The Freebird FlexSeries and Remington Balder Pro are two heavy hitters in the head shavers area, and we were not surprised why. Both offer affordable, highly-rated rotary shavers designed for baldies.
While Remington offers the Balder Pro and Balder Boss models, we're focusing on the Balder Pro for this comparison since it's Remington's most popular model and more closely matches Freebird's FlexSeries in price and features.
So, let's examine how these two contenders compare in terms of design, performance, and customer feedback. When we're done, you'll have a clearer picture to help you determine which one best fits your grooming routine.
A Quick Verdict
Let's compare the Freebird FlexSeries and Remington Balder Pro and see who comes out on top.
Both are best-selling and highly-rated electric rotary shavers. Thanks to their powerful motors and five-blade heads, they deliver a smooth and close shave. They're also waterproof: The FlexSeries has IPX5 waterproofing, while the Balder Pro has WETech technology. They also have a 60-day trial period.
When compared head-to-head, the FlexSeries beats the Balder Pro as it costs around 40% less than the Balder Pro when bought with a subscription, has a lifetime warranty, a slightly longer battery life, and several free attachments, including a hair clipper with three guards, scalp scrubber, exfoliation brush, and nose and ear trimmer.
The Balder Pro has only a five-year warranty and doesn't come with any attachments. It does have a quick charge function, though, that shavers may find useful.
The Balder Pro's blades are also more expensive at $29.99 each, while the FlexSeries blades can be purchased for as low as $16.49 each if you buy a few at a time.
Unless you strongly prefer the Remington brand, the FlexSeries tops the Balder Pro in every other category and is the smarter choice for anyone looking for a reliable, efficient, and budget-friendly head shaver.
Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Design and Build Quality
Design
The FlexSeries and Balder Pro are designed specifically for baldies. The FlexSeries has an ergonomic design making it easy to hold and maneuver when shaving. The same can be said for the Balder Pro. It's comfortable to hold and fits well in your hand.
The Balder Pro's upside is its rubber grip on the sides of the motor, which gives you confidence you won't drop your shaver in the shower.
Build Quality
The FlexSeries is a durable and lightweight shaver. You don't have to worry about minor-shaver-dropping mishaps.
We can refer to a FlexSeries review by Matt from Bald and Happy. In it, he mentioned that the FlexSeries felt strong, stable, and long-lasting. Overall, he was impressed with its durability for a lightweight shaver.
The Balder Pro, like most Remington products, feels solid and durable.
Both shavers are durable enough to handle accidental slips here and there.
This rubber grip design tilts the balance toward the Balder Pro in this showdown.
Winner: Remington Balder Pro
Performance and Features
Attachments
Who doesn't love freebies? Freebird has $60 worth of free attachments and wins this category, hands down. Here's what you get in the box:
Precision Clipper
3, 5, 7mm Safety Guards
Nose & Ear Trimmer
Exfoliation Brush
Silicon Scalp Scrubber
The Balder Pro is a "shaver only" deal focusing on head shaving. If you want accessories, you can buy them from the Remington website.
A nose and ear hair trimmer from the Remington website sells for $9.99 each.
While the Balder Pro is an excellent head shaver, it lacks the variety of attachments for users looking for a comprehensive grooming solution.
The FlexSeries offers customers an excellent deal. In addition to a high-performance shaver, it includes a handful of useful free accessories, so you don't have to buy them separately.
The FlexSeries wins this showdown.
Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Waterproofing
If you prefer a wet shave or use shaving gel and cream while you shave, both shavers deliver. The FlexSeries (IPX5) and Balder Pro (WETech) are waterproof. Users can enjoy wet and dry shaving with no worries.
IPX5 waterproofing means you can shave in the shower without any issues. The Balder Pro doesn't specify its IPX rating, only stating that it's waterproof using their WETech technology. "WETech" seems to be a Remington-specific thing, and isn't very clear about what that actually means and how it compares to the standard IPX ratings.
Cleaning your shaver is also easier, as you can run it under water to remove shaving products and clipped hairs.
Winner: Tie
Blades
The FlexSeries has five ScalpSafe technology blades, making it safe for baldies with sensitive scalps. The Balder Pro also has five heads with hypoallergenic blades, which Remington claims are gentle on sensitive skin. Both blades are sharp enough to cut through coarse and thick hair.
Freebird says that its ScalpSafe blades generally last 50 shaves before needing to be replaced. Remington has no information on how long its blades last. Our article on how often you should replace blades discusses this in detail to give you an idea.
Now, let's compare the design of Balder Pro blades with the FlexSeries blades. The FlexSeries blades have a concave profile and flex, closely following the natural contours of your head, giving you a smoother and closer shave.
This Men's Health article writes, "After a year of testing, our editors found that the Freebird Head Shaver provides the closest trim, thanks to its five shaving heads that really cuts close to the skin without causing nicks."
One gripe users have with the Balder Pro is the blade design. Its convex shape makes it harder to follow the contours of your head. While the blades are spring-mounted and flexible, they don't shave as closely as concave blades.
