23.8.2016

When Braun made this shaver, you can tell they weren't messing around. This shaver is a serious bit of kit, and super-powerful.I should start by confessing that although I have tried a few different electric shavers in the past, I have never liked them. I always find that the shave is not very close - I'm always left with little tufts of hair that never seem to come off, and my skin is left extremely flaky, irritated, and scabby. I tried shavers with circular cutting instruments, as I was told they were the best, and I tried a waterproof one so I could shave in the shower, as I was told that would help. It did not. It was horrendously painful and unpleasant.Needless to say,I had sworn off electric shavers for good. I assumed this was just my skin's problem, and that I would be forever destined to stick with manual razors and a wet shave - but that's really hard to keep up on a daily basis when you have to use a face scrub, shaving gel, shave, and then moisturise every-time to avoid skin irritation. Plus I only get a good shave after a shower, as the steam opens the pores up - any other time, and without a good clean blade - this means I have to have a lot of free time in the morning to even consider shaving, and it therefore gets relegated to a "Three-times a week" task. I am a very hairy man, and it grows very fast - I can only blame my father for this.It was after a good three or four days growth that I received the Braun 7898cc, and my expectations were not high. Upon opening the package, I was immediately impressed by the build quality - not just of the shaver itself, but also the Clean & Charge Station, and right down to the very smart little carry case that comes with it. Having read that this shaver is designed for "daily shavers", I decided I would give it a proper "trial by fire" and see how it handled my unruly weeks worth of facial hair.After a very short charge and clean (no more than 15 minutes), I put it to the test, and considering short charge I'd given it, the power was pretty frightening initially. There are 5 different intensity settings, and starting off at the "Intensive" mode, I was instantly amazed to see that one long pass down my cheek had instantly removed all signs of stubble. This was a revelation, as I am used to having to cover the same ground over and over again with other electric shavers. Instead, this one was behaving very much like a manual razor!I continued on, and in places, the sheer power of this shaver does mean it can hurt quite a bit. You have to try to move it with or against the grain of your facial hair, and if you get the angle slightly wrong, it can pull and nick (no blood, only pain). Given the speed at which this thing cuts, that can be quite unnerving, and I had to drop the speed down to "sensitive" for some of my more unruly chain-hairs. My hair changes direction on different parts of my face, and once I learned to try and keep the foils aligned with this appropriately, I had no further issues and could ramp the speed back up to full power again.There is a feature with this shaver where it will automatically switch speeds where needed to deal with thicker hair. This absolutely works as advertised, and is actually pretty terrifying initially! It's fast, noisy, and powerful, and when it suddenly screeches at you upon encountering thicker hair, you can't help but brace yourself until you're used to the sudden changes in noise.After shaving the entire face, I gave it another pass, with and against the grain initially, and then at right-angles to the grain, just as I would with a manual razor. The result was a shave close enough to rival ANY blade - even the precision engineered German ones I treated myself to when I grew tired of poor performance from the well-known brands.You have NO idea how relieved I am to finally find an electric shaver that actually works for me. My skin did not break out like it normally does. I applied a bit of after-shave balm just in case, but after a few days daily use, I no longer needed that either. It's quick and easy enough to use every single day, and the maintenance is such that I don't even need to do anything other than stick it in its station after use.Speaking of the Clean & Charge station, this is the second element of this bit of kit which sets this apart from competitors. There is absolutely no need to ever manually clean this shaver, which I find amazing. I'm used to getting ones that constantly clog with hair and need lots of attention. This one doesn't need ANY. I just stick it in the charging station after use, and it cleans itself with sterile alcohol. I was curious as to whether or not I still needed to empty it of hairs, so I took it apart after a clean and was very pleased to see all signs of hairs gone from the shavers internals, and instead lying trapped at the bottom of the alcohol cartridge.The alcohol inside the cartridge simply gets re-used over and over again by the cleaning station, since it's sterile and doesn't need to be refilled. This makes it important to actually AVOID manually cleaning the shaver if at all possible. Water, foam or any other contaminates will just end up mixed in with the cleaning solution, and get run through your shaver again with each clean.You can clean it manually if you want to - and it's waterproof, so you can use it in the shower if you prefer a wet shave - but if it comes into contact with water, they recommend using machine oil on the foils, to stop them getting damaged, and no oil is provided in the package, so I've avoided this. Instead, for best results, it seems like a dry shave and using the cleaning station is the way to go.I recently had the opportunity to test the shavers portability. I left the charge station at home, packed the shaver in its snazzy case, along with the cleaning brush, and left for a few days. Having a dry shave with this shaver every morning was really a doddle, and it is nice to leave my scruffy unkempt days behind me. The battery life is pretty phenomenal, and I reckon you could easily get an entire weeks worth of daily shaves out of it before it needs charging.The only downside, is that the "Hygiene" indicator, is not so generous. This is used to indicate how "dirty" the shaver is. I assumed this may be based on the amount of hair trapped inside, so I took the head off and tapped it out - but the hygiene indicator did not move. I am not sure if it does even go back up even if you wash it manually with water, and it may instead be based purely on how long you use it for. Either way, I got three shaves out of it before the hygiene indicator reached bottom. I reckon I could've continued just tapping out the hairs and using it after this (it didn't seem all that dirty to me, or even all that full) without issue, for another three days or so at least. I get the impression the Hygiene indicator has more to do with reporting back to the Charge station, how long it needs to be cleaned for, based on how much it's been used, rather than any actual intelligent sensors or measurement of dirt.All in all then, this is probably as close to the "perfect" electric shaver you will ever see! It's powerful enough to tackle week-long growth, adjustable to suit all skin types and sensitivities, and entirely self-cleaning and low maintenance. Beyond having to change the alcohol pack once it's evaporated, and replacing the foils at the appropriate time, this is the ultimate daily shaver, and it has, quite literally, changed my entire daily routine.Thanks Braun! [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

