Panasonic Series 900+ ES-LS9A Review: a very close shave with a few annoying catches

I’ve been using the Panasonic Series 900+ ES-LS9A for a few weeks now, coming from a Braun Series 9 and, before that, a mix of Philips rotary shavers. So I’m not new to pricey electric razors, and I’ll be honest: I bought this half expecting it to be just another small upgrade with a fancy name and a higher price. In practice, it’s a bit more interesting than that. It genuinely shaves closer than my Braun, but it also comes with some quirks that you need to know before dropping this kind of money.

First thing to know: this is a foil shaver with 6 blades, a big head, and a cleaning/charging station. Panasonic pushes the whole “Japanese blades” and “84,000 cross-cutting actions per minute” story. I don’t care much about the numbers, I care about whether my neck is smooth and not on fire afterward. On that, it does pretty well. I get a shave that’s very close to a wet blade, especially if I use it with foam in the shower.

On the downside, it’s not a miracle machine. It still misses some longer, flat hairs on the neck if you let your beard grow too long, and you need a couple of passes or the pop-up trimmer to catch everything. Also, the head is massive. You get used to it after a few days, but the first time you use it, it feels like shaving with a small iron. Not painful or anything, just bulky.

Overall, my first impression is this: excellent shave quality, especially in closeness and comfort, but not perfect on practicality and long-term ownership. If you’re already deep in the Braun ecosystem and happy, this is an upgrade in closeness, but not a revolution. If you’re switching from a cheaper foil or a basic rotary, you’ll feel a clear step up, but the price and some spare part issues might annoy you later.

This shaver sits firmly in the premium price bracket. You’re paying for 6 blades, a strong linear motor, Japanese build, and a cleaning/charging station. Compared to cheaper Panasonic 5-blade models or Braun Series 7/entry Series 9, it’s clearly more expensive. The question is whether what you get in return really feels worth that extra money in daily use.

In terms of shave quality, I’d say yes, there is a noticeable gain if you’re coming from mid-range or older shavers. The closeness is better, the comfort is better, and the overall time to get a proper shave is a bit shorter. If you have a tough beard and sensitive skin, that combination alone can justify the extra cost, because you’ll likely be less tempted to go back to manual blades and all the creams that go with them.

However, if you already have a Panasonic 5-blade or a Braun Series 9 in good condition, the value is more debatable. One Amazon reviewer who upgraded from the 5-blade model said clearly it’s "not £150 better" and I kind of agree with that sentiment. The 6-blade is better, but not night-and-day better if your 5-blade is still in good shape. It shaves a bit faster and a bit closer, but not in proportion to the price jump.

Then there’s the running cost: cleaning solution powder (cheaper than Braun cartridges, to be fair), electricity for the long cleaning/drying cycles, and most importantly, replacement foils and blades, which seem hard to find for some users. That last point drags the value down for me. So overall, I’d rate the value as good if you specifically want top-level closeness and comfort and you’re okay paying for it, but just average if you’re more price-sensitive or already own a decent high-end shaver. It’s a luxury tool that performs well, but it’s not the smartest buy for everyone.

Design-wise, this thing is chunky but well put together. The first time you see it, the 6-blade head looks oversized, especially if you’re coming from a Braun Series 7 or 9. It’s wider and taller, and visually it looks a bit like Panasonic tried to cram as much metal as possible on top. In the hand though, it’s not as awkward as it looks. The handle is nicely curved, the grip is secure even with wet hands, and the weight feels solid without being a brick.

The shaver head has a flexible plate and moves in multiple directions, which helps it stay in contact with the skin along the jawline and chin. It’s not the most nimble shaver I’ve used, but it tracks the contours well enough. Under the nose is a bit more annoying because of the size of the head: you have to approach from different angles and sometimes stretch the lip a bit more than with a smaller-head shaver. After a week or so, I got used to the angles and it stopped bothering me.

The cleaning and charging station is fairly compact compared to Braun’s, and I actually like Panasonic’s system better. Instead of constantly buying bulky plastic cartridges, you pour a powder sachet into the station and mix with water. It’s cheaper in the long run and less plastic waste. The station has clear indicators for low fluid and runs a fairly long cycle: wash, then a long drying phase. That drying phase feels exaggeratedly long, but the shaver comes out clean and dry, so it’s doing its job. If you don’t want to use the station every time, you can just pop the foil off and rinse the head under the tap, which is quick and fine for daily maintenance.

