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Remington Balder Pro Review

This model's five rotary heads pivot in unison and easily chop through stubble, making quick work of an annoying daily task
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Remington Balder Pro Review
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Price:  $70 List
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Manufacturer:   Remington
By Jason Wanlass ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jul 31, 2024
74
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 16
  • Shave Quality - 35% 8.0
  • Run & Charge Times - 25% 5.6
  • Ease of Use & Versatility - 20% 8.0
  • Ease of Cleaning - 20% 8.0

Our Verdict

Short on time? Keeping your chrome dome polished just got a little easier, thanks to the Remington Balder Pro. This amazing handheld rotary option offers five pivoting cutting heads that work in unison to form a cupped-shaped surface that hugs the shape of your scalp. We also loved its ergonomics and its power. Additionally, its motor is fairly quiet, and it is one of the few head razors that comes with a built-in hair trimmer. Of course, nothing will ever compare to the efficiency of straight, safety, or even disposable razors, but for solid daily maintenance or a quick buzz before heading out the door, you can't go wrong with the Balder Pro.
REASONS TO BUY
Solid shave
Decent price
Great pivoting head
Easy to clean
Comfortable to hold
Lightweight
Pop-up trimmer
REASONS TO AVOID
Lengthy charging time
Cutting cassette hard to remove
Outdated charging system
Editor's Note: The review was updated on July 31, 2024, after we purchased and tested this product's latest model to see how it performed against previous versions.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Head Shaver
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Top Pick Award
Best for Body Grooming
  
Price $70 List
$59.94 at Amazon
$60 List
$59.94 at Amazon
$50 List
$35.50 at Amazon
$55 List
$49.99 at Amazon
$40 List
$34.96 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Our favorite dome shaver because it's less expensive and it gets the job doneA good razor for a great priceOur favorite grooming tool because it's inexpensive but powerful and effectiveAn inexpensive electric razor with an ergonomic designA basic, 3-head, rotary razor that shaves well enough for daily use but doesn't cost an arm and a leg
Rating Categories Remington Balder Pro Braun Series 3 ProSkin Philips Norelco One... Remington F5 Foil Philips Norelco 2400
Shave Quality (35%)
8.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Run & Charge Times (25%)
5.6
6.5
6.9
5.7
6.6
Ease of Use & Versatility (20%)
8.0
7.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Ease of Cleaning (20%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Specs Remington Balder Pro Braun Series 3 ProSkin Philips Norelco One... Remington F5 Foil Philips Norelco 2400
Blade Head Type Rotary Foil Vibrating cutter blade Foil Rotary
Run Time On Full Charge (Measured) 76 min 79 min 198 min 42 min 67 min
Time to Full Charge (Measured) 201 min 110 min 273 min 88 min 71 min
Time to Fast Charge (Measured) 10 min 5 min 15 min 10 min 5 min
Usage Options Wet/dry Wet/dry Wet/dry Dry Wet/dry
Case included Yes No No No No
Trimmer Pop-up Slide-up Built-in Pop-up Pop-up

Our Analysis and Test Results

A key stand-out feature of the Balder Pro is its five large, rotary cutting heads — most head shavers only offer four. Remington's design employs a very effective pivoting system that accommodates the varying angles of the skull.

Performance Comparison


remington balder pro - getting our first assessment of the balder pro's ability to adjust...
Getting our first assessment of the Balder Pro's ability to adjust to the unique contours of the skull.
Credit: Ross Patton


Shave Quality


Five independent rotary blades allow the Balder Pro to simultaneously cover a lot of area with each pass while chomping at stubble for a smooth shave. Its above-average shaving performances convinced us to award the Balder Pro with top scores for this metric.


According to our panel of testers, the singular reasons for this razor's great shaving ability are its five oversized, pivoting razor heads. They work in unison to bend and create a concave pocket that adjusts well to the curvature of the head. This feature allows the entire cutting system to mold to the shape of the skull and maintain consistent contact with its shaving surface. We feel this results in a smoother, more comprehensive shave. In addition to this pivoting system, the entire cutting cassette sits atop a multi-directional base that can bend in any direction. This added movement gives the Balder Pro a greater ability to track and contour. Lastly, we also like this unit's pop-up trimming blade. It is helpful for trimming up the sideburns and is a feature many head shavers don't offer.