4.9.2016

I have been using the Braun 7898cc shaver model now for a couple of weeks, and overall I'm quite impressed! I'll attempt to dissect my experience into the product, the dry shave, the wet shave and the cleaning station for ease of reading.The product:The build of the shaver feels very good quality. It has a rubber back to aid holding it when wet. It says it is waterproof up to 5m, however I have not tested this, as there is 2 electrical points on the back (one for plugging into the cleaning station and another handy one for when you are travelling where you can connect the cable directly), and I don't want to tempt fate. For self cleaning, the head can be easily removed using a simple release button.The button seems to be tricky when the gadget is wet, so I'd probably hold off opening it until its dry. The head pivots back and forth, and can be locked in place at a specific angle with a lock slider if you want the head to remain static. This seems to work well. There is also a slide-out trimmer located on the front, which unlike other shavers is quite sturdy. Unfortunately, this comes out at a 90 degree angle from the shaver, which makes it a little more difficult to see what you are doing when using it. The LCD screen at the bottom gives a readout of battery life remaining and 'hygiene', basically a reminder to give it a good clean using the cleaning station. It comes also with a travel case that has a very premium feel. The dry shave:I usually dry shave, and so I felt most qualified to comment on this. I have found that this product, as with most electric shavers, is unable to deal with more than 2 days growth without using a trimmer first to shorten the hairs. This is fine during the week when I shave every day, but means I can't yet give up my Monday morning wet shave without keeping up the shaving at the weekends. Hairs that are too long just get missed, even with multiple passes of the same area. When I have used it daily, the results are fantastic. One really good point is that unlike my last shaver, the head is relatively well contained, and so I can shave anywhere without dropping hair, and then just empty the head into the bin before cleaning. During my shave, It didn't noticeably 'adapt' to my beard like it says it does (e.g. I couldn't hear or feel any change as I was moving the shaver around, so either my beard is remarkably uniform, or its very subtle changes, so don't expect it to rev the engines in response to hitting your goatie).The wet shave:As I don't usually use electric shavers for a wet shave, I can only compare its use to a dry shave. I found that compared with its ability as a dry shaver, this product was poor at giving a good shave when wet. I found that much more stubble was being left behind, and it took nearly twice as long to get a relatively clean shave. I wasn't happy with the result so had to wait and dry shave after. It may be down to user experience and preference, but my advice with this shaver would be to stick to dry shaving.The cleaning station:The cleaning station is a relatively large base that the shaver can dock into both for charging and self cleaning using the alcohol based cleaning cartridges. It has a diameter of about 4", and was a little too big to go anywhere in my bathroom within reach of my shaving plug, so I have had to invest in a 3 pin plug adaptor and found it a nice place in the bedroom. The cleaning cartridge is easy to install by popping up the base and sliding it under. The cleaning cycle it will do depends on how much it has been used since the last shave, and is selected for you. I have tried both the light cleaning (~5 min) and the heavy cleaning (~15 min) cycles so far. During the cycle, the shaver will seemingly randomly turn on and off, sometimes with a few minutes gap. I did think it had finished on the heavy cleaning cycle, and then panic a little when it turned itself on 5 minutes later. Only put the shaver on the cleaning cycle once you have finished for the day, as while its alcohol based, the cleaning solution hangs on the shaver for a while after- I tried about 30 minutes after it had finished to get it out to cut a whisker with the trimmer, and some cleaning fluid dripped off it still even after that. After the cleaning however, it does feel, look and smell a lot fresher, and I think the cleaning station is the biggest plus this product has.In summary, the shaver itself is an excellent product, but the clear benefits this product has are the battery life, the cleaning station and its intuitive design. The downsides are the size of the cleaning station, position of the trimmer and its seemingly poor performance as a wet shaver compared to its excellent performance as a dry shaver. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

