Remington Titanium R-9500
In an effort to improve my personal hygiene, my lovely girlfriend gave me a new electric shaver for Christmas: a Remington Titanium R-9500. Actually, it is more than just a shaver, it is an entire "shaving system". I believe that they classify it as a system because it contains several interdependent parts (the shaver itself, its recharging base, and a cleaning device) that are synergistic.
Even though I am not terribly hirsute, I tend to be lazy and gain a day or two of growth. The new shaver has seemed to perform well so far. It is certainly much sharper than my previous electric razor (which I had owned since I was old enough to shave).
The self-cleaning cycle requires a special solution, sold for about $5 from the Remington store. (The Walgreen’s online store sells it for slightly more. I wonder if Remington is selling the solution for low margins, in order to reduce total lifecycle costs for the system.) The extra cost of the solution (which needs to be replaced every couple of months, according to the documentation) imposes a new burden on the consumer. (Previously, straight razors had to be replaced fairly often, while the electric razors were a one-shot investment.) A different business model for electric shaver producers? Or a new feature that functions as a loss-leader, and merely brings customers to the main (and fairly expensive) product?
Several people have suggested making a home-brew cleaning solution. This site suggested using a homebrew that was based a homebrewed Braun Activator solution: 2/3 cup Everclear (grain alcohol), five capfuls of lemon juice, and maybe a couple of drops of silicone. The Remington solution does not smell like lemons (or grain alcohol), and seems to consist mostly of isopropyl alcohol instead.