reviewed
Remington RX5 Head Shaver
The Remington RX5, also known as the Ultimate RX5, is a dedicated rotary-style head shaver designed to give users a quick and comfortable head shave. It’s one of the best I have used so far and I have used quite a few!
Pros
Good ergonomics and comfortable to hold
Gives a quick head shave and is comfortable
Convenient no mess and fuss shave
Shave just as close as other head shavers I have compared
Good price point
Useful blade and head movement
Cons
Won't shave as close as a razor
Replacement blades are pricey
Replacement blades might be difficult to buy
The Remington RX5 (XR1500) Ultimate Head Shaver is a shaver that was developed with only head-shaving in mind and not for facial or any other hair.
For us guys that need to get a close head shave with products designed for the contours of the head and that can get the job done quickly –these type of head shavers coming on the market are something we have to check out.
Before using the Remington RX5 for a month or so, I used and reviewed the Skull Palm Shaver which was a pleasant introduction to head shavers.
Within Europe and Australia, the shaver is named Remington RX5 Ultimate Head Shaver (model XR1500); however, within the US and Canada, it is known as the Balder Pro Head Rotary Shaver (model XR7000). Just give us a universal name, Remington!
Before using and reviewing the Remington RX5 I made sure I was well-informed about what this electric shaver could and should not do, to give it a fair review. After all, Remington makes some large claims like ‘Shaves In Less Than 2 Minutes’ (yeah, right!).
Let’s take a closer look at what the Remington RX5 should do for my balding bonce, how it performed after a month’s use, and who it would be best suited for.
The Brand – The American brand ‘Remington’ have been trading in personal care products since 1937, which gives customers some trust in the company’s electric razors and hair clippers.
Description & Features
As mentioned, the main purpose of the RX5 is to get a head shave done quickly and with ease and as close as possible for an electric shaver.
Its intended use is not for facial hair or other hair, and it should not be used on hair length longer than 2mm (get your clippers on it first if it is longer).
- Handle/Body – The body of this shaver is the handle. The whole body fits in the hand, and the sides of the body have rubber-type grips that help with holding the shaver while shaving, even when wet.
- Blades and Blade head – The blades are rotary, which you get five of. These blades are able to push in towards the shaver to enable them to adjust to the contours of the head (flexi head). These blades are also easily clipped of for cleaning purposes and easily clipped back on. The clip system is sturdy that should last. The blade head has play in its movement to enable the shaver to adjust with the shape of their head.
- Cordless operation – As with most shavers, the RX5 has a built-in rechargeable battery that you recharge via a power supply lead. The lead has an EU two-pin plug which buyers of the UK and other countries will need to use a Type G plug adapter with the plug lead to charge it up.
- Charging and Battery – You’ll need to charge it up for 2 hours to fully charge. The battery provides a maximum of 50 minutes runtime, when it is new. The shaver body has a light that illuminates when the battery is low and while it is charging.
- Wet and Dry – The shaver may be used wet or dry and with shaving foam, soap or cream if you choose. More about both of these methods while using the Remington RX5 further on. Remington state this shaver is 100% waterproof.
- Warranty – Buyers have their right of return when they make a purchase from the store. Buyers are also given 100-day money-back guarantee with Remington if they register the shaver online, and if you register your product online within 28 days you’ll get an extra 1 years guarantee on top of the 2 years (3 years total).
- Detail Trimmer – A pop-up detail trimmer can be released from the front of the shaver for trimming near the sideburns or removing any other hair stragglers.
- Accessories – Buyers get a small brush to assist with cleaning and a cool small travel bag in which the shaver and lead fit perfectly inside. The blades have a clip-on guard that protects the blades when the shaver is not in use.
How well does the Remington RX5 perform and shave?
Before reviewing the Remington RX5 Head Shaver I used it for about a month to get well accustomed to using it and to discover anything that did and did not perform well.
Can you shave in less than 2 minutes, as advertised? – Yes, you can. If the user follows the advice of Remington……….
Remington states – Do not attempt to shave head hair that is longer than 4 days growth or 2.0 mm. Your head shaver is intended to maintain a shaved look and can be used daily or every two or three days.
I can easily shave within two minutes with the RX5, and it is perfect for this purpose. It’s so easy and quick to use that anyone at any time could run the shaver over their head for a couple of minutes.
