Series 7 owners: is it worth the upgrade to a Series 9?
If you already have a Series 7 and you're wondering whether you should upgrade to a Series 9, the decision should be pretty straightforward.
If you're currently satisfied with your Series 7, then the upgrade won't be a significant improvement in terms of comfort or closeness — definitely not to the extent of justifying the price difference.
The Series 9 will shave faster and you'll likely see a difference in the time it takes to complete a shave, especially if you have a very thick beard and shave less often. But that's about it.
However, if you don't find the Series 7 to shave as comfortable or as fast as you'd like, then upgrading to a Series 9 is probably the right decision.
How significant will the upgrade to a Series 9 be? Well, that really depends on your beard type and the shaving habits outlined previously.
In the case of wiry, longer, coarser beards, the Series 9 should yield a noticeable improvement in the quality of the shave compared to the Series 7.
There's really not a clear winner in this Braun Series 7 vs Series 9 battle when you consider all the pros and cons of the two.
Regardless of your decision, you can't really go wrong with either of them as both the Series 7 and the Series 9 are arguably some of the best electric shavers you can buy today.
If you have any other questions make sure to post them in the comments below.
Потрясающий дизайн и функциональность в каждой детали
Дизайн для Braun — это намного больше, чем стильный внешний вид. Значение имеет каждая деталь, идеально сочетающая в себе эстетичность и эргономичность, простоту использования и функциональность, долговечность и инновационность.
Все бритвы премиальной линейки на 100% водонепроницаемые, подходят для чувствительной кожи. Некоторые модели идут в комплекте с блоком clean&charge, который одновременно очищает, смазывает и подзаряжает бритву.
Презентация новинок Braun прошла в центре Москвы в рамках Braun Grooming Party. В мероприятии приняли участие победители конкурса в Инстаграм известного футболиста Романа Зобнина.
На фото: первым, кто решился протестировать на себе электробритву Braun премиального класса, стал фанат отечественного футбола
Первыми, кто решился протестировать на себе электробритвы Braun премиального класса, стали российские фанаты футбола.
Cleaning and maintenance
I don't recommend buying an electric razor that comes with a cleaning station unless they're absolutely necessary, especially since foil shavers are usually very easy to clean manually.
However, I will admit that Braun's cleaning stations are some of the best in the industry and I actually suggest you opt for a model that comes with one, be it a Series 7 or a Series 9.
The reasons for getting a cc model are quite straightforward.
For starters, it's a really effective cleaning station. The cartridges use an alcohol-based solution that does an excellent job sanitizing and cleaning the shaver.
The solution also acts as a lubricant, so there's no need for any additional lubrication if you use the cleaning base regularly.
Secondly, Braun's shaving heads can't be taken apart, so a manual, thorough cleaning can be more difficult and time-consuming. A cleaning station is genuinely useful in this case.
The very intricate inner part of the Braun Series 9 shaving head makes it difficult to clean manually. It's the same story with the Series 7.
You don't have to use the station after every shave and I actually recommend you not to.
This will allow you to use the cleaning cartridge for a longer time while preventing hairs and dead skin to remain lodged inside the shaving head.
With Braun stations, it's easy to remove the cartridge, put the cap back on and store them for future use (here are more tips on how to make the Braun refills last longer).
You can simply clean the razor manually in the meantime with tap water and some liquid soap.
As mentioned earlier, both the Series 7 and the Series 9 can be bought with or without a cleaning & charging station.
The models that don't include one cost a bit less, but I think it's worth paying more for the added convenience of the cleaning base.
The stations that come with the Series 7 and 9 work in a similar manner and use the same cleaning cartridges, but they are different.
That means you won't be able to use your Series 7 razor with a Series 9 station or the other way around.
Series 7 cleaning station (left) vs Series 9 cleaning station (right)
The cleaning station of the Series 9 has a more simplified, almost minimalist user interface that allows you to charge and clean the shaver with only one button.
However, a notable difference compared to some of the Series 7 stations is related to the drying cycle of the cleaning process.
Precisely, the station that used to come with the older Series 7 models (790cc, 799cc, etc) featured induction heating and this process was completely silent and also took less time.
