The Philips Norelco 1290x/40 Electric Shaver is their premium model, but it does come with a hefty price tag of around $230 at most retailers. For those looking for a quality product that has all the bells and whistles, this may be the one for you. It is constructed with quality material; an exceptional warranty and the most technologically advanced shaving heads.
Product Features
- 3D contouring that easily adjusts to face and neck curves
- Slots trap normal hair lengths
- Combine channels to trap longer hair
- Holes catch the stubble
- Zinc liquid metal frame
Product Description
- The combination of Gyroflex 3D, Skinglide and Ultratrack heads enables you to experience a close shave with less effort and less irritation.
- Touch screen display displays remaining battery minutes, cleaning indicator, charging status and replacement head status.
- Lithium-ion battery for cordless operation
- Patented Lift&Cut dual blade cuts hair beneath the skin
- Shave wet or dry
- AquaTec seal
- Easy-to-hold handle, ergonomic
- Convenient trimmer allows for precision trimming
- Charges in one hour; shaving time up to 60 minutes
- Cord free, travel lock and protective pouch
- Voltage function adjusts from 100 to 240 volts AC automatically
- Two-year warranty
Customer Reviews
The Philips Norelco 1290x/40 SensoTouch 3D electric shaver is expensive, but surprisingly, price was not one of the issues customers complained about most. However, there were some complaints about the price of the replacement heads. The capability of cleaning the razor with water was praised by most reviewers, as were the design, LED display and overall performance. The most common negative reviews were regarding the battery life and charging capability of the razor. A synopsis of these features as reviewed by Amazon.com customers is listed below.
Price and Replacement Heads
“Awesome razor – best I’ve ever used…but pricey!”
“The Philips Norelco 1290x SensoTouch 3D electric shaver is Philip’s top of the line electric shaver. As such, it commands a high price tag, but if you typically like to purchase flagship items then Philips makes you feel like you got your money’s worth.”
“Expensive to replace heads (4 new heads would buy a new 1290x shaver!).”
“This model is up to twice as much as other Norelco’s. I don’t think you get twice the performance.”
Cleaning
“Even in wet mode, clean up is a breeze. I put the shaver under hot water for about 30 seconds.”
“Cleaning is a snap, just pop open the heads and run them under hot water.
“Its a good idea to shake off the excess water and keep the heads open and let them air dry.”
“Like the instructions say, you want to clean the heads after every shave.”
“The 3 rotary heads need to opened separately for cleaning after every shave (per manual and indicator).”
Ergonomic Design
“The Norelco 1290x body has quality construction, feel and design (very good looking).”
“Feels good in the hand with it’s rubberized back and weight distribution (well balanced).”
“A great ergonomic feel. Weight balance is above average from the previous models that I’ve owned.”
“The razor has a good weight and fits comfortably in my hand.”
LED Display
“Multi Function LED Display is quite detailed.”
“The ‘minutes left’ indicator is very convenient. “
“It covers all the bases including on & off switch, power level, cleaning indicator, clogged head indicator, replacement indicator and a travel lock feature.”
“The electronic display shows the minutes of shave time remaining (up to 60 minutes), a cleaning indicator, an auto-lock indicator, a replace shaver heads indicator, a low battery indicator, and a jammed heads indicator.”
Battery Life and Charging Issues
“It stays charged for a full hour of use and it has an LED indicator telling when it is fully charged and how many minutes are left.”
“When the juice runs low the shaver has to be placed in the stand to recharge and has to be unplugged when it reaches a full sixty-minute charge.”
“Make sure you do not leave the shaver charging for more than 60 minutes (per manual).”
“Too many overcharges and it’s the recycle bin for the battery.”
“The only way to charge is with the charging stand so you can’t plug it in and use it, but it does have a quick charge feature.”
Overall Performance
“I like the fact that I can dry or wet shave with this series of shavers. After trying both, I noticed I was getting a closer shave in the dry mode. I like the trimmer. The overall flexibility in the head chassis is a big selling point for me.”
“Absolutely the best electric shaver I’ve used and I’ve tried a bunch, both foil and rotary. None have shaved this close with this much comfort. There is absolutely no razor burn. Even when shaving over my neck.”
“The down sides… Forget about using this for a “scruffy look”; there’s no height adjustment.”
“The 1290x feels great in the hand, is well constructed and does shave a little smoother and closer than my previous high end Norelco. If only the battery did not die.”
“For my heavy growth it’s a tool that doesn’t get it done for me. I like the feel of a clean close shave. This is a good product for the right growth.”
“Philips Norelco does tag their high-end models with a two-year warranty. If there is a problem within the first two years, the company will send a replacement model.”
“All in all… nicely made, closely shaves, the Rolex of shavers.”
Summary
Overall, the Philips Norelco 1290x/40 Senso Touch 3D received an average of 4.2 out 5 stars, from 123 amazon.com reviewers, with 61 5-star ratings. While the razor is a bit more expensive, almost everyone was impressed by the remarkably close shave of this razor.
Two additional features, the SmartTouch contouring technology and the Reflex Action System, were frequently mentioned by a majority of consumers, both resulting in a close shave with minimal irritation. SmartTouch allows the 3 shaving blades to stay in close contact with the skin and the Reflex Action System automatically pivots each individual floating head to match every curve of your face and neck. The result is a close shave minimizing pressure and irritation.