Philips Norelco Electric Shaver 1050 1050x

After using Braun shavers for nearly 20 years, I finally stepped into the world of Philips/Norelco: the Arcitec 1050.  With my Braun shaver, I find I'm able to get almost as close as a blade.  So, why bother with any other shaver?  Well, I had always been fascinated by the triple-head design that Norelco pioneered almost 30 years ago.  The last time I tried one was about 10 years ago, and I wasn't impressed.  With the latest Arcitec models, I figured it was time to give it a try.  The design is much more appealing to me and it has been well received in the electric shaver industry.

The Arcitec Models

Philips/Norelco (which I'll refer to as just "Philips" from now on, as "Norelco" is being phased out) has made so many models with different numbering/naming conventions, I can't figure them all out.  The Arcitec model stands out from all previous Philips shavers by having a very distinctive slender look, the triple head surface on a flat conical piece that is affixed to a pivot, unlike the "neckless" other models.  There are 3 main Arcitec models available as of this writing: 1050, 1060, and 1090.  There are also two suffixes: X and CC.  The 'X' means there is no cleaning station, while 'CC' means a cleaning station is included.  You may see some references without either suffix--this is the same as the 'X'.  So, why is there a cleaning station if the heads can be rinsed under water?  Competition.  Braun provides one now, and has since the late 1990's... and with the scented alcohol solution, the shaver seems "fresher" after the cleansing bath.  So, Philips had to keep up.  But in reality it's just a "nice to have" feature.  Don't bother with the extra cost involved (depending upon where you buy it, the 1050cc can be anywhere from 30-75% more costly).  Rinse the heads under water instead.


(Philips Arcitec 1050cc, with cleaning station)

Essentially, here's the difference:  The 1050 has only 1 indicator for battery recharge needed, the 1060 has several LED indicators showing how much charge is left, and the 1090 has an LED double-digit display showing how many minutes of shaving are left.  Quite frankly, the 1050 is just fine.  When the battery gets low, you've got about 5 minutes left before the shaver will quit.  Even still, for every minute the shaver is plugged in, that is how many minutes of shaving you get.  Plug the shaver back in for 5 minutes when the battery has been depleted, and you're ready to go for a full shave.  So... although this "early warning system" is a cool feature, it's very easy to get by without it if you're budget conscious.

So, onto the shaver...

Appearance and Design

Out of the box, it is a beautiful looking device. Very futuristic. Adorned in several shades of black, dark gray, and silver, with catchy real carbon fiber side panels and a matte rubber finish along the backside for good grip. The three silver shaving discs contrast the black theme nicely. The shaver is lightweight (only 6oz, compared to the Braun Activator at 8.75oz) and the heads have a lot of flex to them. The shaver comes with a charging base that serves as a resting stand, which secures the razor magnetically--very clever. There is also a "travel pod" included that allows you to charge the shaver while it is housed inside it.  The Arcitec does not have any open charging ports, so you don't plug the cord directly into the shaver; the plug goes into either the stand or the travel pod. Certainly, the accessories are more impressive than what Braun offers. It looked to me like Braun has met its match.

Then, onto the shave.

The Shaving Experience

This Arcitec 1050 is quiet. Astonishingly quiet, compared to my Braun 8595 Activator. I watched a couple of YouTube posted reviews of the latest Braun Pulsonic 9595, and that shaver sounded about as loud (if not louder) than my Braun 8595 Activator. So... Norelco certainly wins the prize for most quiet shaver.  Actually, the sound is a low drone... it gives the impression that the shaver is a slow, underpowered device. The Braun sounds Bold and Busy with its Bounding Buzz.  But in actuality, the Philips is quite formidable.

So, onto my first use. I touch the shaver to my face--I hear and feel the nibble of whiskers taking place. I begin to go through the motions... cheeks, chin, lip areas, then the neck. It feels comfortable. The discs are mostly gentle. I don't feel anything like the reports of "heavy tugging" at the whiskers I've seen a few people mention on-line. I make a full double-pass across my face, then check the smoothness with my free hand.  Not smooth enough to me, so no immediate advantage over the Braun.  I make another few passes. I pinch and pull at my skin as I would with the Braun. I do two more passes and check the smoothness again...