Overall, design is functional rather than pretty. The head is big, which can be a downside in tight areas, but the general build feels premium and sturdy. The station is actually useful and not just a gimmick, though you do have to accept the noise and long cycle time. If you like compact, minimal gadgets, this won’t be your favorite. If you just want something that feels solid and easy to hold, it does the job well.

Battery is where things are decent but not impressive. Panasonic claims something like 8 hours of battery life, but that’s clearly not 8 hours of actual shaving. In reality, with my routine (5–7 minutes per shave, mostly dry), I’ve been getting roughly 10–12 shaves per full charge before the level drops low enough that I feel like recharging. So roughly around an hour of real use, give or take, which is fine but not mind-blowing for a premium shaver.

One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned the older 5-blade model only giving about 30–40 minutes of shaving and needing two charges for a 3–4 day growth. With this 6-blade, I didn’t have it that bad, but I also don’t do 1-hour marathon shaves. If you take your time and shave every 3–4 days, you might feel the battery draining quicker than you’d like. The manual suggesting a “month” of shaving at 3 minutes per shave is, frankly, optimistic. Most people I know don’t get a full, detailed shave done in 3 minutes with a foil shaver.

Charging is simple: you drop the shaver into the cleaning/charging station or plug it directly with the cord if you prefer. It charges fairly quickly from empty to full (around an hour or so in my experience). There’s a small display on the handle that shows battery level, which is handy. One thing to note: like most modern wet/dry shavers, you can’t use it while plugged in, for safety reasons. So if you let the battery run completely flat, you’ll need to wait a bit before you can shave.

Overall, the battery is okay but not a strong selling point. It gets the job done for normal use, but don’t expect weeks of use on one charge unless your shaves are very short. If you’re used to older shavers that could run seemingly forever on a single charge, this will feel more average. For me, it’s fine: I just drop it in the station every few days and don’t really think about it, but for heavy users or those who travel a lot without charging, it’s something to keep in mind.

Comfort is where this shaver impressed me the most. I have sensitive skin on the neck and usually get redness or a bit of razor burn if I push for a close shave, especially with older Braun foils or cheap rotaries. With the ES-LS9A, I can go for a really close shave without my neck looking like I’ve been scratching it all day. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to irritate yourself, but I had to really overdo it to feel any burning.

On a normal daily or every-other-day shave, I can do two slow passes on the neck and jawline and a few touch-ups without discomfort. The foil feels smooth on the skin, and the motor doesn’t tug at the hairs even when I go against the grain. The beard sensor might help here by avoiding unnecessary power spikes, but honestly I think it’s more about the blade quality and the fast, stable motor speed. Compared to my Braun Series 9, I’d say the Panasonic is slightly gentler when going for maximum closeness.

Wet shaving with foam is where this shaver really feels close to a manual razor. I tried it with a simple shaving gel in the shower, and the glide is nice, no dragging, and the end result was about as smooth as I get with a cartridge razor, without cuts or nicks. It’s also less noisy when used with foam, which makes the experience less annoying early in the morning. If you have very sensitive skin or suffer from shaving rash, using this shaver with foam is probably the best combo.

That said, it’s not perfect for everyone. If you have lots of flat-lying hairs on the neck and you keep rubbing the shaver back and forth trying to catch them, you can still irritate your skin a bit. Also, because the head is big, you sometimes need to angle it in a way that presses more on certain areas, and that can cause mild redness if you insist too much. But overall, for a foil shaver this close, the comfort level is pretty solid and clearly above average from what I’ve used before.

In terms of build quality, the ES-LS9A feels solid. The plastic doesn’t creak, the foil frame fits tightly, and the buttons feel firm. The stainless steel blades and foils look well-made, and after a few weeks of use and several cleaning cycles, there’s no sign of wear or looseness. The shaver is made in Japan, and it does give off that “well-assembled” feeling compared to some cheaper models that feel hollow.

The cleaning station also feels sturdy. The mechanism that lifts and lowers the shaver into the cleaning bath works smoothly, and I haven’t had any leaks or weird noises beyond the expected motor and fan sounds. The only small concern is the open cleaning fluid inside the station: since it’s just a mixed solution, if you knock the station heavily, you could spill it. One user mentioned this as well. So it’s not something you want to bump around on a small shelf.

