Review (4/5): My first electric razor
This new Norelco Arcitec 1090 razor has been my first experience with an electric razor, and overall I'd say it's been a pretty good one. Since I haven't had any experience with other electric razors, I can't really comment on how the Norelco stacks up. However, I've shaved with a Mach 3 for many years and can definitely offer some info for blade/foam users who are thinking about going for the Arcitec.
Some of this razor's all-out positives: the charge lasts 65 minutes, which is a lot of shaving before you even have to plug the charger in again (the battery will have a longer life if you only charge it when it's completely empty). In addition to the stand-up charger, you also get a protective travel case with a jack for the cable that will act as another charger. The blades couldn't be much easier to clean--flip them open and rinse out, or stick the head in some hot water and turn it on, then leave them open to dry.
Versus a traditional razor, the Arcitec compares pretty well--at least as long as you're only shaving one or two days' growth. If that's the case, the Arcitec will give you a VERY close shave (I haven't had any razor burn, so this razor is probably more compatible to my face shape than it is to some other reviewers here), and once you're used to using it, it'll probably take less time than using a traditional razor. Definitely be advised that (as the instructions mention) it can take your face about 3 weeks to get used to the razor, so don't give up after one tough shave!
A couple slight negatives: if you're going to try and shave more than a couple days' growth, it could be tough--because of the way the blades work, the hair has to find its way into holes in the blades, which doesn't work as well if the hair isn't sticking straight up (i.e. lying down on your face because it's longer), so a shave with longer growth can be frustrating, missing entire hairs. This can be remedied by pulling/stretching your face with your free hand (also recommended by the instructions) to give the razor a better surface to work on. Also, the Arcitec, despite the fact that it has a trimmer (which actually works pretty well, better than some reviewers have claimed), can be a little difficult to get a clean shave up to the borders of, say, a sideburn, or mustache or goatee, since the blades are round and sit a centimeter away from the edge of the head. Last, the more hair you have on your neck, the more difficult you may find shaving with the Arcitec, since the Adam's apple is a pretty rough surface.