Braun Series 5 (8985) Men's Shaver
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Customer Reviews of Braun Series 5 (8985) Men's Shaver
Customer Review: An excellent electric razor
Summary: 5 Stars
(A note before I start: A lot of people who panned this in other reviews seem to think that an electric should shave as close as a manual bladed razor. I guess this might be a self-inflicted view created by the electric razor companies' own marketing teams, but it will never be true. A manual blade shave will always be a better cut than an electric razor.)
In terms of an electric razor - compared to other electrics - I have had a great experience with this one. I've had Braun and Philips/Norelco electrics in the past and this is the best of them.
It gives a good cut, the 'hedge trimmer' in the middle does a decent job on longer hairs on the occasions when I leave it several days between shaves, and despite what some have reported it doesn't seem any louder than any electric bar shaver I've had in the past. (yes its louder than an electric rotary shaver, but those are always quieter due to the type of mechanism).
I like the charging base, but to me its a nice-to-have and not really a feature of the razor itself (which is really the important thing after all).
The cleaning solution gizmo is also a good idea, but as many other reviewers here have already mentioned it doesn't need to be used as often as the Braun likes to tell you it does. I use mine once a week max, and in between I just slide the cartridge out and reseal it with the plastic cover it comes with to prevent evaporation.
The automatic cleaning process is quite loud, but does that really matter? If you only do it once a week or so, just plan on doing it when people aren't trying to sleep. It's like complaining that a coffee maker is loud when brewing a cappuccino, so what? Don't do it if baby is trying to sleep next to it.
I do occasionally find that it does miss some longer hairs in the area at the corner of the jawbone right near the ears, but I can remedy that by going over that area a couple of times again at the end of the shave. It doesn't always do this, so I suspect it has something to do with the angle of the razor when I make the first pass over that area which makes the difference.
Overall, a very good razor at a reasonable price.
Customer Review: Quiet, Close and Comfortable Shave
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been using electric shavers for about 20 years now. I want the best shave possible from an electric shaver, and my experience has led me to expect such performance from Braun. This razor is NO disappointment!
The shave it gave me on the first day was nothing short of incredible! Although I didn't get a feel for the "closer shave in fewer strokes" claimed, this razor did give the absolute CLOSEST shave of any electric razor I have EVER used in the last 20 years or so! Furthermore, it delivered a very COMFORTABLE shave as well. There was no burn. My face felt very comfortable the first time I used it. I can't wait to see how well it does after the recommended 3 week "groove in" time!
One other important note: As a physician, I have worried about hearing loss from electric razors for years. In addition to the best shave I have ever obtained from an electric razor, this is also the QUIETEST electric I have ever used. In fact it is so quiet that for the first time ever, I do not worry about the decibel level when it is up by my ear. EXCELLENT job. Bravo Braun!
The automatic cleaning system is awesome! WIVES TAKE NOTE! No more beard stubble in the sinks! If you haven't been able to train your man to rinse the sink out, this shaver deserves consideration on this count alone!
The razor looked very nice coming out of the box. Its shape gives a good feel in the hand. My ONLY criticism for this razor is that the plastic in its construction feels a bit flimsy. When paying in excess of $100 for a razor, I expect to feel a solidness similar to that felt when closing the door on a Mercedes. Unfortunately, the "feel" of the plastic body of this razor has all the solidity of closing the door on a 1987 Dodge Colt. I worry that the razor may crack the first time I drop it. HOWEVER, because of its performance I MUST rate this shaver very high in spite of the lack of solidness in the "fit and finish."
The shave this razor gave truly deserves its very high marks. I have high standards in electric shavers, having used Braun for years now. This razor still managed to "wow" me with its performance.
Customer Review: Works like I would expect but kind of gimmicky
Summary: 3 Stars
My wife bought me this razor as a Christmas gift and I've now given it a half year of use to review. It is a replacement for an older Panasonic ES8066 that I owned for many years until I dropped and broke it.
While the shave is comparable to the shave I had with the Panasonic, the issues I have are:
1- The foil tends to rub under my nose during the shave and leave it red.
2- While the shave is good, it's no better than some razors you can get for cheaper and nowhere near the closeness of a blade. For some reason, I seem to be having trouble getting a close shave in some areas of my face with this razor. I never had that issue with Panasonic.
