Braun Series 7 799cc-7 Wet & Dry Shaver Test Review

My new Braun Series 7 799cc-7 shaver was bought in December 2013 as a replacement for the older 790cc during the Christmas promotion that year. The decision to purchase the product was based on all the positive reviews it was getting at the time.

Compared to the Series 790cc, the Braun 799cc offers a number of distinct differences. The 790cc had some few issues:

• Good shaver that lasts for long but needs at least two passes for a clean shave
• The neck areas were a little challenging and could not be resolved even using a trimmer
• There was the occasional razor burn

The new Braun 799cc razor is advantageous as compared to the 790cc on the following counts:

• Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery
• Very good shave to the face
• Close shave even on the neck and in the problem areas- this in my opinion is the added advantage of the shaver
• No razor burn
• Trimmer comes in new, smaller dimensions and at a 90 degrees angle to the razor. This makes cutting sideburns much easier. It is easier to cut the hairs that are in/on the ears as there is some space between the blade and razor.
• The razor is heated at the head to aid in the drying process

A few negative points of the new Braun Series 7 799cc:

• There is no cover for the shaver head which is a problem especially if you are carrying it in the travel case
• The power cord does not fit properly into the included case
• Unfortunately, there is no indication of the shaving time on the display, a feature that was handy with the former shaver
• Shaver head and blades cannot be separated or bought separately, making it quite expensive to own

In addition the Braun Series 7 799cc-7 Wet & Dry shaver is a travel case, power supply and cleaning station. There is also a cleaner cartridge and the instruction manual in the box. The case is sturdy enough to protect the shaver from knocks in the luggage and also looks appealing- the outside is covered with leather.

Unfortunately, the travel case can only accommodate the razor alone and there is no way accommodating the cleaning brushes- very unfortunate given the fact that they are necessary for maintenance of the device when traveling.

The housing of the razor consists primarily of plastic but still manages to look quite valuable and well made. This gives the Braun 799cc-7 Wet & Dry shaver a weight that is neither too heavy nor too light and fits comfortably in the hand.

A rubberized surface on the three sides of the device and a recessed handle on the front ensure a secure grip while shaving. The on/off switch is unfortunately a little uncomfortable to operate since it is placed on the lower part of the razor.

There are also two buttons to select the required comfort settings for an individual shave. These are indicated by a change in colour of the on/off switch back light.

The round LCD display on the lower end of the razor provides information on the battery charge status, condition of the razor and also reminds the user when to change the shaving head. The trimmer can be expanded with the help of a slider which is located above the on/off switch.

First, the Lithium-Ion battery of the Braun Series 7 799cc-7 Wet & Dry shaver must be recharged before its first use. The AC adapter can be used for both the cleaning station and for separate charging of shaver for use when traveling, for example. Within an hour, the unit is fully charged. Even after charging for only five minutes, the charge will be enough for a single shave.

Shaving Experience

I have a pretty sensitive skin that is prone to redness and inflammation when shaving is not performed gently enough. For this reason, I was very curious to see how this top Braun model will perform for both the dry and wet shave.

Dry Shave

The operating sound of the Braun 799cc Wet & Dry shaver is indeed unmistakeable – but not so loud as to bother me.

The swivelling shaving head (SensoFlex) adapts well to the shape of the face and slides pleasantly on the skin, thanks to the independently movable shear elements. Low lying hairs are easily tackled with the help of OptiFoil and ActiveLift technology.

The Braun OptiFoil feature uses foils with differently sized holes to capture hairs that grow in different directions.

Through micro-vibrations (up to 10,000 oscillations per minute) more hairs are cut at every pass.

The Active Elevator erects and loosens tight hairs through the use of an integrated cutter that performs 130 movements per second.

Braun promises a smooth and close shave is achieved through the interaction of these functions. That I can confirm but you should not expect miracles. The neck region is always a problem for me because the hairs lie very close in this area. For all electric shavers, I have used several passes in the neck area in order to achieve a satisfactory result. The same applies with this premium Braun model.

