The Panasonic Multishape Is the Best Men’s Grooming Product of the Year, Full Stop
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In the tech world, reviewers sometimes talk about “convergence,” which is when unrelated technologies combine over time. Your smartphone is a perfect example. Just think about how many devices are now contained within your smartphone — telephones, cameras, calculators, alarm clocks, calendars and answering machines.
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The Panasonic Multishape is another great example of convergence. The Multishape is a multi-purpose grooming tool with interchangeable heads, which means users can trim their beards, shave their face, trim their ear and nose hair, groom their body and brush their teeth with a single product. (We’re seeing similar convergence in the kitchen, with Black+Decker’s Magic Wand). Combining a beard trimmer and an electric toothbrush into a single tool would be a major innovation on its own, but the Multishape doesn’t stop there.
After spending six months testing this product, I can tell you that it’s an absolute must-have for guys who care about their appearance. Keep reading for the full SPY Panasonic Multishape review.
Spoiler alert: SPY implemented new product testing guidelines and a rating system in 2022, and the Multishape is the first true 10/10 product we’ve tested yet. We don’t throw around the word “perfect” lightly, but this is as close to perfect as a product gets.
Panasonic Multishape Review: At a Glance
Panasonic Multishape All-in-One Kit
Pros
Waterproof wet/dry grooming tool
Cordless
Tons of useful attachments
Great for beards of all lengths
No pulling or nicking
Cons
Only available through Panasonic
Specifications | |
Power | -Lithium Ion Battery |
Charge Time | -45-70 Minutes |
Included Accessories | -Beard, Hair & Body Trimmer |
Beard Trimmer | -58 Different Length Settings |
Setting Up the Panasonic Multishape
The Panasonic Multishape comes in a few different kits, which are only available through the Panasonic Multishape website (you can also purchase add-ons and replacement toothbrush heads from this same website). While we hope this product and replacement heads will one day be available via retailers like Amazon, so far that’s not the case.
Several kits are available. The Beard & Hair Trimmer kit is designed just for trimming long hair, and the kit costs $90. However, we strongly recommend investing in The Ultimate All-in-One Kit, which comes with all of the attachments described above plus a free dopp kit. That’s not exactly cheap, but compared to premium electric razors like the Panasonic Arc6 ($399) or the Braun Series 9 ($300), it’s actually mid-tier in terms of price. If you were to buy a body groomer, electric razor, beard trimmer and electric toothbrush, you’d end up spending $200 or more, so this purchase could save you money.
The All-In-One Kit comes with everything you need to groom from head to toe. The Ultimate Kit comes with several boxes, which include four types of head attachments (hair trimmer, electric foil razor, nose and ear hair trimmer, and toothbrush) as well as additional cleaning implements and comb attachments.
The set up process is incredibly easy. It takes some practice to know exactly which attachments are which, but taking them on and off the main unit is simple. I found that all of the head attachments snapped easily into place, as did the comb attachments for the hair trimmer. Charging was also simple, but I do have one warning — this has a unique charging cable instead of USB-C or something similar, so don’t lose it!
Wait, So You Trim Your Nose Hair & Brush Your Teeth With the Same Device?
I could definitely see how some guys might hesitate to use a single tool to trim their nose hair, their downstairs and brush their teeth, but let me reassure you. Because the Multishape features different interchangeable heads, your nose trimmer never has to come close to your toothbrush, and vice versa.
I found it to be a perfectly hygienic experience, and because it’s waterproof, it’s also very easy to clean.
Panasonic Multishape Review: Testing the Trimmer
Along with the electric toothbrush, this is my favorite feature of the Multishape. Too often, beard trimmers are not designed for guys with long beards. We’ve tested the best beard trimmers from Wahl, Panasonic, Philips-Norelco and others, and many popular trimmers feature attachments that only work with short facial hair.
Many popular beard trimmers and hair clippers have comb guards that max out at 15mm or less, so if you grow your beard half an inch or longer, you’re out of luck. Even the longest comb guards usually max out at about 1-inch, or 25mm. However, the Multishape can accommodate lengths up to 30mmm, and that extra distance makes a huge difference for guys like me.
In addition, the Multishape beard trimmer features a rotating dial system so that you can easily adjust the length settings in 0.5mm increments. I’ve been using this system to keep my beard in shape for the last six months, and I’m very happy with the results. I’ve had a beard for almost 10 years and counting, and I’ve tested a lot of beard trimmers for SPY (see also: the Philips-Norelco Multigroom 9000, the Wahl Color Pro, and the Wahl Stainless Steel Lithium-Ion Cordless Beard Trimmer), and the Multishape has become my new go-to.
Panasonic Multishape Review: Testing the Electric Toothbrush
While I’ve tested a ton of beard trimmers and hair clippers, my experience with electric toothbrushes isn’t as extensive. I can tell you that I’ve had a great experience using the Multishape Electric Toothbrush, and now it feels weird when I try to brush with a regular brush.
The All-in-One Multishape kit comes with extra brush heads, and both the Extra-Fine and Multi-Fit brush heads are included. Both brushes feature “ultra-thin bristles… [that reach] deep into periodontal pockets to remove hidden plaque and bacteria for a thorough clean on even the most sensitive teeth and gums.” According to Panasonic, the electric toothbrush attachment uses sonic vibration technology for a deeper clean.
