How does the gmail Android App compare to the Webmail experience when using multiple gmail accounts?
Just use the GMail app and not the Email app.  You can select what email to send from -- it shows all the addresses you have set up in GMail -- and has a surprising number of GMail's features for a mobile app.  It does go through GMail's servers and you will have your archive.  I don't think you can set up and manage POP accounts from it, but if you're not abandoning the web interface entirely then it doesn't matter.