Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've been shaving with Norelco rotary shavers for a long time. My older shaver was quite a few years old, so I decided to spring for this model, figuring that the top of the line model was worth the nearly $150 price tag. I've now shaved with the 8900 for about five months, long enough to reach some conclusions. I've found that this shaver doesn't give me as close a shave as I got from the older Norelco models. I was really surprised by that. A close shave is the number one job of a shaver. I don't know how Norelco could go backward on something so important. There's a lot to like about the shaver otherwise. It's lightweight. It's easy to hold and easy to maneuver. It's powerful. It charges quickly. It cleans easily (I didn't bother with the cleaning system). And it gives me a once over shave quite quickly, much more quickly than my older shaver. So I can quickly get a rough stubble on my face, good enough to go out of the house. But my beard still feels rough after the shave from the 8900, which is not what I like, and it's certainly not good for cheek to cheek with my sweetie. So I've developed the practice of using both shavers. First I use the new $150 8900 for a fast but rough job. And then I get out the old trusty Norelco, which will smooth things up. I also tend to use the older shaver for its pop up sideburns trimmer. Yes, the 8900 allows you to swap out attachments for trimming, but that is a heck of a lot more trouble than the old pop up trimmer option. Bottom line: I wouldn't buy this again. UPDATE, May 25, 2018. I've now been shaving with this Norelco for nearly a year, and I am increasingly dissatisfied. This shaver does not shave close. My face feels like coarse grit sandpaper. I noticed that one reviewer pointed out that the rotary heads are farther apart than in older Norelco models. Exactly what I noticed! There are three rotary heads, but they are so widely spaced that they are mostly not touching your face or chin. No wonder it doesn't shave properly. I am now purchasing a Braun series 7 foil shaver, following the recommendations of The Wirecutter. I've been a Norelco rotary guy for more than 40 years, but this shaver has caused me to look elsewhere.