Panasonic Series 800 ES-LV67 Review: a fast, close shave that actually holds up day to day

I’ve been using the Panasonic Series 800 ES-LV67 for a few weeks now, mostly for daily face shaves and a couple of full head shaves just to see what it can really do. I’m not a grooming geek, I just want something that shaves fast, doesn’t chew up my neck, and doesn’t die halfway through a busy week. Before this I was on a Braun foil shaver and traditional wet shaving with a safety razor when I had more time.

My beard is on the dense side, especially on the chin and neck, and most cheaper electrics either miss loads of hairs or leave my skin feeling like I’ve rubbed it with sandpaper. So I went into this Panasonic a bit sceptical, especially with all the marketing about "beard sensors" and "16D heads". That kind of stuff usually sounds good on the box but doesn’t change much in the bathroom.

After using it daily, my overall impression is that this thing is genuinely strong where it matters: it shaves close and fast, especially if you use it wet with a bit of gel or foam. It’s not perfect – it’s noisy, the head is quite big, and the charger design is a bit annoying – but in terms of actual shave quality, it’s one of the best electrics I’ve had in my hands. It easily beats the older Braun I had, and it holds its own against a quick manual wet shave.

If you’ve got light fluff and super sensitive skin, it might be a bit much, but if you have a thicker beard or shave your head, this is worth a serious look. It’s not cheap, but compared to the high-end Braun models, the price feels more reasonable for what you get.

On value, the ES-LV67 sits in that upper mid-range spot. It’s not a budget shaver, but it’s usually quite a bit cheaper than a Braun Series 9, which is the obvious competitor. Several users who tried both say the Panasonic actually shaves closer and is easier to clean, and I tend to agree. So you’re basically getting top-tier shave performance without paying the very top-tier price.

What you’re paying for here is mainly the motor power, blade quality, and multi-direction head. Those are the things you feel every morning. The stuff you don’t get is the fancy cleaning station and all the extra packaging. If you like the idea of dropping your shaver into a dock and letting it clean itself, this model might feel a bit bare. Personally, I prefer just running it under the tap for 10 seconds and being done with it. The lack of a cleaning base also makes it more travel-friendly.

You do need to factor in replacement foil and blade costs down the line. They’re not cheap, and after 1.5–2 years of regular use you’ll likely want new ones to keep that "day one" closeness. Still, that’s true for Braun as well, and the parts for Panasonic are usually in the same ballpark or a bit less. Running costs are just part of owning a higher-end electric shaver.

If you’re on a tight budget and only shave every few days, this might feel like overkill. A mid-range three-blade foil might be enough for you. But if you have a thick beard, shave daily, or want something that can handle both face and head without fuss, the ES-LV67 offers good value for the performance. You’re basically paying once for a strong tool instead of buying a cheaper one, hating it, and replacing it six months later.

Design-wise, the ES-LV67 is on the chunky but manageable side. The head is large because of the 5 foils, so it covers a lot of area in one pass. At first it looks a bit overkill, especially if you’re used to a smaller 3-blade foil, but after a couple of shaves you get used to it. On flat areas like cheeks and the top of the head, the size is actually a plus – you clear big areas quickly. Under the nose or behind the ears you need to angle it a bit, but it still gets in there.

The handle shape is fairly ergonomic. It has a slight curve and some textured plastic that helps grip, especially if you’re using it in the shower or with foam. It’s not heavy (around 200 g), so your hand doesn’t get tired, even when you’re shaving your whole head plus face. There’s a head lock slider on the back that lets you freeze the flexible head when you want more control. I ended up locking it for some areas (like under the jaw) and leaving it free for the cheeks and scalp.

One design flaw for me is the charging connector. The lead goes into the bottom of the shaver and you have to line up + and – symbols that are hard to see. It’s a small annoyance, but when you’re half-asleep at night trying to plug it in, it’s the kind of thing that makes you swear a bit. A simple one-way plug would have been smarter. Also, the supplied pouch is tight – it fits the shaver, but not the charger. If you travel a lot, you’ll probably end up tossing both into a bigger toiletry bag anyway.

