Is “More Blades = Better” a Myth? Why I Switched from a Premium 6-Blade to a Rotary Shaver

“The more blades, the closer the shave.” I kind of believed that too, and used to use a Panasonic 6-blade shaver.

Official site: https://www.philips.co.jp/c-p/SP9871_15/shaver-s9000-prestige-wet-dry-electric-shaver-with-skiniq Where to buy: See on Amazon Japan

But it just didn’t fit the shape of my jaw. When I went over the same spot again and again to get every hair, my skin ended up stinging.

So I took the plunge on the Philips S9000 Prestige SP9885, with three rotating heads. After using it for a while, I realized what matters isn’t the number of blades — it’s how well they fit your face.

For me, it’s hands down the best shaver I’ve ever used.

Three rotating heads suited me better than six blades

Panasonic’s Lamdash PRO 6-blade is a high-end shaver too, with a “5D” head that follows the contours of your face. But for me, when I pressed that wide blade against my jaw, it never felt like the whole blade was making even contact.

The S9000 Prestige’s three round heads each move on their own. You can swirl it around your chin and under your jaw at different angles, and it really feels like the blades adjust to your face instead of you adjusting your face to the blades.

And it’s way gentler on skin

This is the biggest reason I keep using the S9000 Prestige: it barely irritates my skin. With my old shaver, going over spots repeatedly or pressing a bit harder for a closer shave sometimes left my skin stinging.

With the S9000 Prestige, even pressing it pretty firmly, I get almost none of that sting. The heads have a coating with tiny microbeads designed to reduce friction on your skin.

No “tugging,” even on slightly longer stubble

Another surprise was after skipping a few days. With straight-blade shavers, longer hairs sometimes snagged and made me go “ow.” With the S9000 Prestige, I’ve barely felt that so far.

Since you move the blades in circles over hair growing in all directions, it picks up tricky spots like under the jaw easily. No more going back over “that one spot” every morning — way more comfortable than I expected.

6-blade vs. rotary: totally different philosophies


This isn’t about one being objectively better. For me, being able to press three heads firmly against the curves of my face mattered more than shaving everything at once with six blades.

The cleaning pod needs no power — put it anywhere

I really like the S9000 Prestige’s Quick Clean Pod too. The interesting part: the pod itself doesn’t need power. When you dock the shaver, it uses the shaver’s own motor to clean, so you can put it somewhere without an outlet.

It cleans really well too. I used it almost every day, and when I opened the heads, there was barely any stubble left. For something you use daily, getting it this clean just by setting it down is a huge help.

But long-term use revealed some gripes

Of course, it’s not perfect. First, the Quick Clean Pod can’t charge while cleaning. Being able to put it anywhere without power is nice, but personally I liked my old clean-and-charge station better — set it down and everything’s done.

The other thing is the cleaning fluid. It’s hard to see how much is left from the outside, so after a while I sometimes found it had run out without me noticing. I’m happy with how well it cleans, so I wish this part were clearer.

The nose trimmer takes some getting used to

I tried the included nose and ear trimmer too. Since I normally use a separate rotary nose trimmer, it felt a little awkward at first. That’s less about performance and more about getting used to a different style.

In the end, more blades isn’t always better

The biggest change after switching from the 6-blade to the S9000 Prestige wasn’t just a closer shave — it was getting a proper shave every day without my skin stinging.

Of course, everyone’s face shape, beard thickness, and skin are different. Some people will prefer a foil shaver. So I’m not saying rotary beats six blades.

But at least for me, what I should’ve been looking at wasn’t “how many blades,” but how well the blades fit my face. Fewer missed spots, and no sting even when I press harder.

Even after long-term use, it’s easily the best shaver I’ve ever owned.

As an Amazon Associate, Hidenori Kimura earns from qualifying purchases.

This story was originally published (in Japanese) on Yahoo! News Japan Expert.