Braun Series 9 PRO+ Review: a pricey foil shaver that finally made me ditch blades

I’ve been mostly a manual razor guy for years, with a few failed attempts at electric razors along the way. Either they didn’t shave close enough, or they chewed up my neck and I went back to blades. I picked up the Braun Series 9 PRO+ mainly out of curiosity and partly because I was tired of buying cartridge refills that cost a fortune. I’ve been using it almost daily for a few weeks now, on everything from one‑day stubble to a 3–4 day beard.

Right away, I’ll say this: it’s not cheap, and that hit me when I clicked "buy". So I went into this test looking for reasons to say “nah, I’ll return it.” Instead, I’ve ended up actually using it instead of my manual razor, which is not what I expected. It’s not perfect, but for me it’s the first electric that got close enough to my usual wet shave to feel acceptable.

Most of my testing has been dry shaving in the morning, with a few wet shaves in the shower just to see if the waterproof thing is actually useful. I’ve also tried the ProComfort head they include, and I played around with the SmartCare cleaning/charging station to see if it’s just a gimmick or actually helpful. I’ve charged it only a couple of times because the battery just keeps going.

If you’re wondering whether this is worth upgrading from a cheaper Braun or from a rotary Philips, I’ll try to stick to real‑world stuff: how close it shaves, how much it irritates the skin, how loud it is, how annoying the cleaning station is, and whether it feels like something that will last or just an expensive toy. That’s the angle I’m taking in this review.

Let’s be blunt: this thing is expensive. Around the $300 mark puts it firmly in the “think twice” category for most people. So the question is, does it justify that price, or are you just paying for a fancy name and a shiny base? For me, the value comes down to a few points: how much you shave, how much you hate buying cartridges, and how important comfort and convenience are to you.

If you shave almost every day and currently use premium manual razor cartridges plus shaving gel or foam, the long‑term cost starts to even out. You’ll still need to buy replacement heads every year and a half or so, and cleaning cartridges if you stick to the SmartCare system. Those aren’t cheap, but they’re not outrageous either. Over a couple of years, I can easily see this costing about the same as constantly buying cartridges and foam, maybe even less if you were using high‑end blades before.

Where the value shows up for me is in the time saved and the lack of mess. No sink full of hairs and foam, no nicks on days when I’m in a rush, and no need to constantly restock blades. The SmartCare base keeps the shaver feeling fresh each morning, which is a bit of a luxury but also means the performance stays consistent. That said, if you’re a casual shaver who only trims a few times a week and doesn’t care about a super close result, you can definitely get away with a cheaper electric and be fine.

So, for heavy daily users who want a close electric shave and have sensitive skin, the price is high but defensible. For someone on a tighter budget or who doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, this is probably overkill. I don’t regret buying it, but I’m also aware that you’re paying a premium for comfort, convenience, and brand reputation, not just raw shaving ability.

Design‑wise, the Series 9 PRO+ looks like a high‑end electric razor: silver body, big shaving head, and a fairly chunky handle. It’s not small, but the weight is balanced, so it doesn’t feel like a brick in your hand. I could do my whole shave without feeling like my wrist was working overtime. The head has some flex to it and tilts to follow the contours of your face, which actually helps around the jawline and chin.

The grip area has a textured rubberized section that keeps it from slipping, even when your hand is slightly wet. I tried it once in the shower just to see, and it didn’t feel like it was going to fly out of my hand. The on/off button is in a logical place under your thumb, and there’s a travel lock function so it doesn’t switch on in your bag. You hold the button down to engage it. It’s simple enough that I actually used it when tossing it in a backpack.

The built‑in trimmer slides out from the back. It’s narrow and meant more for sideburns, mustache edges, and catching the odd longer hair than for full beard trimming. It works, but it’s not going to replace a dedicated beard trimmer if you maintain a long beard. One thing to note: the head is big, so under the nose area still needs a bit of angling and patience. It’s better than rotary razors I’ve used, but still not perfect there.