I did try it on facial hair (Remington states it’s not for facial hair), and it wasn’t great or a close shave. I guess the blades are made to work better on soft hair rather than thicker facial hair and the design of the rotary baldes head is too big for the contours of the face and neck.
Slight negative – When observing the shaver in the mirror while shaving my head I did notice that on some areas the whole shaver head and its blades do not kind of move together and cover the head, and blades are overlapping – not being used. In a sense, it looks like if the whole blade area was slightly smaller it would fit better, but this could be me being picky.
Wet or Dry? I enjoyed using the head shaver wet with cream. However, it is messier, and inside the blade area, it’s harder to clean up when using shaving creams or soaps that are quite oily or sticky. Dry shaving seems to be much easier.
The end result is always a shave that is close enough, but of course, not the same closeness that razors give. Like most electric shavers, bits of stubborn stubble are left when I rub my hand on my head after against the grain, which I am fine with when using an electric-type shaver.
The end result is always a shave that is close enough, but of course not the same closeness that razors give.
Users will need to pay particular attention around the ear areas and get rid of hair stragglers trying to escape their fate. Some guys may want to use the pop-out trimmer for that.
Bottom Line – Very useful for those needing to get a quick head shave daily or every two or three days.
Build quality and Ergonomics – 8/10
While the Remington RX5 does not have ergonomics that are quite as good as the Skull Shavers brand it is easy to hold and maneuver around the head, front and back. The build quality seems strong enough for the shaver to last a few years or more.
The shaver is specially designed for the purpose of being used around the various contours of the head, unlike facial shavers. The flexi-head helps with these various contours as well.
Holding & Grip – 8/10
As mentioned above, maneuvering the shaver around the head is very easy. The rubber grips at the side on the shaver body do a good job at providing adequate grip.
Ease of Use – 10/10
It scores perfectly in this department. There is nothing difficult about using the Remington RX5, even for a first-time user.
Cleaning and Maintenance – 8/10
Cleaning is made easy with the easy clip-on and off-blade top. Just brush our hair with the brush or take the blades off and swill the insides (hair capture chamber) with warm water from the tap. If you use shaving cream, you may have to clean up the inner section more that will depend on the type of cream or soap used (gel or foam cleans off better).
The replacement blades cost $29.99 SPR-XR7000 (USA), and in the UK and Europe, the part number and costs are SPR-RX5, approximately £30 (€32). There have been problems with replacement blade availability, and at the moment, outside of the USA, the blades have become more difficult to find, which could be due to Remington introducing the new model, Remington RX7.
On Amazon, you can find copies of these blades for less than half of what Remington prices them up at. However, I cannot recommend the unofficial blades in case they cause any problems for you guys when using or purchasing them.
— See Replacement Blades at Amazon or search for other online spare stores. You can also contact Remington as I have done in the past, if you cannot find the blades on the Remington website.
Remington specifically informed me via email that the blades should last up to 6 months. The Remington website or user manual does not state blade longevity, which is bad practice. The longevity will vary based on the amount of use and hair coarseness.
Charging and Battery Life 9/10
It’s useful to have a warning light to let users know when the battery needs recharging, as half a shave isn’t too good, is it? The around 50-minute runtime advertised by Remington seems about right in my experience. Although I did not time it exactly, it stayed charged for the whole month I used it (I shaved every 2 – 3 days).
When it comes to the longevity of battery life, most rechargeable types will begin to lose charge quicker after longer-term use, which will eventually be the case with the battery on this shaver. They are not made to last a lifetime.
Value for money – 8/10
It is not cheap and priced at around $69 (£59.99 – €69.99), but it’s also not overly priced. If it suits the users’ needs, then it is worth the price tag.
Final Thoughts – Who is the Remington RX5 best suited For?
If buyers use the Remington head shaver for its intended purpose of getting a quick head shave every two or three days with a shaver that is designed for the shape of a head, then it’s a very good product.
Bald-headed guys who want to make shaving their head to the wood easier without getting the clippers, razor, and creams out will enjoy using this shaver.
Finding and buying replacement blades outside the USA could prove difficult and, in some ways, a deal breaker. Who needs a shaver that cannot be used after the first set of blades are worn?
The RX7 XR1600 (the latest Remington head shaver) is worth considering if you are willing to spend a little more and like the ‘not so many’ additional features.
