One Blade Review: One Article to Rule Them All

Have you heard a rumor that Philips has developed a superb electric shaver that not only shaves your beard, but also grooms your body?

If you’ve heard already, let me assure you – it’s not a rumor because it’s true! The OneBlade 360 Face+Body variant under the Norelco series does exactly what I just mentioned and in some good fashion I must say.

I personally bought this shaver to check out how effective it is in the given departments and I was surely blown away, and certainly you will be too if you complete reading this article!

“Norelco OneBlade 360 is a great solution for shaving both of your face and body with one shaver handle. For the price, there’s no better alternative that caters to your every body grooming need while ensuring utmost comfort, during and after each shave.”

Philips Norelco OneBlade Family

There are quite a few variants of OneBlade razors in the market and I’ll highlight them briefly so that you’re not confused among these.

You’ll find a very basic unit of OneBlade razor in white tone. It’s the older variant with weaker battery type and is categorized within the affordable electric razors. Nothing stands out really.

Then there’s the basic OneBlade for face in lime green and charcoal black, comprising a shaver head that tilts very little and the battery unit is similar to the white OneBlade.

Based upon that, the OneBlade 360 was developed but there’s a separate unit just for the face and no separate blade head for the body.

The unit I’m covering now is the similar OneBlade 360 but it’s for both face and body. Also, this newer variant is equipped with a Li-ion battery, so it’s the better choice than the previous versions.

Finally, the latest installment in the family is the Norelco OneBlade 360 Pro with more advanced technology but it’s only for face shaving tasks and doesn’t cater to your body grooming.

Unboxing the Norelco OneBlade 360

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Unboxing this Norelco OneBlade 360 unit hasn’t been the most pleasant experience for me. It’s true that everything is perfectly sorted once you get to the inside.

But the paper packaging is very fragile and mine tore apart without putting in much pressure. I can claim that this package isn’t meant to last, however, the case inside is durable enough to hold all the pieces together.

Inside the box, you’ll locate the shaver handle residing at one side, the 360 blade placed firmly inside a protective cap and the body grooming blade attached to the body comb.

Other than these, there’s a 5-length setting comb with a smart design, a skin guard and one USB cable for charging (no adapter).

What’s Inside the Box: 1 Unit of 360 Blade, 1 Unit of Body Grooming Blade, 1 Handle, 3 Combs, 1 USB Cable.

Norelco OneBlade 360: Specifications

There are some technical aspects of the OneBlade 360 we should consider checking out as it would grant us a basic insight at the shaver unit we’re dealing with at this moment.

• Dimensions: 16.7 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm
• Weight: ‎3.4 ounces
• Colors: Lime green and charcoal gray
• Wireless: Yes
• Accessories: 4
• Guide Combs: 5-length setting comb, body comb, skin guard
• Blades: 2 (360 facial blade, body blade)
• Waterproof: IPX7
• LED Indicator: Yes
• Battery Type: Li-Ion
• Battery Runtime: Around 60 minutes
• Warranty: 2 years

Prominent Features of OneBlade 360

Time for Norelco OneBlade 360 feature review! Let’s dip into this unique shaver and check out what those prominent features are that made people fall so much in love with this device!

Sleek Design

I’d say the OneBlade 360 has one of the finest handles for the price you’d be paying for purchase. It excels both in looks and performance – a thorough breakdown should do it justice.

What I Like

What I Don’t Like 

Soothing Aesthetics

The handle of the OneBlade 360 contains the flagship colorization of the series, lime green on the sides and charcoal black at the chest. Belly region is a shiny black.

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At the chest, the handle houses the Norelco OneBlade 360 text for convenience of identification and the blade release lever is situated right over it.

This lever is hard to miss due to the lime green colorization and the upward arrow guiding you on how to detach the blade head.

With the little blade head sitting on top, the entire shaver looks great in terms of aesthetic and I can comfortably claim that the Norelco design team has done a splendid work with this device!

Comfortable Grip

How does it feel to hold a OneBlade 360 shaver in hand? The grip is supreme and very comfortable. It’s for those who don’t prefer holding on to thicker shaver handles.

Because of its compact size and the rubber textured grip on the sides, even slippery situations with shaving gel or cream fail to compromise the grip level.

The shaver sticks to the hand and responds precisely to any sort of movement and it’s one of the great aspects I simply adore about this unit.

I was even able to hold the shaver with two of my fingers while shaving my body and trying to reach the difficult areas.

