Braun Series 7 7071cc Review: Is It Worth The Hype?

As part of Braun’s new Series 7 line (360 Flex) released in early 2020, the 7071cc is shaping up to be the pick of the range thanks to its features and price.

A complete departure from the classic Series 7, the 7071cc and its siblings represent a very intriguing addition to Braun’s current lineup of electric razors for men.

In order to find out how good it really is, I’ve been using this shaver extensively for three weeks.

And in this review of the Braun Series 7 7071cc, I will share everything you need to know about this particular model.

We’ll check out the pros and cons, how well it shaves and how it fares against other similarly priced shavers from Braun and also from the competition.

Hopefully, by the time you reach the end of this review, you’ll know precisely if the 7071cc is the right shaver for you or if you’ll be better off with a different one.

Let’s get started.

Features overview

Let’s take a quick look over the most important features of the Series 7 7071cc and 7085cc.

For the purpose of this review, I bought the 7071cc variation, but it is still relevant in the case of the 7085cc as apart from a few attachments included in the package, the shavers are absolutely the same.

1. 360° Flex Head

Braun uses this terminology extensively on the product page, so it must be a big deal.

And it is. In fact, it’s one of the distinct features of this Series 7 line.

All the shavers, including the 7071cc in our test, feature an adapting shaving head that can swivel on two planes: up and down and left to right.

The up and down flexing isn’t anything new and we’ve seen it on all Braun shavers from the Series 5 through 9.

The novelty is the left-to-right movement of the head.

To achieve that, the head unit of the 7071cc is suspended on two special mounts.

The purpose of this setup is to ensure optimal contact with the skin regardless of the area you’re shaving.

Between those flexing mounts you can also see the shaft that’s driving the blades (covered by a white plastic sleeve).

The two mobile struts are made of metal and appear to be pretty sturdy.

In the performance section of the review, I’ll go into more detail about how the 360 Flex head performs during use.

2. 3-blade shaving head

The shaving head of the Series 7 7071cc is comprised of 3 elements, so it’s business as usual in that regard.

There’s a central trimmer that cuts long, flat-lying hairs and it’s flanked by two foil cutters that trim the hairs at skin level.

The middle cutter is surrounded by this plastic microcomb that purposedly feeds the hairs to the blades.

It actually reminds me of the shaving head found on Braun’s Series 3 razors.

You can see the two cassettes side by side in the image below.

The three cutting elements of the Series 7 can also move independently in addition to the above-mentioned 360 Flex of the entire head unit.

AutoSense Technology

Another highlight of the Series 7 7071cc is the addition of a sensor that supposedly reads the density of the beard and adjusts the power accordingly.

We’ve seen this technology on other Braun models as well, such as the Series 9 and 8.

On the previous Series 7, we used to have 3 or 5 speed settings, but Braun decided to ditch them in favor of this sensor on the new models.

I personally have never been a fan of these density sensors as I am yet to come across an implementation that feels genuinely useful.

I would rather have full power at all times or at least the possibility to choose the settings myself.

3. EasyClick Attachments

Another novelty of the new Braun Series 7 is the inclusion of a separate beard trimmer attachment.

Instead of having an integrated pop-up or slide-out trimmer, the 7071cc comes with a so-called Precision Trimmer that you swap with the regular shaving head.

You can use it to trim your beard, mustache or sideburns.

Other models also include up to 5 different combs that attach to the trimmer in order to get the desired beard length.

One such model is the 7085cc, which is basically a black 7071cc with 5 beard combs that you attach to the beard trimmer and a stubble trimmer.

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The stubble trimmer also comes with 3 different size combs, handy for something like a designer stubble look.

The 7071cc Series 7 does not have any of these combs and only comes with the beard trimmer attachment.

Everything else about the two shavers is the same, so you might as well consider this a 7085cc review.

4. SmartCare Center

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Being a cc model, the Braun 7071cc comes with an automatic cleaning and charging station.

It is now called a SmartCare Center and it’s one of the main advantages of the 7071cc in relation to the other non-cc Series 7 models that cost almost as much.

The station charges, cleans and lubricates the razor.

We’ll take a closer look at the station in the cleaning section of the review as it has a few caveats compared to other Braun stations.

