30.12.2016

I took some time to research the best value-for-money rechargeable wet electric shaver, and I think the Braun 3040 might be the one.In term of shaving performance, this is very good, even on dry shaving.I think people not shaving frequently may be disappointed, as this is not designed for cutting long hairs/beards. However, a precision trimmer is built-in for sideburns etc, and people shaving every day or every few days should be happy.Compared to the Philips shavers I had in the past, with rounded heads, this seems to perform better, and it's shaving a much wider area in one go.Other Philips models currently sold on Amazon for a similar price as the Braun 3040 don't include precision trimmers,and take much longer to fully charge, or are just dry models (much harder to keep clean). The replacement blades are also likely to be more costly.Build quality is very good, and the device feels robust. It's the first time I have a waterproof shaver, and it's going to make proper cleaning some much easier.If using for wet shaves, or cleaning the head under running water frequently (as opposed to using the provided brush for "dry" cleaning), Braun recommends to put some oil on the foils once a week (oil not provided), else water will make the mechanism too dry. I believe this is good advice as I had the same experience with clippers, but would have been nice to have some oil provided.Blades/foil should last for about 18-months, according to Braun, and cost about £20 to replace. Item is losing one star because of this, as spare blades shouldn't cost 60% of a new shaver price. Lots of people will buy a new shaver, which is not very green.Some people are reporting that the precision trimmer does not work, but it's moving so quickly that it may not appear to be working (when just looking at it).Some people are reporting that their shaver is not charging fully: the lights are indeed confusing. There are three charging lights, but only the top two light up when fully charged. The third light (red) is just to indicate low battery. It would have been better for Braun to just use the three lights as charge normal charge indicators.There is also an indicator at the bottom that is supposed to remind users when the blades have to be replaced. I guess it may just be based on duration, as opposed to actually usage/count.Differences with the next model up (Braun Series 3 3080), currently sold on Amazon for £30 more:* The cutting mechanism/blades/foil are exactly the same (so shaving performance will be basically the same)* The battery life is the same. Charging time is the same* Motor is the same, and body is broadly the same (apart from colours, and one more switch)* The 3080 comes with a charging station. 3040 with just a charging cable. As it's recommended to fully discharge before recharging (to preserve the battery), and charging should only have to be done about once a week (for 1 hour), I am not sure a charging cradle is that necessary* The 3080 comes with a traveling pouch. 3040 just has a protective plastic cap. However, third party travel pouches can be bought for £10* The 3080 has an additional switch to lock the blades lower for sensitive areasNone of this is worth an extra £30 to me, and it's interesting to see that the 3080 model is rated much higher on Amazon by customers, while the shaving performance should be basically the same as the much cheaper 3040...

21.4.2014

I've had a lot of shavers now. It takes a lot to impress me with them. This is a pretty shaver, nice blue bits and lights that shine. Smart buttons etc. Hmmph, nice but it's not going to win me over like that. Nice box it comes in, a lead and a brush...oh and an instruction manual, but because English wasn't the first language I sort of got bored with that pretty quickly. It also has a humungous clear plastic cover. Really big, to cover almost half the shaver. (more on that later)So, I don't know if you've ever heard the saying (try and imagine this being said in a thick 'New Yoiker' accent) @I've got a Braun and it's never done me wrong'. I like Braun as a make,they're usually pretty decent electrical items...but I'm not going to be swayed by that.I've been leaving my face to grow for 4 days. It's gone from the tough bristley spikey feel to now starting to feel like a soft fur. (photo's in the image gallery of before and after). My old shaver, a Wahl, would have managed this, but believe me there would have been pain and perhaps a bit of blood. More pain than blood. Especially under the nose.The Braun takes about an hour to charge to a good strength, but I just leave it for half a day until I go back in the room and think I'd better unplug it (the manual wasn't very clear if you can keep it plugged in or not).I went straight for under the nose. Expecting tears as the Wahl has a nice way of giving a slight 'tug' thanks to the metal plate between the heads. The Braun has that metal plate too, but it's shaped differently. more like something Paul Hollywood would put as decoration around one of his pies.Cutting to the chase (boom boom), it was painless. More than that it shaved it first go. That can't be right I thought and went over it all again trying to hear the sound of loose hairs being found (hence the title of the review) as i took twice as long over all the parts of my face that are the usual suspects for being awkward. The one tricky part I found was doing the sideburns. The beard trimmer part is quite tricky to release. I kept trying to slide it out but there's actually a little button to push in first and then slide which is tricky in full shave without taking it away and figuring out. It's not a fluid move as part of the shave.The shaver itself makes a slight hum, nothing too much, not like the angry bee sounds Remington shavers make, but not completely silent either. It gives a really smooth shave, and then it's time to clean the sucker.I pinched the sides as shown in the manual, and sure enough the head came off. It was filthy but a slight blow and the base was clean. There's a chunky little brush supplied that cleaned it up nicely. The actual head is a complicated arrangement and I did not attempt taking it apart further. It's suggested running it under the tap, which I did a few times. There always seemed to be stubborn pieces of hair left, but after a few attempts I could'nt see any more.I left the head to dry on the windowsill and took the shaver back for a recharge, and this is where the huge plastic cover comes in handy, as it can be placed on a headless shaver keeping it pretty clean and safe from damage. nicely thought out Braun.So, it won me over. The Wahl goes in the draw with the Remingtons, Phillips and other assorted makes. The Braun stays out.

