Ooh boy. When comparing between two of the best Phillips Norelco shavers, I want to stay as neutral as possible. These two shavers have some similarities in features and benefits. You’ll also find some distinct characteristics in them. This is what prompted me to go for a Philips Norelco 9300 vs 9700 comparisons.
The problem with Phillips is that they have a confusing naming scheme. Somehow, I found Norelco 9700 better than the next model 9800.
Don’t get me wrong, the franchise puts out some of the best features and benefits a Rotary shaver can have. It’s just that you need to look into things with an eagle’s eye.
This is what I’ll do as a part of this article. It’s sort of a “Head to Head” comparison of Norelco 9300 and 9700. Here, I’ll look into similarities as well as the distinct differences that come with these two models.
First, let’s discuss my experiences with the two shavers in question in this article. Then, I’ll be dissecting the similarities and dissimilarities between the two models.
Table of Contents
Phillips Norelco 9300 vs 9700 – Comparison Table
Features | Philips Norelco 9300 | Phillips Norelco 9700 |
---|---|---|
Contour Detect Technology | 8 directions | 8 directions |
Wet or dry | Yes | Yes |
Cleaning | SmartClean | SmartClean PLUS |
Speed setting | Low, medium & fast | Low, medium & fast |
Shaving technology | AquaTec | AquaTec |
Precision trimmer | Yes | Yes |
Blade System | V-Track Precision Blade | V-Track Precision Blade PRO |
SmartClick cleansing brush | No | Yes |
User Interface | LED | Digital (more data) |
Charge & run time | 1 hr & 50 min ( 5 min quick charge) | 1 hr & 60 min ( 5 min quick charge) |
Price | See On Amazon | See On Amazon |
Philips Norelco S9311/84, Shaver 9300
The first thing that caught my eye with this thing is the design. It’s minimalistic yet functional. I’m not the only one complimenting the design. In fact, this one won the IF design awards back in 2015.
When Norelco 9300 says that it moves along the contours of our faces, it does not lie. This electric razor does so in eight directions. This is what they call Contour Detection. Thanks to this feature, one can cut hair in any direction he wants. No matter how difficult an area is to handle, he’ll have a smooth shave in the end.
Personally, I was able to cut 20% more hair with this little feature.
You have V-Track Precision Blades with this shaver. These blades are set at a perfect angle for people to shave with. I can tell you from my experience that these things are sharp. They won’t much around when shaving. Thanks to this technology, I could cut 30% more hair close to my face than I had thought.
Phillips Norelco 9300 is not too complicated when it comes to the controls. One can easily adjust them to his liking. You have three different settings to take advantage of. These are High, Medium, and Slow.
People can go slow if they have a sensitive skin and want a comfortable shave. Medium gives them a thorough shave while quickening the pace up. The “Fast” mode is for a quick shave before a meeting. It uses up more battery power but cuts down on shaving time.
Speaking of the power source, it’s a Li-ion battery. Norelco 9300 can also run on electricity. The Li-ion battery takes 1 hour for a complete recharge. People can get 40 minutes to an hour worth of juice for shaving depending on what type of facial hair they have.
Don’t have that much time on your hands? Recharge the battery for 5 minutes! It’ll give you enough juice just for one quick shave before the exam or the meeting.
Need a reliable assistant? You got it with the competent LED display. This thing displays the battery level indicated by five bars. You get to see when your device needs recharging with a “Low Battery” indicator. This thing shows when the Phillips 9300 needs cleaning as well. A handy feature to have around us.
It’d be rude of me if I didn’t include the Cleaning Station into features and additions that I like about this razor. It’s an important part of Norleco 9700 vs. 9300 debate. The SmartClean PLUS cleaning dock takes care of cleaning and lubricating the razor. The dock uses an “Alcohol-Free” formula for the job. The formula is skin-friendly as well.
This dock is great when it comes to charging this thing. While we recharge, the cleaning system releases a special fluid that lubricates the blades and takes the hair out of them for a clean shave next time. This thing reduces the friction between blades and the skin for a comfortable session.
