Philips Norelco Shaver 2400 & 2600 Review

The new Philips Norelco Shaver 2400 and 2600 from the 2000 Series are some of the best-selling rotary razors in the USA.

With an affordable price and decent specs, they seem like a compelling option for someone looking to buy a simple, durable, no-nonsense shaver.

I’ve been using the Norelco Shaver 2600 for a while and in this review I’ll tell you if it’s worth buying or you’d be better off with a different one.

The Shaver 2400 (that costs even less) shaves exactly the same, so the review will be relevant for the 2400 as well.

That said, there are a few key differences between them, so let’s check them out very quickly.

Philips Series 2000: models and differences

The Shaver 2400 (X3001/90) and 2600 (X3052/91) are the successors of two older Series 2000 models, the Shaver 2300 and 2500, respectively.

And while you can still find the older ones, they generally cost (a lot) more and aren’t worth buying anymore.

Here are the main differences between these four models in the 2000 Series:

All four use the same shaving heads and all are waterproof for easy cleaning (even the dry-only models).

The Shaver 2500 used to be a very interesting and unique model in the Series 2000 as it was slightly more powerful than the other 3 models.

That, along with its corded&cordless operation made it very appealing.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find nowadays or it costs a lot.

For that reason, I think the Shaver 2600 is now the one to buy from the 2000 Series.

It costs only slightly more than the Shaver 2400 for example, but has a larger battery and includes a zipper travel bag.

Also, the newer Shaver 2400 and 2600 charge via a special Philips-to-USB-A cable which is also convenient when traveling.

Interestingly, the previous Philips wired chargers will not work with them.

So if you already have such a charger from an older shaver you won’t be able to use it with the 2400 or 2600.

Features overview

Let’s swiftly go over the main features of the Shaver 2400 and 2600:

• Three-blade shaving head
• Waterproof, wet/dry use
• Ni-Mh rechargeable battery
• Pop-up hair trimmer
• Flip-open head for easy cleaning

The Series 2000 is an entry-level family of rotary shavers, with only the Series 1000 sitting bellow it in Norelco’s hierarchy.

As such, the Shaver 2400 and 2600 only come with a very basic set of features.

We have three semi-independently flexing heads, typical for a Norelco in this price range.

The cutters themselves are however suspended on tiny springs, allowing them to conform very effectively to the area you’re shaving.

This is a very nifty feature that even high-end Philips shavers (from the Series 5000 all the way to the S9000 Prestige) lack.

To keep the price low, Philips fitted the Shaver 2400 and 2600 with a Ni-Mh battery as opposed to the newer Li-Ion type used on the Series 3000 and up.

The Shaver 2400 has a smaller battery, with 40 minutes of cordless use, while the 2600 that I bought can operate for up to 50 minutes on a single charge.

None of the two will work while charging as a safety precaution.

The integrated hair trimmer is practical and I personally prefer it to the separate click-on attachment that you get with the more expensive Norelcos.

So what’s missing on the Shaver 2400 and 2600?

Again to keep costs down, Philips skipped on a few features:

• there’s no travel lock
• there’s no battery level indicator (only a low battery LED)
• there’s no charger included (you can use any USB-A charger)

I don’t think these are deal-breakers for most of us, but still worth mentioning.

Included accessories

Here’s what you’ll get if you opt for the Shaver 2600:

• Protective head cover
• Zipper travel bag
• Philips-to-USB-A charging cable
• User manual

If you choose to buy the Norelco Shaver 2400 instead, there won’t be any travel bag included.

The rest of the kit will however be the same, so rather basic.

The travel bag is of decent quality, but it’s not a hard case that will offer enough protection against mechanical shocks.

It is however better than the lousy textile pouch that other brands offer and there’s enough room for the shaver and the charging cable.

Build quality and ergonomics

The affordable Philips razors (Series 1000, 2000 and 3000) from a few years back used to feel hollow and flimsy.

And even though the design and functionality have not changed, the current models like the Shaver 2400 and 2600 have been improved.

My review unit, the 2600, comes in a very unusual color for a shaver, a dark forest green.

And I like it quite a bit more than the drab black and grey color scheme of the Shaver 2400 for example.

