The Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV95-S delivers a precise and comfortable shave. With pivoting, multi-flex heads and motor speeds of 14,000 cuts per minute, it works well on both fine and coarse hair, and is made by one of the world's best best electric razors.
The Arc5 is the successor to the much-lauded Panasonic Arc4 ES-LA93-K, which we noted in our review as providing a "close shave with minimal effort". As a wet and dry shaver, Panasonic's latest gadget enables you to self-groom either in the shower or on the move.
Sadly, this model does not come packaged with a clean and charge station. If you want one of those, you'll need to pay a little more for the Arc5 ES-LV95-S model.
Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV65-S: Design
It all comes down to personal taste, of course, but for us the Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV65-S is one of the most attractive shavers available today – foil or rotary. Solid and sturdy, contemporary but not over-complicated with buttons, it strikes just the right balance.
Though it's pleasingly lightweight in the hand, the shaver can feel a little top-heavy at times. And it could probably do with being a bit more grippy at the sides – we never felt 100 per cent confident that we weren't going to drop it. But these are fairly minor gripes, and on the whole the Arc5 ES-LV65-S is a very nicely designed shaver.
Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV65-S: Features
Much like the Braun Series 7 and its predecessor, the Braun Series 3 3050cc, the Arc5 has an active shaving sensor that adjusts the razor’s power flow based on the density of your facial hair. To give you a closer shave, its foils have slit blades with reverse-tapered edges to lift flat-lying hairs and trim longer ones.
This shaver has a battery life of 45 minutes, which provides 15 three-minute shaves. Recharging the battery fully takes an hour, but you can still shave while the razor is charging. This is important because the Panasonic models don’t have a quick-charge feature to let you power-up for a single shave when you don’t have time to wait for a full recharge. A user-friendly LCD display give you a battery life percentage reading, along with cleaning and blade-replacement reminders.
The Panasonic Arc5 is waterproof and has wet/dry functionality. You can shave wet with shaving foam or gel, and you can use this razor cordlessly in the shower. You can also clean it under running water.
The Arc5 has a trimmer for detailing sideburns, mustaches and beards. It pops up from the side of the shaving head and is much smaller than some other shavers we've used. If you’d prefer a shaver with a larger pop-up trimmer, the Wahl LifeProof 7061-100’s is full size.
The Panasonic Arc5 comes with a foil guard, cleaning brush, AC charging cord and blade oil. It also has a travel pouch, universal power adaptation and a travel safety lock. This feature keeps it from accidentally activating when you’re on the road. Panasonic warranties the Arc5 for two years, and customer service is available by phone, email and live chat.
Should you buy the Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV65-S
Panasonic's Arc5 ES-LV65-S ticks a lot of boxes. With a stylish design, a generous list of features and excellent shaving performance, it's almost a no-brainer.
The one downside is that the shaver does not come with a clean and charge station. With that in mind, you might want to consider the older and much-lauded Arc4, which costs around $30 less and does include the station. Alternatively, if you upgrade to the more expensive Arc5 ES-LV95-S model, you'll get the clean and charge accessory as part of the package.
