Though a tad noisier than I'd like, this is the best electric shaver I have owned. Shaving includes no irritation, is fast, and comes the closest to a new blade shave of any electric I have owned including: Norrelco (several models), Remington, Grundig, Panasonic.

My recommendation for this excellent shaver is enthusiastic.

The Braun is an improvement over my old Norelco rotary shaver.
It isn't as close as a blade, but it is a step closer. I also like the cleaning system. Cost may be a consideration.

I have had this shaver for a month now, and waited to write the review to give it time to perhaps not live up to the initial impression. My first shave with it just blew me away, and has each day since. I used to shave every other day with my Remington because my face (neck mostly) would be so red, bumpy and sore that I couldn't handle it any more often. Now I can shave every day (even though I take Sat. off) with nothing but comfort. I have less ingrown hairs, and no redness. I have not had one pulled hair either, even with the multiple day growth. The trimmer even does a decent job with my sideburn lines. I used to use a disposable razor for that...not anymore. I can't say enough good things about this shaver. Yes, it is expensive, but considering it gets used every day, I have no doubt that it will be worth it. Also, the cleaning solution is lasting longer than I was expecting from many other reviews. The level just went down to the middle indicator the other day. It does an economy cleaning almost always, and chooses an intensive cleaning only about 2 or 3 times so far. I think this cleaning system is well worth it too. There is not a single whisker in my sink...it catches everything. My old shaver pooped these out all over the sink and countertop, and I had to brush and blow it out all the time, and it still wasn't nearly as clean as this shaver is daily. If you can deal with the price, I can't see how you would not love this shaver. People's faces are different, so who knows. But for me, this shaver has taken shaving from a dreaded, evil, torturous task to a short, little satisfying routine.

I bought this for my husband after his rotary electric razor failed after many years. Going from a $30 to a $170 razor raises your expectations however, he says this razor shaves no differently from the cheaper one AND it requires the continual purchase of cleaning solution. In addition, shortly after receiving it the base unit would get stuck in cleaning mode and would run all night. Its bad enough waiting 1/2 hour for the cleaning process to complete but all night? We're not performing surgery with this razor. There's no need for cleaning solution after every use. The other razor worked just as well just shaking it out, and didn't suck electricity 24/7. Amazon wont let you send it back so we had to mail it, at our cost, to the manufacturer for a refund. Have not received it yet.

Great product! The intuitive cleaning sensor aids in appropriate cleaning of the razor for the "dirtiness" of the blades and foil. This aids in conservation of the cleaning fluid. The razor works well and shaves close, closer than prior models IMHO.

I have one of these Braun 8985 systems and it is absolutely the worst shaver I have owned, way behind a Remington and a Norelco. The active foil doesn't extend to the end of the head instead there is more than a quarter of an inch of gap to the end of the head. Consequently it will not shave up close to the ears around the jaw line. This shaver continually misses hair and requires me to "Scrub" my face with it to do a ho-hum job or resort to a blade for best results. I had a Wahl shaver before I got this one and it does a first class job the first time and only cost me a little more than 10% of what I spent for this beast. When I'm not particular how I look, I use the Braun, but if I want a good close comfortable shave I reach for my Wahl. I certainly don't want their newer model. When this Braun thing goes toes up I'm going back to my Wahl, sorry I left.

I've been using this shaver for a month now and downgrade it from 5 stars to 4 just because of lack of value. Previously I used the Braun Synchro for several years and was happy with it. This new shaver is fundamentally the same, except that it is dramatically more expensive and has a bulky cleaning base that is of dubious value. If you can find the model 8975 at a better price than the 8995 then I'd recommend to go for that one. This shaver is still quiet, has a long charge life, and perhaps does a slightly better job on necks hairs than my old shaver. It's definitely quieter and gets the job done faster than my previous Remington.

This is the fourth Braun shaver I've used, beginning with one bought in Germany 30 years ago, and each has been better than the last.
The shave is closer and quicker than the earlier models, and the self-clean mechanism is a real convenience.
Highly recommended, and the price was the best I found.

