Panasonic ES-LV95-S Arc 5 Review: The Smart Choice

After trying the Panasonic Arc 4, I was dying to try out Panasonic’s latest and greatest beard trimmer. In particular, I was eager to test drive the new Arc 5 head. The Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95-S is a higher-quality electric shaver that brings a lot to the table in terms of function and performance.

So I placed an order with everyone’s favorite online retailer and waited patiently for my package to arrive. When it came, the first thing that struck me was the size of the box. It was significantly smaller and lighter than I’d expected, and at first, I was worried that I’d gotten the wrong product.

Could I have accidentally ordered the standalone razor, instead of the whole kit? Hurriedly, I cut the box open.

Panasonic ES-LV95-S Arc 5 Electric razor

What’s in the Box?

Cleaning station:

It immediately became clear why this package was so small. The cleaning station for the Panasonic ES-LA93-K Arc 4 is tiny, just a few inches on each size. The shaver itself is extremely lightweight, only 7 ounces, and fits very well in my hand. This lightweight comes despite the Arc 5 head, which is huge.

There’s a nice foil cover for storage and a slick leather travel case for when you need to take your shaver on the road. The single cord powers the cleaning station, or you can use it to charge the Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95-S directly.

The kit also includes an owner’s manual, cleaning instructions, and a cleaning solution packet to get you started. If you’re religious about cleaning your shaver every day, you’ll want to order some more solution in a few weeks. A single detergent pouch is good for about 30 cleaning cycles, so you’ll need more solution in a month.

Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95’s Performance

The Panasonic arc 5 shaver’s head is a bit wider than Panasonic’s older Arc 4. I was concerned that this would be a problem under my nose, but the head is surprisingly steady for the lightweight, so I was able to navigate it easily in all the usual problem areas.

It worked well with or against the grain and only took 3 or 4 passes to get a good close shave. This was a major improvement over my old Panasonic ES-LV65 shaver, not so much in terms of closeness, but in terms of irritation. Older electric shavers tended to leave me dried out.

The Panasonic Arc 5 head is super efficient, so it won’t leave you with any itchiness or redness. Its motor runs smoothly, with minimal vibration, and is also quiet, more like a barber’s tool than a traditional home shaver.

The Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95-S is also totally waterproof, so you can use it in the shower if you want to.

On the back of the head, there’s a switch that causes a small sideburn edger to pop up. This is a nice feature and is similar to the sideburn edger on the Panasonic Arc4 ES-LA93.

If you have a beard like a Major League pitcher, don’t expect to use this small trimmer to take it all off. But if you’re just using it to trim your sideburns, it’s up to the task.

User-Friendliness

Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95-S is one of the most user-friendly electric shavers I’ve seen. It’s light and ergonomic and has a minimal number of settings.

It turns on, it turns off, and there’s a toggle that lets you temporarily deactivate the power button if you’re traveling and don’t want your battery to run out.

The same switch that opens up the sideburn trimmer can also be used to lock the Panasonic ES-LV95-S’s head in place. This is great when you’re trying to shave your upper lip and don’t want to accidentally slip.

It also provides a variety of cleaning and charging options. You can use the cleaning station for automatic cleaning, or clean the shaver manually.

You can also skip the cleaning station altogether, and charge your Panasonic ES-LV95 directly from the cord. This is another great option for people who like to travel. The bright LED on the handle shows you how many minutes you’ve used your shaver for since it was last charged.

A fully charged battery is good for 70 minutes of use, which was more than enough for me to take it on a weekend trip without worrying about bringing the cord.

The display also shows you how much charge you have left.

Accessories

As I mentioned, the cleaning station is tiny. It takes up about half the space of most cleaning stations. My wife reads these reviews, so she always notices when I have a new shaver. The first thing she said when she first saw this on the bathroom counter was “You should keep that one.”

When you first set it up, you’ll need to fill your cleaning station with a solution. To do this, press the large button on the left side of the unit, and lift it up. In theory, the cleaning reservoir magazine should just drop out.

In practice, you may have to tug it gently to get it to the dropdown. Pull the cleaning reservoir out, empty the detergent packet into it, and fill in the rest of the way with warm water, up to the fill line.

After that, replace the reservoir in the magazine, and press the magazine back into the cleaning station until it clicks.

The cleaning station works well and takes about an hour to run a full cycle. The razor runs during this time, but it’s a quiet buzz that isn’t really noticeable outside the room. There’s a “low” light that comes on when the cleaning solution is about to need changing.

When that comes on, you’ve got about 7 days before your solution is all used up.

The other main accessory is the travel case, which is well-built and molded to fit the ES-LV95-S’s shape. It takes up almost no room in your luggage and has a durable zipper that looks like it can really take a beating.