I experimented with wet and dry shaving and found Norelco 9300 apt at both. This is due to AquaTec technology. However; I’ll not suggest people submerge this unit under water. It might malfunction.
This one does have a travel case. It’s well built and guards the razor against accidents while you enjoy your vacation with this at the side of your backpack.
Things I Liked about Norelco 9300
- I like the handle and how it feels on my hands. It’s comfortable and not a nuisance at all.
- You have different levels of speeds to play around with and customize the shaving routine.
- The blades are awesome. They don’t tug my face. The angle makes them gentle but efficient.
- I am in love with the Cleaning Dock. It cleans, lubricates, and preps the razor well for a shave.
- I am in a rush most of the times. That’s why I love the quick charging capacity of this thing.
Things I Didn’t Like about Norelco 9300
- The cleaning base felt too big for me compared to the razor’s size.
- Floating head doesn’t work as well as it should after continued use for some time.
My Experience with Phillips Norelco 9700
Let’s move to the second product of the article in my debate about Phillips Norelco 9300 vs 9700 comparisons. This is the frustration-free package with everything included inside. Yes, everything you need for the razor to function properly is included inside.
As you might have expected, this one has a floaty razor head as well. It helps the product to navigate through complex areas of our faces. One needs one or two passes to get a clean shave if he’s going for wet shaving with Norelco 9700.
Yes, it does have 8 directional “Contour Adapting System” as well. Couple it with a flexing head and the shaving experience is even better. It can get to any corner of our faces, bodies, and legs. Norelco 9700 can take care of 3-day-old stubble without any issues whatsoever.
A large part of this shaving prowess is dependent on the blades as usual. Instead of the normal V-Track blades, we have the “Pro” V-Track blades to work with. These things adjust to assume the best cutting position and cut hair efficiently. You don’t have to sharpen these blades by yourselves.
Norelco 9700 comes with three speeds as well. I expected a bump in this segment but… oh well. You get what you get with these things. But I could make do with slow, medium, and fast speed levels.
Phillips Norelco 9700 comes with a unique display of its own. It’s a vast improvement compared to the other shaver of discussion today. I found a motion sensor that tells me when I’m going off-track while shaving. It prevents slipping up and cutting my skin. I get to see all the vital stats of the razor as well.
Some of these vital stats include the remaining battery charge, cleaning indicator, speed modes, and razor head indicator. The console displays battery charge in numbers instead of bars. Cleaning indicator is fairly accurate as well. This features a travel lock feature that tells you if the product is secure or not.
Then you have the cleaning dock. It’s the signature of these Phillips Norelco shavers. Cleaning dock sharpens the razor blades when they’re idle. One can use this to recharge the batteries as well. But I’d recommend using an electric socket for the job. If you use it anyway, make sure to regularly alter the fluids.
The battery is still the same. You need to charge it for an hour to get 60 minutes of shaving time. Quick charging is available where people charge Phillips 9700 for 5 minutes for one shave.
I also found the travel case included in the package. Honestly, it’s a great product to take along when going on a vacation. The case is a great way of protecting against damages and accidents.
What I Like about the Razor
- You will like the display console it comes with. It’s incredibly detailed and shows a lot of info.
- I like the rotating blades. These are sharper than 9300 and more efficient than the earlier models.
- The cleaning dock is still here and upgraded in terms of cleaning fluids.
- You get to use the flexing head to reach all corners of your bodies, faces, and legs.
- People can use this thing for wet and dry shaving thanks to the AquaTec technology.
What I don’t Like the Razor
- Beware of the cleaning unit. It has a tendency of malfunctioning from time to time.
- The cleaning fluid can turn into this brown sediment after few months of use. It’s harmful for the razor.
What Similarities Did I Find Between Norelco 9300 and 9700?
Series 9000 is the most advanced of the Norelco rotary razors that Phillips has put out till date. You have great features like a shaving head that follows our facial contours and an ergonomic handle to help people grip the razors well when we’re shaving tight areas.
