Buy a Shaveway To Heaven - Phlips Arcitect RQ1095 (Philips RQ1075 Arcitec Rotary Shaver)

Member Name: naylinski

Product:	Philips RQ1075 Arcitec Rotary Shaver
Date:	07/07/09 (163 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Close shave, easy to maintain, good charge

Disadvantages: Price

Well to start with I actually have the RQ1095 model, but the only difference relates to minor cosmetic issues, and in no way any performance ratings of the actual chaver itself.

I must admit that I fell in love with this shaver as soon as I saw it advertised. It's almost an alien spaceship disguised as a razor, the smooth curves and sleek finish making it by far the best looking razor of all time. This is also a good design fault in terms of using the razor, allowing for a good comfortable grip, and the carbon fibre sides help keep the weight down. On top of that the heads sit on a slim neck line rotating ball, which although is there for practical reasons, makes the Arcitec look even more pleasing to the eye. Along with this, the optional charging pod is very nice-looking, sleek and black and very tidy on a shelf. There are even colourful symbols to tell you about charging and cleaning performance! More of that later.

I suppose I should tell you about how this thing actually shaves. Pretty darn good if you really want to know. This gives a wonderfully close shave, that seems to be quicker to achieve than any previous shaver I have owned (that includes both rotary and foil), and with leaving behind any soreness or itching as I had encountered with past shavers. With just a little water (although you may use a pre-shave oil/creme of your fancy if you so wish) the heads glide smoothly over your face, and this is where that 'neck' design comes into play. It allows each of the three 'heads' to rotate both together in one general direction, and then individually against your skin, so that whatever part of your face, neck or chin, they are always in contact with your skin, thereby creating a better shave, and saving that little extra time.

Cleaning this shaver is actually not a chore at all, but an amusement at how easy it can be if a product is designed well, which this most certainly is. There are two options, either using the afore mentioned cleaning pod, or simply opening the three heads (they are on hinges) and running water from the tap over the heads till they are clear. Either way is good, though the pod option is funkier for obvious reasons!

The cleaning pod does an excellent job, and is not as bad as made out - the solution last for approximately two cleans, depending on what type of hair growth you are shaving away - personally I have found it works well with three cleans with no problems but I don't have a full on beard just yet! This is relatively quick, perhaps about 30 minutes to clean and dry.

Finally the charging - This is one of the wonders of this device that I am sure will please many. When fully charged you can expect about two weeks of shaving before needing to be recharged (average of ten minutes per shave) which I personally think is good in itself. To recharge the Arcitec from dead to full takes about an hour, although a quick charge of five minutes will give you about 10 minutes worth of charge in case you are in a hurry.

Some of the extras on this are superb also, such as the cleaning l and charging lights on the cleaning pod, low battery indicator on the unit itself etc. One of my favourite things is the travel pod, in which the Arcitec sits inside a VERY durable plastic enclosure contoured to its shape, and which comes with a plug to put the charging adaptor into.

This is without doubt one of the best shavers to ever be released, and although it started off rather pricey (£250 when released) it is now available from between £120-160 for the different model ranges.

This is a definite buy if you are in the market for a new shaver. And perhaps even if you're not!

Summary: Well worth the money