Review (3/5): Looks great, mediocre shave
This was kind of a last ditch effort to find a more comfortable shaving experience. I've tried several electrics with the hope of finding a more comfortable shave since I have sensative skin and am prone to razor burn. At the end of the day, I've found frequently replacing the Mach3 blades is the best I can do. It gauls me to keep spending on money on something I have to toss, but it's better than the alternatives to date.
The Norelco Architec 1090 looks great and shaves better on the neck than the foil shavers I've tried including the Panasonic Nano and Braun Activator. However, it still misses a critical area in the middle cheek just along where a goatee would start to back about 1.5 inches from there. The hair in that part of my face tends to lay down. The Braun seemed to get that area OK, but did not do well in the neck area.
When I push harder to get those hard to get whiskers, I end up with road rash and sporadic ingrown whiskers. This and other electric razors may work with people who have different types of beards or face shapes, but I've yet to find an electric that works for my whole beard.
In my opinion, a $250 razor ought to do the job quite comfortably. I think there are better ways to use the funds, like on three years worth of blades and shaving cream.