Eh... still not enough. Better, but not as close as the Braun.  I continue... I probably ended up shaving about 2-3 minutes longer than with the Braun. I found that after using the shaver for a couple of weeks and getting used to how it works, I'm able to match the Braun in closeness.  It just takes a little longer.  But the trimmer on the Arcitec? Awful. There's this little ridge on the backside of the shaver. A side switch partially extends and activates it, a small bank of cutting teeth.  It's hard to get a nice smooth line. When you encounter a hair with it, there's a rather loud "click" sound. The Braun's trimmer is about twice as wide and zaps the hairs effortlessly.  Although the Braun is a louder shaver, the trimmer does not introduce much added noise.

I do notice something else rather positive about the Philips, though: no whisker dust on my clothes.  The Arcitec captures the whisker debris inside the heads and keeps it there, unlike the wide foil Braun design which will dump a bunch of it on you if you turn it sideways or on a downward angle.  For people who like to shave after they've gotten dressed, that's good news for Philips.

Charing/Runtime

The Braun shavers typically reach full charge in about 50-60 minutes.  The Arcitec managed to reach full charge in just under 60 minutes.  However, while the Braun will run for about 50-55 minutes from a full charge, my tests showed the Arcitec achieving an impressive maximum 77 minutes of runtime (this was done by using a stopwatch for the duration of each shave and tallying the results from a full charge down until the shaver was exhausted).  This is likely due to the inherent design of the Philips shaver motor, which simply spins a metal dowel instead of ratcheting with a vibration motion (Braun's design).

Accessories

Aside from the optional cleaning station, the Arcitec comes with a travel pod, stand, head guard, cleaning brush, and power cord.  The travel pod is a nice design, which thoroughly protects the shaver.  It is also necessary if you are traveling, as it provides a charging port for the power cord (you can't plug the cord directly into the shaver).  The power cord uses a straight wire design, rather than coiled like the Braun, which makes it easier to manage (you will easily see used Braun shavers with tangled power cords).  It is also lighter and doesn't get very warm when plugged in.  The travel pod has a large smoked plastic cover on it that will likely pick up scratches over time, so I suggest putting it in a soft drawstring sack.

Parts Replacement

Philips recommends replacing the heads every 12 months.  Braun recommends doing so every 18 months.  The Braun Pulsonic series tells you when head replacement is necessary... not sure how this is done (number of shaves?).  The Philips Arcitec has a little "head replacement" indicator.  The replacement heads are about 30% more expensive than similar Braun shavers, except with the "cassette" head unit of the Braun Pulsonic model (about the same cost).  So, cost of maintenance may be higher.  Also, I've seen mixed opinions about how long they last.  Some people have complained having to replace them at 6 months, while an acquaintance says he replaces the heads every 10 years--when he changes shavers!  He was once told that the heads are "self sharpening".  That sounds a bit unrealistic to me.  In any case, I can't report the replacement time here just yet... I'll need to use this shaver for a while.  But I'll have to give it to Braun for a longer time between head replacement and at a cheaper cost (because it is also said that you can get away with replacing just the cutterblock, if the foil is still intact, which drops the cost by 50%... can't do this with the Norelco).

Conclusion

In my opinion, the Braun is probably better overall, but by a small margin. The Philips Arcitec 1050 makes a very good effort. I really could use this razor in place of the Braun, day in and day out. Especially if the "significant other" is still asleep and I want to be super quiet. That's what impresses me the most about the Arcitec--it makes noticeably less noise than the Braun.  And it is great about trapping the whisker debris, keeping it from falling onto you during the shave (for those times when you're dressed and need a quick shave).

The real proving ground will be in duration.  The Braun feels a little more durable and I've had many long years of successful use out of Braun shavers.  This new Arcitec design feels a little more fragile than the traditional Philips/Norelco design.  It'll be interesting to see how well the batteries hold up too.

Which shaver do I prefer?  As of this writing, my favorite is still the Braun.  It may be louder, but it has a nice weight to it and is easier to use with the foil design.  It also achieves a very close shave in less time than the Philips.  I'm planning to keep both... and will alternate between them from time to time.  If I need to shave and make minimal noise, the Philips will be my choice.  For travel, I prefer the sturdier Braun.  The Norelco looks better on the bathroom counter, no doubt about it.

In the final analysis:

Appearance: (subjective)Accessories:
Quiet:
Cleanliness:
Charging:
Weight:
Run time:
Parts cost:
Trimming:
Speed:
Closest: (subjective)


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