The OneBlade 360 connected QP4530 shaver expands the very wide catalog of the range, which we have known for many years. Taking the architecture of mechanical razors, OneBlade razors are nevertheless electrical devices whose blades vibrate at very high frequency to cut the hair effortlessly. The OneBlade range has literally conquered the market thanks to its cutting efficiency and maneuverability, especially with the new OneBlade 360 stamped blades that pivot on two axes.
Last out of the factories, the OneBlade 360 connected QP4530 retains this philosophy and adds connectivity. You can now pair your razor with a smartphone equipped with the Daily Care application in order to receive advice on the best way to shave to avoid razor burn and trim your goatee, mustache or sideburns perfectly thanks to numerous motion sensors and other accelerometers. Philips also has some expertise in this area, as evidenced by the Sonicare toothbrushes, whose connected features pleasantly surprised us.
However, if the OneBlade 360 connected QP4530 can be purchased in a completely traditional way, this model is also intended for subscribers to the OneBlade Club service set up by the Dutch manufacturer. The idea is very simple: buy your razor (and two blades) in small monthly installments for a year, then receive replacement blades at regular intervals at the price of a monthly subscription. Of course, the interest for Philips is to capture the consumer in order to sell him the razor of course, but also the consumables that go with it. This method allows the manufacturer to improve its margins (since there is no intermediary) but also to ensure safe and more regular income than those obtained via traditional trade, which is far too dependent on consumption habits (no change of blades, too long intervals between two purchases, etc.).
After an initial payment of €6.99 which triggers the dispatch of the QP4530 OneBlade 360 connected razor, its accessories (including a cutting guide) and two OneBlade 360 blades, the user pays €4 per month for the following 11 months. At the end of this year, the razor is paid for and the levy decreases to €2.99. A first blade is then delivered and a pack of two blades is sent every eight months. Indeed, Philips recommends renewing it every four months. If that wasn’t enough, the QP4530 connected OneBlade 360 app monitors how long the device has been up and warns that it’s time to buy a new blade after 170 minutes of use.
So, is a OneBlade Club membership a good investment? If our calculations are correct, we save two euros (€6.99 and 11 monthly payments of €4 or €50.99 in total) on the purchase of the OneBlade 360 connected QP4530 sold for €52.99 on the Philips store. The two blades per year cost €32.89 (11 monthly payments of €2.99) while it only costs €27.99 for a two-pack on the Philips store.
Not such a good deal…
If only taking into account these raw data, the subscription to the OneBlade Club service does not seem so advantageous. In addition, OneBlade razors see their prices drop regularly, especially during sales periods. We can also hope to make some savings on the OneBlade 360 blades, and even replace them with classic OneBlade blades, which are much less expensive.