BRAUN 360: Complete(ly) On the Cutting Edge.

Manufacturers of all kinds of shavers face a difficult problem to solve every year: How to improve on such a mature product line and still get customers to toss their old and buy the new. I have been following the Philips/Norelco product line for many years (or three models) and lift-n-cut by now certainly sounds like a theory to me. Despite picking the top-end models, the results were often disappointing relative to a wet shave. Recently, Walgreens had the irresistible offer of $69 for the Braun 360 (8985) shaver and what better way to try something new.

Fortunately by that time my scruffiness reached the typical 10 day peak -- a challenge to any electric shaver. In fact, I would not have attempted this with the Norelco, but the Braun's blade design promised to be a bit more powerful in this situation. Namely, the blades between the foil cutters appeared to be capable of handling longer hair better. Indeed, the first impression confirmed this theory and went right to work. It's still not fast by any means (contrary to wet shave), but at least it was possible. So we were off to a good start.

Getting Started: [***--] By the way, to start wasn't as easy as expected since the shaver comes fully discharged. This isn't a real problem, since the shaver can also be used corded, but it was a surprise nevertheless. Further, the base needs to be loaded with the cleaning solution and make sure not to forget to take the protective cap off the shaver before plugging it in to charge. Failure to do so will cause difficulty to remove the shaver as it gets stuck in the base. I really think they could have designed the cap such that it won't go easily into the charger. Anyway, once plugged in, the base delivers quite a little light show which also implies intelligence as it appears to determine what amount of cleaning is needed. However, this is likely to be based on operating minutes rather than magic. Of course when it's new there is no usage time and it ends up to recognize that.

Base: [***--] So the cleaning base is one of the major argument for the Braun 360 Complete "8985". The cleaning fluid is provided via cartridge which of course is a consumable. I think it's roughly $10. One word of caution once the lid of the container has been removed. Moving the loaded base is likely to spill the fluid, especially when moving it quickly or not level. With those pitfalls under control, the cleaning is actually quite impressive, albeit sloooow. It takes anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour to complete. Fortunately, it's up to the user to initiate the cleaning (based on personal preference or simply the visual feedback). The amount of cleaning, however, cannot be manually set. Should you manually clean the cutters with a brush, it will still determine the maximum cleaning based on the usage time since last cleaning. It's surprisingly loud when cleaning, and the shaver has to be manually unlocked after it's done too. This can be a pitfall for new users along with the cover getting stuck in the base should you accidentally have inserted the shaver with that clear cover.

Design: [***--] The shaver itself is designed in Braun's tradition of understated industrial looks. Of course the "brick" shaped body may not be the most exciting or comfortable to hold, but gets the job done. The 8985 is particularly sparse in bells and whistles and relies on two LEDs to communicate the charge status and another LED to signalize that the shaving head should be replaced. The switch itself is effective in preventing accidental power-on, but not the most ergonomic I've seen. The same is true for the brick shaped body and the head that pivots only in one direction. The latter requires more coordination to keep the "perfect" 90 degree angle during shaving and side motion is fairly restricted anyway.

Shave Quality: [****-] We already established that the 360 Complete is capable of cutting through a 10 day "forest". Once it gets to typical length, the results are a bit more "normal" relative to other electric shavers. This means that the smoothness of the wet shave is still out of reach. However, the Braun does a good job with flat skin areas. The restricted articulation of the head makes it hard to follow 3D contours and achieve the same smooth cut as on flat parts. The comb shaped holes in the foil appears to be effective in having hair enter the cutter without problem. Braun's own instructions advise that for a closer shave one needs to press the shaver harder to the skin. It actually requires quite some force to get really close. This is due to the absence of a true lift-n-cut blade design, but also is more gentle on the skin.

Comfort: [****-] Compared with a wet shave, the Braun certainly feels more stressful for your skin but it's relatively easy to get used to. So far I have not had the problems as seen with the Philips Lift-n-Cut system which aggravates my skin a bit more than I like. Another inconvenience which the Braun has greatly reduced is the pulling of hair that's hard to access. (i.e. near nose hair) So overall, it's one of the gentlest electric shavers I tried so far, but no match for the comfort and performance of Gilette's latest 5 blade shaver with vibration. A different kind of comfort is the holding of the device. The brick shape is alright, but the buzzing of the head is also quite noticeable. While I don't consider it very ergonomic, it apparently works well for people with arthritis, so so the seal on the package says.

Speed: [***--] As with many electric shavers, the Braun 8985 requires multiple passes for anything that's a bit longer than a touch of stubble. Relative to my previous shavers, this isn't much of a change. Hence there is still no alternative to wet shaving when it has to be quick and good. (provided your skin agrees)

Value: [****-] Relative to the purchase price of $69 (a special offer), the 8985 was an exceptional bargain. Without this special, however, the sticker price of around $140 isn't all that easy to swallow. Granted, there are (much) more expensive models, but that kind of money gets you a long way with wet shavers (even in light of the expensive replacement blades).

Caution: The exposed blades pose no danger in any normal use, but if you pucker your lips to trim those mouth corners you might be surprised. At least it happened to me that it indeed managed to nip (and even cut) my lip which is more unpleasant than dangerous but a surprise nevertheless. Hence, it's recommended to go easy around your lips and to keep an eye on those blades between the foil cutters.


© 2008, theuerkorn