So the handle is not only designed for convenient facial shaving, but also takes the device among highly desirable body grooming/manscaping razors!

Satisfying Handle Build Quality

I thought for the price I’m paying for the OneBlade 360, the handle would be made with cheaper material, at least it would feel so upon first grip. But boy was I wrong!

What I Like

What I Don’t Like 

Holding on to this shaver generates confidence and based on my certain tests, I can guarantee that the handle is made to last and smartly orient the ergonomics, buttons and light.

For instance, right at the middle of the handle resides the power button. It’s tactile and responsive, not like some shavers which fiddles around and doesn’t react upon pressure.

I’d say this button is well out of thumb placement during a firm grip and I found no chance of accidental presses during a shaving session.

One thing to note however, that the LED light on the handle shows charging status and no battery level indication, unlike the OneBlade Pro with its LED indicator.

What are the Additional Features of OneBlade 360?

There are many features we need to pay heed to about the Norelco OneBlade 360. Know that it’s an upgraded version of the OneBlade 360 Face variant and thus, some additional features are embedded.

What I Like

What I Don’t Like 

Weight

For a shaver of this size, lightweight is the ideal way to go about and that’s exactly the path Philips has opted for the OneBlade 360.

Due to its weight class, face shaving, longer body trimming tasks and traveling with it has been made effortless.

It’s lighter than the body grooming shavers like Meridian or Lawn Mower 3.0, granting OneBlade the edge to replace these specialized trimmers.

Such weight, closer to a manual razor, is the bargain for the price Philips has set for this unit. Although some may find it to be a little expensive, I’d say it’s worth the investment for a long time to come.

Facial and Body Blades

In the OneBlade 360 Face+Body packaging, Philips has included two separate types of blades – one for face shaving and the other for body grooming.

The face shaving blade is the 360 one that tilts left to right to a certain degree and even back to forth with a limitation on movement.

It gets the job done though, if that’s what you’re concerned about. A contour following shaver is always better than a rigid head and minimizes chances of razor burn or accidental cuts.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing like the premium electric shavers on the market. But at such an affordable range, there’s not really many better alternatives for the task.

As per the body grooming blade head, it’s not a 360 unit and contour adaptation is quite limited. You’ll have to rely on your skill with this shaver to get things right, the accessories should help you out in this regard.

Wireless

As you can already tell, the OneBlade 360 is a wireless shaver which depends on its Li-ion battery to keep it running all through the shaving task.

The battery holds juice for around 60 minutes, which I think is more than enough to not only shave your face, but also trim your body or butt region.

It’s worth highlighting that the OneBlade 360 won’t run while it’s connected to a power outlet. Philips claims it’s due to safety reasons and I totally agree with them.

Wireless mode enables you to take it inside the shower and having a cable attached to it would be like inviting an accident over a red carpet.

Accessories

Out of all the four accessories, my personal favorite is the 5-length setting comb. You simply attach it to your blade – either one – and switch between length settings on the go.

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This helps you to size up your beard to a particular length of your choice and spares you the trouble of owning a hefty trimmer with different attachment heads.

I wouldn’t call this comb the most durable one, but it can survive if you handle it carefully. Although the similar comb with the OneBlade 360 Pro feels like the more ideal version that Philips has developed.

The other two combs don’t let you pick sizes as one of them skin guard, with the compatibility to be attached with either of the blades.

This skin guard works, trust me. Without this I might have faced some nasty tugs while running it through my dense beard.

For a stubble though, this guard isn’t necessary as it will prevent you going closest to the skin. And for body grooming, the body comb is the ideal fit.

Don’t expect this shaver to perform like a Norelco Bodygroom 5000 unit since its sole purpose isn’t manscaping or not a specialized shaver in that regard.

There will be stubble left if you shave with the body comb on and that’s the better approach in my opinion – more on that later.

Waterproof

Well well, it’s a big surprise that a tiny and budget shaver from Norelco is actually IPX7 waterproof rated!

I didn’t expect it to contain any rating, let alone an IPX7! At the back of the handle, you’ll see the embedded certification and that is something I welcome with open arms.

It implies that you can use the shaver under heavy water flows, a full wet shaving session or a thorough wash under your tap.

How it stood the test of water leakage will be discussed in my experience section, so hold on to your popcorn until you reach that part.

LED Battery Indicator

I’m a little disappointed with the LED indicator really. It shows charging status with a green light, at the feet of the OneBlade 360 handle.