5. Cordless, wet & dry use

The Braun 7071cc and all the other models in this new line are wet & dry shavers.

You can use it in the shower or with your favorite shaving cream.

It also means that the shaver will not work while connected to a power outlet because of safety concerns (here are some of the best corded shavers you can still buy).

The Series 7 7071cc is fitted with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery that’s good for up to 50 minutes of cordless use.

There’s also a handy 5-minute quick charge feature that should allow you to complete one shave when you’re caught off guard.

Since it’s fitted with a universal voltage converter, you can use the Braun 7071cc anywhere in the world.

You may need to buy a simple plug adapter though.

Since the 7071cc is only sold on the USA & Canada markets, it comes with a USA power plug.

Similarly, a European model like the 70-N7200cc comes with an EU power plug.

Build quality and ergonomics

The Braun Series 7 7071cc showcases the brand’s new design language that we’ve also seen with the other 2020 360 Flex models, the new Series 6 and 5.

It has a sculpted, thinner body and a suspended shaving head, giving it a very distinctive look among all previous Braun models.

While in reality it doesn’t appear as flashy and striking as the official images might suggest, it’s still a very good looking razor.

The 7071cc model comes in a silver and black color scheme and you can’t really go wrong with that.

The body of the shaver is made entirely out of plastic, but it feels pretty sturdy and well-built.

There are no rough edges or large panel gaps.

Apart from the chrome-like foil frame and the ring around the top of the shaver, the plastic parts have a matte finish that should help with keeping scuffs and smudges to a minimum.

On the front of the shaver, we have a rather generous rubberized thumb rest area that integrates the power and status buttons.

Pressing the latter will light up the battery level and other notifications if they’re active (for example, the cleaning reminder).

Further down there’s the new LED display of the Series 7 that shows various information, like battery level, travel lock status, cleaning reminder and so on.

They are also displayed when turning the shaver on or off, so the status button is rather redundant.

The travel lock can be activated by pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds. A red padlock will flash on the bottom right part of the display to inform you that the shaver is locked.

Long-pressing the on/off switch for 3 seconds will deactivate the travel lock.

The back of the Series 7 7071cc is completely barren, with no charging pins or slide-out trimmer.

The top part is covered in a dimpled rubber-like material that extends to the sides as well.

I personally would have liked it to cover the entire back (like on the old model), but it’s still adequately grippy.

The thinner handle and the low weight of the shaver definitely help as well.

It’s extremely easy and comfortable to hold and the position of that thumb rest is spot on.

Let’s now get to the not-so-great parts.

My biggest gripe with the Braun Series 7 7071cc is the lack of a release button for the cassette.

You must grab it between your index finger and thumb and just pry it off the head unit.

And sometimes it can be really difficult to remove as it takes quite a bit of force and you don’t have much leverage. If your fingers are wet, it’s a real fuss.

If you plan on using the beard attachment often, you’ll be doing this operation a lot and it can get frustrating.

To me, the lack of a release button or at least some tabs on the sides (like on Panasonic shavers) is a clear indicator of some cost-cutting decisions.

And on that note, the new cassette used by the Series 7 7071cc and its siblings seems like a step down from the previous one.

There’s plastic instead of metal for the frames surrounding the foils, just like the one used by the entry-level Series 3 models.

On my review unit, the 3 cutters also don’t move quite as easily as I would have liked.

Another ergonomics-related issue is in my opinon the lack of a head locking switch.

The head of the 7071cc can move freely and there’s no way to have it fixed in place when you need more control and finesse.

For example, the old Series 5 has this feature and so does the previous S7 generation.

Finally, the head of the shaver is wider than most other 3-blade foil shavers.

And it seems unnecessary since the increase in size is exclusively due to the bulky shape of the chrome frame surrounding the 3 cutters.

While it doesn’t seem much from the photos, during use you can definitely notice the bulkier head and it’s not quite as nimble as let’s say the older generation S7.

There are a couple of issues with the cleaning station as well, but I will address those in the cleaning and maintenance section.

Overall, the build quality and ergonomics of the Series 7 7071cc are quite good, but with some rather significant caveats, particularly the lack of a cassette release button.

Included accessories

The Braun 7071cc comes with the following accessories:

• Beard trimmer attachment
• SmarCare cleaning station
• 1 x CCR cartridge
• Charging cord
• Cleaning brush
• Travel case
• Warranty card and user manual

It’s a pretty decent bundle in my opinion, especially for the price of the 7071cc.

