Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra Review: Is This The Future of Shaving?

• The Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra delivers the closest shave yet, cutting 0.08mm below the skin’s surface for longer-lasting smoothness.
• Smart SkinIQ Pro technology personalises your shave with five modes, adapting to skin condition and beard growth.
• The UV sanitising charging case doubles as a portable power hub while eliminating 99.9% of bacteria.

While my hairline quietly threatens me with an early exit, I’ve decided my facial hair is where I draw the line.

I’ve always preferred the clean-shaven look, and for a long time, I was committed to just using barber-grade razors with disposable heads. But after months of dragging dull blades across my cheek every morning, both my skin and my wallet were left worse for wear.

Searching for the Best Electric Shaver

So I needed an alternative, one that wouldn’t break the bank or wouldn’t leave my beard line in desperate need of some expensive skincare. But after discovering the i9000 Prestige Ultra, Philips’ latest AI-powered smart shaver, I can say with some confidence that my neckline has never looked so well-groomed. 

Unboxing the Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra: First Impressions

In my line of work, I’m fortunate to try some solid entries into the male grooming space. Some that I can admit were better off staying on the shelves. So, unboxing the all-new Philips tech, I wasn’t entirely sure what I would be left with.

I gave it the usual once-over. The sleek design and solid weight stood out straight away. It just felt like a premium product, one that was built with precision and performance in mind. It was a promising start, but the real test came during a week when I had zero time to think about skincare, let alone shaving technique.

My first go was a chaotic Monday morning rush; the kind where the alarm doesn’t go off, or at least I decided to ignore it again, and time is of the essence. Normally, that kind of rush ends with a patchy neck and a quiet stinging on the morning commute.

This time, however, the Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra got on with the job like a pro. No nicks. No post-shave redness. And I didn’t even have to go over it again with a separate blade.

How the Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra Performs in Real Life

That’s the thing about this shaver. It’s clever. Smarter than it has any right to be. With Active Pressure & Motion Guidance, it literally teaches you how to shave better in real time. It’s like having a grooming coach in your bathroom each morning. The kind that you’d actually want. 

What impressed me most came the next morning when I realised I didn’t need to shave again. My skin was still smooth, root-level smooth, with very few indications that the hairs were coming back that day.

The Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra’s blades are cutting at minus 0.08mm, which, if you’re wondering, is 0.08mm below the skin’s surface. It’s the closest shave you’ll ever have. And I could certainly feel it the next morning. 

Custom Shaving Modes with SkinIQ Pro

Where it really starts to feel like the future is in the SkinIQ Pro system, offering the user five different shaving modes to suit the occasion.

Since testing the i9000 Prestige Ultra, I’ve bounced between “Regular” and “Sensitive” depending on how reckless I’ve been with sun exposure the day before. Even though it’s winter, my porcelain skin still needs some attention.

The modes adapt the i9000 Prestige Ultra to match your needs for that day. So “Sensitive” gives your skin a break, whilst an “Intense” shave can cut through even week-old stubble. It’s a subtle, but crucially important personalisation from Philips, allowing the user to take more control of their grooming each and every day.

The App, the Data, and the Charging Case

The app pairs with the shaver to track ten different skin metrics. I didn’t know I needed this kind of data on my face, but now that I have it, I feel strangely invested in my own hydration levels.

Also, the UV sanitising charging pouch is quietly brilliant, killing 99.9% of bacteria while giving the shaver 60 minutes of charge. That’s one less cable to forget when packing, and one less excuse for skin irritation.

Is the Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra Worth It?

It’s been a month since I started using the Philips i9000 Prestige Ultra regularly, and I haven’t looked back once.

According to Philips, the i9000 Prestige Ultra is built to last seven years. That’s a full relationship in shaver terms, with better communication. Just swap out the head every couple of years, and it’ll keep performing perfectly.

I’ve since ditched the razor that was gradually rusting on my shower floor, and I’m no longer living in fear of breakouts from dull blades; no more guessing whether I’ve missed a spot under my chin. With Philips, it feels like the future of shaving is here, and it’s smarter, smoother, and more personal than ever.