The Series 9 station on the other hand uses a fan to dry the shaving head.
The station included with all the newer Series 7 shavers like the 7865cc doesn't have any active drying system, which basically means that the moisture will naturally evaporate over the course of several hours.
The cleaning station of the 7865cc and of all the current Series 7 models lacks the induction heating mechanism for drying the shaving head.
This is not a huge deal-breaker, but definitely a cost reduction measure from Braun with the Series 7.
IMPORTANT: Braun stopped making the Series 7 stations that feature induction heating altogether, even for older Series 7 models like the 790cc. All the Series 7 cleaning stations currently being manufactured lack any active drying systems.
The Braun Series 9 during the automatic cleaning cycle.
The cleaning base of the Series 9 uses a fan to dry the head of the shaver and while it is relatively silent (compared to other cleaning stations that use a fan), it takes longer to dry the razor compared to induction heating — around 40 minutes, but it's still way faster than the competition.
Using the s models with a cleaning station: Series 7 vs 9
It's worth mentioning that a Series 7 s (standing for solo) shaver that doesn't include a cleaning station (like the 7893s, 740s, etc) will actually work with a compatible Series 7 station purchased later on, while most of the Series 9 s models (the ones starting with 90 or 92) will not work.
The latest Series 9 93xx s models (like the 9340s) will work with a compatible station (type 5430). You can read more details .
All the Series 7 s (solo) models actually come with the special chip found on the cc variations needed to communicate with the station.
The Series 9 solo variations (90xxs, 92xxs) don't have these components and won't work with the corresponding cleaning stations.
Winner: tie.
Braun Series 7 vs 9: which one should you buy?
Now that we've gone through all the important aspects of the Braun Series 7 vs Series 9 comparison, let's see when one would be more suitable than the other.
You should buy the Series 9 if you:
- Want the absolute best in terms of shaving comfort and your budget is not really a concern;
- Have very sensitive, irritation-prone skin;
- Need an electric razor that shaves extremely fast;
- Have very coarse facial hair;
- Shave irregularly, every two to three days or even more;
- Have wiry facial hair that tends to lie flat on the skin and grow in different directions;
- Shave your head and you need a razor that also works well as a head shaver.
Braun Series 9 9370cc
The Series 9 9370cc with the updated shaving head usually represents the best option in most cases.
It's suitable for wet & dry use, comes with the automatic cleaning station and it generally costs less than other similar Series 9 variations.
Again, shaving performance is the same throughout the entire Series 9 range.
For users in the UK/Europe, the Braun Series 9 9390cc is usually the best pick (for the same reasons).
You should buy the Series 7 if you:
- Want the best compromise in terms of performance, comfort, and costs;
- Have very sensitive skin and moderate to thick facial hair;
- You tend to shave more often, (daily or every 2 to 3 days at most);
- You're planning on getting a cleaning station later on.
If I were to weigh in on this matter, I'd say that the Braun Series 7, regardless of the model, would be perfectly fine for most men.
My picks would be the 790cc or the newer 7865cc (whichever you can find cheaper).
Braun Series 7 7865cc
Yes, the lack of induction heating is a minus, but it's not a huge deal and the price of the 7865cc is generally lower compared to other models that come with a cleaning base, so definitely consider this one as well.
As I said in the beginning, the actual shaving performance is identical throughout the entire Series 7 line, but these particular models are usually the most reasonably priced.
You could also opt for a Series 9 if you can get a great deal on one and the price difference compared to the corresponding Series 7 model is not significant.
The so-called new Series 7
The Series 7 has been around for quite some time since its introduction, so Braun decided to give it a refresh.
In 2016 new models were introduced and this probably caused even more confusion.
Braun Series 7 7865cc
The names don't really make any sense and Braun also used some marketing terminology in an attempt to make the update look more than just a cosmetic makeover.
In reality, the differences compared to the older Series 7 shavers are mostly minor.
Here's a summary:
- All the newer Series 7 models are suitable for wet & dry use; in the past, there were both dry only and wet/dry variations, like the 790cc and the 799cc respectively. Also, the wet/dry models (both older and newer) cannot be used while charging as a safety precaution. This was however possible with the (older) dry only shavers.