The real worry is spare parts availability, especially foils and blades. One Amazon reviewer, who had the shaver for about two years, complained that replacement foil and blades were "long term unavailable" from Panasonic and hard to find online. That’s a pretty big red flag for a top-of-the-range product. If you buy a premium shaver, you expect to be able to maintain it for several years with official parts. Panasonic claims the blades keep a close shave even after 5 years in their tests, but in real life many people change foils every 18–24 months, especially with heavy use.

So my take is: physical durability is good, but long-term ownership is a bit risky if Panasonic doesn’t keep the spare parts in stock. If you’re the type who keeps a shaver for 5–7 years, this could turn into an expensive paperweight if you can’t find a replacement foil. If you’re okay replacing the whole unit after 3–4 years, it’s less of a concern, but at this price that’s not exactly ideal. I’d strongly suggest checking current availability and price of blades/foils in your country before buying.

Let’s talk about the actual shave. On short to medium stubble (1–3 days), this thing is honestly one of the best I’ve tried. One slow pass with light pressure, then a quick second pass in tricky directions, and my face feels genuinely smooth. Running my hand against the grain on the cheeks, it’s almost blade-level. On the neck, it’s slightly less perfect, but still better than what I got from my Braun Series 9 in the same conditions.

On longer growth (4–5 days), it still handles it, but you start to see the limits. Like other foil shavers, it struggles a bit with flat-lying hairs, especially on the neck and under the jaw. You have to stretch the skin, go in different directions, and sometimes use the pop-up trimmer to pre-trim the area. Compared to Braun, I’d say Panasonic is a little worse at catching those first-time, but it wins on overall closeness once you’ve gone over everything carefully. So if you don’t shave often and you usually tackle a 4–5 day beard, this is good but not perfect – you’ll work a bit to get totally clean.

The motor is strong and stable. I didn’t feel it slowing down even on denser spots, and there was no pulling or snagging, which is important if you have a tough beard. Panasonic’s marketing about 84,000 cross-cutting actions per minute sounds like overkill, but in reality it just means the shaver doesn’t choke on thicker growth. You hear the pitch change slightly on denser areas, probably the beard sensor doing its thing, but it never feels like it’s struggling.

In daily use, my routine with this shaver is: about 5–7 minutes for a full face and neck, dry, with a couple of short passes and some extra work on the neck. That’s a bit faster than I was with Braun, mainly because I need fewer passes on the cheeks and jawline. If you’re expecting the marketing claim of cutting 80% of hairs in one pass to be true on a real, uneven beard, forget it; you still need 2–3 passes in some areas. But overall, performance is strong, especially if you shave regularly and care more about closeness than anything else.

The Panasonic Series 900+ ES-LS9A is their top-of-the-line wet & dry 6-blade foil shaver, made in Japan. It comes with the shaver itself, a charging and cleaning station, a charger (UK 2-pin plug), a travel case, a plastic cap for the foil, and a little cleaning brush. There’s also a sachet of cleaning fluid powder for the station, which you mix with water. So yes, it’s a full premium kit, not just a bare shaver.

On paper, the big selling points are: 6 advanced Japanese steel blades, a responsive beard sensor that adjusts power to beard density, and a linear motor that does 84,000 cross-cutting actions per minute. Panasonic also claims it cuts up to 80% of hairs in a single pass on 2 mm stubble and that it keeps a close shave feel for up to 8 hours. Honestly, I don’t time my face in hours, but I can say that late afternoon I still feel reasonably smooth compared to cheaper shavers.

In practice, here’s how it plays out. On a 1–3 day beard, one slow pass plus a quick second pass in tricky areas (neck, jawline) is usually enough to look properly clean-shaven. On a 4–5 day beard, you’ll still manage, but you’ll have to work more carefully and maybe use the trimmer first on the thickest areas. The beard sensor is not magic, but I do notice the motor sound slightly changing on denser spots, and it doesn’t bog down or tug.

This model is fully washable and supports both dry shaving and wet shaving with foam or gel. I used it mostly dry on weekdays and with foam on weekends. Dry, it’s already very close and comfortable. With foam, the shave is closer and my skin feels a bit calmer, especially on the neck. So the product does what it says: precise, clean shaving, with a strong focus on closeness and comfort, but it’s still an electric shaver, not a magic wand that erases every single hair in one pass.