4.9.2016

I'm not quite sure where to start with this, so I'm going to go with a confession first.... I've always used Philishave shavers and thought Braun was a inferior product. I've also never liked single head shavers and always went for three headed ones.Now. How wrong was I?! I've been so shocked and surprised with this shaver that I dont quite know where to start so I'm going to quickly work through the things I like and would have wanted to know before buying....A) The box is a nightmare to open - but they say good things come in small packages!B) Dont worry about the instructions too much (imagery is non existent), but, everything you expect it to do - it does. So when you think 'does this go there?'then almost certainly it does yet. C) The cleaning unit is a cracking piece of kit. Certainly more sturdy than the ones I've had from Philishave. The only thing I dont like out of the *whole* shaver is that the plastic casing for the cleaning fluid is visible when you close the case of the cleaner.D) The cleaning unit tells you what it will clean and when - it varies from 'quick wash' through to thorough. The lid of the cleaning fluid is VERY tight - pull hard! It is also badly explained so dont worry about 'yanking off the wrong bit' It IS that circle part! E) I also love how the unit itself tells you when to replace the fluid etc. I'm not particularly a hairy bloke so know my fluid doesnt get as used as other people may find and I've noticed the shaver does seem to take this in to account. It also gives off a lovely fresh zesty smell which is certainly nicer than the standard 'TCP' type smells I've had in the past. F) The cleaning unit does ACTUALLY manage to dry the shaver so when you go to use it the next day it isnt damp - totally and utterly critical for me as for some reason me and wet shaves do NOT get along!G) The lights on the cleaning unit do not stay on all the time - yahoo! As my unit lives in my bedroom the lights can be off-putting. Small thing, but, in my opinion very important. H) The shaver itself. Wow. Its small, but sturdy. It also gives an amazing shave. It took my skin a few days to get used to it (eczema) but certainly less than I thought. I'm also finding I'm using it less than the other shaver and as such the small 'stubborn' bit of irritated skin I had on my chin has gone. In fact I was so confident about how good this shaver was I took it away on holiday with me even though I'd planned on trying it for a day or two, using my old one on holiday and then coming back to it after. I) Talking of holidays the holiday travel case is a thing of beauty. I think every other shaving company could learn from them in regards to this. It is small, sturdy yet secure. It takes up half the space my Philishave one does. J) The shaver itself has a brilliant trimmer which is excellently concealed in the on/off area and hand grips. It looks like its been planned to be a part of the shaver and not just a 'oh heck we've forgot this add it in ANYWHERE' as I've seen in the past on other shavers. K) I think my absolute favourite feature of the shaver is the display at the bottom (picture attached) of the shaver that shows so clearly how much battery is left and how clean/dirty it is and when it needs cleaning. Somebody tell me why others havent thought of this before?! To summarise... I'm amazed at how good a shaver this is. The quality of the build through to the shave itself and down to the small things like the carry case are all so well thought out. If I could give it more stars I genuinely would - and remember this is coming from somebody who, in all honesty, didnt have a great opinion of Braun before hand! [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

