Review Summary
Pros: very close shaves, comfortable, fast and powerful, suitable for coarse beards, excellent build quality, lightweight & well-balanced, wet & dry use, generous bundle of included accessories, easy to clean, excellent popup trimmer
Cons: not ideal for shaving long and flat-lying hairs, the large head takes some getting used to, pricey replacement foil & blades, mostly a visual update over older Arc 5 models
Panasonic has been one of the more active manufacturers in recent years when it comes to releasing new high-end shavers, and, unsurprisingly, decided to add yet another model to their already confusing Arc 5 lineup.
Presented at the IFA 2019, this new Arc 5 is available in two variations: ES-LV67 (just the shaver) and ES-LV97 (includes an automatic cleaning station).
Other than that, the two shavers are absolutely identical.
Important: The ES-LV67 will NOT work with a cleaning station purchased later on.
And speaking of model names, the ES-LV67-K and ES-LV97-K are simply the black versions, while there’s also a blue option that is available in specific countries like the UK (ES-LV67-A).
Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV67-A
So the -K simply designates the color, but it’ll often be left out of the name and the shavers will simply be referred to as ES-LV67 and ES-LV97.
In fact, even Panasonic does that on their UK and Australia websites.
The only difference between the ES-LV67-K and ES-LV67-A for example is the color (black and blue, respectively).
Update: As of 2023, there’s also a red variation of the ES-LV67 called the Panasonic Arc 5 ES-ALV6HR. The color is the only difference between the two models.
Given that there are currently 3 Arc 5 generations out there, with the third one comprising of 8 distinct revisions (A through H), with weird names and some of them only available on the Japanese market, it’s no surprise that there’s quite a bit of confusion regarding where the new ES-LV67/ES-LV97 will fit in and how they compare to the existing Arc 5 models.
Well, in this review I’ll address precisely that as I’ve thoroughly tested the new Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV67 and I’ll share all the important aspects, including how it performs relative to other Arc 5 shavers.
Let’s dive right in.
Table of Contents
ES-LV67/ES-LV97 features overview
Since the black ES-LV67-K and ES-LV97-K are the two models available in the USA, I decided to get the ES-LV67-K for the purpose of this review.
As mentioned earlier, the ES-LV67 is the shaver that comes without a cleaning station and it’s also the cheaper option.
However, the review will be relevant in the case of the ES-LV97 as well since it’s really the same shaver (plus the station).
Let’s now take a quick look at the most important features and weed out some of the marketing fluff.
5 blade shaving system
Since it’s an Arc 5, it had to feature that one defining characteristic: a slightly arched, massive, 5-blade shaving head.
And the new ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 use a familiar foil setup that we’ve seen on the older (first and second generation) Arc 5.
In fact, they use the exact same outer foil and inner blades. This is a very important detail and we’ll get back to it later on.
Here is a quick overview of the 5 shaving elements and what they’re supposed to do:
A) — A Quick Slit Blade that captures and pre-cuts longer hairs, including those that grow in different directions.
B) — Two Quick Lift Foils that lift and cut short, flat-lying hairs. These foils are supposedly reverse-tapered to capture the hairs more efficiently.
C) — Two Finishing Foils that are very thin and should cut the hairs very close to the skin.
The blades are Panasonic’s well-known stainless steel blades that have an aggressive 30 degrees bevel for a more efficient cutting action.
As usual, there are two removable inner blades corresponding to the quick lift foils, while the remaining three blades are integrated into the foil block.
To summarize, there’s nothing new about the actual shaving elements of the new ES-LV67/ES-LV97.
Panasonic actually makes a few revised, updated foils for their newer Arc 5 in the third generation (that feature the distinctive gold rollers), but they fitted the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 with the older foil used on the ES-LV65 and ES-LV95.
The good news is that the revised foils are actually compatible with the ES-LV67/ES-LV97 (more details later on).
New 16D flexing shaving head
The shaving head of this shaver has some impressive flexing capabilities.
Precisely, it can swivel up and down, left to right and also slide vertically. The 5 blades themselves can move independently in addition to that.
It’s not the most advanced Arc 5 shaving head available though.
The revisions C, D, E, F, G and H of the Arc 5 (for example, the ES-LV9Q) are equipped with shaving heads that can also twist and slide back and forth.
While these features have debatable efficiency and benefits during use, it’s worth noting that again with the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 Panasonic didn’t use the latest available technology and these two models are shaping up to be a mix of some older shavers.
In fact, the body looks pretty much the same as the one of the ES-LV9N and ES-LV9A.
So while the ES-LV67-K/ES-LV97-K are chronologically the newest Arc 5 models (at the time of their release), they’re not the most advanced.
This of course doesn’t tell us much about the real-world performance (we’ll address that later on in the review).
14 000 CPM linear drive motor
The shaver comes with the same nippy and powerful 14 000 CPM (cycles per minute) motor, the same one used in the rest of the Arc 5 line and in some Arc 4 models.
It’s the fastest motor fitted to any electric shaver and one of the contributing factors to the Arc 5 excellent shaving performance.
Panasonic touts about the 70 000 cross-cuts per minute which is nothing more than the number of cycles per minute multiplied by the number of blades (14 000×5=70 000).
Intelligent shaving sensor
A sensor that supposedly detects the density of the beard is nothing new and we’ve seen it on past models as well.
The effectiveness of this technology is still limited and with previous models (like the ES-LV65-S for example) you could simply turn it off and shave in full-power mode at all times.
With the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97, the sensor cannot be disabled anymore.
According to Panasonic, it reads the beard density up to 220 times per second and adjusts the power of the motor accordingly (up to 14 adjustments per second).
This should ideally ensure maximum cutting power when shaving coarse hairs and a gentler shave for light to medium beards.
Wet & dry use
The new ES-LV67-K is of course suitable for wet and dry use, meaning you can shave in the shower or with your favorite cream or gel.
This feature also implies that the shaver will only work cordless (due to safety reasons). As such, it comes equipped with a Li-ion battery that should provide 45 minutes of shaving time on a single charge.
While this is pretty standard, I would have liked to see a bigger battery fitted to the shaver.
For example, Braun recently updated the Series 9 and fitted them with larger batteries, increasing their autonomy to 60 minutes.
The shaver can of course be safely washed with water.
Misc features
Other noteworthy features of the ES-LV67 are: a popup trimmer, travel lock, 5-level battery status indicator, 3-minute quick charge, universal voltage converter (100-240v).
Build quality and ergonomics
One area where Panasonic has been constantly killing it in recent years is build quality and design.
Compared to the other major brands, they seem to be in a league of their own, at least in this regard.
The ES-LV67-K is no different and the shaver impresses just by looking at it.
While the design is familiar, being almost identical to the previously released ES-LV9N, it is extremely sleek and it looks even better in this matte black finish.
It actually has more of a dark, deep, blueish-grey hue and the matte texture feels very smooth and refined when handling the shaver.
The difference in hue is obvious if you look at the bottom half of the shaving head or at the thumb rest — those have a true black color.
The only other splash of color is some gold used for the Lamdash logo and right below the shaving head.
Speaking of which, it is a 5 blade behemoth that’s an impressive feat of engineering.
Despite the looks, the shaver is not top-heavy at all, being well balanced and at just under 200 grams, it’s also pretty lightweight.
Even though the body of the ES-LV67 is made out of plastic (unlike the aforementioned ES-LV9N that featured a brushed aluminum body), it doesn’t feel cheap or plasticky at all.
There are no rough edges, no cracking noises and the gaps between the various surfaces are extremely small and consistent, which is not always the case with other premium shavers.
Everything feels solid and almost over-engineered and that’s a good thing since you’ll probably want the razor to last for many years of use.
On the front of the shaver, right below the head, there’s a large thumb rest and its position is pretty spot-on, especially if you have larger hands.
The power switch is a simple, round button that also doubles as a travel lock.
And while it has decent tactile feedback, it is a bit too easy to press, so you could accidentally turn the shaver off during use if you put your thumb on it (it happened to me a couple of times).
In order to activate the travel lock, with the razor switched on, you must press and hold the power button for 2 to 3 seconds.
The shaver will enter in travel mode and you won’t be able to turn it on.
This is confirmed by a small padlock icon on the bottom of the display that will flash when trying to turn the shaver on.
To deactivate the travel lock, you must simply press and hold the button again for 2 to 3 seconds.
The long and slim display will show various information, the most prominent being the battery level.
I am personally not a fan of it, with all the numbers being displayed at once and taking up basically the entire display.
Also, some older Arc 5 and even Arc 4 models used to display a timer letting you know the length of your shaving session, which was pretty neat.
Unfortunately that feature is gone with the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97.
On the sides and back of the razor, there’s a generous rubberized sleeve that ensures a fantastic grip.
This, along with the ergonomic shape of the handle and the balanced weight distribution make the ES-LV67 one of the easiest to handle big shavers I’ve ever used.
Turning the shaver over we find the pop-up trimmer on the shaving head itself.
Being positioned toward the top of the head, it makes it easier to see what you’re doing, improving the experience massively compared to older Panasonic models that had the trimmer located lower (on the actual body).
The switch below the trimmer has 2 functions: to lock (and unlock) the shaving head and to deploy the hair trimmer.
For that, there are three positions to choose from.
In the FREE position (1), the shaving head can move freely and follow the various contours of the face.
Sliding the switch forward in the LOCK position (2) will — as the name implies — lock the head in a fixed position for more precision.
Unfortunately this is a single, predetermined position; for example, on Braun shavers, there are 5 predetermined positions to choose from.
Also, if the top of the head is not aligned with the slider, trying to push it forward can feel jerky and it will require quite a lot of force.
Finally, in the third position, the trimmer is deployed and you can then turn the shaver on and use it.
Also on the back of the shaver you may have noticed 3 dots where the metal contacts of the ES-LV97 would be. Those are used to charge the shaver when it’s placed in the cleaning station.
That’s the reason why the ES-LV67 will not work even with a compatible station — it cannot physically connect to it.
Finally, towards the bottom, we have some info about the shaver. It’s neat that Panasonic also provides the model of the charger (RE7-87) so you’ll know which one to buy in case you lose it.
Overall, the ES-LV67/ES-LV97 managed to impress with its solid build quality and sleek design.
Included accessories
While it’s not always the case, the packaging can be an indicator of the quality of the items inside.
As such, the ES-LV67-K came in a compact and nice-looking box made out of thick cardboard with some nice illustrations.
This is in stark contrast with the cheap, thin boxes Braun uses with all the items piled together.
In this case, the contents are very neatly packaged. Here’s what you’ll find:
- ES-LV67 electric shaver
- Travel pouch
- Charging cord
- Protective cap
- A small bottle of lubricant
- Cleaning brush
- Operating instructions, warranty card (2 years for both the shaver and the battery) and cleaning instructions.
Overall, the bundle is pretty impressive. I must however mention the soft, faux leather pouch which was a bit of a letdown.
While it does look quite nice, it offers little protection and it’s getting a little bit long in the tooth. Panasonic really needs to replace it with at least a hard textile case.
Some Arc 5 models come with a really nice hard leather case for example, but those are usually a lot more expensive and only available in Japan.
As a side note, the latest Arc 5 models (revisions G, H and J) don’t even come with the faux leather case anymore. Instead, you get this cheap velvet-like textile pouch.
So I guess we can let it slide.
I really appreciate it when manufacturers include lubricant and protective caps; I know it doesn’t sound like much, but these items are really useful and we rarely see them included nowadays.
Battery life and charging
Like most current Panasonic electric shavers, the Arc5 ES-LV67/ES-LV97 will only work cordless.
So you won’t be able to use the razor while it’s charging, which may be a deal-breaker for some potential users.
Unfortunately that’s how the vast majority of today’s electric razors work, not just the ones from Panasonic.
There are only a handful of models still in production that will actually work when connected to a power outlet.
The reason for this is of course safety and all wet & dry electric shavers are confined to cordless operation.
The Panasonic ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 are fitted with a rechargeable Li-ion battery that will provide a decent 45 minutes of cordless use.
That’s basically the industry standard and it should be enough for anyone’s needs.
It would have been nice to see a bigger battery inside this new Arc 5 release, but it is what it is.
From past experience, I never had any significant issues with Panasonic shavers and battery longevity, so in my opinion this shouldn’t be a cause of concern.
Getting back to the ES-LV67-K in our review, the battery life was solid during my tests and I actually managed to get a bit more than the claimed 45 minutes.
I don’t actually recommend you do so; just charge the shaver whenever you can, as you would do with your smartphone for example.
This will not have a negative effect on the battery (contrary to some of the myths still lingering).
The included charger is the standard Panasonic RE7-87 that’s shipped with many of their current razors.
Charging from 0 to 100% takes almost an hour during which a charging symbol will be shown on the bottom of the display and the corresponding battery level will flash.
It does unfortunately have a proprietary connector, so we’re not getting USB-C any time soon.
The battery level indicator is a bit crude in its design as I already mentioned, but it is functional and clear and it gets the job done.
Side note: the ES-LV97 model can be charged either directly with the cord or via the cleaning station.
