Braun Series 9 9090cc and 9040s Shaver Reviews

Author:

I enjoy reviewing shaving and grooming products, including shaving cream and electric shavers.

About the Series 9 Shavers

The Braun Series 9 shavers use the latest technology to bring you some of the best devices on the market today. There are five shavers in the Braun Series 9 family:

9090cc
9095cc
9055cc
9040s
9030s

All these shavers come equipped with Braun's innovative quadruple-action cutting system, intelligent sonic technology and pivoting shaving head. The 9090cc and 9040s shavers in this line are both wet and dry shavers.

What sets these models apart is the type of shaver, color and available accessories. For example, while the top three models come with the five-step cleaning and charging station, the 9040s and 9030s do not come with the station.

Braun Series 9 9090cc Review

This shaver comes with the usual package which includes all the important components. These include:

Braun Series 9 9090cc shaver
Cleaning station
Charger that can be used for the station as well as the razor
Travel case, including a small brush
One cleaning cartridge
Relevant documentation (warranty and manuals)

I should mention here that the travel case appears a little more rigid than that of the Braun Series 7 shaver. The Braun Series 9 9090cc shaver charger cable can be used with all other Braun models for the cleaning station as well as the razor.

The shaver does not come fully charged and must be charged to start using it. It took almost one hour for the shaver to be fully charged on the first charging.

My first impression of shaver is that it is very classy and high quality compared to the Braun series 7 or even the series 5. While it is slightly heavier than the series 7, it still fits comfortably in the hand.

Front Features—Display

There is a front vertical display that indicates the level of charge as well as the cleaning condition of the shaver. Unlike what is shown in the advertising photos, the number is not displayed when the shaver is running out of power. Above the display is the on/off button and a silver slider for controlling the firmness or looseness of the razor head. This slider is calibrated in five levels that are used to set the razor head to the appropriate firmness.

Back Features

At the back of the Series 9 is a discreet extendable long hair trimmer along with two silver dots that are used for fixing the shaver in the cleaning station. At the bottom is the connection for the charger.

Shaving Head

The shaving head of the Braun Series 9 razor is great deal better than the Series 7. The two Optifoil shaving foils are much thinner. They are part of the middle section that consists of two trimmers—the HyperLift&Cut and Direct&Cut—which are wider than in the Series 7. My overall impression of the 9090cc is that it is classy—the well-defined proportions and the glossy silver and black elements give it a noble feel.

Cleaning Station

Like the other features, the cleaning station is very classy and is much more stable than that of the Series 7. By stable I mean that it looks more compact and robust than previous versions. The station has a small display which shows three levels of the cleaning progression. The shaver connects to the cleaning station via two magnetic silver dots that put it in place to clean and charge it at the same time.

The cleaning cartridge is inserted to the bottom part of the station which is raised for this purpose. The cleaning process is initiated by the touch of a black button located at the front.

Shaving Performance

On the whole, the performance of the Series 9 shaver is very good. The shaver removes all hairs, be it a one-day stubble or three-day beard. With a three-day beard though, you will have to perform a few more steps to completely remove the stubble.

The shaver is designed in such a way that it is easy to grip with your hand and manoeuvre it across your face. As said earlier, the machine is a lot quieter than other shaver. Though some reviews have claimed that the shaver is noisy, I respectfully disagree with that assessment. I have used many Braun products and can confidently say that this is the quietest shaver and cleaning station from Braun that I have ever used. The difference between the Braun series 7 and series 9 on this respect is even more pronounced.

When using the Series 7, I had a three-day beard that was relatively long and difficult to remove. With the series 9, removing long hairs is very easy. The razor of this Braun shaver captures all long hairs perfectly and shaves them without a problem.

Criticisms

The four-stage cutting system with two trimmers is what sets this shaver apart from other shavers. The only criticism that I have with this shaver is the large razor head. While this feature is an advantage when tackling areas of the face such as the neck or chin, it presents a problem when shaving the nose and mouth area. One has to be more thorough here and you will have to repeat just to capture those hairs that grow close to the nose.

Summary of the Pros and Cons

Pros

In short, this is a very good quality razor that delivers a clean and comfortable shave even with long hairs. The double trimmers with the HyperLift&Cut and Direct&Cut ensure that all hairs are completely removed. In addition to this, the cleaning station performs very well leaving behind a clean shaving head. Another plus is that the shaver is very quiet.

Cons

The price to performance ratio of this shaver is a matter of personal judgement. The shaver does not come cheap at $597 and whether it is justified is neither here nor there.
Another negative that I need to address is the high frequency buzzing sound that is common with both the Series 7 and Series 9.
The shaving head is too large for the nose and mouth area.

A Recommended But Pricey Shaver

In conclusion, I would recommend the Braun Series 9 shaver to anyone who can afford it. In my view, the shaver comes as close as ever to the perfect shaver in terms of performance in spite of the minor negatives mentioned above.

However, some people may not be convinced that the price is justified. The series 7 is still a very good shaver and has many of the features of the Series 9 – only that they have been improved upon. Whether the price justifies the extra cost is a matter of individual judgment and preference.

I am lucky that the shaver was a gift from my sister and am not quite sure whether I would not have bought the Braun Series 9 at its current price. Maybe when the price drops in the future to the level of the Series 7 can it be justified according to me.

However, I also know there are also many other people who do not mind investing in a good shaver that will last for years. In terms of shaving speed, appearance, value and overall performance, the shaver is in a class above the rest.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.