Review (4/5): If this is your first electric shaver
I've always used razors, as I like a very close cut. I've tried once in the past an electric shaver and since I had left my beard grow 1/8 of an inch or so, it didn't cut a thing and I never looked back. I got a Braun portable as a gift and I tried it with just a 1 day beard and it worked (never as close as a razor, forget about electric if that's what you want, don't care what anybody tells you, it's not even close) but it was good enough that I could go to work without looking like I have not shaved.
I did some research and this Norelco came on top (second best was another Braun, but it had a washing system with a liquid that you have to replace once a month and that was a deal breaker for me). I've tried it twice now and is very similar to my Braun portable, that is, just good enough.
Instructions say to use only this shaver (don't mix with razors) so that the machine gets "used" to your beard...which sounds like a lot of crock (don't see any A.I. chip buried in the machine) but will humour the manufacturer. Anyway, my main reason to get it is that some times after shaving with a razor often my skin does get irritated and some times in the morning I'm not feeling like doing that to my face. The other nice thing is that on a Saturday afternoon if I decide to go out, I can just touch up with the electric instead of having to wash my face, apply shaving cream, and maybe getting my shirt wet in the process...much simpler with this thing.
But it really depends on your beard I guess, I have a not very dense beard, which grows parallel to the skin (specially around the cheeks) and so it is difficult for electric razors to do a great job. Around my chin for example, where hair grows more perpendicular is where I get the best shaving (also, it's the most dense there, so it is were the razor hurts the most!).
But if you are on a budget and $80 is a lot for you, don't buy it, it is not worth it, if you are just itching to buy a new gadget though, I would recommend this.
Hope this is useful.