My unit came with a USA plug, but this can vary if you buy the shaver from Europe for example (the blue ES-LV67-A).
However, you will still be able to use it anywhere in the world with a simple plug adapter since it’s fitted with a universal voltage converter (100–240v).
The quick charge feature is present as well and you should be able to get just enough juice in the battery with a 3-minute charge to complete a shave.
All in all, the battery life of the ES-LV67-K was good and consistent and pretty much what you would expect from a quality shaver.
Shaving performance
Right, let’s now get to the most important part of the review — how the Panasonic ES-LV67/ES-LV97 actually shaves.
Spoiler alert: it’s fantastic.
Performance-wise, I’d say it’s one of the best shavers out there right now.
However, there are a few caveats you should keep in mind before pulling the trigger.
Here are what I consider to be the 5 most important aspects, starting off with the closeness.
1. The closeness of the shave
With any Arc 5 that I test, I always have high expectations regarding the closeness of the shave.
I’ve mentioned it on many occasions, I think the closeness is the selling point of pretty much all Panasonic shavers over similarly priced models from the competition, particularly Braun foil shavers.
And there’s really no other way of putting this — the ES-LV67 (ES-LV97) is one of the closest shaving electric razors you can currently buy.
It consistently provided a very close and smooth shave and what’s even more impressive (at least for me), it did so regardless of the area being shaved.
For example, I have a really bony chin with very thick and dense stubble and getting a smooth shave is always an issue for me.
The same goes for the area right under my chin and above the upper lip.
This Panasonic managed to pass this test with flying colors.
It was effortless to get an extremely close shave, regardless if I used it wet or dry which is again a big deal for me as I can normally get a really close shave when using shaving cream.
On the cheeks, the closeness was again among the best I ever got from any electric shaver.
The powerful motor and the sharp blades made it effortless to get these stellar results.
I really don’t have any complaints with regard to closeness, so if that’s what you’re after, the ES-LV67-K is really a fantastic option.
Fun fact: this shaver uses the exact same foil and inner blades as previous Arc 5 models, the highly acclaimed and popular ES-LV65-S and ES-LV95-S.
Those two were also top performers and unsurprisingly, their successors, the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 respectively, follow suit.
So that’s something to keep in mind if you’re trying to compare and decide between them: they use the same cutting elements, so in this regard, the newer ES-LV67 doesn’t bring any improvements.
Which is fine really, as the older shavers were excellent.
Another difference would be the shaving sensor that in the case of the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 is always on.
This didn’t seem to impact the closeness compared to my ES-LV65-S that I always use with the sensor off, so in full power mode.
I think the ES-LV67 may be fitted with an updated sensor that’s better at modulating the power output as it didn’t seem to vary it is often and abruptly.
So stellar performance as far as closeness is concerned.
Let’s now move on to comfort.
2. The comfort of the shave
Considering the A+ closeness, the comfort was actually remarkable.
Unless you have very sensitive skin and suffer from ingrown hairs and bumps, I think most users will be perfectly fine using the Panasonic ES-LV67-K (be it wet or dry).
It’s really difficult to make an electric shaver that excels at both closeness and comfort. A small compromise must always be made and sacrifice one of the two.
Braun for example sacrifices a bit of closeness for comfort. With Panasonic, it’s the other way around.
However, it’s not too bad. Out of all Panasonic shavers, the Arc 5 is the most comfortable.
UPDATE: the new Panasonic Arc 6 is now the most comfortable Panasonic I’ve used, but the difference is not by any means huge.
I only had two relatively minor issues in this regard while testing the ES-LV67-K.
Precisely, I have very sensitive skin on my neck and when doing a faster stroke as opposed to a slower, more controlled motion, it would sometimes pinch and sting, maybe even yank a hair or two if I haven’t shaved in 3 days for example.
But I could easily get around this problem by being a bit more careful.
The second issue was a mild rash, more in the form of some redness rather than actual discomfort on the neck and around my upper lip area.
But again, it wasn’t a really big deal and it always went away after applying an aftershave balm.
So while it’s not as comfortable as a Braun Series 7 or 9, the Panasonic ES-LV67 will likely be good enough for most users.
Again, if you suffer from more serious issues, I think the aforementioned Braun models will be a better choice.
Also, the newer, revised Arc 5 foils (that have the two golden rollers) are a bit more comfortable and they will actually fit the ES-LV67, so you can upgrade it in the future (you can find the exact part numbers in the replacement parts section of this review).
I personally like to use a pre-shave when I shave dry as it makes the shave that much more comfortable and it can also improve the closeness.
I got the best results doing so with the ES-LV67-K; my pre-shaves lotions of choice are from Speick and Tabac, I highly recommend them if you can buy them in your country.
3. Shaving longer hairs
This is the only bigger drawback of this shaver (and of Panasonic in general): shaving longer, flat-lying hairs.
Despite the use of those specialized shaving elements, like the quick slit blade and reverse-tapered foils, it’s still their Achilles’ heel.
While the ES-LV67 is really fast and will easily cut wiry and coarse hairs with ease, it can struggle to catch them if the hairs are longer and lie flat on the skin.
My neck basically has a lot of those and the direction of growth is also inconsistent, which makes shaving very difficult.
Unsurprisingly, this razor struggled a bit when shaving a longer beard, which in my case is 3 days and up.
When the hair was shorter, it wasn’t actually that big of a deal and it managed to do the job decently.
But when trying to shave long and flat hairs, it would miss some of them and it would take quite a few strokes while constantly adjusting the direction just to capture them.
The very large head doesn’t help either, mostly because it pretty much obscures the area you’re shaving and you need to be aware of the hairs’ direction of growth and always go against it.
I found it easier to tilt the shaver so that the middle slit blade was the first one coming in contact with the skin (despite the general rule of thumb of always keeping the shaver perpendicular to the skin).
The shaver seemed to capture those difficult hairs more efficiently when doing so.
Also, the complex flexing shaving head did a decent job of maintaining contact with the skin, especially when shaving the neck and jawline.
I actually prefer the simple heads of Braun shavers as they have a greater range of motion and the actual foils require a lot less force to be flexed, which can help with comfort and maintaining contact with the skin.
This is an old and ongoing issue with all Panasonic shavers.
So the takeaway is that the ES-LV67/ES-LV97 is not ideal for shaving less often, especially if the whiskers stay flat on the skin.
It will work great when used on short stubble, so depending on your shaving routine, a Panasonic Arc 5 may or may not be ideal for you.
4. Wet use
I know most men prefer to shave dry, but you do have the option of using a nice shaving cream with the ES-LV67 and enjoy a potentially even more comfortable and close shave.
If you’re getting satisfying results using the razor dry, this may not be worth it; there’s more prep work needed and the cleaning has to be thorough.
However, if you have irritation-prone skin, this could improve your experience significantly.
I tried it a few times and it was great. In my case, the biggest difference was the lack of any irritation and redness on my neck and the closeness was, as expected, outstanding.
In fact, I’d say that it was comparable to what you would get from a razor blade.
Also, the flat-lying hair issue was greatly reduced, even though a few stray hairs still gave me a hard time.
Since it’s fully waterproof, you can also shave in the shower if you prefer doing so.
5. Popup trimmer
The ES-LV67 is fitted with Panasonic’s typical popup trimmer located on the shaving head.
And it’s a great trimmer for some light grooming, like shaping and edging sideburns or goatees.
I wouldn’t use it constantly to pre-trim an entire beard. You can do that, but I imagine it will take a long time, so it would be a good idea to invest in a dedicated beard trimmer.
But for its intended purpose, it works great. In fact, I think Panasonic makes the best trimmers out of all the electric shaver brands.
It’s positioned just right at the top of the head and you don’t have to remove the foil and inner blades to see what you’re doing.
The trimmer is really sharp, adequately wide and has a straight edge (which I definitely prefer over an arched one).
Also, the spring holding it in place when deployed is pretty strong and the trimmer won’t fall back like the one on the Braun Series 7 or on most Remington shavers.
Cleaning and maintenance
When faced with the decision of getting either the ES-LV67 or the ES-LV97, the choice was pretty easy for me: I went for the former and also saved some money doing so.
I’m not saying by any means that the station included with the Arc 5 isn’t good, on the contrary, I think it’s one of the best out there.
I just don’t think it’s necessary and it’s also not as practical as the ones from Braun for example (I’ll get to that right away).
However, it’s entirely up to you to decide if the convenience of the cleaning system is worth the extra cost.
Panasonic electric shavers are the easiest to clean and maintain out of all the brands in my opinion.
And that’s the case with the ES-LV67-K as well.
There are a few features of Panasonic shavers that make them easier to clean compared to other foil shavers: they have removable inner blades and offer great access for a thorough cleaning, they have a special cleaning mode and they’re fully waterproof.
So let’s start with manually cleaning the shaver and then take a look at what the station has to offer in the case of the ES-LV97.
Manual cleaning
Upon completing the shave, the first thing I do with any electric razor is to remove the bulk of hair strands trapped inside the head.
With the shaver turned off, on both sides of the ES-LV67 head there are two tabs and once you press them, the foil frame pops out.
Tap the plastic part gently on the sink to get rid of the hairs.
You can also use the long part of the included brush on the inside of the foils, but I personally don’t bother doing that.
You can then simply rinse everything with warm tap water.
For a more thorough cleaning, you should use a bit of liquid soap at least every once in a while.
With the shaver turned off, put the foil frame back on the shaver, add a bit of water and a few drops of soap, then press and hold the power button for 3 seconds.
The Sonic cleaning mode will be activated, signaled by the high-pitched motor noise and the flashing of the battery level indicators.
During this mode, the blades will oscillate at a very high speed, effectively cleaning any hardened dirt and gunk from the blades.
It will also prevent water splashes.
Add more water if needed so the soap can lather and coat the foils.
After 20 seconds or so, the shaver will automatically turn off. You can do it earlier by pressing the power switch.
Press and hold the button again to activate the cleaning mode, then rinse the head under the tap.
Remove the foil frame again and give it a rinse under the tap. Do the same with the inner blades.
Shake off the excess water, pat the shaver with a clean cloth and let all the parts air dry completely for 24 hours before putting them back together and storing the shaver in a cabinet.
Lubrication
In order to ensure optimal performance, you should lubricate the blades of your shaver regularly.
This is particularly important if you use soap as it will remove any traces of lubrication.
Fortunately, Panasonic did include a small bottle of lubricant (which is basically a highly refined mineral oil) and the lubrication process is very straightforward.
I personally do it right before I shave, but that doesn’t really matter as long as the blades and foils are dry (this in turn matters).
With the shaver turned off, place a single drop of lubricant on each foil, then switch the shaver on for a few seconds so that the oil can spread evenly. Gently wipe off the excess with a paper tissue and you’re all set.
I recommend lubricating the shaver after every cleaning that involves the use of soap. If you only use water or just the brush, once a week should suffice.
Automatic cleaning
While I went for the ES-LV67, I have a good knowledge of the station that comes with the ES-LV97 and I can share some thoughts on it.
I have a couple of those stations laying around unused because as I mentioned, cleaning Panasonic shavers is really easy and takes seconds.
And besides that, once you decide to use the station, you pretty much have to stick with it.
Unlike Braun stations where you can simply take out the cartridge, put the cap on and store them for future use, the Panasonic station has a tray in which you mix concentrated detergent with water and you’re out of options if for some reason you don’t want to use the station for a period.
Knowing that, I’ve only used mine sparingly (if at all).
But practicality aside, the Panasonic station is really good. In fact, it has a few key advantages over all the other brands.
The detergent solution lasts a long time, you have the option of only drying the shaver and the station is fitted with both a fan and a heater to dry the shaver efficiently.
And I can confirm that at the end of the drying cycle the head won’t be damp like a Series 9 for example.
Panasonic ES-LV97-K
So yes, if you have the budget for the ES-LV97-K and you think you’ll be using the station on a regular basis, then by all means go for it.
Also, you won’t have to lubricate the shaver manually as the cleaning solution also acts as a lubricant.
Replacement parts availability
The ES-LV67 and ES-LV97 feature Panasonic’s usual shaving system comprising of two removable inner blades and one outer foil.
They can be bought separately or as a set.
The two inner blades are the WESS9170P, which are the same inner blades used throughout the entire history of the Arc 5 line. Yes, from the very first models, up to the current ones, including the Japanese-only models, the inner blades are the same.
The outer foil has the part number WES9173P and again, it is the exact same foil used on older Arc 5 models like the ES-LV65-S, ES-LV95-S or the first generation ES-LV61-A.
You can purchase the foil and blades as a set too (part number WES9032P) and this option is usually a bit more advantageous financially.
WES9032(P) Foil and blades set
As mentioned previously, the newer, revised outer foils that feature two gold comfort rollers are compatible with the ES-LV67 and ES-LV97, so you may choose to buy those instead when it’s time to replace the older one.
These foils have the part numbers WES9175, WES9177, ES9179, ES9181 (from older to the newest, respectively) and you can also buy them together with the two inner blades since again they are the same.
For a detailed overview of all the replacement foils and blades and their compatibility with various Arc 5 models, you can check out this guide.
As for how often you’ll need to replace them, that really varies a lot among different users and their shaving routine.
