Product Description

SpeedXL Replacement Heads for all Norelco SpeedXL and SmartTouchXL Shaving Systems. SpeedXl provides 50% more shaving surface for a faster, smoother and closer shave.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31 in Health and Beauty
• Color: n/a
• Brand: Philips Norelco
• Model: HQ9
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 5.25" h x 4.25" w x .25" l, .13 pounds

Features

• SpeedXL Shaving Heads for all Norelco SpeedXL and SmartTouchXL Shaving Systems

Accessory Guide

Select the right shaving head for you! Renew for better results
series shaving head         arcitec      1050CC, 1060      1050/1050X, 1090     Smart-Touch XL      9199XL   Speed-XL      8240XL, 8260XLCC        7310XL, 7340XL      7810XL        7400 - 7800        6940LC        5400 - 5800        4000	NIVEA FOR MEN Razor 8020X/33 8040X/18 8060X/25 HS 800 Nivea Shaving conditioner for NIVEA FOR MEN razor       7700 HQ 170 Shaving lotion for Cool Skin HQ 171 Shaving gel for Cool Skin       6700 HQ 170 Shaving lotion for Cool Skin HQ 171 Shaving gel for Cool Skin   Cleaning accessory HQ 200 Cleaning solution for JetClean System

Customer Reviews

A good shave regained...however, one concern
This product contains three replacement heads for the Norelco 9160XL electric razor. After 1 1/2 years of continuous daily usage the original cutting heads were no longer giving a good shave. I decided to replace the original blades with this set.

The good:

1.)Easy to following instruction for replacement on the package, and the actual replacement process was incredibly simple and easy to do.

2.)The new blades functioned perfectly; because the decline in performance of the original blades was so gradual, it was difficult to believe how much of an improvement these replacement blades provided.

The not so good:

Only one complaint; the packaging. The replacement blade were embodied in a package that made it extremely difficult to actually get at the blades. There were a series of 6 grommet eyelets surrounding the entire package making it very secure. I literally had to force scissors between the layers of cardboard to get around the grommets to eventually get to the blades inside. In a word...frustrating. Plus, a slight slip and a bad cut may have occurred (I think everyone has experienced trying to open one of these newer hard-plastic wrapped items and knows just how difficult it can really be to get at the product inside).

Conclusion:
An excellent set of replacement blades. (I just hope they'll last longer than the 3 months it took for the original blades to start to lose their sharpness). Time will tell; but up to now, so far so good.
However, getting the blades out of this package could be considered a potential hazard.
5 Stars for the product itself, with 1 or 2 Stars off for the needless obstructive packaging.

Addendum Feb 24/08:
Interesting to note that they've changed the packaging on this product (since my original review) making it appear that it's less hazardous to access. However, as I haven't purchase this specific product package, I can't comment on the ease of access (or safety) of the new packaging.

R.Nicholson

Should be called Slow-XL
Somehow Norelco actually made the HQ9 SpeedXL heads worse than the old lift-and-Cut heads. To make it look like the heads will produce a faster shave, they reduced the area of the outer ring to make room for two additional cutter rings inside the outer ring.

The problem? The inner rings have a slower surface speed than the old, larger area, outer ring. So you actually have a smaller high speed cutter area while the inner rings end up pulling your beard hairs when you try to shave as fast as your old Lift-and-Cut shaver.

Why can't you buy the old lift-and-cut heads to fit you new Smart-Touch shaver? Like all Norelco rotary rasors, each model uses a slightly different drive pin to make you buy the newer, more expensive, heads. Philips knows how to make their old products obselete so you will buy the new "better" stuff.

Should have ordered sooner
Amazing what a difference new shaving heads make. I hadn't noticed the gradual degradation in ease of shaving, and thought the problem was with the humidity. Got the new blades and my shaving time was cut by two thirds. Applied the cost savings over getting it in a store to overnight shipping.