This review is for the Braun shaver. The shaver itself is excellent and does everything and more that it advertises that it will do. Unfortunately it is heavier than most other electric shavers. My husband is paralyzed and it takes more energy for him to try and hold the shaver upright for the time it takes him to shave. Hence he does not use it every day but alternates with his old electric shaver that is lighter.
I would highly recommend this product to any man that wants a good shave.
The cleaning and recharging process could not be easier.

What can I say other than it's the best and most comfortable shave I've ever had. It is also as close a shave as any blade alternative on the market. Not only do I use it on my face everyday, but additionally I use it to shave my head bald twice a week, and it's always smooth afterwards, and quite a bit of stubble grows on my head between shaves. It's as sleek and as powerful as advertised, and with the daily cleaning and recharge, it's like using a new razor every morning. One thing the ads don't tell you: the charge/cleaning system occassionally refreshes the battery automatically by completely discharging and then recharging it so it will always have as full a charge as it can handle -- this is a good selling point that Braun should advertise on the package label.

I recently purchased a new Braun Electric Shaver. I had been using a Braun shaver for many years. Although I was satisfied with the old one, the new shaver is light years ahead of the older one. I am getting shaves like I never have before.

When I purchased this razor in January, I read with some concern the reviews that consistently complained about the cleaning solution and its longevity. I read how Braun was screwing owners over, that the solution lasted less than three weeks, how expensive it was, yadayadayada.

So here we are, the end of August, eight months later. I JUST replaced my 3rd cleaning fluid replacement. That's THREE in eight months, folks - with a cleaning EVERY day. Lessee...at $5/replacement...wow..yeah, that's hitting the ol' wallet.

Whatever. The bottom line is that I don't have to manually clean my razor, and to me, that's a HUGE time saver.

That said, Braun's statement that "you should replace your cutter and screen every eighteen months" is total BS. After six months, the cutter wasn't cutting, it was pulling. Still, that's three months longer than my Remington cutters lasted, so I can't complain.

Bottom line, this is a GREAT razor at a great price. Don't listen to the cheapskates who probably can't afford to buy this anyways, so they find a reason to whine about it.

I purchased and started using the Braun 8995 in January 2008. I love it because it gives me a great shave. I find it takes about 4-6 minutes to get it done right. I can also redo something I missed with ease. The unit is solid enough but could use an all metal body. It is big enough for those with dexterity issues, though it would be better for me if it was slightly smaller.

I used to use Mach 3 and Sensor razors with my Conair lather heater. They worked but I tired of hot sticky lather on my face everyday after showering. I never really got them to shave my neck well unless I re-lathered and that was too time consuming. If you do shave like this though, use a lather heater. It is so much better.

I can get a fair amount of ingrown hairs on the sides of my face, usually they do not get too inflamed or go very deep but they seem less numerous with the Braun. I have fine curly/wavy blond hair that seems to want to get near the surface and then go sideways.

Braun usage info:

You will likely need a few weeks to get used to it.

Use it with a clean, dry face (at least 30 minutes after showering) or you will bring out the "intensive cleaning needed" message. Never try and blow matter from the cutter block for the same reason.

I pop and "buzz" the cutter/foil after use and clean it using base every other day (24 hours clock time) an and usually it always comes up "economy" cleaning (I suspect it will become "normal" after 36 hours.)

The cleaning stand does work well but I don't leave it plugged in all the time. In warmer weather I am covering it in a plastic grocery bag (closed and draped around base with the handles tucked under the cord stub protruding from base) and testing to see if it cuts evaporation of the solution. My first alcohol refill (used from January to March or April) lasted about 25% longer or 8 uses than the second refill (burned out in June.) So far I am on track to match that first refill.

I tried using to clean razor for a week or two without the base using brush and manually oiling it. The Braun is better with the alcohol. It irritated my skin somewhat to use oil and the razor did not shave as close. The silicone in the alcohol is a better lubricant in my opinion.

I think the shave counter is annoying in that it should only count shaves of 2 minutes or more as shaves. I often shave, wash my face, let it dry a few minutes and then shave any spots I missed getting well which only takes 30 seconds but counts as another shave.

