Review (4/5): solid shaver
this shaver performs extremely well. shaves as close as a razor, and a full charge lasts an entire month, longer if you dont shave every day. the instructions are absolutely correct, it takes a few weeks to get used to it, so dont be too put off if your first couple shaves are uncomfortable. if you have more sensitive skin, i would stongly recommend using minimal pressure at first, even if that means not getting the closest shave. once your skin adjusts, you can still get shaver burn if you press too hard, especially on the neck, so resist any urge to grind the shaver into your beard.
despite providing an incredibly close shave, it sometimes fails to grab every hair on the first couple passes and its a little tricky maneuvering around a strong adams apple. after taking those shortcomings into account, its still superior in every way to the other shavers ive used: a top model braun foil shaver, and a couple cheaper norelco models. while that doesnt qualify me as an authority on shavers, i can appreciate when a product basically lives up to expectations. even though the 9160 isnt quite perfect, it comes through with a reasonably fast, close and comfortable shave. here are a few tips that should help, especially when starting out:
1) shave BEFORE you shower. the shaver works better with a stiffer beard and your face will be less sensitive.
2) shave every day if you can. the longer your beard, the more hair gets missed.
3) if any hairs do get missed after a couple passes, leave them. its not worth getting every hair in exchange for shaver burn. as you get more experienced with the shaver, youll get better at using it. touch up rogue whiskers with the sideburn trimmer.
4) this shaver has trouble with longer hairs that lie flat. if you spot any after your first pass, use the sideburn trimmer to shorten them before touching up with the rotary blades. if youve already made a couple passes before you notice them, refer back to tip #3.
5) keep the tension setting on normal. if you set it to sensitive, you just have to press harder and make more passes to get a good shave.
6) if you still have trouble with shaver burn, use a little apple cider vinegar as an aftershave. yes, it will feel like your face is being ripped off for a couple seconds. if youre not a fan of that sensation, you may dilute it. let it dry completely, then rinse it off. its the best solution ive tried for neutralizing the burn.
EDIT: if youre not feeling too sado-masochistic, jojoba oil actually works much better than apple cider vinegar.