8.9.2016

The Braun Series 7 razor arrived a couple a weeks ago, rather than write a review straight away I decided to give the product a good run through to give a fair evaluation. The razor arrived in the box with the following accessories, razor pouch, cleaning station, cleaning fluid, cleaner brush and the electrical cable. The razor has quite a sleek design to it, not to heavy and has good rubber grips down the side that provide that extra reassurance when having a shave straight out of the shower. The base of the razor has a handy display with 6 segments for both hygiene and battery life, which clearly indicate when the razor needs a clean and a recharge.The power on button changes colour in conjunction with the shaving mode to which adjust speed and sensitivity, this is controlled by 2 easy to use buttons either side of the power button. Along with the main foils, a trimmer is also present that can flipped up to trim around the sideburns.Before the first use the razor needs to be fully charged, this initial charge was quicker than I expected. I was expecting a few hours worth of charging, the charge itself was only around an hour. Once charged the battery seemed to hold the power really well, after 7 days of use I had only used 1 bar on the battery life indicator. I had grown in the beard for the 4-5 days prior to giving the razor a go in order to try differing growth states. On the first attempted I did struggle to get a good shave, with the main foil, I believe this maybe down to the length of my stubble at the time, it had grown in to the softer stage of growth rather than tough bristles. The trimmer did come in handy to help clip down the hair and then follow on with the main razor foil. After this initial shave I did find it quick and easy to get the desired results on a day to day basis. This ease of use was also presents with gaps of 2 and 3 days, leaving the growth any longer I think the razor may struggle like it did on the first attempt.Cleaning the razor was a straight forward process, the foil easily unclips in order to empty out any hair. The base station is quick to set up with the cleaning fluid, the station lifts up and the user simply slides the cleaning cartridge into the base and then closes the unit. Once plugged in the razor is simply set into the base, the razor connects to two contacts where the razor can charge and communicate with the base to suggest the desired cleaning cycle. Once in the cleaning station the power button on the front of the base needs pressed to start the cleaning cycle. The most intensive of these cycles took around 15-20 minutes to complete. Following the cycle the instructions advice that the razor is left to dry before use. The razor will turn on and off during this cleaning cycle generating some noise, so make sure to use the clean cycle at an appropriate time, unlike myself that decided to clean it while my 1 year old was having a nap!Overall I think the Braun Series 7 is an excellent razor. In the past when I have tried electric shavers I have always struggled to get a good shave and have opted to go back to manual shaves. I must admit I expected similar results with this razor, but I have certainly been proven wrong! This is the first I have tried with the adjusting head so perhaps this feature has aided the shaving process. The cleaning station is a good addition to the electric shaver, making cleaning the razor quick and easy. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

11.9.2016

First off, this is really good shaver! It provides very smooth results, is comfortable to use, the battery lasts well and it recharges quickly. It looks and feels like a premium product all the way down to the included travel pouch. The package comes with a power cable (two pin European/shaver plug) that fits either into the shaver directly or into the included charging/cleaning station; the cleaning station also holds the cleaning solution that comes in a plastic refill that lasts 3-9 weeks. There's also a brush for cleaning the head but no shaver oil. Part of the price is for the fairly huge base station which makes keeping the shaver clean a doddle, you pop the handset back in after use and it cleans itself.This is quite loud - to the point I couldn't use it after an early morning shave before work in case it woke the kids up - but the cleaning cycle doesn't last long. In use the shaver is actually pretty quiet for an electric shaver. The cartridges for the cleaning solution are an on-going expense and the alcohol in them evaporates over time so they have an expiry date. If you want to clean the shaver yourself it's easy enough, you just run the shaver under a hot tap, give it a shake, pop the head guard off and leave to dry. Couple of drops of machine oil every week or so to lubricate and you're good. Aside from the size and noise of the base station, the instructions have a couple of slightly unclear points (it says to put the shaver into the base station after releasing the head but means "with the shave head unlocked and free to pivot" rather than "press the release button to detach the shave foil"), and the long hair trimmer is tricky to use because the body of the shaver blocks your view of the trimmer edge. I did have a little problem when the shaver caught a mole on my neck and cut into it a bit which may be an issue for some, depending on your neck. These negatives aside, the 7 series gives me the best shave I've had outside of a double edge razor with new blades! It’s quick, fairly quiet and comfortable to use. You can shave dry, which gives me the best results, use shave cream, which is VERY comfortable and allows the shaver to glide really smoothly but I found it didn't give the best results, or you can use the shaver in the shower, again, I found this didn't give as good a shave. After using shave cream you need to clean any residue off the shaver by rinsing it under a tap and allowing it to dry before putting the shaver into the cleaning station. There are displays on the bottom of the handle that show how much charge is left, how clean the shaver is (or how high the "hygiene" reading is) and an inner display that tells you when the cutting foils need changing.You can change the intensity of the shave (effectively how aggressive the cut) by using two little buttons from a gentle, fairly short cut to a longer cut. The LED changes colour to confirm what setting you’ve got and the handset stores the last setting when turned off. The little issues (and the initial cost to buy new) are enough to knock a star off the score but the quality of the shave is brilliant. If you’re in the market for a premium shaving system then the Braun 7 7898cc will give superb results and the base station makes keeping it in pristine condition simplicity itself. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