In terms of noise, it’s not quiet, but it’s not crazy loud either. It’s a higher‑pitched buzz, typical foil shaver sound. Early morning, it’s noticeable but not obnoxious. The SmartCare base is bigger than I’d like on a small bathroom counter, but that’s the trade‑off if you want automatic cleaning and drying. If you like compact minimal setups, the base will feel like clutter. If you like gadgets that “live” on the counter, you’ll be fine with it.

The battery on this thing is honestly one of the easiest parts to live with. Braun claims around 60 minutes of runtime, and that lines up pretty well with what I’ve seen. Shaving 4–5 minutes per day, I went almost two weeks before I felt like I should drop it back on the SmartCare base for a full charge. The display on the front gives you a percentage, so you’re not guessing with vague bars.

The 5‑minute quick charge is actually useful. One morning I realized it was down to a few percent because I’d ignored the indicator. I dropped it into the base, hit the button, and by the time I’d finished brushing my teeth and getting my shirt on, it had enough juice for a full shave. So that feature isn’t just marketing, it actually saved me from a half‑shaven face situation.

Charging options are flexible: you can charge it via the SmartCare station or plug the power cable directly into the shaver. That’s good if you travel and don’t want to bring the base. The travel case is decent, but note: my version’s case is just a case, not a power bank. You still need the cable if you’re going away for more than a week. For a short trip (3–5 days), you can just go with the shaver fully charged and forget about the charger entirely.

In daily use, I basically don’t think about the battery. I drop it in the base every few days to clean it and it charges at the same time, so it’s always close to full. No memory effect, no weird drop‑offs. If you’re coming from older electrics that needed constant charging or lost power fast, this is a clear step up. Nothing flashy here, just a reliable battery that does what it should.

My skin is on the sensitive side, especially on the neck, so that’s usually where electric razors lose me. With the Series 9 PRO+, the first few shaves were surprisingly gentle. Dry shaving on a 1‑day beard, I had almost no redness and no burning feeling afterward, which is rare for me. On my neck, I still had to go easy and not press too hard, but I didn’t get the usual angry red patches I get from cheaper electrics.

The ProComfort head is an extra piece that clips on instead of the regular shaving head. It’s meant to “prepare” the beard by lifting hairs and massaging the skin before a shave. I tried it a few times and, honestly, it feels nice but I wouldn’t say it’s life‑changing. It’s more of a warmup pass if you’ve got ingrown hair issues or you haven’t shaved in several days. I noticed a small difference on a 3‑day beard: the actual shave afterward felt a bit smoother, but it also added more time to the routine, so I don’t use it every day.

On longer growth (3–4 days), comfort is still decent, but you do feel the shaver working harder. The ProLift elements seem to grab the flat‑lying hairs pretty well, but if you go too fast or push down, you can get a little pulling here and there. It wasn’t painful, just a reminder to let the machine do the work and not mash it into the skin. Using it with a thin layer of shaving gel in the shower made it a bit smoother and quieter, but honestly I mostly stuck with dry use because it’s faster and still comfortable enough.

Overall, I’d rate the comfort as pretty solid, especially compared to the rotary razors I’ve tried, which always irritated my neck. It’s not magic: if your skin is very reactive, you’ll still want to avoid pressing too hard and maybe use a gentle aftershave balm. But for me, it’s the first electric I can use daily without feeling like I’m sanding my face. That alone is a big plus, even if the ProComfort head is more of a “nice extra” than a necessity.

The Series 9 PRO+ feels solid in the hand. There’s a mix of plastic and metal, with some titanium‑coated parts on the head for corrosion resistance. Obviously I haven’t owned it for years yet, but based on a few weeks of daily use, nothing feels loose or cheap. The head clicks on firmly, the trimmer slides in and out without wobbling, and the buttons have a clean, firm press. It feels like a product that should last several years if you don’t abuse it.

It’s fully waterproof, and I did test it under running water and once in the shower. No issues, no weird sounds, no fogging. I’ve also rinsed the head under the tap a few times when I didn’t feel like using the cleaning station, and that hasn’t caused any problems so far. The body doesn’t show water spots too badly, and the grip area hasn’t peeled or gotten slippery.

