Braun - Series 9 Wet/Dry Electric Shaver - Chrome

Over the years, like many guys, I have used every shaving method for a decent period of time to fully evaluate if it was for me: cartridge razors, disposables, electric, double edge (traditional shaving razors) and even actual straight razors. I actually still greatly enjoy traditional shaving, however the fact remains that it is time consuming for me. I was looking for a quick and convenient way to get a "decent" shave in the morning or while traveling and thought I might revisit electric. I used a Norelco rotary for two years and my face never really liked it--the ingrowns never went away, and there were always missed hairs. I also used a cheap foil razor in the military, and again, my face always felt itchy for a few hours after using it. After many years, I decided to see if technology has improved and take another gamble with an electric. Most manufacturers give a decent guarantee period, so that helped with the decision. I had two factors: One, no rotary. Two, I'm getting a top of the line shaver. That left me with the Panasonic ARC5 and Braun series 9. I chose the Braun because in all the reviews I have read, it seemed to cater to sensitive skin best, and many shavers were amazed at the lack of irritation. Panasonic got higher marks for closeness, but Braun for overall shaving comfort. The model I bought was the 9295 (chrome version w/ cleaning station). Never had a cleaning station so I figured I'll see what that is about. I found the Braun Series 9 to be exactly what I was looking for. I was blown away at the lack of irritation--I really couldn't believe my face didn't feel itchy or have red spots on it, even during the first few shaves. After a few weeks, the ingrowns are completely gone, so no issues there. I still have to do some creative skin stretching, but I'm also not getting missed hairs like I did with rotary razors. Finally the closeness is impressive, considering the fact that the blades never actually touch your skin. Of course I get a closer shave with a double edge razor, but the Braun gives a very satisfactory shave and its exactly what I wanted out of this razor. I get a good half a day with my skin completely smooth and not until the evening do I start feeling the growth--again, for an electric not bad. I like the cleaning station as well. I don't consider the refills to be overly expensive (best buy has and excellent price on these actually) as they last about a month, and I'm glad I got the cleaning station as the razor feels brand new every time I use it. Since it also lubricates the head, some residue will remain on the sides of the head, but its a non-issue. I have read reviews that criticize the chrome color of this razor as it is a "finger print magnet." Not sure about this one--I seem to be able to keep mine pretty clean without a whole lot of effort, but I can see if your hands are oily then it would be an issue. While it is made of plastic, it doesn't feel cheap. Also, I have used it with water and shaving cream and both seemed to improve the experience. Most days I just used Lab Series electric pre-shave and I'm good. As for any dislikes--I'm not the biggest fan of the side trimmer. It works, but feels awkward. Also, I'm not sure how I would like it without the cleaning station, and with the cleaning station it seems like it would be a hassle during travel. Seems like it would require some effort to clean without the station, and I have also read that the cleaning indicator doesn't go away unless its plugged into a cleaning station. I don't know why they would sell a version without one if that's true, but I would definitely recommend getting the cleaning station. Just make sure you have room on your counter to give up for it. Overall, I am extremely happy with the Braun Series 9. It gives a great shave with zero irritation, and I find it to be extremely convenient and high quality. Yes the price is on the high side, but this is very much an individual perspective and I find it worth its cost. I don't really have another equal point of reference to compare it to as I have never used a Series 7 before (many people upgrading to this one seem to be coming from a series 7), or a high end foil shaver. The rotary was the closest and the experience is night and day. I'll grow a beard before using a rotary again. If you are considering this razor, know that it is quite effective and also probably the most gentle on your skin (this still amazes me). At the end of the day, it IS an electric razor and by the nature of design it will be impossible for it to be as close as a cartridge or double edge razor. However, as far as electrics go, I can't see anything else that is currently being sold topping this one.