As you can see, there aren’t any combs included for the beard trimmer. You’ll have to go for one of the pricier models like the 7085cc in order to get those as well.

The hard travel case is very useful and practical and it can accommodate both the shaver and the trimmer.

There’s no protective cap or lubricant included, but that’s hardly a surprise with Braun shavers.

I have to mention the user manual as well as it’s one of the worst I’ve seen from Braun.

It’s merely a leaflet with lots of illustrations and only a few useful explanations.

Battery life and charging

Since you can only operate the Braun 7071cc cordless, battery life is quite important.

Traditionally, the Series 7 has always fared really well in this regard and luckily, this one does too.

The battery life of the 7071cc is very solid and you can easily get two weeks of use (or 50 minutes) from a single charge.

Braun says 3 weeks, but that’s not quite realistic and their testing methodology probably doesn’t account for some real-world situations (like very coarse hair, a lengthy shaving session and so on).

But nevertheless, the battery life on this razor is very solid.

Being a cc model, it can be charged either via the cleaning station or by plugging the cord directly into the shaver’s charging port.

It uses the same charger shipped with pretty much all current Braun shavers (model 492-XXXX), so it’s compact and the cord is adequately long.

Again, you can charge the shaver anywhere in the world thanks to the universal voltage converter (100-240v).

Speaking of charging, it takes approximately one hour to go from 0 to fully charged.

If you don’t have that time at your disposal, the 5 minute quick charge function will come in handy and charge the battery with just enough juice to complete one shave.

As mentioned previously, you won’t be able to shave with the razor connected to a power outlet.

The shavers that allow this are getting increasingly difficult to find as most are wet/dry models and have this feature disabled as a safety precaution.

The battery indicator on the Series 7 7071cc is a simple progress bar that shows the remaining battery.

It’s not anything special, but it is more useful than what the Series 7 had in the past.

Overall, Braun continues to be on top when it comes to battery life and the 7071cc doesn’t disappoint in that regard.

Shaving performance

The interest and hype around a new Braun Series 7 is clearly not surprising given the ubiquity and popularity of this line.

So let’s see how good the 7071cc actually is.

Closeness of the shave

One of the most important things to consider when choosing an electric razor is how close it can shave.

Traditionally, this area has never been one of the strong points of Braun shavers.

And the Series 7 7071cc continues on the same path.

Precisely, it is not the closest shaving razor at this price point.

Something like a Panasonic Arc 4 or Arc 5 will provide a closer shave, but they do come with their own specific caveats (more details in the alternative shavers section).

Getting back to the Braun 7071cc, the shaver is able to get quite close to the skin, especially on the cheeks.

And in all honesty, I think most users will find it satisfactory.

On areas with coarser facial hair (in my case these are the chin and the area right below the nose), the closeness could be better.

After a dry shave, I could feel some slightly rough patches, but again that would also happen with other more expensive shavers, including the previous Series 7 generation or Norelco’s top of the line models.

Things are somewhat better when using this razor with a pre-shave lotion or a quality shaving cream.

It’s not a huge difference, the main improvement being in the comfort department.

The takeaway is that the Braun Series 7 7071cc isn’t anything groundbreaking with regard to the closeness of the shave.

It gets adequately close and it will satisfy the needs of most users, but again, it’s not the best in that regard and definitely not an improvement over the older S7 models.

These new Series 7 models have received really positive user feedback, even when compared to their predecessors.

But one thing to keep in mind is that we’re dealing with a brand new shaver, while the older ones are probably not in the best shape (worn/dull blades, old batteries, etc.).

I tried to be as objective and unbiased as possible when testing the 7071cc, especially when I had to put it against the original Series 7.

And I just didn’t find it to be any better, at least not when it comes to the closeness of the shave.

Comfort

The Series 7 is synonymous with comfort and that was for many years its main advantage over the competition.

So a new Series 7 like the 7071cc reviewed here would have to be at least as good, right?

Well, it’s not. And therein lies the rub.

During my tests, the shaver was constantly a bit underwhelming in that regard.

