Review (3/5): Nice looking but doesn't shave as well as the old ones..
I've been on a quest for a new electric razor since Christmas. I went astray and tried a Panasonic Foil type, and I won't make that mistake again. So now I knew it was Norelco or nothing. So which one? The top of the line 1090 was just too expensive for me to justify but then the price dropped and I got Amazon Prime all on the same day! Now it was doable and I'd get it the next day? Too much to take... I had to finally get it.
The new cleaning method alone is worth the price if you are a Norelco fan. It's so quick, and no removable combs and cutters to mix-up in the sink. Just flip 'em open and shoot a little hot water in there or run the whole head in hot soapy water. Done. Waaaay better system than any other Norelco shaver. It charges in only an hour and stays charged for a lot of shaves. 65 minutes worth. That's a lot of shaves.
Unfortunately the quality of the shave is not on par with other high-end Norelco shavers I've had in the past. It takes longer and you have to go over your face several times to get the same results and I used to get with my Norelco Spectra.
Lastly, let's talk about something that really doesn't matter. The looks. This thing is gorgeous. The pictures on this website don't do it justice. For one thing the materials it's made from are all top of the line. Carbon Fiber panels, and super rich "Black Chrome" accents on the front. Surround all that with a brushed stainless steel bezel and it's about the best looking shaver ever made. It's even got that nice "rubberized" back so it won't get scratched up in the drawer. Of course this thing is so good looking you might just be tempted to leave it out as an "art object" for all to see. It's a great looking razor that does an "okay" job of shaving. I'm about half way happy with it... About half way unhappy...
UPDATE: Well it's been about a month with the new shaver and as much as I like how it looks, I have to send it back to Amazon. My SpeedXL shaves much faster and closer than this new bad boy Arcitec. I really wanted to love this razor, but in the end, I buy a razor to use, not to look at.
I don't know how people can say this thing shaves better than the old ones. It absolutely does not. It sure looks damn good though... Maybe Norelco can improve the heads on a future model and I'll give it another shot in a year or so.... For now? Stick with your old Norelcos. They do a better and faster job.