First off my beard type is thick and I would say I have pretty sensitive skin. I was very hesitant to purchase this since I am used to rotary shavers but after a few years of wanting to try this I decided to go ahead and if I didn't like it I could return it and have this curiosity out of my head about what if. Well after I used it for awhile going back and forth between this and my Norelco 9700 it has been tough because they both offer such good comparable things. First, I love both razors and still have both the Norelco for home and the Braun for work since I use it every morning for work while at home I only use it once a week. The Braun is actually cheaper also which is nice. Pros and Cons to the Norelco 9700: Pros- Lightweight, I love how easy this is to handle, it's durable and even though plastic it still feels like good quality especially with the light rubber grip. I love how silent the cleaning station is for this razor as well as the touch button to power it on and the lights are fun to watch and check the status of. The cleaning solution lasts a super long time, I just recently on July 31st changed out the first cartridge I had when I ordered that razor on September 6th, 2016, although I do only use it once a week and clean it every week, I would say it does last about two months on a normal cleaning schedule for anyone else. I like how the blades feel across my face and the speed settings are a nice feature just not that needed. Cons- The blades tend to irritate my skin after going over hard to get places for a long period of time which is understandable but it should be getting a close shave after a few passes but it never gets smoother just more irritated. The razor doesn't have a pop up trimmer like it's previous models, while it's nice it comes with a separate trimmer it's not that big and a bit more hassle to remove the head and place the trimmer just to get a pesky sideburn hair. The cleaning station takes a long time to clean and dry about 4 hours which is ridiculous and all that time pretty much using more electricity I feel than it needs to. As for the Braun I feel it is a way smoother more comfortable shave and does get a bit closer to a straight shave than the Norelco. Pros- Nice handle feels comfortable to hold even for a longer shave. A wonderful pop-up trimmer that is a decent size width and fun to pop up and down and the head doesn't get in the way for me although a bit difficult to see I suppose it just better than a separate one. Cleaning station is a smaller profile which I love and has one button so it's easy to use and not accidentally press, I love the magnets that hold the razor in the station a nice feature I didn't realize it had. I love how fast it is to clean and dry like 43 mins for drying to complete than about another 15 mins to charge the razor so a total time of an hour and everything is done and when it comes out it smells amazing, like a lemon pledge which was unusual but somehow very pleasing, I sometimes like to just open up the razor case and smell it during the day for no reason but to hold it feel how nice it is and smell. I love the travel case way more than Norelco's, it's softer yet sturdy and the zipper actually works better and feels nice to move, it has a low profile compared the the Norelco which fits better and looks even better also. I love the feel of the blades going across my skin even more than the Norelco, it it a nice change to shaving styles from the small circles to a straight line but you can still move it in small circles to try and get stubborn hairs. It's a smoother more comfortable and closer shave I feel, my stubble takes a little longer to come back compared to Norelco and less neck irritation, although as soon as I am done shaving there is a bit of redness it doesn't hurt as bad as Norelco and it goes away soon after. It gets my sideburns better and under my nose easier than a rotary shaver, it lines up the sideburns better since it is a straight head which makes it not that necessary to use the pop up trimmer except in some cases whereas the Norelco I have to aim just right to get a straight line. I used this razor on a 5 day stubble growth and it tore through it like butter with no pulls or tugs or anything it was amazing and felt great, I was surprised because the Norelco can barely handle a 3 day growth, it takes a long time and I don't get all the hairs in the neck area at all, it's always patchy but more fun to watch emptying the Norelco head when finished to watch all the loose hair that it cut. Cons- The cleaning cartridge is a bit smaller I feel compared to Norelco, which may explain why it only lasts about a month compared to the two month of the other. To save it from evaporating when i'm at home I close the cartridge up with the included cap which is nice because Norelco doesn't have a cap for their cartridges. I like that the Norelco cartridge is in the front while Braun is in the back for the opening so I have to move it to put the cartridge back in which is a bit of a hassle compared to Norelco. The cleaning station is way louder than Norelco's and the razor is loud also but I would say only a bit louder than Norelco but not by much and is expected for a foil shaver. Cleaning the razor head when finishing shaving is a bit more difficult for the Braun taking the head off and rinsing it isn't as easy as Norelco but not bad or super negative just takes getting used to. The cleaning station also leaves a bit of a residue inside after cleaning so you have to get a cloth or something to clean that up every once in awhile. Norelco has had no residue since I got it. The Braun cleaning station is also very easy to scratch and leave marks, it's super sensitive to oil on hands or anything, there was a speck of dust on it so I wiped it away with my finger and it left this huge scratch micro scratches everywhere as soon as I took of the peel for the protective cover, which is fine just not pretty to look at anymore. Overall I would definitely recommend this shaver over the Norelco and if I could go back and return my Norelco I would and just have this one to take back and forth from work. If you're on the fence about this I think you'll appreciate this build quality and shaving experience better but it is personal preference and what beard type you have and how sensitive your skin is. I hope this review helps. Good luck.

I have used Braun electric shavers for almost the last 20 years. I first owed the Syncro System 7680, which I loved. It lasted me over 10 years. Finally its battery wouldn't hold a charge and I moved on to the Series 7 wet/dry. It lasted me about 2 years, but it just stopped working. I decided to upgrade to the Series 9. I wanted to love it, but I can't say there is much I even like about it. 1)The design is worse than the previous models. You load the alcohol wash from the back, which isn't a big deal, but the previous models you just popped it in from the front and didn't need to move the base. In order to load it from the back, you have to pick up the whole system and turn it around. As I said, not a big deal, it is just annoying and was much better before. 2) The previous units let you know if it needs to be washed, how much detergent was left, etc with a light next to a description of the status. It was simple. The series 9 tries to make it too clean and removed all of the descriptions so basically you have to figure out the status of the shaver by blinking lights. 3) My particular unit doesn't charge in the base anymore. The shaver slides down in the base so the charging connectors don't connect. I have to hold it up at the right ankle in order to have it charge in the base. I can see this happening after a long period, but this started after about a year of use. 4) The worst part of all - the replaceable shaving heads don't last. I have gone through 5 in the past year. The last one lasted me 2 weeks. The screens that cover the blades break very easily. I attached a few pictures. On one side the screen completely broke apart and fell off. On the other side the screen cracked. The replacement heads are expensive. At the rate I am replacing them, it would be cheaper for me to purchase a new series 9 shaver every year. That is ridiculous. The quality is very poor. I have since moved on to using a Panasonic Arc5 razor and have been very happy with it.

