The Philips Series 3000 is a line of electric rotary shavers that promises great value for money, and the Philips Norelco 3600/3500 is one of the best-selling models in the line. The manufacturer has given the Philips Norelco 3500/3600 a makeover with a sleeker design and more innovative features. This review will provide you with practical insights and my personal experience with the shaver that will help you evaluate the shaver’s reliability and efficiency.
Pros
- ComfortCut blades for comfortable shaves.
- Blades are self-sharpening.
- Wet/dry shave.
- Very easy to clean.
- Powerful battery and 5-minute quick charge option.
- Popup trimmer.
- 100% waterproof and secured rubber grip.
Cons
- Very few accessories.
- Takes several passes in the coarse area.
Insights
The Philips Norelco 3600 and the Philips Norelco 3500 come with the same technology and features, and I don’t find any significant reason to separate them. So, I’m analyzing one step by step that will cover both. However, the manufacturer identifies the 3500 as the old model and the 3600 as the newer model. I think that’s nothing but a marketing trick. So, let’s delve into the Philips Norelco 3600 and 3500 insights.
Self-sharpening ComfortCut Blades: All the Philips Series 3000 shavers come with ComfortCut blades that feel pretty sharp and comfortable to shave efficiently. The ComfortCut blades have rounded edges to provide irritation-free shaves without nicks and cuts. But the new Philips 3600/3500 shaver comes with self-sharpening blades that were not used in the older versions. You know, self-sharpening blades can retain the sharpness for a longer time and provide the equivalent performance until gets dull. That’s why I prefer self-sharpening blades to general steel blades.
5-D Pivoting Head: Philips Norelco upgraded their pivoting head in the new Philips 3500/3600 shaver that flexes in 5 directions to adapt to the contours. Although it’s not the best flexible head, I think it’s good enough in its price range to provide flexible performance. The older Philips Series 3000 shavers featured 4 directional head that was not much adaptive to the facial curves. Since the shaver has a limitation in its shape, it cannot flex like a premium pivoting head for more precision shaving.
Power Source: It’s a cordless shaver that comes with a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery provides 60 minutes of cordless shaving performance with a 1-hour charge. Here the new Philips Series 3000 shaver excels all generations. Even the premium Philips Norelco shavers like the most advanced Philips s9000 and Series 7000 come with an identical backup of 60-minute cordless performance. On the other hand, the shaver provides 1 full shaving juice with a 5-minute quick charge for an urgent shave. In conclusion, the Philips Norelco 3600 is a great choice in terms of cordless backup.
Popup Trimmer:
Philips Series 3000 shavers come with a built-in pop-up trimmer for precision trimming and detailing. It’s really a useful feature in a shaver to make final touches for accomplished shaves. It’s really an admirable feature in the Philips 3500 shaver since an inexpensive product.
Waterproof:
The Philips Norelco 3600/3500 is 100% waterproof, and it allows you to clean it with direct running water. In addition, the new Philips Series 3000 shaver comes with one-touch-open head technology. The one-touch button allows me to open the head housing easily to rinse. It’s a very new technology in the new generation Philips shavers that is really very useful, I found.
Wet/dry Shave: Since a 100% waterproof device, the Philips Series 3000 shaver 3500/3600 allows me to shave under the shower. It’s really a rare feature for such an affordable shaver. Moreover, the shaver allows me to shave wet/dry. I used it with shaving gel to get refreshing shaves, and the result was pretty good. Therefore, you can have wet shaves with your favourite shaving liquid besides quick-dry shaves.
What’s in the Box?
Since an inexpensive grade shaver, it doesn’t come with too many accessories. I got the following items in this Philips Series 3000 electric shaver package.
- The Philips 3600/3500 shaver itself: the main device.
- A travel bag: this is a soft zipper bag made with fabric. This bag is not capable of protecting the shaver from outer hits when travelling or stored inside the baggage. However, it’s good for keeping the shaver safe from dust while not in use.
- Charging cord: the shaver comes with a universal charging adapter that works in any country. You can easily recharge the shaver with the charging cord. This makes the electric shaver a convenient travel option.
- Manual and warranty card: the shaver comes with a user manual that explains how to use the shaver and the accessories. It has clear pictures and instructions for each step. On the other hand, it comes with a warranty card that guarantees a two-year coverage for the shaver.
- A protective cap: The shaver includes a head protective cap that shields the blades and the entire head from outer impacts and dust. As described before, the travel bag is not sturdy enough to protect the shaver, but the cap can prevent damage to the blades and the head because this plastic cap is strong enough.
