Braun Series 5 5090cc Electric Shaver

System Rating

Shebang for Buck

Not the best Braun, but pretty damn good.

Review

This was my first self-cleaning electric shaver. I loved it. It provides a great shave. Not as good as a razor, but more than good enough especially in light of the lower hassle factor and the elimination of the little bloody cuts on my neck. My budget for styptic pencils went down to $0!

Then I moved and the Series 5 was lost in the shuffle. I blamed my wife. I needed a new shaving system so I decided to upgrade to a Braun Series 7 760cc Pulsonic. The Pulsonic is a bit better, but I've never been convinced that it was worth the higher price. A few years later when we moved again, the Series 5 resurfaced. Blaming my wife proved to be justified.

Just like the Pulsonic, the Series 5 really excels at getting into the tough corner with the nose. The almost squarish edge seems made for that spot.

The trimmer works well as expected. That's true for all of the shavers that we've reviewed except for the Philips Norelco 9000 series.

Like most other shavers we've reviewed, it can plug directly into the wall. That is the one distinct advantage over the Pulsonic. This is important for the road warriors out there that go on long trips.

Like all of those systems, the self-cleaning feature works well. Great results if you clean after every one or two shaves, and perhaps three shaves if you have a lighter beard. If you take longer between cleanings, it is best to shake out the loose debris first.

Shaver Shebang is a bit of a chameleon when choosing how to use it. Braun Clean & Renew is an alcohol based cleaner. Shaver Shebang can work as either an alcohol based cleaner or a water based cleaner. Either way works nicely and your preference will be a matter of personal taste or your system's condition. See the Shaver Shebang for Braun Clean & Renew page for more details.

We gave it 4 Shebangs for the Buck because this Series 5 shaver provides a good balance between quality and value.

Manufacturer's Specs

The Series 5 5090cc Electric Shaver is one of three models in the Series 5 class made by Braun and is equipped with several features and comfort factors. This shaver can be purchased in black, silver, or red, and is accompanied by a traveling pouch and Clean & Charge station, as well as a brush, electric cord, and travel case.

Key Features of The Braun Series 5 5090cc Electric Shaver

MicroMotion suspension
Flexible cutting elements to adapt to facial contour
Triple action cutting system
Advanced cutting elements
Middle trimming blade that captures difficult hairs and promotes smooth shaves
Pivoted head shaving for more skin contact
UltraActive Lift oscillating trimmer lifts and cuts problem hairs
Durable lithium ion battery
6 piece set including the shaver, cleaning unit, cleaning cartridge 170mL (5.7-fluid ounce), brush, electric cord, and travel case
Built-in PowerDrive that adds 20% more motor power
Flex MotionTec for precision shaving with less shaving contact
Includes a slide-out precision trimmer for beards and mustaches
Engineered in Germany and lab tested to last for 7 years
LED battery light indicator (6 levels) as well as a shaver hygiene status
45 minutes of shaving time and 5 minute quick charge for last minute shaves
Easily accessible and convenient portability
Fully washable

New Intelligent Clean & Charge Station

The Braun Series 5 product line is equipped with the new Clean & Charge station that utilizes an alcohol-based cleaning fluid, eliminating 99.99% of all germs and bacteria in each cleaning process. Braun claims that tests have shown that using the Clean & Charge Station is 10 times more hygienic than simply rinsing the shaver under tap water. All competing systems and Shaver Shebang have ingredients that achieve the same goal. You can even use a cleaner like Shaver Shebang to get the same result with any electric razor.

Lubricates with each cleaning for longer lasting cutting efficiency

Charges for maximum battery power at all times

Intelligent cleaning program selection for economical fluid consumption.