When shaving dry, especially on sensitive areas like the neck, I would get some discomfort in the form of some pinching, stinging, and some post-shave redness and itching.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t by any means terrible, but definitely noticeable.

This happened especially when using faster strokes as opposed to slower, controlled ones.

And while the hair on my neck is thinner and not as dense as on my chin for example, that beard density sensor didn’t seem to make any changes to the shaver’s behavior.

Using short, slow strokes and very little pressure did reduce the discomfort significantly.

Another gripe I had with the Series 7 7071cc during a dry shave, was that the foils would get quite warm halfway through my shave.

Again, this is something I never experienced with the previous S7 models.

They didn’t get as hot as some Panasonic Arc 4 and Arc 3 models would, but it’s yet another area where the new S7 is not an improvement — on the contrary.

Using the Braun 7071cc with shaving cream was, on the other hand, a really pleasant surprise.

While with most Braun shavers adding shaving cream is not really worth the trouble, in this case, it improved my shave considerably.

While the closeness was only marginally improved, the comfort was sublime.

I got no discomfort at all and everything went super smooth.

So if you’re not averse to using shaving cream with electric razors, the Braun 7071cc will be a great performer.

It didn’t get clogged at all and I only had to rinse the head a couple of times.

In conclusion, the comfort of the shave was a bit disappointing, but mainly because I was expecting the best from a Series 7.

I would still recommend it to men with somewhat sensitive skin, but if you want the most comfortable foil shaver out there, this isn’t the one.

Shaving longer, flat-lying hairs

This is another area where the Series 7 was in my opinion an excellent performer.

Despite the fact that foil shavers have a disadvantage in these situations, the Series 7 was among the most capable ones for dealing with difficult hairs.

I am referring of course to those long, flat hairs that grow in different directions.

After testing pretty much all the foil shavers out there, the Series 7 was only bettered by the more expensive Series 9/9 Pro in this regard.

So with the new Series 7 7071cc, things should again be at least as good.

Well, unfortunately they aren’t.

The new shaver just doesn’t seem to be as effective as the previous one at capturing and cutting flat-lying hairs.

The culprit is in my opinion the middle trimmer that now has significantly shorter blades and doesn’t seem to be as good.

It takes more strokes to capture and cut the long hairs that lie flat on the skin.

In fact, I’d say that even the older Series 5 (not the 2020 range) is slightly better at this.

Again, using shaving cream improved the results considerably, so that’s one way to get around this.

Another one would be to simply shave more often.

If the hair is shorter, the shaver performs much better, even in the case of more wiry hairs with different grains.

So I would recommend getting the Braun 7071cc if you plan to use it regularly (for example, for shaving daily or every other day).

If you don’t have a lot of flat-lying hairs, you should be good using it less often as well.

Speed, ease of use and noise level

This Series 7 7071cc feels adequately torquey and nippy, so I’d say that it’s suitable for men with medium to coarser facial hair.

For anyone with very coarse, dense stubble, going for something like a Series 9 would make more sense.

But in most cases, the Braun 7071cc should be up to the task.

As mentioned before, the AutoSense sensor should modulate the power output of the motor depending on the coarseness of the hair.

I never managed to notice any changes as it seems to be running at full power all the time.

And that’s not necessarily bad. I doubt that a drop in power would make the shaver more comfortable for example.

However, the main problem that (at least in my case) leads to a longer shaving session (compared to my older S7) has to do with the new shaving head.

First of all, it is wider and more difficult to see exactly what you’re doing.

Secondly, the range of motion of the head and of the 3 cutters is relatively short, so it’s not as good as it could be at maintaining constant contact with the skin.

Previous Series 5 and 7 shavers are superior in this regard if you ask me.

And finally, the 7071cc needs more passes in order to get difficult hairs, like the ones that lie flat on the skin.

All these apparently small issues do impact the time it takes to complete a shave, which in my case was longer than average.

Despite the impressive 360 flexing head of these Series 7 models, it doesn’t seem to be any better than a basic up and down movement.

And again, the wide foil frame makes them a bit more cumbersome to use than other 3 blade foil razors, including the older versions.

Regarding the noise level, it is pretty good for a foil shaver, but nothing dramatically better.

It’s still loud, especially during use.

The Series 9 continues to be Braun’s quietest shaver in their current lineup.

Beard trimmer attachment

While most electric razors have an integrated trimmer, with the new Series 7, Braun changed its approach entirely and opted for these removable trimmer attachments.

They call it EasyClick and you’re essentially getting a separate trimmer and you must manually remove the cassette and insert it in its place.

The 7071cc only includes the beard trimmer, so no different-size combs for maintaining a beard.

Being rather large, at least when compared to a regular pop-up trimmer, the new attachment should be quite a bit better for pre-trimming an entire beard for example.

It also fits both ways (facing the front or the back of the shaver), which is very handy.

I wouldn’t recommend it as your main tool for maintaining a stubble beard though; first of all, the Braun 7071cc doesn’t include any combs.

Secondly, a dedicated beard trimmer would still perform much better.

I guess one of the models that come with a larger bundle of accessories like the 7075cc or 7085cc would work well if you alternate between a stubble beard and a clean-shaven look.

As for negatives, there’s still the inconvenience of manually removing the cassette and the trimmer when having to switch between them.

I sort of got better at it and just pry it from the top using my index finger — this seems to be a lot easier than just pulling the cassette/trimmer straight.

And I have to express my disappointment again for the lack of a better release mechanism, especially when considering the price point of the Series 7.

For example, Panasonic somehow managed to fit a pair of release tabs on their cheapie travel shavers that cost like a tenth of the Series 7.

Finally, the new EasyClick trimmer is not ideal for minor tweaks like shaping and trimming sideburns.

It’s not very nimble and doesn’t seem to cut the hairs as effectively as some integrated trimmers.

Again, Panasonic does this a lot better.

And there’s the issue of always having to carry around an extra item, so you could lose it or forget to pack it.

For these reasons, I would very much rather have an integrated pop-up trimmer.

I do however shave often and don’t need to maintain or pre-trim a beard.

And here’s a practical example of why I consider these click-on trimmers rather inconvenient.

When testing the 7071cc I had to deal with a couple of flat stray hairs that the foils just couldn’t catch.

Normally I would simply extend the trimmer with the shaver still running, cut them and carry on shaving.

With the 7071cc, I had to turn off the shaver, get the trimmer from the cabinet, remove the cassette (that was filled with hair clippings), snap the trimmer in place, cut the stubborn hairs, pry off the trimmer, put back the cassette and shave any remaining stumps.

That’s a lot of extra steps.

So in my opinion, the new EasyClick system on the Braun 7071cc isn’t ideal if you only need a trimmer for some quick touch-ups.

I personally miss having an integrated trimmer. But as mentioned before, the separate attachment could be useful if you need to trim your beard.

Cleaning and maintenance

The Braun 7071cc is one of the new Series 7 models that come with an automatic cleaning and charging station (alongside the 7085cc and 7075cc).

As such, you have to option to clean the shaver using the station or manually.

Automatic cleaning

Called a SmartCare center, the station appears to be based on the Series 3 cleaning station, featuring the same protruding arm and missing some of the old Series 7 features, like the 3 cleaning modes.

This was one of the details that made me skeptical about the performance of the new Series 7 even before using the shaver.

When I first saw the official images, the station immediately reminded me of my Series 3 3050cc. Which is odd, as the Series 3 is Braun’s entry-level family of shavers.

The large arm that holds the shaver in place makes the station less practical and more difficult to store or fit in your luggage.

Since there are no cleaning modes anymore, there aren’t any LED indicators on the station.

There’s only a single cleaning program, which in all honesty, is perfectly fine.

On the back of the station, right above the charging port, there’s a round button that pops open the station.

The cartridge must be inserted from the front (which I appreciate) until it snaps in place.

Make sure to remove the plastic cover from the cartridge before inserting it. I recommend storing that cover in a safe place as you’ll be needing it later on.

After that, close the station, connect the cord and you’re all set.

The shaver must be dry and free of any foam/soap before cleaning it in the station.

I also remove the cassette and gently tap the plastic frame on the sink to get rid of most of the hairs trapped inside.

In this way they don’t end up inside the cartridge. This is one of the simple things you can do in order to make the solution last longer.

I then insert the cassette back and place the shaver inside the station, with the front facing the holder.

Unlike other Braun shavers that feature a couple of contact pins on the back, the Series 7 7071cc doesn’t have any, so it uses the shaver’s charging port at the bottom to connect to the station.