Things like the coarseness of the beard, how often you shave and how well you take care of your razor will have a great influence on the lifespan of these parts.
Panasonic recommends replacing the inner blades every two years and the foil every year. Again, this will depend on the aforementioned factors.
I also suggest replacing both the blades and foil at the same time; uneven wear of one of the replacement parts can actually accelerate the deterioration of a new part and the performance won’t be optimal from the get-go.
Wrapup — Who should buy the ES-LV67?
This shaver had all the premises to deliver a stellar performance and it did just that for most of the time.
If you want a very close shave, you don’t suffer from ingrown hairs or very sensitive skin and you usually shave more often, the ES-LV67/ES-LV97 would be the ideal shaver for you.
As outlined in the performance section of the test, it is not the best out there if you have wiry, flat-lying hairs. Again, it is less of an issue when the hair is shorter, so shaving more often should improve the performance.
For beginners or users with light facial hair, the ES-LV67-K could be a bit overkill in the sense that they would still get really good results with a less expensive razor like an Arc 4 or even Arc 3.
The bulky shaving head is the result of having 5 shaving elements that while ensuring a really fast and efficient shave, can make maneuvering the razor more cumbersome, especially for beginners.
So it can take some time until you get used to its proportions.
The Panasonic replacement parts have always been pricey and it’s the same story here.
You shouldn’t neglect this aspect if your goal is to get the most cost-effective shaver out there. The ES-LV67 is probably not that shaver.
Finally, I think the strongest argument against buying the ES-LV67-K or the ES-LV97-K is the very existence of the older and (often) cheaper Arc 5 models, the highly popular ES-LV65-S and ES-LV95-S.
Which leads us to the next section.
Alternative shavers
I think it’s obvious at this point that this new release is more of a visual update.
Yes, the design is modern and sleek, the shaving head has some impressive flexing capabilities and the build quality is top-notch despite the use of plastic instead of metal.
But the things that really matter for shaving performance, like the motor and the foil and blades, have remained unchanged from the ES-LV65-S (ES-LV95-S).
Panasonic ES-LV67-K vs ES-LV65-S
In my experience, the results are basically identical between my ES-LV65-S and the ES-LV67-K. The latter does seem to be fitted with an improved beard density sensor, but that’s pretty much it.
So that obviously makes you wonder if you should spend more on a new design when the results are basically the same.
That’s totally up to you, but my personal pick would still be the older Panasonic ES-LV65-S as it offers fantastic value for money, at least at this moment.
Panasonic ES-LV65-S
Moreover, you can also disable the shaving sensor and, surprisingly, I quite like the flashier, quirky design of the ES-LV65-S. And it will also display the length of your shave, a feature that was left out with the ES-LV67.
But these are ultimately minor perks that may not matter to you.
The price is the decisive factor here and in a Panasonic ES-LV67-K vs ES-LV65-S situation, I would opt for the latter as it usually costs less.
However, especially in the UK/Europe, the ES-LV67 can be cheaper, in which case it’s probably the better pick.
Despite being released a long time ago, the ES-LV65-S is still as relevant as ever and a fantastic choice. The same goes for the ES-LV95, the model that comes with a cleaning station.
You won’t have to worry about the replacement parts either, as these shavers are also compatible with the newer foils.
Finally, if you have very sensitive skin, your whiskers grow parallel to the skin and you shave less often, I think you’d be better off with a Braun shaver, be it a Series 9 or a 7 (depending on your budget).
Braun Series 9 9390cc
They are much better in these situations and despite not shaving quite as close as a Panasonic Arc 5, I think most users will be satisfied with the results.
They’re also better suited for African American men and for shaving the head.
I think you can confidently go for a cc model that includes an automatic cleaning station in this case — it doesn’t cost a lot more and the station is really practical.
You can also find quite a few cheap cleaning solutions for it.
That’s pretty much it — if you have any questions, make sure to post them in the comments section below.
Fantastic reviewas allways!! very usefull.
Thank you for your comment, Carlos. Glad you found it useful.
–Ovidiu
Current prices have the ES-LV67-K at $129 at Best Buys and $149 for the ES-LV65-S. So does that change your opinion above? Would you go with the ES-LV67-K in this scenario?
In this case I think I would still buy it over the ES-LV67. I just prefer to shave with the sensor turned off and I also like the timer on the display. But for someone else, these things may not matter as much. The prices of these two models tend to change a lot, with the ES-LV65-S usually being cheaper.
Another big difference is the Percentage display, LV65’s is bigger.
That is true, I also mentioned it in the review. The display of the LV65 is overall more practical and useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Awesome and well written review! Thank you for your hard work in putting this together for everyone considering an Arc5 model.
Thanks,
Julian
Thank you so much for the kind words, Julian. Glad you found the review useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I am trying to decide between the ES-LV67-K and the ES-LV65-S. Besides the difference in price, do you feel that one stands out over the other in any way?
Many thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark,
As I said in the review, apart from the more up to date design of the ES-LV67, no. In my experience, the ES-LV65-S is just as good and if you can grab one at a discount too, it’s clearly a winner. In terms of value for money, I don’t think there’s a better shaver out there right now (assuming that it’s a suitable shaver for your needs).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
MANY thanks for your reviews and answering our questions! Some will consider these great in-depth reviews somewhat “ridiculous” for lack of a better word. HOWEVER, when one shaves, as MOST guys do, ALL of your input and extra detail is HIGHLY appreciated! Otherwise, the rest of us could only find out these things by purchasing numerous electric razors ourselves to determine any information and the differences from one device to another!
Best regards,
Mark
You are very welcome, Mark. I’m truly glad that I’m able to provide some useful insights with these reviews. I try to be as concise as possible, but there are always so many important aspects to cover and I often end up writing more than planned.
Thank you for your kind words, much appreciated!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Do you think the 16 directional heads on the 67 make a difference compared to the 65 ?
I really don’t think it makes a difference. Compared to the 65, the whole head of the 67 can also move vertically a few millimeters, so it basically gets pressed down and springs back up. To me this is more of an annoyance as it doesn’t really help with keeping the foils in contact with the skin. Having the actual cutters do that, smoothly and with a decent range of motion, would have been much better. But none of the Arc 5 models do that, not even the very latest Japan-exclusive models. Also, that vertical movement of my 67 has gotten really jerky after constant use for more than a year, so it basically behaves like a 65 now.
To sum it up, I don’t think the head flexing system alone of the LV67 should be a reason to get it over the LV65.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thx for the reviews. Bought this one instead of a Braun series 9. As panasonic employee I could get the 97 for not even half the price what made the decision easy.
I must say you’re reviews are very complete and the best I have ever encountered.
That’s very kind of you, thank you. Glad you found the information useful.
Enjoy shaving with your new LV97!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Just bought a Braun 9395cc… having read your review I’m going to buy the Panasonic, too… we’ll see what will be the best (for me, of course) between these twos
Thanks a lot for your great review
Thank you for your comment, Luca. Hope you’ll enjoy both, although it’s a lot more likely to have a preference for one of the two as they excel at different things.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I too bought a Braun Series 7 and Panasonic ES-LA93 years ago….still use them but the price of the foils and blades are ever increasing….my last replacement to eh ES-LA93 foil/blade was 2014!,……Its time for a change now but I want a new razor….I agree with everything said about Braun and Panasonic….The biggest difference in them are 2 items….(1) the Panasonic is shorter on charge and has a higher pitch whine when running than the braun….other than that, I do like the larger head on the Panasonic…seems to do an easier job of shaving than the. Braun, but on the other hand the Braun seemed to have a closer cut….but I think that is in my head because the Braun head stick up higher….
All in all I am please with either shaver….it will be a matter of personal choice now….I think I am going with the Panasonic ES LV65S, even thought there are more advance models out there….I like the time lapse and user control on the sensor….
But you can’t go wrong with either one.
Those are some good points and unfortunately the prices of Panasonic replacement parts have always been high (even higher than Braun’s cassettes). If you like the Panasonic more, I think you should probably go with the LV65S, it is in my opinion the Arc 5 model to buy right now if you can get a great deal on it. Also, in the case of most users, it will also shave closer than let’s say a Braun Series 9 or 7.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for your very detailed review! I just bought a ES-LV65-S after reading your review a few weeks back, it works very well and the price is much more reasonable than this years model which is almost 2-3 times higher
I opened it and checked the battery, it is a 650MAH li-on 14500 battery. The strange thing is that once the battery is removed even for a second, no matter what charge you have left on the battery, the charge indicator on razor will reset to 0 (You can still run it since there is still lots of charge). You have to charge it for an hour to turn the charge indicator to 100%, even the battery is full. This is a very strange charge indicator design from panasonic …
I found out that a regular molex pin can be squeezed and sit very tight on those charge pins. I soldered two molex pin to a USB cable (Or you can just cut the original proprietary connector and solder it to a USB cable), then this USB cable can fully charge the razor to 100% in an hour, perfect for travel
Hi Johny,
Many thanks for the information, that’s actually very interesting (I never opened an ES-LV65).
The DIY USB cable solution is also really handy and clever.
Thank you again for taking the time to share this, much appreciated!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My Version (cable + battery): https://ibb.co/album/mND9Va
Excellent, thanks for sharing the images.
I would be interested to know whether opening the ES-LV65-S compromises the waterproofing, possibly resulting in temporary or permanent malfunction after substantial water exposure.
If it can be opened without ill effects, then the battery could be replaced when it eventually loses its ability to hold a charge, avoiding the need for a new shaver.
I shave daily. I got 22 years out of my wall-powered Norelco Rotatract shaver. New heads were getting hard to find, so I got a Norelco 8894XL rechargeable shaver, which I replaced after 11 years because it was falling apart, although the battery was OK. I then got a similar-looking, much cheaper Norelco, the battery of which died after 3 years. Then the ES-LV65-S this past January, which is much better than the Norelcos.
It would be nice to get a decade or two out of the ES-LV65-S.
I think it would be best to assume that opening the shaver will compromise the waterproofing to a certain degree and water ingress may happen in certain situations. I would take extra care when washing the shaver (like only rinsing the outer foils and removing the inner blades for cleaning) and of course never use it in the shower.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
The manual says “If you dismantle the shaver yourself, it will no longer be waterproof, which may cause it to malfunction,” consistent with what you said. I would not want to lose the easy cleaning with water, and have to remove the inner blades to clean them.
I will plan to buy a new shaver when the battery no longer holds a charge, which I hope will not be for a long time.
Thanks,
Steve
You are very welcome, Steve. I would also do the same in this situation.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have used the 5 blade Panasonics for years–likely on my 4th one, which is now dead after 2 years and 4 months. This one is actually a warranty replacement because the previous shaver went dead before the 2 year warranty expired. I like the shaver because I shave in the shower and it gives a close shave. I assume the life of the shaver is determined by the lifetime of the battery. After seeing the comments above I will try to replace the battery myself. Typically, I have just purchased a new shaver.
This 0 charge after disconecting the battery is not strange and same thing is on Norelco philips.
Hi Ovidiu,
Can these shavers be used for head shaving ?
Hi,
Absolutely, provided that your hair is short, you can use them to shave your head as well.
–Ovidiu
Is there a shaver that helps with white hair as it seems to grow in a different angle? I just purchased the ES-LV65-S and haven’t used a electric shaver in over a decade. Also, when using it dry should I always do something like a pre-shave lotion for some wetness? I find that when shaving the hair gets caked up against my face and I have to wash constantly.
Hi Garrett,
A pre-shave lotion will evaporate within seconds from applying it, so there won’t be too much wetness if at all. But it will prep the skin, making it slicker and plumper. It also helps with flat-lying hairs, making them stand upright. Panasonic razors in general are not the best for shaving hairs with different grains, but using a pre-shave and shaving more often should result in a noticeable improvement.
Also, washing your face during a dry shave will only make things worse. I would definitely recommend against doing it. The skin must be perfectly dry in order to get a good shave. Try the suggestions above and see how it goes. I personally use the Speick pre-shave, it works better than all the brands I’ve tried so far.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidui,
Based on your review I am replacing my Norelco 9000 with the Panasonic 67k which should arrive tomorrow ( loved its look and with my arthritis I thought the enhanced grip would be better for me). I’ve done a lot of research on pre-shave lotions and agree with you, Spieck is by far the best I’ve found. There was a Japanese pre-shave from Shaseido that I thought superior, but they stopped making it a few years ago.
BTW Have you tried the Speick after shave? I ordered it in error but it has become one of my favorites.
Hi Larry,
Thank you for your comment. I hope you’ll enjoy shaving with the LV67K as much as I did.
Regarding the aftershaves, I’ve tried both the splash and the balm from Speick. The splash worked quite well despite having alcohol (which I usually avoid). I personally prefer balms, so I got that one as well. While the post-shave comfort was great and the product was really soothing and hydrating, I just couldn’t get along with the fragrance. I don’t know if I got a bad sample or it wasn’t stored properly, but it was just off-putting, nothing like the familiar spicy Speick scent.