- You have the option of a silver, grey or black color Series 7 (market specific).
- The newer Series 7 use the same shaving heads as the previous models (70s and 70b cassettes), even though Braun says they have 4 shaving elements. They don't, the so-called SkinGuard doesn't count as an active element.
- The new marketing terms (Protective SkinGuard, 8-D shaving system, MacroMotion, etc) don't really refer to any new additions that weren't already present on the older models.
- The personalization modes (5 of them with the newer shavers, from extra sensitive to turbo mode) continue to be of little to no use. In theory, you would use them to adjust the output of the motor — less power for shaving sensitive areas, more for shaving thick, dense stubble. In reality, they just make the shaver feel slow and you should probably use the highest setting all the time as the Series 7 remains adequately comfortable.
- The automatic cleaning stations included with the newer shavers lack two features that were specific to this series: the induction heating mechanism for actively drying the foils and the quick clean option. The latter was only available with certain older cleaning stations. They are now completely gone (more details later on).
- Some of the newer variations come with an updated LCD display (7865cc, 7850cc, 7893s).
You can easily tell the new shavers apart from the older models as the updated Series 7 shavers follow the 78xx naming scheme.
For example, some of the models for the North American and European markets are the 7865cc (grey), 7899cc (silver), 7898cc (silver), 7893s (silver).
The new Series 7 7865cc comes in a grey color scheme.
Other model names like 7850cc or 7880cc that are primarily sold on the European market are pretty much identical to their corresponding American models.
As it was the case with the updated Series 9, Braun tried to unify the Series 7 line with this update.
As a result, all the shavers are now suitable for wet/dry use and similar models all cost the same on (previously the dry only variations were cheaper).
Purchase price and cost of ownership
This is a rare case in the Braun Series 9 vs 7 confrontation where the winner is pretty clear: the Series 7 takes the lead when it comes to value for money.
Braun Series 7 790cc
The price of the Series 9 models has dropped since the introduction of the line, but you'll still have to pay more to get one.
Braun Series 9 9370cc
We're interested in 2 aspects here: purchase price and cost of ownership.
At the moment of writing, the price of a Series 7 is lower compared to its Series 9 counterpart. Given the fact that it's an older model, the price can go down even more as time passes.
The running costs imply new shaving heads (called cassettes) and cleaning cartridges (only for the cc models that come with a Clean & Renew station).
Since the cleaning cartridges are the same, the only difference in the cost of ownership is related to the replacement heads.
The price of the Series 7 replacement cassettes is noticeably lower than the original 90s/90b Series 9 shaving heads (these were discontinued and replaced by the newer 92s/92b/92M cassettes).
Braun Series 7 70s/70b cassette
Braun supposedly uses a different manufacturer for the newer 92s/92b/92M shaving heads of the Series 9.
This probably has something to do with various users reporting a premature failure of the older 90s and 90b cassettes that were used on the original Series 9 models, like the 9090cc or 9095cc.
These problems were most likely solved with the updated shaving heads.
The updated replacement shaving heads for the Series 9, called the 92s/92b/92M, are backward compatible with all Series 9 models, feature a titanium coated middle trimmer and are actually more reasonably priced than the originals, but they still cost more than the ones for the Series 7.
Braun Series 9 92s/92b cassette
If you're on a tighter budget and want to reduce your costs as much as possible, then the Series 7 is the better choice.
Winner: the Braun Series 7.
Braun Series 7 model comparison
Here's a comparison table with the currently available Series 7, both the original and updated 78xx models:
| Shaver | Use | Cleaning station | Speed settings | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 7 790cc | Dry only | Yes | 3 settings | Silver |
| Series 7 799cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 3 settings | Silver |
| Series 7 797cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Silver |
| Series 7 760cc | Dry only | Yes | 3 settings | Black |
| Series 7 740s | Wet & dry | No | 3 settings | Black |
| Series 7 720s | Dry only | No | 3 settings | Black |
| Series 7 7865cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Grey |
| Series 7 7850cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Grey |
| Series 7 7880cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Black |
| Series 7 7899cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Silver |
| Series 7 7898cc | Wet & dry | Yes | 5 settings | Silver |
| Series 7 7893s | Wet & dry | No | 5 settings | Silver |
| * Series 7 7790cc | Dry only | Yes | 5 settings | Silver |
* The Series 7 7790cc is an oddity — both the model name and the features are not in line with the rest of the shavers. It's a dry only razor, but has the updated LCD display and comes with the updated cleaning station, so it lacks the induction heating system and the quick clean mode.