Matt from Bald and Happy wasn't happy with the Balder Pro's blade design. He had to make numerous passes to ensure he got an even shave.
The Balder Pro's larger shaving heads may cover a larger area, but they make it harder to maneuver in tight spots like the back of the ear.
Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Battery Life & Indicators
The FlexSeries is powered by a 600 mAh battery that lasts 60 minutes between charges. Its power is good enough to keep you groomed while on the go.
The Balder Pro has less juice; it can only give you 50 minutes of cordless operation, but it does have a neat quick charge feature.
Battery indicators help monitor the remaining battery life to prevent your razor from dying in the middle of a shave.
Both shavers lack exact battery percentage indicators, a useful feature found in other shavers.
The FlexSeries and Balder Pro both have an LED light battery indicator. The FlexSeries indicator turns red when charging and green when fully charged. The Balder Pro has two LED indicators: low battery and fully charged plus charging in progress.
While the FlexSeries has a slightly longer battery life, the Balder Pro has a quick charge function.
Winner: Tie
Price and Value
The Freebird FlexSeries costs $39.95 with a blade subscription. Replacement blades start at $16.95 for members and the subscription even upgrades your shaver to a lifetime warranty. The FlexSeries also includes several free attachments valued at $60 if bought separately. If you don't want the subscription, the FlexSeries still only costs $59.95.
The Balder Pro is the brand's mid-priced head shaver, costing $69.99. Replacement blades cost $29.99, and Remington does not offer a subscription or discount model.
Both shavers get free shipping with the U.S.
Value for money, the FlexSeries is the runaway winner in this category.
Subscription Model
The FlexSeries offers replacement blades at any frequency you’d prefer.
Freebird's subscription provides a 20% discount for every blade replacement and a free Lifetime Service Warranty, added perks that make the deal even better when buying the FlexSeries.
You can change or cancel your Freebird subscription anytime, no questions asked.
Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Money Back Guarantee
Have you experienced being stuck with a bad shaver? You spend some serious cash on it only to find out that it doesn't work for your hair and skin type.
What do you do with the shaver? Make it an expensive paperweight?
We have good news for FlexSeries and Balder Pro buyers. Both come with a 60-day money-back guarantee for your peace of mind.
If your shaver doesn't work, you can return it for a refund, no questions asked.
Winner: Tie
Customer Reviews
The Freebird FlexSeries and the Balder Pro have very high ratings on their official websites and above 4-star ratings on Amazon.
Winner: Tie
Warranty
While Remington's five-year warranty is longer than most other electric head shaver's one-year warranties, it doesn't quite match the FlexSeries' lifetime warranty (with a subscription).
Freebird provides a 1-year warranty for non-subscribers.
Giving a lifetime warranty means you're confident about the overall quality of your shaver.
We're not saying that Remington shavers are inferior or that the company doesn't believe in its razors.
Freebird wins this category since a lifetime warranty always trumps a five-year warranty.
Winner: FlexSeries
The Final Verdict
The Freebird FlexSeries and Remington Balder Pro are two of the most popular and highly-rated electric head shavers on the market.
While the Balder Pro has a more established brand, the FlexSeries beats the Remington shaver in almost every other aspect in this showdown.
The FlexSeries is nearly half the price, has a much more affordable blade replacement subscription program, has ScalpSafe blades that adapt to the contours of your head, and is safe for baldies with sensitive scalps.
Add a lifelong warranty (for subscribers) and a bundle of free attachments, the FlexSeries provides way more value than the Balder Pro.
Overall Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Freebird FlexSeries
FAQs
Are Four or Five-Head Shavers Better?
In the past, the answer was that a four- or five-head shaver wasn't necessarily better than the other.
Now, it would depend on the company selling the shaver and the technology behind the number of blades.
The best examples are Skull Shaver and, lately, Freebird, who both pivoted from five heads to four heads on their latest shavers.
Skull Shaver claims that their four-head designs are better than their five-head counterparts. It is the same with Freebird's FlexSeries Pro, where the four-blade design is a major upgrade to the old five-head design on the FlexSeries.
Which Head Shaver Gives the Closest Shave?
Based on some reviews, like the Men's Health article we mentioned, the FlexSeries provides the closest shave among shavers tested.
Does the Balder Pro Leave Stubble?
Rotary shavers, like the Balder Pro, usually shave close enough to not leave any stubble. If you prefer a buzz cut with some stubble left, a hair trimmer or clipper is the best tool to use instead of an electric rotary shaver.
Does the Freebird FlexSeries Leave Stubble?
No. Based on user comments and reviews, the FlexSeries gives one of the closest shaves for a rotary shaver. If you want a close shave with some stubble left on your head, there's a free hair clipper attachment included in the FlexSeries shaving kit you can use for a buzz cut.
How Long Do Balder Pro Blades Last?
Remington does not say how long its blades last, but they generally last 3 to 6 months, depending on hair type and how often you shave.
How Long Do Freebird FlexSeries Blades Last?
Freebird claims that their FlexSeries ScalpSafe technology blades generally last 50 shaves.
It can last longer or shorter, depending on usage frequency and hair thickness.