I haven’t bought it since, but I might give it another try as I really love Speick products. Their olive oil soap bars are amazing if you can get them.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to use the pre-shave from Shiseido, but it must have really good.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidui,
Thanks for your awsome reviews, which are very detailed and complete !
I would like to purchase either the ES-LV65 (130€) or the ES-LV67 (150€). I considered the ES-CV51 (165€) as well, but as I will not take it for travel regularly, I think it is better to get the directional head.
I have tried to find the main differences between the ES-LV65 vs 67, and cannot find a lot.
Are these the main differences ?
– LV67 has better grip, design, and thumb rest
– LV67 has quick charge (or quicker charge ? not sure about this one)
– LV67 head can move up/down
– LV65 has a better display
Do you think the difference in price of 20€ is worth it, and I’d better go with the newer ES-LV67 ?
Thanks
Hi Eddie,
Both have a 5-minute quick charge feature and with the ES-LV65, you can also disable the shaving sensor. I also like the travel lock on the LV65 more. Personally, I would get the LV65 for these reasons + the better display and timer/counter.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great article, love the website :).
I am regularly using an LV9Q, great shaver and I gave a try to the LV67. In terms of shaving first impression is that this foil (WES9173) model seems to do a closer shave than the one from 9Q (WES9177) and this is due to the fact that the gold bars from the WES9177, due to the gold bars that create bit more distance from the shaver head and skin. the WES9173 is bit closer, shaver closer but increases redness (quite a lot).
LV67 can’t be used with any cleaning station as it does not have the pins for that. Also while the colored plastic is realy ok, the back plastic cover is kind of weird, nice feel but gives a cheap sensation.
I will try the WES9173 foil on the LV9Q to see if it works.
Hi Dinu,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated.
Those are some excellent points. Other users have also found the older foil to shave a bit closer as there are no bars. I personally didn’t have a problem in this regard and the closeness was essentially the same in both cases.
The WES9173 should fit the LV9Q perfectly.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
small correction, just for the record. The bars are present on all arc5 foil packs however the biggest difference is that the gold bars have a higher position in comparison to the other models, thus creating a different effect (pro: closer shave, faster shave; cons: more skin redness ). Now, obviously we’re subjective to our personal points of view, but the general rule I notices:
– Foil models with gold bars: offer a bit more comfortable shave, less irritation due to higher distance between skin and shaving head. The minuses here are more passes to have a very close effect and a bit more time spent on shaving.
– Foil models with black plastic bar: offer faster shave, closer shave due to lower distance between skin and shaving head. On the minuses, we have more irritation and bit less comfy.
PS: maybe in your article about foils you could add some of these details, should you consider appropriate.
Intro
I was given this product to review as part of the Panasonic Reviewer program.
Before I put pen to paper, I wanted to give the Panasonic ES-LV67 a good ten days of use and put it through its paces.
First impressions/look and feel
In the box was the charger, the manual, lubricating, travel case, oil and the shaver. I really didn’t expect to receive the oil and case in the box (a nice touch). The shaver feels good in the hand with a nice weight to it. on powering up the shaver you have a battery percentage flash and a fairly loud buzz from the cutter. Keep your finger on the power button and you get a much quieter buzz as the shaver goes into beard sensing mode and adjusts the cutters to the thickness of your beard. Pressing and holding the power button for three seconds locks the shaver from turning on, ideal for travelling.
The shave
The first time I used the shaver I must admit I was a little apprehensive as I’ve not used a foil shaver for a couple of years and the last one, I had was terrible. I spent seven and a half minutes on the first face and head shave. I realised at the end of the shave I had nothing to worry about as all the blades and the shaver head all move smoothly around your face and jaw line. The 2nd shave took around 2 minutes to do the exact same thing. It’s amazing how quickly you get used to the large cutter head. By the third shave it felt like I was using a large paint brush to paint away my beard and hair.
Room for improvement
I feel Panasonic missed a couple of tricks the first one being that the ES-LV67 isn’t compatible with the charging and cleaning dock and you can’t buy this as an add-on later
The second one being Panasonic could have gone down the road of USB C charging.
Final thoughts
I have to say that I’m seriously impressed with the Panasonic LV-ES67, not only is it the fastest and closest shave but also the least irritable that I’ve ever had. I 100% recommend this shaver to anybody who wants a fast, simple and stubble free life so you can focus on the things that really matter.
Hey,
Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
An important mention though: when you keep pressing the power button and the sound changes to a much quieter buzz, that is NOT the beard sensing mode, it is the turbo cleaning mode and you should NOT, under any circumstances, shave in that mode. It is only intended to clean the shaver and prevent water splashes. The ES-LV67 only operates in beard sensing mode, you cannot disable it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidu
Really appreciate the feedback, glad I didn’t use the cleaning mode to shave. 🙂
PS love your in-depth review, extremely insightful as this is my first Panasonic shaver.
No problem, really glad you found the reviews useful. Enjoy shaving with your Panny!
Ovidiu –
I appreciate your detailed write-up, especially the comparisons to other models and brands.
I’ve had a few different Arc 3 shavers over the years and while I loved them for the price point, I felt it was time to look at spending a bit more to get a closer, and faster, shave.
You’ve convinced me to go with the ES-LV65 for the price.
Thank you!
John
Many thanks for your comment, John, glad you found the information useful. I think the ES-LV65 will be a noticeable upgrade.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi from Spain
Congratulate you on the article. I have finally bought the LV67 A803 on offer for 115 euros but I can not find the plastic replacement of the head in purple “foil frame”
Could you help me with the reference number?
Sorry for my english
A cordial greeting.
Alvaro.
Hi Alvaro,
Thank you for your comment. The part number of the foil frame is WESLV97H0048.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu
Having invested a lot of time researching I opted for the Panasonic ES-CV51 but this does not appear to be available in the UK and amazon.com does not ship it to the UK.
Instead I’ve opted for the ES-LV67 or the ES-LV65-s. The former is currently £132.21 and the latter is £99.95. This is a small difference so I’m tempted to buy the In your own opinion is worth the extra £32.26?
Thank you so much for the very detailed and informative reviews, I appreciate the time you must put into them
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your comment, glad you found the reviews useful.
I would go with the ES-LV65-S — not just because it’s cheaper, but I actually prefer it to the ES-LV67 for the reasons I mentioned in the review (the better battery indicator and the possibility to use it with the sensor turned off).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi again Ovidiu,
I have ordered the ES-LV65s which will arrive tomorrow.
I read your review again and note with interest that the newer foils and blades will fit the ES-LV65s. I’d like to fit the ones with the gold rollers but am confused about the part numbers. I think the numbers differ in the UK. Do you know the UK part numbers for the blades and foil (with the gold rollers) that I’m looking for please?
All the best and thank you for an interesting and useful review.
Paul
Hi Paul,
That is correct, the newer foils (with the gold rollers) will fit the ES-LV65-S. There are actually 3 different revisions of the new parts (the differences between them are minor), all of them compatible with the ES-LV65-S.
Here are the part numbers of the foil+inner blades sets (they’re also listed under slightly different names, so I included them as well). You should be able to find them in the UK, they are not country-specific as far as I know.
1. WES9034P (sometimes listed as ES9034)
2. WES9036 (sometimes listed as WES9036Y, ES9036)
3. ES9038
I wouldn’t stress too much about which one to get as all three are very similar, but the second one (WES9036) is usually widely available.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Outstanding review. Makes decision making a breeze. Being a canny Scot, you hit the nail on the head again and again.
10/10 for thios review!
Thank you for the kind words, Bill, much appreciated. Glad you found the review useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for your very informative reviews. I am currently trying to decide between the ES-LV95-S and the newer ES-LV97-K. They are both the same price. I was initially going to buy the 95-S because it was cheaper and you could turn the beard sensor off and on and I like the display better. Now that they are priced the same I’m reconsidering. I also read that the 97-K has a 16D Multi-flex head. Does the 95-S have this too but they’re not advertising it as a feature? Please advise.
Thanks for your help.
Thank you for your comment, Eric.
I’d still go with the ES-LV95-S (even if they cost the same). The 16D Multi-flex head is just a way of saying that the head of the LV97-K can be pushed straight down as well. The range of motion is rather short though and in time it will become very jerky and stiff as some dust, dirt, and hardened lather will always end up between those moving parts and cause a partial jam. This happened with all the Panasonic shavers I’ve used that had this system. And I didn’t see any real benefits even when it worked smoothly.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you so much.
That’s what I was thinking. It’s just hard to resist a lower price. I also just watched an unboxing on you tube and the head of the 97-k looks really loose and wobbly. That doesn’t really appeal to me.
Thanks again,
Eric
No problem, glad I could be of help. I actually feel the same about it and prefer to shave with the switch in the fixed position. It’s not as wobbly as for example the head of the new Arc 3, but it’s still pretty wobbly.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello, greatly appreciate the reviews, what do you think about the ES-COS65 offered from Costco?
Hello Fernando,
That one is basically a Panasonic ES-LV65-S, so a really good option (I also mentioned it in this review).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
For a week so, now, at the time of this comment, U.S. Amazon has the ES-LV67-K on sale, while the older ES-LV65-S is $146.94. I have an ES-LV67-K and am very happy with the performance over a Braun Series 9 9290cc. A question I have is ‘do the Acr 5 65 and Arc 5 67 have the same flexibility in the head?’ I ask because I think the flex in the head of the 67 is a bit too much. Maybe I’m just used to limited flex in the Braun, idk?
The head of the ES-LV67-K is actually different in the way that it can also move vertically, so when you press the foils against the skin, the whole head moves downward. And you are right, this makes it a bit too wobbly, which is another reason why I actually prefer the ES-LV65-S. In fact, I’d say that a simple up and down flexing (like on the Series 9) is better and genuinely useful; anything on top of that is pretty much useless and it can even impact the experience (and not in a good way).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for the clarification. I’m sorry I missed a similar response to prior comment. Actually, I just returned the LV67 and got the LV65 because of this extra flex and the inability to turn off the speed sensor
IMO LV 67 & 9 are a step backward from the LV65. 65 has a lock for the power button so you dont accidentally switch it off during the shave. the newer models do not. the 67/9 has a redesigned movement mechanism allowing it to move more laterally. actually seems like its loose and might come apart. 67/9 do not have shave timer, which unnecessary but kind of tells me the longer it takes me to shave the duller the blades are getting. they don’t seem to last more than a year despite what panasonic claims. 67 feels lighter in weight all black compared to metal/black 65.
prices vary at amazon from just over $100 on up if you catch it at the right time for LV67 which as of now unavailable on panny site
Thank you for your comment, Kevin. Just one small side note: the LV67 and LV97 actually have a travel lock, but it’s not a physical locking switch — you must press and hold the power button for 3 seconds while the shaver is turned on in order to activate the travel lock. But as I said in the review, I also think that the ES-LV65 was overall a more compelling package.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Does anyone know if the charge and clean station for the ES-LV97 and the ES-LV95 are the same and if the charge stations and razors work interoperably?
Most certainly they will not work interoperably. The stations look extremely similar, but they are different (with different part numbers).
Hi, and many thanks for the extremely useful review!
With reagard to the cleaning stations – besides from the fact thet they’re not interchangeable, would you say there’s any difference in their performance?
I’m looking for any differences – aside from the 16D feature and the design. Is there such a difference in the cleaning systems? Or any other(s)?
Thanks again!
Hi Ido,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated.
Regarding the stations, I wouldn’t say there are any differences in their performance. As for the shavers, I tried to emphasize them in the review (although I mainly referred to the ES-LV65-S, the model without the station). But basically, I think the ES-LV95-S would be a better pick for the following reasons: you can turn off the beard density shaver, it has a physical travel lock, the LCD display shows more useful information and finally, it can be found at a discounted price more often.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Million thanks for the prompt response.
I really enjoy your writing, and genuinely appreciate your personal advice.
All the best,
Ido
Great review!
Looking at the manual however, indicates that the battery life being only 3 years and not user replaceable. That seems rather short and inconvenient. Does the company expect consumers to dispose of their razors every several years and then buy a new one? That’s some business model.
I have had my ES-LA63 for a good 9 years or more and it’s still going strong. I wonder if Panasonic has chosen to use a shorter life span battery with the newer models?
Should buyers expect the battery on the ES-LV67 to last longer than 3 years? Replacing the battery would entail sending it to a service center in Florida, meaning it would likely be out for weeks, depending on where one lives.
Hi Glenn,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated. The three years mentioned in the user manual is actually the typical estimated life of all Li-ion batteries, including the one in the ES-LA63. So I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I highly doubt a reputable company like Panasonic would self-sabotage in the hope that the user will simply buy a new shaver from the same brand (he likely won’t).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you for your reviews
Would you say there is any difference in noise between the ES LV95 and the ES LV97 shavers?
I am looking for one that is quieter than average and was considering these two.
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark,
In terms of noise, they sound pretty much the same to me. And it makes sense since both come with 14 000 CPM motorr and the same blades & outer foil. With that said, they aren’t exactly quiet. They are more refined than other Panasonic shavers in the sense that they don’t vibrate as much and the sound is crisper, but still I wouldn’t call them quiet. But that’s to be expected from any foil shaver with decent performance.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have had the Braun 9290 Series 9 for 7 years and the Panasonic LV65 for 9 years. Both have been very good shavers used most days on my tough beard. Both shavers charged in about 60 minutes and lasted about 45 minutes in operation. The major differences noted are that the Braun is heavier and cost more … original prices paid were £221 vs £160 respectively.