At this point, I think we can safely say that all Series 7 shavers will provide the same shaving performance, regardless of other features.
An overview of the successful Series 7
IMPORTANT: in this guide we'll only be discussing the original Series 7 and its incremental updates. In 2020, Braun launched a new generation called the Series 7 70. That's a totally different shaver and one that isn't actually better performance-wise than the original S7 (you can read my detailed comparison of the two here).
The Braun Series 7 was first launched in 2007 and it quickly became one of the best-selling electric shavers of all time and a permanent presence in pretty much every list of recommended shavers.
It was and still is highly acclaimed for its performance, particularly for the supreme comfort it provides during the shave.
For the other manufacturers, the Series 7 was the shaver to beat as it quickly became the unofficial benchmark in the industry.
Its main selling points were the unmatched comfort, close shaves, reasonable price of the replacement shaving heads, excellent cleaning station and a robust build quality, despite a couple of well-known issues.
Let's tackle those and get them out of the way.
First, the head locking mechanism was prone to breaking if you tried to move the shaving head after being locked in the fixed position.
The head locking switch of the Series 7
The most effective fix for this would be to simply not use the locking switch; since the Series 7 has a really narrow shaving head, you don't really need to lock it, even when shaving tricky areas.
The second issue is related to the paint right below the shaving head that would sometimes flake and chip after a couple of years.
This is caused by the alcohol-based cleaning solution that comes into contact with the paint during the automatic cleaning process; however, the damage is only visual.
Apart from these overall minor shortcomings, the Series 7 was a versatile and highly capable electric shaver that stood the test of time and actually gained some sort of iconic status in the shaving community.
The 790cc is probably the quintessential Series 7 as all the other variations are derived from it, be it by adding or removing certain features.
Braun Series 7 790cc
It's important to note that these features don't affect the actual shaving performance in any significant way. This goes for all Series 7 variations as you'll see next.
Different models in a series, same performance
Before diving into the meaty details, it's important to note that both the Series 7 and Series 9 are available in different variations.
These include models suitable for dry only use (like the older Series 7 790cc or the Series 9 9090cc), for wet & dry use (Series 7 7865cc, Series 9 9290cc) and they can also come with or without a cleaning station.
Some models can have different names or different colors (market-specific) depending on where they're being sold.
What really matters is that all the models in a series, be it 7 or 9, have identical shaving performance and selecting one variation over another simply comes down to availability, your personal needs (wet&dry use, cleaning station, etc.), and budget.
For this reason, I won't be necessarily referring to specific models from the Series 7 or the Series 9, but rather to a series as a whole.
Since their original release, both the Series 7 and 9 have been updated and new models were introduced.
IMPORTANT: this comparison doesn't include the new 2020 Series 7 models; those are completely different shavers despite using the Series 7 name and their shaving performance is actually inferior to the original Series 7 discussed here (more details in this post).
The more recent (original) Series 7 models start with 78; for example, 7865cc, 7893s, 7898cc, etc.
Braun Series 7 7865cc
The updated Series 9 shavers (introduced in 2016) use the 92xx naming scheme (9291cc, 9293s etc). The older models used the 90xx format (9095cc, 9093s etc).
Braun Series 9 9290cc (9291cc)
As of 2019, Braun released yet another iteration of the Series 9 line, the 93xx.
As I mentioned in my review of the 9385cc model, this update mainly consists of a slightly larger battery, some new color treatments, and minor visual changes.
Braun Series 9 9385cc
As you can see, most of these updates were minor and didn't improve the shaving performance to a significant degree. Also, all the newer shavers are now suitable for wet & dry use.
If you would like to read more details about all the different shavers in the Series 7 and Series 9 lines, you can check out the links below:
- Braun Series 7 Comparison
- Braun Series 9 Comparison