1.9.2016

This is a seriously impressive looking electric shaver and would make a fabulous gift. The metal finish and weight of the shaver suggest the quality of the product, and the pivoting head is smooth, not clunky.The clean & renew station is quite large, due to it accommodating the alcohol based refill cartridge, so you will need to make sure you can accommodate for this. The shaver can also be used whilst travelling, without the clean & renew station, as a brush and power cable are supplied. However, the size and weight would put me off ever using this whilst travelling, as my cut-throat razor can slip into a chest pocket, which is something to bear in mind.I shave probably every third day using a cut-throat razor (I have never used a modern safety razor),and as far as I’m concerned nothing compared to the feel and result achieved of a cut-throat razor. However, I was open minded to the possibility of being converted to using an electric shaver.Using the Series 7 is pretty straight forward, as you would expect - you simply remove it from the station, press it on, and use it. My cut-throat can sometimes be a pain and occasionally a little dangerous when changing blades every other use, so this was a positive. I have the occasional ingrown hair bump and/or spot and the shaver glided over these areas without nicking or cutting me. When compared to using my cut-throat razor, this was also a positive as I usually have to be careful around these areas. I would very much recommended the Series 7 for those who suffer with razor bumps and/or acne.The Series 7 is incredibly convenient and mess-free, as there’s no need for water/foam or manual cleaning needed. Far too many times I have a required a quick shave, and have had to undress from the waist up, to prevent my clothes becoming soiled with water or foam. With the Series 7, you simply shave, put it back in it’s station and the station does all the hard work for you. Once again a win for the Series 7.Think of when you first attempted a wet shave, it took some getting used to. The Series 7 is no different. The finish of the first shave was good, but not great. 90% of my face and neck was skin smooth, and pretty much just as good as a wet shave. However, there were some hairs on the side my face that the shaver couldn’t cut, no matter how hard I tried, however, I soon realised that this was down to user error rather than the shaver - I hadn’t been stretching the skin enough to get at these hairs. My second shave was perfect, giving me a shave that would rival a wet-shave.The time required to achieve a great shave is pretty much about the same as a wet shave (clean-up included), as you will need to go over areas more than once to ensure all hairs are removed (one stroke is all that is needed when using a cut-throat).Finally, you cannot adjust the length of the shave for a stubbly look (something that is usually a benefit of an electric razor). For a shaver as expensive and as well made as this, I would have expected this function - this is where the shaver lost a star.Overall, a great product that takes getting used to, but once you have achieved this, you may very well never use your wet-shave razor, when you’re at home, again. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