The razor is chunky and feels solid in the hand, it’s not top heavy and at 192 grams, it is a bit lighter than most shavers out there.

The thumb rest area on the front features a generous rubber-like surface that’s very grippy even if your hand is wet.

Unfortunately it does not extend to the sides. Also, the area on the back that features the same texture is actually plastic, not rubber.

The Series 3000 (Shaver 3600/3900) for example has an additional rubber strip on the sides and that improves the grip significantly.

Using the 2400 or 2600 is still mostly fine, but the large girth of the handle and the matte, smooth finish on the sides clearly don’t help.

The shavers come with a hinged head unit that flips open when you press the release button right below it.

It’s a very practical solution that some of the high-end Norelcos don’t have (like the old Series 6000 or the original S9000 Prestige).

This flip head makes cleaning quick and effective.

The power button on the Series 2000 is pretty large and feels a bit mushy, but it’s positioned quite low, so you normally won’t press it by accident while shaving.

There’s no travel lock function, unfortunately, which is available only from the Series 5000 and up.

Shaving performance

1. Closeness

Having used various other Series 2000 Norelcos in the past, shaving with the 2600 felt very familiar.

With regards to closeness, it wasn’t anything special, but I would still consider it reasonably good, especially for an entry-level rotary.

Rotary shavers generally don’t cut the hair as close to the skin as some foil shavers can.

That’s mainly because the guards are thicker than the typical foil.

Other more advanced Norelcos like the Series 9000 feature a Lift&Cut blade design to compensate for that.

But the Series 2000 (and 3000) that use basic blades don’t have it, so the closeness isn’t quite as good.

On flat surfaces like the cheeks it was actually satisfactory, but when running my hand over the neck and chin, I could still feel a few rough patches.

It also takes more passes and more time vs the aforementioned Series 9000 for a clean shave.

In fact, even a Series 3000 that uses the same blades as the Shaver 2400/2600, but has a more powerful motor, feels a bit quicker and more effective.

If getting a close shave is very important, and your budget is very limited, I think an affordable foil shaver would be a better option.

I will provide a few alternatives at the end of the review.

2. Comfort

Norelco razors fitted with the SH30 blades are generally mild and forgiving.

The Shaver 2400 and 2600 are no exception and with the heads suspended on springs that prevent excessive pressure, the comfort was very good for most of the time.

My neck is very sensitive and some of the older Norelcos (with Super Lift&Cut blades) used to give me terrible razor burn.

Apart from some minor redness and discomfort, I didn’t experience any serious issues while testing my 2600.

That said, because of the slower motor fitted to the Series 2000, I had to tweak my technique a bit in order to avoid discomfort.

Specifically, I used slower, more controlled strokes, especially when shaving the neck area.

Going faster sometimes caused a slight tug on the hairs and some stinging.

To avoid that stinging sensation associated with rotaries, especially on the neck, it’s key to go slowly in circular motions and to avoid pressing too hard.

Even so, I did experience some mild irritation on my neck whenever I shaved dry, even with a pre-shave lotion.

When I switched to my Shaver 3600 which has a more powerful motor, I could get away with faster strokes without any discomfort.

I think the 3600 would be a better pick if you, like me, suffer from razor burn; it’s also a more enjoyable shaver that sounds and feels faster.

The Shaver 2400 and 2600 should be more suitable for users who don’t have particularly sensitive skin and their facial hair is light to moderate.

3. Shaving longer, flat-lying hairs

This is where the Philips Series 2000 punches above its weight.

The effectiveness at catching difficult hairs in fewer strokes is very good despite the very basic (single track) heads.

Some electric razors, especially the foil type, must be used on short stubble for the best results.

With rotaries, shaving less often is still possible and effective.

I’d say 3 to 4 days would be doable with the Philips 2400 and 2600 unless your beard is very coarse.

In that case, investing in a more powerful rotary like the Series 5000/7000 or even the 9000/Prestige would be worth it.

I have medium to coarse hair and even though my shave took longer than usual and sometimes I had to go very slow, the 2600 got it done eventually.

Again my 3600 felt quicker and the differences in power were even more noticeable when I shaved a 3-4 days beard.