Other than that, it remains turned off until your battery is about to die. But a signal at that moment means nothing if the shaver dies out soon after.

My workaround had been to keep it plugged into the power outlet until a full charge because otherwise there’s no way of knowing when the shaver might betray me.

While this has been amended in the OneBlade 360 Pro, the OneBlade 360 Face+Body users must suffer the consequences of this shortsightedness in design.

My Experience with the OneBlade 360

How about I shed some light on the first-hand use of this sweet little OneBlade 360 shaver? There’s more to it than the features alone show and only getting your hands on one should unveil those secrets!

What I Like

What I Don’t Like 

Face Shaving Quality

Shaving quality is usually determined by how close the shave is and the duration it takes for a complete, clean shave.

In terms of closeness, OneBlade 360 does get very close to my skin and going raw without any guards, I did experience little tugs to begin with.

But once I tried it on with my stubble, the shaving quality drastically improved and the blade managed to get real close to the skin!

It’s not a zero shave device like a manual one or something Braun/Panasonic are able to perform, but it’s still significantly close!

Duration-wise, dry shaves took me around 10 minutes and damp beard cut down on a couple minutes overall.

My opinion says it’s a thumbs up. No other electric shaver at this price can perform such a miracle, I can vouch for that.

Body Trimming

I’ve already shared a bit on body shaving using this device and doing that without the guard on hasn’t been the most pleasant experience.

I felt nicks and was left with red patches with no skin guard to protect me, so that’s a way I advise you not to proceed toward.

But with the guard on, it’s a completely different experience. While it’s true that I was left with a little stubble after a complete shave, it was painless and superquick!

I even tried the 360 blade on my body skin and that in my opinion performed slightly better than the body shaving blade.

If you want this shaver for both facial and body shaving, I’d suggest you grab only the 360 blade as the replacement because that’s where all the success lies.

Shower Shave

For me, shower shaves have felt better than regular shaves and my conclusion on the matter is that this shaver is meant for such a mode of action.

It could be because of my Type 2 hair whereas people with finer hair texture can easily get away with dry shaves.

But in general, wet shaves are more convenient because you’re pardoned from the frequent cleaning job by rinsing it every now and then after a couple of glides.

Under the running water inside the shower, the residue constantly washes away and keeps your operation going as long as you want to.

And as per water resistance, there’s no hint of leakage whatsoever, all thanks to the IPX7 rated housing ready to survive such submersion.

Overall Comfort

I’ve got sensitive skin and I’m mostly used to shaving with some of the dedicated and pricier electric shavers out there on the market.

Thus, my expectation wasn’t very high about this budget end Norelco shaver to be honest, especially judging by the tiny blade unit.

But was I wrong about this! This OneBlade 360 shave has been one of the most comfortable devices I ever used, despite the size and price!

The wet shaves feel like chopping through my hair like a knife through butter. It doesn’t grab all the hair when you’re bulk shaving, but shorter hair is usually removed with a couple of passes.

This motor isn’t the most torque-some powerful one but ideal for the mini 360 blade. For both dry and wet shaves (in optimum condition and hair length), there was no irritation, itchiness or cuts whatsoever.

Maneuverability

Since the OneBlade 360 has great degree of grip, is compact and weighs very little, maneuverability of the shaver is supreme!

Whether you hold it with a full grasp, place your thumb on the chest or simply move it around with a couple of your fingers, the shaver never seems to betray.

I’ll let you in on a secret – the body grooming blade is ideal for shaving your pubic hair, categorizing it as one of those specialized trimmers people spend so much money on.

Also, ladies can get great benefit out of it as the overall performance and dynamic maneuverability allows the shaver to be a perfect choice for bikini trims.

Durability

I’m certain that the handle will last you for the upcoming years without a doubt, but I can’t say the same about the blades with this much certainty.

Let me reiterate – the blade hinges that connect with the handle are quite fragile and can break very easily if you’re not careful enough.

Similar statements can be made about the guide combs (yes, all three of them). I guess that’s where Philips cut down on cost to present the OneBlade 360 as an affordable shaver.

But the handle, motor inside with the overall waterproof quality, this is the main thing to last to make your money’s worth.

Because if you shave twice a week, both face and body, then you’re supposed to replace the blades once every four months.

How I Tested the OneBlade 360

Since the OneBlade 360 is a personal grooming machine, it was significantly easier to test out its limitations and overall performance.

I started using the 360 blade with a two week beard growth, then turned the intensity down to a 3-day stubble shave – both cases were performed with and without guards attached.