Both the 9700 and 9300 models work great when you consider wet and dry shaving. Electric razors generally facilitate dry shaving only. But this is not the case with Philips 9300 or 9700.
The next similarity between these two models is the cleaning system. You have the SmartClean facility. When a user rests his shaver in the cleaning bowl after the shave, both the razors recharge themselves. Also, these razors do the cleanup job with an alcohol-based solution that washes the hair.
Unlike Braun’s shavers, these models don’t use alcohol in the cleaning solution. So, you don’t have to worry about putting your skin in danger. Non-Alcoholic cleaning fluids stay good for a long period too.
Both of these docks use an induction heat motor to dry the razors after cleaning is done. There’s a benefit to the process. You’ll not hear the machine while it’s operating. On the downside, it takes a lot of time. Be prepared to spend 4 hours while you watch the shaver gradually dry itself.
You won’t find a “Pop Up” trimmer as a part of this device. Instead, you get a “Clip-on Trimmer” with these two models. A trimmer like this is safer than the pop-up version. Whenever you want a trimming job done, just attach the trimmer and it’s ready for the job.
People might not find it very important but the travel case is more or less the same too.
The Differences Between the Two Models at a Glance
With my own account with these razors and the similarities, let’s get into to the Norelco 9300 vs. 9700 by comparing all the differences.
The Difference in Color
This may not be much of a difference to be rambling about according to many but both the models come in different colors. The 9300 has a lighter silver shade but 9700 comes in the darker variety.
Before you start asking, both the bodies are made of plastic. It’s hard plastic to be exact. The buttons and displays fit perfectly in sync with these two models.
The Way You See Information about the Battery
This thing is more prominent than the subtle color difference that I talked about earlier. We see battery life in the form of bars in Norelco 9300. Each bar represents 20% of the charge. So, there are 5 bars in total. Personally, I think bars are somewhat vague in describing how much juice the battery has.
This is where 9700 “One Ups” it’s predecessor. You see accurate numbers and percentages that display the remaining charge. It lights up in the dark too. As a result, shavers like me get to enjoy shaving while the capacity of our razors still hovers at the back of our minds. We’re more aware than before.
The SmartClean Display is a Big Change
Don’t get me wrong, both of these machines use the same fluid cartridge. The change is in how they display and let you know about the cleaning process. With 9300, you need to count the hours.
It will only indicate when the machine is cleaning itself or drying or doing other functions. You will have to depend on an LED that lets you know it’s happening rather than tracking the process as it happens.
Norelco 9700 is different. It comes with a progress bar that covers the top half of the cleaning station. This progress bar fills up as we go along the cleaning process.
An update to my readers: The Phillips Norelco 9000 series did away with the progress bar as of 2016.
There are some who might find the cleaning dock unnecessary and bulky. If that’s the case with you, get Norelco 9800. It’s just like 9700 in features and benefits. But 9800 doesn’t come with a cleaning dock.
The Price Issue
Let me lay it out straight for you: Norelco 9300 is basic in terms of the display. However, it matches the performance level of 9700. Norelco 9700 has a fancy display. It’s detailed and helps you in keeping track of all the processes that are happening during a shaving routine.
Understandably, Norelco 9300 has a lower price point than that of 9700. In fact, the latter model comes at a cost much heavier than the previous one. Think long and hard before pressing the buy button. Are you prepared for spending the money on a display? Or do you need the performance with a medium-quality display.
Which to Pick Between the Two?
As we reach the end of our Phillips Norelco 9300 vs 9700 debate, the choice comes down to preference. The comparison is simpler than anyone would think. Features and benefits of these to razors are the same. The only upper hand 9700 brings to the table is the upgraded display. So, the difference is visual.
If you ask me, Phillips Norelco 9300 is the better choice for people. I’d go as far as saying 9700 has a steep price that’s hardly justified by visual detailing alone. I’d go for 9300 nine times out of 10,
However, I understand that some people need visual cues and inside knowledge of what’s happening in the system. No doubt, Phillips 9700 is for them. Have a good time shopping for savers!