After using the Braun Series 5 for many years I finally upgraded to the Series 9. Initially I liked the look and feel of the unit and it seemed quieter than the old one. The head is larger than the older Series 5, but after using it for a while I found that the larger head was more difficult to get into the contours and tight spots. My biggest gripe about the Series 9 is the flawed locking mechanism. The Series 5 locking mechanism is rock solid, and keeps the head from moving at all when locked. My Series 9 still rotates with the slightest amount of force when it's supposed to be locked, and this gets very annoying when I'm trying to use the edge foils to shave close (the center cutters are only good for the long hairs). I reported the flaw to Braun Service and they told me to send it in for repairs, which I did. When it came back almost 3 weeks later (slow service) the unit was in the same state as before, and possibly even weaker than before, and it smelled like it had been tested on a homeless person's beard. When I complained that the repairs were not successful, I got the following reply from Braun Service: Hello, The head on the series 9 does not lock 100% they will move if enough force is used, this is by design and is not a defect. If it’s moving while shaving you are most likely using to much pressure, only a light touch is required to get a good shave. Thank you, Gary Really Gary? Then why don't you say that in your advertising instead of using a PADLOCK icon to represent the lock feature. False advertising. Needless to say I am very disappointed with the quality of the Series 9 shaver, now that I've been told by Braun that their flawed design is intentional, and I will not be able to lock the head for a close shave. Believe me, it takes very little pressure to get the head to move on my unit when it's supposed to be locked, and I cannot press hard enough to get a close shave without moving the head around. For now, I am using my old Series 5 instead of my brand new Series 9 shaver. I may have to try to jam something between the head and the body of the shaver to try and lock it down so I can go back to using it again.

I want to preface this review by saying I am just an ordinary customer who never writes reviews for products. I am so happy with this product I needed to put this review out there. As a bald man (not by choice btw) I used to shave my head 3 days a week with a traditional 5 blade razor. Initially my shaves were close and non irritated but as the hair began to grow back I would notice irritation and sensitivity of my skin especially on my neck and back of my head. Also if I tried to shave more frequently it was a given my skin would be painful and need rest. I’ve tried all sorts of skincare products and techniques to treat my symptoms but nothing worked. I researched electric razors for about two years. I was afraid that I would waste my money and they wouldn’t work for my head also I’m cheap. It seemed like every review I read was rehearsed and company backed. After much frustration I finally purchased my first electric razor the Braun series 9 with the cleaning kit and I have to say I am estatic. I know what your thinking why move right into a Cadillac? Why not start middle of the road as far as price? I figured like most things for my sensitive skin it would be better to just splurge now in hopes that it would be better suited for sensitive skin and head shaving. The shave is incredibly close, about as close as a traditional razor without the irritation. I actually look forward to shaving instead of dreading it as I did before. I can shave my head and neck completely in about 10-15 minutes where as I was taking 20 minutes before. Also I haven’t had any irritation. This shaver gets very close on problem areas such as my neck without any difficulty. I completely recommend this shaver to anyone who has sensitive skin. I don’t go through unappealing growth stages as I did before, I look clean and shaved everyday because I am able to shave every day or every other day without any irritation or sensitivity. I will forever be a Braun fan. This product is absolutely worth the money and seeing as the head cartridges last around 18 months, it pays for itself in no time.