Also, shower shaves with shaving lotion took care of the complete wet shave and water-resistant tests (both of which OneBlade 360 passed).

As per manscaping, I usually keep my body hair very short, so it didn’t feel like a troubling test. I’ve heard people with coarse body hair can get it working equally well, I’d say – put on the skin guard for better performance.

Overall, it took me a couple of weeks to complete the whole testing session. I’ll come back to this article a month later to share an update on how things still are.

Who is the OneBlade 360 For?

There are two categories of consumers who would find the OneBlade 360 to be their ideal grooming companion.

First category are the ones who prefer to not only shave their face but also trim their arm, legs, body, butt and even the pubes.

Two blades in the package are dedicated for the face and body department each, rendering it redundant to purchase separate shavers that may not be as comfortable as the OneBlade.

The second category of consumers are the people who are looking for an electric shaver within budget, or have never owned an electric shaver before.

This OneBlade 360 won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and you’ll get to experience superior sailing through your beard for years to come.

How to Use, Clean & Maintain the OneBlade 360?

Using, cleaning and maintaining the OneBlade 360 are very simple. Let me briefly go through each of these tasks for a longer survival of your Norelco shaving device.

How to Use the OneBlade 360

You need to decide on what you intend on doing with your OneBlade 360. Whether it’s your facial shaving or body grooming, pick out the blade of your choice and attach it to the handle.

Then, put on a comb guard if needs be. Stand beside a faucet for convenience and turn on the shaver using the power button.

Shave against the grain for both body and face as it causes you little to no irritation. Once done, check for unshaved patches, glide again and wash your face for the final touch.

How to Clean the OneBlade 360

Cleaning this shaver is very simple – just hold it under the running water until every stray hair and/or shaving foam, cream or gel are washed away.

If this isn’t your way, trap some water into your basin, dip the shaver and give it a good wriggle.

Check if the blades are thoroughly clean until removing the cork to let the water slide away. Give an extra rinse if you deem it necessary.

How to Maintain the OneBlade 360

There’s a very miniscule degree of maintenance for the shaver since the blade units are to be replaced every four months.

One thing you can do is to mop the entire shaver after cleaning it up and before putting it inside an air-tight storage.

Another maintenance is definitely getting those blade replacements. Additionally, attach the blades/guards carefully so they don’t break.

If you follow these notions, your OneBlade 360 will survive for a very long time and keep your grooming sessions an experience you keep looking forward to!

One Blade vs Braun XT5: Which One to Buy?

Many grooming enthusiasts have been poking their noses around and searching for a comparative assessment between One Blade vs Braun XT5.

I’ve had both the opportunity to use these two shavers side by side and I personally believe I’ll be able to answer all of your questions, particularly – which one is better?

Blade Type & Materials

If you’ve read the article above, you now know that the OneBlade 360 comes with two individual blade heads – the 360 blade for face and regular one for the body.

Otherwise, regular OneBlade comes with just a generic blade and let’s hold on to that for a generic benchmark.

On the other hand, Braun XT5 consists of 4D Flex blades made with metal. OneBlade is a mixture between metal and plastic.

Durability-wise, I’d call it a tie. Neither of these blades are meant to last a long time and you’d require replacement within months as that’s the way they’re designed.

The 360 blade is great for contour adaptation, similar to the XT5 blades. The generic OneBlade shaver’s blade isn’t that much agile.

Ergonomics

Both of these shavers have their ergonomic points as the designers from each team equipped the devices with unique interpretations.

OneBlade hosts rubber padding with textures on the sides while the Braun XT5 consists of rubber grip almost all the way at the top half and some diagonal lines at the back.

Feeling-wise, OneBlade felt better to me for a generic hold or shower/wet shaves. Braun failed to live up to the mark in this department, although their grip level isn’t too far off.

I guess it’s because I have longer fingers and the little height with the OneBlade aligns better with my grip than the XT5.

Quality of Shave (Face, Body)

Neither of these shavers grant you a zero shave, so let’s get that out of the way. With this as the baseline, OneBlade has been more effective and efficient at facial shaving as opposed to the XT5.

Longer hair is a challenge for both of these blade types but OneBlade somehow manages to get past that obstacle (although it takes some time to get it right).

But Braun XT5, it’s a disappointment to be honest. There have been so many tugs or pulls while using it, I’m certain that I’ll never go for a Braun XT5 for facial shaving again.