I have had no issue with making holes in the foil. I try not to press it too hard against my face.

I've been using my new Braun 360 Complete for about 3 months now - each day exclusively; haven't used a blade razor since receiving it. And I intend to keep using it that way.
That said, for me it's the convenience and the quality of the Braun razor that I like, not the closeness of the shave. It's closer than a very much older Braun that I had, but still not as close as the blade razors that I regularly had used.
My theory is that no matter how thin the foil head of an electric razor is, it is still more of a space (between cutting blade and base of hair) than the fine edge of a blade razor. But for me, I like the convenience of shaving anywhere and any time I want.
A final thought is cost. This is the most expensive razor by far that I've ever bought - I'll need to get many years of shaves from it to bring the cost per shave down to the blade razors that I had been using.

I bought this product for my husband. He likes it for it is efficient and easy to handle. Just feeling the size is a little bit big. If it can be smaller, would be better!

Great Shaver!!! After using it for about three weeks, I can definately say that I'd buy another one.

I went from a Remington to this Braun about 6 months ago. Immediately noticed the clipping blade/mechanism is not as powerful or effective as the Remington's. Now I rarely need to shave every day so it is often the case I will use the clipper to trim it down. With this shaver it was simply not possible and i have anything but a thick beard.

I find the shaver is adequate if the hair is standing straight but if you have irregular facial hair at all (growing along skin or flatter) it completely misses the hair, even the clipper does not get it all.

Thankfully Walmart takes anything back and i was able to exchange for the Remington Titanium for less than 50% the cost of the 360 and for my face it is twice the shaver.

I have purchased 5 Braun shavers over the years. I like this one (the 8995) with the digital info. showing how much of the charge is available-nice. That helps a lot when traveling too! However, I now use (after trying them all) the "Activator" shaving head (replacement foil & blades) with this shaver-good price on Amazon. The "Activator", in my opinion, is by far the best shave-closest with less irritation. Combined, this makes a great-great system. Highly recommend this. I also own the Pulsonic and frankly think this (with the Activator foil and blades) is closer. This is also lighter and takes up less space when traveling.

It was rough the first couple of times. After a couple of weeks, I got used to it. Not exactly the result of a blade but close enough with much greater convenience and shorter time to shave. May need to shave everyday instead of each other day with a blade.

This shaver does not shave anywhere as close as an old Braun I had. All the fancy cleaning bells and whistles do not make up for a good close shave. It is not worth the money.

My wife bought me Braun 8995 shaver for father's day (although I hinted I wanted one). Some consumer ratings said it was the best and I totally agree. This electric razor has given me the best shave I've ever had, and I've been shaving for over 50 years, always with an electric razor. Now, as age has taken my hair, I shave my complete head every day. This razor shaves much closer than any of the other rotary and non-rotary razors I have purchased over the years. Another impressive feature is the cleaning cycle you can choose. I usually am prompted to do a normal cleaning every day but only do a cleaning cycle every other day. For an easy, close shave with no messy cleanup, I highly recommend the Braun 8995 360 Complete!

I've had many electric shavers, and this is by far the overall best. I sometimes go without shaving over the weekend, and other shavers had great trouble with several days growth of my beard. This Braun combines a different cutter in the middle that is able to take care of the longer growth, so no need to extend a the trimmer for missed beard growth on Mondays. Cleaning process appears to be more effective than other self-cleaning shaver kits, plus the cleaner doesn't give me a rash like the supposedly hypoallergenic solution of one of my previous electric shavers. Running time is great, but the trade-off is a slightly larger shaver than I'm used to. For me, it's a good trade-off though, as the shaver is easy to hold. I will say it's not the closest electric shave I've had, but it's close too it. It's expensive for an electric shaver, but for me, it was a great buy.

This is a followup to a review I previously posted about this product. It has become obvious that the foil on Braun 8000-series shavers is defective by design and/or manufacture because the foil goes bad WAY too often. I have used Braun 6000 and 7000 series shavers, and never had the bad experience I've had with the 8000-series shaver. I treat all my shavers carefully; nothing but my face, or tissue, touches the head. Here is my experience:

Oct 14 purchase a new Braun 8975
Dec 15 hole appears in foil
Dec 21 replace foil+cutter (from Braun customer service)
Jun 02 hole appears in foil
Jun 03 replace foil+cutter
Jun 17 hole appears in foil after only 2 weeks!