13.9.2016

I've wet shaved with a razor since I was 15/16. I've dabbled with electric shavers but I've never found them to be good enough at a close shave. I could always feel that smidgeon of stubble, imperceptible to the eye but very much evident if you ran your hand over your face.It was with some trepidation I signed up to test out this Braun Series 7 shaver. As I'd only used cheap ones before I decided that getting the chance to properly test a premium shaver wasn't an opportunity I'd get again any time soon I went for it. I'm so pleased that I did. This is a superb shaver. I've only used it to dry shave but I'm 100% sold on it.I have quite sensitive skin so I've never been one to shave daily.It just irritates my skin too much and I end up with irritated skin. At best I could really only shave every 3 days. Now I'm a morning shaver. Couple of minutes every morning and I'm perfectly clean shaven. It's still not as a close as a razor shave but it's so close to it that it might as well be. I very much doubt I'll be going back to wet shaving again. I have not had any razor burn, soreness or nicks of the skin since I start using this shaver. That's a massive plus for me.As a device to hold the shaver itself feels solid and I liked the balance it had in my hand. It's the right side of heavy, for me. I didn't feel like I was going to break just by holding it. The base station is fairly sizable though, it's about 12*12cm and 15cm high before you even put the shaver in. That should be taken into account if you're looking to purchase this shaver. I found that quite surprising. The travel case for the shaver is perfect. I was off on holiday the day after I received this so I made sure it was fully charged and happily packed it as a start to my trial. I'm so glad I did. I shaved every day for a week and the charge lasted with no worries at all. I think I used about half the charge, the hygiene indicator was more concerning. I used the little brush, included, to clean out residual hair but the indicator did continue to drop through the week. That function is something I can't really comment on. I don't have experience of previous shavers but I like that it has a self cleaning feature. I pop it back in the base station and every couple of days it'll start a cleaning schedule. I wish I could see what was happening when that activates.Setting up the base station is as simple as pressing a button, pulling a tab off of the cleaning solution, sliding it in, pushing down the top of the station. Plug it in and you're all set. Once the fluid is in though you have to be really careful if you move the station as you could easily spill it. You definitely need a permanent home for this.As part of receiving this device for free I need to post my review within 30 days. After using this for shaver for the best part of a month I'm certainly impressed and will continue to use it. I'm not 100% sold on the base station but I do like it and I'll see if I keep it set up in the long term. The cost of replacement cleaning solution will be a massive deciding factor for that. I would recommend this shaver though and I'm really happy that I opted to try it. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

6.9.2016

I have been using the braun series 7 7898cc for just under two weeks. Prior to this I had used electric shavers but had always preferred a wet shave with manual razor, and was therefore sceptical about whether I would get on with this product.Day one of using: I recieved the shaver in the mail, free from Braun as I was part of a trial group. I opened it and it looked very smart. The packaging really made it look top of the line. Had this been a gift from someone it would have really got me excited (which it also did in reality) before using I read through the instructions to set up. These were incredibly easy to understand and it was up and running in no time. One slight criticism here is that if,like me, you don't have a shaving socket in your bathroom, you will need an adapter as none are included. I put the shaver in its dock and it got to work cleaning and charging. This process is brilliant. If you are used to cleaning your electric razor with a brush then you will be amazed at how quick and efficient it is. You simply put the shaver in its base and press the button. It makes minimal noise and after a few minutes, the shaver foil and blades are pristine with no sign they have ever been used, this is the same after every time you clean it. The shaver also has sensors to say when it needs cleaning (which is quite often) and also when it needs charging. Now to the shave itself. Compared to other electric razors I have used, this is by far the best. It certainly has the closest shave and as someone who has rather sensitive skin, I can say this has not irritated my face in the two weeks of using, this is a definite advantage over other electric and manual razors I have used. This is with daily use.I have been confident with my facial appearance when using this product and have gone about my daily business including work having used it. For a formal function I think I would still revert back to a manual razor as this still provides a closer shave.When using the shaver it has taken me slightly longer in the morning to complete my shave, this is possibly due to not being used to an electric shaver. However despite the length of time taken, I think that the shaver has been well designed so that it is comfortable to hold, and prolonged use does not cause discomfort to the hand.As for other people's verdicts, these were not spontaneously given to me, I asked for them for the purpose of reviewing the product. I was told by all I asked that they agreed with my earlier statements. They thought that the razor had given me a very good close shave. One of the men that gave me feedback is considering purchasing one for himself, which in my mind gives clear indication that he was impressed with the shavers performance.To end I will say that I am going to continue to use this product during my daily life, excluding special occasions such as weddings, meals out etc. I also can't wait until holidays and next years festival season, when I foresee the benefits of this shaver and its portability really becomming evident. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