Ease of Use

Panasonic Arc 5 shaver is very easy to use and maintain. When you’re done using it, just set it in the charging station and hit the “select” button. Two lights will light up, one that says “dry” and another that says “charge”.

Hitting the “select” button once will light up both buttons. If you wait 6 seconds, the charging station will start to clean and dry your shaver.

I can also buy the electric shaver without a cleaning and shaving system. Sometimes, I think a cleaning and charging system is really necessary if I can just clean the shaver with water and soap because it’s very luxurious and comfortable.

5 blades wet and dry:

If you’ve got a tough beard so only time will tell how long the blades last. For me, Panasonic Arc 5 with 5 blades its a lot better and does a good close shave quickly. If you want to clean your blades manually, you can also do that. Just press the indents on the side of the Arc 5 head, and the foil cover will come off, exposing the blades.

Rinse the cover with warm water to clean out any hairs, and clean the blades with soap and warm water.

Once you’ve done that, put your shaver back in the cleaning station and hit “select” twice. The “dry” button will light up, and a dry cycle will begin 6 seconds later.

Of course, you can use the cleaning station as a charger only, but I wouldn’t recommend this: Not cleaning your blades can cause them to wear out much faster than they should. Not drying them after washing them by hand causes them to rust, which also costs you money.

Panasonic ARC 5 Replacement Blades

I would like to say with you my choice when using this Panasonic Arc 5 replacement parts. As you can see, this replacement head no more expensive, but are metal and I feel this solid.

So if you have Panasonic Arc 5 electric razor (ES-LV65-S or ES-LV95-S), you can replace the foil screen without having to buy the entire replacement blade.

Panasonic Arc 5 Foil and Blades Set (ES-LV61-A, ES-LV81-K, ES-LV65, and ES-LV95):

Panasonic Arc5 ES-LV95-S: The Price

This is a premium-priced shaver but cheaper than a Braun series 9, comparable to other high-end Phillips Norelco products. That said, just like other Panasonic products, it’s cheap to maintain. Blades and foils are available from the generic supplier, and cost just pennies on the dollar compared to other top-end replacement parts.

The cleaning solution is expensive, about eight times as expensive as the detergent for the Panasonic ES-LA93-K. That said, you can always clean it for free, by hand, as I do.

How it Stacks Up

Panasonic ES-LV95-S Arc 5

This shaver gives a much gentler shave than older Panasonic products like the LV65. The locking feature on the head also nicely solves the issues with working in tight areas. Compared to premium Braun shavers, the 14,000 RPM motor is a major improvement over the Braun 10,000 RPM motor.

Although the ES-LV95-S costs more than comparable Braun products, it’s still cheaper to maintain, despite the expensive detergent packets. Compared to the Philips Norelco 9000, this shaver cut faster and closer and was less irritating. That said, Phillips and Braun both offer rotary heads, which Panasonic does not.

My Final Thoughts

This is a premium shaver, even better than the ES-LA93-K. It cuts close, fast, and smooth, and works well enough around my nose while still avoiding the cardinal sin of being too small.

The built-in sideburn trimmer is a plus, and the travel options are also something I appreciate. If all of that isn’t enough, the cleaning station has a small enough footprint to make my wife smile.

Panasonic LV95-S really not perfect only if you like a minimum of fuss, you might be better off with the Philips Norelco 9000 shaver, which is quieter and requires less thought about shaving direction.

If you have particularly sensitive skin, I recommend looking at the Braun Series 790cc or Series 9 9295cc.

Final Verdict

I just upgraded from the Panasonic ES-LV65 to the Model LV95 Arc 5 and I’m beyond happy with my new investment. I didn’t think one could get a better shave than the Panasonic Arc 5, but I was wrong. This electric razor is superior to any other on the market.

Panasonic Arc 5 Electric razor ES-LV95-S is one of the best shavers on the market, and the Arc 5 head is probably the best head out there. It’s lightweight, easy to use, has plenty of battery life, and is easy to maintain.

Functionally, the Panasonic ES-LV95-S is not worse than the Panasonic ES-LV65, and If you’re happy with the Panasonic ES-LV65 you should stick with it; you may not be any happier with the Model LV95S. Having said that, though, it strikes me as unusual that water gets trapped in your Panasonic ES-LV65, and you may want to contact Panasonic about that.

The Panasonic Arc 5 shaver is quiet – shaves me in half the time – easy to clean in the self-cleaning recharger and does just the best job. I love this electric razor and wish that I had changed from my old shaver much sooner than this! If you can afford it, the Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV95-S is the best electric shaver for men you can get it. I really like this shaver, and I highly recommend it.

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