Which type of brush head should you choose? The Multi-Fit brush heads also feature additional tufts of bristles at different angles, so they look more like traditional toothbrushes. Personally, I preferred the Multi-Fit option, and that’s what I would recommend using.
I think it’s unlikely that the Multishape would win out over the best electric toothbrushes from brands like Oral-B and Philips. However, if you’ve been curious about using an electric toothbrush, this is a great way to try them out without investing in an expensive sonic electric toothbrush.
Panasonic Multishape Review: Testing the Electric Razor, Nose Hair Trimmer and Body Groomer
I’ve never been a fan of electric foil razors, and I wasn’t expecting to use this attachment very often. However, after testing out the electric razor head, I’ve been converted. The Multishape uses a 3-blade foil shaver to give you a close, smooth save without nicking, pulling or cutting.
After months of using this, I haven’t had any problems with painful pulling from the blade, post-shave irritation or an increase in ingrown hairs.
Now, because I have a beard, I only use the foil shaver for touch-ups and shaping, but I’ve found that it cuts the hair extremely close to the skin for a shave that’s comparable to my favorite men’s razors.
While I’ve spent a lot of time testing the Multishape’s toothbrush, trimmer and electric shaver, I haven’t used the body grooming tools as much. This grooming tool features an attachment for trimming nose and ear hair, and it does a fine job at this. In my professional experience, you don’t need anything fancy to get this task done, and so I don’t have as much to report on this feature.
The body grooming attachments work just as smoothly as the hair and beard trimmer, and once again the longer cutting lengths can come in handy for hairy guys like myself. The ability to rinse and clean the brush heads and comb guards is much appreciated, and the Multishape performs just as well as the best body groomers and manscapers I’ve tested (see also: the Wahl Body Groomer and the Meridian Body Groomer).
Panasonic Multishape Review: Overall Design and Function
Like I said, after spending six months with the Panasonic Multishape for this review, it’s become my new grooming tool of choice for shaving, trimming and brushing my teeth. I’ve only needed to charge this device a few times over the testing period, and if you just need a quick touch up and the battery is dead, you can get a decent amount of mileage out of the quick charge feature.
When fully charged, the Panasonic says the Multishape will run for 45-70 minutes. I know that’s a broad range, but the length varies depending on which attachments you’re using. In my Panasonic Multishape reviews and testing, I found that to be accurate.
There’s a lot to love about the overall design and function of the Multishape. If this was a mediocre beard trimmer or electric toothbrush, then it wouldn’t be a very exciting product, but that’s not the case. Fortunately, I wanted to use every single attachment and accessory that came with this men’s grooming tool.
There are also some additional design features that you’ll appreciate. As mentioned above, the rotating dial system lets you easily adjust the cutting length when using the trimmer, and I found it to work smoothly every time. LED charging lights indicate when you’re running low on battery. Finally, the tool itself has a sleek appearance, and because it doesn’t come with a bulky charging station, it won’t take up too much on your bathroom counter.
The Verdict: The Panasonic Multishape Is a True 10/10 Men’s Grooming Product
The Panasonic Multishape isn’t just a perfect 10/10 product; it’s also without question the coolest men’s grooming product of the year.
I first came across the Panasonic Multishape at a Pepcom media event over the summer, and right away I knew it had the potential to be big. We wrote about the Multishape after its release and included it in the SPY Smart Home Awards, but it failed to catch on quite like I expected. In part, that’s because it’s sometimes been out of stock and impossible to purchase. Panasonic also took a surprisingly light touch with the marketing, and when I talk to me fellow groomsmen, few people have heard of it.
That’s a damn shame, because I’ve tested a hundred grooming and skincare products in my time as SPY’s Site Director, but I’ve never tested anything quite like this. So when the time came to choose the best men’s grooming product of the year, nothing else even came close.
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Panasonic Multishape All-In-One Kit
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The Verdict: With interchangeable heads that can clip your hair, trim your beard, shave your face and brush your teeth, the Panasonic Multishape is a true 10/10 men’s grooming product.
How We Test Grooming Products at SPY.com
SPY introduced new product testing guidelines in 2022, and you can read our in-depth article about our new product testing and review process. When testing grooming products, we first come up with objective criteria based on the product category. For instance, when testing the best smart light bulbs, we came up with criteria such as brightness/illumination, ease of use and connectivity. When testing the best body wash, our testing categories included fragrance, cleaning abilities and ingredients.
The Multishape is a unique product in a category of its own, but we used similar criteria as when evaluating beard trimmers and the best electric razors. We try to test products for a minimum of two weeks, but in some cases, we use them over a period of six months or longer, as in this long-term Panasonic Multishape review. In every category, the Multishape passed our tests.
The SPY team has tested hundreds of grooming products in 2022, and we recently named the Panasonic Multishape the best grooming product of the year in the SPY Best of 2022 Awards.
About the Author: Timothy Beck Werth is the former Managing Editor of SPY.com, and he now works as the Site Director. While he primarily focuses on editing, he does still review and test men’s grooming and skincare products, which is one of his areas of expertise. Over the past three years, he has tested backpacks, t-shirts, beard trimmers, solid cologne, power stations, smartphones and plenty more products for SPY.com readers.
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