13.9.2016

The first impression is of heft and weight - this feels, looks and handles like a well built piece of machinery. But larger still is the docking and cleaning station - it has quite a big footprint and needs to be near a plug socket, so if you have a small (or, to be honest, a normal size but cluttered) bathroom, you may struggle to find somewhere to put the cleaning station. Obviously you could put it in a different room - but then you lose what is clearly meant to be one of the key selling points of this shaver - the ease and time-saving that comes from its self-cleaning function.And that self-cleaning function is really very clever. You put the shaver into the docking station (which starts it charging)and it then tells you how dirty it is and cleans itself. It somehow reminded me of one of those pod coffee machines - totally cool, clearly better than normal coffee, but something which I could live without if need be! I was prepared to moan about the cost of the cleaning fluid, but then had a look at how much these are (each apparently lasts around a month according to the instructions) and they're actually quite reasonable. Alongside the space the cleaning unit takes up, another negative was the fact that it had a standard "shaver's" plug with 2-pins, so if you can't fit it in the bathroom you'll need an adaptor. And, less seriously, the beautiful aesthetic is ruined by the fact that the shaver deliberately sits at a slight angle in the cradle.If you don't want to use the charger/cleaner, you can plug the shaver straight into a cord and charge it from the plug. You can then clean it yourself too, but that would be a waste of an expensive cleaner.As to the important bit, the shave: it's good - definitely better than my old electric shaver. I had to press harder than I am used to, because it is so good at following the curve of my face compared to the one I've used before there were a few times my soft grip meant it went over hairs and not through them. There were no nicks, a spot was left intact, and I had no more burn than from using a normal wet shave razor. But I also had a lot more stubble left behind - around the ears in particular, where it didn't pick up where I would have sideburns if I grew my hair. To be fair, I know this is a problem area for all electric razors. My jawbone wasn't great either, and I didn't get that "clean shave" feel on a lot my face. I tried it on different speed settings with no discernible impact between fast and slow.It has a very nice travel case, so is definitely going to come on weekends and overnights away. But day to day use? I'm not entirely sold.In conclusion - it's a very solid product, but with a very solid price. It is perfect for someone who likes electric razors and gadgets, doesn't have time to muck around cleaning his razor but has the space in the bathroom for the charging station. If this doesn't describe you, well then it is still a very good product - but you may be paying for a cool and trendy feature that you can't get the most out of. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

13.9.2016

Normally I'm not a "clean shave" kind of guy and will usually just shape my beard with a trimmer due to the fact that using a wet razor to shape is very tough. However the Braun Series 7 Shaver is an absolute revelation.From the get go, setting it up was simple and with just one cable coming from the charging/ cleaning station it fits in neatly into any bathroom. The charging station has an easy to understand readout to interoperate when the razor needs to be cleaned.The razor is self is lightweight and the grippy handle means that even if you were to wet-shave with it, (which is a fantastic option I have not seen in an electric razor before) there would be no worry of it slipping out of your hand.The display on the razor has an easy to understand readout of how much charge is left in the razor and how clean the razor is. Now on to the shave it's self! I decided that I would use the dry shave option as I'm just not a fan of a wet-shave. With my beard being quite long I decided to start with the awesome compact trimmer located neatly on the side on the razor which clips down easily. It manages to trim down very close without catching the hairs which meant zero irritation. Usually any trimmer I use catches a few times and is quite painful but with this trimmer it was hassle free.As I was going for a clean shave from having a beard, the first day I used the razor I trimmed everything down and then proceeded to clean up and get the shave neat and close with the adjustable head. I loved the option of being able to adjust the tension at which the razor would operate as I have sensitive skin. The shave was quick, easy, close, neat and I didn't have to keep going the area to ensure the shave was close, again limiting the possibility of irritation. I have used this razor every day since just using the main shaving function, it's quick to do and means I have time in the morning to shave before work. Cleaning the using is so easy, it's just a case of unclipping the cassette and using the brush provided to get the hairs out, once that has been done the cassette is replaced and the razor placed in the base unit and the unit advises what level of cleaning is required, you turn on the cleaning function and within minutes the razor is clean. Absolutely amazing, so easy to use and even easier to clean.The only 2 criticisms I would have would be that the cleaning fluid spilled when I was installing it into the unit as it's just a lid that lifts and the fluid is filled right to the top. The other thing being that the manual shows there should be a small bottle of lubricant to treat the razor with and this was not included.All in all though this razor is a fantastic piece of technology, making shaving quick and easy. This can be used every day and does not irritate the skin at all as it appears not to pull on the hairs at all.If you are looking for a razor to clean shave or a razor to accurately trim this is the razor for you. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

