This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
A small electric shaver selling for about ¥2,700 on Amazon Japan was showing more than 6,000 purchases in the past month when I recorded this. I wanted to know if it actually shaves, so I put it up against the shaver I use every day, the Panasonic Lamdash Palm In PRO, which costs around ¥70,000 with its cleaning dock. The Lamdash shaves closer and leaves a cleaner finish, as you would expect. But the cheap one shaved far better than I thought it would, and as a travel or backup shaver it is more than enough for a lot of people.
What I tested
- Enchenal Lab portable electric shaver: about ¥2,700 at the time of recording. Listed as a 26-blade reciprocating shaver with a 0.05 mm honeycomb foil, USB-C charging, a built-in trimmer and wet/dry use
- Panasonic Lamdash Palm In PRO ES-P690U-S: a compact 6-blade shaver that comes with the Palm In Pot, an automatic cleaning and charging dock. Around ¥70,000 at the time of recording, though the street price varies. This is a Japanese-market model
- I trimmed my beard to about 1 mm, then shaved one side of my face with each shaver for 30 seconds
- I also weighed both and tried charging and cleaning them
What I found
- The cheap shaver charges over USB-C. I charged it with an ordinary USB-C to USB-C cable, so on a trip you can share the charger you already carry for your phone, tablet or laptop.
- It also has a built-in trimmer for slightly longer stubble and detail work. For the price, it has more features than I expected.
- On my scale, the Enchenal Lab weighed 114.7 g and the Lamdash Palm In PRO 183.1 g, so the cheap one is about 68 g lighter. Easy to leave in a bag.
- In the 30-second test, the Lamdash was clearly better at shaving close and leaving fewer missed hairs. Running my hand over my face afterwards, the Lamdash side felt cleaner. With six blades, it gets through stubble efficiently even in a short time.
- The cheap shaver still shaved normally in 30 seconds. It is not as close or as clean as the Lamdash, but for tidying up before a meeting on a business trip, using it for a few days while travelling, or keeping a spare at work, I think many people would find it fine.
- The price gap is more than 20 times, but the shave is obviously not 20 times better. With a high-end shaver, you are paying for overall comfort: a closer shave, faster results, fewer missed spots, ease of use and easy cleaning.
- Cleaning is where the gap shows most. The Lamdash goes into its dock after use and gets cleaned and charged automatically. With the cheap shaver, you take off the head and brush it out yourself, and you need to be careful not to lose the small spring and parts inside.
| Enchenal Lab | Lamdash Palm In PRO ES-P690U-S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (at the time of recording) | About ¥2,700 | Around ¥70,000 |
| Blades | 26-blade reciprocating (listed) | 6 blades |
| Weight (my scale) | 114.7 g | 183.1 g |
| Charging | USB-C | Palm In Pot dock |
| Cleaning | Remove the head and brush it out | Automatic cleaning in the dock |
| Shave in my 30-second test | Shaves fine, a few missed hairs | Closer, cleaner finish |
Who it’s for
Get the Enchenal Lab if you want a cheap, light shaver for travel or business trips, like USB-C charging, only shave now and then, and are happy as long as it does a decent job. Get the Lamdash Palm In PRO if you shave every day, want a close shave with fewer missed hairs in less time, and want cleaning and charging taken care of for you. My own setup makes sense to me: the high-end shaver at home, the small one in my travel bag. Use it occasionally, the cheap model is fine; use it every day, and the high-end model earns its price.
The video is in Japanese.
Limitations
This was a single 30-second test per side on my own beard, trimmed to about 1 mm, so results will differ with longer or thicker stubble and different skin. I have not tested the cheap shaver over months of use. Prices are Amazon Japan prices at the time of recording and change often.
Products
Enchenal Lab portable electric shaver: on Amazon Japan
Panasonic Lamdash Palm In PRO ES-P690U-S (with Palm In Pot): on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
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This review is also available in Japanese.