In the last couple of years I’ve tended to mostly use the Braun but a few weeks ago it completely died … no charge, won’t charge, no LEDs. I’ve been in touch with Braun who were unable to identify a specific problem but suggested I send it to them for repair; they were unable (unwilling ?) to give a cost estimate but the suggestion was that this may be prohibitively expensive so perhaps buying a new shaver would be more economic. (They also offered an unspecified discount as a goodwill gesture)
So being unwilling to commit to the heavy cost of a new or repaired Braun, for the last few weeks I’ve gone back to the Panasonic LV65 with great results. It now gets a bit warm but still takes just 4 minutes for a decent shave … a bit longer with 2 days growth. So I thought maybe I’d get new cutters and foil. As your review states, these tend to be pricey … £55-65 on various websites. I thought maybe I’d buy a new LV65 but hardly any are available in the UK, and those that are seemed to be at a premium. So I checked out the LV67 … offered by Amazon UK at £94 after a £20 promo discount … not hugely more than just the new foil and cutters. And considerably less than the £250 plus to get a new Series 9 Braun.
So I bought the LV 67 … great shave, very quick and comfortable and doesn’t get warm when operating.
So is it fundamentally the same as the LV65 ? Yes and no … most differences are quite minor. Different display, different beard sensor, different shell casing, and just 5 grams heavier. However, contrary to your review, there does seem to be a different engine in the LV67. I particularly noticed a different, slightly quieter noise in the LV67 … measured by me at a distance of 12” with 67Db for the LV67 vs 73Db from the LV65. Not huge and not really significant, but with noticeably less of a whine. I thought maybe its something to do with the different casing but I queried it with Panasonic …see the following reply :
Panasonic Customer Service answered:
“The model ES-LV67 does not have the same motor as the ES-LV65, since they are different models.”
“In terms of specifications, the difference would be that the ES-LV97 uses an improved motor, has a longer usage time before battery needs recharging and a more efficient quick charge.”
Thanks for the excellent website and all your well documented info on this and other shaver models. As this is a very current posting (1st August 2023) with some very up to date info and comment, you may wish to reconfirm some of the points noted. Be interested in your thoughts.
Hi Brian,
Many thanks for the comment. Those are some great insights and questions.
I think you got a fantastic deal on the LV67 and you made the right decision by not getting a new foil&blades set for the LV65.
Regarding your questions, according to Panasonic Japan, the last update to their 14 000 CPM motor took place in 2011, so that was before the launch of the LV65 (2013) and LV67 (2019). Both have the same power output as well and while there probably are some differences (for example a different supplier for the coil or other components), the real-world performance is more or less identical.
Regarding the difference in noise, that’s most likely due to the fact that one shaver is 9 years old and the other one is brand new. As time passes and you constantly use the shaver, it will become louder and some rattling and vibrations will also appear. There are plastic parts and linkages that are particularly susceptible to wear. And the worn foils and blades will also make the shaver louder. I have noticed this in more than one instance when even an identical but new shaver would be noticeably quieter and smoother than one I’ve been using for a few good years.
Comparing a brand new LV65 to a brand new LV67 would likely show a much smaller difference in sound. The LV67 would probably have an advantage still, but only slightly. And it should since it’s a newer model.
So overall the differences are marginal (they even use the exact battery) and the price should still be the decisive factor when choosing between these two shavers, both excellent performers especially at this price. In the USA the LV65 is usually the one to get, while the LV67 costs less in Europe.
Enjoy shaving with your LV67 and than you again for taking the time to share your experience.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Thanks for your wonderful website. It has excellent information presented in an easy-to-find way. It has helped turn electric shavers into a bit of a hobby for me. That’s much better than the annoyance that it had been for many years.
I picked up an ES-CLV9DX-S off of Amazon and am very pleased with the buying experience and the product. As a bit of a gear head, I’m one of your readers that uses the Panasonic cleaning station regularly. I’m considering picking up an ES-LV67-K or an ES-LV95-K as a backup / gym / travel razor and have a question. I understand that the CLV9DX’s cleaning station won’t work with an LV65. Any idea if the CLV9DX’s cleaning station will work with the LV67? I don’t read Japanese and haven’t been able to find the model number of the CLV9DX’s cleaning station.
I also have one unrelated note about the CLV9DX. The razor definitely operates while it is plugged into the wall and the red “plugged in” indicator is lit. Does Panasonic consider it a Dry Only razor even though it is fully waterproof? It would be a shame to not be able to wet shave with it. I guess that would be another reason to get an LV67 or LV65 as a backup razor.
One mistake in my previous post. I’m talking about the LV95 and LV97 (which have cleaning stations) and not the LV65 and LV67 (which do not).
Hi,
Many thanks for the comment, much appreciated.
While I do not have an ES-LV97 so I can try it myself, it most likely won’t work with the station of your ES-CLV9DX.
Regarding the wet/dry use, Panasonic officially considers it a washable, dry only shaver. The reason is precisely the ability to use it while it is plugged in (as a safety precaution). Panasonic even mentions explicitly on their Japanese website that it should only be used in a safe environment (for example not in the shower) while it is plugged in. That’s the only reason why it’s not officially a wet/dry shaver.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu, I ended up getting the ES-LV97 as a 2nd shaver. I’m very pleased with it. The suspension isn’t as loose as the ES-CLV9DX. I’m also one of the group that feels that the new cassettes don’t shave quite as close as the old one (without the skin guards) but are more comfortable. Both give excellent shaves, and I’m quite happy with both. It is also nice that I can wet shave with the ES-LV97 if I want.
I would agree that the ES-CLV9DX isn’t a significant step up from the ES-LV97 or ES-LV65/95 in terms of performance. It does have a great build quality and a few cool features which make it worth considering.
I did try the ES-LV97 in the cleaning station for the ES-CLV9DX, and it works fine. I’m happy that I only need to deal with one cleaning station.
Thanks again for the excellent site!
Hi,
Many thanks for the follow-up — glad you’re happy with it. It’s also good to know that it can be used with the cleaning station of the newer revisions, so thank you for confirming that.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I just changed my buying decision because of your review. I want to control the beard sensor and I like the previous version is cheap enough now to get a replacement blade and shaving gels creams all together for the price of the newer one.
Thank you for your comment, Todd. I would do the same if I were you and get the previous model. It’s just a more compelling package overall, especially if you can get it for less money.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks as always for your comprehensive and reliable reviews. I have a tough beard and, while I’ve used Brauns for the most part (Series 9 and 7), they’ve performed just ok for me and both had problems with side growing hairs on my neck. I purchased a LV-67 and, for my skin, it seems to blow away the Brauns that I’ve tried. You’ve mentioned the closeness of Panasonics in general (but specifically the Arc5) and that is quite true. I also like that the Arc handles all hairs on my neck which was a great improvement (I used to have to take care of these separately using a Phillips OneBlade) and actually seems to give me less irritation than the Brauns. I do enjoy following the specifics of the various revisions that Panasonic is coming out with and will probably ultimately fit my LV-67 with the latest revision F foil and inner blades (there looks to be one on eBay).
You are very welcome, Matt, glad you’re happy with the Arc 5. The new foils are definitely worth considering since the latest revision will likely be very expensive and difficult to get.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Any idea if I purchase ES LV95 or the ES LV97 from US store and use it in Australia? is the plug same? I mean if the US plugs is compatible with Australian sockets?
You can definitely use it in Australia, but you will probably need to buy a simple (and cheap) USA to AU plug adapter.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I purchased the LV95 on the Amazon US Site then read your earlier review on updates and caneclled that and went to the LV67 .
The thing is the LV95 was the same price as the LV67 and I too am ordering for use in Australia because as of yesterday the LV97 and LV67 were not available on the Amazon AU site but this morning when I checked the AU site , the LV97 has become available (go figure) but not the LV67 .
Still though there is a price difference in favour of the US site.
Now, I owned a Braun many many years ago 35 years ago in fact , and used it a few times but could not get a close shave so I am hoping with fingers crossed that things have improved in the last 35 years.
I have found as I aged that a close shave is harder to get and even with a blade I need to spend some time hacking away after a week of not shaving and still it’s hard to catch everything .
Thanks for your comment, Eric. I think you’ll be quite happy with the LV67. Just keep in mind that electric shavers work best on shorter facial, particularly the ones from Panasonic. One week between shaves is too much in my opinion.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
My Arc 5 LV95 finally died after 3 years. Can the razor be purchased separately without picking up another cleaning station? Mine works fine.
Hi Ryan,
Unfortunately, no. Purchasing the razor separately basically means getting the LV65, which is the model without the cleaning station. But that one will not work with a cleaning station as it lacks the three contact pins on the back that connects it to the station.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Also, like everyone else, THANKS for all the in depth information. I’ve read a couple of your articles in the last two days, and have narrowed it down to ESLV65 and ESLV67. I have been using Panasonic ES-LA63-S Arc4 for the last four years and it’s been great – a real workhorse and I have enjoyed it. Which one of the Arc 5s would you recommend it my case.
THANKS, Ross
Hi Ross,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated.
My recommendation would be to get the ES-LV65 if it’s available in your country or the ES-LV67 if you can buy it for less money. In Europe for example the ES-LV67 costs a lot less (not to mention that the ES-LV65 is now really difficult to find here). As I mentioned in the review, performance-wise they’re identical, but the ES-LV65 has a couple of extra nice features (the ability to turn the sensor off and a more useful display).
I think you’ll be more than happy with it coming from the ES-LA63.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
Last 2 weeks I’ve purchased (and returned) 7 shavers. Some of them were no more than toys, some of them were unpractical. After reading your review, I just purchased Panasonic 5-Blade Wet/Dry Shaver with Cleaning/Charging Station (ESLV97).
I hope my struggle is over and, like everyone else, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for all the in depth information. You may have no idea how incredible helpful your reviews are!
My salute to you, Mr. Nicolae!!!
Jan
Many thanks for the kind words, Jan — I’m really glad you found the reviews useful. Enjoy shaving with your new Arc 5!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you made my decision
Helpful indeed
Great respect
You are very welcome, glad you found the review useful.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Have you tested the ES- LV6Q?
Is it a big improvement over the LV 65 or the LV 67
I’ve tested the ES-LV9Q which is basically the same plus the cleaning station. As far as shaving performance goes, I would say that it is not a big improvement. The main difference is related to the outer foil with the gold rollers which is a bit more comfortable than the one on the ES-LV65 and ES-LV67. But that’s pretty much it. If you can get the ES-LV65 or 67 for a lower price, I don’t think you’re missing out on much. Besides, the newer foil on the ES-LV6Q is also compatible with the previous Arc 5 models like ES-LV65 and 67.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I’ve been using Panasonic Arc shavers side by side with Braun shavers for years, usually the top of the line for each brand.
Currently have been using the Braun Series 9 and the Panasonic Arc 4.
The button switch, on the Braun 9 had popped out. The nibs holding the round switch cover wore out. So had to put a piece of clear tape over it to keep it active. And the Arc 4’s battery has finally stopped retaining its charge.
So I ordered the new Arc 5 from Amazon and it arrived two hours later.
This Arc 5 is smoother & quieter than its predecessors. Quite a difference between the 4 & 5.
Best razor I’ve owned yet! Big to Panasonic!
I love this razor!!
Thank you for your comment, Craig, much appreciated. Glad you’re happy with the Arc 5, it really is an excellent shaver.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello,
Well, I was trying to choose a shaver and came upon your page. This is exactly, what I was searching for. After much deliberation between older Braun 5 and 7 series and some Philips/Panasonics shavers (as per your advice) – my penultimate choice, an older 7 series available here in CZ, I have found an Arc 5 ES-LV67 on Amazon and ordered that one. Hopefully a good choice! Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
Jiri
Hi Jiri,
Many thanks for your comment, glad you found the review useful. Hope you’ll enjoy shaving with your new Arc 5!
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for this great review, which I just discovered by accident. After 20 years of shaving with a double edge safety razor, I finally cut myself one time too many and decided to go electric. Though I have no other razors to compare it to, the Arc5 (ES-LV67-K) does a great job on my very average density beard, and is super-easy to clean and maintain manually. Everything you said in the review bears out. Looking forward to reading your other reviews.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Bruce — glad you found the review useful. It is an excellent shaver and from what I can tell, it was the right one for you.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu,
I very much enjoy your website, and your articles, but I respectfully disagree with your statement in this article about battery wear. As a model RC helicopter pilot, and like most RC pilots, I am quite experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to li-ion batteries, and the absolute worst thing you can do to any type of rechargeable lithium battery is to keep it fully charged. In fact, charging from 80% to 100% (4.00 volts to 4.20 volts) does far more damage to a li-ion or li-poly battery than charging it from 20% to 80%. In fact, anything beyond 80% is technically overcharging. Discharging below 20% to 30% is also hard on lithium based batteries.