Noise-wise, this thing is loud and quite high-pitched. When you first switch it on, it sounds more like a small power tool than a gentle grooming device. During actual shaving it’s less harsh because the sound is dampened a bit against the skin, but it’s still not exactly discreet. If you’re shaving at 6am next to someone sleeping light, they’re going to know about it. Overall, the design is practical and focused on function, but with a couple of everyday annoyances that could have been avoided.

The ES-LV67 runs off a rechargeable battery with around 50 minutes of use per full charge, according to the specs. In real life, shaving once a day for about 3–4 minutes, I easily got around 10–12 shaves before needing to plug it in, which lines up pretty well with the numbers. If you’re only doing quick touch-ups or you skip a day here and there, you’re basically charging it every couple of weeks, not every few days.

Charging from empty to full takes about an hour to an hour and a half. There’s also a 3-minute quick charge function, which is actually handy. I tried it once when the battery was flat: 3 minutes on the plug was enough for one full face shave without the power dropping off mid-way. That’s the kind of small feature that’s genuinely useful when you forget to charge it the night before work.

The battery indicator is simple: 100/80/60/40/20%. It’s not super precise, but it gives you enough info to know when you’re getting low. It stays at 100/80 for quite a while, then drops more quickly once you hit 40 and 20. Once it’s at 20, you still have a couple of shaves left, but I wouldn’t push it too far if you’re travelling. I’d just top it up before a trip and forget about it.

The downside is the charging plug design and travel situation. The shaver takes a 2-pin bathroom-style plug, and the cable plugs into the shaver with that slightly annoying +/– alignment I mentioned earlier. Some buyers also pointed out that it doesn’t ship with a UK 3-pin adapter in some cases, so you might have to buy a cheap adapter if your bathroom doesn’t have a 2-pin socket. The travel pouch only fits the shaver, not the charger, which is a bit silly for longer trips. Overall, battery life and charge speed are solid, but the whole plug and travel setup could be more user-friendly.

On comfort, I’d say this: dry, it’s decent; wet, it’s genuinely good. I tried it first on a completely dry face, 24 hours of growth, no pre-shave, just straight on the skin. The shave was close, but I did get that familiar "electric shave feel" – a bit like you’ve lightly sanded the skin. Not painful, no real redness, just that slightly tight feeling on the neck for 10–15 minutes afterward. For a quick workday shave, that’s fine, but it’s not as comfortable as a good manual wet shave with a fresh blade.

Used wet, it’s a different story. With a thin layer of shaving gel or foam, the glide improves a lot and the irritation basically disappears for me. Under the chin and on the neck, where my skin is usually touchy, it managed to get close without leaving red patches. One Amazon reviewer mentioned using it with shaving oil – I tried that once and it also worked well, though it makes cleaning slightly messier. Shaving time wet is still under 3–4 minutes for a full face, which is much quicker than a full safety razor routine.

The Multi-Flex 16D head does help with comfort because you don’t have to press as hard to keep contact with the skin. It follows the jawline and neck curves fairly easily, so you’re not repeatedly going over the same patch trying to catch missed hairs. Less pressure and fewer passes usually means less irritation, and that holds true here. The pop-up trimmer is also gentle enough that I didn’t nick myself doing sideburns or trimming around a short beard line.

If your skin is super sensitive and you usually struggle even with mild foils, you might still find dry use a bit harsh. But for normal to slightly sensitive skin, especially used wet, the ES-LV67 hits a good balance: close shave, minimal irritation, and no weird hot spots on the foil. It’s not magical, but it’s clearly better than cheaper electrics I’ve tried and on par with, or slightly better than, my previous Braun in terms of comfort.

Build quality on the ES-LV67 feels pretty solid for the price range. The body is mostly plastic, but nothing rattles, and the head mechanism feels tight. The flexing parts don’t feel like they’re about to snap off if you press a bit harder on the jawline. The foil guard clicks on firmly, which matters because replacing that foil isn’t cheap, and I like knowing it’s protected in a bag or drawer.