4. Wet shaving

The performance assessment of my Norelco 2600 has so far only covered dry shaving.

Since this is a wet/dry razor, you have the option of using your shaving cream/gel of choice.

Doing so generally improves the results, especially when the dry shaving performance of a less advanced model like this one isn’t good enough.

I tried the 2600 with two of my favorite products, the Speick shaving cream and the Jack Black Beard Lube.

And I did notice an improvement in both closeness and comfort, but to be perfectly honest, the difference wasn’t as significant as I had hoped.

I think the rather gutless motor of the Series 2000 was the limiting factor because the shaver still felt sluggish throughout the shave.

Again a Series 3000 will perform quite a bit better and will take less work for a smooth shave.

Side note: it’s important that you keep the lather well hydrated, otherwise the shaving head just won’t glide easily.

This is the case with rotary razors in general as the surface of the head is large and there’s a lot of friction with the skin.

5. Hair trimmer

Philips integrated trimmers are mediocre at best and so was this one.

It takes many strokes to cut all the hairs and the trimmer is quite bulky and not very easy to use for finesse work like edging a sideburn.

The spring that holds the trimmer upright is weak and tends to fold back down if you don’t hold it at a sharper angle relative to the skin.

It’s still better than nothing and I’m glad Philips didn’t remove the trimmer like Braun did with the entry-level Series 3 in an effort to reduce costs.

6. Noise

The Philips Shaver 2600 is one of the quietest electric razors I’ve used so far.

Rotaries are less noisy than foil machines as the motor spins much slower and the vibrations are kept to a minimum.

With an even slower motor than the average rotary, the Philips 2400 and 2600 only emit a faint whirring sound that should not bother most users.

I measured 55db with a smartphone app from a distance of 10 inches. The idle room noise was 38db.

As a comparison, I measured 62db from the Norelco Series 3000 (Shaver 3600) and that difference makes sense since it has a more powerful motor.

A Braun Series 9 Pro on the other hand was a lot louder at almost 70db.

Battery life and charging

All Series 2000 variations are fitted with Ni-Mh batteries, but the capacity can vary.

The Shaver 2600 can operate for up to 50 minutes on a single charge, while the Shaver 2400 has a smaller battery with 40 minutes worth of cordless use.

You cannot shave with the cord plugged in as safety precaution.

If that’s a must-have feature for you, then you should consider an older Series 2000 model like the Shaver 2300.

Charging the 2600 took just under one hour (it’s the same for the 2400).

Since these shavers don’t come with a Philips charger, but only with a special USB-A cable, I simply used a generic USB-A charger.

Side note: As mentioned at the beginning, existing (older) Philips wired chargers will not work as the charging port on the Shaver 2400 and 2600 is slightly different.

The shavers lack a battery indicator and will only show a low battery warning when you need to charge them.

Again I have to mention the Shaver 3600 that has a 3-level battery indicator (in addition to the more powerful motor) for only slightly more money.

On top of that, its battery is a larger Li-ion unit that will provide 60 minutes of cordless use.

The quick charge function is however present and you can charge a Series 2000 for only 5 minutes and get just enough power for a quick shave.

Cleaning and maintenance

Being a no-nonsense, waterproof rotary with a flip-open head, the Norelco 2600 (2400) is among the easiest to clean.

Once you’ve finished shaving, turn the shaver off, open the shaving unit and give it a thorough rinse with warm tap water.

Make sure you’re washing both the flip-head and the bottom hair chamber.

As most rotaries, the Series 3000 does a great job at containing the clipped hairs inside the head.

That also means no messy shirt like you’d get from shaving with a foil razor for example.

Gently shake off the excess water, pat everything with a towel and let the shaver air dry completely with the head open.

That’s pretty much all you’ll need to do for the majority of time.

There are however two variations of this cleaning routine that will be beneficial in a couple of scenarios.

First, if you shave wet, ie with shaving cream/gel, it would be recommended to use a bit of liquid hand soap for a more thorough cleaning.

Once you’ve rinsed the shaver as described above, close the shaving head, pour a few drops of liquid soap on the outside of the head and switch the razor on.

While it’s running, spread the soap across the entire area of the head.

After around 20 seconds rinse the head under the tap.