And yes, this holds true with cell phone batteries. Want to double the life of your cell phone battery, charge it to only 80% each time. Charge to only 70%, and you’ll triple the life of the battery. I keep mine between 30% and 70%, and it has well over 1,000 charge cycles on it, and it is still as good as new.
That said, the industry standard charging voltage for li-ion batteries is 4.20 volts. So, if Panasonic has designed the charging circuitry to charge to only 4.00 volts, instead of the standard 4.20 volts, that is actually an 80% charge, and “fully” charging the battery in their shavers won’t really hurt anything. I’d love to know if that is actually how Panasonic designs their shavers, but we both know that finding out would be impossible.
Hi Michael,
Many thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Those are some great insights from someone who is obviously very knowledgeable in this area. I totally agree with you regarding charging the battery between those thresholds — in fact, I wrote this guide a while back where I actually recommend charging the shaver between 30% and 80%. And I’ve always tried to suggest that in other posts as well, but I realize now that my choice of words in this review probably wasn’t the most fortunate. I only wanted to say that you can charge the shaver whenever needed (but not to 100%) as some users still think that they must only charge a device when the battery is completely discharged. I listed the 0 to 100% time just as a reference so one could get an idea of how long it takes. I will try to be careful about this in the future though.
Thank you again for the great info, much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
This is the most detailed review I’ve ever seen. I never saw any reviewers that write most detailed review like you. Hats off to you.
I hope you can review ES-LV6Q because I can’t find other models in my country, only this model are available in my country.
Before I put a lot of money for this shaver, reading reviews is a must.
Hi Faez,
Many thanks for the comment, glad you found the information useful. This review is actually quite relevant in the case of the ES-LV6Q as well. The two shavers even use the same inner blades and have the same 14 000 CPM motor, while the ES-LV6Q comes with an updated outer foil that has the two gold comfort rollers. It is a bit more comfortable than the one on the ES-LV67, but other than that, the performance will be extremely similar.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I want to thank you for your excellent review of the Panasonic ES-LV67.
Take this opportunity to ask for a help.
I have been using Philips barber machines for over 20 years. More like ao fim of some years or meu avariou carregador, achei that it was time to buy a new model attached because the sheets were not yet to cut bem.
I bought a new model from the 3000 series, but just to be returned, because it was much better than the older model PT730 that you have bought some years ago.
He understood that he had to buy a more expensive model to be satisfied.
I am undecided between the 6000 or 9000 series, on the other hand, the 9000 series, a melhor cut item, but support for hard heads for a little time, comment hairs that you have.
I thought about changing the brand, but I was very apprehensive because I got used to the Philips models and I always knew that the Braun film system would never be very durable, besides being very more expensive than Philips.
I said I saw an Amazon or Panasonic ES-LV67, I found a search and I found it or your review. Bem I confess that you convince me to buy this model or Panasonic ES-LV65, only by isso a Panasonic já lhe devia give a comissão da minha purchase.
Also try to buy cheaper, curiously, the Panasonic ES-LV65 model is more expensive than the ES-LV67 model.
I also decided to buy a lavagem system, cheaper, assim or cheaper, which I found was € 124. In the meantime, I just found amazon.co.uk, or the ES-LV97 model, with the washing system included, also hair, priced at £ 124, making conversation for or € 145 €. I decided that the price difference justifies taking advantage of this promotion.
This is where he peço ajuda. Why did the US opt for this model, and why does Panasonic say that as a washing system it also lubricates the sheets, at least, will it be the same? Ou will it be only lavagem? Na realidade é o that we can do manually. Only the composition that they sell will include some compost that lubricates.
Even so, I take advantage of this promotion, more like what I earn for less than two 500 €, for that reason I won’t be able to give myself a luxury to make a reference to constantly buy the compositions that I sell for as cheap as possible.
I thought of using a homemade composition, basically detergent and water, but as I saw our comments and important to lubricate depois, will it be that when I finish or oil that they send to lubricate, will I use a little bit of azeite? Who will not be appropriate?
I have found some more effective recipe, thank you for indicating please.
You will also be able to send more personal information to or by e-mail, ruiisa@gmail.com.
Excuse me or meu mau englês that is barely translated.
I await your reply or briefest possible.
Very obrigado.
Rui Marques
Hello Rui,
Thank you for your comment. I hope I understood correctly what you’re asking, so hopefully my answer will prove to be useful. First of all, the prices of the ES-LV65 and ES-LV67 vary a lot between different countries and even for the same country. My advice would be to get the cheaper one, especially if the difference is significant. Also, I think you should get one of these instead of the models that come with the cleaning station like the ES-LV97 or ES-LV95. They’re so easy to clean manually with water and liquid soap and you can simply lubricate them with clipper oil or a lubricating spray for electric shavers. It’ll just be an extra thing to worry about with the cleaning station and buying the detergent packs.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
https://panasonic.jp/shaver/products/lamdash6.html
Hey Emad,
I am already working on a post about this release. I will be ordering one as well, really looking forward to trying it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks Ovidiu
Currently trialling the LV67 model. Wanted to try it after being Braum user for 25+ years. My latest Braun 9 battery died after 2.5 years.
So far I’ve had some 10 shaves. I must say, the shave is definitely closer than Braun’s. Not sure why and how Braun got this award… in my case, the spots Braun was never able to do cleanly, the LV67 guy gets in one go.
Ergonomically LV67 definitely feels better in the hand, more secure. Trimmer is way easier to engage than on Braun. It was annoyingly easy to inadvertently press on/off button, while shaving, on Braun.
I’m not fussed if I get one shave less from LV67 than from Braun… plugging the unit in is not an insurmountable effort.
I’m sure there are some downsides. I think Braun’s approach to combine blades with foils is better, but as far as shave quality goes, my first impression about LV67 is frankly mindblowing.
Hey,
Thank you for taking the time to share this. Going from an older Braun to a Panasonic Arc 5 can be quite the jump in closeness. Glad you’re happy with your LV67.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Ovidiu- Your articles about the various electric shaver brands and models have been superb. I used a Sunbeam corded electric razor in the 70’s. I grew a beard periodically for the next 30 years so I didn’t use an electric razor. About 20 years ago I tried a Norelco and it was terrible. Pulled hairs were common as was a shave that was anything but close. I was surprised since my old Sunbeam had been both close and comfortable. I just purchased a Panasonic Arc 5 LV67K based on your review and the fact that it was only $120 US from Amazon (a nice sale for Father’s Day). I already have tried it on a 2 day old beard and had great results just using Williams Lectric Shave preshave. The shave was close and comfortable and unlike many others I found the give in the shaver head to be great at keeping from pressing too hard on the razor. I have a fairly heavy beard and it worked great-no razor burn or irritation of any kind and a very close shave. Keep up the excellent work.
Many thanks for your comment, Peter — I’m glad you found the site useful. It certainly looks like the Arc 5 was the right shaver for you and the fact that you got excellent results from the first shave is just awesome.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
https://panasonic.jp/shaver/products/lamdash5.html
I bought this shaver at Costco and it’s great. I had been using razors and made the move to electric shavers. I do have to shave more often but it’s way faster than razors
Hey Ed,
Glad to know you’re happy with it. It really is an excellent shaver, especially for the money.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Interestingly, on the Panasonic website, one of the pictorial icons of features indicates that it is possible to shave cordless or with a cord: https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/personal-health-care/mens-shavers/es-lv67.html
Is that a mistake or was there an update?
Hi Igor,
I’m pretty sure that it’s an error, so the shaver will not operate while charging.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you. Bit of a shame then that Panasonic makes this claim, which actually was one of the reasons that persuaded me to buy this model (arriving next week). Not a deal-breaker of course but still misleading. By the way – I will use it as a face and a head shaver. Am I correct in assuming that a flexible head will be more suitable for head shaving than a fixed one? I really liked ES-CV51 but finally decided against it because of the fixed head.
If you ever had a neighbor with an absolutely perfectly cut lawn, that’s how the ES-LV97 shaves. It is the finest, closest shave I have used in my 20+ years of using electric shavers.
So fine is the shave, when you clean the shaver, the cut hair is dust like. The shaver even sounds like a finely tuned motor. Clean, quiet shave.
The absolute best!
Hey Al,
Thank you for your comment. I’m really glad you enjoy your ES-LV97 — it seems like you’re having a great time shaving. The Arc5s are some impressive shaving machines that can make other brands look like toys, especially from an engineering pov. I’m very eager to test their latest (and likely overkill) Arc 6.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great review and thorough too. Thanks. Just bought the LV67. I have been using a Norelco Triple Head for years and year. As for wet shaving, which I have never done, can I use any shave cream? I prefer the Gillette Gel save cream with my hand razor – can I use that with my new Panasonic?
Hi Phil,
Thank you for your comment, much appreciated.
Yes, you can use any shaving cream. I personally prefer using shaving creams that come in a tube and that you must lather yourself. They’re usually of higher quality and less fluffy compared to gels that come in a can. And with electric shavers, you’ll want just a thin layer of pasty, watery lather, so in that regard, the approach is a bit different compared to traditional shaving. I wrote a guide specifically on shaving wet with an electric razor if you want to check it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have sent to me two shavers from Amazon, purchased at good, similar prices ($10 difference between models). ES-LV67 and ES-CV51. I have to return one of them. Which one will be better for shaving the beard of a young person? (20 years old)
Hi,
The main difference is that the ES-CV51 is a compact shaver (smaller body, fixed shaving head) that is (in theory) intended for traveling. But it can be used as a main shaver without any problems since it’s still an Arc 5 with the same powerful motor and quality shaving head. Speaking of the head, the other difference compared to the ES-LV67 is that it comes with a newer outer foil (with two comfort rollers) and it’s a bit more comfortable compared to the ES-LV67. In conclusion, both will shave very similarly. You can check out my review of the ES-CV51 as well.
You can also upgrade the foil of the ES-LV67 to a newer one, it will fit perfectly (more details here).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank You very much, you are the best :)!
Thanks for a most informative review. After my venerable Phillips rotary shaver stopped working I hastily searched to see what would be suitable, and affordable. This shaver seems to tick both of those boxes.
Whilst their are other choices that might have been useful to consider the cost of this LV67 is pretty difficult to beat.
Bought from the link clicked within this review, hope that it helps a little.
Hello,
Thank you so much for your comment, much appreciated. The LV67 is one of the best electric shavers you can get in my opinion — it outperforms others that cost a lot more. I hope you’ll enjoy shaving with it, just keep in mind that it might take a while to get used to it (coming from years of using a rotary).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Problem is after just 12 months you have to spend equal of shavers cost on replacement foil and blade kit.
Panasonic foil and blade wears out quickly and replacement ones are very expensive compared to Braun.
A really good and thorough review. If I am understanding correctly what you are saying the shaves of the es lv67 and es lv97 is exactly identical to the shaves of the es lv65 and es lv95.
With that being said would it be correct to say that the new 16 D flexing head of the es lv67 and es lv97 does nothing to improve the shaves over the es lv65 and the es lv95 and is just a gimmick and not worth buying the es lv67 and the es lv97 for the 16 D flexing head?
Hi Robert,
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, that has been my experience with the ES-LV65/95 and the ES-LV67/97. They shave exactly the same. If you can buy one or the other for less money, go for it.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
So impressed with your detailed, logical & constructive review that covers all aspects re; making an informed choice of shaver . Hope the shaver remains as “sharp” as your comments and hope they don’t go “blunt” as you age because “cranial spare parts” make Panasonic’s seem a “steal” . Thanks for your superb review !
Alan, you are way too kind — thank you for your comment. Hope you’ll enjoy shaving with your Panasonic.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I own a LV65 since 3 years ago.I use it dry and daily.shave is very close,but it’s extremely loud almost unbearable.Braun S7/S9 noise is much easier on ears.
also the lid cap is poorly designed and too loose,keeps falling.I even bought a brand new replacement cap but it’s same,they just poorly designed.
the biggest issue is the expensive cost of replacement blade/foil.they need to be changed every year, 18 months max.
here in UK the foil+ blade costs £55 but brand new LV67 model shaver is £66 !
they are more expensive than Braun Series 7 and even Series 9.
Also I think the updated LV67 and LV97 look ugly and tacky.
The LV65 and LV95 looked much nicer and more professional.
And as you mentioned they removed few useful features such as shaving time and adjustable motor function on latest LV67 and LV97 so cost cutting downgrade.
I personally wouldn’t bother with Panasonic brand anymore,cost of foli / blade is unreasonable and I’m going to get Braun Series 9 (or old Series 7) they shave as close,are less noisy and are better built and better designed imo they don’t look tacky in blue & gold!
Hi Armin,
That is true, Panasonic replacement parts are notoriously pricey. That said, the LV67 normally costs more, I’m referring to the full retail price of that shaver.
I highly recommend the use of a spray cleaner & lubricant with any Panasonic shavers, it makes a world of difference to the performance and the lifespan of the blades. I wrote an article on that topic here if you want to check it out.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great article. Any US ARC 5 models on Amazon or elsewhere that can work while plugged in and under $160? S models nope, G cannot find. Cannot afford 9 model series. I was searching Googles as well as Amazon models (questions people asked) for Arc 5 and reading the questions.