20.4.2014

Regular readers (!) will know I've tried a couple of electric shavers - a little battery Braun and a mains rotary Remington - as occasional alternatives to my regular blade shave, so far with disappointing results. So I thought it was time to venture a little further up the price range to see what a more advanced model can do.The answer - first time out, at least - is 'much better'. This feels like a proper piece of kit, and seems to have the performance to match. Out of the box, it feels reassuringly weighty - thanks, no doubt, to the hefty NiMH battery inside - and pleasantly tactile with its rubber-textured surfaces. It fits well in my (big) hand, and should be easy to grip when wet.[SEE UPDATE BELOW]There are only two controls on the unit: a push-button on-off switch and a release catch to allow the trimmer to slide up. Both feel nicely positive, although I worry that the on-off button may be a weakness; my older Braun shavers have slider switches that feel more robust and have never failed.A couple of points let the design down, though. First is the flimsy Perspex cover for the head - packed loose in the box and so insubstantial that I only found it by accident. It's also difficult to remove without also unclipping the entire head. Second is the lack of a carry case - even a drawstring pouch would have been useful, and in keeping with the up-market feel of the unit.OK, so how does it shave? Pretty well, I have to say. Whether the two floating foils really do 'shave close then closer still' I have no idea - the head is symmetrical and will fit on either way round, so I doubt it - but it's smooth and easy and gets tolerably close without the multiple passes that lead to irritation. The top of the head is wide and blunt, which makes it a bit awkward on the upper lip - I had to be careful to keep the parked trimmer from catching the underside of my nose. Perhaps the 'head lock' feature of the more expensive 380s would help here.But for my purposes, given that it's not for every day, this is a nice, solid shaver that does a better-than-tolerable job, and certainly worth the extra over that Remington. I'll update this review as I get to know it better.[UPDATE: wet results]Only once so far, in the shower, and it was a pleasant experience with - by any standard - a smooth and comfortable result. I should add, though, that the same is true of my regular method - a blade shave in the shower with the same King of Shaves low-lather gel, and using the Braun took rather longer, had the same manoeuvring problem around the nose as I had before, and required more cleaning up afterwards.So is the 340s-4 nice to use in the shower? Yes. Will I be discarding my Quattro Titanium? No.But if you're a committed electric man and want something to use with water and gel, I'd say this is a very good - and very affordable - choice.

28.5.2016

I purchased this for my husband after looking at the price of razor blades again, ouch! The last time he had an electric razor his mother purchased it for him, a newby with fluff on his face, which was 'cough'..years ago. A time of 3 rotary heads that ripped your face to pieces, after the torture he moved to a wet shave, swearing he would never go back, until now. (da da daaaaa)He is so impressed with the Braun series 3 he can choose a wet or dry shave, so does not have to give up the wet shave, BUT gentlemen be aware, my husband had a moustache when he went into the bathroom, that was like a wild, very hairy, caterpillar on his upper lip something undiscovered in the rainforests of the Amazon somewhere near Brazil (setting the stage),

3.11.2015

I bought this as a replacement for my old shaver: a nearly five-year-old early 3-series, which has given years of reliable service.It was due for another set of foils (they last for about 18 months to 2 years before needing replacement at a cost of about £30 a set), so when the new 340S came up as deal-of-the day for £33 it seemed a sensible way to spend a birthday gift voucher.There are a few differences between the two models:The new foils seem a little thinner than the old ones, which probably explains the slightly smoother shave that the new one gives, and its better performance when coping with anything from a two to five day growth: the old one used to pull quite painfully after I'd missed shaving for a few days,

24.4.2014

The last couple of electric shavers I have owned and used have all been from the maker Braun who make shavers that give me the closeness of shave I am looking for without causing too much redness on my face having a fair skin type my daily growth of beard isn’t too heavy, for testing this shaver the first shave I had with it after leaving the shaver to charge for about an hour was about eight days worth of growth which is a tough test for any shaver wet or dry to start with the differing lengths of stubble where catching slightly and pulling which was a little uncomfortable but after a bit of time and the removal of some of the growth the 340 came into its own removing the hairs and stubble I still had,

10.11.2017

Well, I think it's a good shaver, particularly for the price I paid (£49.99)...My old shaver broke when I accidentally dropped it on a tiled floor and by the time I got around to ordering this one, I had two weeks worth of beard growth to get rid off. You need to give shaving a little time to get it right - I usually allow 10 minutes to shave properly, but it doesn't usually take that long...I usually have a circle beard/goatee thingamy (whatever it's called nowadays) and wanted to get back to it. The shaver worked right out of the box, I used the trimmer to quickly and easily cut the unwanted beard areas down to a close stubble and then switched to the main shaver to finish off.