The Philips Norelco 3600 and 3500 have identical accessories, so everything I mentioned above applies to both models.
Personal Experience
The Philips Norelco 3600 and 3500 are two new shavers that have a storm grey and black colour scheme, unlike the older models. They have a soft rubber grip that makes them easy to hold and control. The head section has 27 ComfortCut blades and a flexible head that can adapt to the contours of the face. However, it is not as flexible as the premium shavers and may struggle with some tricky areas. The head chamber has a button that opens it with one click, which makes it convenient to clean. The shavers also have a larger battery than the previous models, which improves their reliability and performance. They have a popup trimmer that works well for trimming sideburns and moustaches. They also have a 3-stage LED display that shows the charging status, battery level, and quick charge indicator. I appreciate that Philips added this feature to the new shavers. I think the Philips Norelco 3600 and 3500 are well-built and worth their price. They are wet/dry shavers, so I tested them in both conditions. They gave me a close shave in dry mode, but I had to go over some areas more than once. They were equally effective in wet mode, which is impressive for their price range. They handled 1-2 day beards very well and even shaved 3-day beards without much trouble. They may not be able to cope with longer beards, though. They did not irritate my skin, but they were not as comfortable as the premium shavers with comfort ring technology. I think they are comfortable enough for regular use, but if you have very sensitive skin or other skin issues, you may want to avoid them. The popup trimmer did a good job of trimming, but it could not cut long hairs for stubble. That is not what a popup trimmer is meant for, anyway. Some premium models have a separate SmartClick trimmer for that purpose, but a popup trimmer is only for trimming short hairs. In conclusion, I think these Philips Series 3000 shavers are good products that do their job well.
Comparison with Alternatives
Braun Series 3 3040s: The Braun 3040s is a foil-type electric shaver that comes on a very inexpensive budget. It comes with three flexible shaving elements that provide a comfortable and close shave with or without any shaving products like foam, gel, water, etc. Compared with the rotary shaver Philips Norelco 3600/3500, the Braun 3040s has a fixed head, but the Philips Shaver comes with a 5D pivoting head to adapt to the facial contours for more convenient shaving. On the other hand, the Braun shaver comes with a rechargeable battery that provides 45 minutes of cordless shaving, but the Philips 3600 promises to provide 60 minutes of cordless shaving power with a full charge. However, both have a 5-minute quick charging option for on-the-go shaving while the battery is empty of power. While comparing the design and the shape, both have sleek designs and colour schemes, but the Braun 3040 comes with a slimmer and flat design, whereas The Philips Norelco 3600/3500 comes with a round and angled shape for easy grasp handling. Both models are very popular on the market but differ in their type ( foil and rotary). So, choose one of them according to your preference and convenience, considering differences.
Remington F5: The Remington F5 is another poplar foil-type alternative to the Philips Norelco 3600/3500. This shaver, by the way, comes with a pivoting head to follow the facial curves. When comparing shaving capacity, the Remington F5 is a dry-only shaver that you can not use for wet shaving. So, it’s a bad option for those who like refreshing wet shaves with shaving products. However, it comes with a rechargeable battery that provides 60 minutes of cordless shaving with a full charge that is fully identical to the Philips Series 3000 shavers. Since it’s a dry-only shaver, you can use it corded or cordless. So, you don’t need to worry about the battery charge while on the go. Moreover, it has a 5-minute quick charging option like the Philips Shaver. While considering the design and shape, the Remington F5 comes with a bulky shape that feels cumbersome for some users.
Verdict
The Philips 3000 Series shaver is a budget-friendly option, but it has some drawbacks in terms of accessories and features. However, you need to spend more money if you want a more advanced shaver. The Philips Norelco 3500 is a good option for men who want an inexpensive electric shaver that can shave wet or dry and give a close shave. I think it is a decent shaver for its price range. I would recommend this shaver to anyone who is dissatisfied with other low-cost shavers.
Should You Buy the Philips Norelco 3600/3500 Shaver?
Yes, if you want to have a close shaving machine on an inexpensive budget.
Yes, if you have sensitive skin and you prefer inexpensive rotary shavers.
Yes, if you want a richly featured shaver without spending a lot.
No, if you have a very coarse beard and want to shave long stubble (more than 2-3 day’s beard).
No, if you need a premium feel and premium accessories with your shaver.