Philips Norelco Bodygroom 3500 Review

You have the body and you want to show it off. But there’s a problem. With so much hair in the way, you can’t highlight your best features.

Standard razors don’t cut it. They’re too small to reach difficult places, plus they cause irritation.

The Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 3500 claims to have the answer.

But will it really give you a smooth shave all over?

My Norelco Bodygroom 3500 review aims to find out.

The Quick Facts

The Philips Norelco Series 3500 is an extendable electric razor that’s intended for use all over your body. The basic foil raise provides a clean shave, but it also comes with a couple of attachments for grooming your body hair.

The foil blade system protects against irritation, plus you can use it in the shower.

Who’ll Love It?

This may be a great choice for anybody who’s looking for an all-in-one body grooming solution. It can help you to tame beard and chest hair, or get rid of it entirely.

The Key Features

So, those are the basics. But how does the Philips Norelco Bodygroom 3500 perform when it’s put to the test?

These are its key features and, more importantly, whether the razor lives up to Philips’ claims.

All-Over Shaving

The key difference between this and other electric shavers is that you can use it anywhere on your body.

It’s just at home dealing with chest hairs as it is with your beard.

You get three shaving heads to help with this. Ranging in size from 3mm up to 7mm, they’re decent for keeping short hair in line. However, they’ll get tangled up in long hair.

I wouldn’t recommend using them to give yourself a haircut. But it can cut through thick body hair without any problems.

You can also use the foil razor to give yourself a cleaner shave. I really like this, as it feels soft on the skin. It’s hypoallergenic too, so you won’t find yourself dealing with any shaving rashes when you run it over sensitive areas.

Having said that, it’s not the perfect shaving experience. The razor struggles to get rid of tough stubble, especially on the legs. It also has a habit of failing to pick up flat hairs, which is a major problem when you’re wet shaving.

Designed For Difficult Spots

What’s the most common problem that you have when shaving your body?

I bet it’s struggling to reach difficult spots because the razor’s too short.

Philips have you covered there with an ingenious design choice. The Philips Norelco Bodygroom 3500's body flips open, almost like an old cellphone.

Just lock it in place and grab the end. Suddenly, you’ve doubled the razor’s length, meaning you don’t have to bend and contort your body to get to difficult spots.

Unfortunately, this does also move your hand further away from the shaving head. A longer razor means less control, so I wouldn’t use this feature for precise shaving. Instead, it’s best for when you just want to get rid of a clump of hair.

But what about the rest of the razor?

Well, I appreciate the power button placement. It’s near the head so there’s almost no chance of you clicking it while you use the razor.

I also like how the body narrows as it reaches the head. Again, this makes the razor easier to get into difficult spots.

The only issue I have is with the smoothness of the main body. When you’re using it in the shower, the combination of water and soap means it’s going to slip out of your hands at some point.

Speaking of the shower…

Wet and Dry Shaving

Philips says you can use this razor for wet and dry shaving.

They’re not lying, but there’s a catch.

The Philips Norelco Bodygroom 3500 sometimes struggles with catching flat hairs. This can make shaving in the shower difficult, as water flattens your hair against your body. As a result, you’re likely to miss a couple of spots when using it as a wet razor.

You don’t get the same problems when dry shaving. The razor performs well, though the foil sometimes struggles with really tough stubble. That’s a pretty common issue with electric razors though.

The Rest

So, what else do you need to know about the Philips Norelco BG5025/49?

Well, it has a decent battery life of one hour from an hour of charging. However, you’ll find that quickly slips away if you’re using it to shave every area of your body. A single charge may last less than a week in those circumstances.

It also doesn’t come with a charging dock, though that’s a minor issue.

You also don’t get a carry case, which is difficult to forgive seeing as the razor comes with accessories.

Philips Norelco Bodygroom Series 3500 vs Philips Norelco Multigroom 5000

Philips has followed the 3500 series with a couple of new generations of body-grooming razors.

Does the Bodygroom 3500 stack up to the later Multigroom 5000?

Model	Bodygroom 3500	Multigroom 5000
Attachments	4	18
Battery life	1 Hour	3 Hour
Close shave	Yes	No
Precision trimmer	No	Yes
Extra-wide hair trimmer	No	Yes
Nose & ear trimmer	No	Yes
Fully Waterproof	Yes	No
Additional Features	Back attachment and Battery status indicator	DualCut technology, which means 2x more blades
	Check Price	Check Price

It’s a mixed bag.

The Multigroom has 18 heads, compared to the three you get with the Series 3500. This gives you a lot more options in terms of body hair length and where you can use it.

It also triples the battery life, which is essential for a razor that you’ll use for such a long time during each session.

However, the 5000 takes away the extension feature and it’s no longer fully waterproof. The 3500 also achieves a closer shave thanks to the use of a foil head.

The Final Word

So, is the Philips Norelco Series 3500 still worth your time now that there are newer body groomers on the market?

It depends on what you’re looking for. It manages to achieve a cleaner shave than many comparable products, even though it struggles with some types of hair.

However, it’s also surprisingly expensive. It’s not going to break the bank, but you can get more versatile razors for less. Plus the battery life doesn’t add up to much for those who want to shave all over.

As a result, I’m finding it difficult to recommend the Philips Norelco Bodygroom 3500 over other razors in the company’s lineup. I think the Multigroom 5000 may be a better choice for most people.