I have been shaving with foil razors for about 35 years now. I currently own a 15 year old Braun Series 3 model 7526 Syncro that uses a 30B cutter and foil. I also own a Panasonic ESLA93K. Both of these razors have cleaning tanks like the Series 9. The Braun is a 3 cutter system and the Panasonic is a 4 cutter system. I was given the Panasonic as a gift, about 5 years ago. I used it for about 1 year it cut fast and very close. I did not like it as the cleaning tank was terrible, a soap cartridge and a tank that needed cleaning out not thrown away like the Braun tanks. It also had a much larger head than the Braun. I only used the Panasonic tank for one soap cartridge as it was water proof and very easy to clean. The tank also charges the razor every cleaning wearing out the battery much faster. I went back to using the Braun but had to Purchase a new razor as Braun changed the design of the 30B cutter to make them cheaper to manufacture and i ran out of old ones. The new cutters do not work nearly as good as the older ones. After trying one of the new cutters I was not happy with the performance of the old Braun so I decided to purchase a new one. The Series 9, top of the line with 4 cutters and the titanium coating. I have shaved with it for 30 days and was not impressed at all. I was actually disappointed. It seemed to take a long time to shave my face and did not seem to shave very close at all. More disappointing was the cleaning tank. It loads from the back so you have to move it forward load the tank and slide it back on the counter top. My old one loads from the front. Also disappointing with the cleaning tank it now charges every cleaning once again like the Panasonic wearing out the battery faster. One other thing to note on the razor is the display. It is useless it is a bar graph for power remaining until it has 9 minutes left then the nine shows. You will never see the bars move if you use the tank as it charges up every cleaning and the razor tells you to clean it no matter how long you shave with it. After 30 day of use i decided to get out my old Braun Series 3 and shave with it right after shaving with the Series 9. It cut my face closer, I could hear it cutting hairs and my face was much smoother after using it. Its cutters are over 2 years old too. I did the same thing the following day and got the same result. A better shave with the 15 year old Series 3 with two year old cutters, after just shaving with the Series 9. I returned the Braun Series 9 under the 60 money back guarantee. I would have gone back to the Panasonic ARC4 but I gave it to my son to use. I went and purchased the newest Panasonic ARC3 model ES-LT3N-K it cost 1/2 what the Braun Series 9 cost, it did not come with a cleaning tank but its head is smaller than the old 4 head unit I gave my son. it too is water proof and easy to clean, no need for a tank. It cuts just as good and as fast as my old Series 3 Braun. Hope this helps

In 1995 I got my first electric razor that was a 2 head Norelco. Since then every few years I would buy a new Norelco after replacing the razors head once or twice because of the improved upgrades of the models. I served in the Navy for 20 years so I shaved almost daily and also was inspected on a regular basis. It was extremely important to me to ensure I had a close shave. Several times I was tempted to try a Braun electric razor, however I never took the leap as I felt comfortable with what I was familiar with. Being older and wiser I decided it was time to try a Braun and now I know I should have done so many many years ago. The Norelco does provide a close shave, however it does leave razor burn and can more easily cause minor razor cuts. I have been using the Braun Series 9 Model 9295cc for a month now and shave Monday-Friday. Even after using a Norelco for so many years I have yet to have any razor burn and I have not gotten any razor bumps along my neck as I did with the Norelco. The Braun is easier to reach the challenging areas under the nose and at the curves of my chin/neck. I have also not had any issues with minor razor cuts as I did from time to time with the Norelco. I use the razor dry and have gotten a closer shave than I ever did with the Norelco. And after not shaving for the weekend the Braun cuts through the thicker hair with ease requiring less passes. The design of the Braun allows for easier more comfortable handling and better control. Although I never used the cleaning systems with the Norelco due to limited counter space I did wash it weekly. So I cannot talk to their cleaning system. I do use the cleaning system with the Braun on a weekly basis and it appears to do a good job! Knowing what I know now if I ever have to replace this razor I will do so with a new Braun!! I highly recommend this product!!

I'm the guy who always reads reviews prior to purchasing a product and leaves absolutely no reviews myself. Well that changes today. I have purchased electric razors in the past and was left very disappointed. I have been a razor blade man all my life. I enjoy the close shave and feel a bit disappointed when I feel a little stubble after I'm finished shaving...I will go back and shave again until I'm all smoothed up...yea, I'm that guy. Anyway, I had purchased an electric shaver in the past...to be specific, it was the Braun series 7. It was at best ok but returned it because if it can't do what my razor can, then I felt mentally, I'm settling for less in terms of quality. I randomly did a search for latest and greatest in electric shavers about 2 weeks ago and saw that Braun came out with a Series 9 model with all the hoopla that it was the best thing next to sliced bread...so I took the initiative to just try it out...heck if it didn't meet up to my expectations, I could just return it like the last one right? Well it has been two weeks of non stop shaving and I am pleased to say that I will not be going back to the razor blade. This bad boy cuts so clean and smooth-I literally feel like I just ran a razor over my face. Seriously...that smooth. The cleaning station has actual lubricant mixed in with the cleaning solution so no need to lubricate manually the foil blades...really well made. Some reviews did criticize on how the material of the chrome is plastc and not steel...are you guys kidding me??? The weight on this thing is so light, I can glide up and down and side to side without feeling arm fatigue. If I wanted to have 7 lbs of casted iron or steel on my electric razor, you'd be dealing with other critiques. But this series 9 is literally what I've been waiting for in terms of the solution to a quick but accurate and high quality shaver. Good job Braun! You've earned a new loyal customer.