Thank you
Peter
Hi Peter,
I’m afraid none of the corded & cordless Arc 5 models have been officially released in the USA. As such, your only option would be to import one from Japan. There are various models in the third generation Arc 5, revisions C, D, E, F and G that will work corded & cordless. For the exact model names, you can check out my comparison tables here. I’ve explicitly mentioned the corded/cordless operation for each generation/revision. You might be able to find a few models, definitely without a cleaning station, that will fit within your budget. But don’t forget to factor in shipping/customs fees as well.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi Ovidiu,
great article, thanks. I am looking for a new shaver. Could you recommend one at these current prices?
Currently I find these models in my area:
ES-LV65 EUR 183 (hardly available)
ES-LV67 EUR 139
ES-LV95 EUR 158
ES-LV97 EUR 186
ES-LV6Q EUR 184
ES-LV9Q EUR 207
Thanks Martin
Hi Martin,
Thank you for the comment. Apart from the ES-LV65 and ES-LV97 that for some reason cost a lot, any of the other models would be great. It really depends on your budget, the ES-LV67 being the cheapest. For not a whole lot more you can get the ES-LV95, which is basically an ES-LV65 with a cleaning station. It’s not really necessary, but the price is excellent and you can simply not use the station. The ES-LV95 would be my choice in this situation.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Appreciated, thanks. That was my initial choice as well.
Best regards,
Martin
Since there are 5 foils instead of a narrow 2 foils, does the thickness of these prevent the razor from shaving under the nose to the very edge where the nostrils and nose begin?
Hi Jason,
When shaving below the nose you’re only using two or three out of the five cutting elements and it works perfectly fine. Only those are in contact with the skin and are actually cutting the hairs. I have no problem shaving to the very edge of the nostrils since the outermost foil is really narrow and gives me a perfectly smooth shave.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
That is great t know that arc 5 is capable of goug right to the nostrils. Thank you for answering.
I saw on youtube someone replacing the battery on an arc 5. Have you replaced batteries on any of the razors you tested?
If it is easy and inexpensive enough to replace the batteries, then a cordless razor could last forever just like corded.
No problem, Jason. I did replace the battery on some straight foil Arc 3 predecessor many years ago, that’s pretty much the only time I had to. There are however videos on YouTube that show the operation step by step for the most popular shavers (from other brands as well). You have to keep in mind that the waterproofing of your shaver will be compromised once you open it and water and moisture ingress will damage the internals. The batteries aren’t officially user-replaceable, but again, it has been done. It’s up to you if you decide to replace it (I obviously can’t recommend something against the manufacturer’s explicit instructions).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
This is what I was searching for.I have read your articles regarding electric shavers and don’t know how to describe theirs quality.Simply said you are the best in this area.
Currently I stuck between LV-67,LV-65 and LV-97 the price difference is just 10 £.67 and 65 is 79.99 and LV-97 is 89.99 which comes with cleaning station.What is your opinion regarding this issue?
Thank you for the kind words, much appreciated. Unless I’m specifically getting a Panasonic shaver with a cleaning station for a review, I prefer getting just the shaver (they’re really easy to clean). So I personally would get the ES-LV65 (mainly for the better display). In this case however, even if you decide not to use the station, the LV97 looks like a great deal.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I have used a ES-LV67 for three or so years (I am on to my second – in the UK it was just a little dearer to by a new one rather than replace all the parts) and although it gives a good shave I have one major gripe – the proprietary connector for the cable. The cable connector fits in the shaver connector only one way round unlike a previous Braun where the cable connector would intuitively fit, and slide into, the shaver connector in either way. I have relatively poor eyesight without my glasses and trying to feel, or look, and work out which way round the connector fits in the shaver work when preparing to shave is constantly annoying – the cable connector does not intuitively fit in the shaver connector and it is difficult to feel which way round it should be. Panasonic should do better in this respect!
Hi there,
I totally agree and it’s also a gripe I have with all Panasonic shavers as they use the same connector. And I should mention that my eyesight is good and I still find it fiddly. If Panasonic would simply ditch their proprietary connector in favor of USB type C (because the cable fits both ways), that would be perfect. But at this point it still seems utopic, even though Xiaomi for example already uses USB on their shavers.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great reviews of the Panasonic shavers! I’ve been using a hair clipper for errr…shaving my beard to a #1 length stubble (not ideal I know!) Been looking at Braun and Panasonic shavers for a while but you’ve convinced me to go for the Panasonic. It’ll be the first electric shaver I’ve ever owned.
Currently I can get the ES-LV97 in the UK for £85 WITH the cleaning/charging station. The ES-LV65 is more expensive at £90. Considering this, is the LV97 a better buy?
I sometimes grow a beard. Can you shave to different lengths with the LV models or does it just shave as close as it can? (i.e. only one type of shave is possible?)
Also how much do replacement foils cost and how often do you need to replace them? Thanks!
Hi there,
Thank you for the comment, glad you found the reviews useful.
The ES-LV97 is a better buy in this case and performance-wise it is identical to the ES-LV65/ES-LV95.
You can only get a clean shave with an electric shaver (unless it comes with a trimmer attachment + guards like the 2020 Series 7). The ES-LV97 has a built-in pop-up hair trimmer that you could use to pre-trim your beard, but I would rather use a beard trimmer for that.
Also, electric shavers work well on relatively short beards (around 2mm). Some can handle slightly longer hair (the high-end Braun shavers like the Series 9 or Series 9 Pro), but again, they are the most effective on short stubble.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi
I’m currently deciding between this model (lv67) and the Panasonic ES-LV9Q.
I’ve read your article comparing all arc 5’s (thanks for that by the way) – and i’m still confused.
Can you please tell me the main difference between the two models? My two biggest areas when comparing both would be a) closeness of shave and b) comfort. But i’m also keen to hear about any additional things you may think are important between the two.
I am planning to buy a shaver early this week (march 2022), so would be grateful if you could let me know.
Thanks for your help
Hi,
The ES-LV9Q is a bit more comfortable because of the newer and tweaked foil (you will however be able to buy it and use it on the LV67 as well, it will fit perfectly). The closeness is in my experience exactly the same. Other pros of the ES-LV9Q include the aluminum body, a more useful LED display (it will show you the elapsed time and has a 10-level battery indicator vs only 5 on the LV67) and the cleaning station. The latter isn’t a must-have in my opinion, but you are getting it with the LV9Q.
On the other hand, the LV67 is usually a lot cheaper.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Great help. Thanks
If the price was exactly the same as they are now would you still buy the 65 over the 67.
Thanks for your response
Hi,
Thanks for the comment, much appreciated.
The price right now can vary depending on the country and the store selling the shavers. I personally would get the ES-LV65 if it costs roughly the same. Otherwise I would get the ES-LV67 if that means I get to save some money (both shave exactly the same).
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for your thorough analysis. As the 65 & 67 are exactly the same price now would you still recommend the 65.
Thanks for your response.
Hi Les,
If the price is the same, I personally would choose the LV65 for a couple of perks I’ve mentioned above — a more useful display and the possibility to turn off the sensor. Those aren’t by any means things that make it fundamentally better as both shave exactly the same.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Does the Panasonic ES-LV9FX-S come without a cleaning station? If so, what is the model #?
Sincerely, Tom
Hi Tom,
Yes, it does come with a cleaning station. I’m afraid I do not know the exact part number — I was never able to find it for the revision F models.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi, thank you for the quality review. Can you please give me the equivalent code ES LV95/LV97 in Japan?
Hi,
Thank you for the comment. I don’t think there’s a Japanese equivalent of the ES-LV95 or ES-LV97. The closest one would be the ES-LVF6-K, but that one does not include a cleaning station. You can check out my Arc 5 guide for other models available in Japan.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Dear Ovidiu,
Thank you one more time for the excellent review and explanations you always provide.
I posted this question on one other of your reviews, but it is more relevant to the LV97-K so I am reposting it here:
A subjective question, between the LV97K and LV9Q which one would you choose?
I am considering one of them, but I am concerned by the long term reliability of the “very” flexible head of the LV9Q (impressive engineering) over the LV97K. Performance wise you already stated they are almost identical (but for the rollers). Plus the 3 years only battery life, and the cost difference between the LV9Q (265 Euro) and the LV97K (Euro 135), where I am.
This battery thing is a bit strange to me, as I normally keep all my electric shavers close to 10 years, and their battery has so far worked well. Had a few Braun models over the years the 790-4 being the latest one, a Philips Sensor 3D, and a Panasonic LV81 all of which are still working well. The Phillips head needs replacement but I can not find it.
Any opinion on this please?
No problem — glad I could be of help.
The 3 year-battery life is more of a standard disclosure with pretty much any device using an internal, rechargeable and non-user-replaceable battery (not just shavers). It doesn’t automatically mean that after 3 years it’ll be done. In fact, my experience with most electric shavers has been very positive in that regard (as was yours).
The very complex flexing head of the newer Panasonic Arc 5 models can mean it’s more prone to fail. But that will basically make the head stiffer and limit the range of motion, so it’ll be a lot more similar to the cheaper/older Arc 5 models. I doubt the head will become unusable (I’ve never experienced it with any of my Arc5’s). But they can get stiffer because of dust, dirt, lather and soap residue, mineral deposits from water etc. that get into the nooks and crannies of the sliding parts. In fact, I do experience that with pretty much all of my Panasonic shavers, from the Arc 3 to the Arc 6. This doesn’t however impact the functionality of the shavers, at least not from my point of view. I’m not a fan of the highly flexible/wobbly heads and I often just use them with the switch in the locked position.
As for which one to choose, even though the LV9Q is newer and has nicer materials, it’s almost twice the price and I don’t think it’s twice the shaver. Also, you can always upgrade the foil to any of the newer iterations as all of them will fit the LV97K perfectly. So I personally would go with that one.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Excellent Nik, thank you once again for the clear and detailed reply. You must be an engineer, I am one myself.
I agree with you 100% about the head movement, I tried over the last 2 shaves to observe how much head movement is really needed, and to my surprise it is very little really. The braun 790-4 is more than adequate with only up and down movement, and so is my old LV81. I also have an old Philips 3D Sensor touch which has 360o movement, but that is rotary so it is useful as you move the head in totally different directions compared to the foil shavers.
Summarising, back and forth plus left to right (LV97K) will be more than adequate for my facial shape needs.
In fact this is exactly what I have done. I ordered the LV97K plus a replacement foil and cutters (with rollers, WES9034Y1361) and my idea is as follows:
I will replace the foil and cutters of the LV97K with the other new one with rollers, and will put the new foil and cutters of the LV97K on my old LV81, and keep it as a spare, since the LV81 still works. There was no difference in price between them, in fact foil and cutters for the LV81 was more expensive.
You are very welcome — I think that was the right decision and your old Arc 5 will be an excellent backup with the fresh foil and blades. Hope you’ll enjoy using the LV97 with the upgraded foils.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi,
I already replied to this comment here, but I’ll also copy and paste the answer below:
The 3 year-battery life is more of a standard disclosure with pretty much any device using an internal, rechargeable and non-user-replaceable battery (not just shavers). It doesn’t automatically mean that after 3 years it’ll be done. In fact, my experience with most electric shavers has been very positive in that regard (as was yours).
The very complex flexing head of the newer Panasonic Arc 5 models can mean it’s more prone to fail. But that will basically make the head stiffer and limit the range of motion, so it’ll be a lot more similar to the cheaper/older Arc 5 models. I doubt the head will become unusable (I’ve never experienced it with any of my Arc5’s). But they can get stiffer because of dust, dirt, lather and soap residue, mineral deposits from water etc. that get into the nooks and crannies of the sliding parts. In fact, I do experience that with pretty much all of my Panasonic shavers, from the Arc 3 to the Arc 6. This doesn’t however impact the functionality of the shavers, at least not from my point of view. I’m not a fan of the highly flexible/wobbly heads and I often just use them with the switch in the locked position.
As for which one to choose, even though the LV9Q is newer and has nicer materials, it’s almost twice the price and I don’t think it’s twice the shaver. Also, you can always upgrade the foil to any of the newer iterations as all of them will fit the LV97K perfectly. So I personally would go with that one.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Just double checking please:
The foil and cutter WES9034Y and the WES9036Y would either fit the LV97K and/or the LV81, correct? Difference in price is only 5 Euro but one is labelled for LV9N and the other for LV9Q / LV9N
That is correct — both will fit the LV97 and the LV81. The WES9036Y is a newer and slightly tweaked foil but the differences in real life are hard to notice if any. Panasonic only lists the revision/shaver model on which the foil made its debut as compatible. But we know that all of them are actually backward compatible.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey, I got kind of confused…
The price of the ES-LV67-K and the ES-LV65-S are the same on amazon atm which one do I get and why? for me it makes more sense to get the new one just because it’s new so I assume it’s better…
but from what I got that may not be the case.
which one should I get and why?