The weak point with these shavers is usually the foil and cutter block, which are consumables. Braun usually recommends replacing them every 18 months or so, depending on how often you shave. Those replacements aren’t cheap, so you need to factor that into the long‑term cost. If you’re rough and you drop it on tile, I wouldn’t be surprised if the head gets damaged – it’s still a precision part, not a tank. I’ve knocked it lightly against the sink once and it survived fine, but I’m not going to start drop‑testing it on purpose.

As for the SmartCare base, it’s mostly plastic but feels stable. The moving mechanism that opens for the cartridge doesn’t feel fragile, but you can tell it’s the kind of thing you don’t want to slam or twist. If you treat your stuff reasonably, I don’t see a big durability concern. If you’re someone who throws gear around, this probably isn’t the right kind of product for you anyway. Overall, build quality seems solid, but keep in mind the ongoing cost of replacement heads and cleaning cartridges.

Let’s talk about the main point: how close it actually shaves. Compared to my manual razor, I’d say the Series 9 PRO+ gets me to about 90–95% of that closeness on most areas of my face. On the cheeks, it’s basically the same. On the neck and right under the jawline, if I run my hand against the grain, I can feel a tiny bit of stubble that a blade would probably catch. But visually, it looks clean, and for daily office or normal life, it’s absolutely fine.

In terms of speed, once I got used to it, I could do a full shave in around 3–5 minutes. That’s from 1–2 day stubble. With a 3–4 day beard, it takes longer because you have to go over some spots a few extra times. The 5 shaving elements do help reduce the number of passes, but don’t expect to just swipe once and be done. You still need to go slowly in tricky areas and stretch the skin a bit on the neck if your hair grows in different directions.

The built‑in Precision ProTrimmer is handy for cleaning up the edges of a goatee or sideburns. It’s sharp enough and doesn’t snag, but it’s narrow and not meant for bulk removal of a long beard. If you let your beard grow for a week or more, I’d still use a dedicated trimmer first and then finish with the Series 9 for a clean look. For 1–7 day growth like Braun claims, yeah, it handles that fine, but the further you get from daily shaving, the more patience it requires.

One thing I noticed: the Sonic/SyncroSonic tech or whatever they call it basically means the motor adjusts power depending on how dense the hair is. In practice, you feel the shaver slightly change tone when it hits thicker patches, and it doesn’t bog down. That’s nice, especially on the chin and under the jaw. Overall, the performance is strong. It’s not magic, but it’s the first time I’ve used an electric and didn’t immediately miss the blade in terms of closeness.

When you open the box, you can tell this is one of Braun’s high‑end models, but it’s not over the top. Inside my set (9597cc), I got: the shaver itself, the 6‑in‑1 SmartCare cleaning/charging base, one cleaning cartridge, a hard fabric travel case, a small cleaning brush, the ProComfort pre‑shave head, the standard shaving head attached, and the power cable. No random useless accessories, which I appreciate.

The instructions, though, are pretty weak. It’s mostly pictures with almost no text, and they’re not super clear on how to set up the cleaning cartridge in the base. I had to fiddle with it a bit: you press the side button on the station, the bottom pops out, then you drop in the cartridge after removing the cap. Once you’ve done it once, it’s simple, but the first time feels like you’re guessing. I can see why that one Amazon reviewer had to call support.

The shaver comes partially charged, but I still plugged it into the base and let it top off. The SmartCare base handles charging and cleaning, so there’s no separate charging dock – the stand is the whole system. You can still charge the shaver directly with the cord if you want to skip the base, which is useful if you travel and don’t want to drag the station with you.

Overall, the package feels pretty complete: you can start shaving right away, you have a decent travel case, and the ProComfort head gives you one more option if your skin is touchy. Just don’t expect super detailed paperwork or hand‑holding. If you’re comfortable figuring things out by trial and error, you’re fine. If you hate that, the setup might annoy you the first evening.