9.9.2016

For decades and actually since forever, I've used only razors to shave my beard. The razors have improved from a simple Topaz blade to a Gillette twin blades etc. But never used a Shaving System before. Braun, to say the least, does not disappoint a new entrant to the shaving system culture. The shaver is loaded with features and competes in all aspects with my razor system & process and does not disappoint. I am still a newbie with shaving with a machine, but I've gotten better in the last few weeks that I have been using this.In my opinion, it is better to shave a foam beard than dry. The results are better and the skin feels much better. It handles all the curves & angles with its swivel head very easily.Given that I'm new, I had to make a few rounds clean up my chin & under the nose, but on my third attempt, I was down to just two rounds on chin. The key to using this correctly is to have the head at 90 degrees against the face, always. This is something I learnt over while using. This has multiple speeds, controlled by the buttons on either side of the LED power button. There is a flip out shaver blade that can clean up hard to reach corners on the face. The Head is detachable & lockable, which allows easy cleaning and/or keeping a fixed angle, as required. At the bottom of the shaver is a LED indicator that shows the Battery & Hygiene levels. The brand new shaver comes zero charge, so it needs to be charged for an hour before it can be used. Now to the 'System' part. It comes with an awesome, functional & well-designed stand / charging / cleaning system. It's all in one system that is extremely efficient & necessary. To clean / charge the shaver, just turn it upside down and slot it into the system. It stands a bit with a bit of swag and starts charging. Push a button and it will clean up the system for you. In my use, I found that I could get about 2 foam shaves done before it begs to be hygiene cleaned and drops the level down to 1 which makes you feel bad for not cleaning it. Make sure to rinse the shaver in water while it is running after you are done shaving & before you put on hygiene mode. It's appropriately named 'Hygiene' and not 'Clean'.This shaver also comes with a beautiful case that looks like a casket. The case is well made, durable & once you slot the shaver in, it's safe from all the beating the case will take in your backpack or under your running shoe. And I think a shaver this good deserves a case that strong.It actually shaves much finer than my razor. I although have to shave the opposite way than my razor to be able to get the shaver to shave my beard, but guess that's what happens when you have decades of hair growth chopped via razors. Extremely happy with this. Thank you, Braun, for making this excellent shaving system. [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]

5.9.2016

Having now been using the razor or just over 2 weeks I can easily say it is the best shaving experience I’ve ever had. This razor has successfully replaced my combo of rotary shaver followed by manual razor to catch the missed bits. The purpose of that regime was to try and prevent shaving rash and was reasonably successful. This new razor however is incredible. I have very sensitive skin so was reassured to see that there are 5 differing intensity levels including a sensitive skin one, but to be honest, I just have the thing on turbo the whole time and my face is totally rash free. Somehow Braun have managed to combine an incredibly close shave with no irritation.Moving on to the docking station,

5.9.2016

I shave every day for work and I must admit I have never been a huge fan of electrical razors as I found them loud and never that close a shave. From the minute I opened the box I have to say I have been impressed.The look of the Braun Series 7 is fantastic. The razor itself looks and feels like a well made piece of kit. The accompanying charging / cleaning stand only adds to the modern and technologically advanced look and feel.Setting the cleaning system up could not have been easier. Simply press a button to open the stand, remove a lid on the cleaning fluid and then slip it inside the stand.The graphical display on the base of the razor is great.

4.9.2016

The first thing I noticed about the Braun Series 7 Shaver was how smart it looks - just how it appears on the box. If you're looking for a good-looking piece of kit then look no further.The shaver itself works very well as I'll go on to explain. I was also happy to learn it is bundled with a Clean&Charge Station (more on this later), a travel case and a cleaning brush. 'Almost' everything you need...According to the packaging, Braun‘s Sonic technology reads and adapts to your beard - I found this to be pretty accurate and was impressed. I had a fair bit of stubble when I first used it and it was certainly the best shave I'd have with an electric shaver. Ordinarily I'd have to trim it with a beard trimmer first or simply wet shave.

7.9.2016

I have had the pleasure of trying the new Braun Series 7 7898cc electric shaver, and I can quite honestly say it's the absolute best shave I've had with an electric shaver! It's as close to as a wet shave as you can get.The product arrived in stylish packaging, and when unwrapping I also found that comes along with a premium zip up case which is a bonus.The razor itself is the Rolls Royce of all razors. It is coated in a beautiful brushed metal, and has a sturdy yet nice weight to it when using it. It fits nicely in the hand and is made to precision with German engineering.Another bonus is that it comes along with it's own Clean&Renew station - which is also its charger as well.

Braun 7898cc Series 7 - Reviews

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