P.S I need an excellent Electric razor/ shaver for a similar price range that is fast and easy for a clean shave every day / every other day use if you have a different recommendation
Sincerely,
Ender
Hi Ender,
Both are excellent shavers, but I would slightly lean towards the ES-LV65-S if the price is the same. I go into more details why in the review above (Alternative shavers section), but If I was to summarize, the ES-LV65-S has a feature-rich display, you can turn off the shaving sensor and it has a better (physical) travel lock. The blades, foils and motor are the same, so the shaving performance will be identical.
As a side note, newer isn’t always better, and there are quite a few examples when it comes to electric shavers. The new Braun Series 7 is a significant downgrade from the old generation, Philips’ RQ12+ and RQ12 Pro blades are nowhere near as good as the old RQ12 blades and so on.
The ES-LV65-S/ES-LV67-K would be a really solid choice for what you need and both also offer excellent value for money.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey,
thank you so much for the explanation!
one more question if you’ll indulge me please what is the “Shaving Head” different?
I mean it said that the ES-LV65-S got a “Multi-Flex Pivoting Head”
and the ES-LV67-K got a “Flexible 16-D Shaving Head” so I don’t understand the difference between those shaving heads…
also, what is the difference between the “Active Shave Sensor” in the ES-LV65-S and the Intelligent Shave Sensor in the ES-LV67-K?
P.S. I’m leaning more toward the ES-LV67-K because of his design if they are the same foils and motor as I don’t really put a lot of emphasis on a display and i can’t understand why I would want to turn off the shaving sensor (if there is a good reason I would love to know)
thank you for all your help 😀
Sincerely,
Ender
Hi Ender,
If you like the ES-LV67 better, then by all means get that one. Again, you’d be hard-pressed to tell any differences in the quality of the shave, at least to me they are identical. But as I said, the ES-LV65-S has a couple of pros, the price being in my opinion the decisive factor (in favor of either of the two).
The head of the ES-LV67-K has a bit more flexibility in the sense that it also moves vertically. In practice I don’t think anyone will notice a difference since the range of motion is very limited. Both sensors do the same thing — adjusting the power output depending on the beard density/coarseness. More of a gimmick if you ask me. With the ES-LV65, you can disable it, meaning the motor will always work at full speed (which is something I personally find beneficial for the performance of any shaver). But even with this sensor always on, the ES-LV67-K almost always runs at full blast, so again something that won’t make a difference. These are all some nitpicks if you ask me, but I had to mention the differences for anyone trying to decide between the two. The price and maybe the display are of greater importance, but if the shavers cost the same and you don’t care about the display, definitely get the one that appeals to you more.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hey Ovidiu,
thank you so much for the help you are the best!!!!
you helped me a lot!
hope you have a great year and lots of good times!
Sincerely,
Ender
my arc5 finally died after 2-3 years of daily use and minimum maintenance. i’ve used the linear motor panasonics since the first ones came out. i flirted briefly with a high-end braun and i think it’s still in a drawer somewhere–i disliked it.
as to the one that died, i just checked and it was the ’65. i disliked it from the first because of the confusing double button push to activate the sensor and the timer which didn’t allow the remaining capacity to show. ironically, the very items you say makes it worth more than the ’67–horses for courses , eh? 🙂 🙂
so i scrolled through the choices on amazon for a half a day and i didn’t want to spend more than $200 and i dislike those cleaning stations. and this was before i discovered your most excellent and extremely helpful series of article–if only i’d had those before the last half-dozen razors i bought!
again, this is without the knowledge from your articles, but i as i tried to get out as cheaply as i could i found some import models, some with long delivery dates and i needed one in a day or so. i think i found a ’65 or a ’67 for just over $100, but with a two month delivery time. in short, it came down to a ’65 for $159 and the ’67 for $179 and i chose the ’67 because of the simple battery indicator–in short, i liked the looks of it much better. at that time i didn’t realize it had the sensor locked on and if i’d known that it wouldn’t have been a decision at all.
the ’67 just got here and battery deader than a doornail, so i’m reviewing your hints and tips before i go fire it up. i didn’t shave this morning deliberately so i could give the new one a good workout to start with–to teach it that there will be no pampering here.
anyway, many thanks for all your articles. btw, i searched for that ‘gold’ foil (WES9175) on amazon and not a sign of it. but hopefully i won’t need a replacement for a year or so.
/guy
Hi Guy,
Many thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Regarding the Arc 5 LV65 vs 67, definitely horses for courses. 🙂
Hope you’ll enjoy using your new 67.
As for the foil, the WES9175 is actually the one that came with the first two revisions of the third Arc 5 generation and those have been discontinued. So it’s no surprise that the foil is missing as well. When I originally posted this review, the WES9175 was the newest foil. But as of 2022, there are three newer foils available and you can of course upgrade to one of them when the time comes. I wrote a detailed post about that and the compatible part numbers here should you need that info.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I bought an ES-LV67 in December 2020. In September 2022 it failed and the Panasonic team said it was not repairable. 20 month life for a premium product? Bad value. I recommend to avoid this product.
Thank you for the comment, Ian. I’m sorry about your shaver failing prematurely. In the USA and at least in some European countries there’s a two-year warranty, I suppose you are located in the UK where for some reason Panasonic only offers 1 year. Your frustration is totally understandable. As far as I know, there aren’t any recurring/well-known and widespread problems with this particular model. I own two and they still work really well after 3 years, but it’s difficult to assess reliability from that alone.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello
So far I have used the Braun Series 9 and the Phillips Series 9. What they all have in common is that it takes multiple tries to achieve a close shave (I have a very hard beard and sensitive skin). I purchased the shaver on Black Friday. I was pleasantly surprised – with 2-3 passes, the skin is smooth. The price is up to three times lower. I hope it is really waterproof – with Panasonic, after a year of use, water began to penetrate the housing.
Hello Dimitar,
Thank you for the comment, glad you’re happy with the shaver. Panasonic razors generally cut the hair closer than Braun and Philips regardless of the series. They are waterproof and provided they’re not submerged in water for a long period, there shouldn’t be any water ingress.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu
I had a question. How many hours should it be charged for the initial charge of Lv67 after purchase?
About 8 hours is not wrong?
Tnx
Hello Ramin,
Because this shaver is fitted with a modern Li-ion battery, it doesn’t require any special treatment when charging for the first time. Just charge it until the indicator shows a full battery, then disconnect it and use it normally. There’s absolutely no need to do anything else.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thank you for your guidance
I had another question. Is the blade and outer foil set of Lv67, WES9032?
Can we use WES9175, which is a newer generation, instead of this set?
You are very welcome.
Yes, the WES9032 is the foil & blades set that comes on the LV67. However, the WES9175 part number is only the foil, not the set, so it won’t include the two inner blades. It is however compatible with the LV67; in fact, all newer Arc 5 sets are. Please see this guide for more info.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Very very thank you
As a last question, thank you for your help. After shaving with this shaver, I feel a slight burning sensation on my facial skin. It also turns a little red. Of course, in order to shave in the best way, I shave my face from bottom to top, which may be the reason for my skin irritation. is it correct?
Also, isn’t it better if I use shaving gel or shaving foam? (Is gel better or foam?)
Thank you for giving me some advice on this matter. By the way, I have only used this shaver twice since I bought it
Hi Ramin,
If by bottom to top you mean that you shave against the direction of hair growth, that is the correct way of shaving with an electric shaver and you should continue doing so. I also get some redness after I shave dry with the LV67 or the LV65 which uses the exact same foil and blades. These foils are a bit more aggressive compared to the newer ones I mentioned in the previous comment, so when it’s time to change them, the shaver will also become a bit gentler. But until then, you can do a few things to minimize the razor burn.
First, make sure you don’t press the shaver too hard. Panasonic shavers are not as forgiving as Braun for example (but they do shave closer). A shaving cream will make the LV67 more comfortable, but if you don’t have the time (it will take longer to shave), I highly recommend a pre-shave lotion like Speick that you apply to the face right before you dry shave. After your shave, rinse your face with cold water, gently pat dry with a clean towel and apply a soothing aftershave balm. It will help with the redness. I wrote a post about the aftershaves I recommend here if you want a few suggestions.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Thanks for the advice.
Unfortunately, I could not find the pre-shave lotion you mentioned in our city.
Of course, there is pre-shave foam and pre-shave gel. From brands like Gillette, Nivea, L’Oreal and…
Don’t these help? Also, if they are useful, how should they be used? For example, should we wash the face first with cold or warm water or not? Many thanks
You are welcome, Ramin. I will need to know the exact name of the products in order to determine if those would be suitable. Some of these brands do make some pre-shaves for wet shaving, so those won’t be of any help. The pre-shave lotion I was referring to is intended for shaving dry with an electric shaver and should be applied to dry skin, without washing beforehand.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Yes that’s right. The things I mentioned are for wet shaving. So it won’t help as you say. I’m trying to find the lotion you mentioned (or something similar that is used with dry face). thank you
Speick is a rather small brand that’s not readily available everywhere. Maybe you can get some of the other options I mentioned here.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu,
Congratulations on your wonderful site! I often read it even when I’m not in the market for a new shaver! Just to keep up on what’s new! I’ve used the ES-LV65 for several years now. It’s a great shaver, but lately I’ve noticed a strange vibration in the head that goes away when I start shaving. This happens even after I change blades and foil. I thought I would buy another one, but the LV65 has become almost impossible to find outside of ebay. Since I live in Europe, I was able to find the LV67 at a very good price. Another great shaver, but I find the head a bit wobbly, so I often shave in the locked position. Your thoughts on that?
Best wishes,
David
Hi David,
Thank you so much for the kind comment, I really appreciate the support.
I’m with you on the wobbly shaving head issue — I also don’t like it and I just lock it in place when I shave. I do the same with the latest Arc 5 models and even with the Arc 6. Panasonic’s idea of a flexible shaving head just doesn’t work as it should in the real world. It’s not useful and it can be downright annoying. So you’re not the only one. I think they should simply leave out the highly complex flexing system and use a simple front-to-back tilt (like Braun does) and also improve the movement of the individual cutters — those definitely need a greater range of motion.
This is the one thing that Panasonic needs to improve across all their series of shavers.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hi. Thank you for your amazing reviews. I just bought an ES-LV97, and reading the instructions, in mentioned the battery should last 3 years. That concerned me a bit (Braun advertises up to 7 years). You mentioned the battery is good and lasts a long time, but do you have a sense of lifespan for a well-maintained arc 5? Is it only 3 years?
Hi David,
The 3 years lifespan is like a standard disclaimer, but in practice you should normally get a lot more than that. I’ve owned dozens of Panasonic razors over the years and never had one fail after 3 years. There are even users that got close to 10 years. As long as you use the shaver correctly (that is not subjecting it to high temperatures like leaving it in direct sunlight) and you’re not one of the unlucky users (batteries can sometimes fail prematurely regardless of brand), you should have a reliable shaver for a few good years.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
I am 83 years old and being using electric razers for 60 years, 3years ago I
decided to buy a good razer and purchased a es lv67. I shave every day but
found this the worst razer I have ever owned, rub for 10 minutes only to still
have stubble on my face. in desperation I purchased a $25 dollar razer from Aldi
which does a great job. I feel there has to be something wrong with the cutting
blades on my razer. I am very disappointed Regards Ron
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the comment. I think there is definitely something amiss there. The LV67 is one of the better shavers out there and almost all users feel that way after using it. It’s very uncommon to get a defective unit, but definitely not impossible. I would have sent it back for a replacement while still under warranty. Unfortunately since you bought it 3 years ago, the warranty has probably expired.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello ovidiu. Hope you’re well. I think im going to be using my Panasonic es-lv67 all the time now. I’m using a different shaving technique now, and that combined with my pre shave lotion is resulting in a great shave. Apart from 1 peculiarity. I’ve only had the shaver about 3 months now, and this morning,i got a bit of a tugging sensation as i shaved. And it doesn’t seem quite as close. Could the cutters be losing their edge already?. I’m cleaning it and lubricating it often enough. Any thoughts?. Kindest regards Philip.
Hi Philip,
It normally is a gradual process so it shouldn’t be this sudden change in performance. Was your shaver by any chance low on battery? With Panasonic shavers, the drop in performance is more noticeable when the battery charge goes down. I personally prefer to charge my Arc5s when the charge drops below 40%. Also, I’ve noticed that lubricating sprays can be more effective than oil in the case of Panasonic shavers. With some of my older ones that have really begun to lose the sharpness a spray makes a noticeable difference and I’m still able to get a good shave.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hiya ovidiu. The battery wasn’t low,and im using a lubricating spray as well. But the tugging only happened once anyway. It’s back to a smooth shave now. Thanks for the tips about charging. Awesome shaver. Simply world class.
Hey Philip,
Awesome, glad it wasn’t a recurring issue. Enjoy your LV67, it’s a great shaver indeed.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu
Hello Ovidiu.
Do you know the model ES-LV69?
Which model is it comparable to?
Does it have nobler materials?
Greetings Mat
Hi Mathias,
From what I know, it’s identical to the ES-LV67 and only sold in several European countries. Apart from the silver body and foil frame, no other differences (same plastic body). Same motor, same blades, same performance.
Sincerely,
Ovidiu