3- The gimmicky aspect I HATE is that it uses these cleaning cartridges that evaporate all by themselves. My old Panasonic was a wet/dry that I could adequately clean in water. The cleaning solution for this is SD40 alcohol and the old cartridge cannot be cleaned and refilled. It's going to wind up costing you to keep this thing. More than it's worth I feel. The alcohol bath it gives, however, does make the razor clean.
4- The clean cycle takes long and I'm not sure the "cleanliness sensor" works properly. When my first cartridge ran out, I cleaned the razor and foil in alcohol until it was spotless inside and out. The sensor, however, said it needed an intensive clean.
5- The recharger/cleaning base is somewhat large and takes up more bathroom counter real estate than I would like. Since it's circular, it doesn't fit squarely in a corner. If you somehow tip it or it gets pushed into the sink....there goes your cleaning solution.
6- When the cleaning solution is not cleaning, it's evaporating (as alcohol does) in your bathroom. I'm not sure I need any more chemicals in the air filtering through my lungs.
In the end, I would have preferred a simple razor that just needs to be plugged in once a week or so for recharging and could be used in the shower and cleaned in water. I hate being forced into buying any extra supplies to maintain an electric razor. If this thing breaks, I will not be buying another one like it.
Customer Review: Outstanding shaver
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this for "medical reasons"---i.e. I went on coumadin and was no longer allowed to use a blade to shave. Otherwise I would never have considered an electric shaver---bad experiences with them decades ago. Surprise: technology has improved the electric shaver. This is probably the BEST example of outstanding design and techology I own. You get a close shave (not quite like a blade, but then you aren't scraping the top layer of skin cells off either!!). You also get a comfortable shave. I don't get as close as I'd like in a couple of areas, but the smoothness, comfort and speed of the shave make up for that. The cleaning system is also engineered excellently---people complain about the cost (it does cost, but so do blades and shaving "cream"---they don't cost quite as much, but that's the way it is). However, some of the people who complain also say they like the way the clean shaver feels. I think it is a positive to have the cleaning system. I've also used the shaver on the road for several weeks at a time; then I follow the Braun directions for cleaning the head with a brush. I could take an aerosol can of lubricant (made by another manufacturer) but I've never done that. The Braun keeps on delivering. The multi-voltage cord is another outstanding touch (like my Mac laptop) in that you can go anywhere in the world and plug it in and it will work to power and charge the shaver.
Of course, one person's feast is another person's disappointing meal, so this shaver may not be for you. But for me it is a technological triumph and a design success---as well as providing a first-class shaving experience. And note that you can "subscribe" for the cartridges for the cleaning mechanism from Amazon---reasonably priced, with no shipping charges if you have a continuing order.
Customer Review: Solution for ingrown hairs
Summary: 5 Stars
I dont want to claim it will work for you, but it worked for me when it comes to ingrown hairs. I've tried all sorts of blade razors and even the triple rotating electrics with no luck. Now, I use this razor in combination with Tend Skin (anti-ingrown hair solution) and have noticed a remarkable difference.
DOWNSIDES: It DOES take the full 3 weeks to allow your skin/hair to adjust. During these three weeks, the ingrown hair problem even seemed to get worse. Be patient!! Plan adjusting with this razor with a long vacation or definitely not as part of a wedding, or some important event.
I would suggest getting it at a retail store rather than Amazon, so you can return it even after the 3 weeks you don't notice a difference.
Even after the 3 weeks, you still may have those stubborn areas with curly hair. You will need to have a blunt needle to gently tease these curly hairs out so that the can be cut by the razor. GENTLY TEASE the hairs out from being burried in the skin...not a mining expedition (like you have to do when using a blade razor).
The power-comb is just a gimmick...don't expect it to do what it says. It didn't do anything for me. There is another way to solve the problem of hairs that lay flat agains the skin. I just use the side burn trimmer to shorten then and then the regular shaving head to shave them.
The self cleaner is very noisy (louder than shaving). The base stand also will leak the cleaner solution even if it is tipped slightly (meaning you can't pack it in luggage, it MUST stay in its usual location). Even with these downfalls, its VERY nice to have a clean razor every shave...probably better on the skin too (less germs).
Even with the downsides, I still rate this a 5!