Really, at $28-$40 for the 8000FC foil & cutter assembly (you can't buy the foil separately), this product has become way too expensive to maintain. I'm going to take a clue from CR, which rated the Remington Microscreen a best-buy in Jun 08, and try the Remington. Hopefully it won't nickel-and-dime me to death.

The Braun 8995 sure looks fancy and a few reviews led me to believe that I would recieve a super close shave. Although that is not the case at all. I would say it worked a little better when it was new. I have had it for 10 months and I can honestly say it does not give me any closer shave than my $40.00 Norelco. The blade is recommended for replacement at 18 months. So that should not be the problem. Looks can definetly be decieving. I would definetly not recommend this unit. Oh, and the cleaning unit does not improve the closeness of the shave. I am not impressed.

works good, cuts close. if you wait for your facial hair to grow long, it still cuts it, but it also pulls.

Excellent product. I took advantage of the prior reviews at Amazon to check this shaver's quality among previous purchasers and agree that it performs as recommended. Close shaves, ease of handling and the cleaning feature is rather unique to this class of shaver. I would also recommend this product to future customers. My previous shaver was a Norelco, which was good but over the years it loss its battery's ability to recharge and it was time to buy a new one. A deciding feature for me was also the fact that you can't over charge this brand of shaver versus the Norelco, where over charging does damage the battery. I considered another Norelco but given the excellent reviews of this Braun, I bought it instead. I believe this product offers closer shaves than my previous brand as a result of the finer shaving head and the thinness of the foil. Packs easy for travel and can be charged with or without the cleaning container when traveling.

A local TV station did a test of all men's electric razors, Braun, Panasonic, Norelco, etc., and the panel rated this 360 shaver as the best of all for closest most comfortable shave. The test lasted 3 weeks and was judged as producing the closest shave, and comfortable.

I had been a Gillet Mach3 user for years, as well as just using a safty raser before that. I was tired of getting cuts almost every day with the Mach3 and other various rasers. Because of this, I was ready to make the move to using an electric shaver.

I decided to purchase the 360, because it had the best reviews out of all the electric shavers.

For the first 10-14 days of shaving, I was getting little nic's and cuts with this raser, along with some after effects of raser burn. But that was also because my face had been used to using a safty raser for 16+ years, and my face was not used to an electric shaver. Overall it took about 15 days for my face to get used to the 360.

Now 6 weeks later I am glad I made the switch. I have not had a nic or a cut in 4 weeks, and my face feels much better after shaving. I would highly recommend this electric raser as long as you have the patience for your face to get used to shaving with it.

At least for my beard it doesn't work. I have to go over and over and over again for it to shave some hair off.

This is an excellent product. I have long been a fan of Braun shavers after using most of the other brands. Bought this to replace one that has served me well for about 15 years and I'm very pleased with it.

Very smooth shave. Love the fact that it automatically recharges when placed in cleaning station. THe cleaning station determines the amount of cleaning the shaver requires. Great Product.

Great when I used to shave, now that I have a beard I use the trimmer for maintenance, for which it works splendidly. Long battery life, travel case/charger, and an excellent cleaning function are nice too.

Eventhough I do recommend that shaver, there are one or two negative aspects I have to mention right now:

1.) The shaver foil would not fall out as described in the manual for quick cleaning.

2.) The shaver does not shave properly in the area of the neck, thus long hairs have to be cut in trim modus.

Nevertheless there are a lot more positive issues:
It is light, it is quiet and it is of a very good build quality (extraordinary: Made in Germany - not China!).

So to sum it all up:
Nothing is perfect, but this thing nearly is.

Closeness of shave is excellent and well exceeded my expectations. Automatic cleaning process works well. Glad I bought it.

absolutely love the shaver, it is so good, that my girlfriend now compare my chin to the infant's chin;
recommended!