A couple of long-term users on Amazon mention that after about a year, the blades are "not as sharp as they were" but still usable. That’s pretty standard for electric shavers: if you’re using it daily, you should expect to change foils and blades every 18–24 months if you want peak performance. Panasonic claims the stainless steel blades keep a close shave even after years, and while I can’t confirm multi-year use yet, the overall feel of the metal parts and the motor gives me more confidence than some cheaper brands I’ve tried that start feeling weak after six months.

Cleaning is straightforward, which helps with durability. You can tap out the hair, brush it, then rinse under the tap. It doesn’t cake up as much as some Braun models that basically demand the cleaning station. Less build-up means less strain on the motor and blades in the long run. I’ve rinsed it plenty of times and there’s no sign of water ingress or weird corrosion, which is what you want from a wet/dry shaver.

The only thing that worries me slightly is the cost of replacement parts. Foils and blades for this level of shaver are not cheap, and if you’re rough with it or drop it, you’ll feel it in the wallet. So while the unit itself feels robust enough, you still need to treat it with a bit of care. Overall though, in terms of materials and construction, it feels like something that can easily do a few years of daily service if you maintain it and swap the cutting parts when needed.

Performance is where this shaver actually earns its price. On a normal daily shave (24 hours growth), it clears the face in about 2–3 minutes without having to obsess over technique. The 5-blade head grabs a lot of hair in one go, especially on the cheeks and upper lip. Compared to my older Braun, I notice fewer missed patches and less need to go over the same area again and again.

The real test for me is the neck and chin. My beard there is thick and grows in weird directions. Many electrics either leave a lot of sandpaper stubble or they irritate the skin trying to get that last bit smooth. With the ES-LV67, I can get that area to "good enough" in one or two passes, and if I’m patient for a third pass, it’s very close to what I get from a fresh manual blade. One Amazon user said it’s the best under-chin shave they’ve had from an electric, and I’m inclined to agree – the 30° blades and flexible head do seem to help it reach into that awkward chin/neck crease.

On longer growth (2–3 days), it still does a decent job, but you’ll need more passes, and it can leave a few flat-lying hairs if you rush. It doesn’t tug much though, which is important. I also tried it on my head a couple of times. For head shaving, it’s actually very efficient: the large head and strong motor mean you can clean a full scalp in maybe 5–7 minutes once you get the hang of the angles. You do have to tilt it slightly on very flat areas to keep full contact, but it’s manageable.

Overall, in practice, this is a high-performance shaver, especially if you use it regularly and don’t let the beard grow for a full week. It’s not magic on 5+ days of growth, but for daily or every-other-day use, it’s quick, close, and handles tricky areas better than most. The noise is annoying, but if you care more about the result than the sound, it gets the job done very well.

Out of the box, the Panasonic ES-LV67 looks like a fairly serious bit of kit. You get the shaver itself, a basic travel case, a plastic foil guard, the charger, and a little cleaning brush. No fancy cleaning station, no stand, no big pile of accessories. Personally, I don’t mind that – less clutter – but if you’re coming from a Braun Series 9 with a cleaning base, it will feel more stripped back.

The shaver is a 5-blade foil model, with a big head that covers a lot of surface area. Panasonic pushes the "Responsive Beard Sensor" and "Multi-Flex 16D head" pretty hard in the marketing. In practice, the sensor just means the motor ramps up slightly when you hit thicker patches and eases off in lighter areas. You don’t really feel it as a big jump, but you can hear small changes in sound when it hits the denser parts of the beard. The multi-flex head basically tilts and swivels in a bunch of directions, and that does help on tricky areas like under the jaw and around the neck.

The spec sheet says 70,000 cross-cutting actions per minute, 50 minutes of battery life, and wet/dry use. From a user point of view, what matters is: it cuts fast, it holds a charge long enough for a typical week of daily shaves, and you can rinse it under the tap without worrying. There’s a simple percentage-style battery indicator (100/80/60/40/20), a travel lock, and a pop-up trimmer for sideburns and edging.

Overall, the presentation is fairly no-nonsense. It feels more focused on performance than on looking fancy in the bathroom. If you want loads of accessories and a flashy dock, this isn’t it. If you just want a powerful shaver, a case, and something you can chuck in a bag, it ticks the basics. I do think Panasonic could have included a proper UK 3‑pin adapter as standard, given the price and the fact that some users had to buy one separately.