Conducting a side-by-side comparison of the Balder Pro with a popular four-blade model.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Run & Charge Times


When compared to other razors in our lineup, the Balder Pro produced run times that were similar to the rest of its peers, but it still only received basic scores for this metric because when it came to recharging, it didn't do so well.


Although its run times were solid, our testers were a little shocked by the recharging requirements of the Balder Pro. Several attempts resulted in charge times of about 3 hours 21 minutes. This time obligation is two and a half times the length of its actual run time of 1 hour and 16 minutes. We feel this is a very poor run-to-charge ratio. When we compared the Balder Pro's results against most of our top performers, its charge time was glaringly lengthy. Most other products produced run and charge times that were about equal in length. On the positive side, we did like the Balder Pro's simple interface, which features two separate indicator lights that show when battery life is depleted, when the device is charging, and when it is fully recharged.

Red light, green light: the Remington's interface offers the basics and is easy to understand.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Ease of Use & Versatility


Great ergonomics and textured, rubberized grip strips make the Balder Pro easy to hold and simple to use, which influenced our decision to give it solid marks for this metric. However, there were a few things we didn't like.


A comfortable, oval-shaped motor housing also doubles as the handhold for the Balder Pro. About the size of a large lemon, it fits perfectly into the palm and fingers for an easy handheld control. It packs up into a nice carrying case, and as stated, we loved that it has a built-in trimmer for evening sideburns.

Assessing the Balder Pro's shape and grip. It's a simple design that fits nicely into the palm of your hand.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

We liked that the shaving motion of this razor is seamless and intuitive, even when shaving without the help of a mirror. It can be used wet or dry or even in the shower. Many of our users even use it while walking around the house. On the negative side, we didn't like that the Balder Pro's power button appears to lack a travel lock option.

Going rogue. On a busy morning, we liked having the ability to multitask while using the Balder Pro.
Credit: Ross Patton

Ease of Cleaning


Convenience and efficiency were key components to our decision to give the Balder Pro higher scores for this metric. We really liked its extra large discard reservoir which allows it to easily and securely store an entire shave's worth of clippings. This razor is also super easy to clean with a dry brush, and it's waterproof, so it can be quickly rinsed clean under running water.


The large cutting cassette clips tightly onto the main head of the razor, creating a convenient reserve to store clippings. This storage compartment is large enough to gather and hold onto a large amount of clippings; however, the manufacturer recommends dumping the hair pocket after each use. The only thing we didn't like about this system is that the cutting cassette is difficult to remove from the body of the razor. It locks smoothly on the base and lacks any finger holds or edges to create leverage. It's difficult to grasp, and the force necessary to remove it feels like it could cause damage to the razor's head assembly. That said, we never had any serious issues removing and attaching it during our use and testing. Other than the sticky cutting cassette, cleaning the Balder Pro is very easy and doesn't require a lot of time. After removing the cassette, dump the hair clippings into the garbage and then rinse both the cassette and hair pocket under running water. We liked this process because there weren't any special steps or extra processes necessary to clean and maintain this razor.

It always takes a few attempts to remove the cutting cassette. It clips on tight and doesn't offer any places for leverage. However, once open this razor cleans up fast.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Should You Buy the Remington Balder Pro?


If you frequently shave your head and are tired of using traditional razors, you'll love the convenience of the Balder Pro. It performs well, is easy to use, and quickly cleans up. We also think it's very reasonably priced and built well. What distinguishes this razor from many head shavers is its five heads instead of four. It covers more space and cuts more hair in the same amount of time. This razor fits nicely into a durable storage case, which makes it fairly travel-worthy. As mentioned, it will never match the shaving ability of standard, handheld shaving blades, but it will still appeal to head shavers looking for an easier way to get the job done.

remington balder pro - our balder pro with all of its accessories. we really liked the...
Our Balder Pro with all of its accessories. We really liked the carrying case.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

What Other Electric Razor Should You Consider?


If you desire your head shaver to boast a more branded look, the Skull Shaver Pitbull Gold Pro may be more your style. It's more expensive than the Balder Pro, but it has more style and better packaging, although it shaves about the same. If you'd rather stick to shaving your head the old-fashioned way, you may want to check our review on standard razors.

remington balder pro - getting charged up for the next round of testing.
Getting charged up for the next round of testing.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Jason Wanlass
 

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