Why are many electric shaver manufacturers like braun, norelco, panasonic or remington making their corded shavers with flat cords instead of coil? Why the sudden change...?
Flat cords instead of coil
- Thread starter larryjohnson
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Because the coil "coils up" and is more of a nuisance than a help, if I correctly understand what you mean by a coiled cord.
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- #3
What about a flat cord, how does this differ from the coil cord? How cant we rule out it wont become entangled?
I didn't say entangled. A coil suggests neatness and order. I said the coiled cord was a potential nuisance, because it potentially limits movement and activity.
I would rather use hair clippers or an electric shaver that had a loose cord than a coiled cord. I would think the loose cord potentially is longer than a coiled cord. I've never seen a barber use a clipper that had a coiled cord, though they may be out there.
If tangling and tripping are hazardous, maybe the answer is a battery powered clipper, but that too has limitations and problems.
Maybe the O/P needs to direct his question to the manufacturers. They are the best resource for the answer. They have ownership of the answer.
I would rather use hair clippers or an electric shaver that had a loose cord than a coiled cord. I would think the loose cord potentially is longer than a coiled cord. I've never seen a barber use a clipper that had a coiled cord, though they may be out there.
If tangling and tripping are hazardous, maybe the answer is a battery powered clipper, but that too has limitations and problems.
Maybe the O/P needs to direct his question to the manufacturers. They are the best resource for the answer. They have ownership of the answer.
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I wouldn't be surprised if some young executive decided a flat cable would save 0.002 cents per razor. Every little counts, after all, if profit this year is 86% compared to 90% last year then you have made a loss and deserve to be dismissed with a huge bonus 
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- #6
But why in the 1940s, 50s electric shavers had long flat cords? Where did the idea of coil cords come about?I wouldn't be surprised if some young executive decided a flat cable would save 0.002 cents per razor. Every little counts, after all, if profit this year is 86% compared to 90% last year then you have made a loss and deserve to be dismissed with a huge bonus
This. 1000 times this.I wouldn't be surprised if some young executive decided a flat cable would save 0.002 cents per razor. Every little counts, after all, if profit this year is 86% compared to 90% last year then you have made a loss and deserve to be dismissed with a huge bonus
Telephone manufacturers perhaps? Telephones started using coiled cords in about 1936/1937-ish, and other elctric device manufacturers probably jumped on the bandwagon thinking it was a good idea.
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- #8
So a flat cord is technically better?
I think it's cheaper.
For a phone, a coiled cord made sense. The talker is relatively immoble, and any movement is slow and measured.
A razor is in constant movement, so the user is fighting that springiness constantly.
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
I suspect Braun, Norelco and Remington's previous coiled cords were a holdover from their exclusively corded razor days - you can have a longer cord that stays out of the way better with a coil (although heavier). Early electrics (1940s and 50s) used a flat cord because that's what every other electric appliance used. Coiled cords were an innovation, and if someone else was using them with a better ad campaign, you did too eventually. More expensive I expect and most electrics are now battery powered, so within the last couple of years even Braun's have disappeared.
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- #11
But were the coil cords phased out with flat cords because too many people were complaining that the coil cords were in a way annoying like hell...?!
I would guess the reason for coiled cords is that they are "neater" in that they "spring" back to a less intrusive shape at rest. (Think about the days of corded phones: You could walk away with the phone handset a short distance, and the cord would coil back somewhat when you hung up, avoiding a tripping hazard.)
In the same way, I would guess that a coiled power cord for an electric shaver made more sense for a non-rechargeable electric razor but would be somewhat pointless for a rechargeable device (unless someone just really doesn't like the look of a non-coiled cord).
There might also be marketing considerations (a coiled cord could be a selling point for people that hate seeing visible cords, or if the coiled cord looks more expensive).
In the same way, I would guess that a coiled power cord for an electric shaver made more sense for a non-rechargeable electric razor but would be somewhat pointless for a rechargeable device (unless someone just really doesn't like the look of a non-coiled cord).
There might also be marketing considerations (a coiled cord could be a selling point for people that hate seeing visible cords, or if the coiled cord looks more expensive).
I have no idea what annoys people in an electric razor (and personally I didn't find coiled cords annoying), but Braun kept coiled cords for recharging (and to connect their cleaning stations) well over a decade after they produced rechargeable cordless razors that didn't need a cord, so I suspect most people 1) didn't mind them, or 2 liked them. And again, I expect they were phased out because they were more expensive to make, although you can still purchase coiled OEM Braun cords that fit their razors - they just don't generally come with them. My main objection to the Braun cord system (on an otherwise excellent system) was the HUGE transformer plug at the end - and that was annoying (now somewhat smaller with the flat cords) - and to be fair they're not unique.
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- #14
Well i only ask because i could only assume consumer feedback... thats why a change was made... braun, norelco, panasonic, remington, hitachi have all done the same...?
Nope, don't know anything about the marketing departments of any of them, but I haven't observed that consumer feedback plays a huge part with any of them. Philips might be a good example, with the introduction of Bluetooth connectivity in recent models. I can't imagine there was a huge public outcry for a connected razor
. On the other hand, they did reintroduce the flip-top heads and integral trimmers in their newest rotaries, and that was frequently a minus in customer reviews.- Thread starter
- #16
But would a flat cord be less annoying in your opinion?Nope, don't know anything about the marketing departments of any of them, but I haven't observed that consumer feedback plays a huge part with any of them. Philips might be a good example, with the introduction of Bluetooth connectivity in recent models. I can't imagine there was a huge public outcry for a connected razor
Not to me. And what is your opinion? I believe "Donald Bathe" asked a similar question once on the forum, but I can't recall his answer.
Progress.
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