Body shaving is even worse with the Braun device and I don’t think it’s capable of mascaping on command.

OneBlade takes some time to trim through bushes but at least it can complete the job it started, unlike the XT5.

Additional Differences

There are some more variances between the One Blade and Braun XT5 that must be skimmed through for a just assessment of the victor.

Blade Replacement Frequency

According to the brands, One Blade’s blade unit requires replacement each 4 months whereas the duration for Braun XT5 is 6 months.

I believe neither because 3 months is the maximum I’d give the One Blade if you shave regularly and the Braun blades are supposed to last even less.

It’s based on the blade degradation I noticed over a couple week’s use and I’d say the One Blade has better sustainability than the XT5.

Battery Life

One Blade shavers generally last between 50-70 minutes depending on the battery type. Li-ion shavers go past the one hour threshold while the others linger behind it.

However, Braun XT5 runs on a Ni-MH battery (older variant utilized one AA battery) and it barely crosses 30 minutes of ideal runtime.

To make things worse for Braun, its charging time is somewhere around 8 hours from zero to the brink whereas One Blade charges up in 3 hours.

So One Blade comes out on top in this overall battery aspect.

Accessories

One Blade shaver comes with 3 separate attachments – one adjustable guard, one skin guard and one body comb.

Braun XT5 comes with 4 different length guards and one skin guard for body grooming.

Norelco’s adjustable guard has all my money here since you can squeeze out length settings of 5 separate guards (the way Braun did) with only one attachment.

Waterproof

Braun claims the XT5 to be waterproof and it’s rightly so, the only thing is it doesn’t come with any IPX rating.

One Blade shavers are IPX rated and prevent any sort of leakage even if you submerge the shaver under shallow water.

So my verdict is quite clear on the One Blade vs Braun XT5 matter – Norelco OneBlade is a clear winner due to its performance, quality of shave, efficiency, battery life, accessories and waterproof feature.

Braun has come short in almost every department despite their price points being almost identical. I’d pick the One Blade over XT5 without skipping a heartbeat!

Norelco OneBlade 360 Experience Chart

Norelco OneBlade 360: Out of the Box

Face Shaving Quality: Excellent
Body Shaving Quality: Great

• The 360 blade is good for a clean facial shave in a faster time than manual razors
• Wet shaves feel more comfortable than dry shaves
• Body shaving is convenient with the 360 blade and a skin guard attachment

Norelco OneBlade 360: One Month Use

Face Shaving Quality: Shaving tugs at lower battery, otherwise excellent
Body Shaving Quality: Better with skin guard, not ideal for ball shaving

• I’d recommend using this shaver at full charge as lower charge compromises motor power
• Blades are noticeably dull, 4 month replacements are definitely required
• Package broke, but the blades and handle are still intact

FAQ

Some questions always need answering before the end and I’ll not deprive the consumers from gaining further knowledge on the Norelco OneBlade 360.

Q: Can I shave my balls with the Norelco OneBlade 360?

A: I’m afraid not. OneBlade 360 shaver consists of two blade types, one for face and one for body. From my experience, neither are suitable for a delicate task like shaving your balls. That’s why there are many specialized trimmers on the market people these days are spending so much money on.

Q: Is the One Blade 360 worth it?

A: Yes! The OneBlade 360 is definitely worth it, especially the Face+Body variant! It’s a cool-looking shaver built with an ergonomic handle, sharp blades, long battery life and IPX7 waterproof rated body. Shaving experiences are comfortable and one shaver can do both face and body shaving within a limited budget!

Q: Can you shave armpits with OneBlade?

A: You can shave your armpits with the OneBlade but I’d urge you to put the skin guard on for a better experience. OneBlade 360 works better when not in direct contact with skin (apart from facial shaving) and thus you should follow their guidelines to render the shaving task fruitful.

Final Thoughts

Finally, let me share my take on the Norelco OneBlade 360. Is it really worth the fuss people are making over it?

I think so. The facial and body shaving operations I ran with it on numerous occasions have proven that Philips has built a strong case for this razor.

I’d say the Face+Body variant weighs up better than the previous versions due to the addition of newer technology ensuring superior performance.

However, if you want the finest shaver in the OneBlade line, you’ll have to pay some extra bucks to land the OneBlade 360 Pro, which I’ll test side by side if this debate arouses your interest.

Even without considering the price point, the OneBlade 360 is a good choice for comfortable facial shaves quickly and body grooming effortlessly – all with one shaver.