so i bought one of these from amazon, very early adopter.
it is very similar in general to earlier clean and charge foil shavers from braun,
of which my last one was unceramoniously dumped in the garbage after a year for a rotary
from phillips, which was used for about another year and then dumped for the 4-blade gillette razor.
but now i'm back to trying electric for no particular reason other than it is tiresome buying
razor blade that have been specially engineered to need replacing after a week of use.
plus, while no matter what the manufacturers will tell you, there is no electric razor that
shaves as close as a blade, though sometimes the blade shaves a little too close...causing cuts, razor burn,
ingrown hairs, etc. it's enough to make a guy want to grow a beard.
enter the braun pulsonic. this is basically a very well-made, high end "activator" or "complete 360"
with the added feature that it vibrates. i suppose this is the same technology in the gillette "power" series
and other regular razors that use a AAA battery to vibrate as they shave...it does result in a ever-so-slightly
better shave. so this foil, which uses the nice almost-random pattern of differently-sized holes for diffent hairs (which was avail. only in germany for a long time, for some reason, then appeared in the u.s. with the braun 360) has a nice pivoting head, standard little pop-out trimmer, and vibrates like a sonicare toothbrush while you shave. the vibration is not really noticable over the regular noise and vibration present in a regular electric razor, but the results seem to speak for themselves. it seems to be a much gentler, more effective electric razor than i have used in a long time. the only thing is, it isn't a blade. after spending several passes with it over my cheek, for example, i can still run my hand against the growth and feel a little stubble there, which is never the case with the razor blade. on the other hand, i expect that over time there will be less shaving irritation, so it's not a bad trade off. the thing to note is that it's really made to be used with the little "charge and clean" cartridges, which according to braun last for 30 shaves, so each one lasts a month.
at $4 per cartridge, it's not too great an expense. word of warning though: if you take the razor out of the charger before it's finished the cleaning cycle (easy to do since much of it is silent, if you don't wait for the 'clean' light to come on) and sometimes even if you wait for it to be clean, and just start shaving, you may experience the unique and painful feeling of shaving with a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the razor foil.
i recommend making sure it's quite dry before use, shake it a little or blow on th foil or something.
the clean and charge flud is a lemon-scented alcohol and lubricant solution that you don't want touching newly-shaven skin.overall, it seems to be a good investment. the razor is well-made for sure, very solid, with a rubber grip handle on the back that is pretty comfortable to hold. it moves very easily over the face, even with 3-day stubble, and is noticably more comfortable than other electrics i've used. i think it will take about 2 weeks for the skin/hair to get used to it again, but...good-bye razor blades! hello pulsonic!
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Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic ShaverProduct Description: Series 7, the "first of a new kind" - a new top of the line shaving system from Braun and a revolution in shaving technology. It has been uncompromisingly engineered to capture more hair with every stroke, even problem hairs, for Braun.s closest and most comfortable shave ever.
Braun Series 7 motor sends over 10,000 micro-vibrations per minute through the shaver head to gently stimulate the skin, causing it to ripple, which helps capture and shave more hairs with every stroke. The hair is shaved with high-speed precision using leading edge Gillette Blade Technology. For added closeness and comfort, Braun Series 7 incorporates a Sensitive Flexing Head, which follows the contours of a man's face with twice the pivoting angle of other Braun shavers, and shaves hard-to-reach areas using touch sensitive foils that respond to the slightest change in skin surface. Additionally, Braun Series 7 is the world's first shaver brand with an ENERGY STAR-qualified battery charger, which recognizes the shaver's energy-efficient design and Braun's commitment to environmental sustainability.
Braun Series 7 features the world's most intelligent Clean&Renew system that automatically cleans, lubricates, dries and charges the shaver at the touch of a button. It features a new Fast Clean mode (available only in 9595 model) that cleans the shaver in just 25 seconds, which is ideal for men on the go. For occasions when the Clean&Renew system is not available, the Series 7 shaver head can be washed under running water. The shaver also incorporates a modern, ergonomic design that combines an elegant silver and chrome finish with sleek lines.
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Braun changed the package and how they number their razors/refills.I used this with my 8000 self cleaning razor, I think its an 8985 or 8595 or something.In any case, as usual after replacing this stuff it shaves like new.I purchased the razor in the spring of 2005 and change it about every 12 -14 months, still going strong.I considered buying the new braun but changed my mind when I saw how much it was and knowing that with the new blade mine will be 94% as good as the new 'improved' version.