27.4.2014

Having already tried and tested Braun's superior 5 Series shaver I was expecting big things from the top of the range's younger sister. The previous model managed to cut close, hold well in your hand, come with a number of useful accessories and have decent battery life - so could this compare?First impressions were good as the shaver fits well in your hand and most importantly, provides an excellently clean shave. The sprung shaving heads seem to, as advertised, fit smoothly to the contours of your face making it very comfortable to use. I find that my skin is usually the best judge of a good shaver and, on the basis that it was left relatively unaggravated by the Braun 340s-4 and you can keep on shaving as the battery promises to last up to a week.Despite this,

9.5.2014

I'm a modern gentleman, and for some reason - perhaps it's something in the water, or maybe it comes from being the youngest of four boys - I don't really have to shave every day. I put that in as background. My stubble is not particularly thick or coarse, so bear that in mind when I say that I like this shaver. It charges quickly - approx. one hour, and you are, as they say, 'good to go'. It is good because you can use your favourite shaving foam or gel to achieve a wet shave comfort effect. It produces a good, close shave. I'm certainly satisfied with it. Build quality is fine, but as always, it is not, in my opinion, as good as the build quality of Philip men's shavers.

28.4.2014

My favourite shaver was my Braun 390cc-4, but for wet shaving I was impressed by the Philips AquaTouch AT890/20 for its ease of use and comfort. I wondered if Braun could ever bring something out to challenge that and I'm pleased to say that they have.As I already have a Series 3 shaver it seemed very familiar and comfortable to use. Unlike the 390cc-4 it doesn't come with a 'docking station' to clean it, but it does have the same socket on the end so is probably compatible with that cleaner. It comes with a lead that plugs directly into it for recharging so is more practical to take with me on holidays. A full charge lasts for about 10 days and takes about an hour to fully charge.It also comes with a plastic clip-on cover that covers the head and the power button,

21.4.2014

The Braun Series £ 340s-4 Rechargeable wet and dry electric shaver performs extremely well. I have owned Braun shavers in the past. My last one was no longer capable of cutting through even one day's stubble despite having a new replacement cutter and foil. This one easily cuts through 2-3 days' stubble with no problems at all. My skin was left smooth and irritation free. This shaver has the added advantage that it can be used either wet or dry. This seems to me to be an advantage for those in a hurry who shave while in the shower or those with particularly sensitive skin who wish to use shaving foam or gel to reduce skin irritation.This shaver came with a clear plastic guard which protects the foil and prevents the shaver being switched on accidently while in transit.

30.4.2014

Ah, the eternal battle amongst electric shavers – foil or rotary head? Does the new Series 3 340S-4 from Braun give us the definitive answer?Of course not, but we’re definitely getting closer.Traditionally rotary shavers did better on longer stubble, while foil razors worked quicker on short stubble. Now, foil razors, like this Braun, incorporate two foil heads with a third trimming blade between them to cut the longer stubble down to a manageable length for the foils to cope with.It’s the same technology that some of the older, more expensive, Braun’s used but this reasonably priced shaver is probably the best electric shave I’ve had to date.It’s water resistant, so it can be used in the shower,

5.7.2015

Until I bought this, I only wet shaved and I hadn't had a shave for 6 months. But my face was getting too hot due to the large amount insulation around my jaw. So, I bought this as it looked like it would be good for trimming and shaping my beard and completely revealing areas that hadn't seen the light of day for months.It worked great! As I'm lazy and don't need to shave daily, I use it every few days and have done for just over a month now. I'm yet to test the 5 minute quick charge that it claims but that's only because I only charged it the once when I first got it and it seems like it's still going strong.It is great quality, I've only felt it tug once, the rest of the time it has worked smoothly and easily.

2.8.2015

Having sworn off electric razors about 20 years ago I was a little sceptical when I was asked by my wife to trial this one.The packaging is attractive and inspires a feeling of quality, not too gaudy. Unboxing was a breeze for the actual razor, however the shrink wrapped cord defied all attempts to open without the help of cold steel.The razor feels solid in hand, with the product exuding a well built feel .In use, the unit is not too noisy or vibrate too much, the weight in your hand actually helps with the accuracy of the razor allowing you to feel the contours and regulate the pressure applied. It is refreshing to find that the actual shave itself lives up to the quality feel of the unit.

1.8.2015

Well this was given to me try out as a couple project so my wife received her epilator from braun. On reviewing this product alongside other shavers I have used by braun I found this particularly useful with a wet shave, it cuts close to the skin but in some areas under the chin can take some work and is not so close you have to go over it several times. It feels quite good in the hand compared to my older braun shaver and I like the white color! The built in trimmer is quite handy for sideburns and for finishing touches so this is +, It holds a good charge and is up there with my other top shavers however there is always room for improvement so hope I am involved with other projects by Braun so I can properly try them out before recommending them to my friends.

Braun 3040s Series 3 - Reviews

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