I decided to buy this shaver after an exhaustive search for the best shaver. This was the first my first foray into the top-tier electric shaver. Previously, I have used the Philips Norelco OneBlade but it kept nicking my neck and the blade didn't last a lot of time (around 15-20 shaves before it started pulling). I have always favored a clean-shaven look but being ingrown-prone meant that I had mainly two choices: either deal with the pesky ingrowns reddening my face and neck, or sporting a 5-o'clock shadow to scruff which made my face feel like sandpaper. I decided to go with the latter and the infrequent full shave for an interview or important meeting followed by dealing with ingrowns later. The Series 9 is great! It is expensive and it takes a bit of time to get used to it but it definitely gave me the closest shave I've ever gotten. After using the Series 9 for around 3 weeks, I have seen no ingrown hairs, no pulling, no nicking, and a nice clean-shaven look. I've used it only in the dry setting but I will try it with a foam or cream soon. I only have two minor gripes: 1. The cleaning system, while useful and effective, does leave some stray remnants of stubble around the shaver head. Not major, but my expectation was to have a pristine shaver after the wash in their cleaning system. 2. It could take a bit of time to get used to shaving every day or every other day. If I leave my beard to grow for more than 2-3 days, it takes a bit of time to get a nice shave. Other than that, it is a fantastic shaver. Well worth the money invested in it!! Read more
As a lifelong blade-shaving purist / traditionalist, I feel like I’ve finally seen the light. I looked into getting this for quick shaves on the weekend so I don’t scratch up my new baby’s face, and I am surprised to say I am getting almost as close of a daily shave as I am with a blade, including as good as with a multi-pass wet shave, but without irritation and in less time. I can't believe I am writing this but I've basically given up on using blades any more. My "tried and true" routine is- I prep with a preshave oil that I make myself (plenty of DIY recipes online, I use castor oil, olive oil, vitamin e oil, and hinoki essential oil, and since its cheap and easy to make I liberally apply), and then use Aesop’s neroli shave gel. The Aesop shave gel is very pricey but is crazy slick with minimal soapy lather so it is absolutely perfect for a wet electric shave, and the shaver is then super easy to clean - just a quick rinse. I finish with Kiehl's post-shave repair gel and a moisturizer (I use Hada Kabo hyaluronic milky lotion- it's inexpensive and outstanding). I clean the shaver in the cleaning station after every 2-3 shaves and bought a solution on amazon to replenish myself. I realize this routine is bougie but each shave is fast, very comfortable, and totally smooth, and my face feels smooth and soft all day! Update: I switched to using Speick shaving cream with the shaver, with a preshave oil, and it’s working great. A little goes a long way and it’s a truly excellent product to pair with the shaver and not expensive. Read more
The razor is wonderful. I can shave all week on one charge since it takes so little time to shave with it. It handles great and that special blade gets those longer hairs when you have not shaved in a few days. I am completely satisfies with this Braun Electric Razor. Read more
Update May 18th,2019: Been using daily since March 5th,2019 and every Saturday only I have run the cleaning program. After 10 weeks and ten clanings, I finally changed the cleaning fluid for the first time, and that is only because the cleaning level indicator came on red. Personally, I think it is a timed warning as opposed to the actual level of liquid in the container. But ten weeks is just fine for one container. Each week between cleans on Saturdays I would simply remove the head and rinse under hot water, the same with the head, air dry and put back together. Similarly, only chared it once a week with the cleaning. All is good and it is a great system. In my mid 70's, used Braun when I was in my 20's, switched to Norelco and used Norelco up to 8 weeks ago. Bought a Braun S7 used it for a couple of weeks and was not satisfied so replaced it with an S9. I concluded that for a few dollars more I would prefer to own the S9 for daily use. The S7 is louder, the shave is not quite as smooth, comfortable as the S9. Also, the sideburn trimmer is placed much better on the S9. I found that after a shave my face felt a little raw with the S7, while the S9 was not as bad. The S7 had some options I felt were not particularly useful. Example the ability to change the speed of the shaving head, I can't imagine that being something many men would do on a regular basis. I tried it several times and found no detectable difference. Removing and replacing the shaving head on the S7 is not nearly as smooth as on the S9. Finally, the S7 sits in its cleaning base at an angle, looks sort of like it is not sitting properly -but it is. The S9 fits straight in its base. Overall I felt the S9 just looked, felt and operated like a more refined electric shaver. Some of the reviewers feel that the cleaning process takes way too much cleaning liquid and that may be true if one follows Braun's recommendation and does it daily. I use the shaver 7 days a week, but on 6 of those days, I just remove the shaver head and run it under hot water for several seconds then do the same with the power head. Let them air dry then store for the day in the cleaning stand. On the seventh day, Saturday, after I shave shake out the shaving head, put it back on and run the cleaning cycle. In other words clean by hand six days and with the cleaning stand one day. The cleaning liquid lasts me about 8 weeks and I probably could get ten weeks if I wanted to. Comparing the S9 to my Norelco 8950 which I was replacing I feel the Norelco performed almost as good but prefer the S9. The Norelco is quieter, not as bulky, and the rotary shaver head does give a very comfortable shave, no raw feeling after your shave. The S9 seems to have more power, takes less time for a comparable shave, and overall feels like it is built to last and hold up better. The base of the S9 looks better sitting on a counter in the bathroom, as the Norelco base has an odd stem extending upward for plugging the shave into the base for cleaning. If I were comparing the S7 and the Norelco 8950 only I would have bought another Norelco 8950, but when comparing it to the S9 I decided I preferred the S9. It was, however close enough that much may have had to do with that I just felt it was time for a change after over 25 years using Norelco. Read more