When longer stubble or a three-day beard, the Braun 799cc performs really well. If necessary, you can select one of five comfort settings (from extra-sensitive to turbo), so that even sensitive areas or particularly dense stubble can be handled well.

The pop-up trimmer served its purpose well. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to view the location at which you can cut straight. This could be a problem for men who want to style their beards in a complex design.

I find the result of the dry shave to be satisfactory. Of course, the shave is not as thorough as a wet shave but passes quickly, gently and leaves not skin irritation.

Wet Shaving

The Braun 799-7 Wet & Dry shaver is sealed against moisture and can therefore be also used for wet shaving in the shower. After washing the face I apply a little shaving gel on it to make the shaving more comfortable as well as assist the shaving head to glide effortlessly over the skin. Any excess foam and stubble is rinsed off under running water in-between the shave. The result of the wet shave convinced me that this is a high quality shaver because the shaving is more thorough and my skin feels pleasantly refreshed.

Cleaning Station

The Braun Series 7 799cc-7 Wet & Dry shaver can be cleaned under running water as well as using the supplied cleaning station. In this case, an alcohol-based cleaning agent ensures that every cleaning session eliminates up to 99.999% of bacteria and germs. In addition, the liquid contains oily conditioning agents that ensure the optimal function of the shaving head.

After shaving, you put the shaver with head down into the cleaning station, where it is also charged. Depending of the degree of contamination of the shaver, the station automatically selects one of the three cleaning programs that you still have to confirm by pressing the start button. When there is a low level of contamination, the cleaning system will only take about 25 seconds. Unfortunately, the cleaning programs can be quite noisy at times.

Finally, the shaving head is heated by an inductive heating system and thus dried.

At this point the cleaning result is perfect – the shaving head is clean and smells lemony fresh. However, it remains to be seen whether the cleaning effect wears off after prolonged use of the cartridge.

One point that is easy to overlook is the fact that the cleaning liquid leads to an increase in the operational costs of the shaver.

Braun recommends the use of the cleaning station after each shaving. With daily cleaning, one cartridge is sufficient for 30 cleanings. Even if you do not use the station regularly, you should replace the purification cartridge after 8 weeks. This is because the ethanol that is used in the cartridges evaporates over-time and optimal cleaning is no longer guaranteed.

You should therefore be prepared to buy a new cleaning cartridge for about $6 every 8 weeks at least. Of course you can also clean the shaver using a brush or under a tap of running water. However, since the cleaning station is part of the delivery and the manufacturer advertises it as a selling point, I had to mention it here.

In any event, I like the comfort of the cleaning station and the pleasant feeling that one gets from using a hygienically clean shaver.

Finally, I would like to mention two minor criticisms of the cleaning station:

• The LED lights that display the selected cleaning program and the level of the cleaning cartridge are very bright. A somewhat subtle but high quality lighting would work just the same instead of illuminating the entire bathroom.
• The power supply is not angled which somewhat increases the distance from the wall socket and connecting cable

Conclusion

In summary, the Braun 7 799cc-7 shaver is a good device especially because of the following pros:

• Shaves gently and thoroughly
• Evenly shaves thick beards and stubble
• Dry and wet shaving option
• Good battery life (up to 50 minutes)
• Cleaning under running water is possible
• Cleaning station as standard
• Good workmanship
• Comfortable shave
• Comfortable adjustable settings

The operating noise and trimmer can easily be ignored and are not a major minus for the device. However, the fact that the cleaning agents can evaporate and the additional follow up costs are cons that cannot be easily ignored. I also noticed that locking the shaving head can be a little problematic.

Some people might find the price as a little on the higher side and consider it a negative. To me though, I find that the price of the device matches its quality and performance. This is a good shaver that I would gladly recommend to anyone.

The Braun Series 7 799cc-7 shaver is available from Amazon at $367.99: