New Braun Series 7 vs The Original Series 7: Which One Is Better?

The Braun Series 7 is one of the most popular electric shavers of the past decade.

After years of incremental and minor updates, in January 2020, Braun finally (and suddenly) released a brand new Series 7 line.

But unlike the previous iterations, this one really is a new product from the ground up.

The new line is a complete departure in terms of design and ergonomics from Braun’s current electric razors.

But what really interests us is whether the new Braun Series 7 is actually better than the original, tried and tested Series 7 and whether it’s worth buying.

I have been using both generations for a few months and in this article, I will share everything you need to know in order to decide which one would be best for you.

This will be an in-depth comparison of the new Series 7 vs the original Series 7 version, presenting the key differences and the pros and cons of both generations in a useful and easy to grasp guide.

Side note: To see how these S7 generations stack up against the rest of the shavers in Braun’s lineup, you can check out my in-depth Braun comparison guide.

Let’s dive right in.

The new Braun Series 7: Same name, different shaver

The new, updated Braun Series 7 70.

As mentioned in the beginning, Braun launched the new Series 7 in early 2020.

The notorious Series 7 name stuck, although the new models have nothing to do with the original ones.

The updated shavers were initially only available in the USA & Canada.

Fortunately, they were released in Europe as well (starting July 2020).

In order to differentiate them from the original Series 7, the new model names all start with 70 (hence the Series 7 70): 7085cc, 7075cc, 7071cc, 7027cs, 7020s, etc.

I will sometimes refer to this new Series 7 as the Series 7 70 in order to differentiate it from the old generation.

The older generation razors have either a 3 digit name (followed by cc or s), like 790cc or 740s or they start with 78, like 7865cc or 7893s.

Here’s a table that summarizes the main differences between the new Series 7 70 models for the USA and Canada markets.

Model nameAccessoriesPrice
Series 7 7085cc (black)
7085cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (5 combs),
stubble trimmer (4 combs)
See on Amazon
Series 7 7075cc (black)
Braun Series 7 7075cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (5 combs)See on Amazon
Series 7 7071cc (silver)
Braun Series 7 7071cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (no combs)See on Amazon
Series 7 7020s (silver)
Braun Series 7 7020s
Beard trimmer (no combs)See on Amazon
Series 7 7027cs (silver)
Braun Series 7 7027cs
Charge stand, beard trimmer (5 combs)See on Amazon

Image credits: Braun USA

As usual, the models ending in cc come with an automatic cleaning & charging station, while the ones ending in s do not.

The novelty of the Series 7 70 is represented by the cs models that come with a basic charging stand instead of the cleaning center.

And here are the models available in Europe:

Model nameAccessoriesPrice
Series 7 70-B7850cc (blue)
Series 7 70-B7850cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (5 combs),
stubble trimmer (4 combs)
Amazon UK
Series 7 70-N7200cc (black)
Series 7 70-N7200cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (no combs)Amazon UK
Series 7 70-N1200s (black)
Series 7 70-N1200s
Beard trimmer (no combs)Amazon UK
Series 7 70-N7500cc (black)
Series 7 70-N7500cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (5 combs)
Series 7 70-S7500cc (silver)
Series 7 70-S7500cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (5 combs)
Series 7 70-S7200cc (silver)
Series 7 70-S7200cc
Cleaning station, beard trimmer (no combs)
Series 7 70-S7000cc (silver)
Series 7 70-S7000cc
Cleaning station
Series 7 70-S4862cs (silver)
Series 7 70-S4862cs
Charge stand, beard trimmer (no combs),
stubble trimmer (3 combs), body trimmer
(2 combs)
Series 7 70-S4820cs (silver)
Series 7 70-S4820cs
Charge stand, beard trimmer (no combs),
stubble trimmer (3 combs)
Series 7 70-S4320cs (silver)
Series 7 70-S4320cs
Charge stand, beard trimmer (no combs),
facial cleansing brush
Series 7 70-S4200cs (silver)
Series 7 70-S4200cs
Charge stand, beard trimmer (no combs)
Series 7 70-N4000cs (black)
Series 7 70-N4000cs
Charge stand
Series 7 70-B1200s (blue)
Series 7 70-B1200s
Beard trimmer (no combs)
Series 7 70-S1200s (silver)
Series 7 70-S1200s
Beard trimmer (no combs)
Series 7 70-N1000s (black)
Series 7 70-N1000s
-
Series 7 70-S1000s (silver)
Series 7 70-S1000s
-

Image credits: Braun.com

Important: the European models are country-specific, meaning that only some of them will be available in your country. For example, in the UK you can only get the 70-N1200s, 70-N7200cc, and 70-B7850cc.

Performance-wise, all the Braun Series 7 70 shavers are identical.

As shown in the tables above, the differences only consist of color and accessories.

There are also no quality/performance differences between the European and the USA/Canada shavers (apart from the included chargers that have EU or USA plugs, respectively).

While all the models include a common set of accessories (charger, travel case, cleaning brush), there are some accessories specific to certain models (like body trimmer attachments, facial cleansing brushes, or stubble trimmers).

You can refer to the two tables above for a breakdown of the accessories included with each model.

Most of the Series 7 70 variations come with different size combs that you can attach to the trimmer so you can achieve the desired beard length. We will take a close look at them later on.

Let’s now get back to what interests us the most — the main differences between the new versus the OG Series 7.

New Braun Series 7 (360 Flex) vs Original Series 7 Comparison

New versus old Series 7 models.

1. Design, build quality and ergonomics

The old Series 7, while still a very capable and relevant electric shaver after all these years, was getting a bit long in the tooth.

At least from a design perspective, it seemed a bit dull and outdated.

The new 2020 Series 7 looks more modern and more in line with the current offerings from the competition.

New and old Series 7 design.
The new Series 7 (left) next to the original model (right).

The design language is also completely different from the likes of Braun’s other current lines of electric razors (like the Series 9, 8 or 5).

That same design approach trickled down to the rest of Braun’s releases from 2020, precisely the new Series 6 and 5.

The body of the Series 7 70 is thinner and sculpted to allow for a better grip. The shaver is also lighter than the original S7 by approximately 30 grams.

Just like its predecessor, the new shaver is also made in Germany.

The old Series 7 had a thick, shorter, chunky body that despite its substantial girth, still ensured excellent ergonomics, mainly thanks to the very generous and grippy rubberized surface that covered most of the body.

The original and new Series 7 profile comparison.
The original and new Series 7 profile comparison.

On the new Series 7, the top half of the shaver’s back and the sides feature a dimpled rubber surface, while a rubberized thumb rest area on the front further enhances the grip.

In my experience, both are perfectly adequate in this regard.

Another important area that saw a massive overhaul is the shaving head.

While the new Series 7 70 still comes with a familiar 3 blade shaving system, with two foils and one middle trimmer, the similarities end there.

Braun Series 7 shaving head comparison.

The old Series 7 had a very slim and nimble shaving head that could only swivel up and down.

However, despite the very basic flexing capabilities, it was one of the best and most ergonomic implementations and made the razor extremely easy and enjoyable to use.

The large range of motion of the shaving head, along with the very slim head and the independently moving shaving elements, made the old Series 7 one of the best foil shavers for maintaining contact with the skin with minimal effort.

The old Series 7 shaving head showcasing the large range of motion.
The old Series 7 shaving head showcasing the large range of motion.

Even beginners could use it and it worked perfectly fine for men with more prominent facial features.

Upon a first look, the new Series 7 appears to have an advantage thanks to a more complex shaving head.

Called 360° Flex, the head can also swivel from left to right in addition to the up and down motion.

The new S7 head.

However, I didn’t find this new system particularly useful in practice.

First of all, the up and down range of motion is quite limited (compared to the original Series 7). And the new left to right movement is even more limited:

The left to right flexing head of the new S7.

Secondly, while not that obvious from the photos, the head of the new Series 7 is wider and thus not as nimble, especially when shaving below the jawline or around the sideburns.

Thirdly, the three shaving elements don’t move as easily as the ones of the older Series 7.

The Series 7 70 vs original Series 7 shaving head.

Again, these differences may not be obvious from the images, but they are noticeable when you actually use the shavers side by side.

The shaving head was actually the first thing that caught my attention when I first saw the official product photos of the new Series 7 360° Flex (and not necessarily in a good way).

While on the old Series 7 there was a release button on the side of the allowing you to easily remove the head, there’s no such feature on the new S7.

The release button on the old Braun Series 7.
The release button on the old Braun Series 7.

Precisely, on the Series 7 70, the shaving unit (called cassette) is friction fitted and you must simply use brute force to remove it.

The new Series 7 uses a new shaving head, called 73s (silver) or 73b (black).

You have to grab it by the scalloped edges of the frame between your thumb and pointing finger and pull it straight from the shaver.

Removing the cassette from the new Series 7 70 takes more work.
Removing the cassette from the new Series 7 70 takes more work.

And sometimes it’s a real fuss to remove it, requiring a lot of force and there’s not much leverage or grip. If your hands are wet or covered in foam/lather, that’s even worse.

I found that using a fingernail and prying it off works better.

Ditching the release button was a cost-cutting decision in my opinion.

Another cost-cutting solution is the use of plastic for the foil frames instead of metal.

I am referring strictly to the parts surrounding the individual cutting elements (micro-foils).

The 73s cassette of the new Series 7 70 (left) next to the old 70s cassette of the original Series 7 (right).
The 73s cassette of the new Series 7 70 (left) next to the old 70s cassette of the original Series 7 (right).

On the older Series 7, the foils are held in stainless steel frames, which is definitely more difficult and more expensive to manufacture than injecting plastic into a mold.

The quality of the older cassette is also reflected in the way the three shaving elements move so easily and smoothly on the original Series 7.

On the new 73s/73b cassettes, the motion is jerkier and requires more force.

The new and older cassettes are not interchangeable, so you cannot use the older one on the new shavers and vice-versa.

Finally, the special setup that allows the so-called 360° Flex must be very sturdy and reliable.

The head is suspended on two slanted mounts (the outer ones in the image below), while the one in the middle houses the shaft that drives the blades.

The two struts that allow the actual flexing of the head appear to be made of metal.

At this point, it is premature to say how well it will last in time when subjected to daily use.

All in all, I personally prefer the simple, more useful and more user-friendly approach of the original Series 7.

That one also had a head locking mechanism that prevented the head from moving.

It was a rather poorly implemented system though as the mechanism would simply break if you tried to move the head from the locked position. But at least it was there if you needed it.

Still related to ergonomics, the latest Series 7 finally has a travel lock that you can activate by pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds.

The original Series 7 never got this feature, quite common on mid-range to high-end razors.

The battery level indicator on the S7 70 is also clearer and more useful, but still far from the excellent percentage display on some Panasonic shavers for example.

The Series 7 70 battery level indicator versus the old one.

Overall, the build quality is similar in my opinion, with the older Series 7 feeling just a bit sturdier, but nothing dramatically better.

However, I feel like the original cassette was definitely superior in quality and craftsmanship.

I will update the post as I continue to use the new shaver and report any reliability issues if that will be the case.

2. Cleaning station

When comparing the new Braun Series 7 vs the old one, we cannot leave out the cleaning stations as those have also been modified radically.

And again, in my opinion, this isn’t necessarily a good change.

The new Braun Series 70 cleaning station is now called a SmartCare Center (type 5434) and if we place it next to the old Series 7 station, the main difference it’s pretty obvious.

The SmartCare Center (left) next to the previous Series 7 cleaning station (right).
The new SmartCare Center (left) next to the previous Series 7 cleaning station (right).

On the redesigned station there’s now a protruding arm that holds the shaver in place.

It’s the exact same system as the one on the entry-level Series 3 cleaning stations. That’s not really a good sign if you ask me.

Moreover, while on the original Series 7 station you could just charge the shaver without cleaning it, on the new one you can’t.

Basically, just placing the shaver in the station won’t do anything since the charging is done via the port at the bottom of the shaver (it lacks the two contact pins of the old Series 7).

You must press the button on the top of the arm that essentially locks the shaver and physically connects it to the station, while also starting the cleaning cycle.

The new Series 7 during the cleaning process, while the old one is just charging.
The new Series 7 during the cleaning process, while the old one is just charging.

The original Series 7 razors conveniently connect to the station via the pair of metal studs on the back.

There are also no buttons or indicators on the Series 7 70 station.

So from the get-go, the new station seems less practical. The striking similarities to the old Series 3 station are (again) an indication of some cost reduction measures.

Fun fact: the exact same station of the new Series 7 (type 5434) is included with the Series 6 as well. This is the first time when two separate lines of Braun shavers share the same station.

The station of the original Series 7 was among the best out there. And still is to some degree.

While the first S7 stations (now discontinued, part number 81365080) came with a quick clean option and an inductive drying system, the current stations don’t anymore.

However, they’re still pretty good.

With the 2020 Series 7 stations, gone are also the 3 cleaning modes (Short, Normal, and Intensive) that the station would select automatically.

There’s only one standard cleaning setting.

In my opinion, the new Series 7 station is a step back from the original one.

And also from a practical point of view, the SmartCare center is more difficult to store and to travel with because of that long protruding arm.

On the bright side, the station is still really good at cleaning and lubricating the shaver. It uses the same CCR cartridges and the cleaning process lasts less than 3 minutes.

The new solo Series 7 models (7020s, 7027cs, 70-N1200s, etc.) will also work with the new cleaning center.

So you can purchase one later on (in case Braun will make the stations available separately) or use the one of an existing Series 7 70 cc shaver.

It’s the same situation with the old Series 7 solo models — they will also work with a compatible station.

The old Series 7 shavers will obviously not work with new cleaning centers (and vice-versa).

3. Included accessories

Apart from the usual goodies included with both Series 7 generations (like cleaning brushes, chargers and travel cases), the new Series 7 2020 models bring yet another major change.

Almost all Series 7 70 razors come with a separate beard trimmer and various other comb attachments (depending on the model).

While the old Series 7 featured a retractable pop-up trimmer, the new one ditched it completely in favor of this trimmer attachment that Braun calls EasyClick.

The accessories that come with The Braun Series 7 70 7075cc. Image credits: Braun.com
The accessories that come with The Braun Series 7 70 7075cc. Image credits: Braun.com

But to be perfectly honest, after using the trimmer of my new Series 7 unit, easy is not the first word that comes to mind. Fiddly is more suitable for the whole experience.

I personally prefer built-in slide-out or pop-up trimmers.

Original Series 7 trimmer.
Original Series 7 trimmer.

They’re always there when needed, you can’t lose them or forget to pack them and you don’t have to constantly yank out the shaving head and snap the trimmer in its place.

I guess I wouldn’t nitpick on it if Braun would have fitted a release button like on the old S7.

But getting back to the attachment themselves, the new S7 70 models come with the beard trimmer (called a Precision trimmer) and up to 5 combs.

The only exceptions seem to be the European 70-S1000s and 70-N1000s that don’t come with one.

The new Series 7 with the beard trimmer attachment in place.
The new Series 7 with the beard trimmer attachment.

The trimmer simply snaps in place instead of the cassette.

My Series 7 is the 7071cc model which doesn’t include any combs, just the trimmer itself.

The 7085cc is sort of the range-topping model in the USA/Canada as it comes with the most accessories and also includes a stubble trimmer and 4 special combs for it (on top of the standard 5).

Similarly, the Series 7 70-B7850cc is the most feature-packed model in Europe.

Please refer to the tables above for a complete overview of these accessories.

As for performance and how useful are these new beard attachments, that really depends on the user’s needs.

For example, I shave pretty often and I don’t have a beard, so in my case, a click-on beard trimmer doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

I do need a trimmer to shape and tweak my sideburns, but for that, I would rather use a pop-up trimmer like the one on the previous Series 7 models.

For some light grooming and touch-ups, I found them easier to use and more convenient since I don’t have to swap shaving heads.

So I would actually prefer the old Braun Series 7 with the built-in hair trimmer.

However, if let’s say you shave less often and you need to pre-trim your beard or maintain a goatee or even a beard, these attachments will work a lot better.

Depending on your needs, you should opt for a model that also includes more combs or even the stubble trimmer.

So far these accessories aren’t available to purchase separately, but they might be in the future (like in the case of the Series 3 BT).

Also worth mentioning is that the 2020 Series 7 comes with a similar textile hard travel case as the old ones.

It’s quite useful, well-built and it will actually accommodate both the shaver and the trimmer (props to Allan for the heads-up).

There’s no room for the charger though, so you will have to pack it separately.

4. Performance

The new versus the old Series 7 comparison really comes down to shaving performance.

Other aspects are important as well, but if you plan on buying a new Series 7 or you’re wondering whether you should upgrade your old Series 7, performance is probably what interests you the most.

Since it’s a rather complex topic, I will break it down into several chunks.

Closeness of the shave

The Series 7 and Braun shavers in general aren’t quite the best out there when it comes to closeness (although most users will find it perfectly adequate).

So it was only reasonable to expect some improvements from a brand new Series 7.

Well, I personally haven’t noticed any with regards to closeness throughout my tests.

I even shaved half my face with the old Series 7 and the other half with the new one and I honestly couldn’t find any significant differences.

The result is not surprising at all to me given all the hints about the new Series 7 (360 Flex head) mentioned above.

It’s not by any means a bad shaver, on the contrary, I think the closeness will be good enough for most men.

But again, if you were hoping for a closer shave from the new Braun Series 7, that’s not going to happen.

In fact, on certain areas where my facial hair is very dense and thick (like below the nose), the old one was maybe even slightly better.

My old Series 7 7865cc that I’ve owned and used constantly for the past 4 years appeared to get a bit closer and give a smoother shave.

Braun Series 7 7865cc.
Braun Series 7 7865cc.

It could also be due to the slimmer head and the higher quality cutting elements.

So in terms of closeness, I’d say they are on par, with maybe the original series having the edge in several situations (for example, when shaving a coarser beard).

Comfort

The Braun Series 7 was for many years the benchmark when it came to comfort.

It was just in a class of its own and the razors from Philips and Panasonic just couldn’t match it.

Only the more expensive and newer Series 9 managed to be marginally better, so beating the Series 7 at its own game will be a challenge for the 2020 Series 7 generation.

And while it’s definitely a comfortable and gentle shaver, the old one is still ahead in my opinion.

This is particularly obvious when shaving very sensitive areas.

In my case, that would the neck.

With my old Series 7, I was able to shave dry with minimal to no discomfort, even in the high power speed setting which shouldn’t be used for shaving sensitive areas.

The foils never got hot even after a long shave.

I’ve been using this particular shaver for years, so there’s definitely some wear on the foils and blades which normally could cause them to get hot. But that was never the case.

The new Series 7 was perfectly comfortable on the cheeks, chin, and jawline, but occasionally not quite as smooth on the neck.

This happened especially when I used faster strokes, causing some stinging and pinching. But interestingly, this almost never happened with my old Series 7 razors.

I was able to reduce the discomfort by using slower, more controlled strokes on the neck, but the takeaway is that the older shaver was more forgiving.

And while it didn’t cause me serious discomfort, the foils of the new shaver got noticeably warmer during use.

All in all, the new generation is clearly suitable for sensitive skin as well, but again, it didn’t outperform the old Series 7.

Shaving longer, flat-lying hairs

One of the key advantages of the Series 7 (apart from comfort) was its ability to cut longer, flat-lying hairs.

It was surprisingly good for a 3-blade foil shaver and clearly better than anything from the competition.

That middle trimmer with its unique design and wide slits was the main reason for this.

The new Series 7 cassette (left) vs the oder one (right).
The new Series 7 cassette (left) vs the older one (right).

The Series 7 70 appears to have a similar system, but on closer inspection, we can see some interesting differences.

The middle trimmer appears to have significantly smaller slits.

And again, it looks almost identical to the one on the Series 3.

Moreover, it uses the same plastic guide micro-comb that surrounds the trimmer and supposedly feeds the hairs to the cutters.

To put it bluntly, the trimmer appears to be taken straight from the Series 3. Here’s a side by side image of the two (the Series 7 cassette on top):

The new Series 7 cassette (73s) next to the similarly looking Series 3 cassette.
The new Series 7 cassette (73s) next to the similarly-looking Series 3 cassette.

But most importantly, in real-life use, it again failed to match the performance of the original Braun Series 7.

Long and flat hairs on the neck required more strokes in order to get a clean shave, while the old shaver managed to cut them a lot faster.

In the case of short and relatively straight hairs, the differences are negligible, but if you shave less often and have patches where the hair grows parallel to the skin and in different directions, the old Series 7 is still the better option.

Speed

Basically, we’re simply interested in how long it takes to complete a shave using one versus the other S7.

And there’s really no nuance to this comparison — the old Series 7 is just better.

It sounds and feels (and essentially is) faster.

Besides the actual motor output (Braun doesn’t provide the specs, so I can only assume this), there are other factors that contribute to a faster shave in the case of the original Braun Series 7.

The most important one is in my opinion the design of the shaving head.

The original Series 7 shaving head.

Despite the new one looking very impressive with its 360 degrees flexing capabilities, in practice, the old one just seems to work better.

The head tapers towards the foils which stick out more and you can actually see them touching the skin during use, allowing for greater control and precision.

On the new Series 7, the micro-foils don’t stick out as much and the wide chrome-plated foil frame surrounding them gets in the way and sometimes you can’t really see the foils.

The new Series 7 with its wider foil frame and head.

Also, for some reason, the new shaving head just doesn’t glide as easily over the skin. It tends to get a bit stuck even when there’s minimal moisture, causing the stroke to be jerkier.

My guess is that the plastic surrounding the middle trimmer and foils is the culprit as plastic tends to drag more on the skin than metal.

The wide head, along with the (presumably slower motor) and the smaller range of motion of the head and of the actual shaving elements, prevent the updated Series 7 to be faster (and more enjoyable to use) than the original one.

This was constantly my experience after comparing both Series 7 generations over a couple of months.

Again, I am not trying to bash the new one or to imply that it’s not a good shaver. It’s just not better than the current one.

AutoSense versus Speed settings

Series 7 AutoSense vs Speed settings.

The very first Series 7 shavers (circa 2007) didn’t have any beard density sensors or speed settings — just a good old-fashioned power button, as basic as it gets.

With the next iterations, Braun fitted the Series 7 with either 3 or 5 speed settings (in the case of the later 78xx models).

Basically, you could adjust the power output of the motor via two buttons from Low to High-intensity depending on the area you’re about to shave.

The original Braun Series 7 (pictured a model with 5 speed settings).
The original Braun Series 7 (pictured is a model with 5 speed settings). The power LED would change its intensity/color depending on the setting.

In practice, since the original Series 7 was already very gentle and comfortable, the lower speed settings didn’t make much sense for most users.

For example, I always use my Series 7 in the highest power setting, even when I shave my neck and it’s still perfectly smooth and gentle.

The lower settings just make the shaver slower.

Braun ditched these speed settings in favor of a beard density sensor for the 2020 Series 7 models called AutoSense Technology.

The AutoSense Technology of the updated Series 7.
Image credits: Braun.com

Instead of manually adjusting the power of the shaver, it is now done automatically. Or so it should.

I never really noticed the sensor at work whenever I used the new Series 7.

Maybe the adjustments were just so small that I wasn’t able to detect them. Either way, to me it always seemed like the shaver was running at full speed.

Which again is fine as the new Series 7 70 is also comfortable for most of the time.

The takeaway is that both approaches are rather gimmicky and you shouldn’t pay too much attention to either.

The Series 7 would probably perform just as well with no sensors or speed settings.

Noise level

The new Braun Series 7 is objectively quieter than the old one (running in the highest setting) by a few decibels.

The noise it makes during use has a lower frequency and it’s raspier, while the old one has a higher pitch.

This is consistent with my assumption that the original Series 7 has a faster and torquier motor.

So the Series 7 70 is reasonably good in this regard for a foil shaver, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking. It still makes a lot of noise, especially when cutting the actual hairs.

The S9 remains in my opinion Braun’s quietest electric shaver.

5. Availability and value for money

Since the 2020 Series 7 was originally a USA & Canada exclusive release, things weren’t looking great from an availability point of view.

For many months there was no sign that the Series 7 70 will be released outside these two countries.

You could of course import it, but that wouldn’t be as easy as buying the shaver locally. There are freight charges, possible customs fees and so on.

Luckily, the shavers are now available in most countries.

Interestingly, only the new Series 7 is listed on the Braun USA website, while the original Series 7 models (78xx) were removed from the website completely.

It’s the same with Braun UK where only the latest Series 7 are listed.

So far both generations can be bought in the USA and Europe from various retailers, but we shall see if that changes in the future.

As for costs, the new Series 7 shavers are priced lower than the ongoing models, at least in the USA/Canada.

And they really should be given the previously mentioned cost reduction measures (particularly the cleaning centers and the shaving heads/cassettes).

So the buying price could be an argument for getting the new Series 7 instead of one of the original models.

The cost of ownership should be lower as well; I’m mainly referring to the replacement shaving heads (cassettes) since the SmartCare stations use the same cartridge refills (there are cheap third-party solutions available as well).

The new cassettes used by the Series 7 70 (73s and 73b) are now available and the price is usually lower than the old 70s/70b cassettes of the original Series 7.

Braun Series 7 73s cassette

Series 7 73s cassette.

See the price on Amazon

In my opinion the production costs are lower (no cassette release button, plastic instead of metal), so that should be reflected in the price as well.

The old Braun Series 7, as well as the cassettes (70s and 70b) are widely available and can be easily bought pretty much anywhere in the world.

Braun Series 7 70s cassette

braun-70s-cassette

See the price on Amazon

And my guess is that they will continue so for many years to come.

Conclusion — Which Series 7 (old or new) should you buy?

I think we can all agree that the latest Braun Series 7 from 2020 is a completely new line that has nothing to do with the original Series 7 (apart from using the same name).

It feels like a line of shavers in its own right that could (and should) live alongside the old Series 7.

In my opinion, naming this new family of shavers Series 7 wasn’t the right decision (from a user perspective) because it doesn’t make much sense.

Calling it something like Series 6 for example would have been more appropriate.

The price is lower and the performance isn’t quite as good compared to the original generation.

The Series 7 name does however have a lot of brand equity and it will nevertheless give the 2020 models a boost.

But getting back to which one should you actually get, I think it depends on the use case.

Current Series 7 owners (the original models) should probably stick to their shaver.

Strictly from a performance perspective, getting the new Series 7 isn’t justified.

I found my older Series 7 to be consistently faster, more comfortable, more enjoyable and easier to use.

Objectively speaking and strictly with regards to shaving performance, the old Braun Series 7 is the better razor.

So at least in my experience, getting the Braun Series 7 70 will not really be an upgrade.

I don’t think it’s worth the hassle, again since the performance wasn’t actually improved.

For a new user, however, the Series 7 70 shavers could be a compelling option.

The price is right and they’re good shavers overall.

Interestingly, the prices are quite a bit higher in Europe, at least for now.

As for which one I would personally choose, the older Series 7 is the more suitable option in my case.

The better shaving performance, more practical cleaning station and the integrated pop-up trimmer definitely tip the scale in its favor.

I would gladly pay more for these, considering that I’ll be using the shaver for many years (as I did with many of my Series 7 razors).

As for which models from each generation to get, well, that comes down to your needs and budget.

If you won’t be needing to trim your beard, I would go for one of the cheaper Series 7 70 cc with fewer accessories like the 7071cc or another similar European model.

Braun Series 7 7071cc

Braun Series 7 7071cc

See the price on Amazon

Again, I’m not too fond of the new station with its fewer features and that protruding arm.

So while I would normally recommend a cc Series 7, a solo Series 7 70 is a good option too.

From the original Series 7, you can’t go wrong with the 790cc or 7865cc.

Braun Series 7 790cc

Braun Series 7 790cc

See the price on Amazon

It comes with that excellent cleaning station and it’s usually available in many countries.

As an alternative, the 7865cc is just as good (it comes with 5 speed settings instead of 3).

If the cleaning station is not a must-have, some of the solo models like the 7893s can be found at a lower price.

Since the cost should always be a decisive factor, make sure to do some research before pulling the trigger on a particular model.

The performance throughout a series (be it the original or the new one) is the same, so get a cheaper model if it meets your requirements (wet/dry use, cleaning station, accessories, etc.).

Hopefully this post will clear some of the confusion regarding the new Series 7 vs the current generation and help you make the right decision.

If you have other questions, make sure to post them in the comments below.

Article by

Hey. I’m Ovidiu, the founder and editor of ShaverCheck. I independently buy and test electric shavers and I’ve been sharing my findings on this site for more than 10 years, hopefully helping others choose a suitable shaver.

If you found the information useful, consider subscribing to the ShaverCheck newsletter as well. It’s free and I only send a few emails a year. Unsubscribe at any time.

133 thoughts on “New Braun Series 7 vs The Original Series 7: Which One Is Better?”

Leave a comment
  1. Thanks for the in depth review!

    How would you say it performs for sensitive skin as compared to the ARC 5?

    Is the cleaning station a must like you’ve written about other Braun models (Including the previous 7 series)? Or can you manage without it with the new cassette?

    Thanks again for the great review!

    Reply
    • Hi Avi,

      Thank you for your comment, glad you found the article useful.

      To me, it still feels a bit more comfortable than an Arc 5 like the ES-LV65 but similar to the newer ones (the models with the golden rollers).

      As for how necessary is the cleaning station, the shavers still come with a cassette that integrates the blades and foils in the same piece, so it’s pretty much the same story. No station is absolutely necessary, but with most Braun shavers, I think it’s quite useful for giving the shaver a thorough cleaning every once in a while. It’s just that the new Series 7 station is not quite as practical as the older one. But I would still rather have it, especially since some cc models (like the 7071cc) don’t cost a lot more than the solo version.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
      • Sounds good. I wonder whether things will be different for the new Series 5 which has a new “Easy clean” system that looks interesting.

        Reply
        • I will definitely cover that in the review of the new Series 5. I already have it (and also the Series 6), I just didn’t get the chance to try them yet.

          Reply
      • I appreciate the comprehensive review. This explains a lot. I’ve always heard great things about the series 7 but apparently waited too long to make the switch from my Panasonic Arc 5. The online pricing of the Braun series 7 is all over the place! The older versions cost significantly more at around $179 to $229 and the newer version run more like $129 to $169. Interestingly enough, the stand alone 7020 is exactly the same price as the 7071cc with the included smart care system, which is what I purchased. We’ll see how effective it is. Visually I’m not impressed as it does look like a flexible head series 3. Thanks for the review.

        Reply
        • Thank you for your comment, Timothy. That is true, the older Series 7 is more expensive, but in its defense, it is a better shaver. As I said in the article, I was rather disappointed with the performance of the new model. I hope you’ll be happier with the results though.

          Sincerely,
          Ovidiu

          Reply
    • Thanks for the great review. I have a 7071 on order as a replacement for my older 760, which I should receive next week. I originally considered the 9 Series, but just could not justify the high price more than double the 7071. I will let you know what I think of the new one after I try it for awhile.

      Reply
    • I recently bought the pansonic L 95. I had no problem with it even with sensitive skin. I used with and without pre electric saving lotion. It best shaver I ever owned. Never going back to Norelco shaver. U say Braun better with sensitive skin . But have not had any problem with Panasonic. It is a bit heavier than other shaver I used. It easy to clean. Not tried cleaning station yet. Cause it easier to clean than Braun shaver. Because of your review I went with the pansonic closet shaver than others.

      Reply
      • Hi Todd,

        The LV95 is a really good shaver, especially the closeness. I too have problems with most rotary razors and I would choose a decent foil shaver over a rotary any day. I do however find Braun shavers gentler and more forgiving if you have very sensitive skin compared to Panasonic. That doesn’t mean of course you can’t get a perfectly comfortable shave with one. Enjoy your LV95, seems like you made a great choice.

        Sincerely,
        Ovidiu

        Reply
  2. I am a satisfied owner of a Braun 7840 model. I use it with foam, to reduce problems with my sensitive skin, one time in three days. After using it for 15 months, the performances are quite the same (good) of as new. A bit too much noisy, but efficient shaving. Accurate head rinse and lubrication after each use, with drying of water, no problem except for some moist traces into the center of the on-off button, where is located the led indicator. I think i’ll use this piece till the end of it’s of lifetime. Thank you for publishing these articles in a so accurate way!

    Reply
    • Hi Giovanni,

      Thank you for your comment. Glad to know you’re satisfied with your Series 7, I had a similar experience with my own S7 shavers through the years. Excellent, consistent performance without any major problems.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  3. Terribly comprehensive article as always. It was a great read and it will be a trusted source of information for the future.

    Thank you very much!

    Reply
  4. Thanks for a great review.
    I just purchased my second Series 7 Razor, and when I saw the title of your review I thought that you were going to tell me that I should have waited.
    I have a Braun Series 5, and several other brand electric shavers. My experience is that the Panasonics with the 4 heads gave a closer shave than the Brauns, but were irritating to my skin. The Remingtons were also a contender, giving a close shave (At a really reasonable price) but sounded like a buzz saw.
    Overall, the Braun Series 7 is my choice for the best shave, and long lasting, quite, and clean.
    Keep testing, and I’ll keep reading.

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, Bob. I think you made the right choice by going for another classic Series 7. My experience with those brands has been pretty much the same as yours.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  5. Thanks Ovidiu for continually writing unbiased reviews. I’m in the hunt for an electric shaver; coming from using handheld manual shavers, it’s a tough decision. I tried the Panasonic Arc5, but returned it after one shave. Now realizing that I’ll never get the closeness of my straight edge, I’m going to try the Braun 9 Series. I read the review you posted comparing the new 9300 to the 9200 series and I’m probably going with the 9295 shaver. After reading the review about the new 7 series, I believe Braun intentionally made this shaver for millennials. It’s less expensive and the tell tail signs are less expensive parts, particularly speaking about the plastic head. Again, thanks again for your great reviews and I’ll reach out to you about my dealings with the Braun 9295.

    Reply
    • Hi Barry,

      You are very welcome, glad you found the information useful. I also have to agree with what you said. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Series 9.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  6. Ovidiu, excellent review. I appreciate your efforts. You would think a guy with over 6 decades of shaving would have it figured out. Based on your reviews I bought a Arc 5 Panasonic. Been using for several months. Tried various creams, lather. Works great, but I have developed my new go to shaving mode.
    I start by wetting the whiskers, then apply Tree Hut Moisturizing Shave Oil. I use my Gillette Pro Fusion 5 blade razor. 2-3 minute shave. I then use the Arc 5 to get areas that are harder to get at with the razor. Talk about a clean,smooth result, unmatched in my experience. The shave oil really works and my skin seems to appreciate my new method.
    Hey, thanks for letting me share.
    Nick

    Reply
    • Hey Nick,

      Many thanks for your comment. That’s a very interesting routine, especially with the addition of the oil (I will have to try it myself as I mentioned in a previous email). As long as it works great, you’re definitely doing it right.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  7. Thanks, Ovidu, for continuing your hard work in the area of Braun information. I bought my Series 7 about 18 months ago, largely in response to the thorough analysis on Shavercheck. After many years with over-priced Norelco shavers and brief detours to Panasonic and other brands I discovered that the Series 7 was the best razor I had ever used. I still think so. I use the cleaning station once a week so as to minimize extra expenditures. That seems to work well for me.
    Again, we all owe you a great debt for your consistent efforts. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Bert,

      Many thanks for your kind comment, much appreciated. I totally agree, the classic Series 7 still continues to be an excellent all-around electric shaver.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  8. Thanks Ovidiu for a very thorough comparison.
    Is the new Series 7 razor made in Germany?

    I look forward to your review of the new Series 6 and Series 5.

    I have been using a 5190cc for the past two years and I am very happy with it.
    regards,
    Ben

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, Ben. Yes, the new Series 7 is still made in Germany (and so are the other 2020 models, the new S6 and S5).

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  9. Great review as always Ovidiu. I actually found my 7071 gave me a closer shave than my Series 9, and the 360 head did function as advertised. I noticed that the foils protrude a bit further on the new 7, so it’s easier to push too hard without realizing it, and a lighter touch is required (which may account for heating up) .

    Several things I didn’t like about the older Series 7 (which I still have), included the flimsy popup trimmer that broke on my original, the too-delicate head lock, the wonky battery indicator and the paint dissolving in the cleaner. I agree about the build – Braun could have taken a lesson from the older cassette and used metal separators on the head, but longevity is still a question with the 73. Overall, I like this version better than either my older 7 or the Series 9 as far as the shave, but the older Brauns are more robustly made. The head is a little larger than the older 7, but a little smaller than the 9, so an easy switch for me.

    The simplicity of the display bothered me until I realized I never really pay attention to either my bar indicator in the 9, or the very precise percentages on my Panasonic LVs – I usually just shave and drop all of them into the cleaner to clean and recharge. I find whether I’m looking at a disappearing bar or a diminishing percentage matters not at all to me, although it might be useful on the road without a charger.

    I also agree on the brute-force head removal – it takes some getting used to, although I think I’ve just about mastered it – you sort of tilt it off, but push it straight on. I do like a removable trimmer (like my Norelcos), because they’re easy to replace when they get dull or break, without buying a new shaver, and they do reduce the bulk of the shaver body, but they are more inconvenient. The carrying case (at least mine does) indeed has a slot for the trimmer, which adds somewhat to the thickness.

    As far as the cleaning station, that also took some adjustment. I’m used to a cleaner with an arm on my Norelcos, but you could recharge the shaver without cleaning it. In the new 7 it’s all or nothing – pushing the lock button starts a cleaning cycle. One advantage I came to realize – and this is an assumption – is that having the arm connect directly to the charging port means the station will work with any of this series’ shavers – even if you bought an additional single shaver without a station. In the previous Brauns, if you bought an “s” suffix Braun you couldn’t use it in a station – no charging contacts.

    Overall, like you, I’m still on the first cleaning cartridge, so I don’t have a final judgement, but my preliminary experience is that the new Series 7 gives me a closer shave compared to my older 7 or Series 9, it does seem to follow the contours of my face better, it’s easier to give yourself a razor burn and requires some attention shaving, and it’s not quite as robustly built. The station is a wash, and it’s great that Braun has used the same cleaning cartridges for the last decade. I’m kind of getting used to just pushing the Start button and having the cleaning cycle immediately kick off – and the warning lights seem consistent with previous stations as far as cleaning fluid level – I got the flashing green/yellow ring around the start button for about a week before the (currently) flashing red light came on, after about a month of use. I like it, and it may in fact be my morning shave for awhile. Time will tell.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, Allan. As usual, your review is spot on and highly informative. You are right,
      there is actually room for the trimmer in the case as well. I noticed the space above the shaver’s head when placed in the case, but never thought that it would be enough to fit the trimmer too. I was wrong. Hopefully Braun will sell the trimmers separately as well.

      It’s interesting that on my unit (7071cc) the foils don’t protrude as much as on my old Series 7 and they don’t move as smoothly, which is one of the main reasons why I prefer the older one. And everything you mentioned about its negatives is true, but I personally got over them because I just enjoy using it more than pretty much any other shaver.

      Regarding the compatibility of the solo (s) S7 models with the cleaning stations, the older ones actually have the contact pins on the back and will work with a cleaning station. The solo Series 5 and 9 for example also have them, but those will not work with a station purchased separately. I don’t know right now if these new Series 7 s models will work with a station despite the fact that it uses the shaver’s charging port. With the Series 3 for example, we have the same system, but the solo models do not work with a cc station. There’s a chip inside the shaver that allows it to pair and to communicate with the station.

      I will update the article as soon as I get one of the s or cs versions and try to clean it in the station.

      Thanks again for your comment, much appreciated.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
    • Hi Allen,

      I just received my 7071 yesterday and shaved with it for the first time this morning. It did seem to shave closer than my older 760 model, a definite improvement in neck and jaw problem areas. I will need to get used to the new cleaning system. For my 760 I usually ran it every three days when the cleaning indicator was at the lowest point. I don’t see anything like with the 7071. I guess they want you to run it each time. No heated dryer on this ne either.

      I had originally planned to replace the 760 with a Series 9, but this one seems to do a good job at a much lower price. I was able to buy it new on Ebay.

      Reply
  10. Interesting about the Series 3 regarding the station Ovidiu – I just assumed since it connected directly to the charging port it would work with any shaver. I have two of the new 7s, but both are cc models so both work with a station. I’ll be interested in your findings – would be great for folks to be able to buy a “home” and “away” shaver without collecting stations (or to just replace a broken shaver without purchasing shaver/station) ! Thanks again for the great reviews!

    Reply
    • Allen and Ovidiu
      I have all 3 of the New Series Brauns, the 7071cc with the cleaning station and the the 6020s and 5018s without and I can verify that the New Series 5 and 6 both work in the New Series 7 cleaning station. So yes you can have a home and travel shaver and this is what I am doing, the 7071 stays home and I travel the 6020s or 5018s then clean them when I get home.

      Reply
      • James, thank you so much for clearing this up. That’s great news, especially for someone wanting to buy a second (travel) solo shaver.

        I also have all 3 2020 Brauns, but for the Series 6 I went with the 6075cc model. I got the 5018s as well, but I am yet to open the box.

        Again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

        Reply
  11. Great – thanks James! That’s actually what I do as well, and my travel saver can get pretty fuzzy after a couple of weeks on the road, so good to be able to just drop it in the station when I return. It’s actually a pretty good idea to be able to use a single station for a range of shavers, so kudos to Braun for doing it – and hopefully we’ll see some replacement parts and accessories forthcoming.

    Reply
  12. Thanks for a through review as always.

    The first thing I thought when I saw these new models (5, 6, 7) on Braun’s website was ‘they just put a Series 3 head on a new body design’. The cleaning station and the trimmer attachments also suggest to me that this is more of a Series 3 tier product. And the swiveling head seems to be the only potentially worthwhile update, the self adjusting motor being kind of a gimmick.

    So is there an actual performance improvement over a Series 3? If not, I just don’t see much point in spending more. You can get a Series 3 with an attached trimmer and get the trimmer head and combs separately if you want them. They’re not that great by the way. I’d go with a dedicated trimmer if you want to maintain a beard.

    Or you could get the old Series 5 which in my opinion was the best value in the line-up.

    Now when the old models are eventually gone, it appears that you’d have to go all the way to the Series 8 to get an actual improvement in performance.

    Anyway. I’m currently using an Arc 3 and I’m quite happy with it but I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Vesselin,

      Many thanks for your comment, glad you found the article useful.

      I also think that the old Series 5 is still the best value for money, at least when compared to the new Series 7. I actually think it’s a better shaver in pretty much every aspect. Also, the Series 8 is essentially a Series 5 with a bigger battery, so they’re identical in terms of shaving performance.

      I personally don’t think the old (original Series 7) will be gone, at least not anytime soon.

      As for the comparison with the Series 3, I actually like the very narrow head of the Series 3 better (there’s no wide frame surrounding it) and also the fact that the cutters protrude more. I don’t really miss the swiveling head of the new Series 7. But the 7 is more powerful and maybe a bit more comfortable. The performance gap however isn’t as big as in the case of an old Series 7 and the Series 3, in which case the 7 is hands down a much better shaver.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
      • Hey,

        Thanks for taking the time to reply to my comment.

        I’ve used a Series 3 and I get what you mean about the more narrow head. It was quite effortless to get the area under the nose with it.

        It’s good to hear that the new shavers at least have a bit more power over the 3 but I’m still not impressed with the new line-up.

        I’m sure, of course, that the old ones will still available for many months to come and it’s not like people don’t have options overall.

        Anyway, I’m not personally looking for a new shaver right now. I just developed something of an interest in this area while researching for myself a couple of years ago.

        Thanks again for replying and keep up the good work!

        Reply
          • I currently use a series 3 with trimmer, but would like upgrade for a closer shave. Will the ‘old’ series 7 give me that, and which model of old series 7 should I look for (I don’t necessarily need the trimmer). Thanks! Denis Root

          • Hi Denis,

            In my experience, the old Series 7 is superior to the Series 3 in every aspect: speed, power, comfort, how it handles difficult hair and the closeness as well. I think it will be a worthy upgrade.

            Sincerely,
            Ovidiu

  13. Hello,

    Thank you for your great review.

    I have some questions.
    1) Is casette totally different between original and new one? Isn’t it exchangable?
    2) How about “cleansing brush”? I saw that the deep pore cleansing brush is also adaptable in this new braun series 7. So I wonder how we can buy it.

    Thanks:)

    Reply
    • Hi Tommy,

      Many thanks for your comment, glad you found the post informative.

      Regarding your questions:

      1) The new cassette is totally different than the old one and they are not interchangeable.
      2) I’ve actually asked myself the same question. The cleansing brush appears on the new Series 7 product page, but doesn’t seem to be bundled with any of the models. The same goes for the body trimmer attachment. They may become available separately or bundled with a new (to be released) Series 7 model. I will update the article as soon as I have more info.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  14. I have a question, as opposed to a comment. I am a fan of Braun, have been using the series 7 for sometime now, and was looking into the 360 flex, and following the reviews. I have always looked (have not found it yet), a razor that shaves close and thorough along the jawbone. Can someone help me in that regard, I would appreciate it, thx

    Reply
    • Hi Paul,

      The jawline is always a tricky area to shave regardless of the shaver you’re using. I did find the performance of the new Series 7 (360 Flex) to be underwhelming and I honestly don’t think you’ll see an improvement over your current Series 7 — on the contrary. In fact, I actually consider the old Series 7 one of the best options for getting a smooth shave along the jawbone: the head is very slim (compared to other 3 blade shavers) and the foils themselves move easily and have adequate range of motion.

      What I personally do in order to get a better shave along the jawline is to pull down the skin on my neck with my free hand, so the area that rests on the jawbone will shift slightly below, so it’s easier to shave. I then do the exact opposite, by pulling up the skin on the cheek. I hope this makes sense.

      A rotary shaver can perform better if you have very prominent facial features. The Series 9000 Prestige from Philips is the best in my opinion, but all rotary shavers come with their own specific caveats (they’re not as comfortable as foil shavers and don’t shave quite as close).

      In my opinion getting a new shaver isn’t the solution — I don’t think you’ll see significant improvements just by doing that. Working on your technique and approach will likely lead to better results.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  15. Would the beard trimmer with attachments (7085cc or 7075cc) be good enough for light or medium body hair trimming?

    I’m looking to get rid of my dedicated body trimmer/groomer (Philips G370) and just have one device for face and body. I don’t use the body groomer often and when I do it’s just the #2 or #3 attachments, so it’d be great to have one less device in the house — however, if the beard trimmer on the 2020 Series 7 would be really annoying for this purpose I’ll stick with having two devices.

    I realize there’s an actual body trimmer attachment yet to be released but since I’m not going to hold my breath for that, I was hoping you could comment on using the beard trimmer for that purpose in the meantime, given it has similar combs/attachments.

    Reply
    • Hi Vincent,

      I think it could work decently as a body trimmer, but I can’t really say anything about the combs right now. I got the 7071cc Series 7 which only includes the trimmer (no combs). And while the trimmer will cut body hair pretty effectively (at skin level), using the combs could be a different story. They’re designed to be used on a (dense) beard, and from past experience I can tell you that this type of combs will usually stick to the skin when used below the neck (there’s so dense hair to glide on) and even fall off the trimmer when more force is applied. And it can get really annoying if that happens constantly.

      I will be getting a Series 6 that basically uses the same accessories as the Series 7 and the model I ordered also comes with 5 combs. But until I actually try them I can’t really give you any valuable insight.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
    • You don’t need a station, but it’s useful to have. And the models that include one don’t cost a lot more than the solo models, but it’s really up to you.

      You can use an electric shaver on your head provided that the hair is very short, ideally you should use it daily or every other day.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  16. Thanks for your fantastic review! I’ve been using a 7071cc for a few months now and mostly enjoy the shaving experience. But that’s compared to my old Series 5 model, which was failing due to an aging battery.

    The shaver sometimes misses a few hairs that, if not spotted, grow longer and then cannot be shaved off. So having no integrated trimmer is a real nuisance. I regret not noticing this at the time of purchase.

    The shaver comes with no protective plastic foil guard. I’d prefer a foil guard to zipping and unzipping the travel case all the time.

    When I first got the 7071cc, I also had difficulty taking off the cutting head. It’s hard to grasp and pull due to the slanted shape of the head. I found the best way to release the head is to gently push a thumb nail under one of the long sides of the head. There’s an indentation on each side that seems to be there for this purpose.

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, John — glad you found it useful.
      I now also use my thumbnail to pry the cassette off the shaver, seems to be easier.

      Reply
  17. Thanks for your great review of the Braun series 7 70 compared to the old 7 series. I have been using my Braun 7893s for the last 14 months and based on your review I’m going to stick with it. Hopefully, I can get at least another four or more years of use from it before the battery dies and I have to buy a replacement shaver.

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, Bob, glad you found it useful. I think that’s the right thing to do, I would pick the older Series 7 over the new one any day.

      Reply
  18. You state that the Braun Series 7 (2020) is only available in the US. However, I just picked one up at Walmart here in Canada. On the box it says the model is 7020s but the instructions inside say it is the Model 5764.
    The instructions are long on pictures and short on words. Some of the pictures are difficult to decode. For example, a drawing of the shaver head together with circle enclosing what might be bubbles and a diagonal line drawn through it. Are they trying to say don’t use soap to clean it? The lack of sufficiently clear instructions is probably due to the urge to save printing costs, but they could have put a more detailed manual on line for downloading, but the one on line at the Braun web site is the same short one that comes with the shaver.

    Reply
    • Thank you for your comment, Leo. I actually mentioned Canada as well, but only once at the beginning and forgot to update the rest of the post (it’s fixed now, I really appreciate the heads-up).

      I think the image is supposed to show that you shouldn’t clean the shaver in the station if it’s wet or covered in foam. I know yours doesn’t come with a station, but all the models will work with one and they probably include the same instructions with all of them.

      But I agree, they’re pretty much useless. I actually mentioned in the review of the 7071cc that the user guide is the worst I’ve seen so far.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
    • Braun didn’t make the exact specs available, so I can’t say anything with certainty. It does feel pretty powerful, similar to the older one that is likely a 10 000 CPM (cycles per minute) motor.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  19. Thank you so much for your detailed review. I, too, am flummoxed by the user manual, and I’m wondering if you can help me because I’ve never used a wet-day shaver.

    Specifically, what is the preferred method of shaving with water? Can I, or should I, use it with just water, or is it better to use foam, gel, or even soap? If any of the latter options, will it eventually rust or accumulate soapy buildup on the inside? Are there particular things I should do while cleaning?

    Also, bottom line, which is likely to yield a close shave, wet or dry?

    Sorry to ask so many questions, but as you say the manual is useless. I’m kind of afraid to experiment for fear of doing damage to the razor, and I haven’t been able to find answers elsewhere.

    Thanks in advance for any help you can give, or for pointing me to some other source for answers.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      Thank you for your comment.
      Wet shaving with an electric shaver usually implies the use of shaving cream, gel or a shaving balm (like the Jack Black Beard Lube). Using only water will likely not improve your results — on the contrary, the shaver will not glide easily on the skin. I wrote a very detailed guide on how to wet shave with an electric razor here, I think you may find some useful bits of information there.

      You don’t have to worry about rust with wet/dry shavers, just make sure to clean it properly after each use (with warm tap water and liquid soap) — more details here.

      Normally, a wet shave will allow you to get a closer, smoother shave.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  20. Thank you for a very comprehensive review of both these electric shavers. Having been a philips rotary shaver most of my adult life I was looking for a change and your review helped me make my choice. Just to let your know I went for the older version of the series 7 , reason being I got it at a bargain price in the uk, in my opinion this is always a plus bearing in mind your review didn’t give me the Impression the benefits of the new one justified the extra £230.

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, Edward, glad you found the review useful. I think you made the right decision by going with the older model and I totally agree, the price should be a decisive factor.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
      • Awesome comparisson, have been reading alot of your articles and they are great 🙂 I have a aprox 10 mm long ” full” beard and mainly in search of a shaver for the neck area to geat that clean lines! Was set on the old 7 series but how do you think the new one will handle beard trimming? If its good i could use the new one as a travel shaver and trimmer and only have to pack 1 machine. The old ones pop up trimmer seems wonky to trim a whole beard. Also my skin is pretty sensitive.
        Or maybe there is another make / model i overlooked? Sorry for the long post

        Reply
        • Thank you for your comment, John.

          The integrated trimmer on the old Series 7 is only intended for some minor touchups, I don’t think it’ll be good enough even for maintaining the beard line on the neck, let alone trimming the entire beard. I think this is one of the cases where the new S7 with the beard attachment and combs would make more sense. If you need a foil shaver + beard trimmer in a single machine, there aren’t many options available and this one is among the more capable ones. There are of course dedicated beard trimmers, but as the name implies, those will only trim the hair (at various lengths).

          If your skin isn’t overly sensitive, the new one should still be good enough, although as I mentioned in the article, it’s definitely not as good as the original Series 7 in that regard. By the way, I am only referring to the foil cassette here, the beard trimmer shouldn’t cause any issues.

          Sincerely,
          Ovidiu

          Reply
  21. I have used braun shavers for almost 36 years starting with a small braun single headed shaver and bought different braun shavers through the late 80s and 90s. Then in the 2000s I bought the pullosonic braun shaver which I used for about 9 years i also had a few 7 series which I found to be very good quality and shaving closely I have tried the series 9 but found the head hard to shave under my noise and chin I now find my self going back to the new series 7 I like the look and design of the shaver hopefully it will give me a close shave and keep my faith in braun shavers thank you for your interesting reviews

    Reply
    • Thank you for your comment, Kevin. If you have the time, please let me know your thoughts on it. I would still easily choose the older Series 7 over the new models.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  22. That is a very useful review! I saw the 7 70 on TV commercials and wanted to know if it’s worth to replace my old S7 from 2011 with this fancy new 360 super flex shaver head. After reading trough your review, I know it’s not! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Thank you, Marc, glad you found it useful. I think you made the right call by holding on to your old Series 7.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  23. Thanks for your excellent review! I’ve now read several of them, but am having trouble understanding which razor is the most comfortable and can handle less frequent shaving? My husband is undergoing radiation to the neck and needs something that is very comfortable and requires little pressure, but that can handle 3 days of stubble. Is the old series 7, or new 6 or 9 better? Thanks again for the great reviews!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Kristen,

      You are very welcome.

      In this case, the old Series 7 or the Series 9 would be the best options. Both are adequate, so choosing one should mainly come down to your budget, the Series 7 being less expensive.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  24. Thanks for your usual great review of the 2020 Braun Series 7 shavers. I have been using a Braun 7893s shaver for a little less than 18 months and love the shaver. I was interested in your review to see if I might want to upgrade to the new model. From your review the answer is a definite NO. I shave dry almost daily and remove the cassette to tap out the cuttings after each shave. Having to pull off the cassette using brute strength to clean it means that Braun designed the shaver to be cleaned using the cleaning station and not cleaned manually every day. I think a cleaning station is the most worthless device the shaver manufacturers have dreamed up to separate you from your money.

    The three speed settings on my current shaver don’t seem to make any difference that I can perceive in the shave comfort nor closeness. I just leave it on the high, green setting, all the time. Having an automatic system that supposedly senses your beard thickness automatically is another useless feature. If the manual version does nothing to improve the shave comfort or closeness, then why would an automatic system work better. It seems like ludicrous feature.

    Also, I will never grow a beard and I use the pop up trimmer regularly to trim my moustach. Having to switch to a trimmer head, similar to the Phillips Norelco shavers seems like another worthless feature. If ai want to buy a body hair trimmer, then Braun makes those products and I don’t want to pay for them in a shaver. Without an improvement in the closeness of the shave, there’s no reason to upgrade. Hopefully my current shaver will work for several more years.

    Reply
    • Thank you for the comment, Bob, much appreciated.

      I totally agree, I don’t see how getting the 2020 Series 7 will be an upgrade in any way from your current shaver.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  25. I appreciate your thorough, detailed straight up honesty in this comparison review and I’m thankful I found your site before clicking the buy button on Amazon prime day!

    Based on your experiences and the pop-up trimmer, I changed my mind in getting the less expensive 7020 or 7071 and just received my new 7893s older series 7 today!

    After an hour charge tried it on a 2 day growth (I also have a small beard & moustache) and I blame my dad for the hap hazard hair growth in ALL directions I sport.

    In less than 2 minutes ….wow. had to work the various angles of hair growth, but smooth and no pulling of hairs, unlike my philips 6885 rotary shaver which was in need of a 3rd battery and new heads anyways.

    NO comparison between the shave quality! And far better than a previous Braun I owned maybe 30 years ago (no idea which model).

    Feels solid and comfortable in my hands, no neck burns even at full speed and easy to clean. Hopefully the battery lasts long enough when I travel usually for a week at a time, as you mentioned; the case is only big enough for the shaver and cleaning brush.

    Otherwise Thank you again for your comprehensive review, I’m glad I went with the older version.

    FYI, looks like Braun used the same series identifier as I could not find this older version anywhere here in Ontario, except through Amazon. Looks like they might be phasing out this design… shame. But I’m sure replacement head assemblies will be available for some time yet.

    Happy again….

    Reply
    • Hi Rudy,

      Thank you for taking the time to share this, glad you found the information useful. I think you made the right call by getting the older generation Series 7. Even though they’re still widely available, I also think they’ll be gradually phased out, which is a shame really. From past experience, I think you’ll be able to easily get replacement cassettes in the future.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  26. Hello.
    I really appreciate your reviewing. It is really detail and practical one.
    I am also using old 7 series and now thinking about new 7 hoping it works better for beneath of my chin. Actually that part takes most time during my shaving.
    Also I am really wondering if they can be exchanged the cassette of new 7 & new 5 or new 6. Could you let me know your comment.

    Sincerely
    BC Ahn.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      Thank you for your comment.

      I wouldn’t say that the new Series 7 is any better than the older one for shaving under the chin — on the contrary. In my experience the Panasonic Arc 5 is the shaver that works really well beneath the chin. The new Series 7 uses a 73b/73s cassette, while the Series 6 and 5 use the same 53b cassette. I tried interchanging them with the one on the new Series 7 and they seem to fit just fine. I wrote a detailed post here as well if you want to check it out.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  27. I have to agree with your review. My old series 7 broke and I replaced it with a new series 8. I used the series 8 once and immediately returned it to Costco. They have a great return policy. The new foils heat up faster and I dearly missed the old trimmer of the series 7. The new built in-trimmer on the series 8 is very designed a d did foot use. It also does not work nearly as well as the old series 7.

    Reply
    • Thank you for your comment, Sean. The Series 8 is basically a Series 5 with a larger battery, hence its performance drop compared to the old Series 7. I also very much prefer pop-up trimmers like the ones found on Panasonic shavers or the old Series 7.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  28. Thanks for this and your other review on Brauns new series.

    I decided to go with the previous Series 5 for my new shaver, based on your information.

    Got a good deal too – some stores just want to unload the old stock, and most customers blindly chose the newest, thinking it will best.

    Braun have clearly lowered the quality of the 5 and 7 – with the 9 being the real high quality machine now available. But at what price!

    Thanks again, I am very pleased with my 5147 PS 🙂

    (For reference, I am 45, have quite a dense beard, with above average thickness hair. Started shaving with a Philishave Tracer (2 headed), and soon moved to my fathers preferred brand: Braun. I still recall the Flex Control of the early 1990ies as really high quality product. Had a few of the successors, including a 5885 which was the last for a long time, since I decided to go for a trimmed 3mm beard 8 years ago.)

    Reply
    • Hey Emil,

      Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, much appreciated. I agree and I would easily go with the older Series 5 as well if I were to choose between it and the new Series 7 for example. It’s just a better shaver and one that can still be bought at a reasonable price.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  29. Hi ! I am wonder if itš possible to use Braun EasyClick Fittings and Cleaning and Charging Station with Braun Series 7 70-N1000s Foil shaver Black

    Reply
  30. Hi. I am planning on buying my first electric shaver. I was convinced about buying the old series 7, but it is around $200 on Amazon and the new one is $140. I don’t know if it is worth it to pay the extra money. Do you have any suggestion?

    Reply
    • Hi Jonathan,

      Pretty much everything I can think of about the two is written in the article above. I definitely prefer the old one, but if it exceeds your budget, the new Series 7 can still be a decent option. It’s just not as good as the one it replaces for the reasons I outlined. Various users will experience that in a different way. Depending on your expectations and other aspects like the coarseness of your beard, you may end up really liking the new one as well.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
      • Thanks! Something I did not see was the longevity of the shavers. I guess the new Series 7 would last longer? I mean related to the integrated battery and inner mechanisms

        Reply
        • You are very welcome. It’s a bit too early to draw any conclusions regarding the battery longevity of the new Series 7, but Braun has a really good track record in that regard. I expect the new generation to be just as reliable.

          Sincerely,
          Ovidiu

          Reply
  31. I’m wondering which electric shaver to get. About 25 years ago I tried a Norelco rotary shaver that was terrible. Back in the early 1970’s I used a sunbeam corded electric that was super comfortable -like shaving with the back of a spoon. The only reason I stopped using it was that I grew a beard. I am finding that a blade is getting less comfortable recently and would like to get an electric again. Comfort is most important. I have seen Panasonic Arc 4 (not Arc 5) and Braun 790 or 7865 mentioned as comfortable. What is your take on this question.

    Reply
    • Hi Peter,

      Even though some of Norelco’s more recent shavers are getting better in terms of comfort (the new Series 7000, the 9000 Prestige), a rotary type of shaver would still not be my first choice for someone with sensitive skin. A gentle foil shaver like the old Braun Series 7 (790cc, 7865cc, etc.) would be the best bet for most users.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  32. Thanks for a very good and thorough analysis of the old and the new versions of Braun series 7shavers. I’m in England as was looking for just that comparison of these two, as I prefer the look of the older version anyway and was doubtful about that funny, omnidirectional head. As you say though, the older version is dearer here too. £150 for the old and £130 for the new. That made me suspicious anyway and your very good write up has convinced me. Might just have a look at the Panasonic Arc 5 ES LV 65 s before buying.

    Thanks and cheers from England

    Reply
    • Hi Ken,

      Many thanks for the kind words, glad you found the comparison useful. I think going with the older Series 7 would be the right decision. The Arc 5 is also a fantastic shaver (still in production), but it does excel at slightly different things. The Series 7 is a great all-around shaver, very comfortable, works really well with longer, flat-lying hairs and it’s very easy to use. The Panny is very powerful and shaves a bit closer, but it’s not quite as forgiving or as capable of getting difficult, stray hairs. Both are excellent performers nevertheless (you can check out my reviews as well where I cover every detail about owning and using both).

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  33. Ovidiu,

    It is so good of you to share your extensive knowledge of electric razors with the rest of us. Thank you very much!

    Your excellent reviews and insights have led me to conclude that a Braun Series 7 shaver would be a great choice for my light beard and sensitive skin. These are the prices I have found here in Canada:

    Braun 790cc $322.
    Braun 9295cc $309.
    Braun 7865cc $300.
    Braun 9376cc $279.
    Braun 7071cc $177.
    Braun 6072cc $105.

    With these prices in mind, which one would you get?

    Thank you very much. I truly appreciate your help, your informative articles, and your thoughtful replies to questions & comments. You’re a good man.

    All the best, Don

    Reply
    • Hi Don,

      You are way too kind, thank you; glad you found the info useful.

      Of all the models you’ve listed in the comment, I would go with the 7865cc. Normally a cheaper Series 9 would be the default choice, but since the replacement cassette of the Series 7 is cheaper and you have a light beard, I think you’d be better off with the Series 7.

      I still find it one of the most comfortable, enjoyable and easy to use shavers among dozens of others I’ve tried.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  34. One factor I forgot to mention is that I tend to go 3 – 4 days between shaves, so good performance on longer, flat-lying hairs is an important consideration.

    In your expert opinion, how does the 5090cc compare to the 7865cc for my needs (long, flat-lying hairs, sensitive skin, light beard)?

    Many thanks!

    Don

    Reply
    • Hi Don,

      The 7865cc is better even though the cassettes and the actual foils/shaving elements look identical. Not radically better, but to me it is more effective at getting difficult facial hair with less effort and no discomfort. I would still get the 7865cc if I had the budget.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  35. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Ovidiu! I just ordered the 7865cc! Between the treasure trove of info on your website and your personal advice, you have been an invaluable help to which I am truly grateful.

    What a tremendous resource and service you are providing for all of us. You are a gentleman and a (shaver) scholar.

    I am excited about this purchase and look forward to experiencing a Braun shave again after 14 or 15 years with Panasonic.

    Many thanks! All the best to you and yours.

    Don

    Reply
  36. Just finished reading your review. Great information presented. Did not see it before I decided to purchase an electric shaver and bought the Braun model 7089cc. The first time I used it it was great, cut my beard fast, close and no irritation. I like the cleaner, but after looking and reading your report about the older model it seems better to operate. I do not see the model 7089cc listed. Is that a new model? Again, thank you for a very informative article on Braun

    Reply
    • Thank you, Anthony, glad you found the article useful. At the moment of writing, the 7089cc wasn’t available yet, but it’s nevertheless identical in terms of performance with the rest of the 2020 Series 7 I mentioned. Having used both generations, I do consider the older one to be superior. However, if you’re satisfied with the results, that’s really all that matters.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  37. Hi Ovidiu,
    Thanks for all your advice. I am having trouble locating the old series 7 in Australia, as a gift for my grandfather. What if anything would you recommend in its place? Hope you have a great New Year.
    Kind regards,
    Nick

    Reply
    • Hi Nick,

      The next best thing would be the older Series 5 or the Series 8. The Series 8 is basically a rebranded old Series 5 with a bigger battery. You can check out my post about the Series 8 here.

      Hope this helps.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  38. Im torn between 2 series 7
    One is a 7842s for $80. It only comes with a hard case & charger and it was never used according to the seller. It was a gift from a relative.
    Another one is a 760ss @ $90. It comes with a cleaning station, charger and hard case but its not new.

    Which one do you think should i get?

    Reply
    • Hi Rob,

      If there’s a way to reliably verify that the 7842s is indeed unused, I would go with that one. Apart from hygiene concerns, you never know how a product was used and its current working condition. Sometimes the gamble pays off, but it’s a risk. Moreover, the 760cc was discontinued a long time ago and batteries do degrade in time. On the other hand, the Series 7 models starting with 78 were the last ones released before Braun started to phase them out, so the 7842s was manufactured relatively recently. And you can buy a station later on, it will work.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  39. I’ve seen a Braun series 7 shaver 70-N1200s – S92 for sale but am not sure what this is. I can’t find it in any of your reviews. Is it the old or new version,please?

    Reply
  40. Took your advice and received the 7842s this morning

    It was night and day compared to my old wahl trimmer
    No more pain while trimming and as if i shaved with a blade

    Thank you very much and i will continue reading your other reviews

    Reply
  41. Hi, what out there can shave closer than the old series 7 or even the new series 7? I’m looking for the closest shave

    Reply
  42. Hello Ovidiu,

    Thanks for the great guide. I am glad I came across this article as every other reviews out there seem to only sing praises about the new Series 7. I have thus decided to replace the cassette of my old Series 7 that I have been using for 10+ years rather than opting for a new one.

    One question. Isn’t new supposed to be better? What is up with this performance downgrade across all new Braun Series? According to your guides, it seems the old Series 7 is even better than the new Series 9!

    Reply
    • Hi,

      Thank you for the comment, glad you found the article useful. I think you made the right call by holding on to your old Series 7.

      The new one is unfortunately a letdown and it wouldn’t be a problem if we could still easily buy the old generation. It’s the same with the old and new Series 5 where the downgrade is even more obvious than in the case of the Series 7. I think we can say that newer isn’t necessarily better.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  43. Ovidiu,

    Your website is awesome! It helped me in my decision between the Braun Series 7 or Series 9 – I got the Series 7 7085cc 360 Flex Head. After 2 shaves, I’m very pleased with it, but the “instruction manual” leaves A LOT to be desired. Do you know of anywhere I can find an online copy of a real manual that provides instructions with words and a few pictures instead of just pictures?

    Reply
    • Thank you for the comment, Phil, much appreciated. Unfortunately no, Braun just didn’t bother with proper user manuals for this series. I did try to cover everything in my full review, so maybe you can find some useful info there.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  44. Great comparison, and pretty much summed up the same feelings I had with my 7085cc I’ve been using for the past few months. I had a 790cc but gave it to my dad since he shaved more often and found it the more comfortable of the two. The new model really does feel like a ‘cost-cutter’ downgrade from the old Series-7 in basically every aspect of it’s design and performance. It certainly isn’t bad razor and it will shave about as well as the 790cc if you persist with it, but in general it’s just slower and more unpleasant to use than the 790cc. Like you mentioned, I think a large part of this is due to the new cartridge design. It drags a whole lot more and I think the plastic frames are a big reason why. I have really sensitive skin and while I never got any irritation with the 790cc, I occasionally get rashes with the 7085cc. I also found mine to be significantly louder than the 790cc, even on full power for some odd reason. Again, it’s not bad but I, like many others have been spoiled by the old model, hence why this one feels extra disappointing. I’ve got a Series-8 8457cc on order so hopefully that’ll bring me back to something more akin to the 790cc – especially since it uses the metal framed cartridge design that seemed to feel a whole lot smoother, but we’ll see how that goes.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much, Jordan, I really appreciate it.

      You summarized everything perfectly. I think you’ll find the Series 8 a lot more similar to your 790cc and definitely more enjoyable than the 7085cc. The Series 8 is the next best thing since the excellent Series 7 was discontinued.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  45. Hi, thank you for your detailed review! I happen to come across someone selling a brand new sealed series 7 790cc model, but its been kept for several years such that the packaging of the replacement shaver that comes with it has turned a bit yellow with time. Do you think it’s still safe to get it, because the seller is selling it rather cheap?
    otherwise, i was thinking of getting the 7085cc model from amazon which would still come with warranty.
    Would appreciate your thoughts on which I should get, thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Max,

      Thank you for the kind comment, much appreciated.

      If the person selling it is a reputable seller (someone with plenty of positive reviews on eBay for example) and the price is right (I understand that it is), the 790cc is hands down better. I personally would choose it over the 7085cc any day.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  46. Hi Ovidiu,

    Thank you for the in-depth comparison. I have been researching to get a Braun electric razor, but I don’t know if the 8 series is better than the new 7 series. Another good comparison like yours also mentioned that the old 790cc is better than both the new 7 and 8 series in terms of shaving performance – I’d also read your review of the new 8 series. Where I live 790cc cost as much as 9350s. The reason I haven’t considered the 9 series is because their cassettes cost almost twice as much as those of the old 7 series. I also don’t know if I went with 790cc, for how many more years Braun would continue to offer their cassettes. I think they may discontinue them since they have introduced all-new lines few years ago.

    What is your suggestion? Should I get the 8 series instead of a new 7 series? or, Should I get 790cc? or, Should I get 9350s that costs the same as 790cc?

    It used to be a way easier decision to make: you’d either get a 7 series or a 9 series electric razor, but not anymore.

    Thank in advance.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      In my opinion the Series 8 is definitely better than the new Series 7. That said, I prefer the old Series 7 to the Series 8, it’s just slightly better at everything. But it’s not by any means a lot better, the differences being rather subtle and more noticeable if you use them side by side. Or if after many years of using one of them, you suddenly switch to the other one. The old Series 7 is on the other hand a lot better than the new 7.

      I think the old Series 7 cassettes will still be available for a few good years; Braun just makes easy money on them. And I also take into account the case of the old Series 5, the one from two generations ago that used a foil and separate cutters — those are still available for purchase today (20 years or so since it was launched).

      If you shave less often the Series 9 will perform slightly better than both the Series 7 and 8, but as you’ve said, the replacement cassette is more expensive. Price aside, my preferences would be for the Series 9, followed by the old 7 and lastly the Series 8. The 8 would be in theory a safer choice than the 7, but as I said, I don’t think the S7 replacement heads will be gone anytime soon. I personally use a Series 9 most of time when I shave dry, that one is just the fastest, most enjoyable and most effective shaver I have. The 7 isn’t far behind though and it would even be better for a beginner since it has a smaller shaving head. Same goes for the Series 8.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  47. On my old series 7 cleaner the right hand lights ( the “drops”) run up and down and cannot be stopped. everything is clean. Is the cleaner Kaput ?

    Reply
    • Hi Vic,

      Could be — it normally should stop within a few seconds and settle on a cleaning program or just show a clean shaver. The easiest fix (in case that’s the culprit) would be to clean the logic board with a Q-tip and some isopropyl alcohol. Oxidation can cause some trouble like the station always showing an empty cartridge. It’s a long shot but worth trying. Here you can find some instructions on how to open a Braun station.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  48. Thank you for your in depth review.

    I decided on the old 7 because of the high comfort and also the smaller head would be better for the area above the lips.

    However, it seems you can’t find the old 7 anywhere anymore. I see some 3rd party sellers selling it for like 400$ and that’s it. I may have to go with the 9.

    Let me know if there’s any advice on obtaining the old 7s or if the 9 is the best comfort-wise in this new climate of the old 7s not being produced anymore.

    Reply
    • You are very welcome, glad you found the post useful.

      Unfortunately that is true — as of 2023, the old S7 is either nowhere to be found or it’s extremely expensive. In my opinion the closest alternative to the old Series 7 (in every way) is the Braun Series 8. You can check out my review of it here.

      The Series 9 is a highly capable shaver, but it costs significantly more and if you want a shaver with a smaller head, I recommend going with the Series 8.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  49. Hi Ovi,

    Thanks for your precious information and articles.
    I’ve read almost all of your articles about Braun, but I still need confirmation to pull the trigger on Braun series 7 (old vs new).
    In the place I live, the old model (7899cc) is almost double the price of new one (mbs 7). In your opinion, does the cleaning station of the old model justifiy it’s price or should I buy the new one?

    Thanks in advance.
    Peggy

    Reply
    • Hey Peggy,

      Thank you for the comment.

      The old cleaning station is better and so is the old S7 shaver. However, I don’t think anyone should pay an outrageous amount of money on a shaver just because it got discontinued and it’s now a rare find.

      Alternatively, I would actually consider the Braun Series 8 — either a cc model with a cleaning station or a solo variation. It’s entirely up to you. The one with the cleaning station usually costs more, but you can find some great deals on several models like the 8457cc. Also, any Series 8 cc that starts with 84 will come with a Series 9 station, so it has 3 cleaning modes and a fan that dries the shaving head.

      The Series 8 is extremely similar to the old Series 7 performance-wise. The shaving head looks identical and in practice it feels almost the same. The Series 8 is not quite as refined and effective with flat hairs, but it’s still really good.

      So my advice would be to check out a few Series 8 models you can easily buy. If the price is (significantly) less than the 7899cc you found, I think you should get the Series 8 instead. I would consider an 84xx model if you want a cleaning station as well. Here’s my Series 8 guide as well for more details.
      Hope this helps.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply
  50. Thanks for your comments Ovi,

    I read your article about 8 series, but I couldn’t find good deals here and their cassettes are also expensive and rare, but here are some good deals and I want you to choose the best one please.

    Series 7 as I compare the prices below:
    7893s = 1.25 x(mbs7)*
    790cc = 1.5 x(mbs7)
    *I think this choice is better between these 2 because it has wet shave as well as dry and is cheaper also.

    Here are two good deals of series 9 & 5(beacause you compared series 8 with 5):
    9350s = 1.65 x(mbs7)
    mbs9 = 1.52 x(mbs7)
    5140s = mbs7

    Again, I appreciate your knowledge about electric shavers and wish you the best.

    Regards,
    Peggy

    Reply
    • You are very welcome.

      Overall I think the 7893s is the best option. It will also work with a cleaning station should you decide to get one in the future. The 9350s is also a good deal, but I think it’s only worth getting if you intend to shave once or twice a week. The 7893s has a smaller head, which makes it easier to maneuver.

      Sincerely,
      Ovidiu

      Reply

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