Turn it off, open the the head and again rinse everything thoroughly inside out.

Even if you only shave dry, I would still use soap every once in a while to remove all the oily grime that tends to be more stubborn.

The second cleaning variation is a so-called deep cleaning.

Philips recommends doing it once a month and it involves taking each of the three shaving heads apart and cleaning them (with water).

With the razor turned off and the head open, pull the top shaving unit straight off the handle.

It should come out fairly easily.

Next, remove the retaining bracket by turning the locking wheel counterclockwise as indicated by the arrows.

With the three heads unlocked, remove them one at a time, making sure not to intermix the guard and blade of each pair.

These are matching pairs and mixing them together can affect the cutting performance of the shaver.

Rinse the blade and guard, making sure to remove any hardened dirt.

You can even use a cotton swab or a wooden toothpick if there’s hardened grime (but never use any metal tool)

After you’ve done that for the three heads, but the bracket back in place and while pressing it, lock it by turning the wheel clockwise.

The hinge of the shaving unit can be a bit fiddly to insert back into the slot, so take your time.

Also, there are two slots, so make sure you’re inserting it in the right one — the one with a metal plate inside:

Lubrication

Philips doesn’t mention anything about lubricating the shaver.

Rotaries in general don’t really need that as there’s far less friction compared to a foil razor.

That said, it can’t hurt and a lubricating & cleaning spray like the Andis CoolCare Plus might be beneficial, especially if you shave wet and clean your shaver with soap.

With the head clean and dry, spray the outside of the heads and let them dry before using the shaver.

Replacement parts availability

The Philips 2000 Series shavers use the SH30 heads.

These are the most basic heads Philips currently uses, with only 9 blades per cutter and a single track.

That said, they are very comfortable, durable, readily available and the price is reasonable.

Philips SH30 Replacement Heads

See the price on Amazon

Moreover, you should expect to replace them only once every two years.

Depending on various factors, like how often you shave and the coarseness of the stubble, you may need to change them sooner or later than that.

Take away: Should you buy the Norelco Shaver 2400/2600?

The 2600 and (particularly) the 2400 are among the most popular Philips shavers in 2025.

The decent performance and the reasonable price are undoubtably part of the recipe for success.

Philips Norelco Shaver 2600

See the price on Amazon

And I think these razors will work well for users who want a simple machine but aren’t very demanding when it comes to performance (closeness, speed).

As I mentioned throughout the review, the 2000 Series is fitted with basic blades and a less powerful motor.

Therefore, the performance isn’t as good compared to other Norelcos from the Series 3000 and up.

Personally, I would gladly pay just a bit more for a Series 3000.

Men with light facial hair will probably still be just fine with a Shaver 2400 or 2600.

But otherwise I think it’ll be best to consider some other (still affordable) options.

Alternatives

The Series 3000 would make the most sense to buy over the Series 2000.

See the price on Amazon

It’s more powerful and more enjoyable to use, it feels faster and I’d even say it’s a bit gentler.

In terms of closeness the results will be pretty much the same, but it’ll take you less time to shave.

The battery is also a better Li-ion unit with a larger capacity (60 minutes).

The pick of the range is currently the Shaver 3600 or you can get the 3900 which includes a charging stand.

I would also check out the Braun Series 3 ProSkin especially if you shave more often.

For most users, a foil razor will be easier to use and the S3 ProSkin is among the most compelling affordable foil models.

I’d say the closeness and comfort are maybe slightly better as well, but I do tend to get along better with foil shavers.

But if you prefer rotaries, the Series 3000 would probably be a safer choice than the Braun.

For even more performance, a Norelco Series 7000 (or 5000) will bring an improvement over the 3000, but I wouldn’t call it substantial.

They come with better heads (15 blades per rotary cutter vs 9) and some interesting accessories like the Quick clean pod, but they cost a lot more than a Series 3000.

Finally, there’s the Remington F5800 which is a very interesting foil shaver that costs roughly the same as the Shaver 2600.

For most users it will however provide a closer shave. But you will need to use it often as it can struggle to catch longer hairs.

Over to you now — if you have any other questions or you’d like to share your experience with the Series 2000, make sure to leave a comment below.