Just placing the razor in the station doesn’t actually do anything.

You must press the button located at the top of the holder to physically connect the station to the shaver.

Once the button is pressed, the station automatically starts the cleaning process.

And the consequence of this system is that you cannot just charge the shaver anymore without cleaning it.

This is another minus for the new station as it makes it less practical than before.

The cleaning phase takes just under 3 minutes during which the shaver is turned on and off, while the cleaning fluid is pumped through the shaving head.

It is quite noisy despite the shaver itself being actually quieter than before. My guess is that the vibrations, along with the pump running amplify the perceived noise quite a lot.

Since there are no LED indicators on the station, the ring surrounding the button at the top of the station will actually light up in different colors to signal different statuses.

During cleaning, the ring will flash blue and will continue so while the shaver is charging.

When the cleaning fluid drops or the station considers that it’s too dirty, the ring will turn yellow. When that happens, you’ll still be able to use that cartridge at least a couple of times.

A red ring means that you must replace the cartridge.

Unlike the older stations, the SmartCare centers don’t have any active drying systems.

This means that the moisture will evaporate over the course of a few hours if you let the shaver sit in the station.

I personally prefer to take it out, remove the cassette and let it air dry.

I also remove the cartridge and put the cover back on as the alcohol-based fluid tends to evaporate faster than other detergent-based solutions.

Apart from the aforementioned minuses of the station, it’s still really good at cleaning the shaver and considering the price difference between the 7071cc and other models that don’t have it, I think it’s still worth getting it.

There are cheaper third-party cleaning solutions available, so the extra running costs will be pretty low as well.

And you really don’t have to use the station after every shave. You can clean the razor manually in the meantime and simply use the station like once a week for example.

In this manner you’ll be saving the cleaning fluid while avoiding dirt buildups in the cassette. Just make sure to put the cover back on the cartridge when it’s not in use.

Manual cleaning

You can also clean the Series 7 7071cc manually.

The process is pretty straightforward, but because the blades and foils cannot be separated, it could lead to some gunk remaining trapped inside the cassette.

That’s why I think the station is pretty handy to have.

Just like before, with the shaver turned off and disconnected from the cord, I recommend removing the cassette and gently tapping out the bulk of hairs.

Only tap the plastic frame on a surface and never the foils as they will get damaged.

You can also use the included brush, but only on the inside of the cassette, never directly on the foils.

After that, snap the cassette back in place, turn the shaver on and rinse it with warm tap water.

For more thorough cleaning, place a few drops of liquid soap on the foils, add some water and turn the shaver on for 15 to 20 seconds.

After that, rinse it under warm tap water while it’s still running.

Turn the shaver off, remove the cassette and give it a final rinse, inside out.

Shake off the excess water and let the parts air dry before storing the shaver.

That’s pretty much it.

One interesting thing I noticed while rinsing the razor was that a stream of water seemed to be coming out from the bottom.

On closer inspection, I saw two small holes inside the charging port, which apparently are part of an inner draining system.

Braun doesn’t mention anything explicitly about this, but it’s nevertheless a very interesting idea.

Lubrication

If you use the cleaning station on a regular basis, there’s no need to lubricate the shaver yourself.

The cleaning solution acts as a lubricant as well.

But if you use it rarely or not at all, it is recommended to do it in order to reduce the wear on the blades and to get the most out of your Series 7.

This is particularly important if you clean it with soap as doing so will remove any traces of lubrication.

You can use any light oil like sewing machine oil, clipper oil or a spray lubricant for electric shavers.

A single drop on each foil will suffice (and one on the blades of the trimmer attachment). Just make sure they are dry and turn the shaver on for a few seconds to distribute the oil evenly across the cutters.

Here’s a complete guide on how and when to lubricate your shaver.

Replacement parts availability

The Braun Series 7 7071cc uses a brand new shaving head (cassette) with the part number 73s (s standing for silver).

Other models in the Series 7 (2020 edition) come with the 73b part which is simply the black variation of the head, but otherwise absolutely identical to the 73s.

Unsurprisingly, the new cassettes aren’t available yet, with the 7071cc and co being recently released.

They don’t even show up on Braun’s website.

UPDATE: The 73s and 73b replacement heads are now readily available.

