Braun Series 7 760cc-4

Bottom Line

A three-setting adjustable shaving head makes the Braun Series 7 shavers great for any skin and beard combination, and the Series 7 760cc-4 is the best value of the bunch. Owners say it's relatively quiet, feels great in your hand, and that the basic cleaning/charging dock works well.

Performance

A quick, clean shave for just about everybody. Although the Series 7 760cc-4 has slightly fewer bells and whistles than the more expensive Series 7 790cc-4 (Est. $200) , reviewers say it delivers the same close, comfortable shaving performance for less money. A flexible foil shaving head contours to tricky areas, and has three different settings to accommodate different skin and hair types.

Most reviewers say the 760cc works equally well on sensitive skin and tough, coarse beards, even if your beard hair grows in different directions. Only a few dissenters say that the Braun 760cc-4 irritates sensitive skin or misses a hair here and there. "The Braun shaves much closer, but it takes a little longer to shave," writes one BestBuy.com user who just switched from a rotary shaver.

Users from several websites -- Amazon.com, Drugstore.com and BestBuy.com -- report that this shaver has no problem dealing quickly with several days' worth of beard growth. One Amazon.com user says: "I shaved two days worth of stubble today like a hot knife goes through butter. This shaver has easily cut my shaving time in half." They also say the shaver's Pulsonic (vibrating) feature almost feels like a facial massage as you're shaving.

Many reviewers expressed some initial consternation about the 7 760cc's pop-up trimmer, which is shorter than the previous model's trimmer; it has a slight curve "like a kitchen knife," and sticks out from the shaver body at a slight angle. Once they get used to it, though, they usually see the new trimmer as an improvement.

Ease Of Use

Feels good in your hand. Users say that the newest version of the Braun Series 7 760cc-4 feels better in your hand than the older models; the shaver's body is shaped more like a banana than a bar of soap, with the shaving head tilted slightly inward. It also feels more secure, thanks to what one Amazon.com reviewer describes as "a slightly cushy rubberized covering."

Users also report that the cleaning base for the Series 7 760cc works very well; just drop the shaver into the base, shaving foils down. The Series 7 760cc will run for 50 minutes on a single 60-minute charge. It also offers a five-minute quick-charge feature. The 760cc-4 also has an illuminated indicator to remind you when it's time to change the foils.

The only major complaints we found about this shaver were about its carrying case, which isn't large enough to hold the power cord, much less the cleaning station.

Noise

Whisper-quiet shaving, not-so-quiet cleaning. Expert tests show the 760cc to be a little quieter than other models; it receives one of the best noise ratings in testing from a major consumer research organization. We were a little surprised to find a complaint from one Walmart.com user, who says that it "is very noisy" but doesn't elaborate. An owner commenting at BestBuy.com may have an explanation, writing that "the self cleaning mechanism is useful, loud but useful."

Warranty

Standard warranty, great exchange period. The Braun Series 7 760cc-4 comes with an industry-standard two-year warranty and a longer-than-usual 60-day money-back guarantee. Some users initially balk at the high price, then report that it's worth paying more for the quality and performance. We found one isolated complaint from an Amazon.com user who says the cleaning system "died unexpectedly" after four months, and Braun's customer service wouldn't deal with him directly -- he had to deal with a private company three hours away.

Otherwise, users say they are happy with this shaver's quality and durability, and the relatively low ownership cost helps defray the initial cost; replacement heads (Est. $32) need to be purchased every 18 months or so. The only snag is the cleaning cartridges (Est. $13 for three); users are split as to whether they're worth the price.