Braun 73s replacement head

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I am certain that they will become available and while there’s no info regarding the price, I think it will be pretty reasonable.

And it should be considering the quite obvious cost reduction measures (no release tabs, plastic frames).

The cleaning centers and the various attachments should be made available separately as well (that would definitely be beneficial for the user).

Again, at this point, you cannot buy them separately.

I will update the review once there’s any news in this regard.

Wrapup — Who should buy the 7071cc/7085cc?

First of all, I think it’s important to keep in mind that this new 360 Flex Series 7 update was released exclusively in the USA/Canada.

So the 7071cc, along with the rest of the variations may be more difficult to get.

Moreover, while they are quite reasonably priced, with transport and customs fees, the price advantage could very well disappear.

In this situation, you may be better off with one of the previous Series 7 shavers, like the tried and tested 790cc.

But if purchasing the shaver is not a problem, the Braun 7071cc/7085cc could be a compelling option.

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The performance is overall good, although during my tests it wasn’t quite as good as its predecessors.

I think it’s a decent option for someone just getting into (higher quality) Braun electric razors.

The closeness will be satisfactory for most users, but if you’re very demanding in that regard, I think a similarly priced Panasonic will yield better results (more details in the next section).

It’s very comfortable when used with shaving cream, but I didn’t find it quite as smooth during a dry shave.

If you have somewhat sensitive skin, I think you’ll be fine, but if the issue is more serious, I would recommend looking into other Braun models.

Finally, the performance on a three-day beard wasn’t stellar, so again I’d only consider the Series 7 7071cc for shaving more often.

There are other more capable razors that fare better with long and flat-lying hairs.

For current Series 7 users, an upgrade to the Braun 7071cc doesn’t make sense.

Strictly regarding the shaving performance, it’s not really an upgrade.

With that said, let’s check out some alternatives to the 7071cc.

Alternative shavers

Braun Series 8457cc

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Since the old Series 5 has been discontinued, the new Braun Series 8 is in my opinion a better alternative, especially when considering the price and performance ratio.

In my opinion, the S8 will be a better option for most users.

Here are a few key advantages over the Series 7 360 Flex:

• Slimmer shaving head
• Better performance with longer, flat hairs
• Integrated slide-out trimmer
• Head locking mechanism
• More practical cleaning station (you can charge the shaver without cleaning it, no protruding arm)
• More comfortable, slightly faster
• Head release buttons
• Widely available and reasonably priced cassettes
• Can be bought for less money
• Better cleaning station (active drying, 3 cleaning modes)

Looking at the facts objectively, it makes it really difficult to recommend the 7071cc over the 8457cc for example.

In my opinion, it’s a superior product in every way.

And that’s one of the biggest problems of the Braun 7071cc and of the new Series 7 in general: there are better options that may also cost less, like a solo Series 8.

Panasonic Arc 5 ES-LV65-S/ES-LV95-S

See the price on Amazon

The second generation Panasonic Arc 5 like the ES-LV65-S is another worthy alternative.

While the situations where I would recommend it over a Braun shaver are quite different, they’re still worth checking out.

If you’re mainly interested in getting a very close shave, don’t have very sensitive skin and tend to shave more often, you are likely to be happier with a Panasonic Arc 5.

You can opt for one with or without a cleaning station (depending on your budget).

Braun Series 7 790cc

See the price on Amazon

Finally, there’s the classic Series 7, a shaver that needs no further introduction.

It’s one of the most versatile, comfortable and reliable shavers out there, despite a couple of known problems.

Precisely, the poorly implemented head locking mechanism and the paint right below the head that would flake after years of exposure to the cleaning solution.

But other than that, you really can’t go wrong with it.

I find the performance to be better in every aspect, especially with regards to speed, comfort and how it deals with longer, flat, wiry hairs.

I also prefer its narrow shaving head and higher-quality cassette; even though it can only swivel up and down, it’s buttery smooth and just works.

For dry shaving, it’s probably my favorite electric razor, at least for the time being.

The 790cc or 7865cc are two of the best picks due to their availability and the inclusion of the excellent cleaning station.

UPDATE: the old Series 7 is again getting more and more difficult to find nowadays. Just like in the case of the old Series 5, the next best thing would be the Series 8 (any variation).